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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through The Great Indoors, Death Watch, In Praise of Diners, Shopping Madness, The Fat of the Land, Your New Computer, How to Rent a Car, The Wasteland, The Flying Nightmare and Enough Already.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Bill find in the bottom of his refrigerator, a left over from his junk-food shopping with his wife?
(a) Breakfast pizza.
(b) Toaster tarts.
(c) Popsicles.
(d) Lettuce.

2. What house feature does Bryson miss from his childhood?
(a) The screened porch.
(b) The back shed.
(c) The out house.
(d) The spare bedroom.

3. In "On Losing a Son," why does Bryson decide to play baseball with his youngest child?
(a) He realizes the little boy is growing up.
(b) He is tired of working on his writing.
(c) He thinks the boy has a chance to be professional.
(d) He wants him to learn an American sport.

4. In "Death Watch," what does Bryson dislike because they are "cold and bouncy and make odd noises."?
(a) Frozen pizza rolls.
(b) Small planes.
(c) Snowmobiles.
(d) Japanese cars.

5. Why does Bryson think the cupholder revolution is a bit strange?
(a) Some cars have way more cupholders than capacity for passengers.
(b) The car makers should make better cars and forget the cupholders.
(c) Americans are spoiled and want every little convenience.
(d) People shouldn't be drinking and driving.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Bill say is a strange feature of their car?

2. What does Bryson say about New England in "Fall in New England"?

3. After living in Britain for twenty years, what does Bill find refreshingly different about the United States?

4. Why did Bill decide to write "Friendly People?"

5. What does Bill discuss at the beginning of his essay on design flaws?

(see the answer key)

This section contains 336 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample