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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through At a Loss, Old News, Rules for Living, Our Town, Word Play, Last Night on the Titanic, Property News, Life's Technicalities, An Address and Coming Home: Part II.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In "Design Flaws," what does Bill complain about, in regards to his computer?
(a) The hard drive.
(b) The monitor.
(c) The keyboard.
(d) The CD player.

2. What does Bill find to be a difficult adjustment for him when he returns to the U.S.?
(a) He cannot find what he wants in the stores.
(b) He has forgotten American English.
(c) He left as a young man and came back middle-aged.
(d) He finds it very noisy.

3. What does Bryson say about the paper route he had when he was a kid?
(a) He often lost the money and the papers.
(b) He got his best friend to do it for him.
(c) He loved it and made a lot of money on tips.
(d) He would never get to the end of the route.

4. In "How to Rent a Car," what does Bryson find especially frustrating about the process?
(a) The mileage charges.
(b) How and where to drop it off.
(c) The options he is offered.
(d) The limits on passengers.

5. According to Bill, what is the outstanding quality of Americans?
(a) Their sense of humor.
(b) Their ambition.
(c) Their friendliness.
(d) Their business sense.

Short Answer Questions

1. Bill is amazed that thousands of Americans end up in the emergency rooms every year from using certain things. What are they?

2. According to Bryson, what is the result of the "abundance of choice" in America?

3. Bryson nostalgically describes the movie theater where he grew up. Where is his home town?

4. What does Bill say about the way people of the world eat?

5. In "The Great Indoors," what does Bryson say people in America have developed a dislike of?

(see the answer key)

This section contains 333 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample