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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In "Enough Already," which item comes in 18 varieties in American supermarkets?
(a) Veggie burgers.
(b) Incontinence diapers.
(c) Gum removal spray.
(d) Milk.

2. According to Bryson, what problem does he have with relating to New Englanders?
(a) They never want any "alone time."
(b) They never watch television.
(c) They don't trust people who read books.
(d) They love winter and winter sports.

3. How did Bryson describe his first run on a snowmobile?
(a) As too slow for him.
(b) As awesome.
(c) As a jolly good time.
(d) As a waking nightmare.

4. In "A Slight Inconvenience," what does Bryson say about drive-through windows in restaurants?
(a) They save people a lot of time.
(b) They are inefficient.
(c) That people will spend more time in line than if they went in.
(d) They are unsanitary.

5. Who does Bryson say designed the snowmobile?
(a) Thomas Edison.
(b) His friend Danny Blanchflower.
(c) Satan.
(d) Joseph Armand Bombardier.

6. According to Bryson, what makes up for the long New England winters?
(a) Playing board games with his kids.
(b) They are stunningly pretty.
(c) The roaring fire in his study.
(d) Going south for a month.

7. Bryson and his wife see their son off to a university. Where is the university?
(a) North Carolina.
(b) Ohio.
(c) California.
(d) Canada.

8. What animal got trapped in the Bryson house soon after the family moved in?
(a) A skunk.
(b) A rat.
(c) The neighbor's cat.
(d) A squirrel.

9. What do New Englanders call the tourists who come to New England in the fall?
(a) Tree crazies.
(b) Leaf peepers.
(c) Tree huggers.
(d) Leaf lovers.

10. What is the main point Bryson is making in "Your Tax Form Explained"?
(a) That it is very confusing.
(b) It is easy to understand.
(c) No one should try to fill out a tax return.
(d) Paying taxes is unavoidable.

11. What does Bryson hate about Christmas?
(a) The music.
(b) Getting the decorations out of the attic.
(c) Buying gifts.
(d) The expense.

12. According to Bryson, what is the result of the "abundance of choice" in America?
(a) A lot of time wasted.
(b) A simple way of life.
(c) A lot of rich business owners.
(d) A lot of happy people.

13. What word associated with Christmas does Bryson wonder about at the beginning of "The Mysteries of Christmas"?
(a) Noel.
(b) Merry.
(c) A-wassailing.
(d) Yule.

14. In "The Great Indoors," what does Bryson say people in America have developed a dislike of?
(a) Coffee.
(b) Law and order.
(c) Multi-grain bread.
(d) Fresh air.

15. What does Bryson say Americans are very resistant to in the field of energy?
(a) Driving smaller cars.
(b) Using less gasoline.
(c) Raising the price of gasoline even slightly.
(d) Finding alternative sources of energy.

Short Answer Questions

1. According to Bryson, which man from his childhood state deserves more credit in American history?

2. What does Bryson find the most "mind-numbing" feature of modern television?

3. What did Bryson's parents give him for Christmas when he was eight?

4. Bryson compares modern airplanes to _______________.

5. Where does Mrs. Bryson like to go in the summer that Bill can definitely live without?

(see the answer keys)

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