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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why doesn't Bryson like gardening with his wife?
(a) She expects him to garden for hours at a time.
(b) He has to do all the work.
(c) She screams if she sees any insects.
(d) She is English and thus an expert gardener.

2. What does Bill say that he has to remember about going into restaurants?
(a) You need to show identification.
(b) They don't sell alcoholic drinks in the local eateries.
(c) He has to remove his baseball cap.
(d) To wait to be seated.

3. According to Bill, what product do Americans regard much differently than the British?
(a) Pet food.
(b) Clothing.
(c) Cars.
(d) Over-the-counter drugs.

4. What does Bill find strange about some U.S. commercials?
(a) They can be 5 minutes long.
(b) They have laugh tracks.
(c) They cannot show cigarettes.
(d) They advertise personal hygiene products.

5. What particular product in American supermarkets fascinates Bill?
(a) Laundry soap.
(b) Cereal.
(c) Pet food.
(d) Meat.

Short Answer Questions

1. When Bill phones the computer hotline to ask for help, what information do they ask him for first?

2. What American kitchen convenience does Bill think is just wonderful?

3. What does Bryson think is sad about how things are changing in modern Vermont?

4. Why does Bill prefer the post offices in the U.S. to the ones in Britain?

5. What trait does Bill admit that he has in regards to simple everyday activities?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "How to Have Fun at Home,"which household conveniences are high on Bill's approval list? Why?

2. In "The Inefficiency Report," Bryson says "Our subject today is large-scale incompetence in my native land." Give some examples of what he believes are areas of incompetence in 1990s America.

3. Bryson finds the lack of privacy in America to be a problem. List three examples of this problem that he cites in "Snoopers at Work."

4. Bryson has a nostalgic look at motels in "Room Service." How does he compare and contrast older motels with those of the mid 1990's?

5. How does Bryson feel about gardening? What are his feelings concerning gardening with his mate in "Gardening With My Wife"?

6. Why does Bryson hate calling the computer helpline, as he outlines in "Help!"? How does he react to hotlines in general?

7. What does Bryson, who admits he "is no stranger to sloth," say about the walking habits of Americans in Essay 26, "Why No One Walks"?

8. "Friendly People" begins with Mrs. Bryson telling Bill that all he did in his columns was make negative comments about the United States. He goes on to say there are a lot of things he likes about America. What are some of those things?

9. In "A Visit to the Barbershop," how does Bryson convey that adjusting to the small town barbershop is difficult?

10. In "Design Flaws" Bryson compares running shoes and his computer keyboard. What does he say about each one?

(see the answer keys)

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