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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. In "Room Service," what does Bill say the Motel Inn in California is famous for?
(a) Being built over buried treasure.
(b) Being used in a lot of movies.
(c) Being owned by Zorro.
(d) Being the first to use the word "motel."

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

3. In "Lost at the Movies," which Jurassic Park movie did Bryson take his children to see?
(a) Lost Innocence.
(b) Lost World.
(c) Lost Appetites.
(d) Lost Dinosaurs.

4. How many children do the Brysons have?
(a) Three.
(b) Two.
(c) Five.
(d) Four.

5. In "Junk-Food Heaven," according to Bill, what kind of food shopper is his wife?
(a) She loves to cut out and use coupons.
(b) She buys healthy and nutritious food.
(c) She hates shopping; he does it all.
(d) She buys a lot of junk food.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Design Flaws," what does Bill complain about, in regards to his computer?

2. What does Bryson call the expression his wife wears when she is ready for serious gardening?

3. How does Bryson begin "Tales of the North Woods?"

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

5. In "Dying Accents," what is the name of the man who does carpentry around the Bryson house?

Short Essay Questions

1. Summarize Bryson's trip to the supermarket in "Junk-Food Heaven." Include why he went shopping in the first place, what he saw at the store, and what was the ultimate outcome of that trip.

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

3. "Tales of the North Woods" tells the reader something about the wilder side of New Hampshire, Bryson's new home state. What information does he share with the reader about the wilderness of New Hampshire?

4. In "Rule Number 1: Follow All Rules,"what does Bryson use as an example of a rule that must be followed in America? How does he compare the devotion to order in the U.S. and Britain?

5. "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?

6. In "The War on Drugs," what examples does Bryson give to prove his belief about American drug laws being unfair?

7. In "The Numbers Game," Bryson expresses his amazement at the large numbers that are quoted by American government agencies. What does he say about the use of such large numbers?

8. What does Bryson say about regional accents in America in the 1990s in "Dying Accents"?

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

10. In "Mail Call," what points does Bryson bring up to compare American post offices and British post offices? Why does he prefer American post offices?

(see the answer keys)

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