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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 does Bryson say he never ultimately drove the rental car he needed at the Boston airport?
(a) He did not have a valid driver's license.
(b) He would not buy insurance.
(c) A friend gave him a lift instead.
(d) He could not find it.

2. How is "Your Tax Form Explained" structured?
(a) It runs backwards.
(b) It is in a nonsense language.
(c) It is the actual tax form Bryson submitted.
(d) It is a mock tax instruction sheet.

3. What is Bryson's observations on the conveniences of life in America in the 1990s?
(a) He wishes England had more conveniences.
(b) They need to be banned.
(c) They are not necessarily better, but people think they are.
(d) They are the best improvement he came home to.

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

5. What was the "Millennium Bug" about, in regards to computers?
(a) It was a new very tiny computer.
(b) It was an extremely destructive virus.
(c) No royalties would be paid to computer developers after that date.
(d) At midnight on January 1, 2000 all computers might shut down.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Bryson say about the New England summers?

2. In "Death Watch," what does Bryson dislike because they are "cold and bouncy and make odd noises."?

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

4. What does Bryson fondly remember about highway travel when he was a boy?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. In "Enough Already," Bryson says there is just too much of everything in America (except time, money, good plumbers, and polite people). What examples does he give to back this up? Why does he think it is not a good thing?

2. In "The Flying Nightmare," Bryson compares modern air travel with air travel from his youth in the 1960s and 70s. List three points he makes.

3. In "The Wasteland," what is Bryson criticizing? Name three points of his criticism.

4. "Book Tours", Bryson talks about his fondness for book tours. Why does he like them?

5. Bryson explains the joys of living in a snowy climate in "Fun in the Snow." How does he give the reader the impression that he is not a natural athlete?

6. Bryson relates his sad tale of trying to rent a car when he went to the Boston airport in "How to Rent a Car." What are some of the problems he encountered?

7. In "Deck the Halls," Bryson tells his readers that he is not looking forward to Christmas decorating. Why is this?

8. "Highway Diversions" is Bryson's look at highway travel, which he says is very dull. How does he compare modern highway travel to the highway travel of his youth?

9. "Your Tax Form Explained", what does Bryson satirize? Give three examples of how he does this.

10. In "In Praise of Diners," Bryson talks about an old American institution that has almost disappeared, the diner restaurant. List at least three things he tells the readers about diners.

(see the answer keys)

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