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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. What is Bryson's opinion of book tours?
(a) They are a waste of time.
(b) They are boring.
(c) They are very educational.
(d) They are kind of fun.

2. According to Bryson, what did people in the past do when they flew?
(a) Got sick a lot.
(b) Bought insurance for every flight.
(c) Ate and drank through the whole flight.
(d) Dressed up for it.

3. What was Bryson disappointed about on his book tours?
(a) Hotel room service.
(b) The waiting in stores for people to show up.
(c) Interviewers who knew nothing about his book.
(d) That he had to sign so many books.

4. According to Bryson, which man from his childhood state deserves more credit in American history?
(a) Washington Carver.
(b) Adlai Stevenson.
(c) Herbert Hoover.
(d) Mark Twain.

5. Which decade saw the idea of the drive-in really take off?
(a) The 1930s.
(b) The 1940s.
(c) The 1960s.
(d) The 1950s.

Short Answer Questions

1. What surprising statistic does Bryson share about the number of lawyers in America?

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

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

4. Why does Bryson say he never ultimately drove the rental car he needed at the Boston airport?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. 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?

2. In "Life's Mysteries," Bryson lists a very large number of things that he doesn't understand. What are four of these things?

3. "The Myteries of Christmas" compares American Christmases and English Christmases. How does Bryson compare the two holidays?

4. What does Bryson tell the reader about drive-in movies in "At the Drive-In"?

5. In "A Day at the Seaside," what does Mrs. Bryson suggest the family do? How does Bill react to this?

6. In "Shopping Madness," Bryson says there is a discipline called "retail anthropology." What is it ? What are some of the things it studies?

7. In "Hail to the Chief," Bryson looks at the American holiday of Presidents Day. Give three points about the day that Bryson mentions.

8. 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.

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

10. "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?

(see the answer keys)

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