View a FREE sample

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

Multiple Choice Questions

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

2. According to Bryson, what does the Travel Industry Association of America say about shopping?
(a) Americans should shop more, not less.
(b) The Grand Canyon needs a mall.
(c) Without it, the American economy would crash.
(d) It is the number one holiday activity of Americans.

3. In "How to Rent a Car," what does Bryson find especially frustrating about the process?
(a) The mileage charges.
(b) The options he is offered.
(c) The limits on passengers.
(d) How and where to drop it off.

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

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

Short Answer Questions

1. Which American tourist attraction does Bryson describe as a "Total Indoor Environment"?

2. When looking for a place to live in the United States, what was the only thing Bryson liked about Adams, Massachusetts?

3. When Bryson had his first book published, what did his publisher send him to?

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

5. What does Bryson say the reason might be for being bewildered with modern television?

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 "So Sue Me," what does Bryson say about American lawyers?

3. "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?

4. 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?

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

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

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

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

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

10. Bryson looks at obesity in "The Fat of the Land." Name three statistics he mentions in relation to obesity.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,383 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample