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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is one way Bryson says New Hampshire residents might die that would not happen in Britain?

2. In "Room Service," what does Bill say the Motel Inn in California is famous for?

3. What did the town of Laconia, New Hampshire, have to do about its new sidewalks and benches in its town center?

4. What do U.S. post offices do once a year that Bill likes a lot?

5. Bill is amazed that thousands of Americans end up in the emergency rooms every year from using certain things. What are they?

Short Essay Questions

1. 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."

2. 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.

3. 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"?

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

5. 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?

6. Bryson calls America "the ultimate shopping paradise" in "Consuming Pleasures." How does he support this statement?

7. In "Coming Home" Bryson says he is "gamely assessing" the concept of not being able to go home again. What circumstances took him away from the United States in the 1970s? How did he spend the following two decades in England? What is his reaction on returning to the United States in 1996?

8. 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?

9. "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?

10. 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?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

To make memoir writing authentic, the author's personal presence must exist. Give five examples where Bill Bryson's personal presence is apparent. Choose two of the examples, and explain why you think he chose to make it so.

Essay Topic 2

Define what is meant by "style" in writing. Discuss what kind of style is used in traditional nonfiction, novels, and creative nonfiction. Which style was used in the writing of "I'm a Stranger Here Myself?" Support your answer with four examples.

Essay Topic 3

Define "creative nonfiction" and explain how it applies to "I'm a Stranger Here Myself." Explain how the book differs from traditional nonfiction with supporting arguments. Explain how it differs from fiction with supporting arguments.

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