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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 does Bill say is a big improvement in America concerning business phone numbers?

2. According to Bryson, what is lacking in his New Hampshire town?

3. In "How to Have Fun at Home," why does Bill think having your groceries bagged for you is not so great?

4. What British sport does Bill find dull but restful?

5. According to Bill, which offense do the British commit that he takes offense to?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Bryson hate calling the computer helpline, as he outlines in "Help!"? How does he react to hotlines in general?

2. How does Bryson compare late television in the U.S. to late time television in Britain in his "Drug Culture"? What does he say about the American approach to over-the-counter medicine from watching commercials for these products?

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

4. "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?

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 relates how his attitude to the informality and familiarity in American life seemed an irritant when he returned to the United States. For Essay 19, "Number Please," relate some of the ways he has encountered this informality in America.

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

8. 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.

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

10. 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?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Humor is an element of memoir writing that is often employed by authors. Why is it used? How can it enhance a memoir? What two types of humor does Bryson use in "I'm a Stranger Here Myself"? Give four examples of Bill Bryson's use of humor where you feel the pace and the theme of "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" has been enhanced by its use.

Essay Topic 2

What are some techniques Bill Bryson uses to make the real events of his life back in the United States come alive? Illustrate with one or two examples for each technique.

Essay Topic 3

The setting refers to the time and the place where a story takes place. Compare and contrast the settings of "I'm a Stranger Here Myself." How does the United States to which he returns compare to the country he left behind in the 1970's? Cite at least three examples from the book where Bryson discusses how the setting, in reference to time, has changed.

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