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

2. What does Bill say about the way people of the world eat?

3. What does Bryson say that all New Englanders do?

4. Why doesn't Bryson like gardening with his wife?

5. What does Bill like about having a college as part of he town he lives in?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "How to Have Fun at Home,"which household conveniences are high on Bill's approval list? Why?

2. Bryson has a nostalgic look at motels in "Room Service." How does he compare and contrast older motels with those of the mid 1990's?

3. What comparison does Bryson make between American baseball and English cricket in "Take Me Out to the Ballpark"?

4. 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?

5. In "A Visit to the Barbershop," how does Bryson convey that adjusting to the small town barbershop is difficult?

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

7. Why does Bryson find going to a restaurant in the United States so difficult, as expressed in "What's Cooking"? How does he address the issue of the many varieties of food out there?

8. "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?

9. 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.

10. In "The War on Drugs," what examples does Bryson give to prove his belief about American drug laws being unfair?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Define what is meant by "style" in writing. Discuss what kind of style is used in traditional nonfiction, creative nonfiction, and novels. 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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