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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 event in America is starting up as Bill begins writing his columns for his British audience?

2. How much does Bryson say the government spends on fighting drugs?

3. In "The War on Drugs," what is wrong, according to Bryson, about the penalties for drug possession?

4. How does Bill know so much about motels?

5. What does Bill Bryson like about his new home town?

Short Essay Questions

1. 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.

2. "Tales of the North Woods" tells the reader something about the wilder side of New Hampshire, Bryson's new home state. What information does he share with the reader about the wilderness of New Hampshire?

3. What information about household accidents in America does Bryson give the reader in "Well, Doctor. I was Just Trying to Lie Down..."? Where did he find his information?

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

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 finds the lack of privacy in America to be a problem. List three examples of this problem that he cites in "Snoopers at Work."

7. 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?

8. "The Cupholder Revolution" details the proliferation of cupholders. What does Bryson have to say about them?

9. 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?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Conflict is a common element of writing, in both fiction and nonfiction. Why is conflict so often used in narratives? How can it help add interest to a narrative? Give four examples where conflict in "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" occurs and how it helps explain the dynamics of Bill's return and his reactions to the United States.

Essay Topic 2

What is "creative license?" When is it commonly used? When should it not be used? In what instances is it permissible to use in creative nonfiction? Give examples. Cite three examples from "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" where you believe creative license was used.

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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