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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 Bryson say Americans are very resistant to in the field of energy?

2. What is Bryson's opinion about most American lawyers, according to "So Sue Me"?

3. Where does Mrs. Bryson like to go in the summer that Bill can definitely live without?

4. In "Drowning in Red Tape," what is Bryson frustrated about acquiring for his wife?

5. Who does Bryson say designed the snowmobile?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. In "A Day at the Seaside," what does Mrs. Bryson suggest the family do? How does Bill react to this?

3. In "Ah, Summer!" what does Bryson say he likes about summers in New Hampshire? How does he compare them to summers in Iowa?

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

5. 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?

6. "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?

7. 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?

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

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

10. In "Deck the Halls," Bryson tells his readers that he is not looking forward to Christmas decorating. Why is this?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Define memoir as a literary genre. What elements of the memoir are found in "I'm a Stranger Here Myself"? Briefly outline the main points of Bill Bryson's experiences as they are described in the book. Discuss why you believe they are appropriate or not as inclusions in a memoir about a man returning to his country of birth after twenty years away.

Essay Topic 2

What is satire? What is the point of satire and how should it be used? Give three examples of satirical writing that Bryson includes in his book.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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