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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 Bryson astonished to find on his plane on a flight from Boston to Denver?

2. Why was Bryson unhappy about a flight he and his family took from Minneapolis?

3. What does Bryson say Americans are very resistant to in the field of energy?

4. In "Death Watch," what does Bryson dislike because they are "cold and bouncy and make odd noises."?

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

Short Essay Questions

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

2. "The Best American Holiday," Bryson explains why he loves Thanksgiving so much. List three things that he enthuses about the holiday.

3. In "Life's Mysteries," Bryson lists a very large number of things that he doesn't understand. What are four of these things?

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

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. Bryson looks at obesity in "The Fat of the Land." Name three statistics he mentions in relation to obesity.

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. In "Hail to the Chief," Bryson looks at the American holiday of Presidents Day. Give three points about the day that Bryson mentions.

9. Bryson titled "The Waste Generation". Give three examples of why he thinks the generation of Americans in the 1990s is a wasteful one.

10. In "Lost in Cyberland," what kind of adventures does Bryson have with technology in America?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 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

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.

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