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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. When Bryson takes his family to one of the last drive-ins in the area, what is the experience like?

2. What does Bryson mean by the "wasteland"?

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

4. According to Bryson, what problem does he have with relating to New Englanders?

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

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. "The Myteries of Christmas" compares American Christmases and English Christmases. How does Bryson compare the two holidays?

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

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

6. 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?

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

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

9. "Your Tax Form Explained", what does Bryson satirize? Give three examples of how he does this.

10. 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?

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

What role does the Bryson family play in the memoir "I'm a Stranger Here Myself"? Are they as important to the narrative as the author and the environment? Give four examples where the other members of the family are central to the story-telling. Give four examples where the narrative is focused only on Bill and the community/the United States.

Essay Topic 3

Tone refers to the attitude of the narrator in a work. As the narrator of "I'm a Stranger Here Myself," what is the author's tone at different stages of the book? Explain the tone by using examples from the following events:

1) When Bryson first returns to America.

2) When he is frustrated with some of the challenges he faces in America.

3) When his son goes off to college.

4) When he is celebrating holidays in the United States.

(see the answer keys)

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