View a FREE sample

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, which of his sons might one day become a libel lawyer?

2. In "On Losing a Son," why does Bryson decide to play baseball with his youngest child?

3. What is Bryson's opinion of book tours?

4. What was the "Millennium Bug" about, in regards to computers?

5. In "Enough Already," which item comes in 18 varieties in American supermarkets?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

4. In "In Praise of Diners," Bryson talks about an old American institution that has almost disappeared, the diner restaurant. List at least three things he tells the readers about diners.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

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 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)

This section contains 1,332 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample