1. What former British Prime Minister does Smith reference at the end of “The American Exception”?
(a) Winston Churchill.
(b) Neville Chamberlain.
(c) Margaret Thatcher.
(d) Tony Blair.

2. What does Smith liken Trump’s speech to after coming to her senses after the first part of his speech?
(a) White lies.
(b) Poison.
(c) Snake oil.
(d) Rotten apples.

3. Smith refers to the space of time that artists usually occupy as a “charming but useless” what?
(a) Playground.
(b) Existence.
(c) Playpen.
(d) Reality.

4. Nabokov said the inspiration for his novel came from an article about an ape that drew what?
(a) His self-portrait.
(b) Bananas.
(c) His captors.
(d) His own cage.

5. What is different about Jesus versus the actor speaking to him in the meme Smith saw during the pandemic?
(a) He is soaked in blood.
(b) He is on a cross.
(c) He is praying.
(d) He is kneeling.

Short Answer Questions

1. At the start of “Suffering Like Mel Gibson,” which type of person does Smith say dreamed of an “isolation within isolation” (29) at the start of the pandemic?

2. What image of “bored children” at home does Smith use in “The American Exception”?

3. “Truly laboring people,” Smith says, have to adhere to this, to which an artist does not have to adhere?

4. What two things does Smith say share in common their ability to distort one’s vision?

5. In “Suffering Like Mel Gibson” Smith says that class can alter what?

(see the answer key)

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