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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. When is the children's concert of "The Trumpet of the Swan" performed?
(a) May 13, 1971.
(b) April 15, 1971.
(c) May 13, 1972.
(d) April 15, 1972.

2. In White's opinion, how different is the New Yorker in the 1950s?
(a) Completely different than it was in the 1920s.
(b) Slightly different than it was in the 1920s.
(c) Moderately different than it was in the 1920s.
(d) No different than it was in the 1920s.

3. How many major surgeries does Katharine have between 1966 and 1970?
(a) Eleven.
(b) Seven.
(c) Five.
(d) Nine.

4. In a letter to Howard Cushman, what request does White have about trumpeter swans?
(a) Only photos.
(b) Only information.
(c) Photos and information.
(d) Neither photos nor information.

5. Which station does White politely decline an interview with in 1978?
(a) CBS.
(b) ABC.
(c) NBC.
(d) PBS.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which John Steinbeck book was the result of an assignment for Holiday magazine that White could not complete?

2. What is the title of Katharine's posthumous book?

3. When does White inform his publisher that he thinks "Charlotte's Web" appeals more to adults than children?

4. As he explains to his stepson, why is White not writing?

5. When does White learn about the death of James Thurber?

Short Essay Questions

1. What complications does White have with his vision in 1982, and how many years does he provide newsbreaks for the New Yorker before retiring?

2. How does White explain the process of writing a book to fourth-graders of Columbus, Ohio?

3. What are the elements included in the Philadelphia Orchestra's children's concert of "The Trumpet of the Swan" in 1972?

4. How is Katharine's legacy preserved?

5. What is the subject of the exchanged letters between White and President Richard Nixon in July, 1969?

6. How does White respond to a confused senior at Newton High School?

7. What ailments does White have in 1963, and how does he write about his recovery?

8. How long does White study the screenplay for "Charlotte's Web" and what suggestions does he make?

9. How does White revise his work to be included in the new edition of "The Elements of Style"?

10. What is White's concern with the cover art for "Charlotte's Web" and what appropriate advice does he share?

(see the answer keys)

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