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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 magazine offered men and boys the chance to see naked women?

2. Where did the radioactive ash from the bomb fall?

3. What word was not allowed on television in the 1950s?

4. What was an insect that rose from the ground and could fly up someone's shorts?

5. America was at war with ____________ when Bryson was born.

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the only real danger in town and how did the Thunderbolt Kid take care of the situation?

2. What were some of the ways that boys could see glimpses of naked women?

3. How did Bryson describe Des Moines and the area of the city where he lived?

4. What importance did comic books have in the lives of Bryson and most other kids in the 1950s?

5. What form of exercise did Bryson's father like to practice and what was an unusual location for his exercise routine?

6. What particular times were especially long for kids?

7. What were the results of the hydrogen bombs dropped by the United States in 1952 and 1954?

8. What businesses came about as the result of more cars in America?

9. Describe a typical experience of Bryson's family stopping to see his mother's family every time they went on vacation.

10. What sorts of things did Bryson and other kids do to help pass the long days?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a "character" sketch of the city of Des Moines. What personality shines through for you for this city? Did Bryson make you want to learn more and perhaps visit one day? What would you most like to see? What is the one fact or interesting feature that you can recall about Des Moines? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Humor takes on an almost human persona in this story. What is this literary technique called? Cite examples that support this position.

Essay Topic 3

One of the most striking characteristics of Bryson's writing is his complete honesty. Explain why this is necessary to complete a book of this nature. Would a reader be able to see through fabrications and falsehoods in a book like this? Describe why this format is the perfect for Bryson's personality.

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