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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. Who did a huge belly flop off the diving board while on the outing?

2. What did Bryson, Buddy and Bill do to the Lincoln Logs to turn them white?

3. What could take Bryson a whole morning to do on the weekends?

4. Where was a bigger bomb dropped on March 1, 1954?

5. Why did Bryson hate going to the dentist?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How many siblings did Bryson have?

3. Where did Bryson's father work and what were some of the perks of the job?

4. What other accessories did Bryson need to become the Thunderbolt Kid?

5. What were some of the appliances that people in the 1950s were excited about owning?

6. What particular times were especially long for kids?

7. Where did Bryson go with his friend's family on a summer outing and why did he not look forward to it?

8. What behaviors did teenagers exhibit in the 1950s?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain Bryson's childhood growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, in the 1950s. What was his family life like? Who were his friends? What were his school experiences? How did these people and experiences form him into the adult he became?

Essay Topic 2

Create a character study of Bill Bryson. What are his physical characteristics? What are his personality traits? What are his motivations? What are his fears? What else can you say about Bryson?

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.

(see the answer keys)

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