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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 time did Bryson have to get to work on Sundays?

2. What did Bryson love about the town in #122?

3. Bryson wrote about which relatives in Chapter 10?

4. In what year did Bryson's father die?

5. What quality hindered Bryson in his work?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Bryson buy with his newspaper route money and what other interest did he develop at this time?

2. Where did Bryson's grandparents live and what did he love about the place?

3. The Iowa State Fair had many attractions but what did boys hope to see the most?

4. Describe the events surrounding Bryson's finally getting into the strippers' tent at the state fair.

5. What did the adult Bryson recall about the Des Moines of his youth?

6. What were Bryson's favorite books in school and why did he like them?

7. Describe the scenario of sleeping on his grandparents' sleeping porch in the winter.

8. What was Bryson's elementary school and what were some of the features that made it so nice?

9. What happened to The Thunderbolt Kid's sacred jersey?

10. Who was Dewey and how did he impact Bryson's job?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Bryson had respect for all of the people in the book but do you think he likes any one of them more than the others? Who would you choose to be your new friend among the people Bryson introduced in the book. Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Bryson is a master at dramatic devices. Choose an example of symbolism, metaphors, and irony, briefly describe them, and identify the technique which they embody.

(see the answer keys)

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