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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Sedaris questions
(a) His own need for cleanliness.
(b) His own inability to go to the bathroom comfortably in public
(c) His own inability to leave the toilet unflushed, thereby assuming the guilt.
(d) Others inability to feel shame.

2. One reason Sedaris resists the computer is
(a) He likes to be able to physically correct his mistakes using Liquid Paper.
(b) He likes to see the physical product of his work, as he does with a typewriter.
(c) He likes travelling with the typewriter.
(d) He believes the computer cannot translate his words correctly.

3. At the end of the essay, Miss Sampson tricks Sedaris by
(a) Getting him to overcome his lisp.
(b) Making him continue to take speech therapy.
(c) Forcing him to speak in front of the class.
(d) Getting him to say "I'm sorry."

4. Sedaris compares his father's most recent dog, Sophie, to
(a) A trophy wife.
(b) A substitute wife.
(c) A capricious young bride.
(d) An inexperienced substitute teacher.

5. Sedaris discovers that most of the boys in speech therapy are
(a) Unable to pronounce consonants correctly.
(b) Popular and smart.
(c) Unlike himself.
(d) Unpopular and uninterested in sports.

6. Where music is concerned, Sedaris' father could be described as a
(a) Skeptic.
(b) Professional.
(c) Dreamer.
(d) Realist.

7. Mr. Mancini claims to be
(a) A ladies man.
(b) A rock star.
(c) A frustrated artist.
(d) A homosexual.

8. After his gourmet meal, Sedaris elects to
(a) Eat a plate of nachos at the movies.
(b) Grab a burger at a fast-food place.
(c) Eat a huge bucket of popcorn at the movies.
(d) Grab a hot dog on the way to the movies.

9. Sedaris attempts to hide his lisp by
(a) Learning as many s-free words as possible.
(b) Mispronouncing all his words.
(c) Practicing his s-words at home.
(d) Refusing to speak during therapy.

10. Sedaris' attempt to recruit his guitar teacher for his jingle-singing act results in
(a) Rejection.
(b) Acceptance.
(c) Understanding.
(d) Comaraderie.

11. During their last meeting together, Sedaris learns that Miss Sampson
(a) Is leaving to work at another school.
(b) Has quit her job because she feels like a failure.
(c) Is aware of his homosexuality.
(d) Has been fired because she could not help the students.

12. Sedaris fears his father is not up to the task of caring for his new dog, Sophie, because
(a) She is violent and does not obey him.
(b) He is not as attentive to pets as he used to be.
(c) He is older now, and she is young and strong.
(d) He is older now, and she is old and dying.

13. Sedaris wonders at the way Paul and his father
(a) Avoid one another.
(b) Have learned to endure one another.
(c) Communicate so well.
(d) Continue to live under the same roof.

14. Sedaris feels out of place in the restaurant because
(a) He cannot understand the menu.
(b) He has to borrow a jacket from the maitre d'.
(c) He does not like any of the food.
(d) He is on his first date with Hugh.

15. One aspect of the food that disturbs Sedaris is
(a) That it is laid out in a horizontal line.
(b) That it is piled in an unrecognizable heap.
(c) That it is arranged to look like a face on his plate.
(d) That it is stacked vertically on his plate.

Short Answer Questions

1. Facing his lack of artistic talent might mean

2. Valencia is

3. Who or what threatens to divide Sedaris' class?

4. Ironically, the food at the restaurant is described as

5. Sedaris suggests his brother is radically different from his other siblings because

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 667 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample