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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. The dog Mr. and Mrs. Sedaris coddled as empty-nesters was
(a) Melina, a Great Dane.
(b) Sadie the cat.
(c) Madchen 2, the replacement German Shepard.
(d) Mumbles, the teddy bear.

2. Paul's relationship with his father might be described as
(a) Callous and indifferent.
(b) Honest and direct.
(c) Blunt and hurtful.
(d) Coddling and protective.

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

4. Sedaris' enjoyment of the ocean was ruined by
(a) His experiences swimming in it.
(b) His interest in sun-bathing.
(c) His father's explanation of the tides.
(d) His mother's comparing it to a saltwater toilet.

5. The Japanese cartoon Fatty and Skinny makes Sedaris sad because
(a) Fatty always rejects Skinny in the end.
(b) Skinny always demands money from Fatty.
(c) Fatty is unable to meet Skinny's demands and loses his friendship.
(d) Skinny is unable to meet Fatty's demands, and ends up friendless.

Short Answer Questions

1. Instead of the performance piece in the twelfth "moment," Sedaris seems to admire

2. Lou Sedaris said his daughters would thank him for

3. Sedaris discovers that most of the boys in speech therapy are

4. Before leaving for The Plaza, Sedaris warns Bonnie that

5. What skill does Sedaris admire in his mother that eludes him?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Sedaris' mother respond to the music lessons the kids are taking?

2. Why does Sedaris suggest Miss Sampson's "timing was off" when she reveals her human side during their last session?

3. Why does the young Sedaris miss the irony of the fisherman's inability to live by the seashore?

4. Describe Amy Sedaris' appearance in the much-anticipated magazine article.

5. What are the main differences between Sedaris and his father outlined in the chapter?

6. What does Sedaris find unusual about the way the food in his neighborhood restaurants is served on the plate.

7. Why does Sedaris resist learning to play the guitar?

8. How has Sedaris' mother explained bodily functions?

9. What is ironic about the fact that Bonnie at last finds some "nice New Yorkers" at the Plaza Hotel?

10. What attributes of Paul's relationship with his father seem to balance out his directness and crude behavior?

(see the answer keys)

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