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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. At the start of the essay, Sedaris explains how he met

2. One glaring difference Sedaris notices between watching movies in the U.S and watching them in Paris is

3. The Texans on the Metro do not make room for the growing crowd because

4. Unlike Sedaris' childhood fieldtrips to historic villages, Hugh's school took him to visit

5. Sedaris attempts to impress his teacher by

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Sedaris allow the American couple to insult him without admitting he speaks English?

2. How does Sedaris attempt to charm his teacher with his humor?

3. Why is Sedaris even more afraid to speak French while taking a class in Paris?

4. Ultimately, how does Sedaris claim to feel about Hugh's experiences?

5. Why does Sedaris finally start referring to nouns in their plural form?

6. What does Sedaris notice about Americans while living in France?

7. What does Sedaris finally conclude about his obsession with crossword puzzles?

8. Why does the barber refuse to believe Jodi Foster would clean up after her own dog while walking on the beach?

9. While watching the girl dangle from a broken ride at the Paris street fair, what is Sedaris most concerned about?

10. What gives Sedaris a new confidence about speaking French?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many of Sedaris' essays focus on childhood. Write an essay in which you determine a theme Sedaris creates on the subject of childhood, and use specific examples to support your argument.

Essay Topic 2

Consider the motifs of loss and change in Sedaris' book. Then write an essay in which you describe Sedaris' attitude toward these two motifs, supporting your ideas with specific examples from the text.

Essay Topic 3

Consider Sedaris' reflections on French and American culture. Based on these reflections, write an essay in which you argue whether Sedaris seems to "belong" in France or America. Use specific examples from the text to support your argument.

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