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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Does the author believe good writing is the result of an inherent talent?
(a) Yes, people are born to write.
(b) A good writer
(c) No, the craft always gets better with time.
(d) No, good writers have to be taught.

2. Why doesn't he simply cross out clutter?
(a) Because it uses too much ink to cross out than to bracket.
(b) So that his students will learn to recognize clutter.
(c) Because underlining is easier on the eyes.
(d) Because highlighting is easier to see.

3. Which is the simplest sentence?
(a) Simplicity is the direct opposite of clutter.
(b) Simplicity.
(c) Simplicity is opporite clutter.
(d) Simplicity is the opposite of clutter.

4. What gives nonfiction books life?
(a) Pure hard facts.
(b) White lies that sell certain facts.
(c) The cover of the book.
(d) Humanity and warmth.

5. What is an example of a hit book that was rejected several times?
(a) Harry Potter.
(b) Pride and Prejudice.
(c) Jurassic Park.
(d) Eleven on Top.

6. What is a strange but effective way of proofreading to check for errors?
(a) Reading through a window.
(b) Reading a piece backwards.
(c) Reading a story upside down.
(d) Reading under a blacklight.

7. What method of writing does Zissner use?
(a) New Journalism.
(b) Cluster writing.
(c) Bold paragraph approach.
(d) Old Journalism.

8. How much research does Zinsser recommend for an article?
(a) He recommends finding much more information than is needed for the article.
(b) He recommends finding the bare minimum and bulking an article up with adjectives.
(c) He recommends using at least three full length books for a one page article.
(d) He recommends finding just enough to make a word count.

9. What is another important characteristic of a writer?
(a) To be aware of the way words are spelled.
(b) To be aware of the rhythm and sound of words together.
(c) To sound out simple sentences.
(d) To sound out simple syllables.

10. What group of people does the author think has the worst type of writing?
(a) Musicians.
(b) Toddlers.
(c) Teachers.
(d) Politicians.

11. Who is the author talking to at the beginning of the book?
(a) He is presenting to student writers at a Connecticut school.
(b) He is talking to his wife.
(c) He is talking with his editor.
(d) He is talking to his mother.

12. Why doesn't Zissner provide examples of these writers he admires?
(a) Because of copyright law.
(b) So that people will go to the library to discover the writers themselves.
(c) He didn't want their writing to prove better than his.
(d) Because he has a word count limit to abide to.

13. What is unity in writing?
(a) Unity is when the writer sticks to one plot.
(b) Unity is where the writer maintains consistency throughout an entire piece.
(c) Unity is when characters are unipolar and one dimensional.
(d) Unity is when the characters in a story are united and never disagree with one another.

14. Why does he recommend starting in the preferred tense?
(a) It makes it easier for people to relate to.
(b) It creates a teacher student relationship.
(c) It causes writer's to think about the reader.
(d) It brings out the natural voice.

15. What tense does Zissner recommend when starting a new piece?
(a) Third person.
(b) First person.
(c) Combination third and first.
(d) Second person.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the problem with American writing?

2. Why is the English language so easy to use when writing?

3. What is the biggest mistake a writer can make when creating sentences?

4. What does Zinsser do before submitting a piece of writing?

5. Why is the above a problem?

(see the answer keys)

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