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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What was the best advice Zinsser ever received about having opinions in writing?
(a) It was to argue both sides of a story.
(b) To never second guess a story.
(c) To always second guess an argument and make a pro and con list.
(d) Take a stand and stick to it. One should never "go peeing down both legs."

2. What did his parents teach him that made him a fantastic writer?
(a) His mother was a writer and went to career day at his school.
(b) His mother instilled in him a love and respect for good writing, and his father taught him to have a strong work ethic.
(c) His mother taught him to spell, and his father taught him to write.
(d) HIs father took him to a field trip to a newspaper office.

3. What is the problem with freelance writers and editors today?
(a) Editors are not as good as writers.
(b) Editors treat freelance writers like hired help.
(c) Writers are pushovers and let their work become ruined.
(d) Writers never listen to their editors.

4. Where does a writer need to start to get his or her voice discovered?
(a) A writer needs to emulate other writers and see how they utlilize their voices in their writing.
(b) Sign up for a talent search.
(c) Read stories aloud at poetry clubs or book clubs.
(d) Go to a literary agent and ask how to get their voice out.

5. Why is it so hard to write about places?
(a) It is hard to translate what the eyes see.
(b) Two people never see a place the same way.
(c) Places change over time and it is hard to stay true to the general feel of a place.
(d) Writers tend to fall into cliches, especially when writing about well known places.

6. Why do criticism writers have to be at a higher level than other writers?
(a) Criticism need to be stronger at literary elements because they need to recreate a scene or a song in the imagination of their readers with words only.
(b) Criticism writers are no different. They still need to use the same basic rules of writing.
(c) Only those able to understand the arts can write about them, and very little people can.
(d) Criticism is harder to write about because it tends to be less attractive than other writing.

7. What freedom does he give his students?
(a) The power to decide what to write about, what angle to take, what perspective, and what to cut out.
(b) He doesn't give freedom. He is very demanding of his students.
(c) He doesn't give deadlines, the gives very little guidance, and just lets people write and turn in first drafts.
(d) He lets everyone out early on Fridays.

8. Is there room for opinion when writing a sports article?
(a) Absolutely not.
(b) Yes. Readers trust sports writers to make sports predictions about their favorite teams.
(c) Writers should limit commentary and stick to the stats.
(d) There is always room for commentary.

9. How is humor used in writing nonfiction?
(a) It is never used. Nonfiction should always be serious.
(b) It is used to bring out points that cannot be made in a straight forward manner.
(c) It is used to practice jokes for stand up comedians.
(d) It is used to make fun of people without them every knowing.

10. What does Zinsser think about writing memoirs?
(a) He likes memoirs and reads them constantly.
(b) He is against memoirs and thinks writers should never write about themselves.
(c) He thinks memoirs are tacky writers.
(d) He encourages them and wants writers to stop being afraid about writing about themselves.

11. How does Zinsser end his travel article that he wrote about Timbuktu?
(a) He ends with a joke about how hot it was in the desert.
(b) He repeats his first sentence, throws in a stat about the country, and mentions eveyrone should visit at one point in their life.
(c) He generalizes the story.
(d) He ends by telling the truth and stating how satisfied he was with his desert experience.

12. What stops Americans from writing memoirs?
(a) An attitude to please teachers and not readers.
(b) Memoires don't sell well enough.
(c) Editors hate reading memoirs therefore don't pick them up.
(d) People don't like reading memoires.

13. How does Zinsser create his final products?
(a) He spends hours finding the right words, best rhythms, and makes sure every sentence leads into another.
(b) He usually knows his writing is good, so he just gives everything a once over and he is done.
(c) He pawns them off to his editor which sends his writing back with red squiggles.
(d) He takes a week to read over his writing with fresh eyes.

14. Do readers generally like knowing about athletes' personal lives?
(a) Only when it pertains to athletes' outlooks on the sport.
(b) No, they just want to see the athletes play their game.
(c) Either way, it doesn't really matter.
(d) Yes, they want all the information out there.

15. What is a requirement for good literary criticism?
(a) Subscribing to arts magazines.
(b) Frequenting the theatre often.
(c) Knowing the subject that the writer wants to write about.
(d) Having a comparitive literature degress.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do writers focus on most?

2. What problem does a scientist have when writing about science?

3. His article was supposed to be about his impressions of salt caravans, why didn't he write more about this?

4. Writers should always look for ________________.

5. What approach to a place should writers take?

(see the answer keys)

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