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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. What is a general rule for writing about sports?
(a) Overeducating the reader about sports facts.
(b) Writing only about one sports.
(c) Using industry standards instead of creative terms when referencing sports topics.
(d) Being as creative as possible to retain readership.

2. What do sports writers forget to do when writing about sports for so long?
(a) They forget who their readers are and what they are writing about.
(b) They use too many stats and not enough writing.
(c) They get into the lives of their athletes in too much depth.
(d) They forget to research the athletes personal lives.

3. What advice does Zinsser give to employees who want to change business writing?
(a) Keep trying to change it and make it better.
(b) Write the way they want regardless of what their bosses say.
(c) Complain to HR.
(d) Take their concerns to the board.

4. What does the process of memoir writing do for a writer?
(a) It brings up related memories that were pushed into the subconsious.
(b) It brings back bad memories that the person tried to forget.
(c) Nothing but write about everything he or she thinks about daily.
(d) It forces them to talk to distant relatives they hate.

5. What did he love about the New York Herald?
(a) He loved that it always came to his doorstep as a child.
(b) He loved how opinionated all the columnists were.
(c) He appreciated the fair and balanced reporting.
(d) The style which incorporated warmth, humor and the master of the English language.

Short Answer Questions

1. Is there room for opinion when writing a sports article?

2. How are writers like painters?

3. What do people need to understand about science?

4. Why is it so hard to write about places?

5. What do writers focus on most?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Zinsser feel about writing when a writer doesn't want to? Why do writers have this luxury?

2. Should sports writers add their opinions in sports articles?

3. Why should exact details be avoided in memoirs? What approach should writers take instead?

4. Does he recommend this level of pride to other writers?

5. Explain some of the choices that writers have to take when editing?

6. Why is bad to fall into cliches when travel writing?

7. Why is corporate speak the norm in business writing?

8. Does Zinsser think that scientists can write?

9. Why should writers forget about the final product when they are writing?

10. Why is there an attitude that certain people are only meant to learn certain subjects and skills like writing or science?

(see the answer keys)

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