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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 the biggest fear that nonfiction writers have?
(a) Not being able to sell their story that they worked so hard on.
(b) Having their computer break, mid story, without having saved a word.
(c) Having people laugh at their article, that wasn't a humorous piece.
(d) Not being able to bring off an assignment and get it dont with any justice.

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

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

4. What advice does Zinsser have for all writers?
(a) To never give up in the face of adversity.
(b) To write as much as they can and become a content mill.
(c) To challenge their editors occasionally.
(d) To write the best they can and defend their writing.

5. His article was supposed to be about his impressions of salt caravans, why didn't he write more about this?
(a) Salt caravans are general knowledge and he didn't want to sound cliche.
(b) He never saw the salt caravans, and this was the humor in his article.
(c) He wasn't paying attention to the salt caravans.
(d) He was bored with the caravans, and would have bored his readers since he cannot fake his voice.

Short Answer Questions

1. What advice does Zinsser give to employees who want to change business writing?

2. How does Zinsser end his travel article that he wrote about Timbuktu?

3. Why is it important for writers to stick to industry standards?

4. What is the problem with freelance writers and editors today?

5. What is a good way to edit a long story?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do writers need to develop their own voice? How does writing compare to other art forms?

2. How does Zinsser react when editors want to change too much of his work?

3. Why is humor the most powerful tool for a nonfiction writer?

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

5. What is a major pitfall of sports writers?

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

7. What is a good way to learn how to write with humor? How much humor should be used?

8. How is taste involved in writing?

9. What needs to be described in a travel article?

10. Why are Americans scared to write about themselves?

(see the answer keys)

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