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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) Writing only about one sports.
(b) Being as creative as possible to retain readership.
(c) Overeducating the reader about sports facts.
(d) Using industry standards instead of creative terms when referencing sports topics.

2. Why should companies learn to produce better writing?
(a) In a capitalistic world, there is always competition and good writing reduces it.
(b) To produce more writing jobs.
(c) To get more clients to understand their terms.
(d) To appeal to educators.

3. What is the best way to add humor into writing?
(a) Making all funny lines italicized.
(b) Making a funny sentence sneak up on a reader to get an unexpected laugh.
(c) Making seperate paragraphs that only have the funny line in them.
(d) Adding asterisks to funny lines.

4. Did Zinsser always want to write?
(a) He always wanted to write for a newspaper.
(b) Yes, ever since he was a little boy.
(c) No, his love of writing came after being deployed.
(d) No, it was a random interest.

5. Why does this misconception exist?
(a) Writers only want to read literature, and not science.
(b) Scientists are left brain individuals that don't want to learn to write.
(c) Writing is too complex for many, and is more of an art than a science.
(d) Early education lumps students into categories, creating boundaries they can never cross in the future.

Short Answer Questions

1. What are Zinsser's four articles of faith to writing well?

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

3. Does Zinsser ever use humor in his writing?

4. What does the process of memoir writing do for a writer?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. What is a strategy to making sure the above choices fit?

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

3. How is taste involved in writing?

4. Why does a writer's fear of new subjects keep him from taking original and interesting projects?

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

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

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

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

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

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

(see the answer keys)

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