View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Zinsser think about this misconception?

2. What is a misconception about writers and scientists?

3. What did his parents teach him that made him a fantastic writer?

4. Do criticism writers need to take a stance on a show?

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

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

6. Why are Americans scared to write about themselves?

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

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

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

10. What tense do business writer stend to use that hurts their writing?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are ways that politicians can better their speech writing style? What are some common political cliches you have heard recently? What is it about cliches that tend to always make it into speeches? Touch on human emotion with your response.

Essay Topic 2

Zinsser says that writers should write from their subconscious to let everything flow, then go back and hammer out all the gritty details. How often do you take this approach? Do you agree with it? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

What type of writing should not be changed and why? What are some ways to better industry standards, where wording needs to remain uniform?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 795 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample