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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does King feel he will accomplish with his technique regarding description?
(a) He doesn not want the reader to become an active participant in the creative process.
(b) He urges the writer to work more on his dialogues.
(c) He is leaving some things to the reader's imagination.
(d) He believes that a reader is unimpressed by description.

2. What activity might cause King to work on days he normally doesn't work?
(a) Having a writer's block and not producing his usual amount of words previously.
(b) Having a deadline to meet.
(c) Being sick on days previous to the holiday.
(d) Being in the middle of a new novel.

3. In conclusion, what is the chapter, Toolbox, about?
(a) King's feelings about the writing world.
(b) King's beliefs about how to become an excellent writer.
(c) King's analogy on the art of writing.
(d) King's effort to present the mechanics of writing to his readers.

4. According to King, grammar rules were _______________ .
(a) Convenient conventions.
(b) Necessary for communication.
(c) Made to be broken.
(d) To be followed.

5. What does King consider to be a writer's practice?
(a) Any kind of writing.
(b) Reading.
(c) Writing exercises.
(d) Daily journal entries.

6. What does King help his uncle fix as a child?
(a) The driveway.
(b) The kitchen sink.
(c) A leaky faucet in the bathroom.
(d) A window screen.

7. How does King paint the main character from The Dead Zone?
(a) As a nice, normal boy who is flawed.
(b) He is evil but loving.
(c) He is too perfect.
(d) He has his flaws and is thoroughly evil.

8. How does King feel about writers improving their work?
(a) He believes writers improve their work through experience.
(b) He feels a good writer can become an excellent writer, but a bad writer will always be bad.
(c) He is sure only good writers can successfully improve their writing.
(d) He believes bad writers can become good writers.

9. According to King, what characteristic should a writer's space have?
(a) A calming venue with only a telephone and a computer.
(b) A simple place with little or no distractions.
(c) A quiet place with a radio and a computer.
(d) An office space with files, computer, printer, and a telephone.

10. However, King does believe _______ to be essential to a writer's vocabulary.
(a) Cleverness.
(b) Wisdom.
(c) Honesty.
(d) Beauty.

11. How does King feel about figures of speech?
(a) He says a writer should avoid similes and metaphors that are cliché and make little sense.
(b) He thinks they should be used extensively.
(c) He says they should be avoided.
(d) He thinks that writers should use other ways of transmitting their thoughts.

12. When does King hold himself to the minimum number of words per day?
(a) During a period of writer's block.
(b) When working under a deadline.
(c) While he is revising his work.
(d) While writing the first draft of all his novels.

13. How does King define vocabulary?
(a) Good words and knowledge of how to use them.
(b) The sum of the words you know.
(c) A knowledge of words used by different people that you are going to write about.
(d) An essential tool for good writing.

14. In order to ignore a grammar rule, what does King believe must be observed?
(a) Nothing.
(b) An explanation must be given to the reader.
(c) It must be done properly.
(d) A new rule must be created.

15. What is unusual about the character Annie Wilkes?
(a) Her prisoner finds her sympathetic.
(b) She maintains her good qualities while committing her sins.
(c) She is a psychopath with redeeming qualities.
(d) She is a good person doing evil deeds.

Short Answer Questions

1. King gives the example of John Grisham as a writer. What does he say about Grisham?

2. Why does King take this position on adverbs?

3. How many words a day does King try to produce?

4. What does King believe is necessary to create strong characters?

5. King has been called a hack over the years. What is a hack?

(see the answer keys)

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