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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. According to King, what is the most important tool for a writer?
(a) Vocabulary.
(b) An excellent computer.
(c) Lots of notes.
(d) Good typing skills.

2. King has been called a hack over the years. What is a hack?
(a) A writer with no talent.
(b) An excellent writer.
(c) A literary drudge.
(d) A writer of trivial matter.

3. What does King believe is necessary to create strong characters?
(a) The reader should have no problem identifying the good characters from the bad ones.
(b) They should be clearly defined by their actions.
(c) They should be multidimensional.
(d) They should be clearly defined but interesting.

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

5. According to King, what goes in the top of the writer's toolbox?
(a) Practice in writing.
(b) A grounding in literature.
(c) Study and preparation through classwork.
(d) The most important tools for writing.

6. There is another element in the making of a good writer according to King's statements. What is it?
(a) To write frequently.
(b) To write a lot.
(c) To write when the muse strikes.
(d) To have definite writing goals.

7. How does King use theme in his novels?
(a) To create a moral in his work.
(b) To guide the plot along.
(c) To illustrate otherwise obscure points.
(d) To help him stay on course.

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

9. How does King use this advice from his uncle?
(a) He falls in love with tools and creates his own toolbox for chores around the house.
(b) He buys new tools every time he receives a check for his work.
(c) He applies it to his writing.
(d) He always takes all his tools when he has to fix something.

10. There is an old adage in writing: write what you know. How does King feel about this?
(a) He urges writers to ignore this advice and write what they think is important and of value.
(b) He hopes that writers will experiment and not be limited by this statement.
(c) He believes that writers should follow this advice, but not in a literal way.
(d) He suggests writers research questions they are interested in and then write about them.

11. In the chapter, Toolbox, what advice does King give the reader?
(a) Writers should carefully prepare their tools before beginning to write.
(b) Writers should always be prepared.
(c) Writers need their own toolbox to be successful.
(d) Writers need to have outlets other than writing.

12. Why does King's uncle carry the whole toolbox with him?
(a) Because it is a habit.
(b) Because he says a person could never be sure what tools he would need.
(c) Because lifting it gives him a workout.
(d) Because he can't go back home between jobs.

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

14. Which speaker attributes does King find acceptable for the majority of dialogue?
(a) Those which use active verbs.
(b) Clever ones that break up the monotony of the 'he said', 'she said' routine.
(c) The basic 'he said', 'she said'.
(d) Whichever ones are necessary to convey the meaning of the scene.

15. How could the object King's uncle inherits be described?
(a) Big but light.
(b) Small and light.
(c) Large and open.
(d) Large and hard to carry around.

Short Answer Questions

1. From whom does King's uncle inherit something?

2. According to King, which element of a novel is less important than aspiring writers might believe?

3. However, King does believe _______ to be essential to a writer's vocabulary.

4. According to King, what should dialogue represent?

5. What does King consider to be the best tool in making a writer?

(see the answer keys)

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