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

Short Answer Questions

1. What political party did Lloyd Bentsen belong to?

2. What television program ran a story about "runaway car syndrome" in an Audi model?

3. At what time of day was George H. W. Bush's 1991 budget finally "hammered out"?

4. What does O'Rourke say is the term for an interview where "you didn't come here and I didn't say this"?

5. O'Rourke begins "Protectors of a Blameless Citizenry: The Bureaucracy" by talking about what government department?

Short Essay Questions

1. From O'Rourke's description, what does a congressman's job entail?

2. To what does O'Rourke attribute the problem of the national deficit?

3. How does O'Rourke suppose that most Americans feel about the United States government?

4. How does O'Rourke describe the Republican and Democratic platforms during the 1988 elections?

5. What problems does O'Rourke see with the U.S. Constitution?

6. How does O'Rourke feel about George H. W. Bush's 1991 budget?

7. How does O'Rourke describe the day he shadowed a congressman?

8. How does O'Rourke describe one-minute speeches?

9. How does O'Rourke feel about George H. W. Bush's rise to fame?

10. How does O'Rourke feel about the Democratic speeches given during a visit to the House of Representatives?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explore the title of O'Rourke's book. Who is he referring to when he speaks of the "parliament of whores"? Who are the "whores," and why does he use this word to describe this group? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Explore the Supreme Court's 1990 ruling that flag burning cannot be prohibited. What is the significance of the author mentioning this ruling? Why does O'Rourke believe that the Supreme Court ruled that flag burning cannot be prohibited? What does the ruling seem to convey about how the Supreme Court works? What are O'Rourke's feelings about the Supreme Court?

Essay Topic 3

How does the author characterize the U.S. government? What techniques does he use to convey his feelings about the government to the reader? What does he mean when he says the government goes unchecked? Who does he think should be checking it?

(see the answer keys)

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