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. Who was George H. W. Bush's running mate in 1988?

2. How many letters to a congressman did O'Rourke read before finding a thank-you letter?

3. How long did Jesse Jackson propose to freeze military spending?

4. O'Rourke says the Republican convention had the intellectual content of song lyrics by what band?

5. How does O'Rourke describe a day when Congress is not even in session?

Short Essay Questions

1. What examples does O'Rourke give to say that America's government now embodies the same tyrannical bent that compelled the American colonies to secede from England?

2. What did Ted Kennedy mean when he said "Where was George?"

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

4. Why does O'Rourke believe that the United States government remains unchecked?

5. How does O'Rourke feel about the concept of political conventions?

6. What did O'Rourke learn from an anonymous functionary at the Department of Transportation?

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

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

9. How does O'Rourke depict Washington journalists?

10. What does O'Rourke say is the best way to truly understand the function of government?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What role did the media play in George H. W. Bush's popularity? How does O'Rourke characterize the media's feelings toward Bush? How does he seem to feel about the media's treatment of Bush? What is the significance of O'Rourke including this observation in his book? What point is he trying to make?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

How does O'Rourke say the government essentially put itself into debt? How does the government spend its money, according to the author? What does O'Rourke say is the main reason the country is in debt? What techniques does the author use to express his feelings about the government's spending habits? What point is O'Rourke trying to make about the government and the citizens?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 847 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample