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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 tax did the natives of O'Rourke's town fear that the retirees would inflate?

2. What drug does O'Rourke says makes a person think they can fly?

3. Soldiers told about fighting in Panama in what magazine?

4. O'Rourke says the middle class has no reason to be concerned about what drug?

5. O'Rourke argues against military cuts by talking about the happiness that every male feels when he has what in his hand?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does O'Rourke see when he spends an evening with the Washington DC police department?

2. How does O'Rourke describe the USS Mobile Bay?

3. How did Blatherboro block the completion of a local golf course?

4. Why does O'Rourke seem to think his family was stronger because they were not given any help?

5. Describe O'Rourke's experience when he joined the Guardian Angels on a drug den raid.

6. How does O'Rourke feel about American poverty at the beginning of "Poverty Policy: How to Endow Privation"?

7. How does O'Rourke feel about the war in Afghanistan?

8. What role do special interest groups play in politics?

9. How does O'Rourke suggest solving the problem of students dropping out of school?

10. Who does O'Rourke blame for the savings and loan collapse?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explore the perspective used in this nonfiction work. How would O'Rourke's lessons about the government be different if they were written from a third-person perspective, like they would be in a text book? What could the reader gain from a less personal perspective? What is gained from the first-person perspective and the first-hand examples that he uses instead?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

What is the significance of the story O'Rourke shares about shadowing a congressman on a "light" work day? What point is the author trying to make about congressmen and what is expected of them? How does O'Rourke feel about the general attitude toward congressmen? Are his feelings surprising to you? Why or why not? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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