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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What kind of radio does Ellison have?
(a) Old Philco AM with Pilot FM tuner.
(b) Plastic transistor radio.
(c) Wooden American Minder with glass tubes.
(d) Old Nelson AM with Riddle FM tuner.

2. Does Ellison have "Invisible Man" completely thought out prior to writing it?
(a) Ellison refuses to discuss his writing method.
(b) No, he just wrote as it came to him.
(c) Yes, the conceptual framework was in place.
(d) Partly, he knew what the ending would be, but that was all.

3. Who lives above Ellison?
(a) Diligent classical singer.
(b) Tap dancer.
(c) Exercise club.
(d) Judo training facility.

4. Why are slaves able to express themselves in art?
(a) Entertainment was enforced by white culture.
(b) They were given artistic education by slave owners.
(c) They came from African cultures where art was highly functional.
(d) Art was seen as harmless by slave owners.

5. In "Blues People" how are the blues categorized?
(a) Country or classic.
(b) Good or bad.
(c) Poetic or Sociological.
(d) Negro or White.

6. What does Ellison do to find some peace and quiet?
(a) Creates a sound system of his own.
(b) Pads the walls with newspaper.
(c) Wears earplugs.
(d) Begins to meditate.

7. Is Ellison interested primarily in injustice or art?
(a) Neither.
(b) Injustice.
(c) Art.
(d) Both equally.

8. What is Ellison reading when he begins writing "Invisible Man?"
(a) "The Hero" by Lord Raglan.
(b) "The Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad.
(c) "Native Son" by Richard Wright.
(d) "The Problem of Leadership" by Rod Mitchell

9. What is James Reese Europe known for?
(a) Inventing the fox trot.
(b) Protesting segregation.
(c) Starting a fire at Minton's.
(d) Playing the tenor sax.

10. What instrument does Henry Minton play?
(a) Guitar.
(b) Bassoon.
(c) Piano.
(d) Saxophone.

11. What falls on Ellison and his wife while they sleep?
(a) Ceiling.
(b) Drum set.
(c) Box of books.
(d) Tape machine.

12. Who co-founds modern jazz with Parker?
(a) Jimmy Rushing.
(b) Louis Armstrong.
(c) Dizzy Gillespie.
(d) Pat Brown.

13. Where does Charlie Parker die?
(a) Alley behind Minton's.
(b) Crossing the Atlantic.
(c) Hotel suite of a Baroness.
(d) Mental hospital.

14. From what did Parker struggle to escape?
(a) Role of entertainer.
(b) Illiteracy.
(c) Color-blindness.
(d) Poverty.

15. What is Charlie Parker's nickname?
(a) Bird.
(b) C.P.
(c) Noodle.
(d) Horn.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "The Art of Fiction: An Interview" what does Ellison say at the very beginning?

2. What childhood memory does Ellison draw on to deal with his artistic nemesis?

3. What does Ellison read in 1935 that moves and intrigues him?

4. What does the chaos of noise cause in Ellison?

5. What is unique about "The Way It Is" compared to the other essays?

(see the answer keys)

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