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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. Which company's All-Bran ad promoted their product as a cancer preventing food?

2. What does the essay "A Gentleman and a Consumer" examine?

3. What message does the phenomenon, Democracy of Goods, refer to?

4. How do ads usually portray men?

5. According to the authors, what is the TV show that is an example of the Schadenfreude phenomenon?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the first step in semiotic writing as recommended by the authors?

2. What is commodification of desire?

3. What are some examples of popular culture?

4. Why are shows like West Wing popular according to Todd Davis , the author of "The West Wing in American Culture?"

5. Reality TV shows are a hot trend in popular culture and often based on schadenfreude. What do you think their impact could be on a middle school student?

6. Describe some of the key elements or processes involved in the semiotic analysis of TV programs.

7. How are Asian women represented in American movies? How does it reinforce the image held by society?

8. What is Democracy of Afflictions? Name some of the products that are sold under this theme.

9. How does Jack Solomon employ semiotic analysis to study the culture of American advertising?

10. What is one addiction that all businesses really like their customers to keep?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is your position regarding people belonging to one culture adapting or copying another culture's art form? Do you agree or disagree with the points made by Paul C. Taylor in "Funky White Boys and Honorary Soul Sisters?"

Essay Topic 2

While FCC (Federal Communications Commission) regulates profanity and indecency, it allows violence, often the extreme kind, on TV as well as in movies. Should the FCC's role involve regulating violence?

Essay Topic 3

How is inferential racism prevalent around us through positive and negative images of racial minorities? Give some examples to support your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

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