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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 hangs on the walls of Leigh-Cheri's room?

2. In the third "Interlude," what does the writer say his typewriter needs?

3. What metaphor does the writer use to say he hopes to make it to the end of the novel?

4. What does the writer have under lock and key?

5. What does the king do for a career?

Short Essay Questions

1. What idea does Leigh-Cheri talk about when she is interviewed for People magazine?

2. What does Leigh-Cheri learn when she goes on Bernard's boat?

3. What does Robbins humorously determine will eventually happen to typewriters?

4. Why is Leigh-Cheri so upset when she returns to the boat where Bernard was staying?

5. What is learned about Leigh-Cheri during the incident with the frog on the plane?

6. Where did Bernard Hickey Wrangle, a.k.a. "The Woodpecker", set off a bomb that injured someone? What did Bernard do to make amends?

7. Who is the person that insults Leigh-Cheri while she is already upset over the bombing that ruined the Care Fest? What does that person say?

8. What is wrong with the color of the writer's typewriter?

9. What goes wrong with the conference in Chapter Thirty-Six?

10. Why is the writer dissatisfied with his new typewriter?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The story speaks about a large number of UFO sightings in Hawaii, in particular Maui. It also discusses the "Red Beards" of South and Central America and Mexico. Consider the discussion Leigh-Cheri and Bernard have about these subjects. What are their feelings about UFOs, aliens and Red Beards? Do they believe in them? This is a work of fiction, however, much of fiction is based on fact. Research each of these topics and note what you learn. Were any of these topics based on factual information?

Essay Topic 2

In the beginning of the story, Leigh-Cheri is infatuated with Ralph Nader. Who is he? What does he stand for? Why do you think he was chosen to be the recipient of her devotion?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the effectiveness of the way Chapter Thrity-Nine is written by jumping back and forth between two difference scenes.

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