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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. Where did the author's father work at Red Barn, according to hsi narrative in "The Negreeting"?

2. Who wrote the book of essays titled Calamities?

3. What does the author describe on his socks in "Reading Palms"?

4. What phrase is denoted in all-caps in "Stacking Delights"?

5. At what school does the author describe reading poems to a group of students in "Weirdly Untitled"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the author describe the bellhop in "Beast Mode"?

2. What delights are described by the author in "Among the Rewards of My Sloth..."?

3. What does the word "negreeting" refer to in "The Negreeting"?

4. What setting is described in "REPENT OR BURN"? What is this setting like?

5. What is the central symbol in "Infinity"? What does it represent?

6. What kind of plant is described in "The Irrepressible: The Gratitudes"? What are the author's impressions of the plant?

7. What atmosphere is evoked through the setting of "Coffee without the Saucer"?

8. What is the setting of "Praying Mantis"? What atmosphere does it evoke?

9. What is meant by "TEMPORAL ALLEGIANCE" (107) in "Stacking Delights"?

10. How would you describe the narrative style in "My Birthday, Kinda"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the themes of sorrow and death in The Book of Delights. How does the author incorporate these themes into a book about joy? What symbols relate to these themes? What individuals are thematically connected to these concepts?

Essay Topic 2

Identify and discuss three examples of irony in The Book of Delights. How does the author use verbal irony for humor? What, if any, dramatic irony is employed? How is situational irony used? To what effect?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the importance of setting in The Book of Delights. What different settings are described in the essays of the collection? Which stand out the most? How is setting a source of delight for the author?

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