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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. Who is the main subject of the essay "Baby, Baby, Baby"?

2. Who wrote the book Public Figures that the author references in "The High-Fives from Strangers, Etc."?

3. Where does the author describe being on his way to for a reading in "Umbrella in the Cafe"?

4. What was the author's father's de facto Philadelphia station, according to his narrative in "Love Me in a Special Way"?

5. When is the essay "Airplane Rituals" dated?

Short Essay Questions

1. What microaggression does the author describe experiencing in "Microgentrification: WE BUY GOLD"?

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

3. What quote is described by the author in "Some Stupid Shit"? What does he remark about this quote?

4. What are the author's rituals he describes in "Airplane Rituals"?

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

6. What song is discussed in "Donny Hathaway on Pandora"? What is the subject of the song?

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

8. What delight does the author discover in "Umbrella in the Cafe"?

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

10. What literary references and allusions are made in "Writing by Hand"? What is their significance?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the author's allusions and references to popular culture in The Book of Delights. What musicians, songs, and films are referenced by the author? How do these works relate to his themes in this collection? How do they connect to the author's delight?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the education and career of author Ross Gay. Where did Gay grow up? Where did he attend college? What did he study? What works has he published prior to The Book of Delights?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the connections between human touch, connection, and delight. In what essays from the collection does the author discuss human touch? How does he perceive it? Why is connection important to the author?

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