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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 in West Virginia does the author describe hunting for quarters in "Fog Count"?

2. Who is the protagonist of Madame Bovary?

3. When is the traditional festival of Alasitas celebrated in La Paz?

4. What Nazi commander is described as having wept at an opera staged by concentraton camp prisoners in "In Defense of Saccharin(e)"?

5. Who are Michael Moore's parents?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where do the Barkley Marathons take place? How is this setting described?

2. How does the author compare sentimentality and artificial sweeteners in "In Defense of Saccharine(e)"?

3. How does the author describe the line between pathos and melodrama in "In Defense of Saccharine(e)"?

4. The author gives "Some Important Dates in the History of Artificial Sugar" in "In Defense of Saccharine(e)." What are these dates and events?

5. How does the author describe the word "saccharine" in the opening of "In Defense of Saccharine(e)"?

6. How does the author describe Charlie when she first sees him in "Fog Count"?

7. Where was the author visiting Charlie in "Fog Count"? How did she know this person?

8. What does "deus ex machina" mean and why does the author discuss it in "Lost Boys"?

9. Who did Carl consider to be the major contenders in the Barkley Marathons in "The Immortal Horizon"? Why?

10. What did Cat tell the author about the history of West Virginia in "Fog Count"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss symbolism as explored in "Pain Tours (II)." What is represented by Frida Kahlo's corsets? What does the Bolivian supermarket symbolize in the second section of the essay, "Servicoi Supercompleto"? What do the writings of James Agee symbolize in the last section of the essay?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the author's struggles with Dave in the first essay. How did these personal struggles change the author's perceptions of empathy? How did they shape her understanding of pain and suffering? In what ways did the author evolve through this situation?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the importance of setting in "Pain Tours" (I). What settings are described in this three-part essay? How are these settings similar? How are they different? How do these settings connect to the theme(s) of this essay?

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