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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 11, To Anne Barrett of Houghton Mifflin Co..

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What do the letters selected for "To Unwin about The Hobbit" have in common?
(a) They refer to Tolkien's most well known works.
(b) They are all over five pages.
(c) They are all less than one-page long.
(d) They refer to Tolkien's least known works.

2. How does Tolkien describe the change that he has made to his manuscript in Letter #129?
(a) Reversible.
(b) Perfect.
(c) Negotiable.
(d) Final.

3. What issue does a woman's presence raise for Tolkien in "Publisher Drama"?
(a) The spoken word vs. the written word.
(b) Poems vs. short stories.
(c) Published works vs. unpublished works.
(d) Novels vs. poems.

4. In his letter to D. Auden in "The Lord of the Rings Are Published," why does Tolkien think his work is published?
(a) The stories have the ability to transcend time periods.
(b) The publisher was a childhood friend of his.
(c) The publisher was a fan of the story as a child.
(d) The stories have the ability to connect with children and adults.

5. In Letter #130, what distinction does Tolkien make about the artificial languages he creates for his books?
(a) They are never used in real life.
(b) They are the opposite of an actual real life language.
(c) They are seldom used in real life.
(d) They are a combination of two real-life languages.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the only date found on Letter #182?

2. What does Tolkien explain he uses in developing his fascination with imaginary worlds?

3. What point does Tolkien make about his book, The Silmarillion, in Letter #131?

4. Who does Tolkien say are the only people interested in reading his literary works in Letter #115?

5. How old is J.R.R. Tolkien in the first letter?

(see the answer key)

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