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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

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(d) Published works vs. unpublished works.

2. As stated in the letters included in "Publisher Drama," how many times does Tolkien have the chance to use the poetic invention he makes?
(a) Once.
(b) Four times.
(c) Three times.
(d) Twice.

3. What is the only thing capable of destroying the Ring in Tolkien's story?
(a) A certain magical spell.
(b) The water from a specific river.
(c) A special type of fire.
(d) The power generated from another ring.

4. As Tolkien explains in Letter #131, what motivates The Enemy in his stories?
(a) Evil intentions.
(b) Good intentions.
(c) Unknown intentions.
(d) Complicated intentions.

5. Which of the following is the main thing that separates the Hobbits and the enemy?
(a) The quest for gold.
(b) A misunderstanding.
(c) The quest for power.
(d) A lack of knowledge.

6. What two factors contribute to the main part of Letter #66 to Christopher?
(a) Real life and the writing of an imaginary world.
(b) Real life and the idea of living in an imaginary world.
(c) Fiction and the idea of living in an imaginary world.
(d) Fiction and the writing of an imaginary world.

7. Which one of the following does Tolkien vigorously discuss in his letters?
(a) Reporting to class on time.
(b) Talking with students.
(c) Grading papers.
(d) Reading academic books.

8. Who does Tolkien say are the only people interested in reading his literary works in Letter #115?
(a) C.S. Lewis and his wife.
(b) Only his wife and son.
(c) C.S. Lewis and his son.
(d) Only C.S. Lewis.

9. As stated in "The Professor," when are The Lord of the Rings books officially published?
(a) 1951.
(b) 1952.
(c) 1953.
(d) 1954.

10. How is the Machine described in Letter #131?
(a) Industrialized and disciplined.
(b) Neither disciplined nor industrialized.
(c) Disciplined, but not industrialized.
(d) Industrialized, but undisciplined.

11. What does Tolkien offer to the schoolboy in Letter #114?
(a) Early copies of documents.
(b) Monogrammed stationery.
(c) The first draft of a never released manuscript.
(d) An encyclopedia set.

12. Based on the information in the Introduction, how many chapters does the book have?
(a) Fifteen.
(b) None.
(c) Five.
(d) Ten.

13. Who participates in the Machine?
(a) Mortals, Elves, and Hobbits.
(b) Mortals.
(c) Elves.
(d) Hobbits.

14. How much of The Silmarillion takes place before the arrival of human beings?
(a) None of it.
(b) The majority of it.
(c) Very little of it.
(d) All of it.

15. With whom does Tolkien work in order to avoid the responsibilities of chairing the English department?
(a) The dean.
(b) Students.
(c) The department supervisor.
(d) Colleagues.

Short Answer Questions

1. What request is made of Tolkien after he finishes Farmer Giles of Ham?

2. Where does the friendship between the Elves and the Dwarves that Tolkien refers to in Letter #131 take place?

3. In Letter, #6, to what college subject does Tolkien refer?

4. What subject is a student's thesis about that Tolkien expects to find boring?

5. In what month does Tolkien write to Christopher about the writing process for The Hobbit?

(see the answer keys)

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