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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

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

2. In what year are the earliest letters in the book written?
(a) 1916.
(b) 1918.
(c) 1914.
(d) 1912.

3. What is the skill or ability of the Elves'?
(a) Art.
(b) Science.
(c) Math.
(d) Communication.

4. How many improvements does Tolkien indicate he has made to the manuscript for Farmer Giles of Ham?
(a) Too many to count.
(b) Numerous.
(c) Only a few.
(d) None.

5. In what year does Tolkien become disturbed by the length of time to publish The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Silmarillion?
(a) 1951.
(b) 1948.
(c) 1949.
(d) 1950.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is the person that Tolkien thanks, and is the recipient of Letter #130?

2. What is Allen & Unwin?

3. Who leads The Enemy in Tolkien's stories?

4. What issue does a woman's presence raise for Tolkien in "Publisher Drama"?

5. As mentioned in Letter #69, which specific part of his manuscript does Tolkien plan on revising?

Short Essay Questions

1. How old is Tolkien when the earliest letters begin and what is his situation?

2. What are galleys in literature and how does Tolkien respond to the editing process of The Lord of the Rings?

3. What happens between Tolkien and Edith leading up to their engagement?

4. Who is Tolkien traveling with in the story he recounts for Christopher in a letter from April 3, 1944, and what is the point of the story?

5. What clarification does Tolkien make about the word, "Elves"?

6. What change does Tolkien consider and eventually make to The Hobbit in Letters #128 and #129, and why is it significant?

7. How is Tolkien's proficiency in writing displayed in the story he tells to Christopher in his April 3, 1944, letter?

8. How can the One Ring of Power be destroyed?

9. How does Tolkien describe the development of his penchant for stories in Letter #130?

10. What inspires a schoolboy to write to Tolkien about The Hobbit in Letter #114 and what advice does Tolkien give in return?

(see the answer keys)

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