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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 many Elves does Tolkien think might be able to manage the Ring of Power in Letter #246?
(a) None.
(b) Three.
(c) One.
(d) Two.

2. Based on the information provided by Tolkien in Letter #261, which Ireland Province was C.S. Lewis from?
(a) Connacht.
(b) Leinster.
(c) Munster.
(d) Ulster.

3. What book has Tolkien recently completed when he writes a letter to W.H. Auden that is included in "To Anne Barrett of Houghton Mifflin Co."?
(a) Unfinished Tales.
(b) The Lord of the Rings.
(c) The Return of the King.
(d) The Silmarillion.

4. How does Tolkien think his writing about the joys of fatherhood will be interpreted by people who are parents?
(a) They will be surprised.
(b) They will not be surprised.
(c) It will not be very helpful.
(d) It will be very helpful.

5. When does Tolkien begin using a typewriter for his letters?
(a) April 1966.
(b) July 1963.
(c) July 1964.
(d) April 1965.

Short Answer Questions

1. How heroic does Tolkien think Frodo is in Letter #246?

2. What university did C.S. Lewis have a Chair position?

3. Who is Tolkien replying to in Letter #246?

4. What two months are Letters #146, 147, and 148 written in?

5. How does Tolkien describe his work for a dictionary?

Short Essay Questions

1. What important announcement does Tolkien make to Christopher Bretherton in Letter #253 about his connection to childhood?

2. What wish does Tolkien have for "well-meaning" editors in Letter #236?

3. Which literary device does Tolkien not appreciate and how does he view the intended audience of fairy tales?

4. According to Tolkien's letter to W.H. Auden, what drives humans towards certain behaviors?

5. What problem of Sauron does Tolkien describe in his letter to Auden as an example of human behavior?

6. In what way does Tolkien think that his story will help both existing parents and future parents?

7. Why is Tolkien honored with a degree from the Belgians and how do they refer to him?

8. Who does Tolkien thank in his letter to D. Auden on 1955?

9. How does Tolkien disprove the misconception that his success was made overnight in Letter #159?

10. What does Tolkien think about Frodo's breakdown at the Cracks of Doom being considered a moral failure?

(see the answer keys)

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