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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. As mentioned in a letter to Unwin, how had Tolkien previously responded to the warning about his friendship with C.S. Lewis?
(a) He misinterpreted the warning.
(b) He did not take the warning seriously.
(c) He began talking with C.S. Lewis' other friends.
(d) He stopped talking with C.S. Lewis.

2. How does Tolkien respond to the publisher's actions with the cover designs in "Now the Books Themselves"?
(a) He is confused.
(b) He is upset.
(c) He is thankful.
(d) He is unresponsive.

3. What two months are Letters #146, 147, and 148 written in?
(a) August and September.
(b) February and March.
(c) June and July.
(d) November and December.

4. In what year is Letter #253 written?
(a) 1963.
(b) 1962.
(c) 1964.
(d) 1964.

5. What causes Frodo to have a breakdown in The Lord of the Rings?
(a) Pressure.
(b) Evil influences.
(c) Insanity.
(d) Insecurity.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the first topic discussed in Tolkien's letter to Unwin about C.S. Lewis in "Now the Books Themselves"?

2. What choice does Tolkien think each person has?

3. According to the information in Letter #182, what position does Tolkien now have?

4. Which one of the following is a topic of discussion in Letter #150 to Christopher?

5. Overall, what is the length of the longest letters included in the book?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Why, when, and how does Tolkien switch from writing with a pen and paper to using a typewriter?

3. What is Tolkien's initial reaction when he is warned about his friendship with C.S. Lewis and what happens to change his mind?

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

5. How did being a father help Tolkien in writing one of his most well known stories, The Hobbit?

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

7. Who is Tolkien writing to when he predicts what would happen if Gandalf had worn the Ring, and what is his prediction?

8. What observation is made about Tolkien's work that prompts him to evaluate Frodo's heroic status?

9. What information does Tolkien provide in his remembrance of C.S. Lewis in Letters #257 and #261?

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

(see the answer keys)

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