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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 react to the original cover designs that he is sent for his books?
(a) He is very happy with them.
(b) He likes them overall, but has a few suggestions.
(c) He does not understand them.
(d) He is unhappy with them.

2. What university did C.S. Lewis have a Chair position?
(a) University of Cambridge.
(b) University of Manchester.
(c) University of Oxford.
(d) University of Edinburgh.

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

4. What does Tolkien wish for "well-meaning folk who think they know" in Letter #236?
(a) They could be listened to.
(b) They could be reasoned with.
(c) They could be appreciated.
(d) They could be restrained.

5. When is Letter #159 dated?
(a) April 3, 1954.
(b) March 3, 1955.
(c) July 30, 1953.
(d) October 30, 1956.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Tolkien categorize the attempts made to change his spellings in Letter #236?

2. How long does it take Tolkien to get his story about The Lord of the Rings published, according to Letter #159?

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

4. What type of good news does Tolkien preview in Letter #185?

5. Who are most of the recipients of "The Final Letters"?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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. Which familiar people does Tolkien continue to write to in the "Later Years," and which recipients are new?

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

6. What suspicions are confirmed by Tolkien about a woman's used book in 1965?

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

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

9. As Tolkien explains in his letter to Unwin, why is the work of C.S. Lewis opposed by some?

10. What previously unmentioned career achievement does Tolkien reveal to Christopher Bretherton in Letter #253?

(see the answer keys)

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