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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. When the gas station attendant makes a phone call, what does Bryson do?

2. Why is Bryson concerned about Detroit?

3. What does Bryson observe about the cemetery in Peacham?

4. Where do Bryson and his brother eat on their visit?

5. Where do the Melungeons live?

Short Essay Questions

1. Are the people of Roanoke, VA amiable to discussing the Melungeons? Why or why not?

2. Why does Bryson "believe" Littleton has been taken over by aliens?

3. How does Bryson imagine he should act in New York?

4. How does Bryson recognize long distance travelers?

5. Why doesn't Bryson mind bad service in restaurants?

6. Why is Bryson so afraid of New York?

7. How does Bryson know how to socially categorize Hal and Lucia?

8. What is the unspoken connection with travelers?

9. Is Bryson's mother patient?

10. Is Bryson sympathetic to impoverished people? Why or why not?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Bryson expressed his objective of returning to the land of his youth at the beginning of the book. Discuss Bryson's successes or failures in his objective.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss who Bryson's audience is: who is he writing for? What are subtleties in his writing that imply an aim at a certain audience? Who is he trying to appeal to and why?

Essay Topic 3

Aside from sightseeing, Bryson is very concerned with his natural surroundings in both their glory and inadequacy. Discuss how Bryson uses the environment to convey his views of regions and America as a whole.

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