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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through 5-9.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What was the subject of the first Mencken-written article that was ever published?
(a) A horse robbery.
(b) The gold standard.
(c) A high-society party.
(d) Political discontent in Europe.

2. In "Gore in the Caribees," what was Mencken's perspective on the revolution in Cuba?
(a) Mencken was fervently pro-Cuba, and travels to the country to engage in propaganda.
(b) Mencken thought the event is not newsworthy, and only reluctantly does he travel to cover it.
(c) Mencken refused to cover the event, and is fired by his newspaper.
(d) Mencken thought it is newsworthy, and he asks to cover it.

3. What was the name of H. L. Mencken's brother?
(a) Charlie.
(b) Jesse.
(c) Mitch.
(d) Bud.

4. What cheeky nickname did Mencken give Theodore Dreiser?
(a) The Hindenburg of the novel.
(b) The Clown Prince of prose.
(c) The Frankenstein of the short story.
(d) The Jack Ripper of the novel.

5. What does Mencken state about the literary influence(s) of Theodore Dreiser?
(a) No one author can be pointed to as an influence.
(b) Dreiser draws upon the literary tradition of Germany.
(c) Dreiser was the product of Emile Zola.
(d) Dreiser was the product of Frank Norris.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is the editor of this volume?

2. What was Alistair Cooke's relationship to H. L. Mencken?

3. According to the editor, why were the 1930s Mencken's "downfall"?

4. In "The Baltimore of the Eighties," why does Mencken's mother lament about a trip to the market?

5. According to "Text for Newspaper Days," what is modern journalism missing?

(see the answer key)

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