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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 2.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. According to Dillard, how do painters work as opposed to writers?
(a) Painters work from the ground up, writers from left to right.
(b) Painters work on a blank canvas, writers on a computer.
(c) Painters work with color, writers with black and white.
(d) Painters work with their hands, writers with their heads.

2. What book was Dillard working on in Roanoke, Virginia?
(a) Living by Fiction.
(b) Holy the Firm.
(c) An American Childhood.
(d) Pilgrim at Tinker Creek.

3. What did Dillard find herself doing in the rare book room nearly every day for about two weeks?
(a) Writing notes to a chess player.
(b) Looking for rare books on chess.
(c) Spying on the head librarian.
(d) Playing chess with an unknown opponent.

4. Who does Dillard say that she believes to be one of the most prolific writers who has ever lived?
(a) William Shakespeare.
(b) Thomas Mann.
(c) James Patterson.
(d) Edgar Allen Poe.

5. Dillard believes that some writers weaken their resolve to discard parts of their work. Why?
(a) It is too much work.
(b) People have told them it is too good to discard.
(c) The words have come to have a necessary quality.
(d) They believe every word they write is too important to discard.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Dillard describe the process of writing a book?

2. Where does Dillard say she wound up putting her pen drawing in Chapter 2?

3. Under what circumstances did Rabbi Uri of Strelisk tell his family to dispose of his manuscripts?

4. What does Dillard say that she found so appealing about a Danish aristocrat?

5. In Dillard's thoughts, what words stopped Rebbe Shmelke from hearing his teacher?

(see the answer key)

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