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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In "Künstlerroman," when does the speaker dance with his mother?
(a) During his own graduation.
(b) During her second wedding.
(c) During a wedding.
(d) During a huge snowstorm.

2. Who were the victims of the poorly-documented lynchings in "The Punctum"?
(a) Mostly young girls.
(b) Mostly college students.
(c) Mostly bankers.
(d) Mostly Mexican Chinese, and Native American.

3. In "Not Even," what does the speaker want to say to his mother as her body bag is zipped?
(a) You won.
(b) Godspeed.
(c) Finally.
(d) Get out of there.

4. In "Reasons for Staying," how does the speaker describe the suicide of his uncle?
(a) As dying on purpose.
(b) As a result of drug addiction.
(c) As a result of isolation.
(d) As banal.

5. In "Nothing," what do the speaker and his partner do together?
(a) Dance.
(b) Go to church.
(c) Sing.
(d) Shovel snow.

6. Why does the speaker say he kept dancing even though the song had finished in "Not Even"?
(a) It felt like love.
(b) It made him love his partner.
(c) It felt painful.
(d) It freed him.

7. In "Reasons for Staying," what is the only thing that rhymes with music?
(a) Summer.
(b) Poetry.
(c) Winter.
(d) Music.

8. What is each wave in "Toy Boat" like?
(a) A cycle.
(b) A washing machine.
(c) A green lamp.
(d) A windchime.

9. Where does the speaker say he will not dance alone in "Not Even"?
(a) The homestead.
(b) The club.
(c) The rally.
(d) The municipal graveyard at midnight.

10. In "Not Even," what does the woman on the train bring to the speaker?
(a) A sandwich.
(b) Tea.
(c) Chocolate.
(d) A scarf.

11. In "Nothing," whose recipe is the bread recipe?
(a) The speaker's mother's.
(b) Peter's grandmother's.
(c) The neighbor's.
(d) The speaker's.

12. In "Künstlerroman," what does the speaker compare cigarettes in the dark to?
(a) Hope.
(b) Fireflies in a bomb shelter.
(c) Christmas lights.
(d) Stars.

13. In "Toy Boat," what are the sparrows "pierced by"?
(a) The wind.
(b) The song.
(c) Their names.
(d) The bullets.

14. In "Künstlerroman," what is one tragic scene the speaker revisits?
(a) A fire in his old apartment.
(b) A lynching.
(c) His son's funeral.
(d) A car accident.

15. In "Not Even," why does a young woman once tell the speaker he is "lucky"?
(a) He is young.
(b) He is brilliant.
(c) He is limitless.
(d) He is gay and he gets to write about "war and stuff."

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Not Even," what does the speaker suggest "made" his people instead of "the crash"?

2. In "Tell Me Something Good," what does the speaker's mother's boyfriend smell like?

3. In "Künstlerroman," who does the man in the movie end up being?

4. In "Reasons for Staying," what is the speaker's "last address"?

5. In "Reasons for Staying," what does a blade of brown rye multiplied by thousands create?

(see the answer keys)

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