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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. Tolentino says that which two decades of the internet's existence were marked by gatherings of people in open forums?

2. In spring break of which year did Tolentino's family get a new computer for the family home?

3. The title of the essay "Always Be Optimizing" is an allusion to which play?

4. At ten, Tolentino admonished her younger self for looking at which kinds of sites during her first sessions online?

5. Which social media giant is described as "reproducing the lessons of the marketplace" (63)?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Jess, the person featured in the essay entitled "Reality TV Me"?

2. What is Tolentino's ultimate conclusion about the future of the internet and why?

3. Discuss an instance in the introduction when Tolentino uses a metaphor to illustrate a particular point.

4. What psychological effect of the current incarnation of the world wide web does Tolentino find most dangerous and why?

5. What does Tolentino mean when she states that "the ideal woman is always optimizing" (63)?

6. In what way is "the rise of barre" (74) unprecedented, according to Tolentino in the essay "Always Be Optimizing"?

7. What is the significance of Jess's comments about Cory's homosexuality in the essay "Reality TV Me"?

8. How does Tolentino contrast her real feelings about taking part in Girls vs. Boys: Puerto Rico with the impression she gave her family?

9. Name a piece of evidence Tolentino uses to support her claims about the misogynistic qualities of the now-defunct online community called 4Chan.

10. What element does Tolentino characterize as "capitalism's last natural resource" (11) in the essay entitled "The I in Internet"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tolentino introduces many historical references in the book, from the bank bailouts of the Great Recession to the rise of social media. What do these references add to the text? How do they expand the universality or specificity of its themes?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Tolentino’s messages concerning the nature of personal satisfaction. Does the text indicate that it is dangerous or crucial? Choose one adjective and prove its validity using concrete details from the text.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Tolentino’s decision to include colloquialisms, slang, and profane language within the text. What purpose did Tolentino have in mind when including these elements and how does the inclusion of these instances support the overarching themes and messages of the text?

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