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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. To whom does this description apply: "people who look lost among the dazzling hedgerows" of the supermarket?

2. What is the name of the gun Jack takes to the hotel?

3. What kind of walks do Jack and Murray take?

4. What magazine does Jack's doctor mention the latest issue of?

5. What is Babette's father's name?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Orest Mercator trying to do?

2. What is the condition Babette has, for which she is taking Dylar.

3. Where does Jack discover Babette's Dylar?

4. Why is Heinrich crouched outside on the roof at the beginning of Book 2?

5. When Murray and Jack discuss the weird feelings they have about Howard, what are some of the things they mention that just do not feel right?

6. According to Jack, why does this family not have to worry about evacuating or being affected?

7. What happened to Cotsakis, Murray's rival in Elvis studies?

8. Why is Denise concerned about Babette going running, and what does she do about it?

9. As Jack is going faithfully to his German lessons, what is he is practicing?

10. What happened to Orest's quest to break the world record? What happens when he tries to do it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

To these characters, experiences are validated by external recognition, especially media recognition. While this fixation on television and radio is tied to pop-culture consumerism, it is also a thematic fixation of this novel. Discuss why DeLillo called this book "White Noise". Be sure to include your interpretation of this phrase literally and symbolically, as well as any examples of its use in the text itself. How does it relate to the themes of the text? Is it a good title?

Essay Topic 2

Foreshadowing is an important technique. Write an essay that explains how DeLillo foreshadows the Airborne Toxic Event with a series of prior events. Describe the events and be specific about his foreshadowing technique.

Essay Topic 3

Babette teaches frivolous and ridiculous classes; Jack teaches Hitler studies rather than German History or Politics, and his colleague Murray wants to create an Elvis studies department. Write an analytical essay in which you explore and discuss what you think DeLillo is communicating about education, teaching, higher education, or learning. Be sure to consider Jack's attempts at irony.

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