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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following adjectives best describes Chinaski of the present in "Zero"?
(a) Sympathetic.
(b) Aggressive.
(c) Angry.
(d) Docile.

2. Who is most fond of motivational cliches?
(a) Chinaski's mentor.
(b) Chinaski's father.
(c) Chinaski.
(d) Chinaski's mother.

3. What kind of magazines does Chinaski write for in "O Tempora! O Mores!"?
(a) Outdoor magazines.
(b) Pornographic magazines.
(c) Home improvement magazines.
(d) Women's magazines.

4. What kind of women does "Poor Al" date?
(a) Absent women.
(b) Crazy women.
(c) Sad women.
(d) Stupid women.

5. In "Termites of the Page," whom does Bukowski lambast?
(a) Middle class workers.
(b) Athletes.
(c) Celebrities.
(d) Poets.

Short Answer Questions

1. What boy throws up in "Whorehouse"?

2. Where is Chinaski's favorite place in "My Vanishing Act"?

3. What is the name of Chinaski's lover with whom he lived with on next to nothing?

4. Chinaski believes the best companion is _____________.

5. In which poem does Chinaski struggle with writer's block?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Chinaski portrayed in "Zero"?

2. Which poems best reflect Chinaski's connection to generations of artists preceding him and why?

3. Which poem expresses a counterpoint of an indulgent and listless life?

4. What is the poem "Together" about?

5. Describe the role of loss in Bukowski's poetry.

6. Why does Chinaski view criticism in a dismissive manner?

7. What does "The Master Plan" reveal about Chinaski?

8. Describe Chinaski's father and his perception of him.

9. What is significant about the poems following "The Master Plan" in terms of imagery?

10. How does Chinaski juxtapose "Stride" and "The Final Story"?

(see the answer keys)

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