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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. In "Not Listed," Chinaski runs into an ex-jockey named ___________.
(a) Henry.
(b) Harold.
(c) Hex.
(d) Harry.

2. What animal does Chinaski watch with a friend in "Concrete"?
(a) Sparrows.
(b) Eagles.
(c) Fish.
(d) Cats.

3. Which of the following is most evident in "I Thought the Stuff Tasted Worse than Usual"?
(a) Hyperbole.
(b) Irony.
(c) Sarcasm.
(d) Gallows humor.

4. In "Song," what does Chinaski's friend sing a song about?
(a) A family.
(b) A pet.
(c) A dead man.
(d) A girl.

5. In "The Shrinking Island," what does Chinaski give up on since he is drunk?
(a) Eating.
(b) Reading.
(c) Typing.
(d) Drinking.

Short Answer Questions

1. In which of the following poems does Chinaski not focus on the hidden horrors of life?

2. In "Hard Times," how many familiar men does Chinaski run into?

3. Whom does Chinaski drink with in "I Thought the Stuff Tasted Worse than Usual"?

4. In "I Thought the Stuff Tasted Worse than Usual," Chinaski smells like ____________.

5. Chinaski says that Mexican girls in "Longshot" are often doing which of the following?

Short Essay Questions

1. What common theme runs through the poems "Practice," "My Buddy," John Edgar Webb," and "Love Poem to a Stripper"?

2. Describe the feelings Bukowski portrays in "Party's Over."

3. How does Bukowski build a sense of foreboding in "Invasion"?

4. What metaphor is used in the poem "Seize the Day"?

5. How does Chinaski focus on the hidden horrors of life?

6. Describe the poem "Invasion."

7. How are "Hard Times" and "Concrete" juxtaposed?

8. Is Bukowski seixst? Why or why not?

9. Describe the events in the poem "The Boil."

10. What is the message of "Trying to Make It"?

(see the answer keys)

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