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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What did the speaker's father say to his children after the argument with the stranger as he held his hand to his heart?
(a) That guy was a jerk.
(b) It's never, ever worth it.
(c) Don't be a whimp like your old man.
(d) I should have stood up to him.

2. What does the speaker's mother suggest he may be ashamed of when discussing his relationships with girls?
(a) The girl or his mother.
(b) His brother.
(c) His jewish heritage.
(d) His family health history.

3. The narrator says he has never had sex with whom?
(a) Someone from his hometown.
(b) Someone who did not love him.
(c) Someone who loved him.
(d) Someone who knew his name.

4. What does the silence mark signify?
(a) Absence of language.
(b) Confusion.
(c) Quieting someone.
(d) A moment of meditation.

5. What symbol denotes the extraunxclamation point?
(a) Two upside down exclamation points.
(b) Two exclamation points, one up and one upside down.
(c) Two exclamation points.
(d) Four exclamation points.

6. During what conversation with his father does the speaker say the silence mark most often appears?
(a) When discussing family history of heart disease.
(b) When discussing his work.
(c) When discussing his relationship with his wife.
(d) When discussing life in Europe before the war.

7. What were the speaker and his father discussing on the phone when the silence mark was used as per his example?
(a) His father's recent job loss.
(b) His father's recent angioplasty.
(c) His brother's upcoming wedding.
(d) His own grades in college.

8. During what type of conversation with his grandmother does the speaker say the silence mark most often appears?
(a) When discussing his grandfather's illness.
(b) When discussing her heart condition.
(c) When discussing her life in Europe before the war.
(d) When discussing her children.

9. Where was the narrator and his family during the only instance he recalls use of the extraexclamation point?
(a) His parent's house.
(b) The National Zoo parking lot.
(c) The mall parking lot.
(d) His apartment.

10. When discussing the extraexclamation point, what does the speaker say he and his family never do "with any passion" (3)?
(a) Say I love you.
(b) Smile.
(c) Hug.
(d) Argue.

11. How many heart attacks does the speaker say his family has "and counting" (1)?
(a) 18.
(b) 41.
(c) 3.
(d) 65.

12. What symbol represents the unxclamation point?
(a) An exclamation point with a X over it.
(b) Two exclamation points, one up and one upside down.
(c) A sideways exclamation point.
(d) An upside down exclamation point.

13. What symbol represents the pedal point?
(a) The wavy line.
(b) The half moon.
(c) The blackened start.
(d) The square with an X in it.

14. Which punctuation mark does the speaker say is the "staple of familial punctuation"(1)?
(a) The insistent question mark.
(b) The silence mark.
(c) The confusion mark.
(d) The willed silence mark.

15. What symbol represents the willed silence mark?
(a) A blackened square.
(b) An upside down triangle.
(c) An hand silhouette.
(d) A circle with an X in it.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the willed silence mark signify?

2. What was the weather like when the narrator's grandmother was driving him somewhere in the example he uses of the unxclamation point?

3. What were the stranger and the narrator's father arguing over in the example he uses of the extra exclamation point?

4. What did the man continue to yell at the speaker's father in the example he uses of the extra exclamation point?

5. Where was the narrator's grandmother driving him to in the example he cites of her use of the unxclamation point?

(see the answer keys)

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