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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. What does the narrator of "Parade" say people are constantly asking him for?

2. In "We Get Along", what does Evelyne encourage her son to do next time he sees Mrs. Spakey, his former teacher?

3. Why does Glen purchase snuff in "Glen's Homophobia Newsletter"?

4. What concerns the narrator of "Firestone" most about Taylor?

5. Why was Don fired from his job at a cafeteria in "Don's Story"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What insults does the narrator of "The Last You'll Hear From Me" hurl at Annette and Randy?

2. How does Chad conduct research for his book in "My Manuscript"?

3. What specific directions does the narrator of "The Last You'll Hear From Me" give Eileen for the dress she is to wear to the funeral?

4. Describe the narrator of "Parade"'s relationship with Bruce Springsteen (from his perspective).

5. Describe the scene at Barbra Streisand's house in "Don's Story".

6. In "We Get Along", what does the narrator think the initials W.S. stand for? Why?

7. Describe the narrator's imaginary nightclub act in "Music for Lovers".

8. What perplexes Carlton about the narrator's unwillingness to correct his vision loss in "Firestone"?

9. Why does Drew react negatively after Glen shares his dreams with him in "Glen's Homophobia Newsletter"?

10. Describe a typical first date for the "old" version of the narrator of "Parade".

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Popular culture plays a huge role in the stories in "Barrel Fever" Select three of the stories that feature popular culture and:

1) describe how the story uses popular culture,

2) discuss how the presence of popular culture in the story influences the reader's experience of the story, and

3) analyze why the author uses each example of popular culture in the story.

Be sure to use evidence from the stories to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

While David Sedaris' stories are often described as sharp and cutting, they also offer a level of empathy and kindness towards their characters. Select 2 of the stories where Sedaris shows empathy and discuss how he shows kindness towards his characters. Compare and contrast the ways kindness is shown in each of these stories. Be sure to use evidence from the stories to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

Imagine if one of the stories in this collection was missing from it. Choose one of the stories and "remove" it from the collection. Write an essay:

1) explaining the role that the story plays in the collection,

2) describing how the novel would be different without the story, and

3) comment on the quality of the book without the story: Would it be better or worse? Why?

Be sure to use specific examples from the stories to support your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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