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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What Joseph Conrad novel depicts whites as highly evolved and others as monkeys without tails?
(a) Land of Darkness.
(b) The Dark Continent.
(c) Heart of Darkness.
(d) Deep in Darkness.

2. How does Rita Rait become the winner of a limerick contest?
(a) She is married to the judge.
(b) She wins the prize left by an eccentric British millionaire for the wittiest original limerick.
(c) She is the best limerick writer in Russia.
(d) She creates a competition and enters her own work.

3. How is Vonnegut an advocate for translators?
(a) He believes translators are more important than authors.
(b) He believes translators should be paid the same royalties as authors.
(c) He is a translator.
(d) He pays translators to write his books.

4. What features imperialism, the capture of other societies' lands, and treasure by arms?
(a) "The House of Mirth."
(b) "The Nation."
(c) "Le Petit Prince."
(d) "Hocus Pocus."

5. Why does Rait believe she can say whatever she pleases in English?
(a) She believes that what she has to say is important.
(b) She is a non-native speaker.
(c) She likes speaking in English.
(d) She is very opinionated.

6. Why does Vonnegut feel out of intellectual step with his new neighbors in Cape Cod?
(a) He is a non-Anglo-Saxon.
(b) He is not as intelligent as others in Cape Cod.
(c) He is not as wealthy as other in Cape Cod.
(d) He is an Anglo-Saxon.

7. What university do Vonnegut's grandfather, father, uncle, and brother attend?
(a) MIT.
(b) IUPUI.
(c) Harvard.
(d) Yale.

8. How does Vonnegut's trip to Mozambique make him feel?
(a) Enthusiastic.
(b) Physically drained.
(c) Emotionally empty.
(d) Motivated.

9. How many Americans are of German descent?
(a) One in four.
(b) One half.
(c) One in one hundred.
(d) One in three.

10. For Vonnegut writing books is like what?
(a) Eating a peanut butter sandwich.
(b) Any other job.
(c) Riding a bike.
(d) Singing a song.

11. The "Religious Revival" Vonnegut describes has two commandments. What are they?
(a) Stop thinking and obey.
(b) Be free and live in peace.
(c) Have no other god but me and other thy father and they mother.
(d) Divide and conquer.

12. What organization prevents Mozambicans from learning to read and write?
(a) WHO.
(b) RENAMO.
(c) CARE.
(d) World Vision.

13. How do the MIT students react to Vonnegut's speech?
(a) They are convinced and accept his challenge.
(b) They applaud politely but do not take him seriously.
(c) They are appalled by his speech.
(d) They cheer enthusiastically.

14. How do jokes work?
(a) By hooking and releasing the listener, causing the release of fight-or-flight chemicals through laughter.
(b) The comedian tells the audience something funny about society that seems outrageous but is true.
(c) Jokes connect the listener to other listeners.
(d) Comedians and the audienceshare a funny moment.

15. Vonnegut compares the young people he addresses to what character in Camelot?
(a) St. Genevieve.
(b) Merlin.
(c) Sir Lancelot.
(d) Spamalot.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Mark's only crime against his government?

2. What is the name of the Bishop Vonnegut travels with to the Galapagos?

3. What does Vonnegut require of translators?

4. Why are ex-hippies ashamed to belong to their social class?

5. What does Vonnegut believe may unite mankind, by creating a generation that does not need to fight to be disillusioned by war?

(see the answer keys)

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