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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 "Smile, Beautiful," what point is Sedaris trying to convey with the example of the woman whose face was injured by an animal bite?
(a) People can be proud of themselves and like their own appearance regardless of whether it is typical.
(b) The language used to describe atypical facial characteristics contributes to discrimination.
(c) There is something strange about people who refuse to take advantage of medical interventions to fix serious facial injuries.
(d) People with serious facial injuries should be pleased to be able to hide their injuries behind a mask.

2. In "Happy-Go-Lucky," how does Sedaris characterize continuing media coverage of the Covid pandemic?
(a) It is needlessly alarmist.
(b) It is unrealistically optimistic.
(c) It causes divisions among Americans.
(d) It fails to deliver important information.

3. In "Fresh-Caught Haddock," what does Sedaris imply is true about attempts to point out various forms of racism in America?
(a) They are attempts to appeal to Black voters.
(b) They are often met with deliberate misunderstanding.
(c) They are an example of the breakdown of American values.
(d) They go too far and target harmless people.

4. In "Happy-Go-Lucky," what does Amy catch Sedaris doing at his father's funeral?
(a) Making notes.
(b) Looking at his phone.
(c) Hiding a laugh.
(d) Crying.

5. In "Fresh-Caught Haddock," why is wearing a mask at the protest a relief to Sedaris?
(a) He has grown paranoid about catching Covid.
(b) People cannot see that he is not chanting along.
(c) He does not have to monitor his own facial expressions.
(d) He worries about being recognized by the media.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Fresh-Caught Haddock," what is Amy's implied motivation for wanting to take a trip to Emerald Isle?

2. In "The Vacuum," what does Sedaris say he sees more of on the streets of New York during the pandemic?

3. In "Pussytoes," where do the siblings stay together on the night before Lou's funeral?

4. In "Pearls," how does Sedaris characterize the marital problems people faced in the 1970's and 1980's?

5. On page 228 of "Pussytoes," what does Gretchen complain she is not allowed to say at work anymore?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "Lucky-Go-Happy," what rhetorical purpose unites Sedaris's choice to talk about varying face mask usage, fireworks stores, and gun sightings?

2. In "A Better Place," what are Sedaris's practical objections to the idea that deceased loved ones look down on us from heaven?

3. In "Happy-Go-Lucky," what two examples does Sedaris give of his father's tendency to exaggerate?

4. In "Smile, Beautiful," what does Sedaris share about the conditions under which he can be generous?

5. In "Happy-Go-Lucky," what is the rhetorical function of Sedaris's comment that his father used to watch at lot of Fox News?

6. In "Lady Marmalade," what reasons do the Sedaris siblings have for being skeptical of Tiffany's claims that Lou sexually abused her?

7. In "Pussytoes," what disagreement do the siblings have about the photo of Lou to use with his obituary?

8. In "Lady Marmalade," what anecdote does Sedaris share about his father's photography and his sister Lisa?

9. In "Fresh-Caught Haddock," what does a Jewish acquaintance point out to Sedaris about his proposed solutions for Confederate monuments?

10. What is the rhetorical function of opening "The Vacuum" with the description of the supermarket near Sedaris's apartment?

(see the answer keys)

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