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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 "Happy-Go-Lucky," what reason does Lou give for the priest disliking him?
(a) He has not been to church in twenty years.
(b) He uses language that the priest finds vulgar.
(c) He no longer believes in God.
(d) He does not give enough money to the church.

2. In "Fresh-Caught Haddock," what is Amy's implied motivation for wanting to take a trip to Emerald Isle?
(a) She misses her other siblings and wants to visit them.
(b) She wants to get away from the pandemic response in New York.
(c) She feels unsafe in New York during the protests.
(d) She is worried that they have not been to see Lou in several months.

3. In "A Better Place," what feature of the restaurant does Sedaris repeatedly complain about?
(a) The atmosphere.
(b) The service.
(c) The prices.
(d) The food.

4. Where does the title "Pussytoes" come from?
(a) A song that Lou used to sing.
(b) Flowers in a park.
(c) The Sedaris siblings' childhood pet.
(d) Lou's wife's nickname for him.

5. In "Pearls," what instrument does Hugh take up?
(a) Piano.
(b) Oboe.
(c) Violin.
(d) Guitar.

Short Answer Questions

1. On page 151 of "The Vacuum," what phrase does Sedaris say he resents having survived the pandemic?

2. In "The Vacuum," what does Sedaris's agent say will put sex workers out of business?

3. In the beginning of "Fresh-Caught Haddock," where are Sedaris, Amy, and Hugh as they listen to the sounds of the protest?

4. In "Lucky-Go-Happy," when is Sedaris finally able to go back to touring?

5. In "Pussytoes," what item from Lou's house does Gretchen give Sedaris?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "Smile, Beautiful," what two reasons does Sedaris mention for his surprise when the man on the street tells the woman to smile?

2. In "The Vacuum," what activities does Sedaris describe filling his days with while he is waiting until he can go out and walk at night?

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

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

5. In "Lucky-Go-Happy," what does Sedaris start asking all of the teenagers at his readings, and what is his reaction to the responses he gets?

6. In "Pussytoes," what is Sedaris's reaction to his father's "Little Black Book"?

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

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

9. In "Lucky-Go-Happy," what does Sedaris say about using Hugh as a test audience for his writing?

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

(see the answer keys)

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