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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Section 2: Chapter 5, "It May Just Be Me, But..." through Chapter 8, "Bringing the News".

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What definition of "lede" does Foster give In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere"?
(a) A brief summary of or tease for the event described in an article.
(b) A short introductory piece of writing by an author who is not the author of the longer piece that follows.
(c) A news item that also contains opinion.
(d) A counterclaim to the main argument.

2. According to "The Building Blocks of Arguments," what is the implicit argument of most nonfiction writing?
(a) That the subject matter is important enough to read about.
(b) That the reader should change their beliefs or behavior.
(c) That the writer's angle on the subject is the correct one.
(d) That the writer has the authority to write about the subject.

3. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," Foster notes that the expectation for a writer to be engaging does not apply to which types of writing?
(a) Informational.
(b) Technical.
(c) Political.
(d) Academic.

4. In Chapter 5, "It May Just Be Me, But..." what kind of person does Foster say is likely to be biased?
(a) Older people.
(b) Everyone.
(c) Republicans.
(d) Uneducated people.

5. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," Foster says that rules are determined by content, not codex. What does this mean?
(a) The rules for each form are determined by the type of writing, not the physical format that is used to convey the writing.
(b) The rules for each form are determined by historical precedent, not by the topic under discussion.
(c) The rules for each form are determined by the purpose of the writing, not by traditions.
(d) The rules for each form are determined by subject matter, not by the medium of transmission.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Chapter 7, "All in How You Look at Things," what is the purpose of Foster's discussion of structure in Coming into the Country?

2. Based on Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," how would Foster sum up the place of newspapers in today's world?

3. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," how does Foster define "specialty journalism"?

4. In Chapter 5, "It May Just Be Me, But..." Foster says that a source's quote can be "emended" (55). What happens to an emended quote?

5. In Chapter 6, "Source Code," which is the only type of nonfiction that Foster says doesn't need "rock-solid" sources (69)?

(see the answer key)

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