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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How do 40,000 Americans die a year, according to Bryson?
(a) By falling under trains.
(b) By accidents on construction sites.
(c) By contracting hepatitis.
(d) By gunshot wounds.

2. Where do Bill and his wife go to celebrate their anniversary?
(a) To a spa in Connecticut.
(b) To a fancy restaurant in Vermont.
(c) To a ski resort in Quebec.
(d) To an expensive inn in Massachusetts.

3. What particular product in American supermarkets fascinates Bill?
(a) Cereal.
(b) Pet food.
(c) Laundry soap.
(d) Meat.

4. In "Junk-Food Heaven," according to Bill, what kind of food shopper is his wife?
(a) She loves to cut out and use coupons.
(b) She buys healthy and nutritious food.
(c) She buys a lot of junk food.
(d) She hates shopping; he does it all.

5. What does Bill say is a big improvement in America concerning business phone numbers?
(a) They are only four-digits.
(b) Business calls cannot be made into people's homes.
(c) They are preprogrammed on everyone's phone.
(d) The 1-800 numbers are easy to remember.

6. In "Room Service," what does Bill say the Motel Inn in California is famous for?
(a) Being the first to use the word "motel."
(b) Being owned by Zorro.
(c) Being used in a lot of movies.
(d) Being built over buried treasure.

7. Why does Bryson have an issue with the Internet?
(a) It's making people anti-social.
(b) It's unreliable.
(c) People can glean personal information about others.
(d) It's expensive.

8. According to Bill, what is the outstanding quality of Americans?
(a) Their friendliness.
(b) Their ambition.
(c) Their business sense.
(d) Their sense of humor.

9. Although the GDP is seen as a positive in economic terms, how does Bill say it can be negative?
(a) It is just too confusing.
(b) It does not help the poor.
(c) Production can cause pollution.
(d) Some of it has to go to other countries.

10. Bryson says that 94% of Americans' trips from home involve the use of something in particular. What is that item?
(a) A cell phone.
(b) A credit card.
(c) A car.
(d) A snack.

11. According to Bryson, why are national parks and wilderness areas in the United States overcrowded?
(a) Because too many people take their children.
(b) Because everyone brings their cars.
(c) Because people are tired of the cities.
(d) Because they are inexpensive to visit.

12. After living in Britain for twenty years, what does Bill find refreshingly different about the United States?
(a) The informality.
(b) The weather.
(c) The government.
(d) The fashions.

13. In "Consuming Pleasures," what does Bill say about shopping in America?
(a) It is a boring and tedious activity.
(b) Everything must be bought in person.
(c) You can buy almost anything.
(d) There is underproduction of goods.

14. What American kitchen convenience does Bill think is just wonderful?
(a) The dishwasher.
(b) The garbage disposal.
(c) The blender.
(d) The microwave.

15. According to Bryson, why did a store in Michigan win a case brought against them by a customer?
(a) The store had a right to hire armed guards
(b) It had a really good lawyer.
(c) The store had a right to protect itself from shoplifting
(d) The customer had a history of suing every business in town.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "The War on Drugs," what is wrong, according to Bryson, about the penalties for drug possession?

2. What is Bill's wife's reaction to his new American haircut?

3. What does Bryson find amazing about the geography of the United States?

4. What does Bill say that he has to remember about going into restaurants?

5. What does Bill end up doing with all the food he buys at the supermarket?

(see the answer keys)

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