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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Bryson say about the long trip and back to take his son to college?
(a) It was sad.
(b) Travelling by car is one of his favorite things.
(c) It was quick.
(d) Travelling on American highways is dull.

2. What surprising statistic does Bryson share about the number of lawyers in America?
(a) There is 1 lawyer for every 1,000,000 people.
(b) There is 1 lawyer for every 1,000 people.
(c) There is a shortage of them.
(d) There are more of them in the United States than the rest of the world put together.

3. In "The Flying Nightmare," what job does Bryson say his father had?
(a) A pilot.
(b) A singer.
(c) A sportswriter.
(d) A salesman.

4. In "How to Rent a Car," what does Bryson find especially frustrating about the process?
(a) How and where to drop it off.
(b) The options he is offered.
(c) The mileage charges.
(d) The limits on passengers.

5. What animal got trapped in the Bryson house soon after the family moved in?
(a) A rat.
(b) A squirrel.
(c) The neighbor's cat.
(d) A skunk.

6. Why does Bryson have to buy a whole new computer and fax system when he returns to the United States?
(a) His kids were tired of using the family's 1980s model.
(b) The British have a different electrical system.
(c) All his electronics got lost on the way.
(d) He'd never owned a computer but now needed one for work.

7. Why does Bryson say he never ultimately drove the rental car he needed at the Boston airport?
(a) He would not buy insurance.
(b) He did not have a valid driver's license.
(c) A friend gave him a lift instead.
(d) He could not find it.

8. What does Bryson do in the section called "Life's Mysteries"?
(a) Asks questions about things he doesn't understand.
(b) Wonders why the English act the way they do.
(c) Answers questions about things most people don't understand.
(d) Talks about unsolved murder cases in New Hampshire.

9. In "Death Watch," what does Bryson dislike because they are "cold and bouncy and make odd noises."?
(a) Snowmobiles.
(b) Frozen pizza rolls.
(c) Small planes.
(d) Japanese cars.

10. In "On Losing a Son," why does Bryson decide to play baseball with his youngest child?
(a) He realizes the little boy is growing up.
(b) He wants him to learn an American sport.
(c) He is tired of working on his writing.
(d) He thinks the boy has a chance to be professional.

11. What word associated with Christmas does Bryson wonder about at the beginning of "The Mysteries of Christmas"?
(a) Noel.
(b) Yule.
(c) Merry.
(d) A-wassailing.

12. According to Bryson, what did people in the past do when they flew?
(a) Ate and drank through the whole flight.
(b) Got sick a lot.
(c) Bought insurance for every flight.
(d) Dressed up for it.

13. What house feature does Bryson miss from his childhood?
(a) The screened porch.
(b) The back shed.
(c) The spare bedroom.
(d) The out house.

14. When Bryson had his first book published, what did his publisher send him to?
(a) The largest book store in New York for a book signing.
(b) A speech coach to get rid of his accent.
(c) A course in media training.
(d) A resort to recover from his first book tour.

15. How did Bryson describe his first run on a snowmobile?
(a) As a jolly good time.
(b) As too slow for him.
(c) As awesome.
(d) As a waking nightmare.

Short Answer Questions

1. How was the first "drive-in" movie shown in New Jersey in the 1930's?

2. What does Bryson mean by the "wasteland"?

3. What February holiday does Bryson say is new to him on his return to the United States?

4. What does Bryson fondly remember about highway travel when he was a boy?

5. How is "Your Tax Form Explained" structured?

(see the answer keys)

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