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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. According to Bryson, when was the first official Thanksgiving held in the United States?
(a) In September of 1922.
(b) In November of 1864.
(c) In October of 1640.
(d) In August of 1863.

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

3. Where does Mrs. Bryson like to go in the summer that Bill can definitely live without?
(a) Back home to England.
(b) The seaside.
(c) To Connecticut.
(d) The mountains.

4. What is Bryson satirizing in "Your New Computer"?
(a) Computer stores.
(b) Computer salespeople.
(c) Bill Gates.
(d) Computer manuals.

5. When Bryson takes his family to one of the last drive-ins in the area, what is the experience like?
(a) It was amazing.
(b) Not fun at all.
(c) The kids hated it, the adults loved it.
(d) The audio had improved greatly since the 1970s.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Bryson do in the section called "Life's Mysteries"?

2. Why is Bryson not impressed with the spell checker on his computer?

3. According to Bryson, which man from his childhood state deserves more credit in American history?

4. Why does Bryson say he never ultimately drove the rental car he needed at the Boston airport?

5. In "On Losing a Son," why does Bryson decide to play baseball with his youngest child?

Short Essay Questions

1. "Your Tax Form Explained", what does Bryson satirize? Give three examples of how he does this.

2. In "Deck the Halls," Bryson tells his readers that he is not looking forward to Christmas decorating. Why is this?

3. In "Ah, Summer!" what does Bryson say he likes about summers in New Hampshire? How does he compare them to summers in Iowa?

4. "Highway Diversions" is Bryson's look at highway travel, which he says is very dull. How does he compare modern highway travel to the highway travel of his youth?

5. "The Myteries of Christmas" compares American Christmases and English Christmases. How does Bryson compare the two holidays?

6. In "The Wasteland," what is Bryson criticizing? Name three points of his criticism.

7. Bryson explains the joys of living in a snowy climate in "Fun in the Snow." How does he give the reader the impression that he is not a natural athlete?

8. In "The Flying Nightmare," Bryson compares modern air travel with air travel from his youth in the 1960s and 70s. List three points he makes.

9. In "Hail to the Chief," Bryson looks at the American holiday of Presidents Day. Give three points about the day that Bryson mentions.

10. Bryson titled "The Waste Generation". Give three examples of why he thinks the generation of Americans in the 1990s is a wasteful one.

(see the answer keys)

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