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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Bryson likes his privacy. Where does he especially find there is a lack of privacy in America?

2. What does Bill say is ridiculous about a VCR?

3. How does Bryson begin "Tales of the North Woods?"

4. In "Why Everyone is Worried," which federal agency is not doing a very good job, according to Bryson?

5. In "Lost at the Movies," which Jurassic Park movie did Bryson take his children to see?

Short Essay Questions

1. Summarize Bryson's trip to the supermarket in "Junk-Food Heaven." Include why he went shopping in the first place, what he saw at the store, and what was the ultimate outcome of that trip.

2. How does Bryson feel about gardening? What are his feelings concerning gardening with his mate in "Gardening With My Wife"?

3. What does Bryson say about regional accents in America in the 1990s in "Dying Accents"?

4. "Friendly People" begins with Mrs. Bryson telling Bill that all he did in his columns was make negative comments about the United States. He goes on to say there are a lot of things he likes about America. What are some of those things?

5. Bryson finds the lack of privacy in America to be a problem. List three examples of this problem that he cites in "Snoopers at Work."

6. "Tales of the North Woods" tells the reader something about the wilder side of New Hampshire, Bryson's new home state. What information does he share with the reader about the wilderness of New Hampshire?

7. What does Bryson, who admits he "is no stranger to sloth," say about the walking habits of Americans in Essay 26, "Why No One Walks"?

8. How does Bryson support his statement that summer movies "have become so dumb, so very, very dumb" (Essay "Lost at the Movies")?

9. Why does Bryson hate calling the computer helpline, as he outlines in "Help!"? How does he react to hotlines in general?

10. In "A Visit to the Barbershop," how does Bryson convey that adjusting to the small town barbershop is difficult?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are some techniques Bill Bryson uses to make the real events of his life back in the United States come alive? Illustrate with one or two examples for each technique.

Essay Topic 2

To make memoir writing authentic, the author's personal presence must exist. Give five examples where Bill Bryson's personal presence is apparent. Choose two of the examples, and explain why you think he chose to make it so.

Essay Topic 3

"I'm a Stranger Here Myself" is a first person narrative, told from Bill Bryson's point-of-view. Briefly explain how the first person narrative is effective and how it is limited. Give four specific examples that show how the memoir is effectively told from Bill Bryson's point of view. How is our vicarious experience enhanced by Bryson's choice of first person?

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