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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What was an insect that rose from the ground and could fly up someone's shorts?
(a) Wasp.
(b) Lightning bug.
(c) Cicada.
(d) Mosquito.

2. What was a household item that people were buying in the 1950s?
(a) Trash compactor.
(b) Dishwasher.
(c) Espresso machine.
(d) Toaster.

3. Why could men and boys not see the magazine in #78?
(a) Their wives would kill them.
(b) It was too expensive.
(c) It was illegal to buy it.
(d) It was embarrassing to ask for it.

4. In what city did Bryson's mother's relatives live?
(a) Tucson.
(b) Butte.
(c) San Diego.
(d) Omaha.

5. What was one of the few things that was really exciting for Bryson?
(a) Drive-in movies.
(b) Going swimming.
(c) Comic books.
(d) Camp outs.

6. What did boys charge other boys for once they discovered them?
(a) Porn magazines.
(b) X-rated movies.
(c) Holes in walls where undressed women could be seen.
(d) Risque postcards.

7. In what state did the military begin testing atomic bombs?
(a) Utah.
(b) Arizona.
(c) Nevada.
(d) Montana.

8. What was another natural threat during Bryson's childhood days?
(a) Floods.
(b) Sun poisoning.
(c) Lightning.
(d) Poison sumac.

9. Which state did the U.S. use as a test site?
(a) Montana.
(b) South Dakota.
(c) Utah.
(d) Nevada.

10. What was it about Bryson's Thunderbolt Kid outfit that caused laughter from the other kids?
(a) He had orange wings.
(b) He wore black socks and sandals.
(c) He didn't wear any pants.
(d) He wore his underpants over his jeans.

11. What publication did most boys need to rely on to seem partially clothed girls?
(a) Hustler.
(b) Mail order catalogs.
(c) Medical supply books.
(d) National Geographic.

12. Where did Bryson grow up?
(a) Columbus, Ohio.
(b) Bangor, Maine.
(c) Butte, Montana.
(d) Des Moines, Iowa.

13. Where did Bryson get to accompany his father on business-related trips?
(a) Business openings.
(b) Printing plants.
(c) Museums.
(d) Major League ballgames.

14. What did Bryson say was a myth about childhood?
(a) Every birthday is happy.
(b) Time goes by fast.
(c) Every day is an adventure.
(d) Any Christmas gift is the best.

15. Who liked to harass smaller children in town?
(a) The Rogers boys.
(b) The Knapke twins.
(c) The Butter boys.
(d) The Miller brothers.

Short Answer Questions

1. What became the joy of every family in the 1950s?

2. Who was President of the United States when Bryson was born?

3. Who did Bryson think his real father must have been?

4. How many children under the age of 12 were living in the mid-1950s in America?

5. What was the name of the cafeteria where the Brysons enjoyed having meals?

(see the answer keys)

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