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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. What does Barbara not want to mention when she is out in her new working life?

2. Barbara says that she will not rely on her superior ______________ to support herself.

3. What did Barbara fear employers would think she was if she were to put the PhD on her resumes and applications?

4. Barbara lets a sewer repairman spend a few minutes cooling off with a ________________ before taking his order.

5. Barbara admits that at the end of the project, she did break down and ____________, stealthily, though, and never within hearing of management.

Short Essay Questions

1. If things get too rough during this experiment, what does Barbara say she will do in order to feel herself or to support herself?

2. How long a period of time will the author spend in each location?

3. What are some of the other reasons why Barbara doesn't really want to take on the assignment of working for minimum wage?

4. What does the interviewer at a grocery store warn Barbara about when she puts in her application?

5. What happens if Barbara thinks she will have to go homeless, even for one night during this experiment?

6. Describe the first apartment that Barbara finds when she is out looking for her first new 'home' for the assignment.

7. What does Barbara find out about Gail and what she has to do when her boyfriend suddenly dies?

8. When Stu says that drugs have been found at the restaurant, what do the employees speculate about this action?

9. What statement does the author make which leads to her getting the assignment to write this book?

10. What does Barbara feel she is compelled to do with the patrons at Hearthside, where she works as a waitress?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of the biggest beliefs the author holds about the way a person can better themselves in the world is that education can allow a person to do anything and to be something more.

Part 1: How does the author's educational level help her in the process of this project?

Part 2: Why do you think the other workers around the author don't realize she is more educated than them?

Part 3: Why do you think the author expected the others she worked with to notice her educational level? What does this say about the author?

Essay Topic 2

It seems that most of the places where Barbara worked didn't want to give employees any time off or any breaks.

Part 1: Why do you think the places of employment were unwilling to give breaks to the workers?

Part 2: What do you think may have happened to morale and productivity if the employees had been allowed to take breaks?

Part 3: Why do you think breaks are necessary within the course of a working shift?

Essay Topic 3

While it might be no surprise that Wal-Mart doesn't want to have labor unions in their store, it's more surprising that workers aren't more motivated to get involved

Part 1: Why do you think Wal-Mart doesn't want to have labor unions and organizations in their stores?

Part 2: Why do you think employees at Wal-Mart are scared to begin talks for labor union support in their stores?

Part 3: Is the risk of losing one's job worth it in order to get a labor organization in a store? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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