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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. What was the best advice Zinsser ever received about having opinions in writing?
(a) Take a stand and stick to it. One should never "go peeing down both legs."
(b) To always second guess an argument and make a pro and con list.
(c) It was to argue both sides of a story.
(d) To never second guess a story.

2. What should writers focus on when writing travel pieces?
(a) Information and substance.
(b) Substance and exaggerating adjectives.
(c) Style and sentence structure.
(d) Style and substance.

3. Why do structured classes miss the point of teaching good writing?
(a) They focus more on the writing process than the final product.
(b) They focus more on talent and less on grades.
(c) They focus more on the final product than the writing process.
(d) They focus less on talent and more on getting good grades.

4. What is the best way to add humor into writing?
(a) Making a funny sentence sneak up on a reader to get an unexpected laugh.
(b) Making seperate paragraphs that only have the funny line in them.
(c) Making all funny lines italicized.
(d) Adding asterisks to funny lines.

5. Why do writers need to stick to rules?
(a) Writers need to stick to rules because readers expect them to.
(b) In order to get taken seriously and get picked up by an agent.
(c) To get a copy past their editors on time.
(d) To impress their teachers with their adherance to rules.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why doesn't Zinsser teach people how to get published?

2. What advice does Zinsser have for all writers?

3. What is a general rule for writing about sports?

4. What do sports writers forget to do when writing about sports for so long?

5. What is a requirement for good literary criticism?

Short Essay Questions

1. Does Zinsser think that scientists can write?

2. What needs to be described in a travel article?

3. Why do critics need to be well versed in the art they are writing about?

4. Explain some of the choices that writers have to take when editing?

5. What are some of the hardest parts of writing about performances?

6. Why is humor the most powerful tool for a nonfiction writer?

7. What is a good way to learn how to write with humor? How much humor should be used?

8. Why does a writer's fear of new subjects keep him from taking original and interesting projects?

9. Who does Zinsser blame when it comes to focusing on the final prize instead of the work of an article?

10. What is a major pitfall of sports writers?

(see the answer keys)

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