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Name: _________________________ | Period: ___________________ |
This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. What does King help his uncle fix as a child?
2. King's comparison of a handyman's toolbox with a writer's tool box is which figure of speech?
3. How does King use theme in his novels?
4. According to King, what should dialogue represent?
5. King gives the example of John Grisham as a writer. What does he say about Grisham?
Short Essay Questions
1. What evidence can you find about King's feelings on Strunk and White's Elements of Style?
2. King also said 'to not write in fear'. What do you think he means by this statement? Explain in your own words.
3. Explain King's beliefs on vocabulary.
4. In the chapter, On Writing, King discusses symbolism and theme as elements best ignored in first drafts. What is the relationship between symbolism and theme in King's work?
5. How would some of King's other beliefs about writing increase a reader's pleasure? Explain in your own words.
6. King stated aspiring writers should not use speaker attributes other than said. What are speaker attributes and why would King warn against using them?
7. In the chapter, On Writing, King explains that description should be the smallest amount possible. How would you evaluate King's beliefs on writing description?
8. Explain the significance of King's statement that a good writer can become an excellent writer, but a bad writer will always be a bad writer according to King in On Writing.
9. How would you evaluate King's advice to aspiring writers in the chapters, What Writing Is, and Toolbox?
10. King believes in writers bringing their 'toolbox' with them when writing. Why is he so impassioned with the concept of a toolbox?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
King mentions many elements as being important to good writing: limiting the use of adverbs, writing in the active voice instead of the passive voice, the use of speaker attributes other than said, and paragraph length. How would you prioritize these elements and why?
Essay Topic 2
How is writing as a passion different from writing as a career? What ideas in this text justify King's statement?
Essay Topic 3
Based on the book, On Writing, what is the most important item in the writer's toolbox? Why is this important? Support your argument with ideas from the text.
This section contains 1,086 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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