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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. How does Ellison describe Mahalia Jackson?
(a) Uncle Tom.
(b) Jazz Diva.
(c) High Priestess.
(d) Female Louis Armstrong.

2. What does the chaos of noise cause in Ellison?
(a) Mental Illness.
(b) Writer's block.
(c) Peace and Joy.
(d) Hearing loss.

3. What church does Mahalia grow up in?
(a) African Episcopal.
(b) Pentecostal.
(c) Roman Catholic.
(d) Baptist.

4. What is unique about "The Way It Is" compared to the other essays?
(a) Focuses on Negro persons.
(b) Has no humor.
(c) Written as a narrative story.
(d) Recommends communism.

5. What does Ellison say slaves had in place of freedom?
(a) Blues, spirituals, jazz.
(b) Early death, disease, drunkenness.
(c) Suffering, despair, darkness.
(d) Dementia, mental illness, emptiness.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is James Reese Europe known for?

2. What establishment is to the right of Ellison?

3. What is Ellison's reaction to the term "Negro culture?"

4. Who is Mrs. Lydia Maria Child?

5. What is Jimmy Rushing's instrument?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the "drunk of legend" who lives on the corner do?

2. What does Ellison say about a Negro President?

3. What does Ellison believe is the primary American theme in both life and literature?

4. In the Paris Review (Spring 1955) Ellison was interviewed about his work as a writer. What does he say his first piece of professional writing was?

5. Who does the song "They picked poor robin clean" remind Ellison of?

6. Who is Teddy Hill?

7. Who is Mahalia Jackson?

8. How does the early film "Birth of the Nation" portray Negro persons?

9. Where is the Lefargue Psychiatric Clinic located?

10. What place does "Living with Music" describe?

(see the answer keys)

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