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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 movie does the author reference as possible influence on his childhood dreams in "Pawpaw Grove"?
(a) Jaws.
(b) Cloak and Dagger.
(c) Gremlins.
(d) Goonies.

2. Where did the author's friend Jack get him a blade while attending a scything conference in "My Scythe Jack"?
(a) Switzerland.
(b) France.
(c) Scotland.
(d) Ireland.

3. Who is the author's friend that he calls a superb Dumpster diver in "Get Thee to the Nutrient Cycle!"?
(a) Pat.
(b) Jack.
(c) Mike.
(d) Roger.

4. Who is the documentary When We Were Kings about?
(a) Mohammad Ali.
(b) James Dean.
(c) Malcom X.
(d) Martin Luther King, Jr.

5. After whom is the Jordan River named that the author describes biking along in "Pawpaw Grove"?
(a) David Starr Jordan.
(b) Michael James Jordan.
(c) Peter Philip Jordan.
(d) Richard Stevens Jordan.

Short Answer Questions

1. To what does the author compare the flowers laid out before him on the table in "The Purple Cornets of Spring"?

2. The author describes receiving a letter from a high school student where in "Found Things (2)"?

3. With what friend does the author describe shooting hoops in "The Marfa Lights"?

4. How old does the author say he and his brother were when a boy pinched the backs of their arms until they cursed in "Dickhead"?

5. What friend does the author describe hugging in "Heart to Heart"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the young man described in "It's Just the Day I'm Having..."?

2. What statue is described in "Flowers in the Hands of Statues"? How is it described?

3. What does the crow symbolize in "The Crow's Ablutions"?

4. What is the setting of "Babies. Seriously."? What atmosphere does this setting evoke?

5. What irony can be seen in the essay "Church Poets"?

6. What does the author describe happening to him and his brother in "Dickweed"?

7. What is the setting of "Public Lying Down"? Why is setting important in this essay?

8. What event is central in "An Abundance of Public Toilets"? Why does the author find delight in this occasion?

9. What commentary does the author provide regarding the act of loitering in "Loitering"?

10. Who is the central subject in the essay "The Volunteer"? How is this individual described?

(see the answer keys)

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