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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. Where did the author's friend Jack get him a blade while attending a scything conference in "My Scythe Jack"?

2. What kind of flowers does the author describe carrying through the streets of Rome in "Tomato on Board"?

3. On the west side of what street does the author describe seeing a man lying down in "Public Lying Down"?

4. Who is the author's brother that was with him when they were accosted by an older boy in the woods in "Dickhead"?

5. During what annual event does the author say he has had his deepest naps in "Public Lying Down"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How are the carrots described in "Pulling Carrots"? What do they symbolize?

2. How does the author describe his grandfather in "The Wave of Unfamiliars"?

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

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

5. What activity is the central subject in "Get Thee to the Nutrient Cycle!"?

6. How is the word "jenky" defined and illustrated in "The Jenky"?

7. What similes and metaphors are seen in "The Purple Cornets of Spring"?

8. How does the author describe the reactions of those around him to the tomato plant in "Tomato on Board"?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the structure of The Book of Delights. How many essays comprise the collection? How do the essays flow into one another? Is there a relationship between each essay? Why do you think the author has structured the collection in this way?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the themes of sorrow and death in The Book of Delights. How does the author incorporate these themes into a book about joy? What symbols relate to these themes? What individuals are thematically connected to these concepts?

Essay Topic 3

Define and discuss the meaning of "delight." What is the etymological history of the word? What does it mean to you? How has its meaning changed? How does the author define it?

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