Grammar
Persepolis
Dystopia
Creative Nonfiction
100

This sentence uses a comma correctly.

  • A) I went to the store, and I bought milk.
  • B) I went to the store and, I bought milk.
  • C) I went, to the store and I bought milk.
  • D) I went to the store and I, bought milk.

What is A?

100

The Iranian revolution began this year.

What is 1979?

100

This year is the year "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut takes place.

What is 2081?

100

This is the subject and city where David Sedaris enrolls in classes at age forty-one in "Me Talk Pretty One Day."

What is French in Paris?

200

This sentence uses the correct irregular verb form.

  • A) He rised early every morning last week.
  • B) He rose early every morning last week.
  • C) He risen early every morning last week.
  • D) He raised early every morning last week

What is B?

200

This religious leader returned from exile in France to lead Iran after the Shah was overthrown in 1979.

Who is Ayatollah Khomeini?

200

In "The Pedestrian," this is the destination the automated police car takes Leonard Mead at the end of the story.

What is the Psychiatric Centre for Research on Regressive Tendencies?

200

This is how Sedaris's French teacher is best described in 'Me Talk Pretty One Day,' and this is her primary teaching method.

What is harsh and sarcastic, using public ridicule to challenge students?

300

This sentence correctly uses commas with an introductory element.

  • A) After the long and exhausting game the players rested.
  • B) After the long and exhausting game, the players rested.
  • C) After, the long and exhausting game the players rested.
  • D) After the long, and exhausting game the players rested.

What is B?

300

These are two major causes of the Iranian Revolution — widespread resentment toward the Shah's government fell into these two categories.

What are political repression and Westernization/modernization?

300

This is the role of Diana Moon Glampers in 'Harrison Bergeron,' and this is what she does at the climax of the story.

What is the Handicapper General, and she shoots Harrison and his Empress?

300

In "50 Cent Is My Life Coach," this is the piece of advice 50 Cent gives journalist Zach Baron about how to command respect at work.

What is to wear suits to work to change how others perceive you?

400

This sentence correctly uses commas with a nonessential (nonrestrictive) clause.

  • A) My brother who lives in Texas is visiting this weekend.
  • B) My brother, who lives in Texas is visiting this weekend.
  • C) My brother, who lives in Texas, is visiting this weekend.
  • D) My brother who lives, in Texas, is visiting this weekend.

What is C?

400

This is the name of the new type of government established in Iran after the 1979 Revolution, combining religious law with a republican structure.

What is an Islamic Republic?

400

Both 'Harrison Bergeron' and 'The Pedestrian' share this central dystopian theme, warning readers about a society that does this to its citizens.

What is enforcing conformity, by punishing individuality and independent thinking?

400

Both "Me Talk Pretty One Day" and "50 Cent Is My Life Coach" share this defining characteristic of creative nonfiction, which separates them from a standard essay or news article.

What is the combination of factual, real-life events with literary techniques like humor, self-reflection, and narrative storytelling?

500

This sentence uses all irregular verb forms correctly.

  • A) By the time we arrived, the sun had already sunk, and the wind had blew the leaves everywhere.
  • B) By the time we arrived, the sun had already sank, and the wind had blown the leaves everywhere.
  • C) By the time we arrived, the sun had already sunken, and the wind had blown the leaves everywhere.
  • D) By the time we arrived, the sun had already sunk, and the wind had blown the leaves everywhere.

What is D?

500

This event in November 1979, in which American diplomats were held captive for 444 days, severely damaged U.S.-Iran relations and was partly fueled by America's decision to do this for the exiled Shah. 

What is the Iran Hostage Crisis, triggered by the U.S. admitting the Shah for medical treatment?

500

In both stories, the authors use this literary device — where the setting, technology, or government represents a larger warning about real-world society — to critique modern trends they observed in their own time.

What is allegory, because both stories use fictional worlds to critique real-world dangers like conformity, technology dependence, and the suppression of individuality?

500

Both Sedaris and Baron experience a similar narrative arc in their respective pieces — this best describes the transformation both authors undergo by the end of their stories.

What is moving from cynicism or fear to genuine appreciation, as both authors find unexpected value in an unlikely source?

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