Short Story Quiz Questions! Test

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Quizzes Created: 1 | Total Attempts: 399
Questions: 12 | Attempts: 399

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Short Story Quiz Questions! Test - Quiz

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Questions and Answers
  • 1. 

    Which collection did Dwight Garner not list as a possible contender for the best collection of the last century?

    • A.

      Denis Johnson, Jesus Son

    • B.

      Richard Ford, Rock Springs

    • C.

      Grace Paley, Enormous Changes at the Last Minute

    • D.

      John Cheever, The Enormous Radio and Other Stories

    • E.

      Flannery O’Connor, A Good Man is Hard to Find

    Correct Answer
    B. Richard Ford, Rock Springs
    Explanation
    http://papercuts.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/18/unlikely-stories/

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  • 2. 

    What's the fastest-selling short story collection of all time?

    • A.

      Steven King, Everything's Eventual

    • B.

      Jhumpa Lahiri, Unaccustomed Earth

    • C.

      Flannery O'Connor, A Good Man is Hard to Find

    • D.

      What's your Story, anthology by J.K. Rowling, Tom Stoppard, Irvine Welsh and Doris Lessing

    • E.

      Ernest Hemingway, The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories

    Correct Answer
    D. What's your Story, anthology by J.K. Rowling, Tom Stoppard, Irvine Welsh and Doris Lessing
    Explanation
    http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/entertainment/film/harry-potter-prequel-breaks-short-story-sales-record-$1235566.htm

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  • 3. 

    What short story collection has this as the last line: "His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universive and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead."

    • A.

      Anton Chekhov, Essential Tales of Chekhov

    • B.

      Heinrich Von Kleist, The Marquise of O--

    • C.

      William Faulkner, Go Down, Moses

    • D.

      Raymond Carver, Where I'm Calling From

    • E.

      James Joyce, Dubliners

    Correct Answer
    E. James Joyce, Dubliners
    Explanation
    The last line, "His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead," is from James Joyce's collection of short stories, Dubliners. This line captures the protagonist's emotional experience as he contemplates the snow falling and its connection to both the living and the dead. It is a poignant and evocative ending that reflects the themes of mortality and the fleeting nature of life explored throughout the collection.

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  • 4. 

    Which short story writer is not Canadian?

    • A.

      Margaret Atwood

    • B.

      Deborah Eisenberg

    • C.

      Alice Munroe

    • D.

      Earle Birney

    • E.

      Morley Callaghan

    Correct Answer
    B. Deborah Eisenberg
    Explanation
    The question asks for the short story writer who is not Canadian. Out of the given options, Margaret Atwood, Alice Munroe, Earle Birney, and Morley Callaghan are all Canadian short story writers. Therefore, the correct answer is Deborah Eisenberg, who is not Canadian.

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  • 5. 

    Which short story writer never wrote a novel?

    • A.

      Flannery O'Connor

    • B.

      Edgar Allan Poe

    • C.

      Alice Munro

    • D.

      Jorge Luis Borges

    • E.

      Haruki Murakami

    Correct Answer
    D. Jorge Luis Borges
    Explanation
    Jorge Luis Borges is the correct answer because he was primarily known for his short stories and essays, and never wrote a full-length novel. While he did write longer works such as novellas, his main focus was on the short story form. His unique style and exploration of themes such as time, memory, and identity made him a highly influential writer in the genre of short fiction.

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  • 6. 

    Which South African author wrote "Crimes of Conscience"?

    • A.

      Farida Karodia

    • B.

      J.M. Coetzee

    • C.

      Chinua Achebe

    • D.

      Nadine Gordimer

    • E.

      Andre P. Brink

    Correct Answer
    D. Nadine Gordimer
    Explanation
    Nadine Gordimer is the correct answer because she is a well-known South African author who has written several acclaimed novels, including "Crimes of Conscience." She is known for her exploration of the complexities of apartheid and its effects on individuals and society. Gordimer's writing often addresses themes of race, identity, and social justice, making her a significant figure in South African literature.

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  • 7. 

    Who was not an American influencer of the short story genre?

    • A.

      Washington Irving

    • B.

      Walter Scott

    • C.

      Nathaniel Hawthorne

    • D.

      Edgar Allan Poe

    • E.

      Herman Melville

    Correct Answer
    B. Walter Scott
    Explanation
    Walter Scott was not an American influencer of the short story genre. He was a Scottish author and poet, known for his novels such as "Ivanhoe" and "Rob Roy." While he had a significant impact on the development of the historical novel genre, he did not have the same influence on the American short story genre as the other listed authors, who are all renowned American writers known for their contributions to the genre.

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  • 8. 

    Which story collection appeared in 2006?

    • A.

      Charles D'Ambrosio, Dead Fish Museum

    • B.

      Amy Hempel, The Dog of the Marriage

    • C.

      Lorrie Moore, Birds of America

    • D.

      Nathan Englander, For the Relief of Unbearable Urges

    • E.

      A.M. Holmes, Things You Should Know

    Correct Answer
    A. Charles D'Ambrosio, Dead Fish Museum
    Explanation
    The correct answer is Charles D'Ambrosio, Dead Fish Museum. This story collection was published in 2006.

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  • 9. 

    Which short story collection has a story in which baseball-playing boys in New York City listen to fanciful installments from "The Chief" about their hero The Laughing Man?

    • A.

      Edgar Allan Poe, The Tell-Tale Heart

    • B.

      Edwidge Danicat, Krik? Krak!

    • C.

      Annie Proulx, Close Range: Wyoming Stories

    • D.

      O. Henry, The Four Million

    • E.

      J.D. Salinger, Nine Stories

    Correct Answer
    E. J.D. Salinger, Nine Stories
    Explanation
    J.D. Salinger's Nine Stories is the correct answer because it is the only short story collection listed that contains a story about baseball-playing boys in New York City who listen to installments from "The Chief" about their hero The Laughing Man. The story in question is titled "The Laughing Man" and is one of the nine stories included in Salinger's collection.

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  • 10. 

    Which Chilean poet, novelist, and short story writer was imprisoned briefly during Pinochet's coup in 1973?

    • A.

      Gabriel Garcia Marquez

    • B.

      Vargas Llosa

    • C.

      Roberto Bolano

    • D.

      Julio Cortazar

    • E.

      Pablo Neruda

    Correct Answer
    C. Roberto Bolano
    Explanation
    Roberto Bolano was a Chilean poet, novelist, and short story writer who was imprisoned briefly during Pinochet's coup in 1973. He was known for his literary works that often explored political and social issues. Although Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Vargas Llosa, Julio Cortazar, and Pablo Neruda were all notable writers, they were not imprisoned during Pinochet's coup. Therefore, the correct answer is Roberto Bolano.

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  • 11. 

    Which author was the youngest when publishing their first collection?

    • A.

      Jhumpa Lahiri, Interpreter of Maladies

    • B.

      Aimee Bender, Girl with the Flammable Skirt

    • C.

      Nam Le, The Boat

    • D.

      Daniel Alarcon, War by Candlelight

    • E.

      Karen Russell, St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves

    Correct Answer
    E. Karen Russell, St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
    Explanation
    Lahiri was 27, Bender was 29, Le was 29, Alarcon was 28, Russell was 25.

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  • 12. 

    Which short story writer won the 1999 PEN/Malamud award for 68 stories previously published in separate collections?

    • A.

      Steven Millhauser

    • B.

      Nathan Englander

    • C.

      T.C. Boyle

    • D.

      Deborah Eisenberg

    • E.

      Alice Munro

    Correct Answer
    C. T.C. Boyle
    Explanation
    T.C. Boyle won the 1999 PEN/Malamud award for 68 stories previously published in separate collections.

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  • Current Version
  • Mar 20, 2023
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • Aug 08, 2008
    Quiz Created by
    BookFox
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