View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do the Duke and his Court attend after leaving Galileo's home?

2. What does Galileo use to represent the sun when explaining the rotation of the Earth to Andrea?

3. What does the "Very Old Cardinal" call Galileo because of Galileo's claims?

4. When, according to Galileo, does he "get most inspiration"?

5. Where does Scene IV open?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Galileo believe that naming the new stars by the name Medici would allow him some leeway on his studies?

2. What does Virginia find out about her father's fame on the day of the party at Cardinal Bellarmin's?

3. Why does Galileo say the sailing of ships across the sea creates "a great desire has arisen to fathom the causes of all thing[s]"?

4. Why did Galileo, as pointed out by Sagredo, teach the Ptolemaic model over the Copernican model given his belief in the Copernican model of the universe?

5. Why does Ludovico seem upset with Galileo at the end of Scene II?

6. What does the Clerk mean when he tells Galileo "We can only afford moves like this"?

7. Why is Andrea's mother, Sarti, worried about Galileo teaching Andrea about the revolving of the Earth around the sun?

8. What is the significance of Galileo telling the Court Clerks of the "new way" to play chess?

9. Why does the Curator refuse to give Galileo the raise that he requests for his work as a mathematician at the University?

10. Describe the Ptolemaic system model that Galileo shows to Andrea.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

During the party at Cardinal Bellarmin's home, both of the attending Cardinals wore masks. Discuss the relevance of the masks for each Cardinal. What did the mask look like? What could the mask represent? What could be misconstrued by the mask?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the difference between the Ptolemaic model and the Copernican model. What did the Ptolemaic model represent? What did the Copernican model represent? Why was the Ptolemaic model accepted over the Copernican model? What did the acceptance of the Copernican model suggest?

Essay Topic 3

"I am entirely in agreement with the position taken up by Cardinal Spoletti towards the mutinous rope-makers, namely, that it is better to dole out soup in the name of Christian brotherly love than to pay them more for their" hawsers and bell-ropes. For surely it must be wiser to fortify their faith rather than their greed. The Apostle Paul said: Charity aboundeth." Galileo made the following statement in response to a question posed by Monsignor Carpula for the archbishop. After making the statement, Galileo worried if one could see any irony in the statement. Discuss the possible irony that Galileo worried about. What could one find that was ironic in the statement? Why could this be considered ironic? What trouble would it cause for Galileo if one did find irony in the statement?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,126 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample