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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 does the Costa Rican government assume that the aberrant animals are coming from?

2. According to the Introduction, extinction is considered as unremarkable as what?

3. According to Malcolm, how long do most mammals survive?

4. What does "Dinosauria" mean?

5. What is the name of the man hired by Biosyn to help the company clean up its image?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is reductionism? Is it useful in complexity theory or not?

2. The head of Biosyn dislikes Dodgson, but likes having him around. Why?

3. Why is Jack Thorne, who was once a Stanford professor, much happier away from academia?

4. When Thorne and the children arrive at Levine's apartment, name three items that they find.

5. Describe at least three types of systems that complexity theory has studied.

6. According to Malcolm's speech, what is the average rate of extinction on the planet?

7. What is the "Edge of Chaos"?

8. Why does Levine hire Kelly and Arby to run errands for him?

9. Describe the type of behavior that is common to all complex systems.

10. Why does Guitierrez lament the changing ethics of scientists?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Kelly and Arby have been extremely helpful to Levine as he has planned for his expedition. However, the children were never supposed to be on the island.

a. Discuss how the children's appearance affects the story in terms of the plot, the emotional involvement of the characters, and the abilities the children bring to the group.

b. The reaction to the children's unexpected appearance on the island was somewhat muted by the main characters. Why?

c. Why might Crichton have chosen to have these characters be children, not adults? What point is he trying to get across? Is he successful? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

There are many people who travel to Isla Sorna who do not leave Isla Sorna. Identify at least three people killed on the island. Compare and contrast each of these deaths being sure to indicate which character died, how the character died, and what impact on the overall plot the character's death had. What could have - or should have - been learned from each of these deaths by the island's survivors?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the characteristics, roles, loyalties, and agendas of the following people in the story: Ed James, Doc Thorne, Lewis Dodgson, and Sarah Harding.

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This section contains 784 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample