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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. What is the main character's most frustrating disability?

2. Sacks is different from a fiction writer because:

3. What percentage of individuals in the old folks home where the main character lives end up using his/her solution to his/her disorder?

4. How does Dr. Sacks respond to the main character?

5. What is the technical term of Jimmie G.'s disorder?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Mrs. S condition? What is its cause? What are some of her symptoms?

2. What is the main character's affliction? How it is treated?

3. How does Christina cope with her condition?

4. Who is the main character in this chapter? What is his affliction? What does he maintain despite his affliction?

5. How does Sacks see the relationship between memory and life? How does Sacks see the connection in Jimmie G.?

6. How does Sacks react to Mrs. B's view about her own condition?

7. What is proprioception? What does losing it prevent you from doing?

8. What is Sacks's attitude towards his patients?

9. What is William's affliction? How does it affect him with Dr. Sacks?

10. Why does A. R. Luria advise Sacks to present case histories as stories? What aspect of his stories does Sacks focus on as a result?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

To what extent are patients like those described in this book 'normal?' Is it that they can't function in society? Or can they, with a little help? How would you try to integrate these patients into society? Or would you refuse to try? Please pick two patients you think could be easily integrated into society and one patient that presents difficulties. Explain how you would integrate the first two patients and why the third would present difficulties.

Essay Topic 2

Please describe some recent research on idiot savants like John and Michael. What are some standard abilities of idiot savants? Do we have any better idea of what could cause their condition than we did when this book was written?

Essay Topic 3

Explain Christina's condition. Then speculate on how you believe she withstood the psychological pressure to give up on her life. How would you have reacted in a similar situation?

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