View a FREE sample

This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 7, Among the Moons of Saturn, Chapter 8, The First New Planet.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What major change have humans made to the environment that would be easily detectable from space?
(a) The destruction of the rainforests.
(b) Desertification.
(c) The pollution of rivers and lakes.
(d) The Three-Gorges dam.

2. What unusual source of energy do the Voyager spacecraft take advantage of?
(a) Cosmic rays.
(b) Planetary gravity.
(c) Solar wind.
(d) Vacuum energy.

3. What planet represents the farthest distance from Earth that the Voyager craft were intended to function at?
(a) Jupiter.
(b) Saturn
(c) Mars.
(d) Uranus.

4. What criticism does Sagan make of NASA in Chapter 6, "The Triumph of Voyager"?
(a) It is essentially incompetent.
(b) It is unconcerned with human safety in spaceflight.
(c) It cannot correct its mistakes.
(d) It has made many engineering mistakes.

5. What abstract concept does Sagan specifically say he is optimistic about?
(a) The human prospect.
(b) The future.
(c) Human destiny.
(d) The human capacity for love and discovery.

Short Answer Questions

1. As of the writing of this book, how many moons was Uranus known to have?

2. Which of the following does Sagan NOT cite as evidence for the age of the universe?

3. How many planets were known to ancient people?

4. Who was the first to discover moons around another planet?

5. How does Sagan describe his reaction to the difficulties in detecting human life and intelligence on Earth from space?

(see the answer key)

This section contains 225 words (approx. 1 page at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample