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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 Jill hide a tape recorder in Michael's room?

2. What was the baby born on Mars named?

3. How did the human baby return to Earth?

4. What does Ben say about Michael's financial state?

5. What causes alarm in one of Michael's observers?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Ben ask Jill to do at the hospital and how does she do it?

2. What does Ben do to try to get to talk to Michael and how does that turn out?

3. What is grokking and how did Michael learn it?

4. What kind of writing does Jubal Hershaw do and how does he do it?

5. What does Ben tell Jill about Michael's financial state?

6. What does the book say about human behavior and reproduction?

7. What does Ben plan to do about Michael?

8. What does Gillian decide to do at the hospital one day and how does she do it?

9. What does Ben do with a tape of Michael's room and what is on it?

10. What happened to the baby Mary Smith had on Mars?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Legally Ben can do nothing but report the news and write op-ed pieces for the paper. His aggressive attempt to see the Man from Mars results in nothing conclusive and only serves to bring attention to himself from an untrustworthy government.

1. What do you think people can do if a government is not honest? Use examples from the book and/or from real life in the 21st century.

2. Why do you think reporters risk their lives to obtain a story? Use an example from life today to support your position.

Essay Topic 2

Michael's church services are patterned after carnival acts but do include traditional symbolism from several theologies. The whole idea is to entertain and sell the church simultaneously, and the technique works.

1. What might be the similarities between Michael's church and some of the modern churches today?

2. Would you prefer a church that was more entertaining? Why or why not?

3. How do you think the people in America today would react if a church like Michael's became big news?

Essay Topic 3

Jubal Hershaw is a savvy and cantankerous old man with a heart of gold. He definitely barks but only bites those who deserve it. When Jill shows up with Michael, Jubal does not hesitate to invite them to stay, mostly because he finds the Man from Mars a very interesting subject in a world that has not interested him for a good many years.

1. What character traits are interesting about Jubal Hershaw? Would you like him if you met him in real life? Why or why not?

2. If you were in trouble who would you go, as Jill did, to Jubal Hershaw? Why would you go to that person? Would the person you would seek out for help resemble Jubal in any way?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 972 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample