1. What are the aspects of "The Hole Man" that make it appealing to young readers? Are there themes acted out in the story that would be close to home for young people? What does this say about its audience?

2. "We study the alien base for what it can tell us, while the center of the world we stand on is slowly eaten away," says the narrator. "It's enough to give a man nightmares." Write a story about how people save Mars, or how they deal with its disappearance. Remember, you need to stay within the framework established in "The Hole Man."

3. Write a legal brief outlining the case for trying Lear for the murder of Captain Childrey.

4. What is a quantum black hole? Where would it come from? How would it be detected?

5. What do sociologists say about groups with...