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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. Why does Cheroki find standing and kneeling uncomfortable?

2. Why are the monks unwelcoming toward Monsignor Flaught?

3. What does the Abbot do with the fallout shelter?

4. How does Francis try to get the illumination back?

5. Who attacks Francis on his way to Rome?

Short Essay Questions

1. What physical characteristics to Minnesotans have, and what is the likely cause of them?

2. Describe Francis's life before the monastery.

3. Describe the Valley of the Misborn.

4. Why does the Church have a Devil's Advocate?

5. What does Francis realize about the Pope and the Vatican, on examining the Pope's cassock and the surroundings closely?

6. In what way is Brother Francis's motivation selfish?

7. Describe the pilgrim.

8. Describe Francis's reaction to the news that he's to attend the canonization.

9. Describe Taddeo's ideas about history.

10. How does the Pope treat the clan chief?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the structure of the novel. Describe the relationship of all three sections and how they represent different stages in the development of human culture. Why did the writer choose this unconventional structure, which covers three time periods and three different sets of characters? Why is there no continuous main character in the novel (except perhaps the Old Jew), and how does that affect your experience of the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss faith versus science in the context of the novel. Which characters value faith, and which characters value science? Include Francis, Leibowitz, Taddeo, Dr. Cors, and Zerchi in your discussion, as well as any other characters you feel are significant to the idea of faith versus science. Are the two always incompatible? How do the fates of the characters and of the society relate to faith and to science?

Essay Topic 3

Taddeo believes that he finds evidence that the current human race was a created race of servants, inferior to the great civilization of the past. His own personal view of humanity colors how he views this evidence. Discuss the way that personal points of view affect the interpretation of evidence and events throughout the novel. Include in your discussion Francis, Cheroki, and Arkos' reactions to the discovery of the Fallout Shelter; Paulo, Taddeo, and Armbruster's reactions to the electric light; and Zerchi's reaction to reports of movements or responses from Mrs. Grales' second head, Rachel.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 861 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample