View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What sort of welcome do Peregrine and Scriber receive?

2. What does Scriber wonder about Johanna?

3. What does Grondr tell Ravna?

4. What do the observers call those who take the pup-like figures from the ship?

5. What seems to be knocking out isolated civilizations in the High Beyond?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Pham stop the Blight and what happens to him?

2. What is happening on the OOB as it enters the Middle of the Beyond?

3. Describe Ravna Bergsndot.

4. Why must OOB make a stop and where do they go?

5. What does Steel do in the dungeons?

6. Why is the trip to rescue Jefri going to take longer and what does Ravna do to help Jefri because of the longer time?

7. What is Jefri doing during Woodcarver's army's attack?

8. What happens that Blueshell likens to a tsunami?

9. How is Johanna faring in the Woodcarver's domain?

10. About what does Twirlip of the Mists wonder and what is the Alliance for the Defense's response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In chapter 12, One pack approaches submissively, gives its unintelligible name, asks hers, and invites her to play the naming game. Johanna's life is about to change as she accepts her fate. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think Johanna accepting her fate is wise? Should she continue trying to get free? Why or why not?

2. How much impact do you think Johanna's change in behavior has on Queen Woodcarver's welcome of Ravna and the other awakened children? Do you think Woodcarver would have allowed Ravna and the other children freedom had Johanna continued her hostility?

3. Is it disloyal of Johanna to accept her fate and start bonding with the packs of Woodcarver's domain? Why or why not? What do you think her parents would have advised her to do?

Essay Topic 2

Steel admires the workmanship of the unburned coffins where the children are in suspended animation, but he recoils at the thought that the pups in suspended animation could mature and destroy his world--and that other ships might follow. Discuss the following:

1. Does Steel have legitimate concerns about the possible problems a ship from space could bring?

2. Is attacking the occupants of the ship the wisest course? What other actions might Steel have taken instead of attack? Would one of them have been more advisable?

3. How do you think Steel might have fared in the long run had he made friends with the Olnsdots rather than killing them?

4. Why does Steel leave Jefri alive? Is there any compassion at all to his decision?

Essay Topic 3

In the Prologue, narration writes that the scientists know some intelligence is watching their work and waiting to pounce. They know that, like earlier humans, they are playing with fire, but the potential reward is tremendous. Discuss the following:

1. Considering the billions of sentient creatures that are wiped out of existence by this intelligence, could any potential reward be worth the possibility of unleashing an evil intelligence?

2. In the early part of the 21st century, Artificial Intelligence is just now being looked at as something that is possible, though many have fantasized about the idea for decades. Do you think the rewards of developing a machine with artificial intelligence is worth the risks? Or are there risks? Compare/contrast the possible rewards with the possible risks of developing artificial intelligence.

3. Do you think artificial intelligence could actually develop into an evil egomaniac? What is the artificial intelligence's main concern when the humans are working with it in the prologue?

4. Much of what is developed in labs in the "real" world has both a positive side and negative side. Consider the side effects of some medicines that can alleviate or cure disease. How does one determine when the balance of good swings too far towards the negative aspects?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,556 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample