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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. When riding to the hospital where he would be operated on, Sacks felt dread. How was this different from the dread he had felt on the mountain?
(a) This dread was deeper than the first.
(b) This dread was less human and more animalistic.
(c) This dread was fear of man rather than fear of natural consequences.
(d) This dread was distorted and nameless.

2. What did Sacks experience with the father and son, which he had not experienced all day?
(a) Laughter.
(b) Fear.
(c) Inhibitions.
(d) Anger.

3. What name did Sacks give his windowless hospital room?
(a) Little Ease.
(b) The Monad.
(c) Big Ease.
(d) The Tower.

4. Why was Sacks so happy that he could do fifty chin-ups?
(a) He did not have to get out of bed to exercise.
(b) Only fifteen hours earlier, he had been delirious with fever.
(c) He wanted to impress the nurse.
(d) If his torso were strong again, his legs would regain strength more quickly.

5. Who inspired and encouraged Sacks to finish his book?
(a) His best friend.
(b) His editors.
(c) His son.
(d) His wife.

Short Answer Questions

1. Essentially, why could Sacks not tense up the quadriceps?

2. According to Sacks, why does he not end his story after his rescue?

3. When was Studies in Neurology published?

4. What did Sacks think about as he moved down the mountain?

5. What was the first exercise that Sacks tried to do with the physiotherapist?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Sacks treat the warning sign about the bull? What does this reveal about his attitude?

2. What happened after Sacks tried to catch the bus outside the Kilburn pool? How did this exactly match his previous experiences?

3. A large portion of the horror Sacks felt in Limbo was the silence. What other time has Sacks experienced such deep silence? How does this connection contribute to Limbo?

4. What obvious differences existed between the injuries in Sacks's left leg and his right leg? What was the difference in their effects?

5. Patients in the hospital are treated with fear and sometimes horror by the healthy people who visit them. Using Sacks's thoughts, what might be the reason for this?

6. While in the hospital, Sacks felt morally and physically prostrate before the doctor. How do you think this happened?

7. As Sacks began to regain freedom and move around the hospital, he frequently mentioned natural elements: the birds, sun, and wind. Given what you know of his personality, why are these things important?

8. What paradoxical command did Sacks find while he was in Limbo? How do you think this contrasted with his previous way of living?

9. With what quote does Sacks begin Chapter Three? How does this set the tone for the entire chapter?

10. When Sacks was in the hospital, why did he hesitate to write about his experience? What mindset change enabled him to write?

(see the answer keys)

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