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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. The author seems to condemn the fact that, over the years, studying wildlife meant what?

2. What helped scientists start accepting the idea of ice ages?

3. Species appear to exist, on average, how long?

4. Most life on Earth is based on what element?

5. The author states that extinction seems to be:

Short Essay Questions

1. How are traits determined genetically?

2. What is the water distribution across the world's major oceans?

3. How does DNA replicate itself?

4. What are cyanobacteria? How did they affect the environment billions of years ago?

5. Describe the Indonesian volcanic eruption of 1815.

6. Describe the fossilized traces of microbes found in Greenland.

7. What does the author say about oxygen and the highest elevations people can live at?

8. How are scientific discoveries challenging the understanding of human evolution?

9. What does the author say about bacteria and humans, particularly their interaction?

10. What does Bryson caution regarding extinction?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe what the author means about Yellowstone being a supervolcano. What do scientists know about Yellowstone's history? How did it form? What is a caldera? Describe other supervolcanoes the author writes about.

Essay Topic 2

How has man influenced the extinction of plant and animal species? How does the author feel about this influence? What does his writing state or imply about what should be done differently?

Essay Topic 3

Explain supernovas. What exactly are they? Describe the mechanism behind them. How long do they last? What contributions do supernovas make to the universe?

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