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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. Who comes to live with Einstein early in Chapter Fourteen?

2. Why does Einstein agree to write to the President to discuss the atomic bomb?

3. Einstein learns he is awarded what distinction at the end of Chapter Nine?

4. Einstein grants one final interview to a young man in the safety of his cabin in Chapter Ten. Why does he grant this interview?

5. Some members of the city council in Berlin oppose giving Einstein a gift. In exasperation, Einstein does what?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain why the author calls Einstein a false prophet at the beginning of Chapter Eight.

2. What plan does Einstein think up to slow the flood of autograph requests?

3. Why is Einstein no longer a pacifist in Chapter Fourteen?

4. Describe and explain Einstein's answer to the reporter who asks about the political climate in Germany. Why is Einstein so careful in answering?

5. Describe the boat incident in Chapter Thirteen, and explain what the reader learns about Einstein from this story.

6. Why do some Berlin scientists imply that Einstein is a traitor to his country?

7. With what group of critics does Einstein grow angry in Chapter Eight, and why?

8. Explain why Einstein, a former pacifist, agrees to speak to President Roosevelt about the creation of an atomic bomb.

9. Explain Einstein's worries about the German Republic and his disturbing revelation in Marseilles.

10. What does the reader learn about Einstein's tastes, based on his reaction to the quarters on the ship reserves for him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast Einstein's relationship with Germany from his early days as a professor to his final days in America. How does the relationship change? How do the attitudes of the common people change? Is Einstein responsible in any way for his status, or is he purely a victim of circumstance?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the ways in which Einstein's experiences at the Polytechnic School form who he is for the rest of his life. What impact do his friends have? What impact does Mileva have? If the school is structured differently, does Einstein become a different person? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

How does Einstein feel about his legacy as a scientist? Given all that comes from his work, is he pleased with his contribution to the world or dismayed by it? Use material from the book and knowledge of his character to support either assertion and discuss in detail Einstein's feelings about the modern applications of his theory.

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