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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. How does the biologist characterize her relationship with her husband in the days immediate prior to his expedition to Area X?

2. What killed the narrator's husband?

3. Why does the biologist think it would be good to talk to the psychologist before going back into the tower?

4. How many expeditions have been to Area X, including the one in 01:Initiation?

5. What did the killer do that made them responsible for the death of the corpse discovered in 02: Integration?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the black boxes that each member of the expedition is given.

2. How does the psychologist explain the absence of the anthropologist in 02: Integration?

3. What is unique about the pool that the biologist had at her home growing up?

4. What is the mission of the 12th expedition into Area X?

5. What does the biologist notice first about the tunnel the second time she enters it?

6. What is the surveyor's reaction when the biologist tells her that the psychologist has been hypnotizing them?

7. What are the members of the 12th expedition told to do with their journals?

8. What comparison does the narrator make between the ocean air and the air back home in "Initiation"?

9. How do the members of the expedition celebrate after their first exploration of the structure made from coquina and stone?

10. What is the interaction between the biologist and the surveyor before she heads to the lighthouse in 02: Integration?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Though the novel mostly takes place within Area X, the biologist offers occasional descriptions of the outside world from which she came. Write an essay analyzing the biologist's descriptions of the outside world to determine what she believes of the world outside and how these beliefs connect to the themes of the novel.

Essay Topic 2

Is this a feminist text? Analyze specific details in the text to help you support your thesis. Be sure to include the definition of feminist and include a feminist critique of the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Vandermeer uses strong sensory details throughout the text. He is especially prone to using vivid color descriptions. Write an essay analyzing Vandermeer's use of color in the text. Describe when it appears and analyze its impact on the tone of the novel and the development of the characters.

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