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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. Where does John describe stopping for a 10-minute layover in Chapter 47?

2. How long is the island of San Lorenzo described as in Chapter 38?

3. What college is Newt Hoenikker attending when the narrator writes to him in Chapter 4?

4. For how long has John spent on his "expedition" in Ilium in Chapter 36?

5. Who is the poet that John let stay in his apartment while he was in Ilium in Chapter 36?

Short Essay Questions

1. What symbolism can be seen in the graves of Emily and Felix Hoenikker?

2. What is significant about the stone angel monument at the sales room in Ilium?

3. How is Dr. Felix Hoenikker's personality described in Cat's Cradle?

4. What irony is revealed in Dr. Breed's assessments of Ilium's history in Chapter 13?

5. What is surprising to John when he encounters the Hoenikker burial plot in Chapters 29 and 30?

6. What is meant by Mrs. Minton's remarks on indexing in Chapter 55?

7. What does John discover about San Lorenzo from the advertising supplement in the newspaper in Chapter 37?

8. How is the theory of "Dynamic Tension" described in Chapter 47?

9. How is Miss Pefko characterized in the novel?

10. Describe the narrative style of Cat's Cradle. Why do you think the author employs this style?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What happens to the three vials of Ice-nine that are split up between the Hoenikker children? What are the repercussions of the distribution of these vials? How does this reflect upon the international politics of the 1960s when the novel was published?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the book The Day the World Ended. What was this book initially to be about? What does it end up being about? What irony can be seen in this book and its title?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and analyze the character of Newt Hoenikker in the novel. What information does Newt relate to John via letters? How does John perceive Newt when they finally meet? What are Newt's relationships like with his siblings?

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