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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. What is the name of the U.S. Ambassador that attends John's swearing in ceremony?

2. What is the title of Chapter 81?

3. By what name does the narrator refer to the moon in Chapter 90?

4. At what hotel does John check in, along with the Crosbys, in Chapter 69?

5. To what melody is the San Lorenzo National Anthem sung?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does John spend his time doing in his last days after the destruction of Ice-nine?

2. What is signified by Angela's statements about her father's income in Chapter 80?

3. What is ironic about the cleaning process in Chapter 111?

4. What considerations does John have regarding Bokononism as he writes his presidential acceptance speech in Chapter 101?

5. How does the narrator describe the morality surrounding the Hoenikker children taking the Ice-nine in Chapter 113?

6. How is John's encounter with Mona described in Chapter 91?

7. What concerns and conflicts arise with the death of Papa Monzano?

8. How is the Papa Monzano's bomb shelter described in Chapter 117?

9. What symbolism can be seen in the story of the shipwreck on San Lorenzo that is related by Philip Castle?

10. What is ironic about Ambassador Minton's statement regarding the 100 martyrs?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the correlations between Ice-nine and weapons of mass destruction in our contemporary world. How would you compare the destructiveness of Ice-nine to the atomic bomb? What statements do you think that Vonnegut is making with Ice-nine regarding atomic warfare?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Vonnegut's use of irony in Cat's Cradle. What are examples of verbal, dramatic, and situational irony in the novel? What purpose does each example serve? How is irony related to satire?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the plot structure of Cat's Cradle. Where in the story do the exposition and rising action occur? What comprises the climax of the story? How would you describe the falling action and denouement of the narrative?

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