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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 does Karelllen do for Rikki Stormgren during their last meeting?

2. Where do the aliens come from?

3. What device does Rikki Stormgren take with him on board the invaders' ship?

4. How many hours a week do people typically work?

5. How do the aliens deal with Earth's gravity?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why are newspapers virtually obsolete in 2050?

2. What is the role of the American scientist Reinhold Hoffmann?

3. What does Reinhold Hoffmann see in the night sky over the island of Taratura, and what does it imply?

4. Why are professional sports almost obsolete in 2050?

5. What is Karellen's philosophy about world order that he shares with Rikki Stormgren?

6. Who is Karellen, and what does he state is his intention for occupying Earth?

7. What are some of the adjustments the Overlords have to make to adapt to being on Earth?

8. Who is Grigorievitch, and what expectations does he have of Konrad Schneider?

9. How do the Overlords intimidate humans with a ruse?

10. What does Jan Rodricks learn from his research in star catalogs, and what is the significance of his discovery?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout the book, Clarke drops subtle hints (and some not so subtle) of what is to come, employing the literary device of foreshadowing. Identify at least three major incidences of foreshadowing, in which an event in the book points toward its ultimate conclusion. With each event earlier in the book, cite the event that fulfills the foreshadowing that came earlier, and the plot elements that moved the story from the foreshadowing incident to the outcome.

Essay Topic 2

"Childhood's End" was written by Arthur C. Clarke well before mankind actually began space exploration. Imagine that Clarke were writing the book in 2009. Describe what differences might be found in the plot of the book, what impact current technology might have in the writing of the book, and how the current world condition might impact the book. Select pivotal plot points from the book and describe how those points might be different should the book have been written this year.

Essay Topic 3

Karellen and the Overlords have a definite plan when it comes to the establishment of a Utopian state. In light of the entire novel, discuss why the Overlords have a compulsion to reform Earth's society. Consider the conditions ushered in by the Overlords - transforming Earth into Utopia. Explain why most humans are willing to embrace this new state. Compare and contrast the Overlords' tactful use of power vs. the use of brute force. Describe which method you feel was most appropriate for humanity in the book, assuming that the Overlords could have chosen to use force.

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