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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 do Dunworthy and Mary do after Kivrin disappears into the past?

2. Who is able to understand Kivrin?

3. What is Kivrin wearing?

4. What does Finch tell Dunworthy about the closet tech to Oxford?

5. What does Badri say about the problem on the way to the lab?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where do Dunworthy and Mary go and what are they waiting for?

2. How does Colin explain his presence in the quarantine line?

3. Describe Badri.

4. What are some of the problems of quarantine with which Dunworthy has to handle?

5. What does a medic question Dunworthy about concerning the virus and what is his response?

6. What is Ms. Montoya doing as Kivrin is preparing for her trip, and how is this related to Kivrin?

7. What is Kivrin trying to do in chapter 6 but having a hard time with?

8. What does Kivrin think in the confusion generated by her high fever?

9. Why does Badri come to find Dunworthy and where does Badri and Dunworthy go?

10. What explanation for who she is does Kivrin plan to give and what does she end up saying?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss Doomsday Book based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if Doomsday Book is a successful novel. Explain your rationale with specific examples.

3. Do you think the fact that Doomsday Book falls within the science fiction genre changes the criteria upon which its success should be judged? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

The time this novel takes place in 2054, approximately 44 years from the present time of 2010. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think technology will have advanced far enough in 44 years to have developed time travel?

2. Willis wrote this book in 1992. Do you think Willis set the novel in the year 2054 because she believes time travel will be developed by then? If not, why do you think she sets the novel such a short distance in the future from the time she writes the book?

3. Does it hinder the ability to "believe" the novel in that it is set in the near future and has such a highly technical ability such as time travel? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 3

Many readers of a book such as Doomsday Book place themselves in the position of someone like Kivrin, wondering about what their response would be in a similar situation. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think one of the values of literature is to serve as a reflection of oneself? Why or why not?

2. Socrates said "Know thyself." How can reading a book such as the Doomsday Book help a reader to know him/herself? Do you find yourself reflecting on your own character and abilities when reading Doomsday Book? Why or why not?

3. Choose one specific incident to discuss and compare Kivrin's response to how you think you would respond.

(see the answer keys)

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