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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. Which of the following is the best synonym for assuaged as it is used in the following sentence? Watson's conscious was somewhat assuaged, when Herman revealed that he was going through a divorce.

2. Which of the following terms best describes the human dilemma of deciding to work against your colleague or behind their back?

3. How did Cochran and Crick explain X-ray diffraction by helical molecules?

4. Which of the following characters wrote a paper describing his idea for the helix theory?

5. When would Watson and Crick be able to understand the configuration of inorganic ions?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Francis feel about Watson's work with bacteria?

2. What has Watson done on a social aspect while trying to make X-ray photographs?

3. How had Watson gotten a place to leave in Clare College?

4. What did Watson hope to apply Pauling's method to?

5. In the forward, Bragg describes the following story as what kind?

6. What concerned Maurice about Linus?

7. What would Francis find awkward in regards to the problem of DNA?

8. What was Francis Crick's first real scientific triumph?

9. Who typed Watson and Crick's paper?

10. Why did Watson and Crick think that the DNA structure was more complicated than the structure discovered by Pauling?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At one point in the novel, Rosy seems very agitated and almost at the point of violence. Write an essay about this event including: Where does this fit of temper come from? Is it truly as the author describes it or is it somehow misinterpreted by him?

Essay Topic 2

Write a comparison essay of Watson and Crick's motivations to complete work. How were they the same? How were they different? Include specific examples to explain your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay describing how the term self-deprecating could be used to describe Watson's own humor throughout the novel. Be sure to include examples from the book to support your writing.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 542 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample