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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 happens to Javier as a result of cases like Patrick's?

2. What do Lin, Randy and Cindy discuss at the beginning of Chapter 10?

3. Patrick is able to absorb even fewer nutrients due to what?

4. How many more children do Fran and Carey have after Taylor and Jake?

5. When Javier faces Patrick with a decision about his treatment, in Chapter 20, which option does Patrick choose?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Armando's condition, as described in the Epilogue?

2. What is the Committee's decision regarding Taylor, in Chapter 16?

3. What happens to Oria Dismuke after Patrick's death?

4. What does Dr. Butler tell Kenny, in Chapter 23, regarding Landon's condition and treatment?

5. According to the author, what does the debate over medical ethics boil down to?

6. What happens to the Sparks family, in the four years following the events in the book?

7. What happens with Taylor's ventilator in Chapter 13?

8. Why did the courts revise Hermann's will after his death?

9. Why wasn't Hermann Hospital built right away?

10. What are the guidelines the Committee must follow regarding withdrawing life support, as set forth by Randy in Chapter 25?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare Hermann Hospital to the other major hospitals in Houston, Ben Taub and Methodist. How does Hermann fit in with the other two? What sort of experience do Hermann's patients get in comparison to the other hospitals' patients? Why? Should Hermann strive to become more like one of the other hospitals? If so, which one? If not, why? Why does Belkin compare Hermann to these other hospitals? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

Armando grew up poor, knowing little English, and eventually his drunken brawls resulted in him getting shot. Did his lower-class upbringing influence the course of his life, which later resulted in his getting shot? Why or why not? Do you think that his injury still would have happened if he had a proper education and lived in a better area? Why or why not? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

Think about the debate over the purpose of medical care. What are the different views presented in the book? Which one do you agree with? Why? At what point does medical care change from improving the quality of a person's life, to simply sustaining that life? Is it selfish to keep someone alive when they have no hope of recovery? Or is it "playing God" to let someone die? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

(see the answer keys)

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