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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is the Gethenians' mating cycle known as?
(a) Mating cycle.
(b) Kemmer.
(c) Libido.
(d) Being in heat.

2. What is the price Genly is charged for an audience with the Foretellers?
(a) As a First Mobile, he isn't charged anything.
(b) One ruby.
(c) Two rubies.
(d) Three rubies.

3. What is the Sarf?
(a) It is a secret police bureau that looks out for false registries, forgeries, and unauthorized travel.
(b) It is the nation's trash-removal service. "Sarf" means "trash."
(c) It is the name for the court of the king of Orgoreyn.
(d) It is the national church system.

4. After he loses his registration due to a change in the Alien Registry Law, what happens to Estraven?
(a) He is made one of Commensal Yegey's secretaries and regains his registration.
(b) He loses his refugee status and is taken back to Gethen to meet his fate.
(c) He continues to live in his new home as an illegal alien.
(d) He regains his registration and goes back to his previous job.

5. What news comes from Argaven's palace during the month of Kus?
(a) The King is dying.
(b) The Queen is pregnant.
(c) The King has vowed kemmer.
(d) The King is pregnant.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the period of time during which a Gethenian is sexually inactive called?

2. What literary construct is intended by the introduction into the story of Argaven's pregnancy?

3. Who wants to bring the ship to Orgota?

4. What is the period of time during which a Gethenian is sexually active called?

5. What is the length of the Gethenians' sexual cycle?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the significance of the completion of the Arch of River Gate?

2. After the reception for Genly is called off, what is the advice Estraven gives to him?

3. How does betrayal figure in Chapter 9?

4. The Pering Ice and Gobrin Ice are mentioned in Chapter 2. What significance does this have?

5. In Chapter 16, Genly keeps Estraven from falling during the earthquake and teaches him to play a game. Estraven restores the skin on Genly's face when it becomes frostbitten. What does this show about their relationship?

6. Is the information presented in Chapter 7 presented as fact, or as the investigator's opinion?

7. What is different about the love in the fable told in Chapter 9?

8. What is the only question that Faxe tells Genly can really be answered?

9. Why is the Shath Domain, Getheren's homeland, experiencing poverty and widespread illness near the end of Chapter 2?

10. What happens to a pregnant Gethenian's body?

(see the answer keys)

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