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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. Why does the Ekumen send only one representative to Karhide?

2. What does Lord Berosty's kemmering offer in return for being told how long Lord Berosty will live?

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

4. Why does Chapter 5 say that Genly has come to Rer?

5. Why does Genly return to Erhenrang in Chapter 8 after spending his summer on the Eastern Coast?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Sorve, Estraven's son, ask Genly to tell him about?

2. In Chapter 19, how is betrayal portrayed?

3. What does it mean when Handdara, the Karhidish religion, is described as having duality?

4. What does Chapter 3 reveal to us about Genly's nature?

5. Why does Herbor, Lord Berosty's kemmering, offer his life for a Foretelling by the Weaver Odren after Berosty locked himself away?

6. What do High Priest Tuhulme's comments about Yomesh being a one-sided religion mean?

7. Why is it wise for Estraven to obtain his hunter's license and learn how to hunt while en route to the farm where Genly is imprisoned?

8. Why are the non-human prisoners drugged, aside from interrogation purposes?

9. Why does Estraven try to escape Kuseben, and why is he safe once aboard the harbor patrol ship?

10. In chapter 16, why does Estraven ignore Genly while he is in kemmer?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why is weather so important, both metaphorically, and literally, as explained in "The Left Hand of Darkness?"

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast kemmering and love, as explained in "The Left Hand of Darkness," with marriage and love in today's society.

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 8, Genly Ai's naїveté is once again painfully evident, as he assumes the people of Orgoreyn are more advanced and civilized than the Karhidites. What causes Genly to come to this conclusion, and what, based on what you read in Chapter 8, is the truth about Orgoreyn? Is it indeed more advanced and civilized than Karhide? Use specific examples from Chapter 8, and previous chapters if applicable, to support your answer.

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