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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 does the back trailer house?

2. What is the name of the man hired by Biosyn to spy on the people who had been involved with the InGen project?

3. Where does the person who interrupted Malcolm's lecture with his theory think the object of his theory might be located?

4. What is another name for chaos theory?

5. What is the name of the man who discovers high levels of iridium at the K-T boundary?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do the other girls at school taunt Kelly?

2. Describe the type of behavior that is common to all complex systems.

3. What do the members of Malcolm's audience have in common?

4. What happens in the 1970s that leads scientists to wonder if human behavior could ultimately lead to extinction?

5. According to the Biosyn spy, why is Levine teaching a class at Woodside Junior High?

6. When the theory of evolution was first presented, there was very little debate. Why?

7. Why is Jack Thorne, who was once a Stanford professor, much happier away from academia?

8. Why is Kelly thrilled to learn that Thorne will call Sarah Harding if he can't reach Levine on the sat phone?

9. What is reductionism? Is it useful in complexity theory or not?

10. According to Malcolm's speech, what is the average rate of extinction on the planet?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the early parts of the story, there are many attempts by the Costa Rican government to cover up the existence of the aberrant animals. Describe two of the rumors that abounded about the aberrant animals and discuss how full disclosure by the Costa Rican authorities might have impacted the story and saved people's lives on the island. Would full disclosure by the authorities have made a difference at all? Why or why not? Support your answer with examples from the story.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Richard Levine at the beginning of the book - the man whose overriding goal is to discover the lost world. What is his motivation? What drives him? Then, discuss the frightened and timid Levine in the middle of the book - the man who wants to lock doors and hide from the dinosaurs. What is his motivation? What drives him? How do the events that happen between these two personalities change Levine from the dreamer to the realist? Who is Levine at the end of the book? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the characteristics, roles, loyalties, and agendas of the following people in the story: Ed James, Doc Thorne, Lewis Dodgson, and Sarah Harding.

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