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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 would the disorder described in the chapter be a bad thing?

2. Dr. P is a teacher of what?

3. How does the main character's emotions change when he wakes up from his nap?

4. The main character has a dream that foreshadows her condition? What is the dream about?

5. What is a visual phantom?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the overall theme of the book?

2. What is the cause of Christina's condition? Do scientists think it is a plausible cause?

3. Explain the impact of hearing Reagan's speech on the main character. What does he/she notice that others do not? What does she miss?

4. What is the main character's response to her treatment? How does she react?

5. How does the main character handle her grandmother's death? What activities does she start in? Which does she end up in?

6. How does Sacks see the theme of 'what science leaves out' play into the chapter? What does he thinks this leaves out?

7. How is Mr. P able to recognize objects?

8. What is William's affliction? How does it affect him with Dr. Sacks?

9. What is Witty Ticcy Ray's disorder? How does it hurt him? How does it benefit him?

10. To what extent can William escape his affliction? Which activities allow him to escape it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain Witty Ticcy Ray's condition and his ultimate choice to take his medication during the week and go off of them on the weekends. Is this a wise decision or not? Spell out your answer in detail. Make sure to give arguments for your position.

Essay Topic 2

Sacks often tries to argue that science leaves out important facets of his patients' lives. Please select two examples from the book where Sacks does this and then use the examples to discuss what you think the limits of science are in explaining the human experience, using the two cases you selected as illustration. The paper must be four pages, double spaced.

Essay Topic 3

A great deal of neurological research has been done on how aphasia affects the language centers of the brain. Complete a five page research paper where you summarize this research.

(see the answer keys)

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