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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. Who performed in vitro fertilization on Mary Millman?

2. How many NGF human embryos did Victor make?

3. What is Marsha's field of specialization?

4. What connection did investigators find between Janice's death and David's death?

5. Why is Victor allowed into restricted areas of the hospital?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Marsha find difficult to accept about VJ's personality?

2. What does Victor do with the tissue samples he brings back from the hospital?

3. What is Victor's response to Mark Murray's death?

4. What does VJ do after receiving the phone call, after his parents have left?

5. What does William Hurst argue with Victor about?

6. How does Victor Frank act during the delivery of the baby?

7. Describe the relationship between VJ and Philip.

8. What are Marsha's concerns about VJ?

9. When did Victor stop keeping a journal about VJ and why?

10. What does VJ do at Victor's computer?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

VJ is described as evil by some of the characters in the novel. Discuss the novel's portrayal of evil.

1) What is the nature of evil in the novel, and how does the novel address the nature of evil? Is VJ truly evil, and how is he defined as evil?

2) Are Victor's actions evil? Is Victor an evil character? Is Victor more evil than VJ, or less? Why?

3) What other elements of evil, like the Colombian drug cartel, exist in the novel? In what ways are they evil? How does their evil compare to VJ.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the structure of the novel.

1) Why does the author choose the particular scenes in the prologue and epilogue? How are they important to the story?

2) Why does the author tell the bulk of the novel over the course of a few days? How does the timeline affect the experience of reading the novel?

3) What are the moments of major revelation, crisis, and change in the novel? When do they occur, and how does the action build and resolve?

Essay Topic 3

One important element in the novel is the nature of science. Discuss the nature of science as portrayed in the novel.

1) What is the purpose of science? What do the characters in the novel use science to accomplish?

2) Is science in itself good, bad, or neutral? How does the novel put a value on science?

3) How does the portrayal of science in the novel compare to the reality of science?

(see the answer keys)

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