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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. How does Marsha discover David felt about VJ?

2. What does Victor receive when he arrives at the office at the beginning of the day in Chapter 9?

3. Who does Philip say had an argument?

4. What weapon does Victor make to use against VJ?

5. What does VJ show Victor?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does VJ let his father out of imprisonment?

2. When Victor returns to the lab, what does he try to convince VJ to do?

3. What does Victor finally admit to his wife in Chapter 9?

4. What conclusion does Marsha form about the security employees at VJ's lab?

5. How did Janice feel about VJ?

6. What happens to Sharon Carver at the end of Chapter 9?

7. What do Victor and Marsha decide about VJ?

8. How much of the secret lab does Victor see?

9. How do VJ and Victor interact, when they go to VJ's lab in Chapter 13?

10. What happens to Victor when he's searching the clock tower?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Responsibility is an important aspect of Victor's relationship to VJ. Discuss responsibility in the novel.

1) What responsibilities does Victor have toward VJ, as his father? What additional responsibilities does Victor take on, by making the decision to genetically engineer VJ? How does Victor fulfill or shirk his responsibilities?

2) Is Victor's death at the end a consequence of his responsibility toward VJ as his creator?

3) As a parent, what are Marsha's responsibilities toward VJ? How does Marsha fulfill or shirk her responsibilities?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss secretiveness in the novel.

1) What secrets does VJ keep in the novel? Why does VJ keep secrets? Why don't his parents realize what he's doing?

2) What secrets does Victor keep in the novel? Why does he keep these secrets? What would Victor lose or gain by making his discoveries public and being more open about his research?

Essay Topic 3

Evaluate the ending of the novel.

1) Why does Victor choose to kill himself in the process of killing VJ? How is this decision appropriate or inappropriate?

2) Does VJ need to be killed? Is a violent death the best, or only, solution to the problem?

3) How is the manner of VJ's death appropriate to the story? What is the author trying to communicate through the manner of VJ's death?

4) What does the epilogue add to the novel? Why does the author introduce another super-intelligent child at the end of the book?

(see the answer keys)

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