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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. For how many days did O'Connell and Dylan remain in the Zone during their trip?

2. For what purpose did Caroline plan to use the seeds in the wooden box if the need arose?

3. By what name was the now-defunct amusement park in the Zone known?

4. How many months after the Alladale retreat did O'Connell take a trip to the Zone?

5. Which specific airport is featured in O'Connell's discussion of airports in Chapter 6: "Under the Hide"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the symbolism of the graph depicting continual human progress over time?

2. Who is Thich Nhat Hanh?

3. What is the most recognizable landmark in all of Pripyat and why?

4. Who or what is the Lorax?

5. Describe the graph depicting continual human progress over time.

6. Who is Dylan and what was occurring in his life at the time of his trip to the Zone?

7. To what country did Mark O'Connell travel two months after the retreat on the Alladale Wilderness Reserve and why?

8. What event was the catalyst for O'Connell's son's epiphany about the role of the artist?

9. Explain the term 'samoseli'.

10. What distinction does O'Connell make about the Zone and why is the observation ironic?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is O'Connell's message regarding the responsibility associated with parenthood in the twenty-first century and how does O'Connell get this message across to the reader?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss O'Connell's decision to include humor within the nonfiction text of Notes From an Apocalypse. What purpose did O'Connell have in mind when including these instances of humor and how does the inclusion of these instances support the overarching themes and messages of the text?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss O'Connell’s use of Aristotle's appeals within the text of Notes From an Apocalypse. How does O'Connell use each of the three appeals to persuade the reader of argumentative points central to the tenets of the work?

(see the answer keys)

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