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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. At what time do the station crew wake after watching their movie?

2. Which of the following do Roman and Anton have in their stores?

3. In the novel, the life of the universe is compressed into a year. In that year, which of the following happens in the final second of the year?

4. Which of the following is the *first* to arrive at the station?

5. Over which of the following is the station noted to pass?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Pietro note the fisherman’s children know that their parents do not know or do not care to know?

2. What is the station crew’s reaction to the realization that they are, at root, data for future missions?

3. How does Anton realize his marriage is loveless?

4. What does Chie note as the most common fate of dagashiya?

5. What does Shaun note is the only thing that humans can do other animals cannot?

6. Why do the station crew disregard the signs restricting toilet use on the station?

7. Why does Anton bring crackers and salt to the station?

8. Why are there signs restricting toilet use on the station?

9. What does Nell find when vacuuming the air vents?

10. Why do station crew have trouble moving their limbs?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Consider the ending of the novel. Does it satisfy? How or how not?

Essay Topic 2

To what genre other than science fiction might Orbital be considered to belong? What in the text supports that identification? How does it do so?

Essay Topic 3

Into what medium is Orbital most apt for adaptation? What in the text tells you as much? How does it suggest that such an adaptation would work?

(see the answer keys)

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