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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 did the narrator learn of the story?

2. Besides the three races Ransom has heard about, another race, now extinct, lived on Malacandra. What was it?

3. How does Weston defend himself?

4. What is a pfifltriggi carving on one of the stones?

5. What happens to the ship after they land?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who comes to Hyoi and Ransom as they move on the water searching for the hnakra? What does he have to say?

2. Describe a parallel between Ransom leaving to go to the mountains and the beginning of the book.

3. How does Ransom feel about going with Hyoi on the hunt for the hnakra? What does he want to prove?

4. What happens with the three dead hross?

5. Describe Ransom's first view of Meldilorn.

6. Describe the hross' relationship with the hnakra.

7. Besides collecting gold, what is Weston's motivation for coming to Malacandra?

8. What kind of knowledge interest the sorn?

9. Why have Weston and Devine brought Ransom to Malacandra?

10. How does the Osarya repond to Weston's speech?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Hyoi explained the hross mating habits to Ransom he seemed to imply that mating, done only once, for a short time, in a hross's life made it that much sweeter and memorable. Chose one of your favorite activities or food, for example, chocolate.

Write about how you think it would feel to be able to experience that activity or food a few times, for a few short years in your life. Do you think it would make it better? How do you think you'd feel after the time was gone and you could not longer have access to something you enjoyed so much?

Essay Topic 2

The theme of fear and death is explored a lot in this book. Ransom speculates on the role of death in life. The hross seem to hold an outlook on death that is very different from his own. They almost welcome death as a wonderful transformation. Write about the view of death from the American culture. Is the main cultural view of death your own? If not, what is your view of death?

Essay Topic 3

On Malacandra, the hross, Hyoi, says he can't think of any reason for the three peoples of Malacondra to wage war. What might be reasons that war starts in this world? What circumstances and ideas on Malacandra seem to preclude war as an option there? What do you think might be necessary for war to end on this world, given what Malacandra was described as being like?

(see the answer keys)

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