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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 5, Is There Intelligent Life on Earth?, Chapter 6, The Triumph of Voyager.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Sagan uses what term to describe a theology that requires God to intentionally mislead human scientists?
(a) Unsupportable.
(b) Dogmatic.
(c) Typical.
(d) Malevolent.

2. What is notable about the Sun's light in Sagan's distant picture of the Earth?
(a) It appears as many distinct shafts of light.
(b) It appears to bathe the Earth in light.
(c) It creates a halo around the Earth.
(d) It is extremely dim.

3. What space probe was an important part of Sagan's career, and passed by a major planet in 1976?
(a) Tesla.
(b) Ion.
(c) Newton.
(d) Viking.

4. What strange motion do all of the stars in the sky exhibit?
(a) They appear to drift towards the Earth.
(b) They change directions randomly.
(c) They tend to move towards each other.
(d) They move in identical tiny ellipses.

5. What is the major difference between space exploration and human exploration in the past?
(a) It takes months or years to get to the destination.
(b) There is much more uncertainty in space.
(c) It is much less costly, in relative terms.
(d) Humans cannot travel to the places they explore.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which of the following is one of the "great demotions" that Sagan cites?

2. Einstein's work undermined what concept?

3. What concept does Sagan suggest that the image of the "pale blue dot" mocks?

4. How old does Sagan state that "fundamentalist monotheists" believe the Earth to be?

5. Which other nation besides the United States led the way in space exploration?

(see the answer key)

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