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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What means does Sagan suggest that humans use to represent and express their desire to wander?
(a) Adventures.
(b) Colonization.
(c) Stories and symbols.
(d) Trade.

2. What did Galileo demonstrate?
(a) The stars are fixed.
(b) The Earth is not the only planet.
(c) The moon does not orbit the Earth.
(d) The Sun is just a star.

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

4. What planet did Sagan spend a great deal of time studying when an important space probe passed near it in 1976?
(a) Saturn.
(b) Venus.
(c) Mars.
(d) Mercury.

5. What concept does Sagan suggest that the image of the "pale blue dot" mocks?
(a) Individuality.
(b) Technology.
(c) Human conceit.
(d) Human achievement.

Short Answer Questions

1. Sagan describes humans as which of the following, with respect to their arrival in the universe?

2. When probes enter the atmospheres of other planets, what color do they often see the sky to be?

3. What strange motion do all of the stars in the sky exhibit?

4. In the analogy Sagan makes in Chapter 5 the reader is asked to imagine they are seeing Earth from what perspective?

5. The "great demotions" are changes in thinking about the status of what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What contributed to the formation of the first microbes on Earth?

2. What was Sagan's involvement in the passage of Mars by the Viking probe?

3. When this book was written, what was known about planets in other solar systems?

4. What advantage make it more likely that the Voyager records will eventually be found?

5. What seemingly important features of humanity does Sagan deny to be distinguishing?

6. What does Sagan think about the failure of the Voyager probes to find life in the solar system?

7. What does Sagan believe about the intelligence of the Voyager spacecraft.

8. Why is it difficult to detect intelligent life on Earth?

9. How has the attitude of the Catholic church towards Galileo changed over time?

10. What "malevolent" theology does Sagan describe in Chapter 3, "The Great Demotions"?

(see the answer keys)

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