View a FREE sample

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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is notable about pictures taken of the Earth from the moon?
(a) The Earth appears completely dark.
(b) There is no visible sign of mankind.
(c) The Earth is always in a half-eclipse.
(d) No landmasses can be seen.

2. How does Sagan describe his reaction to the difficulties in detecting human life and intelligence on Earth from space?
(a) Unsurprising.
(b) Disappointing.
(c) Sobering.
(d) Aggravating.

3. Which of the following is one of the "great demotions" that Sagan cites?
(a) There are planets orbiting other stars.
(b) The Earth is 6 billion years old.
(c) Light and magnetism are the same thing.
(d) There may have been life on Mars.

4. In the analogy Sagan makes in Chapter 5 the reader is asked to imagine they are seeing Earth from what perspective?
(a) From an immense distance.
(b) Very close up.
(c) From a distorted frame of reference.
(d) For the first time.

5. Which of the following is a major point opponents of space exploration raise?
(a) The problems on Earth should be solved first.
(b) No good has ever come of space exploration.
(c) Space exploration exists for national prestige only.
(d) There is nothing of value anywhere else in the solar system.

Short Answer Questions

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

2. At the time of the writing of this book, what is the farthest planet that humans had reached through the use of exploratory probes?

3. What astronomical discovery did Galileo make that significantly damaged the geocentric theory?

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

5. Conditions of what type were extremely important in the creation of early life on Earth?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Saga claim that human beings expressed their desire to wander as civilization grew?

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

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

4. Why does Sagan believe that the image of the "pale blue dot" undermined the "imagined self-importance" of humanity?

5. How did ancient people know about the planets?

6. What questions does Sagan say he intends to address in this book?

7. What may have happened to other planets from the early solar system?

8. What undesirable features of human activity might be easily noticed from space?

9. What dangers did the Voyager I spacecraft face in taking a distant picture of Earth?

10. Describe the planet Neptune.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 720 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample