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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. Where was NASA's first SETI facility located?
(a) The Sierra Nevada mountain range.
(b) The Nevada salt flats.
(c) The Mojave desert.
(d) The Appalachian mountain range.

2. How far out does the solar corona die out?
(a) 1200 AU.
(b) 70 AU.
(c) 550 AU.
(d) 5 AU.

3. What element does Sagan say motivated the space programs of the 60s and 70s?
(a) Scientific endeavor.
(b) Nationalism.
(c) Brinksmanship.
(d) Curiosity.

4. When did NASA's SETI program go online?
(a) 1978.
(b) 1984.
(c) 1996.
(d) 1992.

5. Which of the following is NOT a major resource on Mars that makes it viable for "terraforming"?
(a) Carbon dioxide.
(b) Water.
(c) Calcium deposits.
(d) Sunlight.

Short Answer Questions

1. At the time this book was written, how many Mars Observers had been flown successfully?

2. Sagan estimates that intelligent life might arise on average in one out of how many stars?

3. Sagan suggests that the Apollo missions were primarily about what?

4. Why does Sagan say that Mars is a more desirable target for human exploration than the moon?

5. Sagan suggests that humans could live and thrive around what unusual type of star?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Sagan believe it is unlikely that a manned mission to Mars will be carried out in the near future?

2. What resources does Sagan believe that carbon asteroids have that make them suitable for human habitation?

3. What does Sagan believe would be necessary for the safety of the human race to be secured?

4. What would the process of "terraforming" on Mars be like?

5. What does Sagan conclude about the morality of terraforming and planetary colonization?

6. What does Sagan say that it is probably the fate of humanity to "live in the dark"?

7. What is unusual about the surface of Venus?

8. What does Sagan believe black holes have to offer?

9. Why does Sagan suggest that space exploration aids in protecting the planet?

10. What major environmental catastrophes does Sagan warn against in Chapter 14, "Exploring Other Worlds and Protecting One"?

(see the answer keys)

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