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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. According to Sagan, when viewed from space, how apparent would the existence of life on Earth be?

2. When were the Voyager spacecraft launched?

3. One feature that Sagan suggests would be easier to detect that human intelligence would be flatulence from what kind of animal?

4. Uranus has an unusual field around it of what type?

5. Sagan compares the human need for religion to what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the problem of perspective in estimating the importance of human beings?

2. What aspects of science make it unappealing to some?

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

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

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

6. What planets had been explored by human beings, at the time of the writing of this book?

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

8. How are the Voyager spacecraft able to travel quickly to distant planets?

9. How did ancient people know about the planets?

10. What are the "great demotions" that Sagan refers to?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The geocentric theory of the solar system stated that the sun, the moon, and the planets orbit around the Earth. This world-view was formally endorsed for more than fifteen hundred years, but was eventually shattered by the heliocentric theory.

1) Explain the geocentric theory, including the details of its layout for the solar system and how it accounted for some of the abnormalities in the orbits of the planets.

2) Discuss the origin of this theory and how it came to be embraced by scholars and religious leaders alike.

3) Describe some of the shortcomings of this theory, according to Sagan's arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Much of Sagan's discussion in this book centers on the idea that human beings are wanderers by nature. He sees this aspect of the human character as obvious and critical.

1) Explain Sagan's conception of how and why early humans were wanderers.

2) Discuss the ways that Sagan believes human beings cope with the desire to wander in the setting of increasingly sedentary civilizations.

3) Discuss some of the endeavors in space exploration described in the book in terms of the human desire to wander and explore.

4) Explain Sagan's opinion about how humans will become nomadic wanderers again in the future.

Essay Topic 3

Terraforming is the process of modifying and entire planet to make it more hospitable for human life.

1) Describe the processes of terraforming that Sagan outlines for Mars and the moon Titan.

2) Discuss the moral aspects of the effort of terraforming, and summarize Sagan's views on the issue.

3) Describe, according to information and arguments from the book, some of the benefits that the human species as a whole would reap through the wholesale terraforming of another planet.

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