View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which of the following is a major point opponents of space exploration raise?

2. According to Sagan, which of the following was the most notable historical tool that humans used to explore the world?

3. Titan has what distinction among the moons of the planet it orbits?

4. William Herschel, the discoverer of Uranus, had what unusual profession?

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

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Briefly describe the progress made to undermine the geocentric theory.

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

4. What problems does NASA face in pursuing its missions?

5. As of 1990, what had the Voyager spacecraft achieved?

6. How was Sagan involved in discoveries about Titan?

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

8. What message do the Voyager craft carry with them from Earth?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mars is Earth's nearest neighbor and the best candidate for human exploration and settlement.

1) Explain some of the characteristics of the planet Mars, including those that make it a good candidate for human colonization.

2) Discuss the indicators on Mars that suggest to Sagan that life could be found on the planet.

3) Describe the process that Sagan discusses which would be necessary to terraform Mars.

Essay Topic 2

Venus was once considered to be a "sister planet" to Earth, but is now known to be dramatically different from our own planet.

1) Discuss the characteristics of Venus, including the oddities in its climate, atmosphere, and surface.

2) Explain some of the similarities and differences between Earth and Venus and explain why this planet was once considered a "sister planet" to Earth.

3) Discuss Venus' unique place in the mythologies of ancient cultures around the world, as well as its unique positioning in the night sky as seen from Earth.

Essay Topic 3

Sagan presents a thought experiment in Chapter 5, "Is There Intelligent Life on Earth?" He suggests that the observations that a visiting alien might make of Earth would not necessarily reveal the presence of intelligent life.

1) Discuss the thought experiment that Sagan proposes in Chapter 5, and describe the obvious characteristics of the Earth from the perspective of this visitor.

2) Describe the types of observations a visitor to Earth would have to make in order to determine the presence of intelligent life on the planet.

3) Explain how this thought experiment demonstrates Sagan's point about "missing" important details in the search for life in the solar system.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 895 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample