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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. How well does Sagan say his typical audience handles the practical details of a Mars mission?

2. It is believed that some of Saturn's rings may eventually form into what?

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

4. According to the plans Sagan discussed, how would nuclear weapons typically be used to stop an asteroid from colliding with the Earth?

5. What was the name of the mission that sent the first probes to Venus?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. How does Sagan believe that humanity will progress in the next hundred or so generations?

4. What promising signs does Mars have for being host to life?

5. What is unusual about the surface of Venus?

6. What does Sagan want to see on Mars?

7. How is Venus similar to Earth?

8. What does Sagan think were the major upsides of the Apollo missions?

9. What is unusual about the ring systems of the planets in our solar system?

10. What is the purpose of SETI and how does it operate?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Titan is the largest moon of Saturn and the most Earth-like of all of the moons in the solar system, making it a good candidate for finding extraterrestrial life.

1) Describe the characteristics of the moon Titan, including a discussion of its atmosphere and hydrocarbon lakes.

2) Assess the specific characteristics of the moon that make it suitable for life.

3) Discuss Sagan's personal involvement in the study of Titan, its importance to him, and why he believes the moon warrants further study.

Essay Topic 2

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 3

In Chapter 1, Sagan discusses in detail the photo of the "pale blue dot" for which he named this book. He regards it as a singular and impressive symbol of man's place in the universe.

1) Describe how the photo of the "pale blue dot" was taken, the risks involved, and how Sagan was personally involved in its creation.

2) Describe the photo itself, using details from the book.

3) Explain how Sagan thinks that this photo demonstrates part of the triumph of the Voyager spacecraft.

4) Discuss in detail the meaning of this photo to Sagan and what it says to him about man's place in the universe.

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