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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. Sagan says that the moon was once understood as a symbol of which of the following?

2. Sagan suggests that ancient people did not think of the moon as which of the following?

3. When does Sagan predict that anti-matter will be mass-manufactured?

4. Which of the following is NOT a major resource on Mars that makes it viable for "terraforming"?

5. Where was NASA's first SETI facility located?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

4. What does Sagan want to see on Mars?

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

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

7. What types of strategies are most practical for stopping an Earth-bound asteroid?

8. What location in the solar system either have or are believed to have once had volcanoes?

9. How could planetary tides pull a small planet apart?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

The program SETI is the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Sagan endorses this program whole-heartedly despite its failure to date and many complaints about its cost.

1) Explain the SETI program and its goals, and how it goes about its search for intelligence.

2) Discuss some of the criticisms about the SETI program.

3) Explain why Sagan maintains his support for the program, despite its failure to date.

(see the answer keys)

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