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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. Which of the following characteristics of Venus is LEAST similar to Earth's?

2. Sagan describes the "myth" that he believes should be created as centering around what?

3. About how large a percentage of the mass of the total universe does dark matter make up?

4. The primary discipline that Sagan argues nations benefit from by investing in space exploration is called which of the following?

5. Sagan cautions that the beliefs he endorses could lead to an overabundance of what?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Sagan regards the Voyager craft as triumphs of engineering and human ingenuity. These craft were designed to explore most of the planets in the solar system, and then to journey outwards from it to the stars.

1) Describe the Voyager craft, their missions, and capabilities. What planets were these craft intended to explore?

2) Discuss the differences between the Voyager mission and previous efforts in space exploration. How were these craft significantly different?

3) Explain Sagan's particular interest in the Voyager craft and why he believes them each to be a triumph.

4) Summarize some of the important observations that the Voyager craft made.

Essay Topic 3

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.

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