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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. What is the primary distinguishing feature that SETI looks for to identify a communication from an intelligent source?

2. CFCs are chemicals that is primarily hazardous to the environment in what area?

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

4. What is the primary way that humans add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere?

5. In what year did humans visit the moon for the last time?

Short Essay Questions

1. What major environmental catastrophes does Sagan warn against in Chapter 14, "Exploring Other Worlds and Protecting One"?

2. What does Sagan say that it is probably the fate of humanity to "live in the dark"?

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

4. What profit motivations exist in a manned mission to Mars?

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

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

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

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

9. What is unusual about the surface of Venus?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

Neptune is the most distant planet in the solar system.

1) Describe how Neptune was discovered.

2) Discuss and explain some of Neptune's distinguishing characteristics, including its warmth and Jupiter-like atmosphere.

3) Summarize Sagan's assessment of the planet an its importance in the field of space exploration. Why was it visited by the Voyager probes?

Essay Topic 3

Each of the Voyager craft were fitted with golden phonograph records containing carefully selected information to be sent along with the probes into deep space.

1) Discuss the purpose of the Voyager records.

2) Explain the design of the Voyager records, why they are expected to endure without losing data, and how an alien intelligence would be expected to decode them.

3) Discuss the information contained on the records and why it was selected.

(see the answer keys)

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