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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 does Martian soil seem to contain?

2. Mars apparently once had what resource?

3. At the time this book was written, how many Mars Observers had been flown successfully?

4. What type of government is Sagan most opposed to?

5. What was the name of the second mission that sent probes into the atmosphere of Venus?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Why does Sagan believe that America sent men to the moon?

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

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

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

6. How well can an asteroid's path be calculated?

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

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

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

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

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

Volcanoes are quite common and relatively active on Earth, and can be observed on solid planetary bodies throughout the solar system.

1) Describe the process of volcanism in general, its causes, and its impact on the environment.

2) Discuss the function and nature of volcanoes on Earth and how they interact with the upper atmosphere and eject particles into space.

3) Describe some of the known active or dormant volcano system observed on other planets and moons.

Essay Topic 3

The Apollo Missions had an enormous impact on the field of space exploration, on the international status of the United States, and on the public's interest in space and science in general.

1) Describe the Apollo moon landings, their operation, mission, and the scientific information gained from them.

2) Discuss the effect that Sagan says the landings had on the international standing of the United States.

3) Explain how the moon landings impacted the field of space exploration and sparked the public's interest in the field. Cite Sagan's arguments to explain specific ways that this occurred.

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