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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 kind of shop did Newton have someone watching him in?

2. What is the Minerva attacked by?

3. What was thought to be a cure for Syphilis?

4. What does Eliza dress up as when they go to Leipzig?

5. What did Daniel's father own?

Short Essay Questions

1. What job did Jack have at the prison?

2. What happens when Trinity re-opens after the first closure?

3. How does Daniel meet Leibniz?

4. How does Daniel meet Tess?

5. How is Leibniz's mine different from other mines?

6. How does the doctor help Jack?

7. What frightens Jack in Backboden?

8. Why is the Minerva attacked?

9. How did Jack meet Eliza?

10. How does Daniel help Van Hoek in Cape Cod Bay?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Obsession is a theme present in a number of places in the plot. What are some of the best examples of this theme, and how did the presence of this theme affect the outcome of this book?

Essay Topic 2

There are many secrets made, kept, and divulged in this book. What are some of these secrets, and how does their placement in the plot affect the course of the plot and the characters involved in the secrets?

Essay Topic 3

Symbolism is a very prevalent literary device used by Neal Stephenson. What are some of these symbols, and how does their presence affect the course of the plot?

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This section contains 497 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample