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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. Who is John's son?

2. Who escapes on an elevator when the cable is destroyed?

3. On the fourteenth day of the revolution, what asteroid is blown up?

4. Which investigators really work for transnationals?

5. What is the crater where Nadia's team finds hundreds of dead bodies, reduced to ash?

Short Essay Questions

1. After Frank's office is flooded with immigrants, why does he decide to go to Phyllis for help?

2. How does Ann try commit suicide?

3. Why does John have conflicting feelings about terraforming and transnationals?

4. Why does Ann crumble in mental stability as the destruction of Mars occurs?

5. What information is revealed about Hiroko through the notes left for Sax and for Ursula?

6. How does it does become clear that the terraforming effort is not working as planned, affecting Mars in destructive ways?

7. What does Frank learn from meeting the miners from Florida?

8. How is John revealed as a complex personality in Part 5?

9. Why does Nadia blow up the space station?

10. How does Peter Clayborne escape death?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the power of the scientists in Red Mars. Is the press objective? Why or why not? What kind of academic bias do they reveal? How are they influenced?

Essay Topic 2

Politics are also referred to in the book. Robinson refers to the politics of the society of the futuristic Red Mars set during the 21st century. How do the politics Robinson describes in the book compare to that of his own world? Do you think politics are an important part of the book? How else could Robinson incorporate politics into the book? Also examine the use of politics in relationships.

Essay Topic 3

John and Frank are two of the most active characters in the settlement of the Ares colony on Mars.

Part 1) What is their relationship? How do they co-exist and how do they interact? What is similar about them and what is different?

Part 2) What are some events that John had a direct influence upon? What are some events that Frank had a direct influence upon?

Part 3) Which character offers support to the group? Which one is stronger and why?

(see the answer keys)

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