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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. Whose remains does Nadia find in the crater full of dead bodies?

2. What is Sax's headquarters called?

3. Where does John go to receive a physical exam?

4. What is raging beside the rover that is run aground?

5. When riots begin, what is taken in a hostile takeover?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Peter Clayborne escape death?

2. How does Simon reveal himself to be a strong force when he gets angry with Ann?

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

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

5. How does Frank disappear, trying to save his companions?

6. How does Frank negotiate for the treaty on Mars, and how do Maya and others respond to his efforts?

7. Why does Nadia blow up the space station?

8. How does Arkady explain the need for money, depending upon the kind of world one lives in?

9. What does Arkady's assertion that there are "guns under the table" foreshadow in the chapters after Part 5?

10. What does John's role as a strong figure in the revolution give hope for?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the significance of the novel's title. What did the author mean by calling the book Red Mars? Cite an example to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Red Mars is particularly effective in conveying meaning through powerful imagery. Powerful imagery establishes connections in the minds of readers with the story's characters and plot. Imagery is the picture we form in our minds of the story we read. It can involve, visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, kinetic, and kinesthetic. The author uses imagery to translate words into a visual story that we can see and participate in within our minds. Describe the use of imagery in this science fiction novel.

Essay Topic 3

Compare "Red Mars" with another of Robinson's other books in his Mars trilogy. Which is, in your opinion, better? Explain. What future scenarios might you want to see in upcoming books? Which characters would you like to see portrayed? Why?

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