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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 Margo do to discover what Greg was doing in the burned out warehouse?

2. Margo and D'Agosta come to what conclusion about Greg's motivations in taking the drug himself?

3. What happened to the original plant fibers after the Museum Beast was killed?

4. What weapon is given to Smithback as the group proceeds to set the charges in the Bottleneck?

5. What is the purpose of the moles' banging on the pipes?

Short Essay Questions

1. What purpose might hallucinogenic mushrooms serve in the ceremony that Kawakita established?

2. What do Margo's lab findings on the reovirus seem to indicate? How do these findings translate to the infection of humans?

3. What would be the far-reaching effects of drowning the Wrinklers in the manner mentioned in Chapter 40?

4. Do you think that Bill Smithback is being used by Anette Wisher as a tool to carry out her own plans? Why do you think so? Cite examples from the text to support your explanation.

5. What do you think are Pendergast's true intentions in bringing Mephisto along on the mission to the Crystal Palace?

6. Why are the police so eager to get the matter concluded hastily without taking the time to analyze all possibilities first?

7. Why do you think the creatures abduct the group determined to destroy them instead of killing them like they have everyone else?

8. What is Margo's theory about what happened to Whittlesey? Examining her scientific approach outlined in the book, do you see any flaws in her theory? Is there another reasonable explanation?

9. What does Margo discover in the remains of the laboratory that puts her in a momentary stupor? What does this discovery mean overall?

10. What starts the riots during the Take Back Our City March? Is this the fault of Mrs. Wisher, the police, or the homeless? Cite examples to support your argument.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author incorporates extensive use of similes and metaphors to "illustrate" this novel. For example, he states that, "The Reservoir itself was a sheet of beaten gold in the sunset." Can you think of any other examples cited in the text? What does the use of similes and metaphors add to the story?

Essay Topic 2

Margo briefly explains the importance of ceremony in anthropological terms. The Wrinklers perform a ceremony with their shaman and their drug. What does ceremony mean to a populace? What need does it satisfy in man? Apply those theories to the ceremony performed by the Wrinklers. What is similar? What is different? What seems to be the base purpose for the Wrinklers' ceremony?

Essay Topic 3

Hayward is an interesting character, a woman of strength, confidence and utter self-assurance. Margo is strong, but in different ways with different approaches to problem solving. Compare/contrast Margo and Hayward, particularly their strengths and weaknesses. What does each character contribute to the storyline?

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