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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is the object that is first cataloged as 31/439?
(a) A chunk of space junk that is tracked by the super computers until it crashes into Mars.
(b) The mysterious object that became known as Rama.
(c) One of Jupiter's moons.
(d) One of Saturn's rings.

2. In Chapter 5, what streams from the newly-opened pillbox "like dazzling diamonds as the brilliant sunlight caught them"?
(a) Dust particles.
(b) Oxygen molecules.
(c) Water vapor droplets.
(d) Anti-matter particles.

3. What is the main tenet of the Fifth Church of Christ?
(a) Technology is a gift from God.
(b) Jesus has been reincarnated five times.
(c) The four predecessor churches were corrupt.
(d) Jesus was a visitor from space.

4. What is unusual about object 31/439?
(a) It has a diameter of forty kilometers and is traveling in an atypical asteroidal path.
(b) It is given a name of a mythological creature.
(c) It is traveling straight past the orbits of the inner planets and will impact the Sun.
(d) It is traveling in an ellipse with clockwork precision that is retraced every few years.

5. What loss is so great that it was beyond all computation?
(a) The loss of six hundred thousand people.
(b) The loss of resources and skills acquired during the twentieth century.
(c) The loss of beautiful dawns and sunsets all over the world.
(d) The loss to art, to history, to science--and to the whole human race, for the rest of time.

6. Twice a day the explorers must perform an action. What is it?
(a) Chew a high calorie snack.
(b) Take a nap.
(c) Maintain radio silence while transmissions are relayed to Earth.
(d) Exercise at three-quarters of a gee for ten minutes.

7. What surprises Commander Norton as he approached Rama for the rendezvous?
(a) The realization that Rama's mass is smaller than predicted.
(b) Rama's overwhelming size.
(c) That landing on the Moon or Mars is easier than landing on Rama.
(d) That Jupiter VIII is slightly larger than Rama.

8. According to Chapter 6, how far is the distance between Earth and Mars?
(a) One hundred million kilometers.
(b) The same distance as the Sun is from the Earth.
(c) Five hours by shuttle.
(d) Three hundred million kilometers.

9. Who is Captain James Cook?
(a) The captain of the first spaceship to reach Mars.
(b) The captain of the Starship Enterprise.
(c) The first captain of the first Endeavour.
(d) A captain of industry in the 1700s who funded the exploration of Hawaii.

10. What is the initial reaction of the human race to Rama?
(a) Dismay.
(b) Excitement.
(c) Fear.
(d) Curiosity.

11. After how many years does PROJECT SPACEGUARD justify its existence?
(a) One hundred.
(b) One hundred and twenty.
(c) Thirty.
(d) Fifty.

12. What does the Commander think about the amount of responsibility he must shoulder on this mission?
(a) He is uncertain that it is smart to put all decision-making authority in the hands of one commander.
(b) He is glad that some of the decisions are made by those on Earth, but also envies navigators of the past.
(c) He enjoys having the lion's share of decision-making authority.
(d) He wishes he had less decision-making authority.

13. During the initial exploration of Rama, what is the temperature like?
(a) The temperature fluctuates wildly.
(b) The temperature is close to Earth's median temperature.
(c) The temperature is just below freezing.
(d) The temperature is the same as on the Moon.

14. According to Chapter 1, what happens after the initial shock wore off in 2077?
(a) The people of Earth became united and determined.
(b) A great war broke out that caused losses of more than a trillion dollars.
(c) The wealth of the world was squandered as many countries attempted to destroy weapons launched at their citizens.
(d) Skills long forgotten were revived and taught in colleges and universities.

15. For the object 31/149, what do the numbers represent?
(a) The angular parameters of an object's elliptical orbit.
(b) The year and order of its discovery.
(c) The brightness of an object based on the magnitude scale.
(d) The year and order of its discovery.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does one astronomer refer to asteroids?

2. Who are the first three explorers on Rama?

3. What does Dr. Bose long for?

4. What possibility causes Dr. Petera to suggest that Rama be evacuated early?

5. Which "city" on Rama is assumed to be more like an enormous factory or chemical processing plant?

(see the answer keys)

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