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

2. How long is the radio time lag between the Endeavour and Earth?
(a) Ten minutes, and increasing.
(b) Ten hours, and decreasing.
(c) Ten minutes, and decreasing.
(d) Ten hours, and increasing.

3. What is Sita?
(a) A space-probe that is originally intended to launch from Mars to go beyond Neptune.
(b) A big orbiting telescope.
(c) A long range missile designed to destroy Rama.
(d) A pod of special cameras intended to photograph Rama from all sides.

4. What is used for a far nobler purpose at the end of Chapter 1?
(a) The weaponry skills acquired in the late twentieth century.
(b) The natural resources found in Europe.
(c) The wealth of the countries that make up the European Union.
(d) The software designed to simulate "celestial target practice."

5. Who does the Commander depend on to land the Endeavour?
(a) Boris Rodrigo.
(b) James Pak.
(c) Bill Norton.
(d) Joe Calvert.

6. What location has one-third as much gravity as Earth?
(a) The moon.
(b) Endeavour.
(c) Rama.
(d) Mars.

7. Where is Dr. Bose born?
(a) In outer space.
(b) The Earth.
(c) The Moon.
(d) Mars.

8. The reference to the five giants is referring to what group of five?
(a) The five biggest moons of Jupiter.
(b) The five most famous astronomers in history: Brahe, Galilei, Kepler, Copernicus, and Ptolemy.
(c) The five giant asteroids that orbit the Sun.
(d) Ceres, Pallas, Juno, Eunomia, and Vesta.

9. What is the expected effect of an matter-antimatter reaction?
(a) A reaction as gentle as a snowflake.
(b) The permanent creation of a second sun.
(c) The total annihilation of the solar system.
(d) The biggest bang since the solar system was formed.

10. What is the first city to be visited by the Commander and the other explorers?
(a) New York.
(b) Tokyo.
(c) London.
(d) Paris.

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

12. Which way do "clocks and corkscrews" turn on Rama?
(a) In and out.
(b) The opposite direction as on Earth.
(c) Forwards.
(d) The same direction as on Earth.

13. How many asteroids are being discovered by PROJECT SPACEGUARD by the year 2130?
(a) Twelve a day.
(b) A thousand in 120 years.
(c) Five a month.
(d) Two hundred a year.

14. Who is the first Character introduced in Chapter 2?
(a) Dr. Stenton.
(b) Professor Davidson
(c) Commander Norton
(d) Dr. Price.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What location is home to more than a million people who had their hearing permanently damaged in 2077?

2. What is the name of the author whose book inspired Dr. Stenton to become an astronomer?

3. Who goes with the Commander on the first EVA?

4. How many members of the United Planets are there?

5. Rama is compared to what ordinary object?

(see the answer keys)

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