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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 is Commander Norton doing when his executive officer notifis him of a Triple-A priority message awaiting him?

2. According to the Ambassador from Mercury, what is stored in a central information bank within Rama?

3. According to Chapter 18, how many "linear suns" switched on?

4. What does Jimmy do immediately before he jumps off of the 500-meter cliff to be rescued?

5. In Chapter 28, who is Jimmy being compared to?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is "Dragonfly" a good name for Jimmy Pak's sky-bike?

2. What was different about the atmosphere after the ice thawed and the lights came on?

3. Explain the supposed similarities between a termite colony and Rama.

4. Why is Jimmy Pak able to remain calm as he struggles to land the sky-bike?

5. Why does the exobiologist, Dr. Perera, feel mortified at the beginning of Chapter 19?

6. Explain the differences Jimmy Pak observed in the southern and northern ends of Rama.

7. Describe the first creature that is encountered on Rama.

8. Why is it necessary for the sailors on the Resolution to keep their heads above water if the boat capsizes?

9. Why did Jimmy Pak approach the crab-like creature?

10. What are some of the ways that are considered to rescue Jimmy Pak?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Captain James Cook, an ancient sea captain from Earth, appears at the beginning, middle, and end of the book. Commander Norton relies on his knowledge of Captain Cook to help him make decisions. Pick two decisions that Norton made with the help of his knowledge of Captain Cook, and explain the basis for these decisions and how they relate to what Norton knows about Captain Cook.

Essay Topic 2

The Fifth Church of Christ is mentioned several times in the novel. The belief system is both respected and disrespected in the book. Part One: Pick two examples of respect for religion and two examples of disrespect for religion; compare and contrast them. Part Two: Explain if these positions on religion are equally balanced or if the author comes down more heavily on one side or the other, and how that contributes to the meaning of the story.

Essay Topic 3

The entire world of Rama is ostensibly created by beings that the explorers never meet, but based on the world they explored, the crew of the Endeavour, the officials, and the rest of the humanity make guesses and assumptions about what Ramans are or would be like. Describe your idea of what Ramans are like--their physical appearance, culture, and way of thinking. Back up your ideas with facts from the book.

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