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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 knocks over the equipment left behind at evacuation from hurricanes?

2. What is strange about the large crab-like creature that JImmy sees after he crashes?

3. Where do the pieces of Jimmy's sky-bike end up?

4. Who asks the Commander to send a priority message to the earth?

5. Who wants to examine the spider-like creature?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Jerry Kirchoff make facetious comments to Norton and Rousseau in Chapters 36 and 37?

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

3. Describe the flower that Jimmy Pak finds on Rama.

4. Who is the only member of the crew that seems comfortable with the sights now illuminated on Rama?

5. Why are Hermians compared to Spartans?

6. Why is it the case that some planets in the solar system are not represented in the United Planets?

7. Why is Chapter 17 entitled "Spring'?

8. According to Chapter 23, why is Ravi McAndrews considered one of the last people on the Endeavour to normally engage in a technical discussion?

9. Why is Chapter 27 entitled, "Electric Wind"?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Captain Norton has two wives living on two worlds. These women never appear in the book but their existence provides an important contribution to the book. Why did the author include letters to the wives in this book and how do these letters and the existence of these women serve the writing of the book?

Essay Topic 2

Rendezvous with Rama is a novel filled with suspense and mystery. Part One: What are the three most suspenseful events in the novel ? Describe the three events that kept you on the edge of your seat, breathless to find out what was going to happen. Did you predict the outcome correctly or did you have no idea what would happen next? Part Two: What are the three biggest mysteries in the novel? Was the mystery ever fully revealed, or does mystery remain? If the author left questions unanswered, what purpose does it serve in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

There is much emphasis on ecology, recycling, degradation of the environment, and the creation of pollutants on Rama because it is a closed system. At the time the book was written the recycling movement was in its infancy in the United States and Europe. How might this book reflect the point of view of the author and his contemporaries about recycling and ecology? What are the positive and negative aspects of ecology and recycling as symbolized by the environment on Rama?

(see the answer keys)

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