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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. When do the pilots wear their bridge coats?
(a) When they attend another pilot's funeral.
(b) When superior officers visit the base.
(c) When it is raining.
(d) When they are on patrol.

2. Who does NASA hire to be the astronauts' press representative?
(a) John Mortey.
(b) Alfred Godfrey.
(c) Leo DeOrsey.
(d) Betty Grissom.

3. Complete this flying theorem: "There are no accidents and no fatal flaws in the machines..."
(a) there are only pilots with the wrong stuff.
(b) there are, however, dumb mistakes.
(c) just untimely tragedies.
(d) if you follow the manuals, you will be fine.

4. Who is in charge of testing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base?
(a) General Schwickenberg.
(b) Psychiatrists.
(c) NASA engineers.
(d) The Secretary of the Navy.

5. In what year does the story begin?
(a) 1955.
(b) 1967.
(c) 1960.
(d) 1948.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is known as the "king of the test fighter pilots"?

2. What is the Navy-calculated probability that a career Navy pilot will die in an aircraft accident?

3. What recent invention makes Program Mercury possible at all?

4. Which of the astronauts had separated from his wife, but reconciles with her after the psychological interviews at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base because he thinks it will improve his chances for astronaut selection?

5. In the eyes of the engineers, what are the astronauts?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do the astronauts not refer to themselves or the other astronauts as "astronauts"?

2. What are John Glenn and Alan Shepard in serious disagreement about?

3. Describe what the chapter's title of "On the Balcony" refers to.

4. What is the procedures trainer?

5. What does Chuck Yeager become convinced of as he pilots the X-1 at near-Mach I speeds?

6. In detailing the experiences of the astronauts, the author states that "everywhere they went in their travels people stopped what they were doing and gave them a certain look of awe and sympathy." Awe is easily understood. Why do they look at them with sympathy?

7. The engineers tend to feel that the glorification of the astronauts has really gotten out of control. Why do they feel that way?

8. Why do Chuck Yeager's comments in Phoenix almost set off a national scandal? What happens to avoid the scandal?

9. Where is Muroc Field and what is is the significance of the project taking place there?

10. NASA originally needs six astronauts for the Mercury program, but is going to take twelve astronauts. Why?

(see the answer keys)

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