View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What feature makes Pete Conrad different from a lot of other pilots?

2. What does "pushing the outside of the envelope" refer to?

3. What is the most difficult routine in military flying?

4. What do the Project Mercury engineers think will be an easy task?

5. Why do the volunteers report to Lovelace?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Why does Gus Grissom feel that the reporter's question regarding whether or not the pilots feel they would come back from space is a stupid question?

3. Why do the pilots come to hate Lovelace?

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

5. Why do many pilots choose to try to pilot a wounded aircraft to the ground rather than eject?

6. Name two reasons that fighter pilots hate to declare an emergency.

7. Name three tests conducted at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on the pilots.

8. What is the procedures trainer?

9. What is the begrudging consensus finally reached from the Konakai Séance regarding their "off hours" behavior?

10. Why don't the wives ever discuss the dangers their husbands face each day?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The two most prominent of the seven astronauts are arguably Alan Shepard and John Glenn. The book pits the two against each other in several ways.

a. Identify and explain the points-of-view of both Shepard and Glenn regarding the off-duty behaviors of the astronauts while at the Cape. Why did their views cause dissension among the remaining astronauts? What was the role of the Konakai Séance in the resolution of their dispute? How was their dispute resolved?

b. Shepard and Glenn are both competing to be selected as the first man into space. Compare how each man prepares for selection. Contrast their reactions when the selected individual is finally named. Compare their behaviors after the selection is made.

Essay Topic 2

Wally Schirra's Mercury flight came to be known as the "textbook" flight. Scott Carpenter's flight was not.

a. Identify three differences between the two flights that led to this distinction.

b. Describe how the pilot's personalities affected the outcome of the two flights.

c. From watching Carpenter's flight and learning from Carpenter's actions, Schirra insisted on one specific change from Carpenter's flight to his. What was the change? Why was it important?

Essay Topic 3

When Project Mercury first began, the pilots were flying to Cape Canaveral for their training sessions. Later, as Project Mercury outgrew Cape Canaveral, the program was moved to Houston. Compare and contrast the astronauts' lifestyles in Cape Canaveral and Houston.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 925 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample