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. Where does Landau find Wellspring?

2. How does Nikolai's wife die?

3. What has Alexandrina been feeding Lindsay?

4. What does Mirasol have to think of?

5. Whose voice does Dr. Afriel hear?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Dr. Afriel's mission?

2. Why isn't intelligence a survival trait?

3. What is Lindsay convinced about, regardless of what Vera says, in terms of the rat?

4. For what reason does the Mechanist woman propose marriage?

5. How does Nikolai come to find the central question of the universe? What is the central question?

6. What makes it clear that the Investors hadn't intended to trade their pet?

7. What does Nikolai do in order to upset the Mechanist?

8. What does the Presence reveal itself to be and what does it want with its existence?

9. What had Pongpianskul attempted to do, and failed?

10. How has Spider Rose's pet helped her overcome issues?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the Investors attachment to their "pet." How does this go against the knowledge previously offered about the Investors? What does this suggest about their social system? How does this make them more human-like?

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the novel, Lindsay changes his identity numerous times. What are some of the similarities in each of his characters? What are some of the main differences? How do these characters impact his personality? Explain your answer thoroughly.

Essay Topic 3

Examine Dr. Afriel's desire to exploit the Swarm for the benefit of his faction. Is this behavior any different from what people try to do in general? How or why not? Cite examples from human history to support your argument.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 764 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample