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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 the sad state of Shikasta blamed on?

2. What rumor does Rachel hear in Chapter 30?

3. How do Rachel's feelings about Suzannah change in Chapter 30?

4. Chapter 19 describes the rise of what activity?

5. Who is Raymond Watts?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Sharma?

2. What is the result of the arguments presented at the mock trial?

3. What is contained in Sharma and George's letters to one another in Chapter 29?

4. What is the substance of Agent 20's report, in Chapter 18?

5. Who is Suzannah?

6. Which two families does Johor consider for his reincarnation, and which does he ultimately pick?

7. What does Chen Liu report about George in Chapter 32?

8. What are the effects of short lifespans, as explained in Chapter 14?

9. What does Johor do, in Chapter 20, while on his way to incarnation?

10. How does the mock trial end?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Canopean reports mention the "Age of Ideology," a time when dangerous ideas, such as science and nationalism, gripped the elites and drew their attention away from religion and other worthy ideologies. Why is science considered to be so dangerous? What effect does it have on people? Why did it only affect the elites? Why are the primitive peoples considered to be more pure? How did nationalism create conflict? What would have stopped this process? Be sure to cite specific examples from the book to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

Many of the events and characters in the novel parallel events or characters from the Old Testament of the Bible. Why is that? What is the purpose of each of these characters? What message is the author attempting to convey? Why does she choose figures from Christianity, when Johor frequently dismisses Christianity as being bigoted and corrupt? Be sure to cite specific examples from the book to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

The description of the British in this novel is very negative. Why are they portrayed in such a derogatory fashion? What do they do wrong? How do they interact with citizens of other places? What can we infer about the author's attitude toward the British people, based on the manner in which they are described in the novel? Be sure to cite specific examples from the book to support your thesis.

(see the answer keys)

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