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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 are Tyler Dupree and his two friends, the thirteen-year-old twins, Diane and Jason Lawton, doing?

2. What were two causes of the failure of the NK movement?

3. What were the satellites like that fell to Earth after the October Event?

4. What happens when the seeds with which they teraform Mars are mature?

5. What name has science given to the Alien race possibly responsible for the Spin?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is known about Spin that would probably cause a general panic in the population of Earth were it to become common knowledge? Is it moral of those "in the know" to keep this information from the general population?

2. Why did the NK religion end?

3. Do you think Jason is right to conceal his disease from his father who is the CEO of Perihelion?

4. How does Tyler seem to continue in his mother's "footsteps"?

5. Why does Tyler quickly stop reading the letters from his father to his mother and what do you think is the implication of it?

6. How will ecopoiesis work on Mars?

7. What similarity is there between what is happening with Tyler and Diane in the present and what is happening between Jason and Tyler in the past?

8. What is one theme that first appears in this chapter?

9. Why is the one Russian cosmonaut that makes it back to Earth alive after Spin considered crazy?

10. Briefly describe the different paths the three friends, Diane, Jason, and Tyler choose as adults and after the coming of Spin.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Time is a concept that is easy to define but much more difficult to understand, both in Spin and in "real" life. Discuss the following:

Define time and then explain time.

Many philosophers say that time is a "human construct." What do you think this term means? If it is true, why do you think humans "constructed" time?

What would be the nature of our life if time either as a construct or absolute did not exist?

Essay Topic 2

Manipulation occurs on both a small scale, i.e., one person to another and on a grand scale, i.e., thousands being manipulated by a small cadre of powerful people. Discuss one the following:

Discuss a "small-scale" manipulation, i.e., how one character manipulates another character. Give specific examples and analyze motives.

Discuss a "large-scale" manipulation, i.e., how a one person or a small group of persons manipulates hundreds/thousands/millions of others . Give specific examples and analyze motives.

Compare and contrast a "real" life example of large-scale manipulation to an example of it in Spin.

Essay Topic 3

The term "teraforming" is quite common in the genre of science fiction, including Spin. Discuss the following:

What is a general definition for teraforming as found in your research? Does the definition fit the way teraforming is used in Spin?

How does teraforming appear in Spin? Explain giving examples.

Does the concept of teraforming seem far fetched in "real" life? Why or why not?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of teraforming?

Is there any possibility that Earth was actually teraformed by advanced beings? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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