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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 does Jason say about what he learned from Wun?

2. For what does Simon blame himself?

3. Why does the person tip off E.D.?

4. Who greets Diane and Tyler at the door to the Lawton's house?

5. Who does Simon finally talk to on the phone?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Tyler do and how does he feel when men burn down Ina's clinic?

2. What does Wun say about the replicator technology and why it might be helpful?

3. What happens in the summer with the sky and why does Simon call Tyler? How does Tyler respond?

4. What does Tyler wonder about Diane and how does she respond?

5. What does Simon say about his conflict between Diane and his beliefs?

6. What does Tyler say might be the Hypotheticals motivation as far as the Spin goes?

7. How is Jason's health, what does he ask Tyler to do and how does Tyler respond?

8. What does Simon tell Tyler about Diane when Tyler arrives at Condon's ranch?

9. Where do Diane and Tyler go at the end of the book? What was the ultimate purpose of the Spin membrane?

10. Why is Jason dying?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Religious cults exist in this story and in "real" life. Discuss one of the following:

How does the appearance of Spin affect conventional and non-conventional religious institutions?

Is joining a religious cult a healthy or unhealthy way of dealing with Spin? Explain fully with examples.

Compare and contrast how a cult in this story is similar to a cult that has existed in "real" life.

Essay Topic 2

When Spin first appears, the Chinese decide to "nuke" the structures at the two poles which seem to hold the membrane in place. Discuss the following:

Often, when something is not understood, it is attacked. There are other examples of this throughout Spin. Give some examples and analyze those examples to explain why you think the people behave as they do in Spin.

Enumerate and analyze examples of how the principle of attacking that which we do not understand happens in the "real" world.

Create a different model for dealing with that which is new and alien to a culture or one's individual way of life. Show how you might use your plan in specific instances in the book and/or "real" life.

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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