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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. Where does Jubal Hershaw live?

2. Who is Captain Tromp trying to protect Michael from?

3. Why does Michael need a water bed when he first comes to earth?

4. Who tries to get Michael to sign a contract?

5. What does Jill think when Michael expresses his curiosity?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when the police come to Jubal's?

2. What does Ben do to try to get to talk to Michael and how does that turn out?

3. What is Michael curious about after watching the Fosterites on television and what does Jubal find out?

4. What happened to the baby Mary Smith had on Mars?

5. What does Gillian give Michael and what does he insist she do?

6. What bothers Duke about Michael and how does Jubal handle it?

7. What happens when Madame Alexandra Vesant tries to cast Michael's chart and what does she say?

8. How many levels of his being can Michael control and what does he do in a dormant state?

9. What kind of writing does Jubal Hershaw do and how does he do it?

10. What does Gillian decide to do at the hospital one day and how does she do it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Heinlein introduces a highly important Martian ritual, the sharing of water. This results in the creation of water brothers, people who are tightly coupled beyond the concepts of friendship and marriage.

1. Describe a human ceremony which may be a less tightly bonded version of the water brothers. Compare the two.

2. Do you think that a short ceremony, such as the sharing of water can bond people together? Why or why not?

3. How has the concept of water sharing illustrated the problems with communication between two alien cultures? Use examples from the book or history to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Michael's display of power with the police is amazing. He can make people disappear. What if a human being had not only superhuman powers but also superhuman ethics?

1. Do you think anyone should be able to have the power Michael has displayed? Why or why not?

2. What would be the difference in a situation with Michael having super type powers between whether he was a good man or a criminal?

3. What would you do if you had Michael's powers?

Essay Topic 3

Michael's experience of seeing the Atlantic Ocean almost overwhelms him. The reason that water is used in ceremony on Mars is that the liquid is very scarce. Trying to fathom the immensity of an ocean is difficult for earthlings who have never experienced one, and a million times more difficult for Michael, who has not seen much more than a cup of water in his life.

1. What do you think it would be like to see something as rare as water on Mars? Use an example to support your statement.

2. When an item is in extreme abundance, it is not treated the same as rare items, e.g. gold versus water. Do you think the abundance of water on this planet contributes to humans polluting it? Why or why not?

3. What do you think would happen if the Martians discovered how much water is on Earth? Use your imagination.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,113 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample