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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. How many day bills does Kin Arad have?

2. Within the company, how is the position of "watcher" regarded?

3. Kin and the others discover what about the history of the flat planet?

4. The Spindle Kings were believed to have what characteristic?

5. What do Kin and Jago need to do at the first planet to which they are headed?

Short Essay Questions

1. What evidence does Jago produce to back up his claims about the flat planet?

2. Who is Jago Jalo, and why does he seek out Kin Arad?

3. What does the Kung bartender's action say about Kin's fame?

4. What does the Company provide for humanity as a whole and, specifically, for its employees?

5. How do Kin and the others help the sailors who try to visit them?

6. What does a watcher do, and what is required of a watcher?

7. What happens to the ship during its approach to the surface, and what is the result of this?

8. How did the strata machine chance human history?

9. Who were the Spindle Kings, and what were they like?

10. As they fly around the flat planet, what do Kin and the others observe and conclude about it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Terry Pratchett is an author known for his unusual sense of humor, and humorous events often play a critical role in his novels.

Part 1) Describe the general presence and use of humor in the novel. What dramatic purpose does it generally serve?

Part 2) What are some examples of humorous characters or situations that serve no other purpose than to be entertaining? Do these sections contribute in a positive way to the general mood and tone of the story?

Part 3) Describe some humorous characters or situations which drive the plot forward in important ways, or at important times. How does the use of humor affect these situations?

Essay Topic 2

There are many examples of characters attempting and succeeding in taking revenge in this novel. It is a major theme that causes important changes within characters and drives the plot forward at important points.

Part 1) Which characters attempt or succeed in taking revenge in the novel? What are their motivations? Are they justified in their intentions?

Part 2) How do these actions affect and change these characters? Do they come to regret their actions?

Part 3) What can be said about the overall impact of the desire for revenge in the novel? In general, is it helpful or destructive? If one or more cases are exceptions to this general rule, explain their nature and importance.

Essay Topic 3

Appropriately, the theme of creation for creation's sake is discussed at the beginning and the end of the novel. It ties the story together, and it ends up being the major theme of the story as a whole.

Part 1) Explain the development of this theme throughout the novel. How does it appear at the beginning and end of the story, and is there any exploration of it between those segments?

Part 2) How do Kin's personality and interests demonstrate her closeness to the concept of creation for creation's sake?

Part 3) Explain why the motivations of the creators of the flat planet are aligned with Kin's. How does this make it easy for Kin to agree to the computer's requests? Why does Kin find the revelations that the computers share with her so life-changing?

(see the answer keys)

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