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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. Which of the following best characterizes the Kung?

2. The bartender gives something to Kin, why does he do so?

3. What race is Silver?

4. Which of the following is true of Kin's past relationships?

5. Kin's coworkers believed it would be funny to do what to the planet they were creating?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Marco's background, and what does he believe about himself?

2. What is the result of the attack on the group, and what do they learn about their attackers?

3. For whom does Kin Arad work, and what does she do?

4. What is unusual about the raven's behavior as the group prepares to leave Kung?

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

6. What are Kin's interests, outside of her work?

7. What are Shand proteins, and how are they important to Silver?

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

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

10. Describe the steps Kin goes through to get to the ship after she arrives at Kung.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Immortality is an important component of the universe of the novel. It has saved humanity and allowed the Company to wield vast power over its employees and the entire race.

Part 1) Explain the context of immortality in fiction. What other influential stories include immortality, and how does this affect the plot of those stories? What are common perceptions about and themes surrounding immortality?

Part 2) In this story, how has immortality affected the human race as a whole. Is this change realistic and believable?

Part 3) How does immortality affect the characters and the plot of the novel? Is it an important part of the story? Why or why not?

Part 4) Taken as a whole, have the Company's treatments been good or bad for humanity? Are they good or bad for the main characters?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Marco Farfarer experiences significant character progression and drives much of the story.

Part 1) Who is Marco Farfarer, and what are his significant character traits? What kind of state is he in at the beginning of the novel? What major conflicts will he face?

Part 2) As the story progresses, how does Marco deal with these conflicts? What parts of his nature dominate at various times? Use specific examples from the book.

Part 3) How does Marco's character arc end? Has he resolved his major conflicts? Has he learned and grown as a person, and how have his experiences affected him? How is he likely to behave, and what is he likely to go on to do after the events of the novel?

(see the answer keys)

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