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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 is Jesse's full name?

2. Under what circumstances will the Spacers allow an investigation and will not send a report to their Outerworlds?

3. What does Daneel say he was doing in the Men's Personals?

4. What does Jesse ask Lije that night?

5. What does Lije realize as the crowd calms?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does R. Daneel disprove Lije's theory and is Enderby's response appropriate?

2. Who is the murder victim and what do the Spacers think about his murder?

3. Why does Lije request Enderby to be a witness to a conversation Lije is about to have with Dr. Fastolfe and R. Daneel?

4. Why is R. Daneel so different from other robots?

5. What is it about R. Daneel that makes it difficult for Lije to believe Daneel is not human?

6. Often foreshadowing is not apparent until later, but there are usually reasons an author mentions something trivial because it foreshadows something later: What is one thing that may be foreshadowing?

7. Why do you think Bentley seems conflicted about R. Daneel?

8. What do you think could be an advantage if a clerk who is serving you were a robot?

9. How and why is light regulated in the City's artificial environment?

10. How are robots used by Earthmen versus Spacers?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Lije finally enters Spacetown he is disturbed by the feeling of wind and breathing in of real air. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think Lije finds fresh air and wind disturbing? How would you feel about it if you did not experience it very often?

2. Lije does not even recognize an apple as food because his food is made mostly of yeast substances. Would you feel the quality of life is worthwhile in such a place?

3. How likely is it that in a few hundred years, Earth will be living in the manner suggested in THE CAVES OF STEEL?

Essay Topic 2

The laws of robotics are discussed in a number of chapters. Discuss the following:

1. Explain in your own words the three laws of robotics and why they probably exist.

2. Can you think of any other laws of robotics that should be in place? Explain.

3. If you had a robot employee or servant, would you want it to merely respond to commands with no emotions or would you like it endowed with artificial intelligence so that it could think at some level? Explain your preference.

Essay Topic 3

Besides the fact that robots are taking some of the jobs from the Earth people, many miss the fact that Human interaction is lost and efficiency overrules personal assistance. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think the people of Earth prefer human assistance?

2. How similar is their revolt to many people in our culture who complain about trying to call a company and getting a voice instructing them to push numbers?

3. Do you think there will be a time when robots do all the work for human beings? What do you think will be gained by that? What will be lost?

(see the answer keys)

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