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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 gives Thorbjorn Sigurgeirsson the idea to cool the oncoming flow of lava?

2. For the most part, residents of Heimaey are what during the 1973 eruptions?

3. How do the returning residents benefit from the cooled but still hot lava rocks on Vestmannaeyjar?

4. What childhood fear does Magnus Magnusson share with the author?

5. Heimaey is considered to be an important what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What role does Magnus Magnusson play during the 1973 volcanic eruptions in Heimaey?

2. What is threatened in Heimaey as a result of the unexpected volcanic eruption of 1973?

3. Who is Thorbjorn Sigurgeirsson, and what idea does he come up with?

4. Describe work crews' first attempts at cooling off the lava flows of Heimaey in 1973.

5. How do the working crews stop the large chunk of mountain from crashing into Heimaey's town and port?

6. What is the population of Iceland's Heimaey before and after the 1973 eruptions?

7. How old are the oldest parts of Hawaii and Iceland?

8. The author moves away from his discussion of Iceland's 1973 lava eruptions to talk about Hawaii's volcanoes. Describe what he writes about the U.S. Army Air Corps' attempts to stop lava from burying Hawaii's towns and cities.

9. Describe how Thorbjorn Sigurgeirsson and Sveinn Eiriksson work together to fight against the lava that threatens Heimaey's town and harbor.

10. Describe how workers are able to walk upon lava fields as they try to cool down the lava on Heimaey in 1973.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain how the work crews, commanders, and scientists in "Cooling The Lava" learn by trial and error.

1. What mistakes do they make along the way?

2. What do they learn from these mistakes, and how do they adapt?

3. What might the outcome have been had they not been as flexible in their approach?

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the book, the author discusses people who try to control nature as well as people who respect nature and choose to live with it instead of working against it. Compare and contrast these two groups of people using specific examples from each section.

Essay Topic 3

In detail, explain how carefully studying the geological history of a region before engineering a project could lead to more effective, efficient, and lasting solutions. What other factors do people need to consider to come up with better solutions? What factors get in the way of developing a viable solution? How can engineers, politicians, conservationists, and residents work together to develop the right solutions?

(see the answer keys)

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