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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 Bill search first for Josella?

2. What does Josella realize as she explains her escape from Russell Square, and the gunshot?

3. How many individuals are in Bill's group?

4. What does Bill load up on at the beginning of Chapter Nine?

5. Who does the little girl want Bill to check on?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was Coker's response to Miss Durrant's chastising of his brutal methods at University Tower?

2. Explain Bill's argument that an immediate need for harvest is not necessary.

3. How does Coker view Miss Durrant, and what does he believe she will do with Tynsham?

4. Describe Miss Durrant's views, and her Tynsham community.

5. Describe Shirning Farm.

6. Describe how Bill first discovers the plague, its symptoms, and its result.

7. Describe how Coker came to remain sighted.

8. Explain what Coker wants of the new sighted captives.

9. Describe Bill's view of loneliness.

10. Explain why the young woman comes to Bill in his room in Chapter Eight, and his reaction.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout the novel, there is a consistent struggle between doing what is morally right and doing what is necessary for survival. Choose one representation of this struggle from the following list and explain it in detail. What is the conflict? Why is there a conflict? How is one path more morally right than the other? Can the moral path not lead to survival in some way and the survival path not be made moralistically right? Why or why not? Be sure to be specific in relating the struggle back to the novel.

• Married men at University Tower being forced to mate and care for two blind women, as well.

• The forced care of ten blind persons by one sighted person as dictated by the Emergency Council.

• The choice of saving the blind at Tynsham even at the expense of the sighted.

Essay Topic 2

It has been argued by some that there is a constant theme of social togetherness throughout the novel, in that all people seem to want to band together into small communities and join one another for companionship and friendship. However, in many cases, these same individuals, once they reach a certain number of people, want nothing to do with other colonies or tribes of survivors. Why do you think this is? If humans are social, why do they, in the book, limit their societies to small numbers of individuals? What does this say about humanity, in terms of their willingness to accept different ideas? Do you think this represents reality? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Explain Bill's belief about the end of civilization, based on his previous comments in the novel about the dangers of satellites and the hostility of the world, as well as his comments in Chapter Fifteen about the walking of the world on a tightrope. What do you think Bill means by this? What do you think he believes caused the end of civilization? What does he say he thinks caused the comet? What is Josella's response to his belief? Do you agree with his thoughts? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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