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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. During the party for Carl Hollywood's return from abroad, what does he say to Miranda?

2. What does the Fist of Righteous Harmony try to do in the Pudong suburb?

3. In the Primer, by the time Princess Nell reaches the land of King Coyote, what happened to her two remaining magical friends?

4. What does Hackworth realize after watching a theatrical performance on a barge?

5. When Carl Hollywood visits a teahouse in Shanghai, he writes a paper in an effort to contact whom?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "General Description of Life with the Constable," why does Constable Moore relive his past experiences through mediatrons?

2. In "The Hackworths Have a Family Reunion," at the end of the tense meeting between Hackworth and Gwendolyn, what important event occurs?

3. In "Orphans of the Han...," what does Judge Fang observe when he gives a young Han girl a copy of the Primer?

4. In the final scene of the novel when Nell rescues Miranda from the Drummers, how are various subplots tied together into one cohesive whole?

5. What are the three Graces taught at the Academy, and which Grace gives the students the most trouble?

6. When Nell is called to Mrs. Matheson's deathbed in "From the Primer, a Visit to Castle Turing," what does the woman say to Nell that seems to foreshadow future events?

7. In "Nell's Life at Dovetail," why is Nell not allowed to live with the other girls at Miss Matheson's Academy of the Three Graces?

8. In "Peculiar Practices in the Woods," what does Hackworth explain to his daughter regarding the activities of CryptNet?

9. In "Hackworth Awakes from a Dream," after waking from his dream of multiple sexual encounters and traveling back through the underwater tunnels, what clues does Hackworth find to indicate the passage of time?

10. In "Hackworth Receives an Ambiguous Message," after Hackworth finds a message telling him to seek the Alchemist, what unusual event occurs?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the impact of nanotechnology on the environment in the latter twenty-first century. Include mentions of Source Victoria, the Feed, the security measures protecting Atlantis/Shanghai, recyclers, toner, and the lack of agriculture due to matter compilers.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the author's use of wordplay in "The Diamond Age" to further his points and entertain the reader. Examples to consider include: Hackworth, who hacks; phyle, a filing system for citizens; and the Flea Circus, for counterfeiting with mites.

Essay Topic 3

Consider the end of the novel when Carl Hollywood, Miranda, Nell, and Nell's army come together in the Drummers' hideout. Does the conclusion flow well from the chain of events and foreshadowing throughout the novel? Is the conclusion satisfying, when the ultimate result of the revolution is left unspoken? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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