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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. Mukherjee goes on to discuss the parallels between various types of cancers despite what?

2. Genes could be shuffled from one _______________ to another.

3. Einar produced the __________ uniform he had been given and had worn to every treatment.

4. Phyllis Clauson said she felt that the world needed to know what?

5. Atossa's War asks the reader to imagine what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the Red Queen Syndrome?

2. What are two reasons why studies into the connection between lung cancer and tobacco were inconclusive?

3. How did the tide begin to turn regarding Americans' view smoking?

4. Why was the battle to attack pre-cancer versus full blown cancer significant?

5. Who were the successors of Theodor Boveri?

6. What is meant by a "Risky Prediction?"

7. What is the significance of the SRC gene?

8. Who was George Papanicolaou? How was his work important?

9. Mukherjee discusses the successes of others in this story. Why does he credit the survival of patients to the work of those in the 1950s and 1960s?

10. What problems could arise with genetic engineering?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mukherjee explains that biology is based on two fundamental tenets.

Part 1) What are those tenets? What leads him to discuss these tenets? How are they important to biology as well as to the study of and battle against cancer?

Part 2) For how long have these tenets been an important focus in the study of cancer? How has cancer research changed over time based on these tenets? Has the fight against cancer been more successful with the knowledge of these tenets? Why or why not?

Part 3) If these tenets are true, how does one get cancer? Why has a cure for all cancers not been found? Why do not all treatments for a type of cancer work 100 percent of the time? What does this say about cancer?

Essay Topic 2

In 1969, the New York Times published a letter to Richard Nixon.

Part 1) What did this letter say? Why did they write this open letter? How did Nixon respond? Why did he respond in this way? Would he have responded in this way if it had been a private letter sent to him? Why or why not?

Part 2) What does this letter reveal about the American public at the time it was written? What was their view of cancer? How had this changed from the importance, or lack thereof, of cancer research in previous years? Why?

Part 3) How important is cancer research today? Does the American public feel about cancer and cancer research the same as they did in 1969? Why or why not? How might Americans today use an open letter format to attract the attention of our president? What issues are important today? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Cancer is not the only disease discussed in this book.

Part 1) What are two other diseases discussed in this book? Describe these two diseases. What is the purpose of having these diseases discussed in this book?

Part 2) How do these diseases compare to cancer? Which disease do you find to be the most threatening to the American people? Why?

Part 3) What similarities can be found among various diseases including all that are discussed in this book? How is this important?

(see the answer keys)

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