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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. Who propositions Mandella in this chapter?

2. Who stays and dies in the underground base?

3. What does Mandella almost get hit by?

4. Which of the following weapons does Mandella not pass out to his troops:

5. Which member of Mandella's family is now dead?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do Mandella and Charlie decide against the idea of evacuating all personnel into the stasis field?

2. How do the Taurans try and defeat the humans when their darts don't work?

3. Why does Diane think it will be a bad idea if Mandella kills Graubard?

4. Why can the hospital not help Mandella's mother in Chapter 11, Part 2?

5. How does the woman at the farmhouse react to Mandella's presence in Chapter 10, Part 2?

6. How have things changed when Mandela arrives back to earth in the final chapter?

7. How does the battle end in Chapter 7, Part 3?

8. How are the cooks making the alcohol?

9. What are Rhonda's reasons for her sexual relationship with Mandella's mother?

10. What was the Pacifist Movement?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine homosexuality in the novel. Is it a feasible idea that the majority of the population could become homosexual? What would have to change on today's Earth for that to happen?

Essay Topic 2

Look at the structure of the novel.

1) How does Haldeman use character and dialogue to drive the narrative?

2) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the novel's themes?

3) Aside from the main character, examine the way Haldeman uses the other characters in the story. When does he introduce and take them away from the story? What effect does it have?

Essay Topic 3

Compare Haldeman's book to similar science fiction novels.

1) Which ideas has he taken from previous works?

2) How has he used these ideas to develop his own meaning?

3) In what way do you think science fiction writers have almost worked together to create logical other worlds? Would these novels make sense if the worlds they developed were entirely unique?

(see the answer keys)

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