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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. Which of the following is NOT a way Roebling's workers attempt to light the dark tunnels where they work?

2. How does the public react to the working conditions Roebling's men endure in the caissons?

3. How many ferries commute between Manhattan and Brooklyn each day?

4. How many copies of the committee's formal approval of the Brooklyn Bridge are made and circulated?

5. Over what river is the first suspension bridge ever built?

Short Essay Questions

1. How was the fire in the caisson extinguished?

2. Which elements of the bridge's architecture would classify it as the largest suspension bridge in the world?

3. How does John Roebling die?

4. How is Brooklyn described, in comparison to Manhattan, at the time of the bridge building?

5. Which problems stopped the initial production of "The Rainbow Bridge" in the early-1800s?

6. What is so impressive to tourists about Roeblings bridge over Niagara Falls?

7. What stops production of the "Biggest Bridge in the World" when Roebling is constructing it in Cincinnati?

8. What lessons on love did Washington learn while away from his family?

9. How does Roebling react to the scandal surrounding Kingsley's finances?

10. How is the fire in the caisson started, and how do the newspapers report the fire?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At the time when Roebling was on the rise in popularity as an engineer, there were many other bridge builders also seeking the limelight. Choose two of Roebling's competitors in the engineering world and briefly describe each of them. Then, compare / contrast the work ethics and production of all three of these engineers.

Essay Topic 2

Roebling's committee of workers contained many men, in high positions, who had relatively little, or no engineering experience. Choose two such members of the committee and explain why Roebling decided to hire them to work on the project. Then, explain whether or not each hire was a good one, and why.

Essay Topic 3

A typical workday for the Brooklyn Bridge construction workers was a grueling one, and one that the narrator spent great length discussing for the reader. Create a timeline for a typical workday for a typical construction worker on the job. Then, explain why, despite his precautions, Roebling still found an unusually high turnover rate for his workers.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 850 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample