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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. How many other people are traveling with Preston?

2. How are the trunks of Gene Johnson's gear transported to Reston?

3. What is found in the woods behind the monkey house?

4. Why is the road to Mt. Elgon so familiar to the author?

5. What is located behind the monkey house?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Nancy Jaax explain her belief that Ebola is airborne?

2. Why is there no known video footage of the Reston mission?

3. Why is USAMRIID upset with what the CDC decides to do with John Coleus?

4. What is the compromise that the CDC and USAMRIID come up with?

5. Why does the team from USAMRIID decide to wear civilian clothes?

6. What are the results of Nancy's examination of the monkey's stomach?

7. Why does Peters select Jerry Jaax to lead the mission into the monkey house?

8. What is the memory that Nancy has of her father and her childhood?

9. Why can't a security card be brought into the higher levels of a biosafety lab?

10. When euthanizing a monkey, why is it better to puncture the heart?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the characters of Charles Monet, Peter Cardinal, Mr. Yu G., and P.G. What is similar in their characters and what is different? How do these similarities and differences affect their fates? How does it affect how they become infected in the first place? Explain why you think Preston chose each of these characters for case studies in the book.

Essay Topic 2

The omnipresent fear of death that all humans feel is illustrated throughout the book, especially as they express "awe" (a mixture of respect and fear) in the face of deadly viruses. Find details in the book that represent this awe and fear, and explain how Preston's narrative style and tone are able to capture this fear. How do doctors, scientists, and health professionals react to disease in the book? Select five characters and describe how they react to death or the fear of death.

Essay Topic 3

Preston brings up the possibility of future outbreaks of Ebola or other diseases. Based on the information given in the text, answer the following questions:

a. How likely is a future outbreak of Ebola or a similar virus?

b. What are some likely causes of this outbreak?

c. Based on what has been learned in the text, what would be the best course of action to deal with such an outbreak if it occurred?

(see the answer keys)

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