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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. What happens in the monkey house a month after the building was deconned?

2. What paper is the newspaper article about the mission printed in?

3. Who is the commander of USAMRIID?

4. Who does Dalgard not invite into the monkey house to survey the scene?

5. How long does it take for the frying pan treatment to decon the building?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Preston characterize the emergence of HIV as "subtle"?

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

3. What are three reasons that Jerry chooses Captain Mark Haines to enter the building first with him?

4. Even though C.J. Peters has a strong dislike for Joe McCormick, why does he also respect him?

5. Why doesn't Jerry like the idea of shooting the loose monkey?

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

7. How is the virus in the monkeys like the Andromeda Strain?

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

9. Describe the evolution of the "AIDS Highway".

10. Describe the close calls that Gene Johnson has had with Level 4 hot agents.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The world of academic and scientific research is often summed up with the phrase "publish or perish". What does this mean? Discuss how the concept of "publish or perish" affects the conflict between characters in the text, by responding to the following issues:

a. Why do you think Gene Johnson does not publish his research?

b. How do Johnson's co-workers at USAMRIID feel about his decision not to publish?

c. How do his peers outside of USAMRIID feel about his decision not to publish?

d. Do researchers have a responsibility to share their research with others? Is this important for scientific progress? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Summarize the reasons and the process that Peter Jahrling and Tom Geisbert used to reach their decision NOT to tell about their possible exposure after the "whiffing incident". Do you agree with the decision they made?

- What were their considerations about the incubation period?

- What do Jahrling and Geisbert know about the Slammer that affected their decision?

- Why doesn't Jahrling think he is putting his family at risk?

- How did the right to name a new virus affect their decision?

- Based on what you know about the fatality rate of Marburg and other filoviruses, do you think that Jahrling and Geisbert made a good decision? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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