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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 does the narrator find distinguished about Grigori Perelman?

2. How does the narrator justify killing Daniel Russell?

3. What does the narrator say about Andrew Martin, when he is being interrogated?

4. What does the narrator say is the color of home?

5. What is Newton’s reaction to the narrator’s presence?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is happening in the first scene the narrator describes in his narrative?

2. What does the narrator learn about mathematicians that undermines his core beliefs about human beings?

3. What is the importance of prime numbers for the narrator?

4. How does the narrator characterize life in the world he comes from?

5. What happens when the narrator calls Andrew Martin’s mother?

6. Who are the narrator’s chief suspects for people who might know about Andrew Martin’s discovery?

7. What does Gulliver tell the narrator about the Martins’ household?

8. How does the narrator define beauty for humans?

9. How does the narrator characterize his relationship with his hosts, now that he is getting accustomed to Andrew Martin’s life?

10. Why does the narrator say that Andrew Martin’s discovery needs to be erased?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Evaluate the ending of The Humans. Does it ring true to you? Does it successfully resolve the problems and tensions that preceded it? What would you change, if anything? What are you left wishing for closure on, if anything?

Essay Topic 2

Who in today’s world holds the view that humans are greedy and violent? What policies do the parties who believe this propose? Who in today’s world believes that humans are flawed but basically good? What policies do the parties who believe this propose? How does The Humans answer this divergence of opinions?

Essay Topic 3

What is the meaning of life, according the Vonnadorian narrator of The Humans? How does he arrive at this definition?

(see the answer keys)

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