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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. As of the book's publication in 2009, over how many scientific articles had been published about research done on HeLa?
(a) Over 70,000.
(b) Over 80,000.
(c) Over 60,000.
(d) Over 100,000.

2. Parents in what two states sued in 2009 to stop the nationwide practice of storing and conducting research on fetal blood samples?
(a) Minnesota and Texas.
(b) Kansas and Missouri.
(c) California and Washington.
(d) Oregon and New Jersey.

3. What corporation owns the patents to BRCA1 and BRCA2, the genes responsible for most cases of breast and ovarian cancer?
(a) Pfizer.
(b) Novartis.
(c) Myriad Genetics.
(d) GlaxoSmithKline.

4. What was Paul Lurz's position at Crownsville Hospital Center when Deborah and Rebecca visited in search of past records?
(a) Director of biological sciences.
(b) Director of performance and improvement.
(c) Director of medical ethics.
(d) Director of virology.

5. What did the doctor determine when Deborah saw him after her trip to clover in Part Three: Immortality, Chapter 37?
(a) She was epileptic and had suffered a concussion.
(b) She was schizophrenic.
(c) She had cervical cancer.
(d) Her blood pressure and blood sugar were extremely high.

Short Answer Questions

1. When Deborah took Rebecca Skloot to meet her brother Zakariyya, she reminded her that she should never make the mistake of calling him by what name?

2. Who was the judge that oversaw John Moore's initial case against UCLA?

3. What comparison did the researcher at Johns Hopkins make for a person's cells and their rights to a portion of the profits for those cells in Part Three: Immortality, Chapter 32?

4. During what decade did most U.S. states begin mandating the screening of all newborn babies for genetic diseases?

5. What had Deborah's son been arrested for when she called Rebecca Skloot sobbing at the end of Part Three: Immortality, Chapter 31?

Short Essay Questions

1. What factors contributed to the Lacks family's distrust of Rebecca and of the scientific community?

2. Discuss the actions of the doctors at Johns Hopkins in obtaining blood samples for research from the Lacks family. What was unethical about these actions?

3. Based on Skloot's statements in the Afterword, what is the likelihood that your DNA is on file somewhere? Why?

4. What are the two main points of controversy regarding tissue research, according to the author in the Afterword?

5. Why did Deborah Lacks fail to attend the Foundation for Cancer Research's event dedicated to her mother in Part Three: Immortality – Chapter 37?

6. How does the author describe the development of tissue research today? What are tissue samples used for?

7. How does the author describe John Moore's illness in Part Three: Immortality – Chapter 25? When did Moore first get sick?

8. What did Rebecca Skloot and Deborah Lacks encounter when they first arrived at Crownsville in Part Three: Immortality – Chapter 33?

9. What did Cousin Gary do in order to calm down Deborah in Part Three: Immortality – Chapter 35?

10. How did Bobbette Lacks respond when she discovered the history of HeLa cells?

(see the answer keys)

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