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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 Baley think of Gladia's explanation of the difference between viewing and seeing?

2. What part of the robot that Baley wants to examine is damaged?

3. What does it seem that the inhabitants on Aurora intend regarding Olivaw?

4. What happens after the man is murdered?

5. What is important to the inhabitants of Solaria?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Gladia ask Elijah about his and Daneel's proximity and what is Elijah's response?

2. Why do the authorities believe Gladia did not kill her husband and what does Gladia say when Elijah asks her if she did it?

3. What shocks Baley about his first communication with Gladia, and how does she explain the situation? What is Elijah's response?

4. What does Elijah want from the robot that witnesses Dr. Delmarr's death and where is the robot?

5. How do people on Solaria communicate and what are Baley's beliefs about how that will affect his investigation?

6. How is the Earth encased, and how does that make Elijah feel?

7. Where is Elijah Baley at the opening of the novel and about what is he thinking?

8. How are the farming and mining areas set apart from other Earth space?

9. Who meets Elijah at Solaria and what does he realize from the meeting?

10. Describe Elijah Baley.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Naked Sun is written in the genre of science fiction. Discuss the following:

1. What sets science fiction apart from other genres? Discuss several characteristics of science fiction that are absent in other genres and vice versa.

2. Some people might say that science fiction is merely for entertainment? Do you agree? Explain.

3. Discuss why The Naked Sun falls under the genre of science fiction.

4. Why do you think literary criticism breaks down fiction into genres? Do you think the labeling of genre to a work is useful to a reader? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 2

Because of the way Solaria is structured, the life expectancy of the human beings is much greater than that of Earth either then or now. Discuss the following:

1. What would it be like to have a life expectancy of several hundred years?

2. Could Earth sustain life if people lived that long?

3. Do you think if the life expectancy were that long, the birth rate would plummet?

4. How long would adolescence last if one lived to be 350 years old?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Compare/contrast R. Daneel Olvaw with Elijah Baley. How are they different? How are they the same? How do their differences help their murder investigation?

2. Compare/contrast Leebig with Dr. Delmarre. How are they different? How are they the same? Who seems to be the more moral character? How do their beliefs differ?

3. Compare/contrast Klorissa with Gladia. How are they different? How are they the same? Who seems more of a "real" human being? Why? Who seems warmer? More reserved?

(see the answer keys)

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