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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 unusual being does Wili believe he sees in Paul's house?

2. Where does the unusual activity occur that Allison observes in Livermore?

3. Where do Wili, Mike, and Della go after they return to the shore?

4. What does Angus say was unusual about the tombstone he saw at the crash site?

5. When she is first introduced, where had Della Lu recently returned from?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Wili treated at Paul's house?

2. How and why did the Red Arrow Battalion settle in America?

3. According to the bioscientists, what is the nature of and cure for Wili's disease?

4. What is Paul's home like?

5. How is the bioscience lab hidden?

6. Explain the factors that contributed to Wili's decision to stay with Paul.

7. What types of advanced technology does Paul introduce to Wili?

8. How did Wili's parent's react when they discovered his illness?

9. How does Wili perform at the chess tournament, and what disadvantage does he face?

10. Which group does Mike betray by taking Wili to the bioscientists?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Kaladze is an important leader, and as a powerful independent force, both the Tinkers and the Authority attempt to maneuver him to their advantage.

1) Describe Kaladze as a character and a leader. Describe the nature of his settlement and the forces that he controls.

2) Discuss the interest Kaladze has in the conflict between the Tinkers and the Authority and how he initially sides himself. Explain how Paul and others are able to influence him to support the Tinkers' side.

3) Explain Della's attempts to manipulate Kaladze on behalf of the Authority. How does she attempt to control his actions, and what does she hope to cause him to do? Explain how successful Della's plan is.

Essay Topic 2

The events after the chess tournament and at the tenement house spark the final conflict between the Tinkers and the Authority, exacerbating a disagreement that could have smoldered for a long time or fizzled into nothing.

1) Explain the Authority's motivations for intervening at the chess tournament. What were their long and short term goals in this action, and what consequences did they anticipate or fail to anticipate?

2) Discuss Wili's insistence on aiding those trapped at the tenement house. Explain his plan to help them and why he is willing and able to follow through on this dangerous plan.

3) Describe how the events surrounding the chess tournament hostages escalate the conflict between the Tinkers and the Authority.

4) Cite evidence from the novel to explain how the plot may have progressed differently had either Wili or the Authority acted differently at either of these junctions.

Essay Topic 3

Wili experiences the most growth of any character over the course of the novel. Although he begins as an orphaned and miscreant youth, he becomes an important leader within the Tinkers and possibly the most influential thinker in the world.

1) Discuss Wili as a character at the time that he enters the story. What is his background and what are his character traits? Explain how he uses his considerably intellect at this time.

2) Describe the causes of Wili's reform as a moral person. Explain what initiates this change and discuss some examples of Wili's superior moral standing from events in the later parts of the novel.

3) Explain Wili's growth as an intellectual thinker and leader. Identify the point where he surpasses and takes over for Paul, and how and why he becomes recognized by others in the Tinker movement as an important leader.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 943 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample