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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 Paul think about Wili's capabilities before he interfaces with the computer?

2. Where is the Authority enclave located?

3. About how long has the Authority been in power?

4. Where, roughly, is Aztlan located?

5. Paul is severely injured during what stage of the battle?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Wili's assessment of the situation with Mike and Della?

2. Why does Wili embobble the tenement building during the hottest part of the day?

3. What is Renaissance?

4. Why does Paul decide to embobble himself?

5. How are Paul and the others able to travel to the Authority enclave in secret?

6. Why does Avery decide to enact Renaissance?

7. How does Della and Mike's relationship change while they are at Kaladze's camp?

8. How does Wili manipulate Della and Mike while they are at the demonstration of the power generator?

9. Why are Paul and the others stopped on the road to the Authority enclave?

10. Why does Mike contact Della, and what information is exchanged?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Red Arrow Industries are the remnants of a foreign military force from the advent of the Peace Authority. Over the years, they have changed significantly and play an important role in the conflict between the Tinkers and the Authority.

1) Describe the origins of Red Arrow Industries, including how they came into conflict with the Authority, and how and why they settled in North America.

2) Explain how Red Arrow Industries operates as a community and as a manufacturing business. Discuss their technological and business relationship with the Tinkers and the organization of their settlement.

3) Discuss the role that Red Arrow Industries plays in the conflict between the Tinkers and the Authority.

Essay Topic 2

The bioscientists are a group not unlike the Tinkers in their pursuit of knowledge. However, the Authority took issue with them some time before the beginning of the novel, and they have been forced to live underground, sometimes in a literal sense.

1) Describe the bioscientists as an organization, their structure, goals, and capabilities.

2) Discuss the reasons the Authority had for deciding to act against the bioscientists. How were these reasons similar to or different from those that cause them to act against the Tinkers?

3) Compare and contrast the bioscientists and the Tinkers in terms of their respective pursuits of knowledge.

4) The Authority blames the widespread plagues on the bioscientists. Write an assessment of this accusation, using evidence from the book.

Essay Topic 3

Jill is a computer program created by Paul for both practical and sentimental reasons. At the height of the final battle between the Tinkers and the Authority, she allows Wili to escape while sentencing herself to almost certain capture and destruction.

1) Discuss the reasons Paul had for creating Jill. Describe her sentimental importance to Paul, and the functional role she fulfills.

2) Explain some of the behaviors Jill exhibits which suggest she has become more than a simple program. Additionally, discuss the reactions other characters have to these behaviors.

3) After Jill sends Wili away to complete the embobbling program herself, the other characters discuss whether or not she was fully sentient and whether her actions constituted a sacrifice. Cite evidence from the book and speculate as to whether Jill was independently intelligent, whether she had real emotions, and whether her destruction constitutes a real sacrifice.

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This section contains 949 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample