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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 happened to the original Museum of Natural History in 1911?

2. What do scientists think the Mbwun figure was used for by the Kothoga Indians?

3. What is an outgroup in DNA analysis?

4. Who is Beauregard?

5. What does Whittlesey see on the dead body on the trial before him that tells him it is human?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Dr. Frock's main complaint about Dr. Cuthbert's new exhibit at the Museum of Natural History?

2. What does Margo smell in the Superstition Exhibit hall that frightens her? Where has the reader heard of this scent previously in the novel?

3. What does Pendergast require of Dr. Wright in order to begin a successful investigation into the murders in the museum?

4. Why is the local bar, The Blarney Stone Tavern, near the museum referred to as The Bones by museum employees?

5. What family crisis is taking place in the Green family, forcing Margo to make a decision that could end her dreams of completing her education?

6. Why does Smithback suggest the search for a killer in the museum would be nearly impossible?

7. What does Pendergast show Dr. Frock in Chapter 18? What is Dr. Frock's reaction?

8. What does the medical examiner tell D'Agosta about the missing part of the victim's brain and what it does inside the human body?

9. What leads Pendergast to suggest the killer of the security guard in Chapter 14 was intent on getting inside the secure area where extremely important and delicate objects are kept within the museum?

10. What great find did Whittlesey make shortly after the departure of the other scientists? What does this appear to prove?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the Callisto Effect. What is the Callisto Effect? Who developed it? What evidence is there to support such a theory? Why do other scientists deny the existence of the Callisto Effect? What evidence is there against the theory? How does the creature who was killing people in the Museum of Natural History appear to prove the Callisto Effect? How does it disprove the theory?

Essay Topic 2

Who is Pendergast? Where is he from? Why does he come to New York? Why does he become involved in the investigation into the murders at the museum? Does D'Agosta want Pendergast's help? Discuss the relationship between Pendergast and D'Agosta in detail. Why is Pendergast removed from the investigation? What does Pendergast do with this information? Why would Pendergast begin investigating on his own? What does Pendergast know about he creature that other investigator's refuse to believe? How did Pendergast become involved in this investigation in the first place? What does the fact that Whittlesey's cargo was stopped in New Orleans for a time have to do with Pendergast? How does Pendergast eventually kill the creature?

Essay Topic 3

Who is Whittlesey? What expedition did he go on? To where? What was the purpose of the expedition? Did Whittlesey find what he was looking for? What happened to the scientists involved in the expedition? Was this related to the relics crated and sent back to the museum? If so, explain. What is assumed was Dr. Whittllesey's fate? What did his journal say about the expedition? Was this helpful tot he murder investigation? What letter did Margo find in the crates related to the expedition? Was this letter helpful in learning about the nature of the creature? What item of Whittlesey's was found in the creature's lair? What conclusion did investigators come to when seeing this item? Is this conclusion correct?

(see the answer keys)

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