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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. Why does Rickman refuse to allow Smithback to write about the Gilborg expedition?

2. Why does the red-haired kid follow his brother, Billy, into a dark, cavernous room?

3. What does Margo see in the Superstition Exhibition that makes her think Dr. Frock is right about it being purely for entertainment?

4. What is myth triangulation?

5. Where did Whittlesey find the Mbwun figure?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does Whittlesey find Crocker? What does the marks on the body say to Whittlesey about Crocker's fate?

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

3. What is the Mbwun figure? What happened when it was added to the Superstition Exhibit?

4. How does Margo end up in the Superstition Exhibit hall in Chapter 20?

5. What are the three conditions Rickman gave to Smithback in the writing of his book in Chapter 13?

6. 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?

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

8. What is Margo Green working on at the Museum of Natural History? Who is her adviser?

9. What does Smithback ask Kawakita to help him with in Chapter 25? Why does Kawakita refuse?

10. 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?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Who is Margo Green? Why does the author focus on this character at the beginning of the novel? What does Margo do at the museum? What is her dissertation on? How does this dissertation relate to the events that take place in the novel? How does Margo stumble upon the truth about the killer in the museum? Does Margo know the entire truth about the killer when the climax of the novel takes place? What is still left for Margo to learn? What difference could have been made had Margo learned this last bit of information about the killer?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the character relationships below in detail, citing examples from the book:

1) Margo and Smithback

2) Smithback and Rickman

3) D'Agosta and Pendergast

4) D'Agosta and Coffey

5) Coffey and Pendergast

6) Dr. Frock and Dr. Cuthbert.

Essay Topic 3

Margo finds herself trapped between loyalty to her family and her desire to finish her education in this novel. Discuss what event placed Margo in this position. Why is Margo reluctant to make a decision? Why does Margo feel she is needed at home? Why does she want to remain in New York? What impact on Margo's life will there be when she completes her dissertation? How would Margo's life change if she were to chose her family over her education? In the end, what decision does Margo make? Why? What decision would you have made in the same situation? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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