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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. How does Daniel feel about having met with Kim Peek?

2. Where does the name "pi" come from?

3. Why does Daniel's brother, Steven, require a lot of help from his family?

4. When Daniel is interrupted during the interview with a question, what is his first reaction?

5. How did Daniel have to prove that he had learned Icelandic in four days?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Icelandic considered to be such a difficult language to learn?

2. During his training for Volunteer Services, what were the main learning goals for Daniel and the class?

3. How is Daniel's partner, Neil, similar to Daniel?

4. What aspects of language does Daniel find more difficult than others to understand?

5. What were some of the biggest concerns about Daniel's involvement with the documentary and how did he overcome them?

6. Why did the scientists in California ask if Daniel could visit with them longer?

7. What had Daniel learned during his year in Kaunas?

8. Why did Daniel end up walking up the steep hill of Volunteer Ave. on his commute to the Volunteer Center?

9. Why did Daniel spend his first weekend in Kaunas inside his new apartment?

10. Why did Daniel's travels and meetings during the making of Brainman and his appearances on television give him such a feeling of elation?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are your feelings about Daniel after reading about his experiences as a child and a schoolboy? Give examples to explain your feelings. Do you think this was a painful book for him to write? Why?

Essay Topic 2

As a very young child, Daniel is a constant crier. His mother is told he has colic. Yet his crying goes on past the stage of ordinarily colicky babies. Do you think his crying stemmed from colic? Is there any connection between his crying and his autism?

Essay Topic 3

Daniel's parents enroll him in nursery school where he keeps to himself and is fascinated with textures and watching the floor as he walks. Current knowledge about autism and Asperger's syndrome recommends that those children be around others for social stimulation as much as possible. Do you think going to nursery school was the best thing for Daniel? Did it help him in any way? Did it do any damage? Did anything change for him at home as a result?

(see the answer keys)

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