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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. On the way to a secure underground vault area, Chad introduces Susan to whom?

2. What is the first thing that David says to Susan?

3. What does Susan hear as she is descending through the sub-levels?

4. To Swathmore, the most important thing now is ____________________.

5. What does David suggest to Susan?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Susan surprised at the suicide note, supposedly written by Hale?

2. When Swathmore is in the sub level resetting the power, what becomes clear?

3. Explain why Hulohot was wrong in thinking that Becker had no way out of the viewing platform area.

4. The only escape from Crypto is through Swathmore's private elevator. How does Susan arrive at the password?

5. When does Becker begin to think of Susan when he is in Santa Cruz?

6. What does Hale say that his plans for Digital Fortress are?

7. How does Becker become trapped in the Seville Cathedral?

8. During the video conference, why does Susan scream?

9. Swathmore was begging Susan to stay with him. What did he know when he saw the pager messages?

10. Why was the Digital Fortress algorithm a hoax?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tankado's schemes duped Swathmore and others at the NSA, and it cost the NSA its TRANSLTR computer. Explain Tankado's scheme and how he orchestrated it. How could Swathmore be duped? What did Tankado have to know in order for Swathmore to be duped?

Essay Topic 2

What good are security procedures if employees violate them? Security procedures, including need-to-know, have a purpose. Discuss this purpose and apply it to the novel.

Essay Topic 3

The NSA staff does not work as a team until the end of the novel. Explain how this caused many of the problems that occurred. What is the value of teamwork? Explain within the context of the end of the novel.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 652 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample