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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 is Gloria’s last name in Chapter One, “Robbie”?

2. In what year did Susan Calvin earn her Ph.D., according to the narrator of the Introduction?

3. What is the character of Powell’s first name?

4. What expletive does Donovan remark upon hearing of Cutie’s skepticism in “Reason”?

5. How long does Gloria’s father say Robbie has been with Gloria in Chapter One, “Robbie”?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is established through the exposition in the Introduction? Who are the characters that are first introduced?

2. What news does Donovan relate to Powell in the beginning of “Runaround”?

3. What conclusion does Donovan reach upon observing the robots’ behavior in “Catch That Rabbit”? What does Powell conclude?

4. What is foreshadowed by Dr. Calvin’s comments about labor unions and religious groups in the Introduction?

5. Where are Donovan and Powell in the beginning of “Catch That Rabbit”? What robot are they testing in this story?

6. What ultimatum does Gloria give Robbie in the beginning of “Robbie”? How does he respond?

7. What theme is established in the book’s Introduction?

8. What do Donovan and Powell discover about the robots’ behavior when they are not knowingly being observed in “Catch That Rabbit”?

9. What is discovered about the earlier generation robots in “Runaround”?

10. How is the theme of faith explored in “Reason”?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and analyze the setting of “Robbie.” Is this setting a realistic one? How does Isaac Asimov’s vision of the future relate to the reality of 1996 in America? Where does Gloria’s family live in the story?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and analyze the setting of “Little Lost Robot.” How does this setting relate to others in the collection? In what year does the story begin? How many hears had passed since the hyperatomic motor had been invented and what significance does this have in the story?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and analyze the problem presented in the beginning of “Escape!” What does Lanning say caused the breakdown of the computer at Consolidated Robots? How is this conflict to be resolved? Who will be involved in the solution?

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