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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. Who questions if Ann Clayborne or Arkady is responsible for the destruction of the moholes?

2. Which investigators really work for transnationals?

3. If aging treatments are given to everyone, what happens to the world?

4. Where does Frank travel to find that Arkady is leading part of the revolution at Carr Crater?

5. Cairo is overrun with _____ when Nadia and her team arrive after visiting the crater.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Arkady's assertion that there are "guns under the table" foreshadow in the chapters after Part 5?

2. What information is revealed about Hiroko through the notes left for Sax and for Ursula?

3. How does Phyllis's desire for money become apparent through her efforts on Mars?

4. How are the shifting political agendas on Earth reflected in the mining efforts on Mars and how does this affect John?

5. After Frank's office is flooded with immigrants, why does he decide to go to Phyllis for help?

6. How is Ann reunited with her son?

7. How does it does become clear that the terraforming effort is not working as planned, affecting Mars in destructive ways?

8. When riots begin in Mars, what does Frank discover as the city is in revolution?

9. What does John's role as a strong figure in the revolution give hope for?

10. What are Helmut's motivations for working on Mars?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

John and Frank are two of the most active characters in the settlement of the Ares colony on Mars.

Part 1) What is their relationship? How do they co-exist and how do they interact? What is similar about them and what is different?

Part 2) What are some events that John had a direct influence upon? What are some events that Frank had a direct influence upon?

Part 3) Which character offers support to the group? Which one is stronger and why?

Essay Topic 2

One of the main themes in the book is ethical and social responsibility. List at least four examples where Robinson employs this specific theme. Is the battle between making ethical choices obvious or subtle? What characters are involved in this kind of battle? Do you think the right person or group won? Does good always triumph over evil in the case of Red Mars ethics?

Essay Topic 3

In Red Mars, Robinson's Ares society shows a conscious selectivity about technology. What do you think of the technology that Hiroko tries to use for her own purposes? Which aspects do you find more or less appealing? How is technology associated with power and rebellion?

(see the answer keys)

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