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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. Chapter 19 also describes the plight of what group of people on Shikasta?

2. What does George tell Rachel, in Chapter 28, to help her deal with the news she receives?

3. How does George Herbert's attitude towards Lynda's claims change over time?

4. What is the sad state of Shikasta blamed on?

5. What is the setting of the mock trial?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is special about Lynda Coleridge?

2. Who is Suzannah?

3. What does George tell Rachel when she has difficulty handling the news of Naseem and Shireen's deaths?

4. Why does Rachel make the decision to follow George in Chapter 30?

5. Who is Sharma?

6. How does the mock trial end?

7. What is contained in Sharma and George's letters to one another in Chapter 29?

8. How are George, Benjamin and Rachel described in Chapter 21?

9. What is the result of the arguments presented at the mock trial?

10. What is the substance of Agent 20's report, in Chapter 18?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Canopean reports mention the "Age of Ideology," a time when dangerous ideas, such as science and nationalism, gripped the elites and drew their attention away from religion and other worthy ideologies. Why is science considered to be so dangerous? What effect does it have on people? Why did it only affect the elites? Why are the primitive peoples considered to be more pure? How did nationalism create conflict? What would have stopped this process? Be sure to cite specific examples from the book to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

The rule of Canopus, generally speaking, is Love. How does this affect life there? How do Canopeans treat one another? How does this make Canopus different from Shikasta? How do Canopeans view Shikasta? Why? What rules do Canopean emissaries enforce in their colonies, and why? Be sure to cite specific examples from the book to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

Johor's brother Taufiq is supposed to become a lawyer, but he is inexplicably drawn to politics instead. What are the effects of his decision? What happens to the special individuals that he is supposed to defend? What would have happened differently if he had gone into law instead of politics? How does his role in the mock trial relate to his "corruption" as a politician? Be sure to cite specific examples from the book to support your thesis.

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