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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 rank does Rico make after training?

2. What does Hendrick insist on doing?

3. What does the MI not abandon?

4. What do H&MP lessons teach?

5. How many hours of sack time do the recruits have?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Rico's job upon landing?

2. Why are the bugs so difficult to fight?

3. Describe Ace and Rico's fight.

4. How do Rico's parents receive the news that he is going to join the army?

5. Describe Rico's punishment.

6. Describe the three types of suits.

7. Why does the fleet sergeant discourage the two boys from joining the army?

8. How does Zim respond to Hendrick's criticism of him?

9. Why does the fleet sergeant think Rico has done well to joint the MI?

10. What is Rico's father's problem with Rico joining the army?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the recruitment process Heinlein portrays in the book. Is Mr. Dubois basically working as a teacher to find army recruits? What alternative opinions do the students think Rico has available to him? Why is Mr. Dubois and the government teaching such ideology when at the time there is no war? Does such ideology gear a population for war?

Essay Topic 2

Pick a character from the novel and discuss their goals and motives. Do they achieve their motive? Why? Do the share similar goals and motives with other characters? Do their goals clash with other characters with other characters? How do the characters' goals and motives affect their interaction with each other?

Essay Topic 3

Why do the students think Rico's father does not want him to join the army? Is Rico reacting against his father's views? In what way will Rico become a parasite on society if peacetime continues and he is in the army? Why is an army important in Heinlein's earth if it is peacetime? Does preparing for war in peacetime encourage war to happen?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 697 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample