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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 is Kevin McCabe?

2. What almost prevented cremation from getting off the ground?

3. How did Barbet test his skepticism?

4. What was Barbet skeptical about?

5. How long until a mellified man can be put to use?

Short Essay Questions

1. What belief did Georges Martin try to debunk?

2. What part of the history of cremation does Mary Roach describe?

3. Who was Dr. Joseph Guillotin and what was his opinion about the ethics of decapitation as a method of execution?

4. What is plastination?

5. What was Pierre Barbet's conclusion about Armailhac's request?

6. What does Mary Roach find is the Catholic perspective on composting human remains?

7. What percentage of cadavers donated to science become anatomy lab dissections?

8. What was H being used for at the UCSF Medical Center when Mary Roach was observing?

9. What was Father Armailhac's request for scientific study?

10. How did Barbet test the strength of the palms for holding up a person's weight?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is Mary Roach's relationship with the experts she consults with? What authority does her status as 'writer' give her on the question of cadavers and dead bodies? Does she have more or less authority than certain experts? What could she do with the authority she gained by writing the book?

Essay Topic 2

Which use of cadavers is most objectionable, in your perspective? Make an argument for one of the uses Mary Roach describes in 'Stiff'.

Essay Topic 3

What techniques does Mary Roach use for keeping you interested as a reader? Is there an arc to this book? Does it build in intensity? Does it wander? How much did you, as a reader, have to work to remain interested and attentive?

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