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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 does Michiel say is Venice's main climate related problem?

2. What political movement does Saskia worry that Michiel is a part of?

3. What is the name of the first Chinese fighting group that Laks encounters?

4. Where does Saskia's plane land instead of Houston?

5. What natural phenomenon kills the surfers at the beach at Scheveningen?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is China's agenda in causing a massive wave to destroy the Maeslantkering and flood the Netherlands and England?

2. What existential matter does Laks come up against in Chandigarh?

3. How is it that there is fighting but no guns at the Line of Actual Control?

4. How does T.R. Schmidt make his money?

5. In the chapter titled "Nederland," what causes the death of all those surfers?

6. In the chapter titled "Pina2bo," why is it difficult for Alastair to know what all the side effects of Pina2bo's operation?

7. Why is the Brazos River campsite overflowing with people?

8. Why is Rufus driving alongside the Waco airfield in his truck?

9. What is Laks' newfound purpose?

10. What does norMal mean in the Dutch royal context?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author brings in Native American history and culture throughout the book, particularly Comanche culture and the idea that Comanche culture is not about DNA but about embodying the tenets of the Comanche mentality and way of life. Why does the author bring this up? How is it related to the rest of the story? When answering this question, consider the ideas around performative war, political control, China's and India's agendas in the book, and how they each go about accomplishing their respective agendas.

Essay Topic 2

What is the author trying to say about the United States? Consider when the author pokes fun at the United States or praises the United States. Do you think it is significant that this book is mostly going to be read by people who live in the United States?

Essay Topic 3

At the beginning and throughout the book, what is the conversation around geoengineering? Why are some people in favor of it, some people against it and some people skeptical about it? What are the climatological circumstances that the author presents that make geoengineering complicated for countries like China and India?

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This section contains 873 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample