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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 Lije say to Enderby about R. Daneel?

2. Where is Dr. Sarton's body now?

3. About what are the women at the shoe store angry?

4. What makes it difficult for humans to enter Spacetown?

5. Why has Dr. Sarton's murder been assigned to the Commissioner's office?

Short Essay Questions

1. How has the word "city" changed in the time of this novel?

2. What is the problem that Lije and R. Daneel encounter at the shoe store, and do you think the women are justified?

3. How are robots used by Earthmen versus Spacers?

4. Why do the Spacers want Earthmen to accept robots among them?

5. What is Lije's rationale for believing Dr. Sarton is not dead, but that the Spacers want the Earthmen to believe Dr. Sarton is murdered by a City dweller?

6. How does it seem that Lije reacts to the idea of having a robot for a partner?

7. What is disconcerting about Jesse's announcement after she comes home from a night out?

8. Do you think Lije's personal feelings about robots and his experience with R. Daneel in the shoe store will interfere with his job as a police officer to investigate the Spacer death with R. Daneel?

9. How does R. Daneel disprove Lije's theory and is Enderby's response appropriate?

10. How and why is light regulated in the City's artificial environment?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In "Introduction to a Family," we learn a little about Lije and Jesse's relationship and how they function as a family with their son, Bentley. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast Lije's family with your own.

2. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the relationship between Lije and Jesse. Are their given names (Elijah and Jezebel) perhaps symbolic of their relationship in some way?

3. Do you think the family structure observed in THE CAVES OF STEEL is as strong as that in the general American population?

Essay Topic 2

There are a number of examples in the book where it is obvious that human society is more strictly regulated and structured in the time of THE CAVES OF STEEL than at the present time in the United States. Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the way the world of THE CAVES OF STEEL is structured and regulated. Evaluate its effectiveness and its problems.

2. Compare/contrast the society in which Lije lives versus an average American today.

3. Are there countries that are as tightly controlled in the "real" world as that in THE CAVES OF STEEL? Compare the two.

Essay Topic 3

Besides the fact that robots are taking some of the jobs from the Earth people, many miss the fact that Human interaction is lost and efficiency overrules personal assistance. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think the people of Earth prefer human assistance?

2. How similar is their revolt to many people in our culture who complain about trying to call a company and getting a voice instructing them to push numbers?

3. Do you think there will be a time when robots do all the work for human beings? What do you think will be gained by that? What will be lost?

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