View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does Baley think Gladia appears to Baley in the state she does?

2. Who was in the room when the victim is killed?

3. Who is Gladia?

4. What do the people on the Outer Worlds believe about Earthmen?

5. What disturbs Baley about the statistics Olivaw gives him?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Baley's response to his orders?

2. What does Albert reply to Baley's reluctance to accept the assignment?

3. Why do the authorities believe Gladia did not kill her husband and what does Gladia say when Elijah asks her if she did it?

4. Describe Elijah Baley.

5. What does Gruer tell Elijah about the murder case?

6. Discuss the laws of robotics.

7. What is Elijah's attitude towards robots and what is the exception?

8. How is the Earth encased, and how does that make Elijah feel?

9. What does Gladia say about the murder of her husband?

10. How do people on Solaria communicate and what are Baley's beliefs about how that will affect his investigation?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Lije questions why robots need to appear in the form of human likeness, why not another machine? He also wonders why the authorities are wanting those on Solaria to think R. Daneel is a human being. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think the human form is the most generalized form in all of nature? Why or why not?

2. Do you think the human form is more economical and efficient for robots? Why or why not.

3. Even if the human form is more economical and efficient, why do you think R. Daneel is anatomically correct, even to his genitalia? Does that amount of exactitude serve a purpose? What would that be?

Essay Topic 2

Oftentimes, a book is more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think the The Naked Sun is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 3

Whenever reading a science fiction or fantasy novel, one must become familiar with new terminology that explains concepts or technology that is not a part of the "real" world. In the case of The Naked Sun, though there are new ideas and terms to learn. Discuss the following:

1. Find five terms that are a part of the world of Solaria that are either not a part of the language of 2010 or mean something different. Define the words as used in Solaria and compare those five words as to how they are currently used in the American English language.

2. Are there words used in The Naked Sun that are completely new to you? What? How do you learn their meanings?

3. There are ways of learning about a new world or time when reading a science fiction or fantasy novel. Discuss the ways you were able to understand the world of Solaria. Did you have to look up any words? What does it mean to learn a word through its context? Do you have to do that in The Naked Sun? What word(s)?

4. Were there any words you never really understand from The Naked Sun? Which ones?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,308 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample