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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. Why does Baley conclude that Gladia must have felt some shame about her relationship to Jander?

2. What is Gladia's distinction in the house where Jander died?

3. Who is the only surviving humaniform robot?

4. What does Baley need before visiting Aurora?

5. Who brings Baley the astrosimulator of his own volition?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does what appears to be an important piece of information escape Baley before he falls into a troubled sleep at Fastolfe's house?

2. How is Baley treated on the Auroran spaceship?

3. How does Gladia shock Baley when she tells him about her life on Aurora?

4. Explain the Personal.

5. Identify the difference between Outside on Aurora and Outside on Earth.

6. How does the reunion of Baley and Fastolfe add to the suspense of the story?

7. Explain why Baley is both unfamiliar with and panicked by a storm.

8. What are Earth cities like at the time of the novel?

9. Explain why Fastolfe hurls a large spicer at Baley.

10. Define the line of questioning for which Baley gets no information from the robots who are guarding him.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay of at least two typed, double-spaced pages on the subject, Surprise Endings in Novels and Films. Starting with the surprise ending that it was Giskard all along who disabled Jander, reference at least two other books or films you have read or seen that had surprise endings. Evaluate that convention in terms of literary importance.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay of at least two typed, double-spaced pages on the subject, How Robotics Make Humans Irrelevant. Points of the essay might include (1) how readily available robotics tend to isolate humans from each other, (2) how sending robots to colonize destroys the sense of adventure in humans, and (3) to what extent robots are necessary in the first place.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay of at least two typed, double-spaced pages on the subject, My Trip to Aurora. This is a fantasy piece for you to let your imagination loose and describe what you see and do on Aurora, how you interact with robots, and the illusions that make the planet beautiful.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 613 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample