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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. According to the Time Traveler, how long did it take to make the model of the time machine?

2. Why does the Time Traveler claim not to be afraid of the first Eloi he meets, even though they are touching him?

3. Of what foodstuff does the diet of the Eloi consist?

4. Why, does the Time Traveler imagine, the Eloi all want to touch him?

5. Which, of the following metals, is mentioned as part of the Time Machine?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to Weena in the forest fire?

2. What do the Editor and the Journalist think about the story the guests relate about the model time machine?

3. What is the Editor's reactions when the Time Traveler tells him and the other guests of his journey?

4. What does the Time Traveler discover about the Morlocks that allows him to escape the three of them in the tunnel?

5. Why are the characters primarily represented by the name of their profession rather than their actual names?

6. What is one possible reason the Time Traveler postulates for the physical changes from humans to Eloi?

7. How does the Time Traveler describe the way the language of the Eloi sound?

8. What happens after the Time Traveler mimics the clap of thunder that accompanied his arrival in Chapter 4?

9. According to the Time Traveler, what happened when he sat in the Time Machine and pressed the lever?

10. When the Earth is in perpetual twilight, the air thin and hard to breathe, and the sun is huge and red, what are the only two animals/creatures The Time Traveler sees? What do they look like?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The issue of the preservation of cultural memory and transmission of history helps structure Wells's narrative. Consider the Time Traveler's experience at the Palace. In the year 802,700, what is preserved from the culture in which the Time Traveler was born? What do you think Wells wants the reader to take away from the Time Traveler's experience in this museum?

Essay Topic 2

This novel takes what some might consider a pessimistic view of the role science plays in modern life. Even though Wells's narrative takes place in the 19th century, there are many parallels one could draw between the scientific and technical progress discuused in the novel and the explosion of digital technologies in our own time. Using textual examples from Wells, analyze the effects technological developments and innovations are likely to have on humanity. Compare and contrast Wells's predictions of what technological advancement does to humanity with your opinion of the effects of the technological advancements from your own lifetime.

Essay Topic 3

The role of food in this novel is significant, both in terms of conflict structure and in terms of the play of ideas. Describe the ways this novel thematizes the idea of food, eating, sustenance, and survival. Consider 1) the meals in the frame narrative, 2) the "cannibalism" represented by the Morlocks, and 3) the food eaten by the Eloi.

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