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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What would Lackner and Wendt’s invention do?
(a) It would send mankind to another planet.
(b) It would create solar panels to power the world and scrub carbon from the atmosphere.
(c) It would shoot small diamond particles into the stratosphere.
(d) It would turn carbon dioxide to stone in a matter of days.

2. What does Kolbert end the chapter wondering about all the burning trash, the acres of glass, the boxes of bumblebees, the vegetables raised on chemicals and captured carbon dioxide?
(a) How fast can this become reality everywhere?
(b) How can she get involved?
(c) Are there other plants like this one?
(d) Was it all totally cool or totally crazy?

3. What is Brodifacoum?
(a) An antibiotic used to heal sick animals.
(b) An anticoagulant used to kill mice.
(c) A trap used to catch cane toads.
(d) A powerful cleaning and disinfecting product.

4. What is a suppression drive?
(a) A gene drive that would overpower natural selection.
(b) A gene drive that makes all recessive genes dominant.
(c) A gene drive that suppresses one’s immune system.
(d) A gene drive that kills off a species.

5. Are gene drives always beneficial for the species?
(a) No, never.
(b) Half and half.
(c) Yes, always.
(d) No, not necessarily.

6. Global temperatures have increased how many degrees Fahrenheit since Watt’s day?
(a) 2.
(b) 1.
(c) 4.
(d) 1.5.

7. To what has gene-drive technology been compared?
(a) Kurt Vonnegut’s ice-nine.
(b) Steven King’s It.
(c) Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange.
(d) Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice.

8. How long would it take to turn carbon dioxide to stone?
(a) Several years.
(b) Several months.
(c) Hundreds of years.
(d) Hundreds of thousands of years.

9. Which country produces the most emissions?
(a) All African nations combined.
(b) The U.S.
(c) Russia.
(d) China.

10. In Up in the Air: Chapter 1, Kolbert decides to support what type of service?
(a) One that sends SAILs into the stratosphere.
(b) One that scrubs carbon emissions from the air.
(c) One that runs greenhouses on carbon dioxide emissions.
(d) One that sends diamonds into the stratosphere.

11. What is unfortunate about carbon, even if emissions are reduced or stopped?
(a) It is always poisonous.
(b) Once in the air, it stays there.
(c) It does not turn to stone easily.
(d) It takes several years to dissolve.

12. How many trees would have to be planted to remove a significant amount of carbon dioxide?
(a) A billion.
(b) A million.
(c) A trillion.
(d) 900,000 thousand.

13. Where does it make sense to have a geothermal plant?
(a) Along a seam of active volcanoes.
(b) In high altitude.
(c) Along a seashore.
(d) In the jungle.

14. Where is the geothermal plant located that Kolbert visits in Up in the Air: Chapter 1?
(a) China.
(b) Switzerland.
(c) Poland.
(d) Iceland.

15. One activist that Kolbert mentions says that sometimes doing nothing is better than what?
(a) Doing something.
(b) Looking like a fool.
(c) Saying nothing.
(d) Making mistakes.

Short Answer Questions

1. What bacteria is included in Kolbert’s genetic modification kit?

2. For how long might you be blind if cane toad poison gets in your eyes?

3. Who does Tizard bring on to help with the details of toad experiments?

4. According to Kolbert, why are mice perfect lab animals?

5. What is the main genetic modification plan for the cane toads in the lab?

(see the answer keys)

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