The Hot Zone:Chapter 1 & 2: Reading Questions KEY The Shadow of Mt. Elgon As you read, write the answer to these questions on your own piece of paper. When you have completed all questions, go online to the questionnaire and fill in your answers. This must be submitted by April 18, 2014 by 4:00 pm. Completing these reading questions will help you prepare for your project presentation. Chapter 1: SOMETHING IN THE FOREST 1.
Who is Charles Monet? Describe what happens to Monet? Frenchman, lived by himself near Nzoia Sugar Factory in Kenya and next to Mt. Elgon; he dies of a strange, unknown disease after exploring Kitum Cave
2.
(page 2) The author uses a sensory image of hot and cold in describing the case. What is it? “hot agent,” “cold geometry of clinical fact”
3.
Why were workers burning the fields? burn and slash technique for farming
4.
As of page 10, list three possible sources of infection from the cave. Monkey at park gate, bats in the cave and elephant droppings in the cave
5.
How did the pillar in the cave get scored and marked? Elephants scrapped it with their tusks to get minerals and salts
6.
List the symptoms, feelings, and progression of the disease as it struck Monet. 1st day of symptoms: headache, eyes hurt, backache; 3 rd day; vomit, nausea, passive attitude with zombie look, bright red eyes; after 3rd day: black vomit, became sullen, angry, loss of memory, skin yellowed with red dots and purple shadows, muscles in the face drooped
7.
(page 13) What is the reference to “bomb” in this sequence? “human virus bomb”
8.
What does it mean for his bloodstream to “throw clots”? Blood has trouble clotting properly
9.
The toxic agent has an active voice as the chapter ends. What is it doing? Leaving it’s host and looking for another one; the virus is acting like a parasite
10. Is the agent that killed Charles Monet a character in The Hot Zone? If it is a character, what sort of a character is it and what role does it seem to play? Yes; a character dependent on surviving by feeding off of other characters; it is the main character that the story will revolve around Chapter 2: JUMPER 1. What happened to Dr. Shem Musoke, who worked on Charles Monet? Dies, vomit and blood from Monet go into Dr. Musoke’s eyes and mouth when Musoke examines Monet 2.
Describe the kidneys and liver during the autopsy. Kidney and liver destroyed—liver described as “pudding” and yellowed
3.
What did Dr. Musoke do that contributed to the spread of the disease? Did an exploratory surgery on Monet and asked the nurse to give him a shot for malaria
4.
Describe the findings of the exploratory surgery performed on Dr. Musoke. Liver was swollen, red and healthy; patient could not stop bleeding because his blood would not clot
5.
Why did Dr. David Silverstein purify the serum? What is this?
He suspected the cause of Musoke’s illness was an unknown virus and sent it to the CDC to be tested; the purified serum is a clear, golden liquid after the red blood cells are removed from the blood 6.
Where did Dr. Silverstein send the samples? Why? The CDC in Atlanta, Georgia and the Instituted of Virology in South Africa to be tested
7.
What is the significance of the title of this chapter? The mysterious “hot agent” in Monet “jumped” to Dr. Musoke
Project Questions
What presentation option are you and your partner(s) choosing for this project?
What is the virus you will be using for your pandemic? Describe some of the traits of this virus.
Describe the location of your pandemic.
Describe the vector for your pandemic. (A vector is any agent (person, animal or microorganism) that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another living organism.)
