Understanding The Great Silence

Which of the following best describes the main conflict in The Great Silence?

• The parrots are struggling to adapt to the rapidly changing environment of their rainforest home.

• The narrator grapples with the paradox of human interest in extraterrestrial intelligence while ignoring the intelligence of parrots.

• The parrots and humans are at odds over the use of Arecibo for searching for extraterrestrial life.

• The narrator seeks revenge on humans for their role in the near extinction of parrots.

Which detail in "The Great Silence" most strongly suggests that the narrator (the parrot) views humans as flawed in their perception of intelligence?

• Humans created an ear capable of hearing across the universe.

• We parrots can appreciate that. According to Hindu mythology, the universe was created with a sound: 'Om.'

• Humans like to think they're unique. But eventually Pepperberg convinced them that Alex wasn't just repeating words, that he understood what he was saying.

• If humans ever detect the Arecibo message being sent back to Earth, they will know someone is trying to get their attention.

How does the narrative point of view in The Great Silence affect the tone of the story?

• The first-person point of view, from the perspective of a parrot, creates a tone of wonder and innocence.

• The third-person omniscient perspective gives the story a neutral, distant tone.

• The first-person point of view, from the parrot's perspective, creates a tone of melancholy and frustration with humanity's lack of awareness.

• The third-person limited perspective makes the story feel emotionally detached and analytical.

The narrator's reference to the 'Great Silence' and the 'Fermi paradox' serves primarily to:

• Compare the silence of the universe to the quietude of the rainforest where the parrots live.

• Illustrate the isolation of the parrots in a universe that seems to ignore them.

• Explain the challenges humans face in finding extraterrestrial life.

• Suggest that humans are less capable of understanding the complexity of nature than parrots are.

What central idea does the narrator suggest about the relationship between humans and parrots?

• Humans and parrots are fundamentally different, with parrots having no meaningful communication capabilities.

• Humans have historically overlooked the intelligence of parrots, despite their shared ability to communicate through sound.

• Parrots and humans are equally dependent on technology to communicate with one another.

• Parrots are more capable than humans of understanding the vastness of the universe.

In the context of the passage, what is meant by the phrase 'the silence of a graveyard'?

• It refers to the quietude of the universe, suggesting that intelligent life may have already disappeared.

• It symbolizes the peacefulness of death and the idea of eternal rest.

• It highlights the silence in the rainforest as the parrots approach extinction.

• It describes the way humans might perceive alien life as absent or undetectable.

In the passage, the word 'reverberation' most closely means:

• A sound that is heard loudly and clearly.

• A prolonged or repeated sound, like an echo.

• A silent, mysterious vibration.

• A strong forceful impact.

The phrase 'aspiration is both hope and the act of breathing' is primarily used to convey:

• A comparison between the physical act of breathing and the metaphysical concept of hope.

• A scientific explanation of the importance of breath in vocal learning.

• The idea that hope is a universal need, shared by both parrots and humans.

• The biological connection between parrots and humans in the act of communication.

The 'cosmic microwave background' is mentioned in the passage. In the context of the narrator's speech, what is this most likely intended to symbolize?

• The distant, unexplained noise that fills the universe.

• The remnants of creation, as if the universe itself is still echoing with the sound of its origin.

• The silence that surrounds the extinction of species like the parrots.

• The metaphorical 'voice' of intelligent life calling out from the universe.

In the phrase 'The universe was created with a sound: 'Om,' the author uses the sound 'Om' as a symbol primarily to represent:

• The universal connection between all living things through communication.

• A spiritual or divine force that underlies the cosmos.

• The origin of life as a singular event that resonates through all existence.

• The sounds that parrots make in their natural habitat.