The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury Here is a cool interview with Ray Bradbury! Study Guide by Paul Brians, Department of English, Washington State University, Pullman. Ray Bradbury.com Final Projects / Rubrics for Projects Vocabulary

1. On page one, what season is it? a) summer.  b) fall.  c) winter.  d) spring.
2. (3) From Mrs. K's description of the man in her dream, and her husband's reactions, explain how Martians are physically different from humans. (At least 3, extra credit for more)
3. (3) Name/describe three pieces of Martian technology that seem different than ours.
4. When Mrs. K asks her husband if he's ever wondered if people did live on Earth, what is his response?
5. In Mrs. K's dream, what does the rocket man promise her he will do?
6. Which best describes Mr. K's reaction to his wife's dreams? a) understanding and sympathy.  b) anger and jealousy.  c) wonder and surprise.  d) humor and amusement.
7. Explain why YLLA's dreams stop.
8. Bonus (extra credit): What is Mrs. K's first name? Mr. K?

"The Earth Men"
Madlib for "The Earth Men"

"Summer Night," "The Taxpayer," "The Third Expedition"

1. The short transition piece, "The Summer Night" (p14) is an extended kind of foreshadowing of _________.
2. Why does the taxpayer (p31) want to go to Mars so badly?  a) He feels he deserves it.  b) He really needs a vacation.  c) He just

     wants to.  d) He wants to escape what's happening on Earth.  d) All of the above.  e) None of the above.
 
3. What are the 4 theories that the men come up with to explain what they find on Mars?
4. What causes the men to abandon ship, against the captain's orders?
5. What was the real explanation for what they found on Mars?

Mars Facts and Pics

• Average temperature on Mars is about  -67, Martian surface temperatures range widely from as little as -207 at the winter pole to almost 80 on the day side during summer.
• A Martian year is  686.98 days.
• The pressure is only 1% of Earth's. Almost no atmosphere.
• Mars has permanent ice caps at both poles composed mostly of solid carbon dioxide ("dry ice").
• Pics and facts courtesy of nineplanets.org.

"And the Moon Still be as Bright"  up to p65. (14)

   1. Spender punches out Biggs because...
   2. When Spender and the captain talk about how the Martians might feel about the Earthmen being on Mars, the captain compares the Earthmen on Mars to... a) dogs roaming the neighborhood.  b) children playing on the lawn.  c) Cortez invading the new world.  d) American tourists in Mexico City
   3. On p56, we get a foreshadowing of what Spender will do later. What is it?
   4. What "event" seems to finally cause Spender to leave?
   5. Whom does Spender tell the men he is before he shoots them?
   6. Why does Spender at first spare Cheroke?
   7. (8) Put the following events in proper chronological order:
          * a) The men go check out a city.
          * b) Spender kills 5 crewmen.
          * c) Spender punches out Biggs.
          * d) Spender builds a fire.
          * e) The men party.
          * f) Spender leaves the ship and the crew.
          * g) The remaining crewmen set out to capture Spender.
          * h) The captain waves a white flag, and goes to talk to Spender.

"Green Morning" / "Night Meeting" / "The Musicians" / "The Locusts"
   1. What was Benjamin Driscoll's reaction to the "green morning"?
   2. Why is the short piece on p78 called "The Locusts"?
   3. How is the Mars of "Night Meeting" different than the Mars at the end of "The Green Morning"?
   4. Tomas's father compares life on Mars to a ________ with all kinds of different patterns.
   5. What scares and puzzles both Tomas and the Martian after they begin to communicate?
   6. Why does Tomas insist that he has to be the one from the future?
   7. In "Interim," what simile(s) does he use to show how much like Earth the new town was?
   8. (2) Explain who the "musicians" are and what their instruments are.
   9. "The Musicians" was foreshadowed by what previous story?
   1. What is Ray Bradbury's point in calling a story, "Locusts"?
   2. What character predicted what is happening to Mars?
   3. The Martians communicated through...?
   4. Tomas and the Martian realize that they have _________ in order to be meeting each other.
   5. At the end of "The Musicians" how much time has passed in the book?

"The Martian" / "The Luggage Store" / "The Off Season"

   1. What did "Tom's" "singing" that first night do to LaFarge's wife?  a) It made her understand that he was really a Martian.  b) It made her accept him as her real son.  c) It made her stupid. d) It made her remember her real son.
   2. How do we know that the real Tom died already?
   3. (2) What happened to Nomland? Why?
   4. Who else did "Tom" appear to be? (Bonus: Why might he have been trapped that way?)
Why does Tom shield his face when LaFarge starts to suspect Tom is a Martian?
Why might he be scared of the people in the town?

   1. (M) After the LaFarges get separated from "Tom" at the theatre, whom does he become?
   2. (M) Now we know why "Tom" was afraid of going to town. Don't we?
   3. (M) In the second-to-last paragraph, "Tom" transforms for a moment into a man with a very appropriate name. What?
   4. (LS) The word proprietor means... a) Earthman.  b) old person.  c) store owner. d) scientist.
   5. (LS) The proprietor think that most people on Mars will go back to Earth if there's a war there because "_______ _______ _______."
   6. BONUS: a) What's a valise? (Last sentence of LS.) b) (M) Why was one of "Tom's" eyes gold when he died?

   1. Parkhill used glass he had broken in the old Martian cities to decorate around his hot-dog stand. This is rather appropriate because back in the other story...?
   2. What threat does Parkhill use to try to get the Martian to go away?
   3. Why does Parkhill shoot the Martian? a) He hates Martians.  b) He thought the Martian wanted to steal from him.  c) He thought the bronze tube was a weapon. d) He wanted the Martian's land.
   4. Why doesn't Parkhill read the message the Martian brought? a) The Martian didn't get a chance to give it to him.  b) He can't read the Martian characters.  c) The bronze tube was empty.  d) The Martian read it to him.
   5. Instead of a car chase scene, we have a ______ _______ chase scene.

# What did "Tom's" "singing" that first night do to LaFarge's wife? a) It made her understand that he was really a Martian. b) It made her accept him as her real son. c) It made her stupid.d) It made her remember her real son.
# Why does Tom shield his face when LaFarge starts to suspect Tom is a Martian?
# The word proprietor means... a) Earthman.  b) old person.  c) store owner. d) scientist.
# The proprietor think that most people on Mars will go back to Earth if there's a war there because "______ ______  ______."
# What message did the Martians finally give to Sam? a) That he owns half of Mars. b) That he should get ready for a surprise. c) That the Martians are leaving. d) All of the above. e) None of the above.
# Why does Elma keep looking at the sky after the Martians give Sam the message?

"The Empty Towns"
   1. What do you think the expression, "the life of Reilly" (p154) means? What would your "life of Reilly" be like?
   2. How would it be different if the Walter character were a woman, and the man was like Genevieve?