The Great Silence

By Ted Chiang

USE QUOTES and FULL SENTENCES

1. Does the Fermi paradox hold any validity in your opinion? Answer in a well thought out, but
small paragraph.

2. What does the final message mean?

3. “It makes sense to remain quiet and avoid attracting attention.” – True advice for more than just
parrots. What does this statement infer? What are some examples in which this statement
could be analogous in a broader sense.

4. What is the Great Silence? Is there a parallel to life on this planet and the Great Silence? Explain.

5. How does Arecibo hear the voice of creation? What is the voice of creation?

6. List the ways in which parrots demonstrated their intelligence. Explain what makes parrots
exceptional when juxtaposed with other species?

7. Descartes said “cogito, ergo sum” which means, “I think, therefore I am.” X said “I speak,
therefore I am.” How do we measure intelligence? Is it language? Speech? In a small well-
thought paragraph, tell me what intelligence means to you.

8. What is the common thread throughout the various religions?

9. The Arecibo message is: 1. The numbers 1-10 2. The atomic numbers of hydrogen, carbon,
nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorous, which make up DNA 3. The formulas for sugars and bases in
the nucleotides of DNA 4. The number of nucleotides in DNA and a graphic of DNA. 5. A figure of
a human, and the human population on Earth 6. The Solar System 7. Arecibo Observatory and
the diameter of transmitter.

a. Illustrate this
b. What could they hope to gain from this message?
c. What could this message mean?