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Extract from the Text
We’ve got duplicate circuits... ‘Er—the second alarm circuit isn’t connected up yet’... part of the air purifier had frozen up, and the single alarm in the circuit had failed to go off.
Summary in Bullet Points
- Jim trusts the engineering system because it is designed with duplicate circuits.
- The protection is incomplete: the second alarm is not connected.
- A rare eclipse causes part of the purifier to freeze, while the connected alarm fails.
- The incident exposes the danger of assuming that a system works simply because it was designed to.
Board Pattern
Questions Mapped to Exam Format
Short Answer
2 marks
Why is Jim initially confident that the air cannot be dangerous?
2 Marks
How to answer:
Give the main idea and one supporting detail.
View Answer
Answer: He believes duplicate alarm circuits would detect any problem, so a silent alarm seems to prove the air is safe.
Longer Short Answer
3 marks
How does the failure of the alarm strengthen the story’s theme about technology?
3 Marks
How to answer:
Explain the point and show why it matters in the chapter.
View Answer
Answer: The station contains expensive engineering, yet an incomplete backup and a failed alarm leave the crew vulnerable. Technology is valuable, but it still requires maintenance, verification and independent warning systems.
