Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

Reading Check questions are designed for in-class review on key plot points or for quick verbal or written assessments. Multiple Choice and Short Answer Quizzes create ideal summative assessments, and collectively function to convey a sense of the work’s tone and themes.

Introduction-Chapter 3

Reading Check

1. In the Introduction, what does Roach say “plants a red flag” on her character?

2. In what university is the medical anatomy lab Roach visits in Chapter 1 located?

3. How many heads are in the medical anatomy lab?

4. In early surgery, what type of manual labor profession was surgery more akin to than a doctor?

Multiple Choice

1. In Chapter 1, why does Marilena (a surgeon) say she will not donate her body to science?

A) She has a rare blood disorder.

B) She feels the dead are treated with a lack of respect from other doctors.

C) It is against her religion.

D) She wants to be cremated, which is tradition in her family.

2. At what point in medical school are students first exposed to a real human cadaver?

A) gross anatomy lab

B) clinical pathology lab

C) anatomic pathology lab

D) biosafety lab

3. What group ritual do medical students perform before dissecting their first cadavers as a sign of respect/dignity to those who have donated their bodies to science?