Active Reading Questions Lightman

1)Yes it gave a good preview, it was about how we know, or could not know for our selves weather or not the earth is round or flat. The intro gives us the basic idea for the essay, and the conclusion gives us a sum up of the whole thing.
2)You really realize he is a scientist when he describes how it would feel to discover something for your self. I think that an artist or a social worker would probably not look that deeply into a subject like weather or not the earth is round or flat. That is not their line of work therefore they would pay less attention to it.
3)He uses a playful tone when he is saying how he didnt quite get to see what he was looking for because it was hazy outside. He says "At the very least, I thought, you would have a pleasent vacation." He uses more of a serious tone when he is talking of acnietn studies that show why those scientists think the earth is round or flat. The change in tones keeps the readers intrest up. If it was a mono tone then the reader might just feel like they are reading a boring biography.