The Nine Billion Names of God (II)
radio drama based on the 1967 science fiction story by Arthur C. Clarke
Audio here:
http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~karchung/Nine%20Billion%20II.htm

Vocabulary:

to allow
holy place
monastery
to be hard on s.o.
discipline
father's farm
stones
pool
to breathe upon
to relax
stream
sensual world
physical world
mere appearances
unchanging
permanent
dove
incredible
absolute
silence
medicine
Not a chance, Chum.
sacred mission
to hire
old pal
General McCord
generator
scribes

 pleased
port
soldering iron
antique
lama
don't bother
thumb
motherboard
silicon chips
to reach down
to lift s.o. up
heaven
none of that
the end of the world
power
to give it a run
quiet
noisy
laser printers
state of the art
to program
formulas
miracles
generations
chanting
to put s.o. out of business
religion
to fall apart
 		to go crazy
to think of a possibility
ashram = a religious retreat
to save a life
grateful
destiny
to help s.o. get himself together
to be beyond s.o.'s help
education
...I'll tear your head off
to be in a big hurry
Marlene
Ted
diamonds
wealthy
necklace
to trust
frantic
to have a lot of growing up to do
windy
storm
to put one's arm around
to wonder
trying
to grow on
to listen for s.t.
to fade away
to vanish


Listening comprehension questions:

1. What meaning does the quiet place by the pool have for the chief lama?
2. How did Mr. Honestchuck challenge the chief lama regarding his feelings toward this place?
3. What defense does the chief lama offer?
4. What does Mr. Honestchuck now especially appreciate about this place?
5. How does Mr. Honestchuck feel about 'missions'?
6. What does Mr. Honestchuck mean when he says to the chief lama, 'You win.'?
7. Why does Mr. Honestchuck curse when working on the computer?
8. How does the boy, Narion, seem to feel about his job of helping Mr. Honestchuck?
9. Why is Narion at the monastery?
10. What two generous offers does Mr. Honestchuck make to people from the monastery?
11. What does Mr. Honestchuck mean when he says, 'Let's give it a run.'?
12. What reaction does Mr. Honestchuck imagine the monks will have when they see what the computer is doing?
13. What is Mr. Honestchuck grateful to the chief lama for?
14. What kind of 'reverse culture shock' does Mr. Honestchuck encounter after he returns to the US?
15. What do you think is the meaning of the final event of the story in terms of Mr. Honestchuck's spiritual state?

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