sample questions

The questionnaire has 14 questions and answers, and the three below are samples for each of the comic books.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR BABYGROW

3. How big is a fertilized egg?

RIGHT ANSWER: c) You can hardly see it without a microscope. Life starts real, real tiny and can get to be big, big, big as an elephant or a whale or a very tall and large human being.

WRONG ANSWERS: a) The whole world would make a big commotion, on every radio and tv station and in every government -- if the human’s fertilized egg was this big; b) or even this big! And the study of biology would never be the same.

4. Why does a fertilized egg become a blastocyst and then a zygote and then an embryo and then a fetus?

a) Doctors like fancy names? b) Mothers and fathers can’t call it it?
c) The names describe stages of growth? d) There’s no good reason.

RIGHT ANSWER: Well, doctors and scientists do like fancy names but the right answer is c) because it is easier to describe growth in stages with names. Most of these names came from the Greek and Latin. But often, names are used that are the name of the discoverer.

WRONG ANSWERS: a) Doctors often have funny names themselves, like Doppelgang or Wolfenville or Frankenstein; b) parents usually call an embryo and fetus by a pet name, like Flippy or genius or snuggletom – but not it! d) There’s almost always a reason why, even if it is not a good one.

13. Can the parents-to-be take care of the embryo or fetus?
a) Yes? b) No? c) Maybe?

RIGHT ANSWER: Oh, yes, yes, yes. They can play soft and pleasant music; they can avoid smoking and second-hand smoke; they can be sure that the mother-to-be eats the right kind of foods, and that she gets the right exercise; they can attend parenting classes and read everything possible about babies, baby-care, supplies and equipment; they can be sure to get the best prenatal care (before birth) available. That’s a big program, but after all they must take care of a miracle-in-the making!

WRONG ANSWER: No and Maybe just don’t cut it. All babies-to-be need a lot of care even before birth to get the best chance in life after they are born.