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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did the early American educational theorists claim about long hours of school?

2. What does Korean airlines determine about their flight crew members?

3. Where does it crash?

4. Gladwell says the Borgenichts are successful but never what?

5. What is the Colombian pilot's attitude when he communicates the plane's situation to the air traffic controller?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Gladwell think is the cause of families feuding?

2. How do the students at KIPP Academy differ from those of other public schools?

3. Who is Joe Flom?

4. What is the second part of the experiment and the final result?

5. How do Korean Airlines change their bad record of crashes?

6. Why is Flom willing to work proxy wars?

7. What does Suren Ratwatte say about a Colombian airliner that crashes in New York?

8. What is the second lesson of Joe Flom?

9. What does Gladwell say about early American educational theorists?

10. What is entailed in growing rice?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Gladwell cites the results of a study by a math professor named Alan Schoenfeld who looks at the way people learn math. Schoenfeld discovers that it takes time for most students to grasp a mathematical concept. Many western students simply give up on difficult math problems or concepts rather than take the time to fully grasp the concept. Students who are willing and able to put in more work are going to gain a more meaningful and deep grasp of math.

1. Do you agree with Alan Schoenfeld's assessment of Asians and math, that they spent more time learning it or do you think they just have brains that work better in a mathematical manner? Why or why not? Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

2. Do you think children in America should attend school more hours and have more homework? Why or why not? Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

3. Give an example of a skill you wish to learn that you would be willing to spend a great deal of time on and discuss a plan of how you would improve your skill. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

In the essay, "My First Impressions of the U.S.A., Einstein talks about what he calls the "cult of individuals." Gladwell states that Americans do not feel the need to obey authority. Discuss the following:

1. How would a "cult of individuals" explain why Americans are not intimidated by authority? Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

2. Discuss ways in which Koreans' response to authority was partly responsible for the dismal accident record of Korean Airlines. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

3. Discuss the pros and cons of a society based upon a "cult of individuals." Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Gladwell gives the reader an overview of his ideas about success in Outliers. Discuss one of the following:

1. Discuss Gladwell's opinions of three topics he discussed in relation to success. Do you agree or disagree with him? Why? Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

2. Compare and contrast Gladwell's opinions from Outliers with what you might imagine Gladwell's opinion might be had he lived 100 years ago. How do you think his opinions would change? Would they remain the same? Explain fully. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

3. Discuss how you think Gladwell's view on several topics from this essay informs his life as a researcher. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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