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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. Whom did the judge in the animal abuse case attack?

2. What is it that Jensen believes shows the coyotes gratitude for the duck carcass?

3. What does the homeless man who sees Jensen digging in the trash offer him?

4. What do the geese do after the Gaddys' deaths?

5. In what sport does Jensen participate?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Jensen say that economics textbooks should be written in blood?

2. What is significant about Jensen's dream about the cranes?

3. In what ways does Jensen write in the chapter "The Safety of Metaphor" that the salmon and humans are similar?

4. Why does Jensen say that he can provide no scientific verification for conversations between humans and nonhumans?

5. How do the Semai resolve their arguments?

6. Describe one of the ways in which Jensen says that humans justify their actions even if these actions are cruel or make no sense.

7. How does Jensen's father rationalize the fact that he beats the members of his family?

8. What is the original meaning of the word "economics?"

9. What does Jensen list as some of the things that human being need?

10. What does Jensen write that current culture presupposes?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Consider the idea that some cultures do not thrive on violence but instead discourage it. Why do these cultures disappear?

Essay Topic 2

In several places in the novel, Jensen questions the idea of individual ownership. For instance, when Jensen cleans his barn he wonders if he owns the mice and can do with them as he wishes just because he owns the barn. What is your opinion of this idea of personal ownership? What can be owned and what cannot?

Essay Topic 3

Do you believe that a life is made more valuable by truly getting to know oneself? How do you think the world would work if everyone took the road that Jensen did? Are wage workers a necessity of modern society? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 773 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample