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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 5, Morals, Chapter 6, Crime and Punishment.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Mencken NOT believe about the possibility for morality to change over time?
(a) Morality evolves and grows over time.
(b) Morality was determined in ancient times, and has not changed.
(c) Morality can adopt new ideas, like Christian beliefs.
(d) Different subsections of morality can grow over time.

2. How does Mencken feel about the overall capacity for virtue in the human race?
(a) Very few men are virtuous.
(b) Virtue is a nonsense term, because everything is relative.
(c) Everyone is virtuous, it's just a matter of uncovering it.
(d) Most people are virtuous, but a few people spoil it for everyone.

3. What is the relationship between free will and morality?
(a) Free will creates several difficulties for morality.
(b) Free will and morality work hand in hand in a positive way.
(c) Free will is the cause as well as the effect of morality.
(d) Free will has no relationship to morality.

4. Who does Mencken dub "The Lady of Joy"?
(a) A prostitute.
(b) The Virgin Mary.
(c) His wife.
(d) The happily married woman.

5. How did morality come to be, according to Mencken?
(a) Morality evolved from the innate sense of right and wrong in children.
(b) Morality is the product of the woman's insidious influence over man.
(c) Morality is a creation of the Christian church.
(d) Morality evolved from social practices required to survive.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the "believer" type of person inevitably do?

2. What is the purpose of monogamy, according to Mencken?

3. What is Mencken's opinion of the belief that man has a soul, according to Chapter 1?

4. In "female novels," how are males portrayed according to Mencken?

5. What is the "altruist" motivated by?

(see the answer key)

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