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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In the beginning of "Chapter Six: The Measure of Humanity," what physical characteristic is the basis for Wilkerson's imaginary caste system?
(a) Eye color.
(b) Shoe size.
(c) Sex.
(d) Height.

2. In "Pillar Number Six: Dehumanization and Stigma," what is the best definition of the word "stigma"?
(a) A cultural system of disguised aggressions.
(b) The practice of separating or segregating something believed to be polluted.
(c) A set of negative beliefs attached to a particular characteristic, action, object, etc.
(d) A marking believed to indicate evil, corruption, etc.

3. In "Chapter Six: The Measure of Humanity," where does Wilkerson say the term "Caucasian" came from?
(a) An eighteenth century novel about a fictional people who migrated from Central Europe to Western Europe.
(b) A Sanskrit word that originally referred not to race but to caste.
(c) A German professor who thought a skull from the Caucasus Mountains was especially attractive.
(d) A long-discredited theory about human origins in Western Russia.

4. In the 1863 Draft Riots, what immigrant group perpetrated violence against Blacks?
(a) Irish.
(b) Chinese.
(c) Italians.
(d) Germans.

5. In what year did Alabama repeal its law against interracial marriage?
(a) 1967.
(b) 1920.
(c) 1866.
(d) 2000.

Short Answer Questions

1. On page 68 of "Chapter Six: The Measure of Humanity," what does Wilkerson say is "one of the most contentious and misunderstood" words in American culture?

2. When legislation was finally adopted to limit the workday of enslaved persons, how long did their workday become?

3. In "Pillar Number One: Divine Will and the Laws of Nature," what is Wilkerson's central claim?

4. As Wilkerson explains on page 9, under what circumstances can mental health professionals make a diagnosis public?

5. About how many years did American slavery last?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain the titular analogy in "An Old House and an Infrared Light."

2. In "An America Untouchable," what is the purpose of the many examples of historical writings?

3. For what reason does Wilkerson say that race is a social concept, not a biological one?

4. According to "A Long-Running Play and the Emergence of Caste in America," what was the original justification for lifetime enslavement, and how did that justification need to change as circumstances changed?

5. Explain the analogy that Wilkerson makes in "The Vitals of History."

6. In "Pillar Number Six: Dehumanization and Stigma," what similarities does Wilkerson see between the treatment of Blacks in the time of slavery and Jews entering Nazi camps?

7. What explanation does Wilkerson give of the origins of caste in Hindu scriptures in "Pillar Number One: Divine Will and the Laws of Nature"?

8. In "Pillar Number Four: Purity versus Pollution," what claim does Wilkerson make about water, and how does she support her claim?

9. Summarize the analogy Wilkerson makes between the thawing of the Siberian permafrost and the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

10. Explain the analogy that Wilkerson makes between caste and a play.

(see the answer keys)

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