View a FREE sample

This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Where does David’s stone hit Goliath?
(a) Nose.
(b) Forehead.
(c) Heart.
(d) Jaw.

2. What is the name of the valley in which David and Goliath faced off?
(a) Elah.
(b) Judaean.
(c) Aijalon.
(d) Shephelah.

3. Why dose Gary Cohn say he left school?
(a) He was failing.
(b) He was being bullied.
(c) He was being abused.
(d) He was bored and angry.

4. How did Gary Cohn get his big break?
(a) He talked his way into the executive washroom.
(b) He shared a cab with a trader.
(c) He fell in with a party playing golf.
(d) He met executives through friends.

5. Who was most likely to be in Harvard’s “happy bottom quarter” (90)?
(a) Musicians.
(b) Engineers.
(c) Athletes.
(d) Scientists.

6. Why does Gladwell say Goliath wanted David to come to him?
(a) Because he did not want to leave his lines.
(b) Because he wanted to be within range of his archers.
(c) Because he could not carry his weapons to David.
(d) Because he could not see him.

7. What is the one factor Gladwell seems to measure college success by?
(a) Depth of understanding.
(b) Relevance of insights.
(c) Richness of expression.
(d) Income upon graduation.

8. How old does Gladwell say Ranadivé was, when he came to the U.S.?
(a) 10.
(b) 6.
(c) 12.
(d) 17.

9. What does Gladwell say Goliath’s attendant was acting as?
(a) His protector.
(b) His visual guide.
(c) His water bearer.
(d) His arms bearer.

10. When do dyslexics typically get a diagnosis, according to Gladwell?
(a) Five or six.
(b) Six or seven.
(c) Eight or nine.
(d) Ten or eleven.

11. What does Gladwell say caused Goliath’s enormous size?
(a) Megacephaly.
(b) Genetics.
(c) Acromegaly.
(d) Rigorous training.

12. How tall does Gladwell say the tallest man in the world was?
(a) 8’1”.
(b) 9’1”.
(c) 7’8”.
(d) 8’11”.

13. How does “relative deprivation” explain the greater sense of dissatisfaction in the Air Force than in the Military Police, according to Sam Stouffer’s study (78)?
(a) If promotions are commonplace, people who get them are not excited about it.
(b) If promotions are rare, people who do not get promoted still feel depressed.
(c) If promotions are rare, people who get them still feel deprived.
(d) If promotions are easy, people who do not get them feel worse than if they are rare.

14. How does Gladwell say Ranadivé’s opponents responded to his strategy?
(a) They fouled more.
(b) They got angry.
(c) They improved their skills.
(d) They adapted.

15. What does Gladwell say dyslexia is?
(a) A problem in how people hear and manipulate sounds.
(b) A problem with reading.
(c) A problem with speaking.
(d) A problem with reading aloud.

Short Answer Questions

1. How many new teachers does Gladwell say American schools hired between 1996 and 2004?

2. According to Gladwell, where did most Salon paintings take their themes from?

3. Why does Gladwell say Boies made a good lawyer?

4. How did Brian Grazer turn his dyslexia into an advantage?

5. What technical aspect of the game of basketball did Ranadivé take advantage of?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 530 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample