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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. How does Gladwell say Martin Luther King Jr. prepared his team for their trip to Birmingham?

2. What does Sean MacStiofain say revolutions are caused by, in the first place?

3. What does Gladwell say the British war planners feared from German aerial bombardment in London?

4. What does Gladwell say was necessary for Wyatt Walker’s “Project C—” to work?

5. How does Gladwell say “Stella” has lost her class’ attention in the video of her classroom from the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Gladwell say happened in Montreal when the police went on strike?

2. What was Leon Gouré’s approach to American strategy the war in Vietnam?

3. What is Brer Rabbit’s secret power, According to Gladwell?

4. Where had Kellen gotten his background for the RAND job to consult on the Vietnam war?

5. What does Stella get wrong about teaching in the video Gladwell refers to, from the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia?

6. How does Gladwell say successful dyslexics typically feel about wishing dyslexia on their children?

7. What was Mike Reynolds' reaction when the disadvantages of the Three Strikes law became apparent?

8. What does Gladwell credit Bill Hudson’s photo of Walter Gadsden being attacked by the police dog in Birmingham with having done?

9. How does Gladwell see Wyatt Walker setting up the photo of the dog attack as evidence of the same law he see in dyslexics succeeding in spite of their condition?

10. In what way does Gladwell say that northern Ireland is just like a kindergarten classroom?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In addition to being a writer, Gladwell is known for his podcasts. Compare and contrast Gladwell’s book with a podcast episode. How are they similar, how are they different? Is Gladwell making podcast literary, or making books more like podcasts? In which genre does Gladwell come into his own?

Essay Topic 2

What are Gladwell’s intellectual blind spots? What are the kinds of behavior or complexity he tends not to see?

Essay Topic 3

Identify the most important points in David and Goliath. How is the book organized? How does this differ from how a novel is organized with plot points?

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