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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does the author say about the statement: "I am a feminist"?
(a) She does not think that women want to back up the statement with actions.
(b) She worries that it is not forceful enough.
(c) This statement allows women to feel more empowered and gain more respect.
(d) She says it may imply a rigid us vs. them mentality or belief system.

2. What can happen to women in light of the social views about their gender?
(a) There is no proof that social attitudes affect individual choices.
(b) Women can simply imitate men and these views will not affect them.
(c) Nothing happens to women; they are not influenced by social attitudes.
(d) Women can absorb these views and manifest them in their lives in negative ways.

3. What was the author's initial experience in women's groups?
(a) White women did not treat women of color as equals.
(b) She found solidarity with women from very different backgrounds.
(c) Everyone was really open-minded.
(d) No one would look at her.

4. What question does the author raise about the desire for equality with men?
(a) When will men decide to share their power?
(b) Why do women want equality with men?
(c) How come more women don not see the value in imitating male models of power?
(d) There are degrees of "equality" within the male gender, so with which men are women supposed to want equality?

5. What is the main relationship discussed in Chapter 5?
(a) The relationship between women and technology.
(b) The relationship between senior women and feminism.
(c) The relationship between men and the feminist movement.
(d) The relationship between feminism and civil rights

6. What is the author's contention about the feelings that defined sisterhood?
(a) She thinks they have a lot to do with insecurity around men.
(b) Actually, she does not see anything wrong with them.
(c) She finds them to be unjustified.
(d) She suggests that they support sexist, patriarchal attitudes towards women.

7. In the first chapter, how does the author characterize the perspective of the women involved in the early feminist movement?
(a) They thought working women were not true feminists.
(b) They saw all women as oppressed but had no real awareness of the life of a non-white, non-middle class women.
(c) Their perspective is difficult to pin down since they were from many different social backgrounds.
(d) They were overly concerned with saving poor women.

8. In the author's view, is it valid to define feminism in terms of creating a sense of community?
(a) The definition is too vague to be useful.
(b) Yes, this should be part of the universal definition of feminism.
(c) She claims that non-white, lower class women, who already have a strong sense of community may not find this definition adequate.
(d) Community is something that all women lack so it is way to define feminism.

9. In the Preface to the second edition, what is the first factor considered by black parents when a child is born, according to the author?
(a) Gender, then size.
(b) Race, then gender.
(c) Race, then size.
(d) Gender, then race.

10. For the author, what is the relationship between traditional beliefs about the family and society at large?
(a) Traditional beliefs about the family and the relationships within it are grounded in ll the other forms of discrimination at work in American society.
(b) She credits changes in society with destroying the traditional family structure.
(c) She thinks that the family is a haven from society.
(d) She does not see any relationship between the two.

11. How does the author see feminism and the family?
(a) She feels ambivalent about the relationship between the two.
(b) Her definition of feminism is one that is pro-family.
(c) She believes that the traditional family structure is fine the way it is and feminists should not try to change it.
(d) She thinks feminists that reject the family completely are justified in doing so.

12. How does the author view the concept of personal freedom?
(a) It promises to be an idea around which the feminist movement can rally.
(b) It is an honorable and uplifting concept.
(c) It is grounded in preserving the patriarchal, capitalist, individualist status quo.
(d) It runs the risk of promoting sexual infidelity.

13. From which position (or perspective) does the author claim to write in her analysis of feminism and its social manifestations?
(a) From a foreign perspective.
(b) From the margins.
(c) From a religious perspective.
(d) From an elite position.

14. In the Preface to the second edition (2000), how does the author describe the original reception of her book?
(a) It was rejected by mainstream feminists.
(b) Women of color claimed it focused mostly on white women so they rejected it.
(c) It was embraced by all feminists for its thought-provoking content.
(d) It started a riot.

15. According to the author, challenges to to sisterhood can exist between white women and women of color; between which other groups does she say that they can exist?
(a) Only between women from different social classes.
(b) Between women from different universities.
(c) Between different groups of non-white women, women of different classes and/or races/ethnicities, and women of different sexual orientations.
(d) Challenges to sisterhood do not really occur between other groups of women.

Short Answer Questions

1. In the Preface (2000), what examples does the author give of the problematic status of women in contemporary society?

2. What must happen in order for women to create true sisterhood?

3. What general statement does the author make about men that may seem to contradict her other claims?

4. What must be learned in order for the feminist movement to be successful?

5. How does the author view women's desires and attempts to be like white men?

(see the answer keys)

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