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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. The author points out that one may not realize just how little ___________ one has over the mind and its abilities.

2. That said, some people will have troubles with some stress inducers, but will ___________in the face of others.

3. A person should seek to form a job in such a way that it resembles a _______ activity, such as weaving or hunting.

4. __________ skills tend to reach their formation in the late adolescent years, according to the author's findings.

5. One of the most rewarding and complex relationships one will ever deal with is that of _____________.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does it mean when someone overcomes adversity without any gathering of material possessions?

2. What does the author believe happens when the mind doesn't have any real demands for its attention?

3. What is a more compelling way to occupy the mind and to expand the consciousness of the mind?

4. What can the use of one's memory help a person do in his life?

5. What kind of animals does the author say that humans are by nature?

6. What are the two basic responses to stress that people tend to fall into when they are faced with such a challenge?

7. What are the three basic things a person needs to cope with the obstacles in one's life, according to this section of the book?

8. What are some of the downsides of solitude when it is not actively pursued for a person?

9. What does striving for flow seem like for a person who is having trouble making ends meet in his life?

10. How does a person prevent himself from having to dwell on negative thoughts in the brain?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Freud said that people need to have love and work in order to be happy in their lives.

Part 1: Why is work an important part of being happy according to Freud?

Part 2: Why is love an important part of being happy according to Freud?

Part 3: Do you think you need love and work to be happy? Why? Why not?

Essay Topic 2

Changing your reaction to the events in your life that upset you can lead to happiness even in the face of trauma.

Part 1: Why do you think changing your reaction is a way to create happiness?

Part 2: Do you think it's easy to change your reaction to difficult situations?

Part 3: How can one learn to change their reactions to situations? Or can't they? Is this an inherent quality of only some people?

Essay Topic 3

The author presents the idea that flow can be something which may be planned or something which may be spontaneous.

Part 1: Do you agree that flow can be spontaneous or planned? Why?

Part 2: How do you think the flow can be planned? Doesn't that seem to contradict the idea of something flowing?

Part 3: Why do you think that flow is easy to capture in both manners according to the author?

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This section contains 720 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample