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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. Where does the incident take place that Eagleman describe from 1966?

2. What does Eagleman say is difficult?

3. How does Eagleton support his statement about what is or is not hard wired into our brains?

4. What does Eagleman say the majority of criminals are?

5. What question does Eagleman pose about the actor?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Eagleman say about our ability to perceive light versus that of insects?

2. What does Eagleman suggest about our culpability in our actions, particularly males?

3. What does Eagleman say about the abilities of a bloodhound?

4. What incident does Eagleman discuss concerning Mel Gibson?

5. What does Eagleman write about Kenneth Parks?

6. How does Eagleman compare the conscious mind to our senses?

7. What happens when the frontal cortex is damaged?

8. Explain the physical division in the brain and what can happen if the two hemispheres are severed.

9. What does Eagleman say about a man named Alex?

10. How does a rat react to conflicting choices?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Our intuition tells us that we experience the world as it actually exists, Eagleman explains in chapter two. But we are actually unaware of most of what is happening. We can move an arm and be aware that it has moved, but we are unconscious of the flurry of neural impulses that caused the arm to move. Eagleman proposes an analogy that consciousness is like a newspaper, where complicated processes have been compressed into headlines. We read these "headlines" with our conscious minds while remaining unaware of the full "story."

1. Why do you think our intuition tells us the world we experience actually exists? Use examples from your own life and Incognito to support your answer.

2. Thinking back to yesterday, discuss ideas, actions or thoughts of which you may not have been aware. Use examples from your own life and Incognito to support your answer.

3. Do you think humans need to be more aware of the "behind the scenes" of any behavior or action? Why or why not? Use examples from your own life and Incognito to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Eagleman dismisses the assumption that all people are equally equipped to make sound and rational decisions. We are all at the mercy of the unconscious workings of our minds, and our ultimate behavior is a result of the biological balance within our brain. As an example, he points out that the overwhelming number of criminals are male. This suggests that there is a genetic component to the balance among the various rival parts of the brain.

1. Do you think that all people are equally equipped to make sound and rational decisions? Why or why not? Use examples from your own life and Incognito to support your answer.

2. Do you believe you are at the mercy of your unconscious mind? Why or why not? Use examples from your own life and Incognito to support your answer.

3. What kinds of balance between emotional and rational thoughts and feelings do you encounter in your life? Does the rational or emotional part of your brain have more sway over you? Why? Use examples from your own life and Incognito to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Incognito belongs to the non-fiction genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the non-fiction genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a nonfiction book and a novel?

(see the answer keys)

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