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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. What band does Gladwell examine in this chapter?

2. What does Gladwell say one has to have to gain success?

3. With whom does Wolf speak at Roseto?

4. How are Oppenheimer's social skills?

5. Which country's public school system has a similar effect to that found in Hungarian and Czechoslovakian soccer leagues?

Short Essay Questions

1. What makes Roseto an "outlier" town and how does this fact come to light?

2. What does IQ stand for and who developed a test to measure it?

3. What does Anders Ericcson learn in a study he makes of musicians?

4. Who is Chris Langan?

5. To what does Gladwell attribute the difference between Langan and Oppenheimer?

6. What table of data does Gladwell insert in his book at this point?

7. What are the unusual circumstances in the timing of Bill Joy's career in computer programming?

8. Where is Langan at the time Gladwell writes his book?

9. What does Gladwell say Langan does not seem to be able to do?

10. Describe Chris Langan's childhood and college years.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Gladwell in writing about Joe Flom cites anti-Semitism as part of the reason for Joe's success. Discuss one of the following:

1. Define anti-Semitism and give examples of it from both Outliers and other sources.

2. Do you think anti-Semitism still exists in the United States? Explain.

3. Discuss the ways in which racism influenced Malcolm Gladwell's family. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Gladwell writes his opinions on education in the public schools as opposed to pilot schools or Asian schools. Discuss one of the following:

1. Discuss and analyze three major ideas Gladwell has about education.

2. How are Gladwell's ideas about education supported by his research? Or not? Discuss with examples.

3. Discuss what a school would be like that uses all of Gladwell's ideas about education. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Chapter 5 is called "The Three Lessons of Joe Flom." Joe Flom is a partner in a very successful New York law firm.

1. Discuss, in depth, the three lessons of Joe Flom. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

2. How do you think the lessons of Joe Flom might relate to the idea of fate or destiny? Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

3. Do you think Joe's success, in his circumstances, was because he was Jewish or do you think any discriminated against minority might have fared the same? Why or why not? Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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