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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. Why does Langan drop out of the second college he attends?

2. What band does Gladwell examine in this chapter?

3. What is the main business of Roseto in the early years of its founding?

4. Where does Langan grow up?

5. Where does this band get their start playing?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Joy and some of his fellow students make it possible to use the computers more than is allowed and what is the result?

2. What experiment does Lewis Terman carry out beginning in the 1920s?

3. What did the experiment track and what are the results?

4. When are most of Canada's best hockey players born, and why does Barnley think that is so?

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

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

7. Who is Robert Oppenheimer and what does he accomplish?

8. What is the origination of the title of this chapter, "The Matthew Effect"?

9. Why is the local physician's claim unusual, and what does Wolf decide 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 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 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

Gladwell cites the results of a study by a math professor named Alan Schoenfeld who looks at the way people learn math. Schoenfeld discovers that it takes time for most students to grasp a mathematical concept. Many western students simply give up on difficult math problems or concepts rather than take the time to fully grasp the concept. Students who are willing and able to put in more work are going to gain a more meaningful and deep grasp of math.

1. Do you agree with Alan Schoenfeld's assessment of Asians and math, that they spent more time learning it or do you think they just have brains that work better in a mathematical manner? Why or why not? Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

2. Do you think children in America should attend school more hours and have more homework? Why or why not? Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

3. Give an example of a skill you wish to learn that you would be willing to spend a great deal of time on and discuss a plan of how you would improve your skill. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,205 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample