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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 does Gladwell delay discussing until the next chapter?

2. Where does this band get their start playing?

3. What was the leading killer of men under the age of 65 in the 1950s?

4. What do Barnsley and a colleague find when they do further investigation into the entire country's professional hockey teams?

5. Who is Roger Barnsley?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Gladwell write about the rock group called The Beatles?

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

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

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

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

6. What does Gladwell say a surface examination of the Canadian hockey league system would suggest?

7. What does Gladwell assert about intelligence and what analogy does he use?

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Gladwell has cited a number of people in this book. Discuss he following:

1. Choose three people whom Gladwell mentions positively and give a brief idea of his opinions about those three people (or stereotypes). Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

2. Choose three people whom Gladwell mentions negatively and give a brief idea of his opinions about those three people (or stereotypes). Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

3. Judging what Gladwell says about different people in his text, how would you characterize him as a friend? As a colleague? Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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