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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 say has a threshold?

2. What computer language does Joy help create?

3. From what country are the hockey players that Gladwell discusses?

4. How does Terman find appropriate subjects for his research?

5. What does Gladwell say Roseto, Pennsylvania is an example of?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Langan working on and when does he expect to publish it?

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

3. Who is Bill Joy and what did he do?

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

5. Who is Chris Langan?

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

7. What does having a high IQ give a person?

8. What does Wolf investigate and what does he learn?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Wolf concludes that there is something about the town itself that keeps its residents free from heart disease. He discovers that the town has a very high sense of community. People are very social and several generations of families live together. There are many clubs and other organizations and people are involved with their community. These seem to be contributing conditions to the relative good health of the residents of Roseto. It is not who they are as individuals, but where they are from that keeps them healthy.

1. Why do you think being a member of a close-knit community might make a person healthier? Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

2. Do you think a group of individuals from the same area who are more unhealthy than the average American could be unhealthy because of where they live? Why or why not? Make up an example of why this might be true. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

3. Discuss what makes a community close-knit and how a small town that does not have a close-knit community might be able to promote one. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:

1. Fully explain why you think Outliers is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?

2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.

3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.

4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?

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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