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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. With whom does Wolf speak at Roseto?

2. Who is Roger Barnsley?

3. Where does Langan once make an appearance that Gladwell mentions?

4. How is Langan's family situated financially?

5. How are children grouped to play hockey in the country Gladwell discusses?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How are students in the hockey leagues grouped and what is the way the children move into other leagues?

3. Why is the local physician's claim unusual, and what does Wolf decide to do?

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

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

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

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

8. Where is Roseto and who founded it?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Gladwell measured things such as to what extent the people of a country trust and follow authority, and with what degree of willingness. This measurement is called the "Power Distance Index" or PDI. Countries like the United States have a low PDI, meaning that people interact with figures of authority without much deference and are ready to challenge authority when the situation calls for it. Countries like South Korea and Colombia have a high PDI, meaning that they recognize many levels of authority in a cultural hierarchy and are reluctant to challenge authority.

1. Why do you think recognizing many levels of authority in a cultural hierarchy might influence a person to not challenge authority? Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

2. Give an example, not discussed in Outlier, and discuss, in depth, where challenging authority would have a negative result. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

3. Give an example, not discussed in Outlier, and discuss, in depth, where challenging authority would have a positive result. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful work of non-fiction?

2. Analyze and discuss Outliers based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if Outliers is a successful work of non-fiction/memoir.

3. Is Outliers a book you would recommend to a friend? Why or why not? Explain.

4. Can a non-fictional book be successful and yet many readers not enjoy it? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 3

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Malcolm Gladwell.

2. What in Gladwell's background may have helped him in writing Outliers? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

(see the answer keys)

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