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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. Through what age range are the school children tracked?

2. When does Wolf visit Roseto?

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

4. With whom does Bill Gates found Microsoft?

5. What is the conclusion Terman comes to about high IQ children?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

4. Where is Roseto and who founded it?

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

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

7. With what definition does Gladwell open his book?

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

9. What does Wolf finally decide is the reason for the low number of heart disease-related deaths?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Kentucky is settled by people who come from a "culture of honor." Back in Britain, they are herdsmen and herding cultures worldwide have commonly developed such a culture, Gladwell explains. In a culture of honor, loyalty to one's family or clan is the most important thing. People from this background are driven to defend their families and are quick to respond to any perceived threat.

1. Discuss what a culture of honor is in your own words. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

2. Do you think honor can be a good value if used properly? Why or why not? Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

3. What do you think are the dangers in too much loyalty to one's family or a over blown sense of honor? Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Gladwell opens his book with a dictionary definition of the word "outlier." It is "something that is situated away from or classed differently from a main or related body," and also "a statistical observation that is markedly different in value from others of the sample." His first example of an outlier is the town of Roseto, Pennsylvania in the first half of the 20th century.

1. In your own words, give a definition of an outlier. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

2. Discuss the reasons you think outliers are valuable for research purposes. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

3. Explain, in your own words, why the town of Roseto, Pa. is an outlier and make-up another example of a town that would be an outlier. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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