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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 is an inviolate part of the school year?

2. Why does Flom and those of his generation have their pick of good schools?

3. Where do Cohen and Nisbett conduct an experiment?

4. Where does it crash?

5. What did the early American educational theorists claim about long hours of school?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Gladwell say about early American educational theorists?

2. What experiment do Dov Cohen and Richard Nisbett conduct in the 1990s?

3. Who is Joe Flom?

4. What evidence is there that summer vacations may be hindering the success of many students?

5. How does Harlan gain notoriety in its early days?

6. How does PDI explain the crash of the Colombian airliner?

7. What is KIPP and who are its students?

8. How does understanding math relate to growing rice?

9. What are proxy wars?

10. What is Gladwell's general premise about the connection between growing rice and the success of Asian peoples?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 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

Gladwell gives the example of Harlan, Kentucky to introduce a discussion of how a person's cultural legacy can affect their success.

1. Define cultural legacy in your own words and give an example of it that is not in Outliers.

2. Discuss two examples of cultural legacy that are beneficial to an individual. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

3. Define, according to the values of honor, integrity, hard work, response to authority and honesty what you think your cultural legacy is. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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