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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. How is the pilot described?

2. What does Gladwell think is the reason for the success of the KIPP Academy?

3. What does the ground have to be like for a successful rice paddy?

4. What can Chinese farmers do if they produce more than the taxed amount?

5. Who are the Hatfields and McCoys?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Flom willing to work proxy wars?

2. What does Gladwell think is the cause of families feuding?

3. What is the third lesson of Joe Flom?

4. What does Suren Ratwatte say about a Colombian airliner that crashes in New York?

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

6. Who is Joe Flom?

7. How do the students at KIPP Academy differ from those of other public schools?

8. Explain the term "Power Distance Index" and who coins the term.

9. How is a work ethic related to growing rice?

10. What is entailed in growing rice?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 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

Outliers belongs to the non-fiction genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the non-fiction genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a non-fiction and a novel?

(see the answer keys)

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