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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. Who are the Borgenichts?

2. What determines the amount of crops taken by the government each year?

3. What does a feudal lord take from his farmers?

4. What is not unique in Harlan?

5. Of what heritage is Joe Flom?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. What is KIPP and who are its students?

4. Describe the plane crash of Korean Airlines Flight 801 in 1997.

5. How does the crash of Flight 801 fit a pattern for Korean Airlines?

6. Who is Joe Flom?

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

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

9. Where is Harlan, and who settled it?

10. What is the third lesson of Joe Flom?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hostile takeovers become more and more common and Flom and others receive more and more work. Finally, the white shoe firms come around and start to take on the work, but by this time Flom has so much more experience at it that he is able to command a large part of the business and surpass many of the established firms. Had he not been excluded for being Jewish when he first started, he would have lost the advantage, Gladwell explains.

1. Explain irony in the context of Joe Flom's success. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

2. Do you think the way the circumstances changed in the law profession might have made the white Christian lawyers decide prejudice was not in their best interest? Why or why not? Use examples from Outliers and your own life to support your answer.

3. Make up an example of how a minority in your school might be successful at an endeavor because of prejudice. Use examples from Outliers and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

The suggestion Gladwell takes from these numbers is that while efforts are being made to reduce class size and improve school facilities, the facts point to a simpler solution for children who are falling behind in school. They need more of it.

This is part of the philosophy behind the KIPP Academy. Students are at school until 5 o'clock in the evening. They attend class on Saturdays, and go for an extra three weeks in the summer. They spend on average fifty percent more time in class than students in the regular schools.

1. Discuss, in depth, why educators believe smaller class size would help students. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

2. Explain why you would or would not be willing to attend KIPP. Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

3. Do you think education is the most important part of a child's life or do you think it is secondary to other areas? Why or why not? Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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