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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. Where do Cohen and Nisbett conduct an experiment?

2. When is Joe Flom born?

3. Of what does Gladwell say the average student needs more?

4. What do the ask some college-aged men to do?

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

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What is the second lesson of Joe Flom?

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

4. How do Korean Airlines change their bad record of crashes?

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

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

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

8. What are proxy wars?

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

10. How does understanding math relate to growing rice?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Gladwell writes his opinions on education in the public schools as opposed to pilot schools or Asian schools. Discuss one of the following:

1. Discuss and analyze three major ideas Gladwell has about education.

2. How are Gladwell's ideas about education supported by his research? Or not? Discuss with examples.

3. Discuss what a school would be like that uses all of Gladwell's ideas about education. Use examples from Outliers 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

Gladwell has cited a number of people in this book. Discuss he following:

1. Choose three people whom Gladwell mentions positively and give a brief idea of his opinions about those three people (or stereotypes). Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

2. Choose three people whom Gladwell mentions negatively and give a brief idea of his opinions about those three people (or stereotypes). Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

3. Judging what Gladwell says about different people in his text, how would you characterize him as a friend? As a colleague? Use examples from Outliers to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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