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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 Lessing hope will one day change human behavior?

2. Lessing would like society to be ___________.

3. Which leader of the miner's strike was referenced by Lessing?

4. What does Lessing believe that humans know?

5. How old is the Arthasastra?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did Lessing believe the tendency to buy into vilification was a form of popular lunacy?

2. Why was Lessing discouraged by the application of behavioral data uncovered through the "soft sciences"?

3. In the anecdote about killing the bull, what did Lessing suggest that the farmer's revenge actions on the bull demonstrated?

4. When onlookers recognize that others are lying, Lessing believed they refuse to protest the lies for what purpose?

5. Why was Lessing not surprised by the story of the attack on the British miner who was beaten by his friends?

6. What was Lessing's opinion regarding war as a basis of our mentality?

7. Why did Lessing believe sub-groups with opposing positions were dangerous?

8. What service did Lessing feel that novelists brought to the world?

9. As Lessing looked ahead, how would people of the future feel, considering our lack of ability to change?

10. Why did Lessing join a communist group in Rhodesia?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Akhnaton was an Egyptian ruler who changed the concept of Egyptian religion in spite of popular opinion.

1) What factors allowed Akhaton to be a free thinker?

2) What was the response from the masses?

3) What effect did his decision have on the future?

Essay Topic 2

The mob mentality is an idea Lessing attributes to many of the shortcomings of the human race.

1) What is the mob mentality?

2) How does it work when a problem is at hand?

3) At what point does this mentality serve as a detriment to society?

Essay Topic 3

Support or refute the following statement, citing examples from the text, "The mob mentality has dominated individual thought throughout history."

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 636 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample