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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 believe old literature to be?

2. Lessing would like society to be ___________.

3. Lessing believes the reaction of both Christians and Leftists to opposition is a form of ___________.

4. How did the whites feel about the blacks in Rhodesia?

5. When the bull keeper was killed, who asked for compensation?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What was the political climate in Lessing's country when she was growing up?

3. According to Lessing, how is the group mentality different from individual mentality?

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

5. What is remarkable about the fact that the blacks were treated as second class citizens in Rhodesia?

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

7. What did Lessing mean when she said that groups will often "vilify their opposition"?

8. What ideas do the quotes prior to "When in the Future They Look Back on Us" demonstrate?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

During the Korean War, U.S. soldiers were brainwashed into confessing crimes they did not commit. This began a government investigation into brainwashing. How might government knowledge of brainwashing affect society?

Essay Topic 2

Lessing believed that the word "blood" is a powerful one when it comes to inciting emotion.

1) Why did she find the word "blood" significant?

2) What are some examples she gives to support this theory?

3) What are the implications regarding human nature and violence?

Essay Topic 3

Lessing believed that, throughout history, a group mentality has prevented people from standing up to thoughts and ideas that caused harm to others. Citing examples from the text, discuss the various moments throughout history where group mentality was dominant over reason. Include the following:

1) Hitler's regime.

2) The witch trials.

3) Religious sects.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 669 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample