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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 referenced a ten-year war of independence that took place in ___________.

3. Lessing believed history was a great __________.

4. What did Lessing reference as a method groups use to encourage others not to think?

5. According to Lessing, war causes humans to ____________.

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the purpose of cutting down a tree associated with a traitor? Why did Lessing find it ridiculous?

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

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

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

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

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

7. What comments did Lessing make about the length of time the white ruling class was in power in Rhodesia?

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

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

10. Why did Lessing suggest that strengthening individuality would lead to a better world in the future?

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

Mass insanity is a concept Lessing used to describe the tendency of people to accept ideas based on nothing found in reality. What did she mean by this?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 709 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample