View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did people think of the farmer's decision to punish the bull?

2. When did the political group Lessing belonged to in Rhodesia fall apart?

3. What does Lessing hope will one day change human behavior?

4. What idea was popular prior to Hitler and the Cold War?

5. Who wrote the Arthasastra?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

5. Lessing believed that if humans could learn from our history, we could change our future in what respect?

6. Why did Lessing feel that our ability to consider differing viewpoints might save the human race?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

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 3

Examine one of the following examples, supporting or refuting Lessing's belief that these groups vilified the opposition in order to uphold their cause.

1) The miner who was beaten in Britain.

2) The Christian religion.

3) The political Left.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 678 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample