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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. During the Korean War, who confessed to crimes they did not commit?

2. What would Lessing like schools or governments to teach?

3. What happened to the man who named his cat "King of Kings"?

4. People in democratic societies believe they are __________.

5. What did Margaret Thatcher hire an advertising company to manage?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why was Lessing opposed to mass emotion?

2. Why would a government or sect of any sort want to control its subjects through brainwashing?

3. Why did Lessing believe that insane people are the only ones safe against brainwashing?

4. What relationship does communism have with the individual?

5. What type of wars did Lessing live through?

6. Why do most people not want to hear about brainwashing?

7. Why would Margaret Thatcher use an advertising agency as a method to get elected?

8. Lessing stated that people in democratic societies are often fooling themselves on their level of freedom. Why?

9. What is the value of brainwashing to a government?

10. What type of ideas can be put into a subject's mind during the brainwashing process?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

According to Lessing, people have a tendency to follow a leader. Examine the concept of leadership and how it is acted out in society, citing examples from the text.

Essay Topic 2

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

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 579 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample