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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. To which Eastern European country was Aspillaga sent in 1986?

2. In what year did Aspillaga officially defect from Cuba?

3. What was the first name of the scientist named Levine who studied humans' capacity to detect lies?

4. What position did Michael McQueary once play on his university's football team?

5. Which element of the first meeting between Chamberlain and Hitler had the most profound effect on Chamberlain?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who was Fidel Castro?

2. What is the significance of the date June 6, 1987?

3. What was Nahuatl?

4. Who is Bernie Madoff?

5. Describe the structure of the trivia test used by Levine.

6. What fact does Gladwell find odd about Adolf Hitler, as described in Chapter 2: "Getting to Know der Fuhrer"?

7. In which era did large numbers of Cuban refugees defect from Cuba and why?

8. Who is Tim Levine and what does he do?

9. How many times in total did Neville Chamberlain meet with Hitler and why is this fact significant?

10. To what location was General Aspillaga posted and how did it change his outlook?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine Gladwell’s use of characterization methods to portray real people. What effect do these characterization methods have on the work's inherent themes and messages?

Essay Topic 2

What is Gladwell's message regarding the difference between awareness and activism and how does Gladwell get this message across to the reader?

Essay Topic 3

How is the theme of injustice portrayed within Talking to Strangers? Examine Gladwell's treatment of and messages regarding injustice throughout the work.

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