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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 unusual seed did the Grants find on Genovesa after El Niño?

2. From how far away do the Grants take photographs of the finches for their research?

3. What plants did the Grants find growing on Nuñez?

4. Weiner compares the Cactus finch to whom in the beginning of Chapter 2?

5. At what university did Lisle Gibbs study?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe a typical workday for the Grants on Daphne Major.

2. Explain the significance of the Tribulus seed for Darwin's finches.

3. Which Fortis finches survived the drought of 1977, and why?

4. Describe Darwin's personal life after returning to England.

5. Explain the occurrence of natural selection that Dolph Schluter found in the sparrows.

6. How do the Grants collect blood samples from the finches?

7. Compare and contrast evolution as seen through the fossil record and as observed in real time.

8. Explain Darwin's "eureka" from Chapter 10.

9. Describe some of the differences between the finch species in the Galapagos.

10. What did Lack discover about the finches, and how was it significant?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explicate and defend Weiner's use of epigraphs in the book.

Essay Topic 2

Describe Weiner's use of metaphor in explicating the information he presents, citing the finches' resemblance to Sisyphus as an example.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of journey as it is presented throughout the book, culminating with its appearance in the epilogue.

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