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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Gleick presents his intention to trace the growth of both the concept of information and information itself by identifying what key elements?
(a) Society and culture.
(b) The people and thinking that contributed to it.
(c) Origin and reliability of sources.
(d) Nation and type of governance.

2. In what manner was "A Table Alphabeticall" arranged?
(a) By importance.
(b) By frequency of use.
(c) Alphabetically.
(d) By popularity.

3. While working on plans for this "analytical engine," Babbage struck an acquaintance with what individual?
(a) Ada Lovelace.
(b) John Simpson.
(c) Isaac Newton.
(d) Lord Byron.

4. What uses one symbol to represent one "minimal sound"?
(a) Morse code.
(b) Sub-Saharan drums.
(c) Radio waves.
(d) The alphabet.

5. What jobs were created to handle the increasing number of telephone calls?
(a) Switchboard operators.
(b) Secretaries.
(c) Call center personnel.
(d) Office assistants.

Short Answer Questions

1. What was Claude Shannon fascinated with?

2. Eliminating noise in Shannon's model meant looking at language in terms of what factor?

3. What were conflicting statements created by the Principia Mathematica called?

4. What is a bit?

5. Why did Lovelace publish her mathematical arguments anonymously?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who first conceived the idea of a machine that could think and under what circumstances?

2. What were examples of the use of mathematics in the Babylonian culture?

3. Who was Claude Shannon?

4. How was binary code of 0s and 1s which is the foundation for computing first conceived and by whom?

5. What were the two stages of a "bit" as conceived by Claude Shannon?

6. What was the purpose of Cawdrey's wordbook, "A Table Alphabeticall?"

7. Who invented the "first" telegraph?

8. What did Claude Shannon create from examining the statistical makeup of the English language?

9. What culture developed the earliest known method of writing language with the use of pictures to represent things?

10. In modern times, what innovation has had the most impact on language?

(see the answer keys)

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