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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 4.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What apparently selfish act of gulls does the author describe?
(a) Fighting for fish.
(b) Stealing another gull's nest.
(c) Eating others' baby chicks.
(d) "Ditching" the rest of the flock when a predator is spotted.

2. How does Darwin characterize the idea that the goal of evolution is for a species to survive, so individuals will take actions that are good for the species?
(a) As unscientific.
(b) As a reasonable alternative hypothesis.
(c) As probable.
(d) As fundamental to evolution.

3. In the science fiction story Dawkins cites, who sends instructions through time?
(a) Aliens.
(b) Future humans.
(c) Intelligent animals.
(d) Robots.

4. In the science fiction story Dawkins cites, is the machine created by the instructions beneficial or dangerous?
(a) It is neither dangerous nor beneficial.
(b) It is beneficial.
(c) It is dangerous.
(d) It is both beneficial and dangerous, at different times.

5. In Dawkins' metaphor about DNA, how does he describe the creation of new DNA by sexual reproduction?
(a) Two books are combined into one two-volume work.
(b) Pages are torn out of different books and put together.
(c) Two bookshelves are combined into one.
(d) Books from different shelves are mixed together on a new shelf.

Short Answer Questions

1. When a cell creates a sperm cell or egg cell with reduced DNA, what is the process called?

2. If two genes normally cooperate, what happens when one gene is missing?

3. What does Dawkins suggest fooling certain genes into thinking the body is younger might do?

4. What does Dawkins say that evolution is about?

5. When a cell divides to make a new cell with identical DNA, what is the process called?

(see the answer key)

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