View a FREE sample

This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 10.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In Dawkins' metaphor about DNA, how many books are on the bookshelf?
(a) Fifty-four.
(b) Forty-six.
(c) Thirty-two.
(d) Twenty-three.

2. How common are genes that cause altruistic behaviors in nature?
(a) They are vast majority of genes.
(b) They are nonexistent.
(c) They are pretty common.
(d) They are extremely rare.

3. What does the Watt Governor machine appear to do?
(a) Scream.
(b) Cry.
(c) Think.
(d) Talk.

4. What does Dawkins cite Medawar's study to help explain?
(a) Male fertility.
(b) Male and female hormonal differences.
(c) Menopause.
(d) Menstrual cycles.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. Does Dawkins believe people want to view parental care as different from other evolutionary behaviors?

2. According to the relatedness calculations in the book, how related is a person to him- or herself?

3. What happens in inversion?

4. In Dawkins' game theory analysis of a colony of birds and ticks, what were grudger birds?

5. How does Dawkins argue for communication being selfish?

(see the answer key)

This section contains 334 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample