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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 2.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why does the author use the word "apparently" to describe selfish or unselfish behavior?
(a) Because he doesn't believe the examples he is citing are necessarily true.
(b) Because he is only concerned about appearances of selfishness.
(c) Because behavior may only seem selfish or unselfish.
(d) Because he doesn't really believe in the terms selfish and unselfish.

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

3. What apparently unselfish act of a bee does the author describe?
(a) Fighting off predators who are near the queen.
(b) Evacuating immature bees from an endangered hive.
(c) Bringing back pollen to help feed the whole colony.
(d) Losing its life to sting an intruder.

4. What almost always happens when copies of things are made, according to Dawkins?
(a) An overabundance of copies.
(b) Mistakes in the copies.
(c) Confusion between copies and originals.
(d) Conflict between the copies.

5. What example of the type of valued human behavior that perhaps influences people to believe in group selection does Dawkins give?
(a) Asking people to go to war to protect their country.
(b) Giving to a charitable organization to prevent world hunger.
(c) Getting a job to beneift one's family.
(d) Volunteering for community service.

Short Answer Questions

1. What would molecules that broke down other self-copying molecules and used their parts eventually become?

2. What shape does the author say water molecules in space make?

3. What molecules does Dawkins say existed in ancient seas and formed amino acids?

4. How does the author define intelligent life?

5. What would give longevity to early self-duplicating molecules, according to Dawkins?

(see the answer key)

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