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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What fundamental question does Dawkins want to consider?
(a) Why do people exist?
(b) Why do genes exist?
(c) Why does DNA exist?
(d) Why do molecules exist?

2. What molecules does Dawkins say existed in ancient seas and formed amino acids?
(a) Water, carbon dioxide, methane, and amonia.
(b) Methane, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
(c) Carbon dioxide, nitrogen, sulfur, and amonia.
(d) Water, nitrogen, hydrogen, and sulfur.

3. What does Dawkins say that evolution is about?
(a) The good of an individual person.
(b) The good of a particular DNA combination.
(c) The good of a species.
(d) The good of an individual gene.

4. How does Dawkins characterize the natural world in his discussion of selfishness?
(a) As biased toward selecting particular behaviors.
(b) As dangerous and competitive.
(c) As well-balanced and selective.
(d) As alternately friendly and unfriendly.

5. What does Dawkins call the molecule that he imagines as the first molecule to make copies of itself?
(a) The chicken-and-egg molecule.
(b) The proto-RNA.
(c) The replicator.
(d) The duplicator.

Short Answer Questions

1. What process does the existence of Dawkins' imagined early molecules closely resemble?

2. What would competition between early self-copying molecules be over?

3. According to Dawkins, are the self-copying molecules that Dawkins discusses "life" or not?

4. 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?

5. How does the author define intelligent life?

(see the answer key)

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