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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 3.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How does the author define intelligent life?
(a) As life that tries to define itself.
(b) As life that distinguishes itself from other life.
(c) As life that creates lasting communications.
(d) As life that asks where it came from.

2. How common does Dawkins say doubt about evolution is?
(a) He says it's rare.
(b) He says it's in everyone.
(c) He says it's common.
(d) He says it's nonexistent.

3. What would happen to an early molecule that made many more copies of itself than other molecules made of themselves?
(a) There would be too many copies identical to the original, and they would mutually destruct.
(b) There would be a greater chance of copies of it surviving.
(c) There would be fewer copies that were similar to the original.
(d) There would be a lower chance of copies of it surviving.

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

5. What does longevity provide to an early molecule, according to Dawkins?
(a) Time to modify itself.
(b) Time to make copies of itself.
(c) Time to repair itself.
(d) Time to modify its surroundings.

Short Answer Questions

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

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

3. In Dawkins' metaphor about DNA, how does he describe the creation of new DNA by sexual reproduction?

4. Does the author believe that genetically inherited traits cannot be changed?

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

(see the answer key)

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