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

Multiple Choice Questions

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

2. What does the author compare nerves to?
(a) A computer.
(b) An abacus.
(c) An engine.
(d) Electrical wires.

3. What does Dawkins describe life forms as?
(a) Multiplications of self-copying molecules.
(b) Machines to protect competing self-copying molecules.
(c) Simple enlargements of self-copying molecules.
(d) Projections of self-copying molecules into a new dimension.

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

5. What apparently selfish act of the penguin does the author describe?
(a) Stealing food from a baby penguin's mouth.
(b) Stealing other penguins' eggs.
(c) Hiding behind other penguins when a predator is spotted.
(d) Shoving each other to see who will fall off a cliff.

Short Answer Questions

1. In the science fiction story Dawkins cites, is the machine created by the instructions beneficial or dangerous?

2. What would happen to an early molecule that made many more copies of itself than other molecules made of themselves?

3. What does Dawkins say readers can think of DNA as?

4. What do the letters A, T, C, and G stand for?

5. What does Dawkins say points to the idea that all living things come from the same types of early molecules?

(see the answer key)

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