View a FREE sample

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

Multiple Choice Questions

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

2. In the set of bees Dawkins mentions that deal with this disease, what does one gene the bees have do?
(a) Cause the bees to withhold honey from sick baby bees.
(b) Cause the bees to sting sick baby bees.
(c) Cause the bees to overfeed sick baby bees.
(d) Cause the bees to open cells where sick baby bees are.

3. 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?
(a) As unscientific.
(b) As fundamental to evolution.
(c) As a reasonable alternative hypothesis.
(d) As probable.

4. What happens in inversion?
(a) Chromosomes are inserted backwards in a cell nucleus.
(b) DNA is inserted backwards in a chromosome.
(c) A nucleotide is inserted backwards in DNA.
(d) A gene is inserted backwards on a strand of DNA.

5. What two opposites does Dawkins say he is examining the biology of?
(a) Individuality and community.
(b) Rationality and emotionalism.
(c) Self-centeredness and other-centeredness.
(d) Selfishness and altruism.

Short Answer Questions

1. Do one-celled animals seem to have purpose and intention, according to the author?

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

3. What game, played by computers, does Dawkins use as an example of things that can happen automatically based on rules?

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

5. What is the smallest unit that is reproduced and carried on through natural selection?

(see the answer key)

This section contains 374 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample