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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In Dawkins' metaphor about DNA, what represents a gene?
(a) A line on a page in a book.
(b) A word in a book.
(c) A chapter in a book.
(d) A page in a book.

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

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 an individual gene.
(d) The good of a species.

4. In early reproducing molecules, what is the measure of "success"?
(a) That there are more copies of the molecule, whether they are accurate or not.
(b) That there are more chemical reactions that can use the molecule.
(c) That there are fewer ways for the molecule to be destroyed.
(d) That there are more molecules around that are like the molecule.

5. In the science fiction story Dawkins cites, what do the instructions make?
(a) A space ship.
(b) An energy generator.
(c) A time travel machine.
(d) A computer.

Short Answer Questions

1. How many nucleotide chains are in DNA?

2. How does Dawkins define communication?

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

4. What apparently selfish act of the penguin does the author describe?

5. How common does Dawkins say doubt about evolution is?

(see the answer key)

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