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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 8.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In Dawkins' discussion, what is the detriment of raising offspring, if there is something wrong with it?
(a) It does not pass on good genes.
(b) It reduces the parent's resources to protect itself.
(c) It takes more energy away from other offspring.
(d) It will only have future offspring with the same problems.

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

3. According to the relatedness calculations in the book, is a child more closely related to a sibling or an uncle?
(a) It's impossible to compare.
(b) The child is equally related to both.
(c) A sibling.
(d) An uncle.

4. Does the author believe that all people should act selfishly?
(a) No, and he believes people will not naturally act selfishly.
(b) Yes, he believes selfish behavior has positive results.
(c) Yes, he believes that selfish behavior is natural and therefore good, despite negative results.
(d) No, he believes people should try to overcome selfish natural tendancies.

5. What did Spanish researchers see a baby swallow do?
(a) Steal food from a magpie chick in the nest and give it to siblings.
(b) Alert parents to a magpie in the nest.
(c) Use leverage to throw a magpie egg out of its nest.
(d) Gather other chicks into a circle to surround and kill a magpie chick.

Short Answer Questions

1. What would molecules that started to manufacture energy using the sun eventually become?

2. What apparently selfish act of gulls does the author describe?

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

4. How does a mother protecting a child promote the selfish gene theory?

5. What apparently unselfish act of a bee does the author describe?

(see the answer key)

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