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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 11.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How does a mother protecting a child promote the selfish gene theory?
(a) The mother is repurposing selfish genes to protect the child.
(b) The child will later protect the mother in turn.
(c) The mother is extending selfish behavior to new situations.
(d) The child carries many of the same genes as the mother.

2. What bee eggs get fertilized?
(a) Eggs that will become males.
(b) All eggs.
(c) No eggs.
(d) Eggs that will become female workers.

3. According to Dawkins' description, what do insect colonies usually consist of?
(a) A large number of offspring descended from a small group of mothers.
(b) A communal group of offspring descended from many mothers.
(c) A large number of offspring descended from the same mother.
(d) Small, interrelated groups of offspring descended from many mothers.

4. Can a gene change it's strategy for survival?
(a) Yes, genes modify their strategy by chaning the proteins they form.
(b) No, genes only predict a likely strategy and are stuck with it.
(c) Yes, genes modify themselves to try new strategies.
(d) No, genes can only create the protein they are formed to generate.

5. How common are genes that cause altruistic behaviors in nature?
(a) They are pretty common.
(b) They are vast majority of genes.
(c) They are extremely rare.
(d) They are nonexistent.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does PI stand for?

2. What example of the type of valued human behavior that perhaps influences people to believe in group selection does Dawkins give?

3. What does Wynne-Edwards say happens when other animals communicate to the species that there is overpopulation?

4. Does the author believe that all people should act selfishly?

5. To what does Dawkins compare ESS conclusions about individual behaviors within a species?

(see the answer key)

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