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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What do the letters A, T, C, and G stand for?
(a) Different types of genes.
(b) Different types of RNA.
(c) Different types of nucleotides.
(d) Different types of DNA.

2. What molecules does Dawkins say existed in ancient seas and formed amino acids?
(a) Water, carbon dioxide, methane, and amonia.
(b) Water, nitrogen, hydrogen, and sulfur.
(c) Methane, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
(d) Carbon dioxide, nitrogen, sulfur, and amonia.

3. 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.

4. In the science fiction story Dawkins cites, is the machine created by the instructions beneficial or dangerous?
(a) It is both beneficial and dangerous, at different times.
(b) It is beneficial.
(c) It is neither dangerous nor beneficial.
(d) It is dangerous.

5. What fundamental question does Dawkins want to consider?
(a) Why do molecules exist?
(b) Why do people exist?
(c) Why do genes exist?
(d) Why does DNA exist?

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

7. How does Dawkins characterize the natural world in his discussion of selfishness?
(a) As biased toward selecting particular behaviors.
(b) As dangerous and competitive.
(c) As alternately friendly and unfriendly.
(d) As well-balanced and selective.

8. What does the Watt Governor machine appear to do?
(a) Think.
(b) Talk.
(c) Scream.
(d) Cry.

9. What happens to animals that tend to lose in fights?
(a) They tend to fight more aggressively in the future.
(b) They tend to change their fighting strategies.
(c) They tend to challenge less dominant rivals in the future.
(d) They tend to give up sooner in the future.

10. Do one-celled animals seem to have purpose and intention, according to the author?
(a) Yes, they must have some sort of mindful intention.
(b) No, except under unusual circumstances.
(c) Yes, but they only appear to be purposeful.
(d) No, they seem to behave without purpose.

11. What type of animal brains does Dawkins say are most successful?
(a) Animal brains that can communicate quickly.
(b) Animal brains that can learn.
(c) Animal brians that can analyze input.
(d) Animal brians that can creat instinctive action.

12. How does Dawkins define communication?
(a) A mutually learned behavior resulting from genetic behaviors that help groups of gene machines maintain cohesiveness.
(b) A gene behavior that helps one group of genes survive by influencing the behavior of another.
(c) A gene behavior that allows cooperation between multiple gene machines.
(d) A learned behavior that is founded in genetic behaviors linking multiple gene machines.

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

14. What apparently unselfish behavior of small birds does the author describe?
(a) Drawing the attention of a hawk to itself and away from the flock.
(b) Bringing excess food to others in the flock.
(c) Staying awake to warn the flock of approaching predators.
(d) Protecting another bird's eggs.

15. In Dawkins' metaphor about DNA, what does the bookshelf represent?
(a) A chromosome.
(b) A strand of DNA.
(c) A single cell.
(d) A cell nucleus.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Dawkins' discussion, what does he consider alleles to be, relative to genes?

2. What does Dawkins call the molecule that he imagines as the first molecule to make copies of itself?

3. What apparently selfish act of the praying mantis does the author describe?

4. What does Dawkins say that evolution is about?

5. Why does the author use the word "apparently" to describe selfish or unselfish behavior?

(see the answer keys)

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