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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which cells in an organism contain the creature's DNA?
(a) Interstitial cells.
(b) Paraxial cells.
(c) Barrier funciton cells.
(d) All of them.

2. According to Dawkins, are mistakes in fidelity good or bad?
(a) They are usually good, but sometimes bad.
(b) They are always bad.
(c) They are always good.
(d) They are neither good nor bad.

3. What does Dawkins say points to the idea that all living things come from the same types of early molecules?
(a) All life forms have basic cell structures.
(b) All life forms are based on carbon.
(c) All life forms are made from DNA molecules.
(d) All life forms have similar pH balances.

4. What is the most stable result of the specific ESS simulation Dawkins describes?
(a) A 3:2 mixture of two kinds of behavior.
(b) A 7:5 mixture of two kinds of behavior.
(c) A 1:4 mixture of two kinds of behavior.
(d) A 1:1 mixture of two kinds of behavior.

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

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

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

8. What does Dawkins say that evolution is about?
(a) The good of a species.
(b) The good of a particular DNA combination.
(c) The good of an individual person.
(d) The good of an individual gene.

9. According to Dawkins, are the self-copying molecules that Dawkins discusses "life" or not?
(a) Dawkins says that they are definitely not "life."
(b) Dawkins says that they are a kind of "life," but not as we know it today.
(c) Dawkins says that they are definitely "life."
(d) Dawkins says it does not matter.

10. What does Dawkins describe as "intruder retreat" behavior?
(a) Strangers tend to consider each other intruders and retreat.
(b) The entity intruding into an unknown situation tends to retreat.
(c) Groups tend to retreat when an intruder is in the area.
(d) Entities tend to retreat from aggressive intruders.

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

12. What would give longevity to early self-duplicating molecules, according to Dawkins?
(a) Greater flexibility.
(b) Greater stability.
(c) Larger numbers of components.
(d) Smaller numbers of elements.

13. In early reproducing molecules, what is the measure of "success"?
(a) That there are more molecules around that are like the molecule.
(b) That there are fewer ways for the molecule to be destroyed.
(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. When a cell divides to make a new cell with identical DNA, what is the process called?
(a) Meiosis.
(b) Plasmosis.
(c) Mitosis.
(d) Alleles.

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

Short Answer Questions

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

2. In Dawkins' metaphor about DNA, how many books are on the bookshelf?

3. What does the author compare nerves to?

4. Why does Dawkins say kind or cooperative behavior arises?

5. When a cell creates a sperm cell or egg cell with reduced DNA, what is the process called?

(see the answer keys)

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