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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Dawkins give as his example of the individual benefit of pack behavior in hyenas?
(a) The hyenas can gain more information from the pack.
(b) The hyenas can get protection from other hyenas.
(c) The hyenas can find more prey as a pack.
(d) The hyenas can hunt bigger prey as a pack.

2. What does Dawkins demonstrate using the net benefit score?
(a) That it is to an organism's genes' benefit to show relatives that food is available.
(b) That it is to an organism's genes' benefit to alert family members to natural hazards.
(c) That it is to an organism's genes' benefit to alert family members to poisonous food sources.
(d) That it is to an organism's genes' benefit to alert family members of a predator.

3. Who does Dawkins' idea of AI expand the idea of PI to include?
(a) All adult caregivers.
(b) All children in a family unit.
(c) All related adults and children.
(d) All adults in a species.

4. What does Dawkins cite Medawar's study to help explain?
(a) Menstrual cycles.
(b) Menopause.
(c) Male fertility.
(d) Male and female hormonal differences.

5. What does Dawkins believe about the tension between survival of different generations?
(a) Children begin at a disadvantage, at the mercy of parents, and later begin to control the resources.
(b) A compromise evolves where different generations get reasonable amounts of resources.
(c) The children are always benefited, even at costs to older generations.
(d) The parents are the primary benefactor because they control resources, and children only get the minimum of what they need.

6. What does Wynne-Edwards suggest that animals do to communicate overpopulation?
(a) Gather together and make a lot of noise.
(b) Leave measurable tracks in a common area.
(c) Gather together in a clear area where they are easily seen.
(d) Eat a communal meal in an area of limited food.

7. Does Dawkins believe people want to view parental care as different from other evolutionary behaviors?
(a) Yes, he believes people want to consider parental care a special case.
(b) No, Dawkins believes people can clearly see that parental care fits with evolutionary forces.
(c) No, but Dawkins believes that parental care is a special case.
(d) Yes, but only as it applies to mother-child relationships..

8. What does Dawkins say removes humanity from the cruel and harsh laws of nature?
(a) Humans create environments that protect them from natural laws.
(b) Humans teach children ways to behave and learn better behaviors as adults.
(c) Nothing.
(d) Humans have developed genes for communication, which allows cooperation.

9. What does an animal do when it fails to claim a territory?
(a) It shares a territory with other animals who failed to claim their own territory.
(b) It travels to another area.
(c) It carves out a niche from a rival territory.
(d) It does not breed at that time.

10. Why might an older animal be less valuable to selfish genes than young related animals?
(a) The older animal is certain to have all its genes already represented in a few young, related animals.
(b) The older animal's genes are likely to be decayed over time.
(c) The older animal is likely to contain less successful genes than the young related animals.
(d) The older animal is less likely to reproduce more of the genes.

11. What is difficult to explain about honeybees, according to Dawkins' theory?
(a) The large number of queens produced in each generation.
(b) The large number of extra female bees.
(c) The large number of eggs laid by the queen.
(d) The large number of extra male bees.

12. What does Dawkins point out about different species' attitude toward offspring?
(a) Different species fall into two categories of caring for offspring.
(b) Different species care for offspring similarly, but there is great variety between individuals within species.
(c) Different species all care for offspring equally, if environment is accounted for.
(d) Different species treat offspring differently.

13. How does the author suggest that bird calls might help a bird that is trying to fly up into the trees?
(a) The call might cause other birds to fly and confuse any predators.
(b) The call might be hard to pinpoint and therefore distract predators.
(c) The call might cause other birds to call and hide the noise of the bird's wings.
(d) The call might frighten away other birds in the tree the bird is flying to.

14. To what does Wynne-Edwards attribute changes to female mice as the population rises?
(a) Group selection.
(b) Random variation within groups.
(c) Random variation in individuals.
(d) Natural selection of individuals.

15. How is male and female responsibility for offspring different in fish?
(a) Females may lay eggs and abandon them, while males fertilize the eggs and are left to care for them.
(b) Females care for the eggs, and when they hatch, they leave the live offspring to the males.
(c) Males care for eggs, and then females take over when the offspring hatches.
(d) Males and females both leave their fertilized eggs without investing resources in them.

Short Answer Questions

1. According to the relatedness calculations in the book, how much more closely related is a child to a sibling than a half-sibling?

2. According to Dawkins' description, what do insect colonies usually consist of?

3. From a gene's point of view, what does Dawkins say an organism is equally related to?

4. According to the relatedness calculations in the book, is a child more closely related to a sibling or an uncle?

5. What does Medawar's study conclude?

(see the answer keys)

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