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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In sexual reproduction, what does the larger egg cell have that the smaller sperm cell does not?

2. In Dawkins' example, why might a child try to get extra food, to the detriment of brothers and sisters?

3. What does Dawkins give as his example of the individual benefit of pack behavior in hyenas?

4. In the behavior called stotting, where do Thompson gazelles jump?

5. How common are genes that cause altruistic behaviors in nature?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to Dawkins, in what ways does weaning benefit an older child?

2. What examples does Dawkins give of male animals resisting raising offspring that's not their own?

3. What factors does Dawkins mention that weigh into caring for older versus younger offspring?

4. How does Dawkins describe female cells versus male cells?

5. What may happen to guillemot eggs, and what is the adaptation of guillemots to deal with this?

6. Describe Trivers' observations of striped cleaner fish.

7. When and why are gulls' offspring in danger?

8. What possible explanation for viruses does Dawkins give?

9. What is Hamilton's explanation of how herds are formed?

10. What does higher PI mean, in R.L. Trivers' ideas?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss population controls in Dawkins' book.

1) Compare Dawkins' views on human population to his views on population in animal species. How are the two different?

2) How does Dawkins disagree with Wynne-Edwards over population controls in animal species?

3) How does population control contribute to individual and species survival?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the concept of relatedness in Dawkins' book.

1) What is the relationship between relatedness and altruism? What is its relationship to selfishness?

2) How does Dawkins calculate relatedness mathematically? What does this math represent?

3) How does Dawkins' treatment of relatedness differ from most people's cultural ideas of being related? What is the relationship between relatedness and genes?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the role of game theory in Dawkins' book.

1) What is game theory? How does it allow scientists to look at systems in the natural world?

2) Why does Dawkins use game theory to support his arguments about the selfish gene? How convincing is the support that Dawkins provides using game theory?

3) What are the limitations of game theory in analyzing natural systems?

(see the answer keys)

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