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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What famous intellect does Brooks mention at the end of his introduction?
(a) Hofstadter.
(b) Hawking.
(c) Hume.
(d) Vidal.

2. In the beginning of Chapter 5, to what does Brooks compare Harold's writing on his worksheet?
(a) A Jackson Pollock.
(b) Morse code.
(c) Sanskrit.
(d) Typesetting.

3. What is Ms. Taylor's tactic for making children learn?
(a) She teaches them to take pleasure in it.
(b) She pays them.
(c) She uses references to popular culture.
(d) She drills information into them.

4. In Chapter 4, Harold illustrates his ability to abstract by saying he is what?
(a) A tiger.
(b) A giant.
(c) An airplane.
(d) A cloud.

5. According to Brooks in his introduction, what is different about his book compared to the other social science books published in recent years?
(a) It focuses on group dynamics.
(b) It focuses on real individuals.
(c) It focuses on the inner mind.
(d) It focuses on America specifically.

Short Answer Questions

1. What essential activity do Rob and Julie disagree on in Chapter 2?

2. By the end of Chapter 6, Ms. Taylor has taught Harold to do what?

3. What terms does Brooks use at the beginning of Chapter 1 to describe the upper-middle class liberal socialites of today?

4. What is the story Julia tells Harold in Chapter 5 about?

5. At the end of Chapter 5, what regular event is a constant trauma in Harold's life?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the Composure Class?

2. According to Brooks, what separates us from other animals?

3. How does Ms. Taylor permanently affect Harold's life?

4. Describe Ms. Taylor.

5. How does Brooks use the meeting of Julia and Rob to illustrate the surprise of similarities?

6. Describe young Harold's relationship with falling things.

7. According to Brooks in the introduction, why are Harold and Erica so successful?

8. What trauma does Harold experience at the end of Chapter 5?

9. Who is Elliot, and how did he become involved with Antonio Damasio?

10. What does Damasio determine about living without emotion in Chapter 1?

(see the answer keys)

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