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

2. What Greek term becomes the topic of Harold's paper in Chapter 6?

3. According to Timothy Wilson of the University of Virginia, how many pieces of information can the unconscious mind take in?

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

5. What sport does Brooks associate with the children of his establishment set in Chapter 1?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How did Julia and Rob find marriage in the early years?

3. What is Brooks' stated political reason for writing "The Social Animal"?

4. What wisdom about teaching teenagers does Ms. Taylor possess?

5. What is Harold's goal from conception on?

6. How does Ms. Taylor shape Harold's interest in the classical world?

7. What is the Composure Class?

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

9. How is Brooks' book different from other social studies?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Harold's professional life takes an interestingly circuitous trajectory as he searches for spiritual fulfillment. Write an essay about the different stages of Harold's professional development:

Part 1) What about Erica's offer inspires Harold to end his odyssey period after college? Discuss the nature of Harold's work with the fledgling consulting firm? What skills does he develop? How does this occupation draw to a close?

Part 2) Discuss the impact working with the Historical Society has on Harold. What parts of his life does he leave behind in the process? What does he find especially fulfilling about this work?

Part 3) What ideas about politics does Harold bring to his think tank job? Discuss how Harold's previous life experience informs the policy papers he writes? What policy proposals does he produce at this think tank? How are they the culmination of his professional life?

Essay Topic 2

Much of the latter half of "The Social Animal" is dedicated to the marriage between Harold and Erica. Write an essay charting the trajectory of this marriage. What attracts Erica to Harold and vice versa? Discuss the conflict that nearly tears them apart and how the two manage to make the marriage work? What is the state of the marriage in the last year of their lives?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay about the role of emotion in feeding raw information to the reasonable mind. How are decisions made? How is it impossible to measure options in a rational way without emotion acuity? Discuss the case discussed in the book of the man who was unable to experience emotion in daily life. How was his rational ability ruined as a result? What does this case say about the primacy of emotion in daily life?

(see the answer keys)

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