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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. E.O. Wilson believes individuals are born with what?

2. How long is the memo the insurgents produce in Chapter 16?

3. According to Brooks in the end of Chapter 13, the end-point of limerence is what?

4. What does Brooks call the new stage of life?

5. Which of the following is not a culture Erica immerses herself in at college?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Erica get into the Academy in Chapter 7?

2. What traumatic event occurs to Erica during a tennis match in Chapter 8?

3. How do the founders of the Academy view poverty in America?

4. Why is Amy facing so may problems in Chapter 7?

5. How does Erica almost get arrested in Chapter 7?

6. How do Raymond and Erica play major roles in the rebound of Intercom?

7. How does Brooks describe the relationship between the unconscious and the conscious mind in Chapter 15?

8. Why does Erica nearly not go to the University of Denver in Chapter 9?

9. Describe Erica's experience at the consulting firm.

10. What impresses Erica about Raymond during their lunches in Chapter 16?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about Raymond. What role does he have at Intercom when Erica meets him? How does his history with the company give him a unique understanding of its failings under Taggert? Explore his relationship with Erica. What does he teach her about how to relate with other people and how to lead a group? What non-quantitative skills does he display in his dealings with the brunch club?

Essay Topic 2

In writing "The Social Animal", David Brooks is presenting an alternate view of history and the way societies work. Write an essay about this alternate view of histories driving forces. What, from the text, does Brooks believe drives human connections? How has current social policy ignore this guiding force? What failing institutions does Brooks point out over the process of this book?

Essay Topic 3

Erica's life is a genuine American story. She begins life as a struggle against circumstances, and through hard work she achieves total professional and personal success. Write a three-part essay about her success:

Part 1) Describe the challenges that Erica faces from her early childhood? How does her socioeconomic and family background put her at an inherent disadvantage? How does education help her overcome these challenges?

Part 2) Chart Erica's journey from college to CEO of Intercom. What successes and failures bring her to this position of power? How do her understandings of humanity affect her capacity to run and improve businesses?

Part 3) Discuss how Erica becomes involved in the Richard Grace campaign. What appeals to her about his worldview? What does she bring to the campaign and the White House? How does she regard the political elite class she joins?

(see the answer keys)

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