View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. How would you describe Quammen's vocabulary?

2. What family does Quammen say hippopotamuses and deer belong to?

3. Who is Owen Griffiths?

4. How do scientists relate data from samples and isolates to larger areas?

5. What did the dodo eat?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did David Wallace make his start as a biologist, in Quammen's narrative?

2. Describe the process by which scientists generate policies for managing ecosystems.

3. What examples does Quammen cite of species changing size on islands?

4. What other Mauritius species does Quammen describe?

5. When did the field of island biogeography begin?

6. What is trophic cascade?

7. What was the understanding about the variety of life forms before the theory of evolution came along?

8. What does Quammen say about the overall pattern of the Persian rug?

9. What practical assertion does Quammen say Frank Preston made based on his findings?

10. What is dispersal ability and why is it important?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Debate the proposition that human beings have an obligation to conserve as much land as possible, and to keep as many species as possible safe from extinction due to human development.

Essay Topic 2

Evaluate your own reading of 'The Song of the Dodo'--did you resist it, or were you compelled by the story? What does your reading tell you about yourself and your interests? Use specific examples from the book to describe yourself as a reader.

Essay Topic 3

Where is the climax of this book? Are there different climaxes? What questions does each climax resolve? What questions does each climax leave unanswered?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 740 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample