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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. The author states that perception is what type of process?

2. The author states that people often impose beliefs and structure onto various what?

3. The author states that the idea of enlightenment is to take what action in regard to one's delusions?

4. What animals are involved in the pellet experiment described by the author?

5. Within which type of psychology have scientists learned that people can judge each other quickly through non-verbal communication?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Plato's use of the horse and charioteer analogy to comment on the relationship between feelings and the rational self.

2. Discuss the author's perspective of how indulging one's craving once can lead to future indulgences?

3. In what way is Robert Wright's writing style self-referential?

4. What connection does the author make between awareness and control and how is paradox used within the author's discussion of this connection?

5. What three careers are used to characterize the three different schools of meditation and on which type does the author focus within Buddhism is True?

6. What is the significance of the author's discussion of the Capgras delusion?

7. In what way does the author use the appeal of ethos within the chapter entitled "Encounters with the Formless"?

8. What emotion is one of the most studied in relation to the phenomenon of modules governing behavior and why?

9. Explain the emptiness doctrine presented by the author within the chapter entitled Encounters with the Formless.

10. How does the author use the example of weeds and flowers to make a point about emptiness?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the author use sensory details in order to paint a vivid portrait of the historical events he depicts within the book? Discuss at least two scenes that include extensive use of sensory details and pull quotes from these scenes to support your claim.

Essay Topic 2

How does the author's use of the first and second person point of view serve the author's purposes over the course of the book? Discuss how the author's choice of point of view helps to advance the treatment of at least three particular themes within the text.

Essay Topic 3

What messages does Robert Wright's book Buddhism is True send to the audience about the themes of isolation and outreach?

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