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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 2, A Background for the Burgess Shale.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In Gould's perspective, what historical understanding does the Burgess shale offer humanity?
(a) The idea of "necrogenesis."
(b) The idea of "contingency."
(c) The idea of "symbiosis."
(d) The idea of "plague."

2. When does the old story have Walcott miraculously stumble upon the Burgess Shale?
(a) After his pistol whipped the dust.
(b) After his wife's horse tripped and fell onto it.
(c) Before his son fell onto the Shale.
(d) After his son stumbled upon it.

3. What does Gould strain to emphasize for his audience?
(a) The evolution of multi-cellular life was not unmitigated progress
(b) The separation of single cell life was mitigated progress.
(c) The evolution of marine life was unmitigated progress.
(d) The dissipation of marine life was progress.

4. What does Gould represent the original interpretation as?
(a) "The chair and the ladder."
(b) "The ladder and the cone."
(c) "The cone and the rod."
(d) "The step and the bowl."

5. Which progressive conception collapses because scientists do not fully understand the mechanisms of change?
(a) Evolution.
(b) Theopathsis.
(c) Historical Limitation.
(d) Progressive Development.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the Burgess Shale?

2. According to Gould, what kind of insight does the Burgess Shale offer into the nature of life and the evolution of life forms?

3. What comprises the first 4 billion years of Earth's history?

4. What does the Precambrian Era contain?

5. What kinds of versions does the story of the Burgess Shale's discovery have?

(see the answer key)

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