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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. How did Naraoia help the Burgess Drama?

2. What did Gould note about the Burgess work at this time, in Act 5?

3. What adjectives describe Morris?

4. What example helped round out the Burgess revision?

5. What is the subtitle for this segment of the book?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why wasn't the discovery of the Burgess Shale and its consequent new shift in perspective a gradual change?

2. Why is David Burton's published monograph on Sidneyia an important milestone?

3. What did Collins do when faced with the prevention of Des Collins excavation of Walcott's quarry?

4. What does Morris find that is so shocking?

5. Describe Wiwaxia.

6. Why did classifying Naraoia pose a problem for Whittington?

7. Why does Gould deplore the prevention of Des Collins excavation of Walcot's quarry?

8. How can Odaraia be described?

9. What new species does the fourth act concentrate on?

10. What sort of series does Chapter 4: Walcott's Vision and the Nature of History transition to and why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Gould examines how Whittington gave upon the Trilobitoidea class. In your own words, summarize why Whittington threw out the Trilobitoidea class. Support your summary with two examples taken from any of the chapters in the book.

Essay Topic 2

In Chapter 1, Gould examines Walcott's inaccurate interpretation of the ladder and cone convention. Using this example, and others found in Chapter 1 or 2, agree or disagree with the following question: does Gould or Walcott present a more convincing argument concerning the ladder and cone interpretation? Present your paper with an arguable thesis that uses three solid examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

Throughout Chapter 3 and Act 1, Gould delves into discussions of dominant paradigms. Cite three dominant paradigms, from any time period, that were associated with the Burgess Shale. Explain how these paradigms were discovered to be true or false. Explain you arguments with solid reasoning.

(see the answer keys)

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