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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. What creature does Eagleman use as an example of one with an excellent sense of smell?

2. What does Chapter 4 explore?

3. What disease does Eagleman mention in support of his argument about free will?

4. Why does Eagleman think people find the second puzzle easier to solve?

5. How much of the wavelengths of light do our eyes see?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Eagleman suggest about our culpability in our actions, particularly males?

2. What example does Eagleman cite to demonstrate the difference between the rational and emotional mind?

3. To what part of the body are newborns drawn and what does this imply about human beings' predisposition?

4. What does Eagleman have readers consider about Whitman?

5. What incident does Eagleman discuss concerning Mel Gibson?

6. What does Eagleman say about the abilities of a bloodhound?

7. How does a rat react to conflicting choices?

8. How does Eagleman compare the conscious mind to our senses?

9. Explain the physical division in the brain and what can happen if the two hemispheres are severed.

10. Who is Charles Whitman and what did he do and what may have contributed to his actions?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What we like is also determined largely by unconscious thinking and a natural tendency to like ourselves, Eagleman claims. This is called "implicit egotism," and is a well-established phenomenon, he explains. It is illustrated by the fact, for example, that people marry others with first names that start with the same letter more often than would be expected by chance. Eagleman claims this is because we implicitly prefer others that are like ourselves in some way.

1. Discuss how you feel about yourself and whether you think your feelings stem from your unconscious. Use examples from your own life and Incognito to support your answer.

2. Do you think most people like themselves? Why or why not. Use examples from your own life and Incognito to support your answer.

3. Do you think it is a positive trait that a person likes him/herself? Why or why not? Use examples from your own life and Incognito to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Eagleman.

2. What in Eagleman's background may have helped him in writing Incognito? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her books? Why or why not? Give examples.

Essay Topic 3

Incognito belongs to the non-fiction genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the non-fiction genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a nonfiction book and a novel?

(see the answer keys)

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