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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. In Chapter 1, Damasio determines that people's unconscious selves draw on what to function?

2. In Chapter 5, Brooks states that there is little connection between a child's ability to complete homework and what?

3. According to Brooks at the beginning of Chapter 1, where does all the furniture of the upper class liberal group come from?

4. What is laughter's major purpose, according to Brooks?

5. What does Brooks say his day job is in the introduction?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are mirror neurons?

2. How did Julia and Rob find marriage in the early years?

3. How does Brooks use the meeting of Julia and Rob to illustrate the surprise of similarities?

4. How did Brooks come up with the idea of telling a story to illustrate his social critique?

5. What trauma does Harold experience at the end of Chapter 5?

6. What is the Composure Class?

7. How does Ms. Taylor permanently affect Harold's life?

8. What is Harold's goal from conception on?

9. What does Damasio determine about living without emotion in Chapter 1?

10. How does Harold's tiger statement in Chapter 4 illustrate a complex human process?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In an essay, discuss the role of imagination and play in the development of children. How does Harold's imagination function both as a gift and as a liability? What fears does it engender in his parents? What delineations does Brooks draw between play in affluent children and p[lay in working class children? How does each type of play reflect a cultural stratus, and how does it indicate future development?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about the prenatal and early childhood relationship between Julia and Harold. How is Julia's life different before and after she becomes pregnant? What is Harold's goal from the moment he develops sentience? How does he break down Julia's personality, and how does he rebuild her? Discuss how this process leads to a reinvented Julia who makes caring for Harold her primary concern?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay about Erica's consulting firm. What compels her to start her own business, and what understanding of business and humanity does she bring to it? Discuss the path to success she has, and what role Harold plays in this success. How does her business grow, and how does it suffer as a result of the Great Recession? What personal toll does the death of her company have on Erica?

(see the answer keys)

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