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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 does Brooks call the new stage of life?

2. In Chapter 10, Brooks talks about Karl Popper's theory of what?

3. On the same day Harold meets Erica, his friend, Mark, offers him a job doing what?

4. According to the Rationalists, what adversely affects business?

5. What does Harold explain to Erica about history in Chapter 15?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Erica come back from her explosion in Chapter 8?

2. How does Brooks explain the difference between wealthy and poor children's play time in Chapter 7?

3. Why is Amy facing so may problems in Chapter 7?

4. What did the marshmallow test predict about child development?

5. How does Brooks describe the relationship between the unconscious and the conscious mind in Chapter 15?

6. How do Raymond and Erica play major roles in the rebound of Intercom?

7. How does Erica get into the Academy in Chapter 7?

8. How do Erica and Harold form a close bond in Chapter 13?

9. How is the mind inefficient, according to David Brooks?

10. Describe the ideology of Rationalism.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In writing "The Social Animal", David Brooks is presenting an alternate view of history and the way societies work. Write an essay about this alternate view of histories driving forces. What, from the text, does Brooks believe drives human connections? How has current social policy ignore this guiding force? What failing institutions does Brooks point out over the process of this book?

Essay Topic 2

Seemingly in the name of evenhandedness, David Brooks presents two protagonists with disparate backgrounds. Write a three-part essay comparing and contrasting the early lives of Harold and Erica. How are their lives different? What effect does this background have on the worldview of each? Do you think this is a realist portrayal of this life experience?

Part 1) Racial background.

Part 2) Hometown and neighborhood.

Part 3) Education.

Essay Topic 3

In "The Social Animal", David Brooks makes definite policy arguments, informed by the circumstances of Harold and Erica's lives. Write a two-part essay about these policy proposals and their connection to the narrative:

Part 1) Discuss Erica's experience at Intercom. What issues do Erica and Raymond discover while they work there? What policy proposals do they make to the investors? How does this narrative indicate policy proposals Brooks would make regarding private industry?

Part 2) What conclusions does Harold come to while working at a Washington think tank? How do these proposals reflect his personal experience? What do these proposals seem to bear in mind about human nature that current public policy does not?

(see the answer keys)

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