English Outliers Exam

According to the author in lines 20-27, motivation in the context of schooling is

momentary and focused
synonymous with reason
not important
vague and fleeting
enduring and psychological

momentary and focused

In line 32, "god" most nearly means

Nietzsche
religion
deity
person
reason

reason

The series of "to" phrases in the initial paragraph (lines 7-9) emphasizes that the learning process is

long and tedious
impersonal and overwhelming
active and varied
difficult and trivial
mechanical yet complicated

active and varied

The "old saying" (lines 4-5) serves as

an analogy to the sentences that follow
a contrast to the sentences that follow
an explanation of the history of learning
an example of how not to learn
a tribute to tribal lays

an analogy to the sentences that follow

The best interpretation of the first sentence, "But it is important to keep in mind that the engineering of learning is very often puffed up, assigned an importance it does not deserve" is:

The most important element of learning is how one learns.
We don't deserve to understand how we learn.
We don't need to understand anything about how learning is engineered.
It does not matter how one learns, as long as one learns.
Learning is not important.

It does not matter how one learns, as long as one learns.

The purpose of paragraph 2 (lines 7-20) in relationship to paragraph 1 (lines 1-6) is to:

counter the argument established in the first paragraph.
elaborate on the introduction.
contradict details given in the first paragraph.
define terms used in the first paragraph.
provide specific examples that show what the citizens can do.

elaborate on the introduction.

The final paragraph of this speech can BEST be described as a(n)

comparison of freedom and prosperity.
appeal to India's people to build mansions.
urging to put differences aside.
criticism of petty annoyances and disagreements.
religious prayer to ensure India's success.

urging to put differences aside.

This speech concludes with the reference to free India as "a noble mansion . . . where all her children may dwell" (lines 58-60). This sentence utilizes the rhetorical device known as:

analogy
allusion
simile
parallelism
alliteration

analogy

In the first sentence of the passage, the word tryst is used to mean a

romantic affair.
secret meeting.
arrangement to meet secretly.
contract with providence (providence means "divine care and guardianship").
ominous prediction.

contract with providence (providence means "divine care and guardianship").

Each of the following lines may be seen as a reference to the suffering that occurred during India's struggle to free itself from British oppression EXCEPT
"we have endured all the pains of labour" (lines 29-30).
"freedom and power bring great responsibility" (line 26).
"this is no time...for ill-will or blaming others" (lines 57-58).
"we end today a period of ill fortune" (lines 19-20).
"when the soul of a nation long suppressed" (lines 9-10).

"freedom and power bring great responsibility" (line 26).

According to Gladwell in this excerpt, why might the "uses of a brick" test be a better indicator than a regular IQ test to determine if someone has Nobel Prize winning ability?

To win a Nobel Prize your mind needs to be able to come up with lots of answers.
Doing well on a divergence test shows that you have the highest possible intelligence.
Nobel Prize winners usually have minds that can leap from one subject to another.
Winning a Nobel Prize likely requires imagination and creativity as well as intelligence.
Regular IQ tests do not measure IQ, they only measure how quickly you can come up with answers.

Winning a Nobel Prize likely requires imagination and creativity as well as intelligence.

Which answer best describes what Gladwell means by the "threshold idea" (as discussed in the first line)?

Having a "fertile mind" means that you don't have to work as hard.
The concept that a test like "uses of a brick" is best for measuring creativity which may predict higher intelligence.
The idea that the most talented individuals will be able to be creative on a "uses of a brick" test.
The notion that you should give many answers when taking a divergence test.
The concept that once someone has enough of something (intelligence, height, etc.) that having more of that quality doesn't really matter.

The concept that once someone has enough of something (intelligence, height, etc.) that having more of that quality doesn't really matter.

As used in Paragraph 7, what does prodigy mean?

imagination
a young person endowed with exceptional qualities or abilities
As used in Paragraph 7, what does prodigy mean?
someone with a highly developed sense of humor
a quick thinker

a young person endowed with exceptional qualities or abilities

What is the difference between a convergence and a divergence test?

A convergence test allows multiple correct answers while a divergence test allows only one correct answer.
A convergence test measures IQ and a divergence test measures imagination and creativity.
A convergence test is more reliable than a divergence test.A divergence test is more reliable than a convergence test.A convergence test is a better indicator of who might win a Nobel Prize.

A convergence test measures IQ and a divergence test measures imagination and creativity.

What is the sentence in lines 3-4 in Paragraph 1 referring to when it says, "It's like basketball again"?

divergence tests
court sense
the threshold idea
intelligence
IQ

the threshold idea

Earlier in the chapter, Gladwell discussed an example of a son who was going to visit the doctor. During the actual doctor visit the son interrupts the doctor to ask a question. Which of the following BEST indicates why the mother allows this casual incivility?

She wants him to impress other adults.
She wants him to challenge authority.
She wants him to enhance his masculinity.
She wants him to be entitled.
She wants him to learn to talk over others.

She wants him to be entitled.

In Paragraph 6, Jeff Langan says, ""We just had zero knowledge, less than zero knowledge, of the process."
This statement is an example of

metaphor
allusion
sarcasm
personification
hyperbole

hyperbole

Paragraph 4 begins with "Is it any wonder . . ."
In Paragraph 4, which of the following does Gladwell use most to help deliver the ideas of the paragraph?

Allusions
Parallelism
Rhetorical Questions
Metaphors
Analogy

Rhetorical Questions

All of the following are examples that contrast the life of Chris Langan with Robert Oppenheimer EXCEPT:

Robert Oppenheimer tried to poison his tutor and was put on probation. Chris Langan was on probation for his low grades when his car wouldn't work and he couldn't attend class.
Chris Langan lacks practical intelligence while Robert Oppeheimer is able to use his practical intelligence in many situations to further his education and career.
Chris Langan had an abusive step father that taught his family to distrust authority, while Robert Oppenheimer's parents helped him be able to present his findings about geology to a group of adults.
Robert Oppenheimer was published in many scientific journals because of his time as leader of the Manhattan Project while Chris Langan worked for years until he was finally published and the scientific community finally recognized his wonderful achievements to the field of physics.
Robert Oppenheimer was able to do independent work for his math teacher and Chris Langan couldn't get his math professor to understand that he wanted to know more about math

Robert Oppenheimer was published in many scientific journals because of his time as leader of the Manhattan Project while Chris Langan worked for years until he was finally published and the scientific community finally recognized his wonderful achievements to the field of physics.

In the account of Oppenheimer's presentation in Paragraph 3 is the line, "The startled audience of geologists and amateur rock collectors burst out laughing when he stepped up to the podium ... Robert nevertheless read his prepared remarks and was given a hearty round of applause."

Which statement best describes the audience's response to the conclusion of Oppenheimer's guest lecture at the New York Mineralogical Club?

They remained polite, so as not to embarrass the poor boy for making an attempt. They were bored and anxious for Oppenheimer's lecture to conclude.
They were insults that a child had the nerve to speak to such an audience AND they were bored and anxious for his lecture to conclude.
They were enthusiastic about a child who was willing to address them as if they were equals.
They were insulted that a child had the nerve to speak to such a distinguished audience in such a manner.

They were enthusiastic about a child who was willing to address them as if they were equals.

In Paragraph 1, the concept of "concerted cultivation" is discussed. Which of the following best describes what "concerted cultivation" is?

Allowing children to progress through life naturally while making sure they are provided for
A style of parenting where parents foster their children's talents and skills and teach them to voice their opinions.
The idea that growing agricultural crops helps to enhance one's ability to appreciate hard work.
A type of test that determines how creative someone is likely to be.A style of parenting where parents discipline their children to obey their demands

A style of parenting where parents foster their children's talents and skills and teach them to voice their opinions.

In the middle of Paragraph 5, Gladwell writes, "He [Langan] never had a parent teach him on the way to the doctor how to speak up for himself, or how to reason and negotiate with those in positions of authority."

Which statement best describes Chris Langan's perception of authority?

Langan distrusted authority because he assumed they did not have his best interests at heart.
Langan distrusted authority due to adopting a political philosophy that questioned any sort of hierarchy.
Langan was ambivalent towards authority and preferred to live a countercultural lifestyle "off the grid."
Langan felt superior to authority due to an upbringing that stressed his intellectual greatness - Langan assumed he was everyone's intellectual superior.
Langan felt like an intellectual equal and therefore warmly engaged any authority figure in his midst.

Langan distrusted authority because he assumed they did not have his best interests at heart.

Which statement best describes Jeff Langan's perception of his brother Chris?

He is proud of his brother for bypassing the education system and living according to his own terms.
He is ashamed of his brother due to his lack of accomplishments.
He feels sorry for his brother due to his lack of accomplishments.
He is proud of his brother due to his plethora of accomplishments.
He feels sorry for his brother due to being overlooked by the education system.

He feels sorry for his brother due to being overlooked by the education system.

Near the end of Paragraph 5, Gladwell writes of Chris Langan, "He didn't learn entitlement." Which of the following best explains what this sentence means in the context of the whole passage?

Langan didn't learn that he was better than other people.
Langan was never taught how to advocate for himself.
Langan was not able to actually navigate the world as his parents controlled his actions.
Langan was not the kind of person who expected everything to be handed to him without working for it.
Langan learned that he had to be able to speak up for himself when he had an issue.

Langan was never taught how to advocate for himself.

What is the last sentence of the article, "Once again, his timing may prove to be pretty good," making a reference to?

The two versions of the story about Gladwell that are compared
The beginning of the article where he discusses how Gladwell's success is partly due to the time period in which he was writing
The idea that the government needs to do more to bring about more success stories How Gladwell decided to compose Outliers when he knew it would be well-received How Gladwell believes success is about more than hard work

The beginning of the article where he discusses how Gladwell's success is partly due to the time period in which he was writing

The phrase in Paragraph 4, "Horatio Alger-like pluck," is an example of what type of figurative language?

alliteration
personification
allusion
hyperbole
onomatopoeia

allusion

What would Leonhardt say is Gladwell's main purpose in writing Outliers?

To reconsider the reasons for success in order to help create more success.
To undermine current attitudes toward success in order to take success away from those who have earned it.
To explain that success comes from hard work not opportunities.To compare rags to riches stories with stories of opportunity that leads to success. To show that people don't need help to become successful.

To reconsider the reasons for success in order to help create more success.

What evidence does the author use to provide proof of his statement from Paragraph 10, "Outliers is far more political. It is almost a manifesto"?

He uses multiple different examples from Outliers.
The idea that Outliers is a new kind of book.
The examples of Gladwell's The Tipping Point and Blink.
He uses quoted lines from Outliers.
The fact that Gladwell's books are a mixture of different genres.

He uses quoted lines from Outliers.

What is the most significant difference between the content of the two versions of the background of Malcolm Gladwell?

The first version focuses more on what Gladwell had to overcome to be able to write his books, while the second version talks about how his parents helped him.
The first version discusses how quickly he was able to find new jobs, while the second version talked about why he became a writer.
The first version is critical of Gladwell and how he started writing, while the second version is much more celebratory about his accomplishments.
The first version talks more about where Gladwell worked before he started writing his books, while the second discusses more about the time period in which he was writing.
The first version focuses more on Gladwell's apparent talent and hard work, while the second discusses more about the circumstances that helped him become a famous writer.

The first version focuses more on Gladwell's apparent talent and hard work, while the second discusses more about the circumstances that helped him become a famous writer.

Which sentence from the article best describes the tone of Outliers?

"Devastatingly, if cheerfully, Gladwell exposes the flaws in these success stories we tell ourselves."
"Instead, he tells other success stories, often using the device of back-to-back narratives."
"It is the classically American version of his career, in that it gives individual characteristics —talent, hard work, Horatio Alger-like pluck—the starring role."
"He doesn't actually tell his own life story in the book.""But Gladwell suggests that his opportunities may have been even more so."

"Devastatingly, if cheerfully, Gladwell exposes the flaws in these success stories we tell ourselves."

In Ch. 7 of Outliers, "The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes," why was the plane crash rate in the past for Korean Air seventeen times higher than the rate for United Airlines?

Korean pilots' sleep was not monitored carefully enough compared to other countries.
Korean planes were poorly constructed.
Korean planes fly in riskier weather conditions.
Korean pilots tended to downplay or sugarcoat what they say.

Korean pilots tended to downplay or sugarcoat what they say.

The concept of "accumulative advantage" is described in Outliers using which of the following terms or theories?

the 10,000 hours rule
mitigated speech
the Matthew Effect
demographic trough
the threshold effect

the Matthew Effect

In Ch. 5, Gladwell introduces the concept of meaningful work. Which example, from another chapter, best shows the impact of meaningful work?

The farmers who grow rice, as discussed in Ch. 7, see a direct correlation between how much effort they put in and how much their crops produce.
The Rosetans in the introduction to the book, lived longer because their community ties were so strong.
The Beatles in Ch. 2 are working lots of long hours in Hamburg.
Robert Oppenheimer, as discussed in Ch. 4, worked on the Manhattan Project and was a well known physicist.
As discussed in Ch. 6, the more someone understands how their ancestors are influencing their behavior, the more they can recognize what patterns of behavior they might need to try to change.

The farmers who grow rice, as discussed in Ch. 7, see a direct correlation between how much effort they put in and how much their crops produce.

As discussed in Ch. 3, what is the relationship between success and IQ?

There is no relationship between success and IQ.
The relationship between success and IQ only works up to a certain threshold or point.
The relationship between success and IQ is too complicated to understand.
There is an inverse relationship between success and IQ (as IQ increases, level of success decreases).
Success and IQ are always directly correlated and rise equally together.

The relationship between success and IQ only works up to a certain threshold or point.

What question is Gladwell interested in exploring in Part Two (Chapters 6-Epilogue) of Outliers ?

Gladwell is interested in focusing on how much our household upbringing, parents, and income directly impact success.
Gladwell is interested in seeing if Southerners are born in the first few months of the year as often as Canadian hockey players.
Gladwell wants to find a connection between 10,000 hours of practice and cultures that value that amount of practice.
Gladwell wants to focus on examining how opportunities that specific people get helps to lead to their success.
Gladwell wants to know if we can learn something about how people succeed by learning about their cultural legacies.

Gladwell wants to know if we can learn something about how people succeed by learning about their cultural legacies.

As discussed in Ch. 4 of Outliers, what is "practical intelligence"?

Knowledge that helps you solve equations and test hypotheses. Knowledge that helps you be able to think outside of the box. Knowledge that helps you judge distances and estimate sizes. Knowledge that helps you invent things and think creatively. Knowledge that helps you read situations and advocate for yourself.

Knowledge that helps you read situations and advocate for yourself.

What significant conclusion does the "culture of honor" theory reach?

Those who have honorable ancestors are more likely to recognize honor when they see it.
It matters where you are from, not just in terms of where you live, but going back multiple generations.
Where our ancestors came from doesn't matter as much as where we live now.If you are descended from family that won feuds, you are more likely to lose in a fight. People are directly impacted by the behavior of only their father and mother.

It matters where you are from, not just in terms of where you live, but going back multiple generations.

In Ch. 6, "cultures of honor" are discussed. Gladwell discussed feuds that existed in Harlan, Kentucky. What, according to Gladwell, is true about Harlan?

The violence and lawlessness in Harlan was virtually unheard of in the surrounding areas of Kentucky.
Towns with Scotch-Irish inhabitants were more peaceful than nearby towns inhabited by people from other regions.
Other towns in the regions were experiencing similar conflicts as well.
The town condoned violence to prevent any one family from having too much power or influence.
The people in the town live so much longer than neighboring towns because of their lifestyle.

Other towns in the regions were experiencing similar conflicts as well.

In Ch. 4, parenting style researcher Annette Lareau discussed "entitlement." According to Lareau, how can having this sense of entitlement help a young person to succeed in the world?

She sees entitlement as the view of having the right to pursue one's own individual preferences.
She sees entitlement as parents covering up for children who try to poison their tutors. She sees entitlement as kids being able to learn without the input of their parents.
She sees entitlement as parents giving their children a free pass to be demanding and have temper tantrums.
She sees entitlement as being spoiled so you always get what you want and, therefore, have more possessions.

She sees entitlement as the view of having the right to pursue one's own individual preferences.

Malcolm Gladwell claims that a key part of why the "Matthew Effect" is at work involving sports with birthdate cut-offs is because of

analytical intelligence.
parenting style.
cultural legacy.
maturity.
communication.

maturity.