The Ant And The Peacock by Helena Cronin
- 1. The Ant and the Peacock by Helena Cronin is a fascinating exploration of sexual selection and the evolutionary dynamics that shape the behavior and characteristics of different species. In this thought-provoking work, Cronin delves into the contrasting lives of ants, which are structured and highly cooperative, and peacocks, which exhibit extravagant displays to attract mates. Through her engaging narrative, she examines the implications of these contrasting reproductive strategies and how they reflect broader patterns in evolution and natural history. The book weaves together insights from biology, ecology, and sociology, highlighting how the traits that favor survival and reproduction can vary dramatically across different organisms. With a mix of scientific analysis and storytelling, Cronin invites readers to consider the intricate balance between survival instincts and the cost of attracting a mate, ultimately revealing how these processes have shaped the animal kingdom in unpredictable ways.
What evolutionary puzzle does the 'peacock' represent?
A) Avian vocalizations
B) Bird migration patterns
C) Sexual selection and elaborate traits
D) Feather molting process
- 2. Which concept explains why sterile worker ants help their queen?
A) Group selection
B) Kin selection
C) Natural selection
D) Sexual selection
- 3. Who proposed the theory of kin selection discussed in the book?
A) W.D. Hamilton
B) John Maynard Smith
C) Richard Dawkins
D) Charles Darwin
- 4. What is Hamilton's rule?
A) F=ma
B) PV=nRT
C) rB > C
D) E=mc²
- 5. Which scientist originally struggled to explain the peacock's tail?
A) Gregor Mendel
B) Thomas Huxley
C) Charles Darwin
D) Alfred Russel Wallace
- 6. The handicap principle is associated with which researcher?
A) Stephen Jay Gould
B) E.O. Wilson
C) Amotz Zahavi
D) Ronald Fisher
- 7. What does the handicap principle suggest about elaborate traits?
A) They aid in hunting
B) They signal genetic quality
C) They conserve energy
D) They provide camouflage
- 8. Fisher's runaway selection explains what?
A) Extreme sexual ornaments
B) Ant foraging behavior
C) Insect metamorphosis
D) Bird flight evolution
- 9. Which book by Richard Dawkins expands on these ideas?
A) The God Delusion
B) The Extended Phenotype
C) The Blind Watchmaker
D) The Selfish Gene
- 10. Cronin's book primarily discusses developments in which century?
A) 21st century
B) 19th century
C) 20th century
D) 18th century
- 11. What is reciprocal altruism?
A) Helping with expectation of return
B) Random helping behavior
C) Mother-offspring care
D) Forced cooperation
- 12. Who wrote 'The Selfish Gene'?
A) W.D. Hamilton
B) Richard Dawkins
C) Charles Darwin
D) Helena Cronin
- 13. Who developed ESS theory?
A) John Maynard Smith
B) Amotz Zahavi
C) Robert Trivers
D) W.D. Hamilton
- 14. Who proposed parental investment theory?
A) E.O. Wilson
B) Robert Trivers
C) Richard Dawkins
D) Charles Darwin
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