WGU C100 Pre Assessment

Question 1

What is an aesthetic experience?
A: A comparison of beauty
B: A feeling of pleasure that justifies itself
C: A rejection of individualized art
D: An objective experience

Answer 1

A feeling of pleasure that justifies itself

Question 2

Which topic is studied by the humanities?
A: The demographic make-up of mass human social organizations
B: The cultures and beliefs that make up the experience of being human
C: How humans interact with their surrounding environment
D: Patterns, causes, and conditions of human health

Answer 2

The cultures and beliefs that make up the experience of being human

Question 3

Which branch of philosophy deals with the nature and scope of knowledge?
A: Epistemology
B: Ethics
C: Logic
D: Metaphysics

Answer 3

Epistemology

Question 4

What is a clear example of the creation of aesthetic beauty in a humanities discipline?
A: A chemist creates a new method of hexane extraction in the laboratory
B: An artist feels inspired by nature and paints a picture of the mountain landscape.
C: A welder fabricates components for construction of a new high-rise building.
D: A worker assembles parts of an automobile on a production line.

Answer 4

An artist feels inspired by nature and paints a picture of the mountain landscape.

Question 5

Match each type of love with its definition.

Answer 5

Eros: Passionate love favored by Greek poets
Platonic: Non-sexual love emphasized by ancient Greeks
Courtly: A romantic love emphasized in the medieval period

Question 6

How does technology impact the visual arts?
A: Technology allows us to archive, reproduce, and share artwork in many ways.
B: Technology allows fewer people to access the arts.
C: Technological innovations reduce our ability to experience the visual arts
D: Technological progress provides the primary inspiration for artists.

Answer 6

Technology allows us to archive, reproduce, and share artwork in many ways.

Question 7

Which classical theme critiqued the belief that only the gods could create models of morality?
A: Democracy
B: Humanism
C: Balance
D: Polytheism

Answer 7

Humanism

Question 8

What are three techniques used by ancient Greek playwrights Sophocles and Aristophanes?
A: Foreshadowing, discovery, and reversal of fortune
B: Revelation, secrecy, and a chorus
C: Surprise, illustration, and illumination
D: Double entendre, stealing, and deception

Answer 8

Foreshadowing, discovery, and reversal of fortune

Question 9

Why is Sappho’s classical poem “A Lament for Adonis” considered lyrical poetry?
A: It expresses feelings of romantic love.
B: It recounts a hero’s journey.
C: It reveals a tragic flaw.
D: It satirizes political issues.

Answer 9

It expresses feelings of romantic love.

Question 10

Read the following dialogue among female characters from Aristophanes’s classical play Lysistrata:

LYSISTRATA: Don’t you feel sad and sorry because the fathers of your children are far away from you with the army? For I’ll wager there is not one of you whose husband is not abroad at this moment.

CLEONICÉ: Mine has been the last five months in Thrace–looking after Eucrates.

MYRRHINÉ: It’s seven long months since mine left me for Pylos.

LAMPITO: As for mine, if he ever does return from service, he’s no sooner home than he takes down his shield again and flies back to the wars.

LYSISTRATA: And not so much as the shadow of a lover! Since the day the Milesians betrayed us, I have never once seen an eight-inch godemiche even, to be a leathern consolation to us poor widows…. Now tell me, if I have discovered a means of ending the war, will you all second me?

MYRRHINÉ: Yes verily, by all the goddesses, I swear I will, though I have to put my gown in pawn, and drink the money the same day.

CLEONICÉ: And so will I, though I must be split in two like a flat-fish, and have half myself removed.

LAMPITO: And I too; why to secure peace, I would climb to the top of Mount Taygetus.

LYSISTRATA: Then I will out with it at last, my mighty secret! Oh! sister women, if we would compel our husbands to make peace, we must refrain…

MYRRHINÉ: Refrain from what? tell us, tell us!

[Lysistrata proceeds to convince the women to take a drastic action to end the war.]

What is true about this play?

A:The women decide to refuse to have sex with their husbands until the war is called off, which challenges traditional ideas of the role of wives in classical society.
B: The women are fed up with the warmongering activities of their husbands and decide to boycott domestic chores, which is a rejection of the role of wives in Greek society.
C: The women’s decision to contest their husbands’ warmongering activities suggests that women were equal to men in classical society.
D: The women’s decision to organize and collectively refuse sex demonstrates that women garner a higher social status than men in classical Greek society.

Answer 10

The women decide to refuse to have sex with their husbands until the war is called off, which challenges traditional ideas of the role of wives in classical society.

Question 11

Which two characteristics of classical epic poetry are shared by Homer’s Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid?
Choose 2 answers
A: They present the hero as a model of the ideal man in Greek and Roman culture.
B: They explore the complex relationship between humans and the gods.
C: They contain versions of Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave.”
D: They explore the effects of industrialization on Greek and Roman culture.
E: They were intended to be performed as plays during religious festivals.

Answer 11

They present the hero as a model of the ideal man in Greek and Roman culture.

They explore the complex relationship between humans and the gods.

Question 12

How did the development of democracy impact the classical period?
A: The democratic republic emerged as an alternative to tyrannical forms of government.
B: Combined with feudalism, democracy helped to promote economic stability.
C: Democratic forms provided opportunities for women to serve in political leadership roles.
D: Democratic representation served to eliminate oligarchy as a viable form of government.

Answer 12

The democratic republic emerged as an alternative to tyrannical forms of government.

Question 13

What is the significance of the kouros in terms of cultural exchange during the classical period?
A: It is a Greek refinement of the Egyptian figural sculpture.
B: It is a Roman style of household decoration that was also used by wealthy Greeks.
C: It is an art form that the Greeks borrowed from the Phoenicians for religious and cultural festivals.
D: It is an Iberian artifact used by the Greeks to mark burial sites.

Answer 13

It is a Greek refinement of the Egyptian figural sculpture.

Question 14

How is the classical concept of the “republic” still evidenced in contemporary life?
A: In a republic, voting citizens have supreme rule but decisions are carried out through elected officials, which is the foundation of the American political system.
B: In a republic, the decisions and laws are made by presidents with constitutional authority, which is the basis of American democracy.
C: In a republic, citizens elect senators to serve for six years, which forms the basis of the legislative branch of the U.S. government.
D: In a republic, which means “rule by the people,” all citizens have an equal say in government decisions, which is the basic structure of American democracy.

Answer 14

In a republic, voting citizens have supreme rule but decisions are carried out through elected officials, which is the foundation of the American political system.

Question 15

Which two beliefs are characteristic of the Renaissance?
Choose 2 answers
A: Scientific inquiry will increase human knowledge of the world.
B: A reduction in dependence on slave labor should be society’s goal.
C: Church doctrine provides the most accurate model for the ideal social life.
D: Classical literary and philosophical works provide resources for learning and living.

Answer 15

Scientific inquiry will increase human knowledge of the world.

Classical literary and philosophical works provide resources for learning and living.

Question 16

What was the effect of rationalism during the Renaissance?
A: Rationalism supplied a new perspective for people to think about science and nature instead of relying on superstitious or religious explanations for natural phenomena.
B: Rationalism took an anti-secularism approach to nature and science
C: Rationalism signaled a return to the classical period’s mythological explanations for natural phenomena.
D: Rationalism encouraged individuals to seek out explanations for natural phenomena by examining classical mythology and explanations for nature.

Answer 16

Rationalism supplied a new perspective for people to think about science and nature instead of relying on superstitious or religious explanations for natural phenomena.

Question 17

Which statement is true of the madrigals during the Renaissance?
A: Madrigal compositions used a solo voice and focused mainly on the pursuit of political power.
B: Madrigal composers incorporated various instruments to imitate the human voice.
C: Madrigal compositions used instruments instead of the human voice to heighten the emotional experience for audiences.
D: Madrigal composers created secular songs that married the sound of the music to the written word.

Answer 17

Madrigal composers created secular songs that married the sound of the music to the written word.

Question 18

How does Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper exemplify Renaissance art?
A: It employs linear perspective to create the illusion of depth on a flat surface.
B: It devotes the majority of the scene to a naturalistic depiction of the landscape.
C: It focuses on classical themes and avoids biblical narratives.
D: It adheres to traditional fresco painting methods.

Answer 18

It employs linear perspective to create the illusion of depth on a flat surface.

Question 19

How did Gutenberg’s introduction of the printing press to Germany in the 1400s impact culture and religion in Renaissance Europe?
A: Because Gutenberg’s printing press was slow and inefficient, the expense of production limited printed books to nobility and religious leaders.
B: The printing press allowed religious reformers to spread their ideas to a larger audience and allowed people greater access to written materials such as poems and novels.
C: Gutenberg’s printing press allowed Germany to dominate the religious reform movement.
D: The printing press revolutionized European society by equalizing social classes and re-distributing wealth from the nobility and the Catholic church to the lower classes.

Answer 19

The printing press allowed religious reformers to spread their ideas to a larger audience and allowed people greater access to written materials such as poems and novels.

Question 20

How did global exploration, such as during the golden age of Spain, contribute to art and literature of the Renaissance?
A: Despite the exploration, artists and writers remained focused primarily on traditional themes of the ancient Roman Empire in their works.
B: Artists and writers were inspired by the travels of explorers and incorporated themes of adventure and conquest into paintings and stories.
C: Portuguese explorers in Africa helped promote the incorporation of African styles in painting and sculpture.
D: Artists and writers seldom incorporated themes of global exploration because these themes contradicted with Christian religious dogma.

Answer 20

Artists and writers were inspired by the travels of explorers and incorporated themes of adventure and conquest into paintings and stories.

Question 21

How is the theme of Renaissance humanism present in contemporary life?
A: A high value is placed on human rights, an individual’s education, and promotion of social rights
B: A high value is placed on environmentalism, natural resources, and preservation of historical sites
C: A high value is placed on promoting happiness through mindfulness, meditation, and self-enhancement
D: A high value is placed on being a member of a globalized society and striving for social justice

Answer 21

A high value is placed on human rights, an individual’s education, and promotion of social rights

Question 22

What does classicism refer to as used in the term neoclassicism?
A: Using the visual art and architectural motifs of ancient Greece
B: Adopting the political philosophy of Socrates
C: Promoting a Roman-style checks and balances government
D: Applying the idea of Platonic forms through science and math

Answer 22

Using the visual art and architectural motifs of ancient Greece

Question 23

Which concept did the philosophy of Deism contribute to the Enlightenment period?
A: God created the universe according to scientific laws and principles and lets it function on its own.
B: Religious pluralism should be embraced and incorporated into everyday life.
C: Religion cannot be explained by human reason; it can only be explained through faith.
D: Science is useful, but it is secondary to the study of religious doctrine.

Answer 23

God created the universe according to scientific laws and principles and lets it function on its own.

Question 24

How does Thomas Jefferson’s plantation home, Monticello, exemplify neoclassical architectural style?
A: It uses asymmetrical curving lines on the west exterior facade.
B: It incorporates Ionic columns and Gothic arches in the west facade.
C: It contains a columned facade and a pedimented front porch lined with Doric columns.
D: It uses stucco and adobe in the construction of the house.

Answer 24

It contains a columned facade and a pedimented front porch lined with Doric columns.

Question 25

What is the political significance of Jacques Louis David’s 1793 neoclassical work The Death of Marat?
A: It exposes the pointless and lonely tragedy of Enlightenment revolutionary fervor.
B: It affirms the ideals of French monarchists against revolutionary upheaval.
C: It glorifies the Enlightenment ideals of revolutionary heroism and self-sacrifice.
D: It calls for measured reform in the face of revolutionary terror.

Answer 25

It glorifies the Enlightenment ideals of revolutionary heroism and self-sacrifice.

Question 26

How did philosopher Rousseau’s concept of the “noble savage” set the stage for Enlightenment debates of the corruption and evils of slavery?
A: Rousseau argued that slavery was the most destructive evil of mankind and should be immediately ended throughout the world.
B: Rousseau’s arguments, taking into account British financial interests fueled by slavery, helped focus Enlightenment debates on the human condition.
C: Rousseau’s arguments that native peoples were morally superior to “civilized” man, led to the romantic-period attitude that every man should have the right to live a natural life.
D: Rousseau argued that native populations needed to be controlled through colonization, a belief that romantic thinkers would come to rebuke.

Answer 26

Rousseau’s arguments that native peoples were morally superior to “civilized” man, led to the romantic-period attitude that every man should have the right to live a natural life.

Question 27

What effect did the rise of capitalism have during the neoclassical period?
A: It increased the exchange of ideas.
B: It ended the Catholic church’s political monopoly.
C: It ended the European practice of colonialism.
D: It led to Spain’s reemergence as a global power

Answer 27

It increased the exchange of ideas.

Question 28

How does the contemporary idea of progress relate to the Enlightenment idea of progress?
A: Contemporary society, like that of the Enlightenment period, emphasizes education’s role in the individual obtaining economic progress.
B: Contemporary society places great emphasis on an individual’s education, which parallels the Enlightenment view that the pursuit of knowledge was a form of moral progress.
C: Progress today refers primarily to technological advancement, whereas during the Enlightenment, progress mostly referred to social change.
D: In today’s world, social progress is more important than the technological progress advocated by Enlightenment thinkers.

Answer 28

Contemporary society places great emphasis on an individual’s education, which parallels the Enlightenment view that the pursuit of knowledge was a form of moral progress.

Question 29

Which political ideology arose in the romantic period?
A: Communism
B: Fascism
C: Nationalism
D: Utilitarianism

Answer 29

Nationalism

Question 30

Which three attributes apply to music from the romantic period?
Choose 3 answers
A: Exploration of heroic and nationalistic themes
B: Focus on the dramatic and expressive qualities of sound
C: Expansion of the orchestra to include a larger number and variety of instruments
D: An increase in the use of monophony and plainsong
E: A return to simple harmonic structure and shorter duration of works
F: Experimentation with electronic instruments and computer-generated sounds

Answer 30

Exploration of heroic and nationalistic themes

Focus on the dramatic and expressive qualities of sound

Expansion of the orchestra to include a larger number and variety of instruments

Question 31

How does Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony differ from previous classical symphonies?
A: It uses a small orchestra and dancers.
B: It is longer and incorporates choral movements.
C: It uses saxophones and steel-string guitars.
D: It is organized into one large movement.

Answer 31

It is longer and incorporates choral movements.

Question 32

Read the following passage from Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself”:

“My tongue, every atom of my blood, form’d from this soil, this air,
Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same,
I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,
Hoping to cease not till death.”

How does this poem exemplify themes from the romantic period?

A: It reflects an egalitarian viewpoint through an intimate connection with nature.
B: It stresses the importance of noble lineage through connections with the natural world.
C: It has Whitman introduce himself as superior to others by closely connecting himself to nature.
D: It emphasizes the value of scientific breakthroughs by carefully examining nature

Answer 32

It reflects an egalitarian viewpoint through an intimate connection with nature.

Question 33

How did the writings of romantic poets and novelists impact society during the romantic period?
A: They demonstrated how reason and logic are sufficient to reveal human nature.
B: They fostered the belief that a classical education is a necessary foundation for artists.
C: They demonstrated the importance of subjective experience and emotion.
D: They provided instructions for living life in a morally correct way.

Answer 33

They demonstrated the importance of subjective experience and emotion.

Question 34

How does John Nash’s architectural design of England’s Royal Pavilion reflect cross-cultural influences of the romantic period?
A: The Royal Pavilion incorporates structural elements of Mughal and Islamic architecture.
B: The architectural design of the Royal Pavilion was influenced by John Nash’s trip to America.
C: The Royal Pavilion demonstrates key architectural influences from South America.
D: The architectural design of the Royal Pavilion draws primarily from classical Greek structures.

Answer 34

The Royal Pavilion incorporates structural elements of Mughal and Islamic architecture.

Question 35

How do works of music from the romantic period continue to influence contemporary life?
A: Musical melodies from famous romantic period compositions can be heard in contemporary popular songs, such as Eric Carmen’s “All by Myself.”
B: The romantic principles of structure and clarity demonstrated in the works of Bach and Handel can be seen in many contemporary compositions, such as those by Madonna.
C: Symphonies and operas from composers such as Bach and Handel explored key romantic ideas of conformity and restraint, which are commonly seen in contemporary music.
D: The romantic operas of Brahms and Bach are still performed today in small, intimate theaters, sometimes referred to as “black boxes.”

Answer 35

Musical melodies from famous romantic period compositions can be heard in contemporary popular songs, such as Eric Carmen’s “All by Myself.”

Question 36

Which development sparked class consciousness in Europe in the mid-19th century?
A: The acceptance of scientific materialism
B: A desire to return to agrarian life
C: The economic effects of industrialization
D: An emphasis on reason and the study of logic

Answer 36

The economic effects of industrialization

Question 37

What is the standard definition of natural selection, as described in Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species?
A: Natural selection is an evolutionary process where certain traits are carried into subsequent generations and other traits are biologically eliminated in a living organism.
B: Natural selection is an evolutionary process where traits that do not increase an organism’s biological fitness are passed down to subsequent generations.
C: Natural selection is the process by which living organisms remain the same over time.
D: Natural selection is the process that causes a living organism to reproduce and populate a selected environment.

Answer 37

Natural selection is an evolutionary process where certain traits are carried into subsequent generations and other traits are biologically eliminated in a living organism.

Question 38

How does Leo Tolstoy’s work War and Peace represent realist themes?
A: It embraces fiction to narrate an epic battle adventure.
B: It grounds a nonfictional romance in a stylized, fictional context.
C: It emphasizes individual characters facing true-to-life situations.
D: It draws on letters and journals to glorify European culture.

Answer 38

It emphasizes individual characters facing true-to-life situations.

Question 39

Which two themes of the realist period are explored in Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House?
Choose 2 answers
A: The rights of women
B: Individual rejection of social convention
C: Multiculturalism
D: Revival of classical literary techniques
E: Emphasis on nature as inspiration

Answer 39

The rights of women

Individual rejection of social convention

Question 40

How did Marx’s critique of the Industrial Revolution impact the subject matter of literature from the realist period?
A: Realist literature focused on the romance of traditional country life.
B: Realist literature emphasized the everyday plight of the poor and working class.
C: Realist literature rejected the principle of objectivism and turned toward idealism.
D: Realist literature rejected working class Marxist themes in order to be profitable.

Answer 40

Realist literature emphasized the everyday plight of the poor and working class.

Question 41

How does Alfons Mucha’s poster for Victorien Sardou’s Gismonda demonstrate the influence of Eastern culture on European art?
A: It reflects Mughal geometric styles and patterns.
B: It demonstrates Confucian principles of balance and harmony.
C: It represents the mixing of Ottoman and European artistic styles.
D: It borrows from the style of Japanese woodblock prints.

Answer 41

It borrows from the style of Japanese woodblock prints.

Question 42

How have Darwin’s writings and theories of evolutionary biology contributed to beliefs about human existence in today’s world?
A: Darwin’s writings and ideas about the nature of evolutionary change have impacted modern ideas by teaching that moral choices are caused by natural selection.
B: Darwin’s explorations paved the way for more understanding of the nature of change in living organisms, helping humanity to better understand human ancestry and biological lineage.
C: Darwin’s ideas of natural selection and evolution have inspired modern theorists to think that human existence began on remote islands, such as the Galapagos.
D: Darwin’s theories of evolutionary biology have contributed to modern ideas that humans have only existed as a species for 6,000 years.

Answer 42

Darwin’s explorations paved the way for more understanding of the nature of change in living organisms, helping humanity to better understand human ancestry and biological lineage.