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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 is one of the names for the cattail in the Potawatomi language, meaning "we wrap the baby in it" (275)?

2. What is the Anishinaabe new year, or Maple Sugar Moon called, among the author's people?

3. What is referred to as the "bellybutton" of bean pods in "The Three Sisters" (164)?

4. What is left as a reciprocating gift when an ash tree is chosen to be cut down by the author's native people?

5. What is Lionel's profession, as detailed in "The Honorable Harvest"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Laurie's advisors respond to her thesis subject in “Mishkos Kenomagwen: The Teachings of Grass”?

2. What metaphor does Kimmerer offer for the braiding of a basket in “Wisgaak Gokpenagen: A Black Ash Basket”?

3. What does domesticity in plants mean?

4. What uses for cattails did the author teach her students in “Sitting in a Circle"?

5. What does the author remark about White Man's Footstep in “In the Footsteps of Nanabozho: Becoming Indigenous to Place"?

6. Why is it important to understand that the earth loves people, according to the author in “Epiphany in the Beans”?

7. Why is the concept of circular time important in Native American lore?

8. What lessons did Nanabozho learn from the animals, according to the narrative in “In the Footsteps of Nanabozho: Becoming Indigenous to Place"?

9. Under what types of conditions do black ash trees grow?

10. What preconceptions did the author have about Lionel? How were they proven wrong?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the themes of immigration and naturalization among humans, plants, and animals in Braiding Sweetgrass. What does immigration mean in this regard? What does naturalization mean? In whose footsteps should we follow? Why?

Essay Topic 2

Define immigrant and naturalized citizen in relation to the author's themes in the book. What does naturalization mean to the author? How do we go about becoming naturalized in our environment? What does that require of us?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss the stories of Nanabozho from Braiding Sweetgrass. Who is Nanabozho? What morals are gleaned from his stories? What does Nanabozho represent to the author's people and how is he seen today?

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This section contains 995 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample