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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How can industry model nature?
(a) By working with the conditions of place and respecting diversity in materials and applications.
(b) By creating more simplistic designs based on new technology.
(c) By pushing for new designs that encourage efficiency.
(d) By preserving old technologies.

2. Which product is an example of a monstrous hybrid, as the authors describe it?
(a) Running shoes.
(b) Hardcover books.
(c) Plastic Tupperware.
(d) Wood tables and chairs.

3. Which of the following statements best describes the authors' point of view?
(a) It is a world of abundance, not limits.
(b) The world has unlimited resources.
(c) The world is ours for the taking.
(d) It is a world of production and efficiency.

4. The authors envision all of the following about a building modeled after the cherry tree, except:
(a) Native grasses on the roof.
(b) Energy efficient insulation.
(c) Low ceilings to accommodate for more floors to the building.
(d) Windows that provide beautiful views.

5. What happens to agriculture in the Americas?
(a) It creates a system to replenish the soil.
(b) It becomes an unsustainable design.
(c) It creates new ways to nurture crops.
(d) It becomes a system modeled after early nomads.

6. How are ants a good source of inspiration for positive design?
(a) They are fast and wasteful in their productivity.
(b) They take their time to accomplish a task.
(c) They are very efficient but also contribute to the environment around them.
(d) They do not work in teams but are excellent individualists.

7. How should homes meet heating, cooling, and power needs?
(a) By being part of the power grid.
(b) By using natural resources like wood.
(c) By being integrated into the larger environment.
(d) By consuming fossil fuels.

8. All of the following are examples of local insulation and cooling systems, except:
(a) Energy efficient air conditioners are made a small size to fit family homes.
(b) "Wind scoops" bring cool air down a chimney in Pakistani homes.
(c) Chinese homes are dug into the ground.
(d) Iranian wind towers drip water onto vents that bring in the cooled air.

9. What would NOT be a characteristic of a building inspired by the cherry tree?
(a) It would be sealed off from the environment.
(b) It would let in daylight.
(c) It would be efficient and pleasant to work in at the same time.
(d) The windows would be open.

10. What can we do with materials that cannot be safely recycled?
(a) Break them down into small pieces and dispose of them properly.
(b) Use them for other products.
(c) Recycle them, even though they release toxic chemicals.
(d) Save them until we have the technology to recycle them safely.

11. What do the authors design for Herman Miller?
(a) Downtown lofts.
(b) A furniture factory.
(c) Athletic shoes.
(d) Suburban shopping mall.

12. What do materials become in upcycling?
(a) Harmless waste.
(b) Nutrients for other new materials.
(c) Sewage sludge.
(d) Recycled products like paper.

13. By what percent has Egypt´s food crops decreased?
(a) 50%.
(b) 1%.
(c) 20%.
(d) 5%.

14. What model do early nomads follow?
(a) Cradle to cradle.
(b) Cradle to grave.
(c) The industrial model.
(d) Monoculture agriculture systems.

15. Which is a good alternative to printing a typical book?
(a) Make books from extremely durable materials so that they are never thrown away.
(b) Create electronic books.
(c) Recycle more books.
(d) Make a smaller version of books that uses less materials.

Short Answer Questions

1. What structural material did McDonough suggest for the Bedouin houses?

2. How has leather been tanned in the last forty years?

3. What is inspiring about cherry trees to the authors?

4. What happens to nutrients when agriculture becomes industrialized?

5. Which is a by-product of power plants that could be used in homes or businesses?

(see the answer keys)

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