View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. There is a disagreement among scientists about how much _______ can be safely stored in the body.

2. In ___________ in the 1950s, the chemical that appeared in the water had actually been created spontaneously by the interaction of other chemicals present.

3. Spraying for the ________ began in the 1950s and resulted in the death of robins.

4. Who has poisoned the entire environment, according to Carson as she will prove in this book?

5. For almost every human being on the planet, synthetic pesticides are present in _______ and probably in bodily tissues from the beginning.

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when the bees are suddenly gone from this beautiful American town?

2. What kinds of foods contain the highest levels of chemicals?

3. What happened in Clear Lake, California in the 1940s and 1950s?

4. What have red ants been used for in the matter of forest hygiene?

5. What did the chemical warfare of World War II lead to?

6. Why is the eagle population suffering in relation to the chemicals being used in pest control?

7. Why is the eradication of the sagebrush not going to be an effective move for humans?

8. What are the relatively new sources of water pollution, according to this book?

9. What are some examples of products from a person's everyday life that can contain harmful chemicals?

10. Why are chemicals seen as so harmful to the soil and to the life within the soil?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the chapter, "Rivers of Death," the plight of the salmon is described in detail.

Part 1: What is the problem with the salmon as described by Carson?

Part 2: How might this problem have affected the surrounding areas?

Part 3: Why can't the fish population help itself? What are some of the ways in which they are going to have a lot of troubles rebounding from this decimation?

Essay Topic 2

The loss of the songs of the birds is a frightening idea to many readers. In trying to control the world, the birds are leaving for other areas or dying off completely.

Part 1: Describe why the birds are leaving certain areas.

Part 2: Summarize the Dutch Elm Disease response and how it affected bird populations.

Part 3: What might have been a more natural response to the Dutch Elm Disease problem?

Essay Topic 3

Nature, despite all the humans do to it, still seems to put up a fight when it comes to the damage humans cause.

Part 1: In what ways does Nature fight back against pollution?

Part 2: Why don't we just let Nature take care of itself instead of taking control of the pollution situation?

Part 3: What are the two critical facts that humans overlook when it comes to nature?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 701 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample