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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. Petals curving inward to hide its sexual organs, the tulip is ______ among flowers, and somewhat aloof.

2. The book states that before flowers there was no connection between the way things looked and ______.

3. The process through which humans and plants have shaped each other over the years is known as _______.

4. Chapman was credited for introducing 'Johnny weed' or ________, to the state of Ohio.

5. Fortius, a professor, could be seen patrolling the streets of the city, ______ any tulip that he encountered.

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the way in which the tulip was able to get ahead when it was a part of the Ottoman Empire?

2. What are some of the ways in which flowers have been created to attract the attention of humans, according to Pollan?

3. Why does Johnny Appleseed not stay in Brilliant when the people ask him to do so?

4. What are the colors and the shapes of flowers designed to do, according to some scientists?

5. Why did Pollan plant tulip bulbs when he was a child, according to his own reflections?

6. What happens when a person cuts an apple at its equator with a sharp knife?

7. Who is John Chapman and what is his importance in the course of the history of the apply?

8. What is the origin of the domesticated apple, although this is certainly a point which is up for contention?

9. What are the four important classes of domesticated plants which influenced the way in which Pollan chose the plants for the book?

10. What does Pollan say about colors that are seen by children, as opposed to colors seen by adults?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One might suggest that the idea that apples are shaping human existence is based on speculation as opposed to scientific study.

Part 1: Do you think that apples have affected the human race as a whole?

Part 2: How might a scientist study the sweetness and the effects of apples on humans?

Part 3: Is science the only way that a definitive answer can be discovered? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

While the potato is easy to grow, it became a plant of vital importance as Ireland rebounded from the Potato Famine.

Part 1: Why do you think the potato famine was so devastating to Ireland?

Part 2: Do you think it's wise for any country to rely strictly on one crop for its food supply?

Part 3: How do you think Ireland could have avoided the devastation they encountered during the famine?

Essay Topic 3

The idea of beauty is one which is not easy to define, although Pollan notes that this is why tulips were so popular for a time.

Part 1: How do you define the idea of beauty? What does this mean to you?

Part 2: How do you define the idea of beauty in relation to the flowers of the world?

Part 3: Why do you think that the tulip was favored over so many other flowers in the world?

(see the answer keys)

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