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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. ______ is the most widely cultivated fruit and has been put into religious stories including that of Adam and Eve.

2. The book suggests that Herbert's view of tulipmania is a parable of utopianism, specifically _______.

3. The book states that all of the following are capable of prodigies or of shifting themselves in form except _______.

4. The book states that Johnny Appleseed died in 1845 in _______ Indiana.

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

Short Essay Questions

1. Who are some of the groups which roamed the Ohio lands long before Johnny Appleseed was there?

2. How did the tulip bulb end up coming into Holland, even though it was not a native plant in the area?

3. Why does Pollan says that he thinks tulips really were flowers which were designed for children?

4. What are some of the effects of the chemicals within plants which begin the argument that plants might be designed to change humans?

5. What did the Ottoman Turks discover about the wild tulips they found during one of their trips?

6. What is the main reason why the apple is presented in a book about the idea of desire? How does the apple relate to desire?

7. What happens as a result of the different environments in which a flower might be able to grow?

8. Why might it be possible to say that the plants are more evolved than humans are at this point in time?

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

10. How does Pollan describe the particular patch of garden versus the plants one finds in nature?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

At one point, Pollan points out that the tulip offers no nutritional value, while the fruit and the seeds provide sustenance.

Part 1: Why do you think Pollan included such a contradiction in this book?

Part 2: Do you think that Pollan's contradiction causes his book to be less valuable to a reader?

Part 3: Do you think it's possible to create a book without contradicting one's self?

Essay Topic 3

Pollan tries to assign gender qualities to flowers, as some are seen as feminine and others as masculine.

Part 1: Why do you think it is important to assign gender qualities to flowers?

Part 2: What is the purpose of assigning certain flowers to certain gender labels?

Part 3: Do you agree with the assignment of genders to flowers? What do you think this does to the discussion of flowers?

(see the answer keys)

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