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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. The plants that have contributed to the shaping of human existence include all of the following except _______.

2. ______ is a sign of health in creatures since mutations and disease can easily disrupt it.

3. The process of trying to impersonate other plants or animals in order to attract or repel is called ______.

4. According to the book, the tulip is said to have the consciousness of _______, evoking clarity and order.

5. The tulip is considered by the author to be the most ______ of flowers, referring especially to the way the flower forces itself out of the ground.

Short Essay Questions

1. Pollan points out there may or may not be a correlation between the beautiful and the good. What does he think there is probably a correlation between?

2. What happens as a result of having perfect symmetry in a flower, according to Pollan's writing in the book?

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

4. What does the presence of flowers tend to tell a person about the area in which they are walking or traveling?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The process of bidding on flowers in order to have them in flower shops for orders seems to be a strange process to those outside of the flower market.

Part 1: Do you think that it's fair for flower sellers to have to bid on the flowers they want in their stores?

Part 2: How do you think flower auctions run? Are they frenetic like the stock market or are they more subdued?

Part 3: Why do you think flowers are so popular in the world among people of all ages and backgrounds?

Essay Topic 3

When the reader sees that marijuana is one of the plants in the book, they can have a variety of reactions.

Part 1: Why do you think Pollan decided to include marijuana in this book?

Part 2: Do you agree that marijuana should be included in a book about how plants change humans as much as humans change plants?

Part 3: How do you think marijuana has affected humans, in your experience?

(see the answer keys)

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