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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. What is the name of the development lab that Pollan visits in order to learn more about corn?

2. Each acre of corn, according to Pollan needs to have _________ gallons of fossil fuel to support it.

3. To combat the human end of the imperfect system, marketers add ______ to their raw product -- making it a novelty.

4. Wallerstein originally worked for a _______ where he learned he could entice people to buy more with larger sizes.

5. What do many farmers rely on in order to create higher yields at their farms?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the Salatin farm as Pollan views it in the book from his experiences visiting there.

2. What happens during the wet mill process of processing corn?

3. What is corn starch broken down into after it has been processed in the wet milling process?

4. What does the Salatin farm not need to use because it practices other methods of pest control and fertilization?

5. What are some of the other creatures and ingredients that are a part of the picture of the natural cow eating the natural grass?

6. What are the environmental results of the industrial method of farming, as Pollan finds out?

7. What does Naylor admit that he and most other growers grow in their corn fields?

8. What does Pollan point out as being the ingredients that are in a common breakfast cereal?

9. What was the role of Earl Butz in the corn industry, according to the book?

10. Why do humans have the problem of the omnivore's dilemma, according to Pollan?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Salatin talks to Pollan about the ways in which a farm can grow in line with the Earth to be more productive and healthy.

Part 1: Do you think that organic growing is the best way to grow for food supplies?

Part 2: Why do you think organic growing methods aren't always the best choice?

Part 3: Do you think that organic growing is more of a trend than a way of life?

Essay Topic 2

Polyface Farm also strives to live off the grid in an effort to use as few resources as possible.

Part 1: Do you think it's possible for you to live without depending on the grid?

Part 2: Why do you think a person might want to live off the grid?

Part 3: How would your live change if you were to start living off the grid?

Essay Topic 3

Pollan is surprised by the many things he learns about his food and where it comes from.

Part 1: Do you know where your food comes from?

Part 2: Why do you think people don't often think about where their food comes from?

Part 3: Do you feel it is important to know where your food comes from?

(see the answer keys)

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