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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 ingredient that is broken into glucose and sweeteners, including high fructose corn syrup?

2. Many of the products at the health store where Pollan shops contain foods from the _________ food chain.

3. The factories from the war time began to produce ________ for farmers to help with their crops.

4. By _______, the government became involved in the organic market, as it sought to define what it meant to be organic.

5. Salatin is a strong believer in farming in line with one's ___________, as seen in a phone call with Pollan.

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What are some of the compounds that are derived from the various parts of the corn kernel?

3. What is the history of Polyface Farm, according to the book?

4. What is the main idea behind the process of grass farming?

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

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

7. What does Pollan point out is the start of any of the foods in the food chain, which came as a surprise to him?

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

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

10. What are three of the benefits to grass farming, as outlined by Pollan?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

The way that the cows are handled in industrial farms allows more chance of disease to the cow and to the human who eats the beef.

Part 1: How do you think animals should be treated when they are being raised as food?

Part 2: Do you think it's right to eat animals?

Part 3: Why do you think animals' health and well-being aren't always supported by those who raise them?

Essay Topic 3

The government doesn't encourage off the grid and natural farming, according to Pollan and Salatin's discussion.

Part 1: Why wouldn't the government encourage a more efficient way of farming?

Part 2: How do industrial farmers help the government?

Part 3: What might happen if the government supported farmers like Salatin?

(see the answer keys)

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