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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 book states that the potato plant was stolen from the royal gardens of ______.

2. Since Appleseed raised his trees from seed, most of the fruit was not suitable for _______.

3. Chinese poets likened the blossoms of the peony to a ______.

4. The domestic apple is thought to have derived from a species that originally came from the country ______.

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

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What is the question which arises in Pollan's mind when he thinks about planting and growing the potatoes?

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

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

5. What does Pollan have to say about his tendency to speculate and about the connection between flowers and speculation?

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

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

8. Why does Chapman not want to have anything to do with the grafting of apple trees in order to breed certain strains?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The story includes the idea that Johnny Appleseed spread the seeds of apples all over America, although no proof is given.

Part 1: Does it seem plausible that one man could have spread all of the apple seeds in the country?

Part 2: What do you think Johnny's motivations for spreading the seed might have been?

Part 3: Why is this story so nostalgic to those who live in America?

Essay Topic 2

Americans seem to have a clear idea as to what a 'normal' potato might look like.

Part 1: Why do you think Americans have been brought up to think of the potato in that one way?

Part 2: How do you feel about the potato? What do you think a potato should look and taste like?

Part 3: Do you feel the potato is an essential part of your diet? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

The book's subjects are presented with objectivity at times, but not at other times.

Part 1: Do you think it's possible for a book to be completely objective?

Part 2: In what ways might Pollan have been able to be more objective in the way he writes this book?

Part 3: How do you think Pollan feels about the plants that he has chosen in this book?

(see the answer keys)

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