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

2. Part of the Americanization of the apple had to do with the character of Johnny Appleseed whose real name was ______.

3. The apple was first introduced to North America with the initial waves of the ______ immigration.

4. The tulip that Pollan has on his desk, a Queen of Night, has no ______, which he indicates is because it is meant to be visual.

5. Chapman practiced the faith of ______ and was known to launch into sermons when visiting.

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What are the four important classes of domesticated plants which influenced the way in which Pollan chose the plants for the book?

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

4. What happens when a person plants the seed of an apple tree into the ground? Will the resulting tree produce the same apples?

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

6. 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?

7. What is connection between the plants in the book and their impact on the human society and vice-versa?

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

9. What is the classic example of coevolution that Pollan presents at the start of the book?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One might suggest that the idea that apples are shaping human existence is based on speculation as opposed to scientific study.

Part 1: Do you think that apples have affected the human race as a whole?

Part 2: How might a scientist study the sweetness and the effects of apples on humans?

Part 3: Is science the only way that a definitive answer can be discovered? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Genetic variability is thought to be the key to the apple's future, even though it is not widely discussed in social circles.

Part 1: How might you define the idea of genetic variability?

Part 2: Why do you think genetic variability is important to the survival of the apple?

Part 3: Is genetic variability important to the survival of man? If not, why not?

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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