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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What happened when someone went out to work in the garden after lunch?
(a) They stayed later and worked most of the afternoon.
(b) They fell asleep in the shade of the garden.
(c) Their productivity was very high.
(d) They were escaping and never returned.

2. What was inserted into the compost pile to help break down matter?
(a) Ants.
(b) Earth worms and worm capsules.
(c) Bees.
(d) Snakes.

3. What size were the Nearing's compost piles?
(a) 5 x 5 feet square and deep.
(b) 10 x 16 feet rectangle.
(c) 8 x 8 feet square.
(d) 10 x 10 feet square.

4. In the breakdown of the Nearing's diet, how was the intake of vegetables broken down?
(a) Juicy only.
(b) 1/2 green and the rest juicy.
(c) 1/3 yellow, 1/2 green and leafy, and 1/3 juicy.
(d) 1/2 yellow and the rest juicy.

5. What kind of events were held on Saturday nights in the small Vermont town?
(a) Movies.
(b) Square dances.
(c) Bar dances.
(d) Swap meets.

Short Answer Questions

1. How much did the Nearings pay for the hand concrete mixer?

2. What, according to the Nearings, is the food furthest removed from the soil?

3. How did the Nearings get stones to build their buildings?

4. The Nearings thought living in Vermont would be justified as an example of sane living in an _____________.

5. In the breakdown of the Nearing's diet, how much of percentage was their intake of fruit?

Short Essay Questions

1. How much time did it take for the Nearings to provide food for the year, furnish their house and fuel, and provide needed repairs on the farm? What were the positive outcomes of their system?

2. What about the Nearings baffled the neighbors the most?

3. How did the Nearings decide to make maple syrup as their cash crop? How did this decision surprise them?

4. What was the planting season for the Nearings? How did they plant their gardens?

5. How did the Nearings pick the lettuce in the winter to keep it from wilting?

6. Why were the music sessions a community success? What was different about them that made people want to stay and visit?

7. What was the Nearings' view about old buildings? What was their solution to old buildings?

8. How did the Nearings decorate? What kind of furniture and fireplaces did they use?

9. Describe how the Nearings made fruit juice as a simple process.

10. How did the cancellation of the mail route in 1945 affect the valley? What did they do? How was this, according to the authors, a positive event for the community?

(see the answer keys)

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