Chapter.21 Plants and People Exam Questions

Chapter 21: Plants and People

Multiple-Choice Questions

Homo sapiens appeared in Africa about ___________ years ago.

a. 5000

b. 500,000

c. 1.4 million

d. 2.4 million

e. 140 million

In contrast to wild cereals, domesticated cereals:

a. have smaller grains.

b. have lost their natural seed dispersal.

c. have thinner stalks.

d. release their ripe seeds more readily.

e. have seeds that do not separate as readily from the chaff.

The domestication of plants in the Fertile Crescent began about ______ years ago.

a. 1100

b. 13,000

c. 22,000

d. 55,000

e. 110,000

The first plants cultivated in the Fertile Crescent were:

a. olives and dates.

b. peas and olives.

c. barley and peas.

d. wheat and barley.

e. wheat and lentils.

Figs were first cultivated in:

a. Mesoamerica.

b. the Fertile Crescent.

c. South America.

d. North America.

e. tropical Asia.

Legumes have long been important in the human diet because they are:

a. low in fats.

b. low in carbohydrates.

c. high in protein.

d. high in fats.

e. high in carbohydrates.

Poi is a starchy food made from plants of the genera:

a. Mangifera and Citrus.

b. Citrus and Musa.

c. Musa and Sorghum.

d. Sorghum and Colocasia.

e. Colocasia and Xanthosoma.

Plantains are a ______ variety of ______ first cultivated in tropical Asia.

a. starchy; taro

b. sweet; taro

c. starchy; banana

d. sweet; banana

e. starchy; sorghum

Which of the following crops was NOT initially cultivated in Africa?

a. sorghum

b. okra

c. yams

d. rice

e. cotton

Which of the following crops was NOT first cultivated in the New World and later carried to the Old World?

a. pumpkins

b. peas

c. tobacco

d. maize

e. common beans

Which of the following crops was NOT initially cultivated in the New World?

a. maize

b. common beans

c. barley

d. lima beans

e. peanuts

Which of the following statements about cotton is FALSE?

a. It was domesticated independently in the New and in the Old World.

b. It was domesticated earlier in Mexico than in Peru.

c. New World cottons are polyploid.

d. Old World cottons are diploid.

e. New World cottons replaced Old World cottons throughout the world.

The distinctive agriculture that developed in the south central Andes of South America was based on:

a. corn and beans.

b. wheat and barley.

c. millet and soybeans.

d. potatoes, quinoa, and lupines.

e. rice, soybeans, and yams.

The ______ was first cultivated in Central and South America then carried to New Zealand, Hawaii, and other Pacific islands.

a. sweet potato

b. white potato

c. sunflower

d. yam

e. pineapple

Tapioca is produced from the roots of ______, also called cassava.

a. quinoa

b. lentils

c. sweet potatoes

d. yams

e. manioc

Herbs differ from spices in that most herbs are:

a. buds.

b. seeds.

c. roots.

d. leaves.

e. flowers.

__________ is obtained from bark.

a. Black pepper

b. Cloves

c. Ginger

d. Cinnamon

e. Nutmeg

Which of the following spices originated in the New World?

a. mace

b. hot peppers

c. cinnamon

d. ginger

e. nutmeg

______ is an herb that is a member of the mint family.

a. Anise

b. Dill

c. Basil

d. Caraway

e. Fennel

______ is an herb that is a member of the parsley family.

a. Thyme

b. Oregano

c. Basil

d. Caraway

e. Mint

Which herb consists of the dried stigmas of Crocus sativus?

a. saffron

b. thyme

c. mustard

d. parsley

e. anise

Which of the following statements about coffee is FALSE?

a. It is now cultivated throughout the warm regions of the world.

b. It was first domesticated in the mountains of subtropical Asia.

c. Its seeds are used in preparing the beverage.

d. A third of the world’s supply comes from Brazil.

e. It is a major source of income for many tropical countries.

More than half the world’s sunflowers are produced in:

a. the United States.

b. Mexico.

c. Thailand.

d. West Africa.

e. Russia.

Sugarcane was first domesticated in:

a. Africa.

b. Mexico.

c. New Guinea.

d. Peru.

e. Australia.

The great majority of the world’s food supply is based on ______ kinds of crop plants.

a. 2

b. 6

c. 8

d. 14

e. 20

Which of the following is NOT one of the six crop plants that provide more than 80 percent of the total calories consumed by humans?

a. rice

b. wheat

c. potatoes

d. manioc

e. soybeans

Which of the following was NOT a consequence of the development of agriculture?

a. the development of cities

b. the diversification of lifestyles

c. an increase in the population

d. an increase in the birth rate

e. a decrease in the death rate

The growth rate of the human population is about ______ percent per year.

a. 0.2

b. 1.3

c. 5

d. 10

e. 20

By 2050 the global population is expected to reach:

a. 2.5 million.

b. 9 million.

c. 250 million.

d. 9 billion.

e. 250 billion.

It is estimated that in 2008, one in ______ people on Earth will suffer malnutrition.

a. 2

b. 5

c. 7

d. 10

e. 15

The first significant advance that led to an increase in agricultural productivity was the development of:

a. irrigation.

b. fertilizers.

c. hybrid maize.

d. efficient machinery.

e. pesticides.

The Haber-Bosch process is important in the:

a. reduction of soil erosion.

b. inbreeding of maize.

c. development of pesticides.

d. manufacture of fertilizers.

e. development of efficient irrigation systems.

Which of the following statements concerning hybrid maize is FALSE?

a. They can be selected for cultivation in particular localities.

b. They constitute about 50 percent of all maize grown in the United States today.

c. They can be obtained by crossing strains grown in alternating rows.

d. They produce higher yields than nonhybrid individuals.

e. They are easier to harvest than nonhybrid individuals.

The most promising approach to solving the world’s food problems is:

a. increasing the use of pesticides.

b. increasing the use of fertilizers.

c. increasing the availability of water.

d. cultivating more land.

e. improving the existing crops.

______ of the 20 amino acids required by human adults must be obtained from food.

a. Two

b. Five

c. Nine

d. Eleven

e. All

Crops can be improved by increasing each of the following EXCEPT:

a. the quantity of proteins.

b. the quality of proteins.

c. nitrogen requirements.

d. disease resistance.

e. storage ability.

All of the following are difficulties associated with the Green Revolution in sub-Saharan Africa EXCEPT:

a. the consolidation of farmlands into a few large holdings.

b. the lack of money to buy fertilizer.

c. the lack of money to buy farm machinery.

d. the lack of hybrid varieties of wheat and rice.

e. the lack of an adequate supply of water.

The southern corn leaf blight of 1970 was caused by an organism of the genus:

a. Fusarium.

b. Cochliobolus.

c. Verticillium.

d. Secale.

e. Phytophthora.

The Irish potato famine of 1846–1847 and the U.S. epidemic of southern leaf blight of maize in 1970 resulted from:

a. increases in the mutation rate.

b. mistakes in genetic engineering.

c. the overuse of chemical sprays.

d. widespread cultivation of genetically uniform varieties that were susceptible to disease.

e. an unusual abundance of numerous types of plant pathogens.

It is advantageous to use plants rather than commercial laboratories to produce such commodities as oils, drugs, and perfumes because:

a. commercial laboratories use nonrenewable energy sources.

b. commercial laboratories are less expensive.

c. commercial laboratories are now archaic.

d. plants require no energy other than the sun.

e. plants produce these items more quickly.

It is advantageous to develop perennial versions of important annual grain crops because perennial crops:

a. have longer growing seasons.

b. have deeper root systems.

c. more effectively maintain topsoil.

d. more efficiently use water and nutrients.

e. store less carbon in the soil.

______ produces an alternative source of synthetic liquid wax.

a. Dioscorea

b. Elaeis

c. Jojoba

d. Spinacia

e. Solanum

______ is a particularly salt-tolerant plant that may prove useful in producing salt-tolerant hybrids.

a. Simmondsia chinensis

b. Parthenium argentatum

c. Amaranthus

d. Solanum lycopersicum

e. Solanum cheesmanii

Until supplies of the plant were virtually exhausted, birth-control pills and cortisone were manufactured from substances produced by:

a. pigweed.

b. jojoba.

c. wild yams.

d. wild tomatoes.

e. guayule.

True-False Questions

Wild species of cereals hold their seeds less tightly than do domesticated species.

Plants were first domesticated in Africa.

In the Old World, the first cultivated plants were barley and wheat.

Wild bananas have large, hard seeds.

Coffee was first cultivated in Brazil.

The three centers of agriculture in the New World are Mesoamerica, South America, and North America.

Cotton was domesticated independently in the New World and the Old World.

Manioc was first domesticated in the tropics of Asia.

The domestication of squash occurred first in North America and later in South America.

Spices are usually derived from parts of a plant other than the leaves.

The evidence indicates that herbs and spices were used during the Middle Ages to cover the taste of spoiled meat.

In contrast to spices, many herbs originated in Europe and the Mediterranean region.

People living in Europe before the voyages of Columbus could eat a meal that included maize and tomatoes.

The coconut palm is widespread today because of dispersal by humans.

At the beginning of the twenty-first century there were more than 6 billion people on Earth.

It is estimated that by 2050, the world will need 70 to 100 percent more food than is now available.

Irrigation was first practiced in Mexico.

During the twentieth century, the two factors that played a major role in increasing crop production were the Haber-Bosch process and the introduction of hybrid maize seeds.

One effect of the Green Revolution has been to accelerate the consolidation of small farms into a few large holdings.

The African Green Revolution now focuses on increasing yields for a wide range of crops instead of wheat and rice.

Up until the 1970s, maize production in the United States increased dramatically as plant breeders made full use of the plant’s genetic diversity.

Perennial versions of important grain crops have greater root mass than the annual versions.

About 25 percent of commonly available prescription drugs are derived from plants.

Drugs can usually be produced more cheaply by synthesis in the laboratory than by derivation from plant products.

Essay Questions

1. The Rise of Agriculture; p. 502; moderate

Describe the hypothesized sequence of events that resulted in agriculture.

2. The Rise of Agriculture; pp. 503–504; moderate

Where and when were plants first domesticated? How did the domestication of plants influence other aspects of human culture?

3. The Rise of Agriculture; pp. 505–506; moderate

Discuss the domestication of plants in China, tropical Asia, and Africa.

4. The Rise of Agriculture; pp. 506–509; difficult

How did the domestication of plants in the New World differ from that in the Old World? Name any crops that were independently domesticated in both areas.

5. The Rise of Agriculture; p. 512; moderate

Use specific examples to illustrate how important crops have spread throughout the world.

6. The Growth of Human Populations; p. 514; easy

What mechanisms limit the number of individuals in hunter-gatherer societies?

7. Agriculture in the Future; pp. 515–516; moderate

What were the two factors played majors in bringing about the enormous increase in crop production during the twentieth century? In what ways did these factors bring about these changes?

8. Agriculture in the Future; pp. 517–518; moderate

What is meant by the Green Revolution? Describe the unanticipated consequences when the Green Revolution was started in Africa. Explain how AGRA and agroecology have responded to these consequences.

9. Agriculture in the Future; p. 518; moderate

Why is it important to maintain the genetic diversity of crop plants? Use the examples of Cochiolobolus heterostrophus and Phytophthora infestans to support your answer.

10. Agriculture in the Future; p. 519; moderate

Explain why it is sometimes advantageous to use perennial varieties of grain crops instead of the traditional annual varieties.

11. Agriculture in the Future; p. 520; difficult

Describe the agricultural potential of jojoba and the wild tomato Solanum cheesmaniae.

12. Agriculture in the Future; pp. 520–521; moderate

Explain why plants will continue to be important sources of medicinal drugs, including those drugs that can be synthesized in the laboratory.