Conservation Biology, BIOL1120

The Lorax Assignment 25 pts

I. Instructions:

1. Read and/or view The Lorax by Dr. Seuss PRIOR to class.

2. Answer the below comprehension questions (10 points)
3. Answer 5 of the below reflection questions (10 points)
4. Post on ePorfolio (2.5 pts) with a general education reflection that addresses
at least two of the below learning outcomes (2.5 pts):
Communicate effectively
Think critically and creatively
Civic literacy

II. Comprehension Questions

1. The Truffula Trees were scarce, valuable natural resources. What made the
valuable and scarce? The Truffula trees were valuable and scarce
because they were only available in that area and the trees were made of silk.
2. Why did the Once-ler chop down the first Truffula Tree? The Once-ler
chopped down the first tree to make a Thneed.
3. What benefit did the Thneed have for consumers? The Thneed could be
transformed for any needs that the consumer wanted.
4 . The Lorax did not think anyone would want to purchase a Thneed. Was he
correct? The Lorax was incorrect everybody wanted to purchase a
Thneed and thought it would be a good investment.
5. What new capital resource did the Once-ler invent? How did this help his
business? The Once- ler invented the super axe hacker that chopped
four trees instead of chopping one at a time which made the process and make
of the Thneed much faster.
6. Who was harmed as more and more Truffula Trees were chopped down and
they became more scarce? All the animals that lived there became ill
and lost their main sourse of food and lost their homes.
7. Was it wise of the Once-ler to chop down all the trees? No, because he was
chopping the limited amount of trees that couldnt grow back which meant that all
the animals lost their homes and food sourse but then lost the materials to make
the Thneed.
8. In the story, all the trees were chopped down. In the modern U.S. economy,
why would this not happen? Because there are laws that protect the
environment in this cause.
9. What situation or condition would promote the cutting down of all trees or the
overuse of natural resources?- If there is a high demand of a certain
product, this can make a result of over using resources.
10. When a good, service, or natural resource becomes more and more scarce,
what happens to the price? When a product becomes scarce, the price of
that product gets larger.
11. Compare the Once-ler's attitude toward the environment at the beginning of
the story with his attitude at the end. Once-ler didnt listen or care about
the environment and in the end he wishes he handled it differently and wished he
took the environment more seriously.

III. Reflection Questions

2. An argument was once made for protecting desert tortoises is that, desert
tortoises are important because people enjoy seeing them. Explain why this is or
is not a valid argument for the preservation of a species (such as the Swamee-
Swans in the video).
-No, this is not a valid argument for the preservation of species. There is more to
a species/to an animals roles than to just be there to be looked at. All species
play a major part in the ways of the environment.

6. The Lorax says that the Once-ler is greedy. Greed is defined as a selfish
desire for food, money, or possessions over and above what one needs. What
are some of the ways that the Once-ler proved his greed? He says, "I biggered
my money which every needs." Is it true that everyone needs money? How
much money do people need? Is it right to make a ton of money while destroying
the environment?
- The Once-ler, even when he saw that he was harming the environment he still
cared more about the profits he was earning. Yeah its true you need money to
survive but there is a difference between earning money and earning money for
someones selfish greed.

7. What did the once-ler mean by "UN-LESS"? What responsibility does he

seem to think "someone like you" needs to take? What kinds of things can we do
today to ensure that natural resources will be available for purposes in the
future?
-Unless means if someone doesnt care about something and doesnt have the
motivation to change then there will be no change or progress in the world and
that certain situation. We need to make sure we spread awareness about
conserving the environment by words/ actions.

8. The Once-ler explains his actions by saying, "If I didn't do it, someone else
would." Is this a good excuse for doing what he did?
No its not this seemed to validate his actions because he knew what he was
doing was wrong. So he didnt have to live with his guilt. It is not no certain that
someone else would have the same actions, especially if we had more
awareness.

9. The Lorax says he speaks for the trees. What does this mean to you? What is
the Lorax's attitude at the end of the story?
What he means is he is protecting them and refusing actions that could harm
them, since they cant do it themselves. He is protecting them because the Lorax
knows the consequences of no more trees. This is an example of how we need
to be like the Lorax. At the end of the story the Lorax is upset that he couldnt
save the trees but still had hope that someone would care and fix what has been
done.