D GOAL 4 IDENTIFY CAREER QUALIFICATIONS

Reading Ecuador
Communication

Maria Fadiman:
A. Discuss your answers with a partner. in Ecuadors rainforests. In many cases, no written record Discuss your answers to these questions with
Whats your opinion? of plant knowledge exists. Recognizing this, Fadimans first a partner.
Whats the biggest threat to the earths effort is to record all the information that local people can
rainforests? What do you think Dr. Maria Fadiman
provide.

Ethnobotanist
Whats the best way to deal with that did to prepare for her career as an
In the field, Fadiman eats, sleeps, works, and collects ethnobotanist?
threat?
native plants with local families. When I come all this way Based on the article, what makes Dr.
B. Discuss these questions with a partner. because I think their information is important, it generates Fadiman a good ethnobotanist?
local excitement. Suddenly plant knowledge is valued.
1. In the Ecuadoran rainforest, who is Whether sitting around a cook fire, walking through mud Writing
using the rainforest plants? to brush her teeth in the river, or trying to do some basket
2. What do ethnobotanists study? Think about one of your dream jobs then
weaving, she treasures both the information and experiences fill out the questionnaire.
3. In the third paragraph, which of the she gathers.
two methods for collecting plants is An assistant professor in the Department of Geosciences
sustainable? Dream Job Questionnaire
at Florida Atlantic University, she says, I want to make
4. What does Fadimans data show about fieldwork real to my students. If they can picture the little girl 1. What is your dream job? ______________
the Ecuadoran rainforest? who always comes to the river with me instead of a statistic, 2. What specific education would someone
5. How do you think other people might it will mean much more. I hope my work will change even a need for this job? ___________________
use Fadimans data? small part of the general consciousness. _ ________________________________
6. Why are the people who live in the Deep in an Ecuadoran rainforest, 3. What life experiences might be helpful
rainforest excited about talking to monkeys overhead and poisonous to have for this job? _ ________________
Fadiman? snakes underfoot, Dr. Maria Fadiman _ ________________________________
C. Word parts sometimes help us understand goes to work. It looks like one big, green mishmash to me, _ ________________________________
the meaning of a new word. Circle the but the people who live here can single out the right plants 4. What personal qualities would make
parts of the following words and write a for medicine, or the one to eat if you cut out the little part in someone good at this job? _ __________
brief definition for each one. the very center. Each house is made entirely from the forest _ ________________________________
1. overhead _high over your head
_______________________ the poles that hold it up, the floors, the thatch on the walls, _ ________________________________
2. underfoot________________________ the vines that tie it, the palm leaf sleeping mats, the baskets, 5. Are you qualified for this job? (If not,
3. waterproof _ _____________________ everything. Its strong, its waterproof, it works, and its all done how could you become qualified?)
4. non-sustainable _ _________________ in a way thats in balance with nature. _ ________________________________
5. geosciences _ ____________________ That balance is at the center of Fadimans research. As an _ ________________________________
6. fieldwork ________________________ ethnobotanist, she studies how people interact with plants. _ ________________________________
Looking at conservation without including people in the _ ________________________________
Word Focus equation is a fantasy, she says. So the focus of my work is
finding a balance where people use resources in a sustainable
mishmash = a combination way that allows flora and fauna to remain intact.
of things that cant be At her field site in Ecuador, Fadiman studies sustainable
distinguished and non-sustainable methods used to collect fiber plants and
Goal 4 Identify career
flora = plant species palms. Collecting plants for fiber can involve cutting down
qualifications
fauna = animal species entire trees or just the specific parts of plants that will be used.
Talk to a partner about the informa-
sustainable = describes the Fadimans data reveals where and why such differences exist
tion on your questionnaire. Discuss the
use of natural resources at qualifications for your dream job and
a steady level that is not likely whether you are qualified for that job.
to harm the environment

130 Careers Lesson D 131