Hawaii Short Essay Assignments

Short Essay Questions

The 60 short essay questions listed in this section require a one to two sentence answer. They ask students to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the text. Students must describe what they've read, rather than just recall it.

Short Essay Question - Chapter 1, From the Boundless Deep

1. In Chapter 1, what natural feature does author James Michener describe as dwarfing all others on Earth, and why?

2. What happened, millions of years ago, when a rupture occurred on the ocean floor?

3. Is the formation of a new island a quick process? Why or why not?

4. Once an island finally reaches the ocean's surface, is its presence there permanent? Why or why not?

5. Since a new island is made of bare rock, where its soil come from?