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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What mountain range do the men encounter?

2. Heyerdahl is summoned to which government facility?

3. On which island does Heyerdahl land?

4. What year did the second wave of settlers arrive?

5. Which is NOT among the planned stops for Heyerdahl?

Short Essay Questions

1. What/where is Quito? What warning is received in regards to it?

2. How does Heyerdahl come to formulate the plan for the trip? What are the reactions of his friends and colleagues?

3. Heyerdahl's financing falls through and the trip is in jeopardy. How is the trip saved?

4. What is the purpose Heyerdahl presents his manuscript to Carl? What is Carl's authority?

5. Why was the translator of little use to Heyerdahl and Watzinger? What was the result?

6. What unusual fish is observed from the raft? What becomes of the fish?

7. Herman is given a pet before the Kon-Tiki sets sail. What is the pet and what happens to it?

8. What piece of information strengthens Heyerdahl's theory?

9. What other story from Peruvian history mirrors that of the natives of the Pacific Islands?

10. Why does Heyerdahl go to the Norwegian's Sailor's Home? What does the author learn there?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are several instances in which the Kon-Tiki encounters large and dangerous coral reefs. Explain how the crew might have avoided all the reefs, the deciding factors, and the results of the crew's actions. What might have changed the way the crew acted and reacted?

Essay Topic 2

The crew is surprised when they are able to make radio contact with a ham radio operator in Los Angeles named Hal. Why was the crew surprised to make contact? How did Hal respond to the conversation? Did the crew members ever speak to Hal again? What information was exchanged?

Essay Topic 3

There are several cases of foreshadowing used in the book. At least two involve the forthcoming incident of a man going overboard. Was the foreshadowing entirely correct? What actually happened? What was the outcome of the events? Who was involved in each event?

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This section contains 675 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample