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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does the author describe in the story, particularly at the beginning of the book?
(a) The difficulties associated with in planning and preparing for an expedition, as well as the difficulty of finding a good vessel and captain.
(b) The major characters of the story, their educational backgrounds, and their family tree.
(c) The famous sea expeditions in the past, and how long each expedition lasted.
(d) He describes Mexico in great detail, including the politics and legislations of the land.

2. Why does the author write the story?
(a) He wants future travelers to have better information that can help them prepare for a similar expedition.
(b) He wants to write about how traveling at sea can be done on a limited budget.
(c) He wants to be known as a man who liked to travel the seas.
(d) He wants the world to know his good friend Ed Ricketts.

3. What limitation does the expedition party have that is particular to their voyage?
(a) They only have six weeks to complete their entire voyage, on top of constraints presented by the tides.
(b) They can only sail in the morning because their light is not as powerful as those of the other voyages.
(c) They have only a small crew compared to other voyages with dozens of crew on board.
(d) They have a limited supply of food and drinks, and medicine, too.

4. What explanation does the expedition party give to the Mexicans they meet on Espiritu Santo Island?
(a) They are looking at useless animals out of general scientific interest.
(b) They are just passing along, and their destination is Southeast Asia.
(c) They are collecting curios which will fetch a good price back at home.
(d) They are attracted to the culture of the place and want to stay there for good.

5. Who is the most competent in commanding the wheel?
(a) Tony.
(b) Ed.
(c) John.
(d) Tex.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Steinbeck notice about the sense of time of the local people of Cabo San Lucas?

2. What does the log entry of March 12 say?

3. What scientific testing does Steinbeck intend to do on the liquor?

4. What is the duration covered by the story?

5. On March 18, where does the expedition party end up going when a wind rises before they were able to anchor?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the recordings in The Log from the Sea of Cortez? Enumerate as many as you can.

2. Briefly explain how Steinbeck explains teleological and non-teleological thinking. Relate the two on the previous discussion about employment and unemployment.

3. Explain Steinbeck's remark on the contrast between Tiny's reaction to the death of the sea turtle and that of a scientist's.

4. Briefly discuss the group's encounter when they try to have chicken for dinner. Can you give some rationale to the efforts the group went through just to have chicken for dinner?

5. Describe San Jose Island and how it appears to the expedition party. Give an explanation to the things that the party see when they try to go ashore in the island.

6. Briefly discuss how Tony's personality is impressed upon the team members as they take turns manning the wheel.

7. Describe the members of the expedition team and their vehicle.

8. Steinbeck notices two men and a woman in Cabo San Lucas, paddling their canoe to the boat to do a little talking. He remarks that the indigenous people's sense of time is different from theirs. Describe the group that Steinbeck encounters, and what about their appearance invites such remarks from Steinbeck?

9. Describe Tony and make some assumptions on the way he looks.

10. What are some examples of Steinbeck's personification of marine life?

(see the answer keys)

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