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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. Where was Moitessier tempted to stop in Capetown?

2. What did Moitessier call civilization?

3. What had conditions been like when Moitessier approached Cape Horn with his wife on an earlier voyage?

4. How much did sails for Moitessier's boat cost in 1968?

5. How long had Moitessier been sailing by the time he anchored?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Moitessier's attempt to give word of his progress in the Falklands.

2. How much ice did Moitessier see on his trip around Cape Horn?

3. What did Moitessier dream after he passed the Falklands?

4. What did Moitessier think about civilization as he approached Tahiti?

5. What maintenance did Moitessier do after he passed the Falklands?

6. Describe Moitessier's idea of the unknown helper.

7. Why did Moitessier ultimately decide not to round Cape Horn again?

8. Describe what Moitessier found when he reached Tahiti.

9. Describe the mysterious glowing balls Moitessier encountered.

10. Describe Moitessier's encounter with another boat as he approached Capetown.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What was the cultural atmosphere of England in 1968, and what were the cultural reasons that would lead Moitessier or any other person to want to be alone on a boat, braving the elements, in order to get away from that civilization? Describe the historical context for Moitessier's entry into the race.

Essay Topic 2

One of Moitessier's first important decisions was to decline to take a heavy transmitter but to convey messages in other ways. How important was communication to Moitessier, and how did its importance change over time? Were there occasions when he regretted leaving the transmitter and wished he had news, or was he comfortable being out of range for months at a time?

Essay Topic 3

What is the importance of Moitessier's boat being named Joshua? What kind of personality did this ascribe to his ship, and what kind of companion did he have in a boat named Joshua? Did he practice personification in other places, or was the Joshua the only named companion he had in the 10-month journey? What does this tell us about how Moitessier related to other people?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 682 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample