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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 causes damage to the better functioning solar still, further making Callahan upset with his situation?

2. Callahan takes great comfort in the idea that if he does not survive, then his ___________ will tell his story.

3. What does Callahan notice his boat is reluctant to do as he is getting ready to leave it as it begins to take on water?

4. What has come undone, allowing the life raft to part from the main boat after a while?

5. What does Callahan think he hears when he is resting beneath the canopy of his boat?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Callahan decide to grab supplies as his ship is going down, aside to aid him in survival?

2. What does Callahan risk when he tries to squeak past the Finisterre during the next stage of the race?

3. How does Callahan decide to prove to himself that he can fulfill his dream to cross the ocean during his life time?

4. What has happened to the electrics in the Napoleon Solo, according to the notes of Callahan?

5. How long does Callahan calculate it will take the boat to reach the shipping lanes of the ocean?

6. What is one of the signs that the life raft Callahan is using for survival is not holding air as well as it used to?

7. What is the problem of the choices which Callahan continues to make as he faces the problems of surviving in the boat?

8. What kind of dream is Callahan having when he wakes up in the night to crashing waves in the boat?

9. What does Callahan begin to document in order to calculate the odds of his own survival?

10. What does Callahan learn about the Italian vessel he passes during the beginning stages of the race?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Callahan describes sailing as a sort of religious calling for him, when he makes one his first entries in his journal.

Part 1: Why do you think Callahan decides to document his experiences?

Part 2: Why do you think sailing could be a sort of a religious call for some people?

Part 3: Do you feel you are called to do something specific in your life? What is this calling?

Essay Topic 2

Callahan's struggle to survive causes him to react instinctively when things go wrong.

Part 1: Why do you think the brain is able to continue to do things which will support human life?

Part 2: How do you think your body and mind might react if you were suddenly in a survival situation?

Part 3: Why do you think Callahan doesn't always trust in his survival instincts at first?

Essay Topic 3

Callahan is an experienced sailor and so it seems that he is able to know what he needs to do in order to survive.

Part 1: Do you think society as a whole knows what they would need to do in Callahan's situation?

Part 2: Do you think Callahan's experience increased his rate of survival?

Part 3: How do you think a non-experienced sailor might react in this sort of survival situation?

(see the answer keys)

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