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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 happens to the U.S. ambassador to Japan?

2. Where is the Japanese submarine discovered by a fishing boat?

3. Who is Garner Ward?

4. What port does the Baekje dock at?

5. What does Summer try to use to cut through the iron ring she and Dirk are handcuffed to?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the death of the first two meteorologists in Chapter 1.

2. Describe briefly the history of the use of Zyklon B.

3. What do Dirk and Dahlgren discover about the I-403 in Chapter 9?

4. What happens to Keith Catana in Chapter 11?

5. Describe what happens as the Sea Rover is being flooded in Chapter 28 and how the crew is rescued.

6. What is Kang's true motivation for wanting the American military out of South Korea?

7. How do Dirk and Summer go about exploring the sunken Japanese submarine in Chapter 24, and what do they discover?

8. What is so audacious about the way Kang plans to kill Dirk and Summer in Chapter 34?

9. How does Kang plan to use the Odyssey in Chapter 37?

10. What is the combination of toxins used in the chemical/biological weapon described in Chapter 32?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Foreshadowing is a literary technique by which an author alerts a reader to some degree for what will happen later in his work. Cussler uses this technique effectively. Discuss how he employs foreshadowing in this novel. In your discussion, evaluate whether his use of foreshadowing is part of the general atmosphere of the work, if he employs a specific scene or object which gives a clue as to what might happen later in the plot, or a combination of both. Cite examples.

Essay Topic 2

The theme of destruction for personal gain runs throughout the novel. Looking at the book as a whole, discuss how substantive this theme is, evaluating whether or not it is compelling enough to support the weight of the whole book. Identify several incidences in the plot that support this theme and evaluate how effective those incidents are in holding the story together.

Essay Topic 3

In Black Wind, the good guys are uncomplicated, straightforward, untainted heroes; the bad guys are irredeemably bad. Choose three characters from each category, either heroes or villains. For each character, write an analysis. Include any nuances in each character you discover. For instance, note any elements of Dirk Jr.'s character that show him to be conflicted in any way; for Kang, note and discuss any positive traits. Also note whether Cussler has written two dimensional characters or characters with some depth. Evaluate whether or not his choices in characterization could have made for a better or worse novel.

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