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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 does the Sea Rover search for in Chapter 22?

2. Who is the captain of the Chinese junk in Chapter 26?

3. What possibly airborne toxin seems to be responsible for the illness of the scientists in Chapter 5?

4. What is the Mariana Explorer?

5. Who is Garner Ward?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe what happens to Robert Bridges in Chapter 7.

2. What is revealed to have happened in the town of Warrenton in 1942?

3. Describe Admiral Sandecker and his role in Chapter 31.

4. How do Dirk and Sarah escape the thugs in the Cadillac in Chapter 18?

5. Describe Kang's role as he is revealed in Chapter 14.

6. What is significant about the Chinese junk that rescues Dirk and Summer in Chapter 36?

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

8. Describe what happens on board the command boat that is supposed to launch with the Odyssey in Chapter 40.

9. What is the mission of the Japanese Red Army?

10. Why does Tanaka lie to Commander Ogawa in the introduction when Ogawa asks if his crew is in danger in the book's introduction?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Dialogue can often propel a story forward. Cussler's heroes tend to make broad, inspirational statements and have plenty of quips at the ready. His villains tend to do everything but twirl their mustaches - note the times when the villains speak, they "hiss" or their words are "spat out." Looking through the novel, pick out ten quotes from the protagonists (the two Dirks, Summer, Al, Jack, etc.) and ten quotes from the antagonists (Kang, Tongju, etc.) Try to come up with a mix of quotes that sound pitch-perfect and persuasive, and quotes that are "groaners," better suited as balloons in a cartoon panel. For each quote, evaluate why it does or doesn't work, and discuss whether or not Cussler's use of dialogue is appropriate for the book's context or not.

Essay Topic 2

Black Wind is chock-full of familiar characters. Even if one has never read any of Cussler's Dirk Pitt novels, the reader will recognize many archetypes - the hero(s), the villain, the mentor, the deceiver, etc. Looking at the novel as a whole, select five characters. For each character, (a) compare them to other similar characters in fiction - other heroes, other villains, etc.; (b) evaluate how creative Cussler has been in breathing new life into these familiar types.

Essay Topic 3

Two women play notable roles in Black Wind - Dirk Jr.'s sister, Summer, and his girlfriend, Sarah. Discuss the place women hold in Black Wind. Evaluate the Cusslers' ability to write convincing female characters, if they are stereotypical or something unique, and what part they contribute to the novel. Compare and contrast these two women, noting if they are more active or passive parts of the story.

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