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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. Who is the lieutenant on board the Coast Guard ship investigating the Odyssey?

2. Who is Dirk Pitt, Sr.'s wife?

3. According to an engineer speaking to Ling, what is the angle of deviation on board the Odyssey prior to launch?

4. What happens to the contents of the rocket payload?

5. Where does the thrust from the rocket launch force the Badger?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Dirk Jr. and Dahlgren do after the destruction of the Coast Guard ship?

2. What happens to Kwan and Kang's empire?

3. Describe Dirk's role with the SEAL team in Chapter 64.

4. What happens after Pitt Sr. and Al spot several ships in their surveillance system on board the blimp?

5. What do Dirk Pitt, Sr., and Al do after they land at LAX in Chapter 48?

6. What happens to the Badger upon the launch of the rocket from the Odyssey?

7. Describe what happens after Dirk Sr. and Al spot the Badger tied up to the Odyssey.

8. What is the role of the USS Benfold in Chapter 63?

9. What happens to the blimp after it first takes off from the Odyssey?

10. How does Dirk Sr. try to foil the launch of the rocket from the Odyssey?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are two obvious "male buddy" relationships found in Black Wind. One is the relationship between Dirk Sr. and Al; the other is between Dirk Jr. and Jack. Compare and contrast these two relationships. How are they similar? How are they different? Which is more convincing and realistic? Why does Cussler emphasize these kinds of relationships?

Essay Topic 2

"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few ... or the one," Mr. Spock said. Throughout Black Wind, the heroes are put in situations where personal sacrifice is a possible course of action. Identify several incidents in the book where one or more of the characters took Mr. Spock's admonition to heart. Describe those incidents, the crisis that precipitated the incident, and the characters' response to it. Discuss whether or not sacrifice was actually called for or whether an alternative response would have been just as effective.

Essay Topic 3

Black Wind is populated with larger-than-life characters, performing larger-than-life deeds. The theme of audaciousness is prevalent in both the protagonists and the antagonists. Select five plot points from the actions of each group, protagonists and antagonists, that personify the theme of "audaciousness." For each plot point, explain why that particular incident in the novel would justify being called "audacious."

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