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

2. How does Pitt Sr. think Kang will deliver the biological weapon to the United States?

3. According to Ling, how many satellite launches end in failure?

4. How does Giordino manage to get the blimp airborne when leaving the Odyssey?

5. Where do the men from NUMA go after the Icarus has landed?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the final scene with Dirk and Sarah.

2. Describe the end of Tongju.

3. What initially happens after Dirk and Dahlgren board the Odyssey?

4. What does a launch engineer tell Ling in Chapter 58, and what is Ling and Tongju's response?

5. Describe Dirk Jr.'s feelings as he watches the launch from the Odyssey in Chapter 59.

6. What do Dirk and Summer plan to do after joining the Deep Endeavor in Chapter 46?

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

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

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

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

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

In an action novel, it might be tempting for the reader to skip over the "boring" parts to get to the "good parts." How well do the Cusslers perform the writer's task of pacing a novel? Discuss the pace of the novel, noting if it is successful in keeping the reader engaged through the "slow" parts, and whether or not the action sequences are well-staged and understandable. Use specific sections or setpieces in the novel to support your contentions. Note, too, any tricks of the writer's trade the Cusslers employ to keep the pages turning.

Essay Topic 3

Death comes frequently and casually to many of the characters in Black Wind. One might argue that Cussler takes death lightly. There are incidents of death occurring one on one (one person at the hands of another). Other deaths take place randomly. Still other deaths involve the killing of masses of people, often at the wishes of one person. Evaluate the reality of death in this book. Compare and contrast the different forms of death. Which seem more destructive? Which seem more "evil?" Which have the most impact on the reader? Explain your answers in some depth.

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