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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 does Lee realize has betrayed him in Chapter 62?

2. What does Pitt Sr. attempt to do since the rocket launch cannot be stopped?

3. Where are the remains of the rocket payload taken to for analysis?

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

5. What would most likely kill someone on board a Sea Launch platform when a rocket was launched?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Tongju do with Dirk and Jack after their capture on the Odyssey, and what does he tell them?

2. What plan do NUMA and homeland security officials put into action in Chapter 43?

3. How do Dirk Sr. and Al rescue Dirk Jr. and Jack from the Odyssey?

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

5. Describe the end of Tongju.

6. Describe the final scene with Dirk and Sarah.

7. What do Tongju and some of his closest soldiers plan to do after the failure of the rocket launch from the Odyssey?

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

9. How does Pitt Sr. escape the sinking Odyssey platform?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A good villain can make or break a story. Evaluate Kang - his nature, his mind, his strategy, his tactics, and his temperament as he relates to the story. Discuss in detail his "psychological profile," citing specific incidents or quotes that support your findings. Discuss his relationships with both his henchmen and the story's protagonists. Determine and discuss his effectiveness as a villain as he serves the story.

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Black Wind was a father/son endeavor, written by both Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler. Evaluate the effectiveness of this teamwork. Identify any shifts in plot or tone that might be due to a different writer. Speculate as to why Clive Cussler may have included Dirk Cussler in the project. Finally, evaluate why Clive Cussler might have inserted himself into the story, and whether that is a wise choice or not. For additional consideration, can you think of other books or movies where an author or filmmaker might have inserted themselves into a story or film as a "cameo?" Is that a novelty or vanity move, or can it enhance the story?

(see the answer keys)

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