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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. Noted _________________ Dr. John Treadwell Nichols was called in to investigate the attack.

2. What rumors were rampant?

3. Many years later, ichthyologist George Burgess concluded that the shark was a _________, serial killer, but in the rhetoric of the day, the shark was a sea monster.

4. The beach-goers of that year made up the largest gathering in the ____________ to date.

5. Was it common to see sharks along the Atlantic coast?

Short Essay Questions

1. What about swimmers specifically at this time helped sharks to believe humans were actually sea creatures? Would this be a problem today? Why or why not?

2. What was done for Bruder? Was this adequate? What there anything else that could have been done for him? Why or why not?

3. Why is it more dangerous to swim with dogs?

4. Describe the attack on Bruder.

5. Describe the teeth of a shark. Why might they be like this?

6. What might have drawn this particular shark north?

7. Describe a young great white shark regarding its size and speed in the water. What might this mean for a human swimming in the water?

8. When did information regarding Charles' death finally appear in the news? Describe this information. Why might it the information have appeared this way?

9. How did Dr. Vansant try to save his son? Why was this not adequate?

10. Had any new evidence come in regarding the dangers of sharks by the time Oelrichs died? Why or why not?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Great White sharks do not like the taste of humans.

Part 1) How does this book support this statement? Why might sharks not like the taste of humans? Why would a shark attack a human, if it does not like the taste of humans?

Part 2) What does the attack and eating of humans say about the mindset of a shark? How does it support the way in which they are programed to hunt?

Part 3) Why do other animals that are a danger to humans attack humans? What do these animals have in common? How should humans deal with these dangers? Why should they deal with them in this way?

Essay Topic 2

The book Jaws was based on the attacks of 1916.

Part 1) How is this fact important to this book? How popular must this book have been? Why? How did this then lead to the creation of the movie Jaws? What might have been the reaction to the movie? Might reactions have been similar to those at the time of the attacks in 1916? Why or why not?

Part 2) How does the author of the book, Jaws, react to the fear and hatred that is felt towards Great White sharks? Why does he react this way? Are you surprised by his reaction? Why or why not?

Part 3) Do you agree with the author of Jaws regarding the danger that Great Whites may or may not pose? Why or why not? Can Great White sharks and man co-exist peacefully? If so, how? If not, why not?

Essay Topic 3

The shark swam into a fresh water creek.

Part 1) Why did the shark do this? What did this reveal about the shark at this time? How might the shark's state of mind have played a role in the many attacks along the Matawan Creek?

Part 2) What could have been done to keep the shark out of the creek? Might tactics such as this be used today? Why or why not? Do you see creeks as being dangerous now because of this event? Why or why not?

Part 3) In what ways has man tried to control nature to make life better for all mankind? What are the results of these attempts? Why? Should man attempt to control nature? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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