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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 ship shows up at the island?

2. What does Aubrey do after the ship is repaired?

3. How is the crew feeling when they finally come into the harbor at Desolation Island?

4. What does Aubrey have his crew practicing extensively?

5. What happened to the ship's forge?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Aubrey allow Grant and others to leave the ship?

2. What does the fact that the Waakzaamheid has found the Leopard mean as far as the Dutch captain goes?

3. La Fayette has a forge but Aubrey cannot in good conscience request a favor--England and America are nearly at war. Likewise, Putnam, La Fayette's master, will not request favors from Aubrey. Do you think it is strange that on an island in the middle of nowhere a ship's captain wouldn't be bound by some rule of hospitality? Why or why not?

4. How does Aubrey win the battle with the Dutch ship?

5. How does the author attempt to make Aubrey appear?

6. What does the crew do after being safely anchored and what repair is impossible and why?

7. The novel thus ends with Leopard ready to sail and Maturin finally freed of his weighty intelligence responsibilities. Do you think this ending was complete?

8. Discuss a few of the nautical technical information given in this chapter.

9. Why does Leopard end up too far south?

10. Grant is finally thrust into the position of leadership he has so long desired. How do you think he felt when he was able to take over the ship's operations?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sailors are notoriously superstitious. Even Aubrey, though very bright in many ways, is somewhat superstitious, a trait common to many sailors. Discuss the following:

1. What is superstition? Can you name a few common superstitions? Do any of them seem to have any validity in logic?

2. Why do you think sailors have the reputation for being superstitious? Do you think it is true? What superstitions are mentioned in Desolation Island?

3. What are some of the superstitions you are familiar with that sailors seem to believe? Do you believe any of them? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Maturin finds Aubrey engaged in pursuing get-rich-quick schemes when Maturin visits. Discuss the following:

1. Can someone be an honorable man, which Aubrey is reputed to be, and engage in get-rich-schemes? Why or why not?

2. Why do you think a ship captain of Aubrey's stature and fine reputation has to make money in other ways? Is this right?

3. What do you think would happen to a Captain in the United States Navy today if he were living a life of desolation?

Essay Topic 3

The British Navy in this era is very flexible in letting their Captains and other officers use their own style of command. Discuss the following:

1. Whose command style seems most effective? Why? Give examples.

2. Whose command style seems least effective? Why? Give examples.

3. Sometimes the crew will mutineer against a tyrannical Captain: Is mutiny ever justifiable? Explain.

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