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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. As the plane nears its landing base in Greenland, what does Gann's plane skim while flying only feet above the water?

2. While at Goose Bay, what locations does Gann realize will offer excellent staging areas during the war?

3. Where did Ernest Gann fly primarily prior to World War II?

4. Which one of the following symptoms of hypoxia does Gann remember on his flight over the Andes?

5. What does Gann learn has caused his plane to have technical trouble while flying from Belem?

Short Essay Questions

1. Trying to redeem himself for his landing in Syracuse, how does Gann handle his job raising the landing gear from Ross during the next takeoff?

2. How is Ross viewed as a pilot by others on the route?

3. What are some tricks that Gann learns from Ross?

4. What does Gann learn about Ross' childhood?

5. How does weather affect Gann's route in AM-21 and his ability to land at his stops?

6. Briefly describe Lester and his teaching style.

7. How does Gann view the other pilots and their modesty about their flying abilities?

8. What role did Gann have during the wars?

9. Gann is stationed in Maine as a civilian pilot. What does he do as a civilian pilot while stationed there?

10. What is one thing Gann likes about the occasional long route from Newark to Chicago?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout the novel, Ernest Gann mentions being "stalked by fate." What does Gann mean by being "stalked by fate"? Give three different examples from the novel of situations where Gann notes that he has been "stalked by fate."

Essay Topic 2

Now and then, Gann updates the reader on the status of the airline industry at the time. At the beginning of the book, what is the status of the airline industry? How does this seem to change throughout the novel? What various outside factors seem to affect the success of the aviation industry? At the end of the novel, how does the airline industry seem to be doing?

Essay Topic 3

Gann interacts with several characters throughout this novel. Choose one of the characters that Gann interacts with, and provide a short description of the relationship between Gann and this character. Why was this relationship important to the story? What role did this relationship play in Gann's life and, therefore, the novel?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 672 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample