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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. After stopping at the Cape Verde Islands in Chapter 3, how many spare whale boats does the Essex now have?
(a) Three.
(b) Four.
(c) Two.
(d) One.

2. As described in Chapter 1, what does the sighting of a comet indicate?
(a) Something unusual is going to happen.
(b) Something horrible is going to happen.
(c) There will be good weather for the next year.
(d) There will be good weather for the next month.

3. As the frustrations grow on the Essex, what complaint do the men bring to Pollard at the end of Chapter 3?
(a) Smaller food portions.
(b) More chores on the ship.
(c) Unfair treatment by the first and second mate.
(d) Less sleep time.

4. How long does the average hunt for a sperm whale take?
(a) Six months to a year.
(b) One to two months.
(c) One to two years.
(d) Two to three years.

5. When does the loading of the Essex begin?
(a) July 5.
(b) August 15.
(c) August 5.
(d) July 15.

6. How many whaleboats are loaded onto the Essex in Chapter 1?
(a) One.
(b) Three.
(c) Four.
(d) Two.

7. How much does the huge whale that appears off the port bow in Chapter 5 weigh?
(a) Fifty tons.
(b) Seventy tons.
(c) Eighty tons.
(d) Sixty tons.

8. What is the name given to the event of a harpooned whale dragging a boat at high speeds?
(a) Nantucket sleigh ride.
(b) Nantucket pull through.
(c) Nantucket drag along.
(d) Nantucket speeder.

9. Which provisions does the crew of the Essex plan to purchase at the Azores?
(a) Livestock and weapons.
(b) Vegetables and weapons.
(c) Vegetables and livestock.
(d) Vegetables, livestock, and weapons.

10. How far have the men rescued by the Dauphin been sailing at the end of the Preface?
(a) Forty- five hundred nautical miles.
(b) Thirty- five hundred nautical miles.
(c) Twenty- five hundred nautical miles.
(d) Fifty- five hundred nautical miles.

11. How much can sperm whales weigh?
(a) Twelve hundred pounds.
(b) Twelve hundred tons.
(c) Six hundred pounds.
(d) Sixty tons.

12. How long does the crew of the Essex remain by the wrecked ship?
(a) Two nights.
(b) Three nights.
(c) Four nights.
(d) One night.

13. When did English settlers begin arriving in Nantucket?
(a) 1653.
(b) 1635.
(c) 1659.
(d) 1695.

14. What does the Aurora bring for the crew of the Essex?
(a) Letters from home.
(b) Sailors and boats.
(c) More weapons.
(d) More food.

15. How long does it take the crew of the Essex to kill eleven whales in Chapter 4?
(a) Two months.
(b) Three months.
(c) Five months.
(d) Four months.

Short Answer Questions

1. How is the whale towed back to the ship after it is killed in Chapter 3?

2. Which of the following is not taken by the crew as the Essex sinks in Chapter 5?

3. What do Pollard and Daniel Russell, the captain of the Aurora, discuss in Chapter 4?

4. What time does Chase order the men to prepare the ship for whaling in Chapter 2?

5. What does the whale do after hitting the Essex below the anchor in Chapter 5?

(see the answer keys)

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