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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why is the crew concerned about the Marquesas?
(a) There are rumors that the inhabitants are cannibals.
(b) There are no supplies there.
(c) Many other sailors have disappeared there.
(d) They are infested with insects.

2. If the Essex returns with sufficient product, how much money is Thomas Nickerson expecting to make from the trip?
(a) Two hundred and fifty dollars.
(b) Two hundred dollars.
(c) One hundred and fifty dollars.
(d) One hundred dollars.

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

4. What shape are the sails of the Essex?
(a) Rectangular.
(b) Circular.
(c) Square shaped.
(d) Triangular.

5. What is the equivalent of the amount of food that each man is given in order to ration it for the trip?
(a) Six slices of cheese.
(b) Eight slices of cheese.
(c) Eight slices of bread.
(d) Six slices of bread.

Short Answer Questions

1. When did ships from Nantucket first start rounding Cape Horn?

2. Who persuades Pollard to sail to Chile or Peru instead of the Society Islands?

3. What do the men do in order to prevent water from splashing over the edges of the remaining boats?

4. How many miles does it take the crew to set and trim the sails of the Essex?

5. How are sailors paid?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when the Essex meets the Aurora?

2. What are the first difficulties that the Essex experiences at the end of Chapter 2?

3. As explained in Chapter 2, what route does a Nantucket whale ship normally take?

4. How does the crew initially respond to the sinking of the Essex?

5. What troubles is the Essex having at Cape Horn and off the coast of Chile?

6. What is the process for "trying out" a whale?

7. How are the three whale boats divided and stocked for the trip at the end of Chapter 6?

8. What modifications are made to the whale boats in the beginning of Chapter 6?

9. What setbacks are the three boats having as they approach the Society Islands at the end of Chapter 7?

10. How is the Essex described in Chapter 1?

(see the answer keys)

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