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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. In 1810, how many women over the age of twenty- three are widowed?

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

3. How experienced is Benjamin Lawrence in harpooning whales?

4. According to one naval architect, what might have helped the Essex withstand the whale's attack?

5. Why does Chase hesitate to attack the giant whale when it resurfaces on the starboard after the collision?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What events take place on Hood Island at the end of Chapter 4?

3. How does Pollard's boat respond to being attacked by a whale in Chapter 7?

4. What is unusual about the sperm whale that surfaces unexpectedly in Chapter 5?

5. Why does the crew decide not to wait for another whale ship in the Offshore Ground?

6. How does Philbrick describe Pollard and his experience in Chapter 2?

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

8. What happens when the first whale of the trip is sighted?

9. How does the crew of the Essex deal with the second whale sighted in Chapter 3, and what is a Nantucket sleigh ride?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Chronicle the island town of Nantucket from the nineteenth century to the time that the book was written. Provide an explanation of what the town was like when the Essex set sail and the effects that whaling had on the community. Then, describe how and why Nantucket has changed throughout the years and its present state.

Essay Topic 2

Henderson Island is a key point in the crew's effort to make it to South America.

1) Explain what leads the crew to Henderson Island and why they are confused about the island's identity.

2) Describe the crew's time on the island and the important things that they discover there.

3) Analyze the decision made by three crew members to remain of the island in comparison to the decision made by the majority of the crew to leave.

Essay Topic 3

Describe the way that Philbrick conveys the desperation of the men as they get farther away from the sunken ship. Provide multiple examples of how he uses literature in order to emphasize the severity of their situation and their inclination to surrender. Also, analyze the way that Philbrick simultaneously engages the reader along the way with signs of hope and optimism.

(see the answer keys)

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