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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 is the unique item that is included on the prehistoric Incan rafts?

2. Who was able to escape from the massacre?

3. What item does Alvarez give to Heyerdahl?

4. What is Heyerdahl's native country?

5. How long are the nearly invisible visitors?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Heyerdahl come to formulate the plan for the trip? What are the reactions of his friends and colleagues?

2. Why do the crew members establish rotating shifts? How is the plan organized?

3. What was the main similarity between the cultures that further convinced Heyerdahl?

4. Under what circumstances does Heyerdahl meet Colonel Haskin? How does the meeting benefit Heyerdahl?

5. Why does Heyerdahl go to the Norwegian's Sailor's Home? What does the author learn there?

6. Why does the Kon-Tiki nearly make an unscheduled stop on the Galapagos Islands? Why is the landing aborted?

7. Herman is given a pet before the Kon-Tiki sets sail. What is the pet and what happens to it?

8. Who is Wilhelm and why is his role important in the story?

9. What/where is Quito? What warning is received in regards to it?

10. Heyerdahl's financing falls through and the trip is in jeopardy. How is the trip saved?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Before the Kon-Tiki set sail, many naval experts warned Heyerdahl and his crew about specific dangers out at sea. What do naval experts warn the crew about and does it come true? What did the naval experts get right? What was wrong about the opinions? Did the crew handle the disasters better or worse than expected?

Essay Topic 2

About the time the crew arrived at the tiny, uninhabited island, this comment was made: "'Purgatory was a bit damp,' said Bengt, 'but heaven is more or less as I'd imagined it.'" What did Bengt mean? To what was he comparing Purgatory and Heaven? Do you feel that the comparison was accurate? How might the other crew members felt about the comment?

Essay Topic 3

Polynesians celebrate an oral history, told by Tei Tetua. Examine the tales told by Tei Tuta and how they affected Heyerdahl. Given the manner in which the stories were told, do you think they were accurate? Did the stories prove or disprove any of Heyerdahl's own theories? Were any of Tei Tetua's stories proven or disproved by the trip made by the Kon-Tiki?

(see the answer keys)

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