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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 about the sea creature impresses Heyerdahl?

2. What do the men do to recover?

3. What seemed out of place on the ocean?

4. What is the plural of octopus?

5. What sign gives the crew hope?

Short Essay Questions

1. What hinders the Kon-Tiki from traveling to a second island?

2. What evidence is there of the stone work on Easter Island? How did it change?

3. What item was destroyed on Easter Island that may have detailed the region's history? Who destroyed the item?

4. Heyerdahl thinks about how the ancients might have gathered or transported water. What were his conclusions?

5. How is the crew rescued? Where are they taken and by who?

6. What type of food do the men eat on board? What are the options?

7. What topic is discussed by Thor and Teka? What is Teka's reaction to Thor's theory?

8. There is one thing that turns out to be advantageous to a raft that would be dangerous to a boat. What is it? What is the advantage?

9. How do the men keep occupied while out on the sea? How are conflicts handled?

10. What danger attacks two crew members? How do they escape?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The natives of a nearby island approached the crew in two outrigger canoes. The natives said that they wanted to wait until daylight to approach the island. Why? How did the natives know that the crew was on the island? How did the natives attempt to help? What was the resolution?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Much of the weather in the South Seas had gone unreported, often leaving the crew in the dark as to what to expect. Why is this true? Why was it important for the crew to report the weather? To who was the weather reported? What became of the information? How might it benefit future sailors?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 641 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample