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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. How long had the princess lain in state when Twain wrote the letter in chapter 16?

2. How were the provisions divided amongst the crew after the Hornet was burned?

3. Which one of the following did Twain read in an attempt to help a sickened Mr. Brown in chapter 18?

4. What sized men did the features of the city of refuge suggest to Twain in chapter 22?

5. What transformed the volcano's appearance in chapter 25?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the schooner, the Boomerang, like and why did Twain have difficulty sleeping on his voyage?

2. What was Kamehameha's funeral like, and when did it take place?

3. What reaction did Paulet have to Charlton's situation?

4. How long did it take the Hornet to burn and what did the crew do as it was burning?

5. Who did Twain interview about the tragic circumstances of the Hornet, how long was the crew lost at sea, and how many survivors were there?

6. How was Captain Cook murdered?

7. Why was the attempt by Twain and Mr. Brown to get food in chapter 20 humorous?

8. Who was Charlton and why was he sued in Hawaiian courts?

9. How was Captain Mitchell instrumental in keeping his crew alive?

10. What was it about Hawaii's sugar production that impressed Twain in chapter 23?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe Twain's objections to the naming of the Pacific Ocean, using his experience aboard the Ajax as his motivation. Also, provide an explanation of how the Pacific actually received its name, who named it, and what you think some of the possible reasons were for naming it the Pacific.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Twain's disagreement with Mr. Staley about the effect of the American missionaries on Hawaii and the natives' culture. In your analysis, provide the points that Twain made against Staley, the sources that he quoted, and how Twain differentiated Staley's judgments from his own.

Essay Topic 3

The volcano of Kilauea was the last location that Twain wrote about in his Letters from Hawaii.

1) Describe the Kilauea volcano's crater, Twain's initial response to it, and how he realized its enormous scope.

2) Explain why Twain decided to view the volcano at night and how it transformed as the sun set.

3) Analyze Twain's writings about the volcano, his descriptions, the language and phrasing he used, and why he chose this event as the last one to include in his letters.

(see the answer keys)

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