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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. When Rutherford encounters Falcon in the passageway after one of Falcon's booby traps goes off, what emotion does he hear in Falcon's voice?

2. What does Rutherford notice about the slaves when they come up from the hold?

3. After his conversation with Falcon, what does Rutherford see?

4. How does Rutherford convince the Allmuseri to spare Cringle's life?

5. Before Reverend Chandler said how he would dispose of his estate, Jackson had already stated that he would not accept a gift of land or property. What is Rutherford's opinion of his brother's statement?

Short Essay Questions

1. Captain Falcon tells Rutherford the names of the Republic's three financiers. Who are they?

2. How do the slaves get free?

3. After the ceremony the Allmuseri hold to cleanse the ship after the uprising, what does Ngonyama send Rutherford to do?

4. When another storm comes up, Ngonyama helps Rutherford up to the deck just as an explosion rocks the boat. What appears to be the cause of the explosion?

5. When the slaves are brought up from the hold, among them is a dead boy. Why does Meadows slice off the boy's ears before throwing the corpse overboard?

6. When Ngonyama comes onto the orlop to check on Rutherford, what Allmuseri practice does Rutherford want to engage him in but cannot because he is too weak?

7. Rutherford begins daydreaming about Isadora. What does he see himself doing in his daydream?

8. Diamelo makes up many new rules that favor the Allmuseri and to which the Americans must submit. What winds up being the only one of these rules that is actually followed?

9. Why do the Allmuseri spit at visitors' feet?

10. When Rutherford enters the captain's quarters, he finds it in ruins and the captain badly hurt by falling beams. What, due to his injuries, is the captain no longer able to control?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast Zeringue's unsuccessful attempt to blackmail Rutherford into marrying Isadora in the beginning of the novel with Rutherford's successful attempt to blackmail Zeringue into canceling his wedding to Isadora so that Rutherford can marry her, and analyze why Rutherford was successful where Zeringue was not. Use the text as evidence of your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Rutherford described Cringle as having a sixth sense about disaster. Using examples from the text, demonstrate, analyze, and explain how this sixth sense proved to be an accurate foreshadowing of the events that took place during the Republic's voyage.

Essay Topic 3

Using the text as backup, compare and contrast Rutherford's and Captain Falcon's personalities, particularly their individual approaches towards honesty and ability to trust, and explain how the relationship that develops between them plays a role in the development of the novel.

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