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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 did Leif think of doing at his twelfth-year time when Old Carl told him that things might get better or they might get worse?

2. Where does Leif go at the end of "Dream Story"?

3. In "Ice," what does Leif call a whale that stays with him for a few days?

4. In "Sliding Currents," how many islands has Leif found?

5. What wakes Leif in "Sliding Currents"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Leif hear and have happen when he spots a fjord in "Ice"?

2. In "Cook Camp," why does Leif throw green grass and leaves on his fire?

3. What is the island like that Leif choses for his cook camp?

4. How are all the islands connected?

5. What does Leif remember his life was like on the many ships where he had worked?

6. What prevents Leif from dying in the whirlpool in "Sliding Currents"?

7. How does the land change as the sea grows larger?

8. How does Leif get trapped among jumping whales, and how does he get free in "Dancing Giants"?

9. What becomes Leif's routine in "Heartbeat; Sea Pulse"?

10. In "Heartbeat; Sea Pulse," how does Leif make a paddle to replace the one he lost during the whirlpool?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Old Carl packs supplies to send with Leif. What do those supplies reveal about Old Carl’s feelings for Leif?

Essay Topic 2

Metaphors and similes are figures of speech that are used to make comparisons between things. Metaphors seem to imply an equal comparison, while similes seem to imply a similarity between two things. Does Paulsen use more metaphors or similes in Northwind? How does the use of metaphors or similes help readers comprehend concepts? How does the use of metaphors or similes help make the writing more interesting?

Essay Topic 3

Leif buries Little Carl and builds a cairn over the body. What do the burial rituals Leif follows reveal about how Leif perceives death and about Norse burial rituals?

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