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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 Leif comes out of the fog in "Dancing Giants," what type of whales does he see?

2. How does Leif feel when he realizes he is surrounded by jumping whales?

3. In "Sliding Currents," how deep is the water when Leif feels the canoe bump against the shore?

4. In "Sliding Currents," what does the air seem to be made of when the whirlpool dissipates and Leif surfaces?

5. In "Sliding Currents," what does Leif thinks it feels like are pulling his legs as he is dragged into the center of the whirlpool?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Leif try to pull away from the whirlpool, and how successful is he?

2. What is one way Leif learns to get across waves by studying the dolphins?

3. How does Leif fashion a drying rack for his salmon?

4. How might a whirlpool form?

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

6. In "Dancing GIants," why does Leif have to tie the canoe off and hang and rest?

7. How does Leif make a shelter in "Cook Camp"?

8. In "Cook Camp," what does Leif see when he wakes?

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

10. What does Leif think he sees in the distance in "Ice," and what does he find when he gets closer?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Leif encounters many dangers on his trip north. What are some dangers he encounters? How does he deal with those dangers? What does he learn about dealing with dangers, and how does that knowledge help him survive?

Essay Topic 2

Leif is born holding a blood clot in his fist. What meaning do people ascribe to that happening and why? What role does superstition play in the culture where Leif is born and lives?

Essay Topic 3

Leif’s story is about his survival on his own. How do the events in Northwind help Leif grow and mature in the book? What role does learning have in his growth?

(see the answer keys)

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