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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Santiago look for as he sails toward the land?
(a) Sails or smoke from ships.
(b) Evidence of sharks in the water.
(c) Signs of land up ahead.
(d) Dangerous reefs he might wreck on.

2. How is he able to clean the dolphin?
(a) By leaving its skin on and only removing its entrails.
(b) By tying the line to the marlin on the thale.
(c) By using his right hand and holding it steady with his foot.
(d) By using his left hand and right foot.

3. What does the old man conclude defeated him?
(a) His cramped left hand.
(b) The broken knife blade.
(c) Not having the boy with him.
(d) Nothing. He only went too far out.

4. What does the old man think about to build up his courage as the sun sets on the second day?
(a) He remembers arm wrestling and defeating the Negro from Cienfuegos.
(b) He recalls killing a shark while he was swimming one day.
(c) He remembers surviving after falling overboard.
(d) He thinks about how the boy looks up to him as a great fisherman.

5. What does Santiago think is unjust but something he must do?
(a) Act strange for the boy.
(b) Eat more raw fish to survive.
(c) Cut the marlin loose and go back saying he had another day of bad luck.
(d) Kill the great fish on the end of his line.

6. Why does Santiago always dream about lions?
(a) Lions make him feel strong and brave.
(b) He has always loved cats because they like fish.
(c) He dreams about lions eating a huge fish they catch.
(d) They are something he saw from a ship off the coast of Africa when he was a boy.

7. What makes the flying fish jump out of the water and scatter feverishly?
(a) The rising sun.
(b) A shark.
(c) Dolphins.
(d) The man-of-war bird circling overhead.

8. What does the tourist woman think she is seeing as she looks at the fish skeleton?
(a) Evidence of a feast the night before.
(b) A biology experiment.
(c) A fish that died of starvation.
(d) What is left of a shark.

9. Why does Santiago think he may have to fight again before he reaches Havana?
(a) The sharks know he cannot see them in the dark.
(b) There is still half of the meat left on the marlin.
(c) The boy is not there to help him.
(d) He is still having bad luck.

10. What brings Santiago awake suddenly in the night?
(a) The smell of the leftover raw fish.
(b) Another plane flies over at a low altitude.
(c) It starts to rain.
(d) The marlin is jumping again and again out of the sea.

11. Why does Santiago drink his morning coffee slowly?
(a) It is all he will have until he returns that night.
(b) He cannot afford another cup of coffee.
(c) It has too much sugar and condensed milk in it.
(d) It is too hot.

12. How does Santiago know that he is not dead?
(a) He can bring back the pain in his hands by opening and closing them.
(b) He pinches himself.
(c) He falls down when he tries to get to the tiller.
(d) He feels hungry.

13. How does Santiago console himself after the first shark attack?
(a) That it was all a dream.
(b) That he had killed the shark.
(c) That he was still alive.
(d) That the worst was over.

14. What does Santiago suddenly realize he has been doing?
(a) Falling asleep.
(b) Going too fast for his lines.
(c) Thinking about the boy.
(d) Talking out loud to himself.

15. What simile does Hemingway use to show the boy's admiration for Santiago?
(a) He says that Santiago is like Joe DiMaggio.
(b) He calls Sanitiago his hero.
(c) He compares Santiago to a giant shark.
(d) He likens Santiago's fishing greatness to the greatest baseball managers.

Short Answer Questions

1. What happens to Santiago as he carries the mast up the hill?

2. What marlin does Santiago think about as he considers this fish he has on his line?

3. What does the old man fear since the shark had taken about forty pounds of flesh off the marlin?

4. What advice does Santiago give the boy about the boat he is now working on?

5. After many tries to get the marlin alongside the skiff, what does Santiago reach for?

(see the answer keys)

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