View a FREE sample

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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What commonality does Santiago observe in deep water fish when they pick up speed?
(a) They turn yellow when they are angry or frightened.
(b) They all look green in the water.
(c) They have purple stripes or spots.
(d) They are always hungry.

2. Why does the boy not go out with the fishing boats the morning of Santiago's return?
(a) He was too tired from fishing the day before.
(b) He found Santiago dead in his shack.
(c) The winds were too strong for the boats to sail that morning.
(d) He wanted to stay on the shore and watch for the old man's return.

3. What sound of nature replaces human sounds as Santiago rows farther and farther out to sea?
(a) The chatter of dolphins searching for breakfast.
(b) The hissing of the wings of flying fish.
(c) The lapping of the waves against the skiff.
(d) The call of humpback whales.

4. How does the old man think he could have made better preparation for eating the raw fish?
(a) Chopping it up into smaller pieces.
(b) Cutting it up as soon as he caught it and letting it sun dry.
(c) Soaking it in sea water before eating it.
(d) Splashing sea water on the bow and letting it dry to get the salt.

5. 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 falls down when he tries to get to the tiller.
(c) He pinches himself.
(d) He feels hungry.

6. Which line below gives an indication of Santiago's respect for nature?
(a) God help me to have the cramp go.
(b) He thought of how some men feared being out of sight of land in a small boat.
(c) Light brisa, he thought, better weather for me than for you, fish.
(d) I wish I could feed the fish, he thought. He is my brother.

7. What does Santiago plan to do to change his luck?
(a) He gets the priest to bless his boat.
(b) He takes his lucky charms with him.
(c) He buys a new sail for his boat.
(d) He plans to row far out to fish.

8. What happens when the shovel-nose shark comes and Santiago stabs it in the brain with his makeshift harpoon?
(a) The shark almost pulls the old man overboard.
(b) At that moment the wind dies down.
(c) The knife blade snaps off.
(d) The knife comes untied from the oar.

9. Why does Santiago wish the marlin would sleep?
(a) So he could get up and walk around.
(b) So he could sleep and dream of lions.
(c) So he could slowly pull the marlin in.
(d) So he could catch his supper.

10. What disappointment does the old man feel because he has been out in his boat for days?
(a) He has not had a beer in two days.
(b) He cannot remember what the boy looks like.
(c) He does not know the baseball game scores.
(d) He has not been able to go to the cock fights.

11. What does Santiago find in the dolphin's maw when he cuts it open?
(a) A fish hook.
(b) A small turtle.
(c) Two flying fish.
(d) A piece of the marlin's tail.

12. What brings the shark towards Santiago's boat?
(a) A dark cloud of blood from the marlin.
(b) The flying fish jumping along side the boat.
(c) The sound of Santiago talking out loud.
(d) A school of dolphins following the boat.

13. During the time Santiago had the marlin on his line, what does he think the marlin does not know?
(a) That it is possible for him to work the hook out of his mouth.
(b) That the boat is not just another big fish.
(c) That there is a man on the other end of the line and the man is old.
(d) That he has no chance to escape from the hook and line.

14. How many rows of teeth does the Mako shark have?
(a) Six.
(b) Eight.
(c) Two.
(d) Four.

15. When the fish begins circling, what does the old man do?
(a) He runs up the skiff's sail.
(b) He ties down the line to wait for the fish to tire.
(c) He carefuly starts pulling in the line.
(d) He gives the fish more line.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who does the boy fear will defeat the Yankees?

2. What funny thing does Santiago say to himself after thinking about what he had not brought with him on this fishing trip?

3. What evidence does the old man have of his long, hard fight with the marlin?

4. What idea does Santiago have to help tire the marlin out?

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

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 922 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample