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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What vow does the old man make to the fish?
(a) That he will die there with the fish.
(b) That he will let the fish go after he pulls him up to the surface.
(c) That he will cut him loose if he does not jump out of the water.
(d) That he will kill him before the day is over.

2. What contrast does Santiago think about that shows the hard work ahead of him as night falls?
(a) He thinks about having to kill the marlin and is glad he does not have to kill the stars.
(b) He thinks about how much larger the marlin is than the tiny stars.
(c) He thinks about how deep the marlin is and how high the stars are.
(d) He considers the difference between night and day while fishing.

3. What does the old man call the business of getting the marlin lashed to the skiff?
(a) Easy work.
(b) Boy Scout work.
(c) Slave work.
(d) Dugout work.

4. When the marlin slows and is steady, Santiago finally gets some sleep. What does he dream of instead of lions?
(a) A vast school of porpoises.
(b) A flight on a plane.
(c) Arm wrestling with the marlin.
(d) Cutting his hand on the fishing line.

5. After many tries to get the marlin alongside the skiff, what does Santiago reach for?
(a) Another bite of flying fish.
(b) His large casting net.
(c) His harpoon.
(d) His water bottle.

6. Why does Santiago decide to re-bait the the small line over the stern of the boat?
(a) Anything he catches on the small line will draw the sharks away from the marlin.
(b) He thinks doing that will take him mind off his pains.
(c) In case the marlin lasts another night, he will need something to eat.
(d) He needs to keep busy to get his hand to uncramp.

7. What does Santiago fear if he does not sleep after two days?
(a) That the marlin will come up slowly and eat his dolphin.
(b) That he will become unclear in the head.
(c) That he will fall asleep and go overborad.
(d) That he might die.

8. What is the boy's reaction when the proprietor of the Terrace compliments his catch the day before?
(a) He says to stop talking or it will bring him bad luck.
(b) He says to damn his fish and starts crying again.
(c) He says to tell people to go visit the old man.
(d) He says the proprietor should see what the old man caught.

9. What is the one thing not beautiful about the Mako shark?
(a) His jaws.
(b) His color.
(c) His movements.
(d) His dorsal fin.

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

11. What does the old man eat to keep up his strength?
(a) Raw tuna.
(b) The man-of-war bird.
(c) The last of his bait.
(d) Tacos the boy gave him.

12. What does Santiago wish he could show the fish?
(a) His club he would use to kill the fish.
(b) What manner of man the fish was up against.
(c) How his hand was cramped.
(d) How many fathoms of line he had in the boat.

13. How long had Santiago gone without catching a fish?
(a) 6 months.
(b) 87 days.
(c) 84 days.
(d) 1 year.

14. What effect did his movement and the hot sun during the day have on Santiago?
(a) He felt like a young man again.
(b) There was more bleeding from the cuts on his hands.
(c) His backache went away.
(d) His hand uncramped.

15. How old was the boy the first time he went fishing with Santiago?
(a) 7 years old.
(b) 10 years old.
(c) 5 years old.
(d) 15 years old.

Short Answer Questions

1. What simile does Hemingway use to show the boy's admiration for Santiago?

2. What does Hemingway mean when he says that the old man harpooned the shark with resolution and complete malignancy?

3. Why doesn't Santiago put the marlin into his boat?

4. What does the old man eat to get more strength after he washed his face and hands?

5. When does Santiago finally see the lights of the city?

(see the answer keys)

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