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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Santiago like to read in the newspaper?
(a) The baseball scores.
(b) The funny pages.
(c) The weather forecasts.
(d) The racing odds.

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

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

4. What is Santiago doing when the boy returns to his shack?
(a) He is still sleeping.
(b) He is making a new harpoon.
(c) He is reading the baseball scores.
(d) He is looking for something to eat.

5. How do you know Santiago had never been up in a plane?
(a) He hardly glances at the plane as it goes over.
(b) He thinks planes are the same size as flying fish.
(c) He wonders what the sea looks like from that height.
(d) He says out loud that he would never get on one of those things.

6. What assistance for the old man does the boy try to get?
(a) He tries to get his mother to make food for Santiago.
(b) He tries to get the boat he is now on to go far out near the old man.
(c) He tries to get better bait for Santiago.
(d) He tries to get a new sail for Santiago's boat.

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

8. Obviously a very large fish that is caught on Santiago's line. What does the fish do all night long?
(a) Pulls the boat farther out to sea.
(b) Comes to the surface from time to time.
(c) Chases the flying fish.
(d) Tries to pull the boat under the water.

9. Thinking about what the marlin can see deep in the water, how does Santiago recall his own vision years ago?
(a) He remembers he once had night vision like a cat.
(b) He remembers that horses are blind at night.
(c) He recalls not ever seeing well after the sun went down.
(d) He recalls being able to see in total darkness.

10. How do we know the old man sleeps for a very long time?
(a) The boy has to re-heat the coffee.
(b) It is the next morning before he wakes up.
(c) The boy keeps thinking the old man has died.
(d) The old man talks all day in his sleep.

11. To what does Santiago compare his damaged hands while harpooning the shark?
(a) Hitting a home run.
(b) Joe DiMaggio's bone spur.
(c) The pain of a sting ray's attack.
(d) The teeth of the shark.

12. How thick is the line the old man uses to catch big fish?
(a) About as thick as an oar handle.
(b) Very small but strong.
(c) As big around as a pencil.
(d) A big around as his thumb.

13. What does the old man eat to get more strength after he washed his face and hands?
(a) Some jerky he forgot he had in his pocket.
(b) A jellyfish.
(c) The bad smelling dolphin.
(d) The cleaned flying fish.

14. Something brings Santiago out of his reverie. What is it?
(a) The man-of-war bird lands on his boat.
(b) A dolphin jumps over his boat.
(c) Something tugging at his line.
(d) The wind gets stronger.

15. What is Santiago's secret for deep sea fishing?
(a) To let the boat drift and put the lines at an angle.
(b) To keep the lines straight down.
(c) To use no more than one line at a time.
(d) To bring the lines up often so the fish will notice the movement.

Short Answer Questions

1. What worries Santiago as he returns to Cuba in the night?

2. How many rows of teeth does the Mako shark have?

3. What kind of sharks came the second time?

4. What does Santiago dream of?

5. Even though the boy can no longer fish with Santiago, how does he show his loyalty?

(see the answer keys)

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