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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. 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 better bait for Santiago.
(c) He tries to get the boat he is now on to go far out near the old man.
(d) He tries to get a new sail for Santiago's boat.

2. What does Hemingway mean when he says that the old man harpooned the shark with resolution and complete malignancy?
(a) The old man was unsure of what to do.
(b) The old man was motivated by hate.
(c) The old man was dying of skin cancer.
(d) The old man was acting out of instinct.

3. 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 cleaned flying fish.
(d) The bad smelling dolphin.

4. What happens by midnight as Santiago returns to the land?
(a) His hands are well enough to use both of them with the club.
(b) The sharks come in a pack to get the rest of the marlin.
(c) The sharks leave as he gets near the city.
(d) He is able to fight off the sharks in the dark.

5. When does Santiago realize the depth of his tiredness?
(a) As he hauls the marlin's bones out of the water.
(b) As he furls the sail.
(c) As he ties the boat to a rock.
(d) As he walks up the hill to his shack.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the shadow of a passing airplane do on the surface of the sea?

2. What happens when the shovel-nose shark comes and Santiago stabs it in the brain with his makeshift harpoon?

3. What happens to make the old man forget his aches and pains?

4. What does Santiago do when another fish takes the bait on another line?

5. What does the marlin do as the sun rises on the third day?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Santiago compare himself to the great sea turtles that are as big as a skiff and weigh a ton?

2. When there is another bite on one of his other lines, Santiago cuts it loose. Why?

3. Santiago recalls that he used to sing on the turtle boats, whereas now he talks out loud to himself. When does he think the talking began?

4. Why can the old man not let go of the line as the big fish tows his skiff farther out to sea?

5. Aside from the times that Santiago actually says, "I'm lonely", how does Hemingway emphasize that situation?

6. On the second night, describe the old man's recollection that shows how strong he was years ago.

7. Since the fish is too large to fit into the boat, how does Santiago plan on getting it back to shore?

8. What indicates that Santiago has no idea of catching the largest marlin ever landed in those waters?

9. What does the fish do that helps revive Santiago from his weariness?

10. How does the old man utilize the power of positive thinking as he struggles with the huge marlin during the night?

(see the answer keys)

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