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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the correspondent find in his pocket?

2. What suggests the men have been on a noteworthy trip?

3. What happens as the men get closer to land?

4. How long do the oiler and correspondent take turns rowing in Part 2?

5. What is the only thing the men can see at the book's beginning?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the correspondent show great character in Part 5?

2. Throughout their adventure, how does the relationship between the four men change, and why?

3. When the captain interrupts the correspondent's reverie, what does he say, and how do the men react?

4. Why is the correspondent unable to see the lighthouse?

5. As the correspondent reaches the shore, what does he see the oiler doing?

6. What is the only thing that the correspondent can do in Part 5 while the shark is present?

7. What role do the seagulls play in Part 2?

8. What taunts the four men, and why?

9. What happens after the sail is constructed, and how do the four men feel about it?

10. Why is it important for the oiler and correspondent to retain their strength at the end of Part 6?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How would the story be different if the oiler had lived?

Essay Topic 2

What is the significance of the oiler being the only character who is named and the only character who dies?

Essay Topic 3

How does the friendship between the four men affect the story?

(see the answer keys)

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