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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. Why do the oiler and correspondent sit on the same seat?

2. Who rows with the correspondent?

3. What do the waves threaten to do?

4. Who loses concept of time?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. When the boat is deluged again, what does the captain tell the others to do, and why?

2. Why do the four men construct a sail, and how?

3. In Part 4, where does the captain instruct the others to take the boat, and why?

4. What does the shark do?

5. What is the cook doing in Part 1?

6. Who is the captain of the boat, and what is his crew comprised of?

7. What thoughts do the four men refrain from sharing at the beginning of Part 6?

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

9. What does the sight of the lighthouse do to the four men?

10. What does the correspondent think about his time in the boat?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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

Essay Topic 2

How is foreshadowing used in "The Open Boat"? Choose one major instance of foreshadowing and follow it through the book, finishing with how the event is fulfilled.

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the four men. How are their relationships with nature similar and different?

(see the answer keys)

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