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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 is the time lapse between the disaster that befell the ship and the beginning of the narrative that ADM Hunter relates?

2. What or who is Andrei Vyborg?

3. What unique feature of the Martha Ann's navigational equipment makes her totally crew-independent?

4. What ship is responsible for reporting the incident to the Lillie Marlene?

5. How is the boarding party killed according to the San Gabriel's report?

Short Essay Questions

1. A gray Dodge van pursues Dirk and the driver of the van begins shooting at Dirk before attempting to run him off the road. Unravel the mystery. Who has the motive, knowledge, and opportunity to tip off "Them," whoever "They" might be, to Dirk's presence and interested activity?

2. What two things does the receptionist at ADM Hunter's office assume of Dirk Pitt when he arrives in his bathing suit?

3. How does Adrian Hunter feel about her father? Use quotes from Chapter to support your position.

4. What is the significance of the Lillie Marlene?

5. Why is it important for ADM Hunter's men to get to the accident site when the gray van runs off the road before the Honolulu police?

6. What is the Fullerton Fracture Zone? Does it actually exist?

7. Why is LT March so resistant to the idea of entering the submarine?

8. What is a possible explanation for the food being gone after only five days? (Remember ADM Hunter makes it clear that they recently left port and should have enough for the entire crew for 90 days.)

9. In the hotel bar in Chapter 3, Adrian makes the statement: "Considering your amateur standing and less than mediocre talents, you're vastly overpriced. Whom is she speaking to and what does she mean?

10. What are some ways the Pacific Vortex is different from the Bermuda Triangle and other legendary danger areas?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Everything in the submarine seems to indicate that someone is actively maintaining the vessel or at least "picked up afterwards." It seems an obvious inference that there might be someone still on the ship. Yet Dirk and LT March press ahead assuming it is a ghost ship. What might be some reasons for that? Psychological? Other evidence to the contrary? Stubbornness or at least reckless disregard for prudence?

Essay Topic 2

Quote from CDR Burdette Denver: "Piracy on the high seas went out with the manufacture of cutlasses." Is this actually a true statement? Is piracy a possible or probable explanation for the Pacific Vortex? Provide evidence both from the book and from independent research to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

Singularly absent from the entire book is any elaboration on these "men from the sea." The closest explanation of any aspect of them is Dirk's comments: "Even your hired help wander around like robots" and "your entire organization is built on blind obedience to you [Delphi]." There is no comment on where they came from, who they were, or what kind of man might have volunteered to abandon his above-sea life to have a gill surgically attached to his chest and become a mass murderer. Analyze the concept of this underwater army and who they are, or might have been.

(see the answer keys)

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