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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. Who arrives on the comm deck as Dirk is communicating to the Martha Ann and LCDR Boland?

2. The Martha Ann has 20 feet of freeboard, making attack from the surface difficult according to LCDR Boland. What is freeboard?

3. What does Boland want Dirk to do before the invasion of the Martha Ann begins?

4. How does SN Farris react to the battle raging around him on the Martha Ann?

5. What is the reason for the eucalyptus oil?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does LCDR Crowhaven's attitude change from his frame of mind on the plane, once he is within sight of the submarine and Dirk lets him know that this is where he [Dirk] gets off?

2. How do Summer's divided loyalties express themselves in their final moments in the doomed seamount as the missiles hit and the mountain begins to crumble?

3. What does Dirk fear lays in store for the Martha Ann? What information is he now armed with that may help? What does he still not know that could be fatal?

4. In his description of the attack, Dirk notices something significant that could immeasurably assist the crew of the Martha Ann to prevent the boarding of the men from the sea. What is it and how could it be turned into an opportunity for the crew?

5. What happens during Dirk's final radio transmission from the C-5airplane before they touch down on the surface of the ocean? what does it mean for their rescue mission?

6. What does Delphi say is his main objective? What does Dirk say is Delphi's main objective?

7. What does LT Robert Buckmaster discover at the old Army installation, which supposedly belongs to Delphi that partially explains the entirely unexpected fierce resistance to Marine's invasion? How might this situation have come to be?

8. Who or what is Selma Snoop?

9. In both Chapters 9 and 10, Dirk endeavors to get his way by assuring the Naval men that he "will take full responsibility." Why does this seem to be the easiest way for Dirk to gain their compliance?

10. How does Dirk reinforce his disregard for authority upon return from the Pacific Vortex with the crew of the Martha Ann?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Carefully analyze the "real" condition of the Starbuck with respect to international maritime law. Whose waters is she sitting in and who can rightfully claim her? How do the laws of maritime salvage govern this kind of at-sea loss? Most importantly, how does this contribute to the urgency and top-secretiveness in the plot?

Essay Topic 2

Pacific Vortex! is the first Dirk Pitt novel Clive Cussler wrote (even though it is published much later, after several other Pitt adventures) and indeed it shows signs of being a novice attempt. The character development is somewhat sporadic, there are questions or plot mysteries that are later left unanswered and some scenes that almost seem extraneous which are only loosely tied together by the final explanation. Characterize some of these "novice" elements using firm examples from the book. At the end, is there anything you wondered, "yes, but what about...?" How could Cussler have woven these plot threads or characters more tightly into the fabric of the story?

Essay Topic 3

How would you characterize Cussler's writing style in Pacific Vortex? Analyze all of the elements of writing style including the perspective, bias, structure, diction and syntax, imagery, etc. Is this a laudable first effort on Cussler's part? Is there perhaps a stylistic reason it is not the first published book?

(see the answer keys)

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