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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. Which of the following characters accuses Ford of being a member of the CIA?

2. What Costa Rican city do Tomlinson and Ford fly into on their first day searching for Jake Hollins?

3. What reason does Ford give his interrogators as to why he is in Masagua?

4. What sound does Ford hear when he wakes up from his blackout after his visit with Pilar?

5. What is General Riviera's first name?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why are Zacul's prison camps so full?

2. How does Zacul react when he sees that many of his guards are falling ill?

3. What happens when Ford goes to Jessica's to visit with her after returning home from Masagua?

4. How does Tomlinson prove his dedication to Ford while staying at General Riviera's?

5. What type of studying does Tomlinson do in preparation for his meeting with Zacul?

6. What sound does Ford hear in the distance while he is inside Zacul's tent?

7. What happens when a mortar explodes near the dock where Zacul has docked his boat?

8. What confessions does Pilar make to Ford when she sees him after the fight?

9. How and why does Ford test Tomlinson's honesty while they are traveling through Costa Rica?

10. How does the judge in Sandy Key treat Ford when he hears Ford is searching for Jake Hollins?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At the opening of the novel, Ford is speeding away through an underground tunnel from the Presidential Palace in Masagua. First, explain what Ford was doing in the Presidential Palace to begin with. Then, explain how Ford used his cunning and wit to escape, undetected from danger. Finally, explain how these events, which take place in the prologue, spin the action of the entire novel into motion.

Essay Topic 2

As a biologist, Ford has an interesting relation with fish. First, explain how Ford treats wildlife when he is out on his boat fishing. What does Ford's relationship with the wild tell the reader about his character? Then, compare Ford's treatment of wild fish to his relationship with domestic fish. What is the same about these relationships? What is different? Is there anything surprising in this comparison?

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the novel, Ford calls on old friendships that stretch back even to high school in order to create a network of people that can feed him information when needed. First, create a list of characters Ford calls on from his past to help in his investigation into Jake's disappearance. Then, choose one relationship from Ford's past that proves to be particularly valuable in his investigation. Do you think Ford's investigation would have been a success without this character's help? Be sure to cite examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

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