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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 clear about Nailer's injury?

2. Who is best at stripping wires from ancient tankers?

3. What room does Nailer find as he is searching through the ship?

4. What does Nailer decide has to be done if he does not kill Lucky Girl?

5. What does the Life Cult group use human eggs to do?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why are Pima and Nailer shocked by what they find on the clipper ship?

2. What do Nailer and Pima learn about who Lucky Girl really is?

3. What does the girl ask Nailer when she wakes and what is his reaction?

4. Describe the ritual of making the girl a crew member.

5. How does Nailer fare in the oil when he falls into a pool of it?

6. Why do the children work so hard when Bapi appears?

7. What is Nailer's solution to not trusting the girl they rescue?

8. How does Nailer feel about Richard, and what saves Nailer from a beating when he gets home after his oil experience?

9. How does Nailer fee about Bright Sands?

10. What are the drawbacks to trying to salvage the clipper themselves?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ship Breaker belongs to the juvenile science fiction genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the juvenile science fiction genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a juvenile science fiction and a historical novel mystery?

Essay Topic 2

Many readers of fiction place themselves in the position of one character, wondering if they would do the same thing as that character. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think one of the values of literature is to serve as a reflection of oneself? Why or why not?

2. Socrates said "Know thyself." How can reading a book such as Ship Breaker help a reader to know him/herself? Do you find yourself reflecting on your own character and abilities when reading Ship Breaker? Why or why not.

3. Choose one specific incident in Ship Breaker to discuss and compare one of the characters' response to how you think you would respond.

Essay Topic 3

There are a number of interesting questions raised by Ship Breaker. Questions that Bacigalupi most likely want readers to consider and think through carefully. Discuss the following:

1. What does the term "author agenda" mean?

2. Name one idea/concept you think may have been a part of the Bacigalupi's agenda. Analyze that idea throughout the book and discuss Bacigalupi's probable agenda concerning that idea.

2. Do you think writers who have an agenda for writing should point it out in a preface?

3. How often do you think fiction is written with a clear agenda in mind by the author?

4. Research the life of Bacigalupi and see if/where his life may have influenced his writing.

(see the answer keys)

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