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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 does Nailer find on his first dive?

2. What does Nailer hear when he leans forward closer to the rich girl?

3. What type of clipper ship is the one they board?

4. What happens when the duct suddenly squeaks and shakes?

5. Who is Jackson Boy?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the confrontation between Nailer and Bapi.

2. Why does Nailer fear for his livelihood, and what gives him some hope?

3. How does Nailer get out of the oil and the ship?

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

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

6. What do Nailer and Pima find in the jungle and what is their first reaction?

7. What is the attitude about luck among Nailer's community and how will that affect Nailer's relationship to others after his almost dying.?

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

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

10. What do the three do the next morning?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. In your opinion, what are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss Ship Breaker based upon your criteria for a successful novel and judge if Ship Breaker is a successful novel.

3. Do you think the criteria for a successful novel should be different if it is written for adults versus young adults? Why or why not? Would most adults consider Ship Breaker a successful novel? What about young teens?

Essay Topic 2

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Paolo Bacigalupi.

2. What in Bacigalupi's background may have helped him in writing Ship Breaker? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in Ship Breaker. Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with growth? Why? What are some symbols of growth? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of courage in Ship Breaker. Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to possess courage? Why?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of class in Ship Breaker. Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to possess courage? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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