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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 Brock planning to do with Dirk when he summons him to the knoll?

2. When Dirk arrives at the harbor master's office, where are Tess and Culum?

3. In Chapter 45, where does Brock ask Dirk to meet him?

4. What is the bark that might cure May-may but might also be a wives' tale?

5. What is in the sack that Dirk finds in Aberdeen?

Short Essay Questions

1. What causes the wages and costs in Hong Kong to rise above Dirk's expectations?

2. Why does Gorth go to the English club looking for Dirk?

3. As Dirk and Captain Orlov sail back to Hong Kong in Chapter 42, why do they think they're getting old?

4. What does May-may say will happen to Yin-hsi if Dirk sends her away?

5. Why do the Russians feel they must control China?

6. Why does Richard Crosse go by the name Roger Blore?

7. According to Culum, how did Dirk use him and Tess?

8. How will Dirk and the others know when the eye of the storm is centered over Hong Kong?

9. In Chapter 49, why does Zergeyev think the Russians will now be able to dominate China?

10. Why does Wu Kwok have Scragger killed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Dirk Straun is the hero of this story. What does it mean to be a hero? How does Dirk fit the definition of a hero? What are some of his heroic acts?

Essay Topic 2

Why do Dirk and Brock decide to form their uneasy truce? What leads to the truce? Why is it important for these two characters to come to some sort of understanding? What might have happened if they had not called a truce?

Essay Topic 3

Dirk takes many calculated risks throughout the course of the novel. What are the risks he takes? Are his risks wise or foolish? In other words, does Dirk succeed through luck or through shrewd business sense? Why?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 602 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample