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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 was the name of Joe's aunt that he was sent to live with after his mother died?

2. Who were the sophomore crew members that Ulbrickson called into his office and told they needed to shape up in Part 3: The Parts That Really Matter, Chapter 9?

3. Where were the University of Washington rowing crew tryouts held in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 1?

4. In what year did Ed Leader leave the University of Washington's rowing program to coach at Yale?

5. On what date was Joe Rantz born?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Harry Rantz described in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 2? What were Harry's ambitions?

2. What event led to the Rantz family moving to Idaho in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 2? How did Joe like Idaho?

3. How does the author describe the East-West Coast rivalry in crew and other competitive sports in Part 2: Resiliency, Chapter 7?

4. How does the author describe the spiritual rewards and transformation within rowing competitively in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 3?

5. How is George Pocock's childhood described in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 3? How did Pocock become involved with boats?

6. Where did Joe Rantz go to meet his father in Part 3: The Parts That Really Matter, Chapter 9? How is this meeting described?

7. How does the author describe the physical toll of rowing in a two-thousand-meter regatta in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 3?

8. What was Ky Ebright's relationship to the University of Washington? How did this history influence his actions as coach at the University of California at Berkeley?

9. What frustrations did Coach Bolles face with the freshman crew after their return from the California regatta in Part 2: Resiliency, Chapter 7?

10. What did Joe Rantz's father tell him when he abandoned Joe at the age of fourteen? How did Joe respond to these circumstances?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the author’s portrayal of Tom Bolles in the narrative. How old was Tom Bolles when he became freshman coach of the rowing program at the University of Washington? How did Bolles differ in coaching style from Al Ulbrickson? What were Bolles’s strengths as a coach?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of mentorship in The Boys in the Boat. Which of Joe’s mentors do you think had the biggest influence on him? Why? What words of advice did Joe follow from Tom Bolles, Al Ulbrickson, and George Pocock?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the athletic demands of competitive rowing. How does the author describe these demands in comparison with other competitive sports? What are the emotional and psychological demands of the rower and/or coxswain?

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