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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. On what date does the author begin his narrative in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 1?

2. When was the rowing program at the University of California at Berkeley established?

3. What was the name of the business where Joe visited his father at work in Part 3: The Parts That Really Matter, Chapter 9?

4. At what time each night did Al Ulbrickson tell his Washington crew boys that they must go to bed each night in Part 2: Resiliency, Chapter 8?

5. Whose quotations open almost each chapter of The Boys in the Boat?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. What is the focus of the narrative in Part 3: The Parts That Really Matter, Chapter 9? What function does this chapter serve in the plot?

4. 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?

5. 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?

6. How does the author describe Roger Morris and his family background in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 5?

7. How is the setting of Seattle described in 1933 in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 1?

8. What irony and symbolism can be seen in the performance of the Washington crew as they prepared for Poughkeepsie in Part 2: Resiliency, Chapter 7?

9. What were the crew standings like in October of 1933 at the University of Washington? How many boys were still vying for spots on the top boats?

10. How did George Pocock come to his association with the University of Washington?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the childhood of Joe Rantz and discuss how Joe’s childhood influenced his rowing career. Do you think Joe would have made it as far as he did in life without having such a troubled upbringing? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the narrative style of The Boys in the Boat. How does the narrative shift after the Prologue? Is the narrator involved in the action of the story? Why do you think the author chose this narrative style? How would the book differ if related from a different perspective?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Joe Rantz’s friendship with Roger Morris. What did Joe and Roger have in common? How did they differ? What was the foundation of their friendship?

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