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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 novel about the manner in which Joe Rantz's parents married?

2. How hold was Joe Rantz when his father and Thula abandoned him in Sequim, Washington?

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

4. What was Joe Rantz's mother's maiden name?

5. Who was the bootlegger that Joe and Harry stole liquor from to sell on the black market during the Great Depression in Sequim?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the theme of "finding value in the discarded" illustrated by the author in Part 2: Resiliency, Chapter 8?

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

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

4. Why do you think Thula Rantz repeatedly rejected Joe as a part of her family?

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

6. What led up to Joe Rantz's abandonment by his father in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 2?

7. What were Thula's impressions of the farmhouse by the river that Harry Rantz began building in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 4?

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

9. 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?

10. 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?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the spiritual aspects of rowing as illustrated in The Boys in the Boat. How does the element of synchronicity relate to the spiritual aspects of the sport? What spiritual transformation did Joe Rantz experience as a result of rowing?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the author’s portrayal of Nazi Germany in The Boys in the Boat. Is the author’s depiction of the country positive or negative? Is the portrayal historically accurate? How effective do you think the author is at developing the atmosphere of Nazi Germany?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of finding value in unexpected places in The Boys in the Boat. What are two “valueless” items that Joe found new meaning for in the narrative? Who taught Joe the ability to find value in unexpected places?

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