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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. Of the Grand Coulee Dam, the narrator says it was "so massive that by the time it was finished it would be the largest masonry structure built since" what?

2. Who was the senior that Ulbrickson swapped out for George Morry as coxswain on the sophomore boat at Poughkeepsie in 1935?

3. Who was the NBC announcer that screamed the details of the crew regatta over KOMO's airwaves in Seattle during the 1936 Olympic Games?

4. On what network did Royal Brougham announce the live broadcast of the Olympic rowing trials in 1936?

5. What deliberately risky tactic did Al Ulbrickson decide to use in the regatta in Poughkeepsie in 1936?

Short Essay Questions

1. What conflicts arose in the U.S. and other countries regarding Germany hosting the 1936 Summer Olympics? How were these conflicts resolved?

2. How does the author describe the American rowing team's performance at their final race in the 1936 Summer Olympics? What strategies were used?

3. How does the author describe the regatta at Poughkeepsie in 1935? How did the University of Washington perform?

4. What were the Nuremberg Laws that Hitler enacted in 1935? How did these laws define German citizenship?

5. Where did Joe Rantz live while working at the Grand Coulee Dam site? How is this setting described?

6. What advice did George Pocock give to Joe during the Olympic training session in Part 4: Touching the Divine, Chapter 13? How did this advice affect Joe's performance?

7. How did fans and reporters respond when Al Ulbrickson made the decision to pull the sophomore team from the varsity lineup at Poughkeepsie in 1935?

8. What last-minute decision did Al Ulbrickson make regarding his crew as they set out for their final race in the 1936 Olympic games? How did the crew respond to this decision?

9. What function does Part 4: Touching the Divine, Chapter 18 serve in the plot structure of The Boys in the Boat? How?

10. Why was the 1936 regatta against the University of California at Berkeley significant for Joe Rantz? How did the University of Washington perform in the race?

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

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 3

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?

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