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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. Where was Fritz Kreisler born?

2. What did Adolf Hitler do when the announcement was made of the winners of the men's eights event at the 1936 Olympics?

3. By what name did the dust storm that hit on April 14, 1935 become known?

4. Who was the coxswain for the German crew at the 1936 Olympics?

5. Who was the president of both the AAU and the American Olympic Committee in 1935?

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. What concerns did Al Ulbrickson express about the regatta course for the 1936 Summer Olympics? How was the matter resolved?

3. What ship did the University of Washington crew take to Europe for the 1936 Summer Olympics? How is the setting of the ship described?

4. Where did the American rowing crews lodge and train during the 1936 Summer Olympics? How is this setting described by the author?

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

6. How does the author describe Adolf Hitler's reaction when the announcement was made of the outcome of men's eights rowing event at the Olympics?

7. How was the necessary money raised for the crew from the University of Washington to attend the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin?

8. How does the author describe the whitewashing that took place in Berlin prior to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Part 4: Touching the Divine, Chapter 16?

9. Why was Al Ulbrickson concerned about Don Hume and his performance as the University of Washington crew trained in Germany before their trials in Part 4: Touching the Divine, Chapter 17?

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 author’s depiction of Joyce Simdars in the narrative. How old was Joyce when she met Joe Rantz? What attracted Joyce to Joe? What are some examples of sacrifices that Joyce made in order to be with Joe?

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

Examine the actions, objectives, and obstacles of Harry Rantz in the narrative. How did Harry respond to the death of his first wife? What was Harry’s relationship like with Joe when Joe was young? How did their relationship evolve over time?

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