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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. In feet, how long is the towboat Mississippi?

2. What does the 1927 flood in Louisiana teach officials about levees?

3. In a conversation between General Sands and Oliver Houck on a floating conference boat, what does the General remind Houck regarding the vital role of the U.S. Army Corps?

4. A navigation lock on the bank of the Mississippi River lowers ships down to where?

5. From the time that the U.S. Army Corps takes control of the Atchafalaya, what word does the author associate with the river and the region?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Major General Sands' concluding thoughts regarding the Old River Control Structure?

2. Describe some of the challenges New Orleans faces because of its geographical location.

3. Explain how the Mississippi River forms Louisiana over many centuries.

4. What are some of the main points the author tries to make through this work of historical nonfiction?

5. Congress enacts the Flood Control Act in 1928 to launch the Mississippi River and Tributaries Project. What is done through this project?

6. In 1927, what happened to the region of the Mississippi River during the great flood?

7. The Old River Control project began operating in 1963. What happens ten years later?

8. Describe what McPhee writes about Morgan City, Louisiana.

9. Describe Major General Thomas Sands' annual Low Water Inspection Trip along the Mississippi River.

10. What is the Old River Control project developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast Louisiana's bayou life before and after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers develops the system of locks, gates, spillways, and structures to control the region's rivers.

Essay Topic 2

Describe three or four of the key players in the quest to cool lava on the island off the coast of Iceland. Who are these individuals? How do they contribute to the effort and the final outcome? Do their backgrounds and character traits help or hinder their efforts?

Essay Topic 3

Using one of the three main stories covered in the book, write about and expand upon the following concepts, supporting your ideas with plenty of examples:

1. The arrogance of people trying to control nature.

2. The compassion and concern of people trying to protect communities against forces of nature.

3. The humility of those who try to protect communities while realizing that nature is stronger.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,018 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample