View a FREE sample

This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What do Steinbeck and Ricketts do to Tiny's prey?
(a) They crack its shell and use it as soup bowls.
(b) They cut the legs and collect them in a jar filled with water.
(c) They dissect it to learn what they can.
(d) They cut the meat and make a stew out of it.

2. What do Steinbeck and Ricketts encounter when they go for a walk in the dark?
(a) A store that sells imported cigarettes.
(b) A local hospital that treats voyagers for free.
(c) A little boy offering some pearls from the sea.
(d) A little cross with a candle lighting it.

3. What is the Western Flyer?
(a) It is the boat owned and maintained by Ed Ricketts.
(b) It is a favorite watering hole by John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts.
(c) It is a well-maintained vessel owned by Tony Berry used for the expedition.
(d) It is a rare species of bird found only in Mexico.

4. How does Steinbeck compare navigation at sea to life?
(a) He likens sea navigation to cooking a gourmet course.
(b) He likens sea navigation to courting a girl.
(c) He likens trying to keep a course to attempting to achieve an ideal.
(d) He likens trying to keep a course to walking a tight pole.

5. What is taking place on the day before the expedition party leaves for its journey?
(a) A celebration marking the end of the sardine fishing season.
(b) A mass to bless the travelers in their journey.
(c) A mass asking for good harvest.
(d) A celebration for the success of the expedition.

6. What is the duration covered by the story?
(a) March 20 to April 11, 1940.
(b) April 20, 1940 to March 11, 1941.
(c) April 11 to May 20, 1940.
(d) March 11 to April 20, 1940.

7. Aside from their daily experiences during the expedition, what other topics are discussed by the author?
(a) Literature, entertainment, laws and environment.
(b) Politics, religion, physics and war.
(c) Culinary arts, Hollywood, and botany.
(d) Philosophy, mankind, biology and history.

8. What does the expedition party observe about the town of San Lucas?
(a) That the town drives on the left side of the road.
(b) That the town is very much alive and everyone is heading to the ocean.
(c) That the town has recently suffered a great flood and the town is in disrepair.
(d) That the town has several interesting landmarks.

9. What explanation does the expedition party give to the Mexicans they meet on Espiritu Santo Island?
(a) They are just passing along, and their destination is Southeast Asia.
(b) They are collecting curios which will fetch a good price back at home.
(c) They are looking at useless animals out of general scientific interest.
(d) They are attracted to the culture of the place and want to stay there for good.

10. What do members of the party feel when they are the one manning the wheel?
(a) The team members feel a but sad and melancholic listening to the sea breeze.
(b) The team members are excited, causing them to make wrong turns.
(c) The team members feel some pressure when they are manning the wheel, especially when Tony is watching.
(d) The team members feel happy and contented, and would like to remain at sea, when they are manning the wheel.

11. What is Tony's requirement to the group?
(a) He requires that they wash heir hands prior to taking the wheel.
(b) He requires that they say a seaman's prayer before taking the wheel.
(c) He requires that no one will talk while at sea.
(d) He requires that the course be maintained as perfectly as possible.

12. What happens when Steinbeck and Ricketts photograph the bonito and other fish?
(a) They fight on who should take the pictures.
(b) The pictures don't turn out very well.
(c) The pictures turn out to be very beautiful
(d) The camera gets wet.

13. What do Indians do in Espiritu Santo Island?
(a) They maintain a market where travelers can sell the items they collected at sea.
(b) They maintain several stores which sell supplies to sea travelers.
(c) They own and operate several restaurants where sea travelers usually take their meal before sailing out to sea.
(d) They come to visit in a dugout canoe, stay long into the night to drink, tell stories, and discuss politics.

14. What can be seen in Cabo San Lucas?
(a) A cannery along with a few houses on shore, and a rocky ridge that extends from the muntain into the ocean.
(b) A school for teenagers who want to be marines and navy in the future.
(c) An amusement park with rides and games, children and adults alike enjoy the park.
(d) A monastery with several nuns planting corn.

15. What comparison does Steinbeck often refer to?
(a) Tides and men and their relationship.
(b) Marine organisms and men and their relationship
(c) Moon and men and their relationship.
(d) Fruits and men and their relationship.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is Raul?

2. What does Tiny collect in La Paz?

3. What does the expedition party do after sorting the specimen they have collected?

4. What scientific testing does Steinbeck intend to do on the liquor?

5. What is the greater purpose for which the author wants to use his observations of the activities of the biological creatures?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,058 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample