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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

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

2. What does the expedition party find when they finally landed on the shores of San Jose Island?
(a) Several other outboard motors to replace the one they have.
(b) Several ladies with leis waiting for them.
(c) Coal, gold and several precious stones.
(d) Fire-rings, fuel, clam and turtle shells.

3. How does John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts pass the time while their boat is being outfitted?
(a) The sample the local dishes and make arrangements for food to be taken out to sea.
(b) They sample the local beer and compare it with the others they have tried.
(c) They talk to the local fishermen and ask for interesting marine species.
(d) They observe the boats and their fishermen and how the boats reflect their owners.

4. Why does the expedition party set sail to La Paz?
(a) They have relatives and friends who live in La Paz and they are eager to visit them.
(b) They have been told that there are a lot of aphrodisiacs being sold in the place.
(c) They have heard much about La Paz and are eager to see the city.
(d) They have heard of a magic show in La paz which they all wanted to see.

5. How many crew members are signed on for the expedition?
(a) Three.
(b) Four.
(c) One.
(d) Two.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the author's description of Espiritu Santo Island?

2. What is Steinbeck's thesis about origins of names of places, specifically California?

3. What limitation does the expedition party have that is particular to their voyage?

4. What does Tex find out about the skiff's outboard motor?

5. How are Tiny and Sparky presented?

Short Essay Questions

1. Briefly explain Steinbeck's theory on "murdering" a boat.

2. Briefly discuss Steinbeck and Ricketts' interaction with a boy named Raul and give possible reasons why they willingly went with him.

3. The expedition party reaches the town of San Lucas. Describe the town as mentioned by Steinbeck, and add your own theories on how the town looks and feels like.

4. Describe Tiny's encounter with a sea turtle.

5. What are the recordings in The Log from the Sea of Cortez? Enumerate as many as you can.

6. Describe Tony and make some assumptions on the way he looks.

7. Steinbeck hints at Tiny's stories of his past as being too racy to be repeated in the book. Speculate on Tiny's past. What could his stories be about and why can't it be repeated in the book?

8. What is Steinbeck's theory on the origin of the name of a certain place? What was the origin of Steinbeck's musings?

9. Describe San Jose Island and how it appears to the expedition party. Give an explanation to the things that the party see when they try to go ashore in the island.

10. Steinbeck notices two men and a woman in Cabo San Lucas, paddling their canoe to the boat to do a little talking. He remarks that the indigenous people's sense of time is different from theirs. Describe the group that Steinbeck encounters, and what about their appearance invites such remarks from Steinbeck?

(see the answer keys)

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