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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. What is the duration covered by the story?

2. According to John Steinbeck, what does a well-cared for and lovingly maintained boat indicate?

3. Why does the expedition party set sail to La Paz?

4. What does the expedition party observe about the town of San Lucas?

5. On March 18, where does the expedition party end up going when a wind rises before they were able to anchor?

Short Essay Questions

1. Tiny and Sparky are described as almost two halves of one person. Make some speculations on their appearance and characters in general.

2. Describe the members of the expedition team and their vehicle.

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

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

5. 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.

6. What are Steinbeck's thoughts on his expedition compared to those of Charles Darwin? What are the similarities and differences?

7. What difference does this particular expedition have over the other travels? Why is this so?

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

9. How does Steinbeck compare staying on course at sea to achieving a goal in life?

10. 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?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of Steinbeck's lamentations is over how a good hypothesis can blind a person to an alternative theory which can disprove it. What instances in the story support this theory of the author? What can be the reasons for this blindness? Are there any more observations made by the author that supports this theory?

Essay Topic 2

Steinbeck uses many graphic comparisons in the book, such as the personification of a boat by man, the personification of the marine life, among others. Do you agree with Steinbeck's analogy? Why or why not? What other analogies can be used to describe the author's many observations in the story?

Essay Topic 3

Steinbeck frequently relates marine organisms to men and vice versa, and thinks of both as equally representative of a larger pattern. Do you support Steinbeck's thinking that they both represent a larger pattern? What pattern could this be? Support your answers with specific instances from the story, if not about men then about marine organisms.

(see the answer keys)

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