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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What happens between Davidge and West?
(a) An agreement to invest together in a farm when they return to England.
(b) A discovery.
(c) Nothing.
(d) A division.

2. What does Aubrey encounter in their first port of call?
(a) A gun runner's ring.
(b) A revolt by a penal colony.
(c) A rum runner's ring.
(d) Political difficulties.

3. Who is pursuing the Surprise?
(a) A British cutter.
(b) An American privateer.
(c) A French man-of-war.
(d) An American man-of-war.

4. Who insults Maturin one evening?
(a) Aubrey.
(b) Clarissa.
(c) Davidge.
(d) Pullings.

5. Why had Padeen been at a penal colony?
(a) As a guard.
(b) For serious crimes he committed.
(c) As the cook.
(d) As the warden.

6. What does Aubrey realize?
(a) That the ship must not have been thoroughly checked for rats at the last port.
(b) That he has found the source of the crew's apparent high morale.
(c) The dead crew member just signed on at the last port.
(d) That the contraband whiskey must have come aboard at the last port call.

7. Why can they not visit the island that Maturin had hoped to see?
(a) The natives do not allow it.
(b) There is a hostile takeover by the French there.
(c) The wind is not good.
(d) Narration does not say why.

8. How does Aubrey occupy his time when not commanding the ship?
(a) Teaching some of the junior officers.
(b) Playing bridge with Maturin.
(c) Writing his wife long letters.
(d) Sorting through his estate papers.

9. In what is the crew of the Surprise to intervene?
(a) Some slave trading.
(b) Some illegal rum and spice running.
(c) The French blockade of the Straights of Gibraltar.
(d) A minor civil war.

10. What vessel is closing on Surprise?
(a) The HMS Shamrock.
(b) The HMS Java.
(c) The HMS Éclair.
(d) The HMS Leopard.

11. What does Aubrey think about life at sea compared to that on land?
(a) It is simpler.
(b) It is more exciting.
(c) Being at sea he is his own boss.
(d) It is more complicated.

12. Where is Aubrey's vessel headed now?
(a) England.
(b) The coast of France.
(c) Africa.
(d) The West Indies.

13. Who performs the marriage ceremony between Oakes and Clarissa?
(a) Maturin.
(b) Aubrey.
(c) The first mate who happens to also be a preacher.
(d) Reverend Nathaniel Martin.

14. What is causing contention among the ship's officers?
(a) One of them has accused another of cheating at cards.
(b) One of them has accused another of cheating at dice.
(c) How the prize money is being divided.
(d) Clarissa.

15. Who does Aubrey send out to scout?
(a) Pullings.
(b) Maturin.
(c) Bonden.
(d) Oakes.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do Aubrey and the crew do every morning?

2. What does Aubrey note among the crew?

3. What does Aubrey order regarding pursuit?

4. What is the approximate date at the opening of the novel?

5. What is Maturin's position on board?

(see the answer keys)

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