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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 color is the light by which Callahan eats when he successfully traps another dorado fish?

2. What was the name of Callahan's ex-wife, who he remembers on what would have been another wedding anniversary?

3. Callahan begins to note the new _____________ in his new vicinity and location, which makes him curious as to where he is.

4. Callahan thinks the only hope for him lies in finding the ____________ and getting rescued there.

5. Callahan decides it is his __________ which allows him to survive in the boat and in the world.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Callahan do to celebrate the sight of land in the distance?

2. What happens to the raft as the winds begin to pick up around the raft as Callahan tries to navigate?

3. What does Callahan decide he wants to eat when he is in the hospital, refusing other types of nourishment?

4. How does Callahan attempt to reinforce his cracked spearhead when he attempts to fish the next day after the incident with the dorado?

5. What was the warning that Callahan's ex-wife had given him, which Callahan now recalls?

6. What happens when the dorado that Callahan tries to catch struggles with him during the process?

7. What is the new source of food that Callahan finds which he has not seen in a while on his journey?

8. What can't Callahan do because of his declining health and hydration, even though he is filled with heartbreak?

9. How does Callahan finally fix the hole that has been ruining the solar still that he tries to use?

10. What is the relationship that Callahan suddenly imagines with the dorado fish as they move past his boat?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Callahan is an experienced sailor and so it seems that he is able to know what he needs to do in order to survive.

Part 1: Do you think society as a whole knows what they would need to do in Callahan's situation?

Part 2: Do you think Callahan's experience increased his rate of survival?

Part 3: How do you think a non-experienced sailor might react in this sort of survival situation?

Essay Topic 2

The choice to set out on a journey on the high seas by one's self is not a decision to be made lightly.

Part 1: What do you think the reasons were for Callahan's desire to take on this journey?

Part 2: Do you think that this is a nonsense dream or do you think it's admirable? Support your answer.

Part 3: How do you think Callahan made his decision? What might have been his personal considerations?

Essay Topic 3

Callahan's struggle to survive causes him to react instinctively when things go wrong.

Part 1: Why do you think the brain is able to continue to do things which will support human life?

Part 2: How do you think your body and mind might react if you were suddenly in a survival situation?

Part 3: Why do you think Callahan doesn't always trust in his survival instincts at first?

(see the answer keys)

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