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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 does the British ambassador congratulate the U.S. ambassador for?

2. What is the Starfish?

3. What does Summer try to use to cut through the iron ring she and Dirk are handcuffed to?

4. Who is Keith Catana?

5. What does the Sea Rover search for in Chapter 22?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do Sarah and the other scientists survive the same toxin that killed the two meteorologists in Chapter 1?

2. What happens to Keith Catana in Chapter 11?

3. Describe the death of the first two meteorologists in Chapter 1.

4. What do Dirk and Sarah surmise about the fishing trawler at the conclusion of Chapter 3?

5. How do Dirk and Sarah escape the thugs in the Cadillac in Chapter 18?

6. Describe what happens to Robert Bridges in Chapter 7.

7. What is revealed to have happened in the town of Warrenton in 1942?

8. What is the combination of toxins used in the chemical/biological weapon described in Chapter 32?

9. Where was it supposed that stocks of smallpox virus were stored, as cited in Chapter 15?

10. Describe the assassin in Chapter 4.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The theme of destruction for personal gain runs throughout the novel. Looking at the book as a whole, discuss how substantive this theme is, evaluating whether or not it is compelling enough to support the weight of the whole book. Identify several incidences in the plot that support this theme and evaluate how effective those incidents are in holding the story together.

Essay Topic 2

Dirk Pitt, Jr., is the hub of several relational spokes. Dirk Jr. relates to his father, his sister, his girlfriend, his sidekick, even his enemy. Choose five of Dirk's relationships, and explore them by comparing and contrasting those relationships to each other. Evaluate how Dirk's relationship with each of them shows a different facet of his nature and personality. Explain how persuasive and believable these relationships are.

Essay Topic 3

Evaluate Cussler as a storyteller. How effective is he at winding out a yarn? Can you evaluate his storytelling ability apart from his writing style, the believability of his characters, and the plausibility of the plot? If he were to ask your counsel, i.e. "How can I improve my storytelling?", what would you tell him? Consider his writing style. How would you define it? What about the elements of pacing? His ability to keep the reader engaged? To move readers to complete "just one more chapter?" Identify specific elements from the book that support your answers.

(see the answer keys)

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