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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 issue with the Ukrainian launch engineers prior to the launch from the Koguryo?

2. How far out to sea can the Deep Endeavor patrol with Dirk and Summer?

3. What was the deviation of the rocket just as it was launching?

4. What does the Badger's first blow to the Odyssey do?

5. What does Dahlgren mistake for launch debris as the Icarus approaches the Odyssey?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe how Kang attempts to salvage his plan after the failed rocket launch.

2. What does Tongju do with Dirk and Jack after their capture on the Odyssey, and what does he tell them?

3. What do Dirk Pitt, Sr., and Al do after they land at LAX in Chapter 48?

4. What happens to the Badger upon the launch of the rocket from the Odyssey?

5. What happens to change Kang's plans after he and his men have taken over the Odyssey?

6. Describe Dirk's role with the SEAL team in Chapter 64.

7. What happens to the blimp after it first takes off from the Odyssey?

8. Describe what happens after Dirk Sr. and Al spot the Badger tied up to the Odyssey.

9. What do Dirk and Summer plan to do after joining the Deep Endeavor in Chapter 46?

10. Describe what happens to the Zenit rocket after its launch.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Two women play notable roles in Black Wind - Dirk Jr.'s sister, Summer, and his girlfriend, Sarah. Discuss the place women hold in Black Wind. Evaluate the Cusslers' ability to write convincing female characters, if they are stereotypical or something unique, and what part they contribute to the novel. Compare and contrast these two women, noting if they are more active or passive parts of the story.

Essay Topic 2

Black Wind is chock-full of familiar characters. Even if one has never read any of Cussler's Dirk Pitt novels, the reader will recognize many archetypes - the hero(s), the villain, the mentor, the deceiver, etc. Looking at the novel as a whole, select five characters. For each character, (a) compare them to other similar characters in fiction - other heroes, other villains, etc.; (b) evaluate how creative Cussler has been in breathing new life into these familiar types.

Essay Topic 3

Black Wind is full of novel gadgets, watercraft, aircraft, and other technological gizmos. Discuss how effective Cussler is in integrating technology into his novel, how much technology contributes to the overall plot, whether or not he gets bogged down in minutiae, and whether or not the reader feels that he/she needs a degree from M.I.T. to follow what is happening.

(see the answer keys)

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