View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What happened to the two long distance swimmers on July 6, 1916?

2. What did Dr. William G. Schauffler immediately order?

3. Later scientists attributed Oelrichs' success to what probability?

4. The people irrationally linked the great white attack to what?

5. Who ordered everyone out of the water?

Short Essay Questions

1. What might have drawn this particular shark north?

2. How does the story begin? How is this chapter important?

3. Describe the attack on Bruder.

4. What was done for Bruder? Was this adequate? What there anything else that could have been done for him? Why or why not?

5. Why is it more dangerous to swim with dogs?

6. Why might the hotel have kept Charles' death a secret?

7. Why did Charles feel he had reached the shore safely, even though he knew he was being followed? Why might the shark have attacked him anyway?

8. Why did Charles Bruder decide to go for a swim?

9. Why does the great white still remain much of a mystery today?

10. What information is given about a specific shark? Why is this information important?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

This book begins with Charles Vansant swimming in the ocean.

Part 1) What feelings does this chapter evoke in the reader? How are these feelings continued throughout the book? What is the purpose of these feelings? How might these feelings influence the reader regarding his or her view of Great Whites?

Part 2) Why does the author choose to tell Charles' story in several chapters, separated by other chapters about sharks? What is the purpose of mixing stories of shark attacks with objective information about the life of a shark?

Part 3) How does the author seem to feel about sharks? Why might he feel this way? Use the book to support your response. How do you feel about sharks after reading this book? Why do you feel this way?

Essay Topic 2

By the time the shark was caught, many feared swimming in the waters of the Atlantic.

Part 1) Describe the reaction to the news of the shark attacks at the beginning of this book. Why did people react this way? How did this reaction change over the course of the book? Why did it change?

Part 2) How was this fear of swimming in the Atlantic perpetuated for years after the shark was caught? Why were people so fearful after years with no attacks? Should they have been fearful? Why or why not?

Part 3) Should sharks be feared today? Why or why not? What can be done to protect both humans and sharks from each other? Is this being done? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

The Great White still greatly remains a mystery.

Part 1) What is known about the Great White? How has this information been found? Why is more not known about this shark? How does this support the fact that the shark has remained greatly unchanged since the Age of Reptiles?

Part 2) Would knowing more about Great Whites help or hurt this powerful shark? Why? How could knowing more about this shark benefit humans? Why? How could more be learned about this shark? What technologies might be beneficial in learning more?

Part 3) What other animals still remain a mystery to mankind? Why? Why do humans desire to understand the animal kingdom and other aspects of our world? Does this knowledge truly benefit the creatures living on our planet? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,222 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample