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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 weather patterns and geography does Gann note in chapter 14 that he and other pilots have come to know?

2. How is Dudley described in the novel?

3. An inspector administers a flight test for Dudley. What does the inspector do after the test?

4. In Chapter 16, which pilot from his past does Gann join in flying at a newly formed airline with flights from California to Honolulu?

5. At the very end of the novel, the reader learns that Gann has logged nearly how many flight hours?

Short Essay Questions

1. The British Air Force tells Gann his flight was in danger as they approached Iceland. Why were they in danger?

2. Why does O'Connor's flight from Goose Bay crash-land?

3. Who is Dudley, and what is Gann's impression of him?

4. Who is Sloniger, and what is so special about him?

5. After WWII, what war does Gann fly in, and how does he feel about his role as a pilot in this situation again?

6. What does the stewardess complain of on Gann's flight to Burbank?

7. How do the rescue planes keep track of where O'Connor's downed plane is located?

8. How does Gann feel about flying for the military when he first starts flying for them?

9. What emergency causes Gann to have to land his plane on his flight from Steensville?

10. What does Gann learn kept his flight safe on the way from Honolulu to Burbank despite the fact that they were missing a critical piece of equipment?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

This story has a large cast of minor or supporting characters. Choose three minor characters that you enjoyed the most. Provide a brief summary of each character, and note what his role was in relation to the main character. Why was this minor character important to the story or life of the main character?

Essay Topic 2

Tone is common in literature and in this autobiography. Please explain what tone is in a piece of literature and whether it is important. Please provide at least three examples of the use of tone in this novel, preferably examples of different types of tone used (i.e., angry, scared, tense, upset, etc.).

Essay Topic 3

This novel is an autobiography. Explain what an autobiography is. What is the difference between an autobiography and a memoir? Do you think that this novel would have been better if written in a different format (i.e., fiction, memoir, prose)?

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