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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. Why does Chase hesitate to attack the giant whale when it resurfaces on the starboard after the collision?

2. How long is it in between whale sightings in Chapter 3?

3. How do the men on Pollard's boat respond to the whale's attack?

4. How old is Thomas Nickerson when he first boards the Essex?

5. According to the Preface, what is the primary reason for whale hunting?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the first difficulties that the Essex experiences at the end of Chapter 2?

2. What is unusual about the sperm whale that surfaces unexpectedly in Chapter 5?

3. How are the three whale boats divided and stocked for the trip at the end of Chapter 6?

4. How is a whale killed by sailors?

5. As explained in Chapter 2, what route does a Nantucket whale ship normally take?

6. What does the Dauphin find in the Preface?

7. How is the Essex described in Chapter 1?

8. How successful is the Essex off the coast of Peru?

9. How does the crew of the Essex deal with the second whale sighted in Chapter 3, and what is a Nantucket sleigh ride?

10. Why does the crew decide not to wait for another whale ship in the Offshore Ground?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the Preface, a general background of whaling is provided by Philbrick.

1) Describe the purpose of the Preface and the literary reasons for the information it includes.

2) Explain why sailors from Nantucket hunted whales and how the whales are typically killed.

3) Analyze the sperm whales as they are presented in the Preface along with why they are specifically targeted by whalers.

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the lives of Pollard and Chase, their experiences before and after sailing on the Essex, their leadership styles, and how they are remembered.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss three setbacks that the crew of the Essex face while attempting to sail towards South America after the ship sinks. Include an analysis of the effects that the setbacks have on the crew's plan, how the crew chooses to approach them, and the actions that they take as a result.

(see the answer keys)

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