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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 month is it when the island of St. Mary's is sighted off the coast of Chile in Chapter 4?

2. How is the whale towed back to the ship after it is killed in Chapter 3?

3. How many masts does the Essex have as it sets sail in Chapter 2?

4. After having little luck off the coast of Chile, where does the Essex begin experiencing some success?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. How is a whale killed by sailors?

2. What modifications are made to the whale boats in the beginning of Chapter 6?

3. As stated in the Preface, when, where, and why are sperm whales hunted?

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

5. How do two whales escape from Chase's boat in the beginning of Chapter 5?

6. What is done to the Essex in order to prepare it for the trip?

7. What complaint does the crew bring to Pollard at the end of Chapter 3, and how does he handle it?

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

9. What events take place on Hood Island at the end of Chapter 4?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Upon their return to Nantucket, Pollard, Chase, and Nickerson decide to give their accounts of the tragedy.

1) Analyze all three accounts, including the similarities and differences between them.

2) Compare the facts of the trip that Philbrick provides in the book with Chase's version.

3) Describe Pollard's response to the existing stories and how his version is received.

Essay Topic 2

Describe the way that Philbrick conveys the desperation of the men as they get farther away from the sunken ship. Provide multiple examples of how he uses literature in order to emphasize the severity of their situation and their inclination to surrender. Also, analyze the way that Philbrick simultaneously engages the reader along the way with signs of hope and optimism.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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