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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. How many canoes attempt to rescue the Kon-Tiki?

2. Which of these items was not mentioned as a use/source of water for the South American pilgrims?

3. Squid land on what part of the raft?

4. What seems to welcome the men?

5. Where is the Kon-Tiki's final destination?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Bengt's comment regarding the near collision and trip to the island?

2. What evidence is there of the stone work on Easter Island? How did it change?

3. What are the names given to the South Sea Islands?

4. There is at least one thing that Heyerdahl feels he has in common with the ancients. What is it?

5. What is Heyerdahl's explanation of the reality of the hut versus the waves?

6. What hinders the Kon-Tiki from traveling to a second island?

7. There is one thing that turns out to be advantageous to a raft that would be dangerous to a boat. What is it? What is the advantage?

8. Heyerdahl thinks about how the ancients might have gathered or transported water. What were his conclusions?

9. Where is the final destination? Who invites/receives the crew?

10. What happens when the raft approaches Angatau?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

About the time the crew arrived at the tiny, uninhabited island, this comment was made: "'Purgatory was a bit damp,' said Bengt, 'but heaven is more or less as I'd imagined it.'" What did Bengt mean? To what was he comparing Purgatory and Heaven? Do you feel that the comparison was accurate? How might the other crew members felt about the comment?

Essay Topic 2

The natives of a nearby island approached the crew in two outrigger canoes. The natives said that they wanted to wait until daylight to approach the island. Why? How did the natives know that the crew was on the island? How did the natives attempt to help? What was the resolution?

Essay Topic 3

What was the first observation that led Heyerdahl to develop the theory about the Pacific Islands? Do you think that the author had significant information to develop such a theory? Who believed or disbelieved Heyerdahl's theory? How did those opinions affect the trip eventually undertaken by the Kon-Tiki?

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