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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What are Santiago's last three weapons he can use against the sharks?
(a) A broken knife, some big fish hooks, and the oars.
(b) The oars, the anchor, and some line.
(c) Two oars, the tiller, and a short club.
(d) The broken water bottle, the oars, and a club.

2. What happens to Santiago as he carries the mast up the hill?
(a) He hears the boy calling his name.
(b) He has a heart attack and dies.
(c) He gets tangled up in the sail.
(d) He falls and cannot get up.

3. What does the boy order for Santiago at the Terrace Cafe?
(a) Two bottles of warm beer.
(b) A bag of ice to help bring down his fever.
(c) Yellow rice and fried fish.
(d) Hot coffee with plenty of milk and sugar.

4. What happens when the shovel-nose shark comes and Santiago stabs it in the brain with his makeshift harpoon?
(a) The shark almost pulls the old man overboard.
(b) At that moment the wind dies down.
(c) The knife comes untied from the oar.
(d) The knife blade snaps off.

5. What makes the flying fish jump out of the water and scatter feverishly?
(a) The man-of-war bird circling overhead.
(b) Dolphins.
(c) The rising sun.
(d) A shark.

6. What commonality does Santiago observe in deep water fish when they pick up speed?
(a) They are always hungry.
(b) They all look green in the water.
(c) They have purple stripes or spots.
(d) They turn yellow when they are angry or frightened.

7. Who helps Santiago as he lands his boat?
(a) The whole city turns out to welcome him back.
(b) No one. Everyone is at home in bed.
(c) The fishermen who are laughing at him.
(d) The boy.

8. How long had their last dry spell lasted before the old man and the boy caught some good fish?
(a) 67 days.
(b) 84 days.
(c) 64 days.
(d) 86 days.

9. What does Santiago think is unjust but something he must do?
(a) Act strange for the boy.
(b) Eat more raw fish to survive.
(c) Kill the great fish on the end of his line.
(d) Cut the marlin loose and go back saying he had another day of bad luck.

10. How long does Santiago think he will be out to sea the morning he leaves to go far out?
(a) Only that morning.
(b) Two days.
(c) Three days.
(d) One day.

11. Why does the boy stop fishing with Santiago?
(a) His parents do not want him to go to sea.
(b) His parents force him to go with a lucky boat.
(c) His parents think Santiago's boat is unsafe.
(d) His parents think Santiago has bad character.

12. How does Santiago estimate the size of the marlin?
(a) Two feet longer than the skiff.
(b) Longer than a small tree is tall.
(c) Twice as long as the last marlin he caught.
(d) Twice as long as he is tall.

13. How does he know which way to sail?
(a) From the compass he always had with him.
(b) From the stars he had seen the night before.
(c) From the way the flying fish are jumping.
(d) From the sun and the tradewinds.

14. What word does Santiago utter that Hemingway says there is no translation for?
(a) Galanos
(b) Brisa
(c) Mala
(d) Ay

15. Why does Santiago feel sorry for the terns?
(a) He thinks they are too delicate for the sea.
(b) He thinks they will get lost over the sea.
(c) He thinks they are incredibly ugly.
(d) He thinks they are not fast enough and the fish will eat them.

Short Answer Questions

1. What complaint does the boy have about the fisherman he works for after he is forced to leave Santiago?

2. After the second brown shark is killed, what does it do?

3. How does Santiago console himself after the first shark attack?

4. What does Santiago wish he could show the fish?

5. What does the old man speculate he could use to buy good luck?

(see the answer keys)

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