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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 Swain not take the gun offered him?

2. Who says about Swain that if it had been him and the fishing was good that day, and it was his last day, he wouldn't come back either?

3. How does John keep his fear under control while on the submarine?

4. What does a radiation reading of thirty in the red mean?

5. What amenity is given to Dwight?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does being in the submarine compare to racing the Ferrari to John?

2. What does Lt. Sunderstrom do before shutting down the communications center at the Naval Base at Elliott Bay.

3. What has Moira managed to locate that makes Dwight happy enough to drift off to sleep?

4. How is John Osbourne able to race his car so much?

5. How is Moira changing from thinking planting plants for the next year is a silly waste of time?

6. What does John Osbourne tell Peter when he asks about how much more time they have?

7. Why do things begin to slow down in Melbourne?

8. Describe the symbolism of Dwight's thinking about his family while on board the Scorpion.

9. What is Dwight's condition when he arrives at the Davidson house?

10. How does John say the sickness goes near the end?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about going home to die. Clearly Dwight would like to do the same thing as seaman Swain. Explain what prevents him. Define the characteristic of Dwight's that prevents him from ordering the USS Scorpion to return to the northeastern United States.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about ON THE BEACH as a valuable resource for arguing against nuclear proliferation. In your essay include who should read the book as required reading. These people should be drawn from government and military sources, religious sources, and concerned individuals.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay about what should be taught in schools about the dangers of nuclear weapons. Explain how children need to know about those dangers and be encouraged to think of ways they can influence governments to behave rationally about even making nuclear weapons. Express how children worldwide could be enlisted in an effort to get rid of nuclear threats.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 675 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample