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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. When was Franklin D. Roosevelt inaugurated as President of the United States?

2. Where were the University of Washington rowing crew tryouts held in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 1?

3. Who replaced Ed Leader as the head coach of the University of Washington rowing program?

4. Who was the coxswain of the varsity boat that raced against the freshmen at the University of Washington in Part 2: Resiliency, Chapter 6?

5. When did Stanford University first compete in the IRA Regatta?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the author describe the physical toll of rowing in a two-thousand-meter regatta in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 3?

2. What were the crew standings like in October of 1933 at the University of Washington? How many boys were still vying for spots on the top boats?

3. Where did Joe Rantz go to meet his father in Part 3: The Parts That Really Matter, Chapter 9? How is this meeting described?

4. How is George Pocock's childhood described in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 3? How did Pocock become involved with boats?

5. What were Thula's impressions of the farmhouse by the river that Harry Rantz began building in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 4?

6. How did George Pocock come to his association with the University of Washington?

7. How was Joe Rantz affected by the death of his mother when he was young?

8. What was Ky Ebright's relationship to the University of Washington? How did this history influence his actions as coach at the University of California at Berkeley?

9. What frustrations did Coach Al Ulbrickson face as the crews prepared for Poughkeepsie in Part 3: The Parts That Really Matter, Chapter 9?

10. What event led to the Rantz family moving to Idaho in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 2? How did Joe like Idaho?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the author’s depiction of Joyce Simdars in the narrative. How old was Joyce when she met Joe Rantz? What attracted Joyce to Joe? What are some examples of sacrifices that Joyce made in order to be with Joe?

Essay Topic 2

What does “the boat” mean to Joe Rantz? How has the narrative of The Boys in the Boat changed the way you define the meaning of “the boat” in competitive rowing? How did Joe Rantz’s perception of “the boat” evolve in the course of the narrative?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the actions, objectives, and obstacles of Harry Rantz in the narrative. How did Harry respond to the death of his first wife? What was Harry’s relationship like with Joe when Joe was young? How did their relationship evolve over time?

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