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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. Who was the first person to cross the United States by motor vehicle, traveling by motorcycle from San Francisco to New York?

2. Where did Harry go to fetch a doctor when Thula went into labor in November of 1924?

3. What was the name of the University of Washington student that accidentally set himself on fire during a bonfire and was killed in 1933?

4. Who were the brothers that were in the all-sophomore boat and the JV boat and sustained a sibling rivalry in Part 3: The Parts That Really Matter, Chapter 9?

5. George Pocock grew up in and around the boathouse of what prominent school?

Short Essay Questions

1. 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?

2. How is the theme of "finding value in the discarded" illustrated by the author in Part 2: Resiliency, Chapter 8?

3. How does the author describe Joe Rantz's status at the University of Washington in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 1?

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

5. What irony and symbolism can be seen in the performance of the Washington crew as they prepared for Poughkeepsie in Part 2: Resiliency, Chapter 7?

6. Where did the Rantz family live in Seattle when they moved there in 1924-1925? Where did Harry Rantz work at this time?

7. 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?

8. How does the author describe Roger Morris and his family background in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 5?

9. How is the setting of Seattle described in 1933 in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 1?

10. How does the author describe the spiritual rewards and transformation within rowing competitively in Part 1: What Seasons They Have Been Through, Chapter 3?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the spiritual aspects of rowing as illustrated in The Boys in the Boat. How does the element of synchronicity relate to the spiritual aspects of the sport? What spiritual transformation did Joe Rantz experience as a result of rowing?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the career of Al Ulbrickson. When did Ulbrickson become the head coach of the rowing program at the University of Washington? How long was Ulbrickson’s tenure at U of W? How effective was Ulbrickson in instilling passion into his teams? What were Ulbrickson’s strengths as a coach?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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