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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. A towboat is designed to:
2. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers distributes Atchafalaya river water to swamps, bayous, towns, and cities in:
3. The livelihood of approximately how many people is affected by the Old River Control?
4. From the time that the U.S. Army Corps takes control of the Atchafalaya, what word does the author associate with the river and the region?
5. By 1812, the east bank of the Mississippi River is levied up to which city?
Short Essay Questions
1. In the 1700s, why did people settle in New Orleans and surrounding areas despite the region clearly being a floodplain?
2. Describe what McPhee writes about Morgan City, Louisiana.
3. What is Major General Sands' concluding thoughts regarding the Old River Control Structure?
4. What are some of the main points the author tries to make through this work of historical nonfiction?
5. Name some of the companies and industries that are attracted to the regions in and around Baton Rouge and New Orleans as these communities develop.
6. Why does the author state that ever since the Corps took control of the Atchafalaya, the river's name means "collision" to him?
7. Explain how the Mississippi River forms Louisiana over many centuries.
8. What is the goal of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with regards to the Atchafalya and Mississippi rivers?
9. Explain who thinks the Old River Control project is an arrogant enterprise, and why they think this.
10. The Old River Control project began operating in 1963. What happens ten years later?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Using one of the three main stories covered in the book, write about and expand upon the following concepts, supporting your ideas with plenty of examples:
1. The arrogance of people trying to control nature.
2. The compassion and concern of people trying to protect communities against forces of nature.
3. The humility of those who try to protect communities while realizing that nature is stronger.
Essay Topic 2
In detail, explain how carefully studying the geological history of a region before engineering a project could lead to more effective, efficient, and lasting solutions. What other factors do people need to consider to come up with better solutions? What factors get in the way of developing a viable solution? How can engineers, politicians, conservationists, and residents work together to develop the right solutions?
Essay Topic 3
In "Cooling The Lava," how much of the success of the operation can be attributed to human ingenuity, and how much can be attributed to a fortunate turn of events? Explain your answer in detail, supporting your conclusions with examples.
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This section contains 989 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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