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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is Tex's outstanding characteristic?
(a) He loves to sleep in the daytime and do chores at night.
(b) He is afraid of the water.
(c) He cannot make a left turn.
(d) He loves diesel engines.

2. There is a struggle for scraps and morsels of food.Who are the participants in the struggle?
(a) The local boys in the area.
(b) Tiny and Sparky.
(c) The Indians in the area.
(d) Wild pigs, vultures and dogs.

3. What is the concept explored by the author in the section that pertains to boats and men?
(a) The way men treat their boats like they treat their wives.
(b) How men become unreasonable when it comes to their boats.
(c) The way men choose their boats, their colors, and the length.
(d) The personification of a boat by a man and the identification of men with their boats.

4. What difficulty does the expedition party encounter when they were collecting specimen in Cabo San Lucas?
(a) The local officials do not want them to take anything away, and suggest instead that they study the specimen while they are ashore.
(b) The locals do not want them to go ashore which make collecting specimen an impossibility.
(c) The local policemen require that each should have driver's license, which Steinbeck and Ricketts do not have.
(d) Collecting specimens is difficult due to the unique characteristics of the species such as the posionous spines of the worms which was hazardous to the activity.

5. What are the two types of biologists, as discussed by John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts?
(a) Those who teach in the university and those who work for corporations.
(b) Those who study dead, preserved animals and those who study life in all its complexity.
(c) Those who have their own laboratory and those who rent a space for their laboratory works.
(d) Those who work at night and those who work during the day.

6. What does the author describe in the story, particularly at the beginning of the book?
(a) He describes Mexico in great detail, including the politics and legislations of the land.
(b) The famous sea expeditions in the past, and how long each expedition lasted.
(c) The difficulties associated with in planning and preparing for an expedition, as well as the difficulty of finding a good vessel and captain.
(d) The major characters of the story, their educational backgrounds, and their family tree.

7. What do Steinbeck and Ricketts do to Tiny's prey?
(a) They cut the legs and collect them in a jar filled with water.
(b) They crack its shell and use it as soup bowls.
(c) They dissect it to learn what they can.
(d) They cut the meat and make a stew out of it.

8. What are dry-balls?
(a) They are the dried cotton balls brought to sea as part of the medicine kit.
(b) They are the biologists who study dead, preserved animals.
(c) They are the medicines given to the expedition party by the locals.
(d) They are the dried coconut husks used by the local children to play ball.

9. What happens to the outboard motor on Black Saturday, March 23?
(a) It chug-chugs noisily before breaking apart.
(b) It was stuck by some piece of shirt and can no longer be used.
(c) It does not help them approach the island.
(d) It falls apart and refused to run again.

10. Why does the author rant about the outboard motor?
(a) Because it has a foul odor.
(b) Because its appearance is not attractive.
(c) Because it has brought them much hardship during the expedition.
(d) Because it is very noisy.

11. How does Steinbeck compare navigation at sea to life?
(a) He likens trying to keep a course to walking a tight pole.
(b) He likens trying to keep a course to attempting to achieve an ideal.
(c) He likens sea navigation to courting a girl.
(d) He likens sea navigation to cooking a gourmet course.

12. What limitation does the expedition party have that is particular to their voyage?
(a) They have a limited supply of food and drinks, and medicine, too.
(b) They have only a small crew compared to other voyages with dozens of crew on board.
(c) They only have six weeks to complete their entire voyage, on top of constraints presented by the tides.
(d) They can only sail in the morning because their light is not as powerful as those of the other voyages.

13. What is The Log from the Sea of Cortez?
(a) It is a very special wood found by John Steinbeck and his close friend, Ed Ricketts when they went to Cortez.
(b) It is a seaman's book they found on the Sea of Cortez which contains important information on marine biology.
(c) It is the journal describing the marino biology expedition carried out by John Steinbeck and his close friend, Ed Ricketts.
(d) It is the wood sold out by the expedition party to several cities in Mexico.

14. Who is the most competent in commanding the wheel?
(a) Ed.
(b) Tony.
(c) John.
(d) Tex.

15. What is interesting about the bonito and other fish that caught Steinbeck and Ricketts' attention?
(a) Their colors are different from when they are alive to when they are dead and preserved.
(b) They swim opposite the sea current.
(c) They swim in groups of twelve.
(d) They change their colors as the sun shines on them.

Short Answer Questions

1. What concept is consistent throughout the book, including the section dated March 24?

2. What is taking place on the day before the expedition party leaves for its journey?

3. What will be an accurate description of the expedition party's day on March 23?

4. Why are the particular dates chosen for an expedition?

5. How are Tiny and Sparky presented?

(see the answer keys)

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