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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Where is Cabo San Lucas?
(a) It is at the southern tip of Magdalena Bay.
(b) It is at the northern tip of San Diego Bay.
(c) It is at the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula.
(d) It is at the southern tip of San Diego Bay.

2. What is teleological thinking, as introduced by the author on Easter Sunday, March 24?
(a) It is the thinking that concerns itself with finding a specific cause and effect, and in laying out how things should be.
(b) It is the thinking that relates men to sea creatures.
(c) It is the thinking that is dependent on the current events shown on the television.
(d) It is the thinking that dictates how a sea traveler must chart his voyage.

3. What comparison does Steinbeck often refer to?
(a) Marine organisms and men and their relationship
(b) Fruits and men and their relationship.
(c) Moon and men and their relationship.
(d) Tides and men and their relationship.

4. Why does the expedition party set sail to La Paz?
(a) They have heard much about La Paz and are eager to see the city.
(b) They have relatives and friends who live in La Paz and they are eager to visit them.
(c) They have heard of a magic show in La paz which they all wanted to see.
(d) They have been told that there are a lot of aphrodisiacs being sold in the place.

5. What does the log entry of March 12 say?
(a) It describes the fight between John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts.
(b) It describes the boat race between the Western Flyer and another vessel.
(c) It describes the progress of the Western Flyer, and the team's actions during the travel.
(d) It describes the festivities that happened in Cortez, Mexico and how the expedition party won several prizes.

Short Answer Questions

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

2. What examples of marine life does the expedition party collect in Espiritu Santo Island?

3. What happens to the porpoises, as observed by Steinbeck and Ricketts?

4. What is unique about the expedition described in the story?

5. What is Steinbeck's observation of the Indians at Espiritu Santo Island?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Steinbeck's theory on the origin of the name of a certain place? What was the origin of Steinbeck's musings?

2. Steinbeck notices two men and a woman in Cabo San Lucas, paddling their canoe to the boat to do a little talking. He remarks that the indigenous people's sense of time is different from theirs. Describe the group that Steinbeck encounters, and what about their appearance invites such remarks from Steinbeck?

3. What are the recordings in The Log from the Sea of Cortez? Enumerate as many as you can.

4. Briefly discuss Steinbeck and Ricketts' interaction with a boy named Raul and give possible reasons why they willingly went with him.

5. Briefly discuss the group's encounter when they try to have chicken for dinner. Can you give some rationale to the efforts the group went through just to have chicken for dinner?

6. Tiny and Sparky are described as almost two halves of one person. Make some speculations on their appearance and characters in general.

7. What difference does this particular expedition have over the other travels? Why is this so?

8. Describe the Sea-Cow and how did it get its name? How does the expedition party relate to it? Does the expedition party treat the Sea-Cow fairly?

9. Briefly discuss Steinbeck's theory on the complications of western systems compared to the simplicity of some other cultures, such as the Indians'.

10. Briefly explain Steinbeck's theory on "murdering" a boat.

(see the answer keys)

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