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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. Where is the expedition party heading?
2. What is The Log from the Sea of Cortez?
3. What is Steinbeck's thesis about origins of names of places, specifically California?
4. What is a Sally Lightfoot crab?
5. What instrument does Raul use, which Steinbeck and Ricketts buy from him?
Short Essay Questions
1. What difference does this particular expedition have over the other travels? Why is this so?
2. 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?
3. Describe Tony and make some assumptions on the way he looks.
4. What are Steinbeck's thoughts on his expedition compared to those of Charles Darwin? What are the similarities and differences?
5. What is Steinbeck's theory on the origin of the name of a certain place? What was the origin of Steinbeck's musings?
6. Describe Tex and make some assumptions on the way he looks.
7. What observation does Steinbeck make regarding boats and their owners? Cite a particular example of this observation.
8. Briefly discuss Steinbeck's theory on the complications of western systems compared to the simplicity of some other cultures, such as the Indians'.
9. Describe San Jose Island and how it appears to the expedition party. Give an explanation to the things that the party see when they try to go ashore in the island.
10. Steinbeck hints at Tiny's stories of his past as being too racy to be repeated in the book. Speculate on Tiny's past. What could his stories be about and why can't it be repeated in the book?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Steinbeck makes the observation that not having clear aims coupled with the continued need or want for more, leads to apparent useless pastimes such as sports and games. Do you agree or disagree to this observation? Be sure to support your position with specific instances from the story.
Essay Topic 2
Steinbeck and Ricketts buy some drinks offered by the locals in Cabo San Lucas, reputed to be aphrodisiacs. He makes an observation that in reality, there are many people interested in the subject but pretend otherwise. Do you agree with Steinbeck's observation? Why or why not? Cite instances in the book that will support your answer.
Essay Topic 3
Steinbeck spends some time wondering whether man's defining trait is hope, that is, hope that the future will be better than today. Do you believe or disagree with Steinbeck's hope, and will his wish happen? What are some instances in the book which illustrates this hope? Similarly, are there instances in the story which seem to illustrate the exact opposite of Steinbeck's hope?
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This section contains 1,409 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) |
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