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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. What does Cody find and give to Sophie?

2. What material does the boat-maker Cody, Brian, and Sophie visit mainly work with?

3. What material does the boat-maker use in a technique to help his work stay smooth?

4. In his journal, what animals does Cody compare his father with?

5. What does Sophie throw out over the water, after Brian makes a comment about Sophie's mother?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Uncle Dock get his nickname?

2. What does Uncle Dock call and tell Sophie about their planned departure?

3. What story does Sophie tell Cody about a little kid she knows?

4. What does Sophie do after she and her relatives get The Wanderer into the water?

5. What does Sophie's mother do?

6. What does Uncle Dock do, when the fog comes in, and how does it affect Sophie?

7. What does Frank say happened to the bait in the empty pot?

8. What does Cody's mom tell him when he talks to her on the phone?

9. How long have Sophie's uncles wanted to sail across the ocean?

10. What does the tall, lanky woman that Cody and Sophie meet show them?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The novel centers around memory and remembering. Discuss these elements in the novel.

1) How is Bompie's failing memory during his illness important to the story? Why does Sophie want to keep Bompie's memory alive through his stories?

2) How is memory unreliable in the novel? How are Sophie and Bompie's memories both unreliable in different ways?

3) How does memory drive the characters? How do Sophie's repressed memories drive her? How do Dock's memories of Rosalie drive him?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss animals in the novel.

1) How does Sophie relate to animals during the trip? What does her relationship with animals show about her experiences and personality?

2) How do Sophie's cousins relate to animals? Compare Cody and Brian's reactions to the creatures the travelers encounter. What do their reactions show about their personalities?

3) At what points in the journey are animals present or absent in the story? What is the significance of this?

Essay Topic 3

During the journey, the characters learn about each other. Discuss learning about other people in the novel.

1) How does Sophie learn about her uncles and cousins during the journey? What affect does this have on their relationships?

2) How does Cody learn about Sophie during the journey? How does Cody respond to his cousin and to learning about her?

3) How do Cody and Mo learn about each other during the journey? How does this affect their relationship as father and son?

(see the answer keys)

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