“The Voyage of the James Caird ”

1. What is the purpose of the voyage in “The Voyage of the James Caird”?

• to reach and explore Antarctica

• to set a record for boat travel in the Antarctic

• to find help for the crew of a larger ship stranded in Antarctica

• to chart a better route between Antarctica and the nearest whaling stations

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2. In “The Voyage of the James Caird,” what hardships does the crew face in the course of the journey? Choose three options.

• Ice froze on the boat.

• Sharks attacked the boat.

• The winds reached gale speeds.

• They stalled when the wind died.

• Giant waves broke over the boat.

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3. In “The Voyage of the James Caird,” McNish’s diary abruptly breaks off at May 2. What circumstance caused him to cease writing?

• He had fallen seriously ill.

• The boat had landed on South Georgia Island.

• The crew had run out of fresh drinking water.

• The crew had been fighting a gale for days.

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4. Which of the following is the most accurate description of the conclusion of the voyage in “The Voyage of the James Caird”?

• The crew steers the boat through a reef to land at South Georgia Island.

• The crew steers the boat through a reef to land at Elephant Island.

• The wind and waves push the boat to South Georgia Island.

• The crew guides the boat into the docks in King Haakon Sound.

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5. Which is the best definition of upheaval as it is used in the following sentence?

The upheaval of the earth destroyed the road.

• intense pollution

• slow, steady erosion

• violent upward movement

• persistent digging

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6.   Which is the best definition of pitched as it is used to refer to the movement of a vessel?

• turned from side to side

• rose and fell with waves

• began to sink suddenly

• surged straight ahead

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7. Which of the following situations could best be used to illustrate the meaning of reeling?

• a busy woman striding quickly down the street

• a confused man pausing at an intersection

• a dizzy child unable to stop spinning around

• a trained runner running a long-distance race

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10. Read the following passage from “The Voyage of the James Caird,” in which the crew finally arrives on land.

The sound of running water drew them to a small stream nearly at their feet. They fell upon their knees and drank their fill. “It was,” wrote Shackleton, “a splendid moment.”

Which is the most likely reason the writer concludes the account of this scene with a quotation from Shackleton?

• The quotation adds descriptive detail to her account of the scene.

• The quotation proves that she has correctly reported the facts of  the scene.

• The quotation leads readers to imagine how Shackleton felt at that moment.

• The quotation creates suspense, leading readers to want to read further.

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11. Which of the following best explains why “The Voyage of the James Caird” should be considered a work of narrative nonfiction?

• It gives a writer’s descriptions of real places.

• It includes interviews with witnesses to an event.

• It sets fictional characters in a historic event.

• It offers a writer’s retelling of actual events.

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12. What are the main sources of evidence Alexander employs in “The Voyage of the James Caird”?

• diaries and other accounts by the crew

• interviews with members of the crew

• newspaper accounts from the time

• works by historians of exploration

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