The Cay, Chapters 1-6

1. 1.1 - Like silent, hungry sharks that swim in the darkness of the sea, the German submarines arrived in the middle of the night."

What is the effect of the simile as it is used on page 9, paragraph 1?

• It lets the reader see that the sharks in the sea around the island are dangerous.

• It makes the reader realize that the German submarines were deadly to the people on the island.

• It shows the reader that German submarines only moved when it was dark.

• It compares the bite of the shark to the injuries people on the island received from the Germans.

2. 1.2 - How does the author support the claim that Phillip was excited about the war coming to Curacao?

• "The view from there wasn't as good as from the fort, but curious people were there too, just looking."

• "There were real soldiers with rifles and we saw machine guns."

• "If there was an enemy U-boat out there, I wanted to see it and join the people in shaking a fist at it."

• "It was all so real that sometimes we could see the tall masted ships coming over the horizon."

3. 1.3 - What does the conversation between Phillip and Henrik on page 12-13 reveal about them?

• They are great and supportive friends.

• They want to help each other understand what is going on in the war.

• They don't really like each other.

• They each want to be the person who has the most information.

1.4 - How does Phillip's attitude about the war change?

• At first he is excited, but then he becomes afraid.

• He starts out afraid of the war, but then becomes bored with it.

• When he finds out about it, he is excited but later becomes bored with it.

• He is afraid of being hit by a torpedo until his dad reassures him that he'll be fine.

1.5 - Which statement describes Phillip's mom's attitude in this chapter?

• "My mother often talked about the house and the trees; about the change of seasons and the friends she had there."

• "I guess my mother was homesick for Virgina, where no one talked Dutch, and there was no smell of gas or oil, and there weren't as many black people around."

• "My mother, I knew, had not wanted to come to Curacao in late 1939..."

• "My mother closed her eyes and pulled me up against her thin body."

2.1 - Which sentence contributes to the development of the conflict in this chapter?

• Mother said sharply, " You know I won't fly. I'd be frightened to death to fly."

• I also knew that Henrik and his mother would t hink cowardly if we left because a few German submarines were off Curacao.

• Mother said, "It's too dangerous to stay here now."

• Then I became angry and accused her of being a coward.

2.2 - How does Phillip change due to the sinking of the Empire Tern?

• He begins to realize that he and his mother are in danger.

• He sees that war is about bravery and courage.

• He realizes that war is about sacrifice and honor.

• He sees that war is about death and destruction.

2.3 - How does Phillip's mom respond to the sinking of the Empire Tern?

• She cries all the time and worries about Phillip and his father constantly.

• She decides that she and Phillip should leave Curacao and return to Norfolk, VA.

• She urges Phillip's dad to help out at the refinery.

• She refuses to let Phillop go anywhere.

2.4 - What can you infer about the relationship between Phillip's dad and his mom?

• They love and respect each other very much.

• They do not like each other at all.

• He doesn't always agree with what she wants.

• He tells her what to do all the time.

2.5 - What evidence supports Phillip's claim that his dad was worried about him on the SS Hato?

• His dad checks lifeboats and fire hoses when they board the boat.

• His dad was waving good-bye to them on the wall of Fort Amsterdam.

• His father joked that the Germans would never waste a torpedo on that old boat.

• His father said good-bye to them with clenched teeth.