ELS REVIEW #1

Read the sentences from paragraph 5. My second mate was a round-cheeked, silent young man, grave beyond his years, but as our eyes happened to meet, I detected a slight quiver on his lips. I looked down at once. It was not my part to encourage sneering on board my ship. What is implied about the second mate in these sentences?

• He seems to be very sorrowful.

• He appears to be hiding something.

• He does not get along with the captain.

• He lacks any prior experience with sailing.

Select two phrases from paragraph 1 that create a tone of solitude.

• the shadows of her spars

• by the setting sun

• nothing lived

• threshold of a long passage

• far from all human eyes

What does paragraph 5 reveal about the character of the narrator?

• He is inexperienced and lacks confidence.

• He is suspicious of the other sailors on the ship.

• He wants to build a friendship with his coworkers.

• He is envious of the other men because of their skills.

What does the word arduous mean?

• amusing

• difficult

• gloomy

• profitable

How does the author create tension in paragraph 2?

• by contrasting the mood of the sailors with the peaceful setting

• by describing the unknown sounds that frightened the narrator

• by exaggerating the complete darkness that surrounded the sailors

• by suggesting that the narrator and sailors are not alone on the sea

Part A: Which inference is supported by evidence in the passage?

• The crew knows and trusts the narrator.

• The crew is surprised to be at sea with the narrator.

• The narrator expects his crew to be more forthcoming.

• The narrator is uncomfortable with his knowledge of sailing.

Part B: Which quotation supports the answer to Part A?

• “We sat down at once, and as I helped the chief mate, I said, ‘Are you aware that there is a ship anchored inside the islands?’” (paragraph 3)

• “All these people had been together for eighteen months or so, and my position was that I was the only stranger on board.” (paragraph 5)

• “As he used to say, he ‘liked to account to himself for practically everything that came his way, down to a miserable scorpion he had found in his cabin a week before.” (paragraph 6)

• “What had prevented him from telling us all about it before now?” (paragraph 7)

What does paragraph 6 reveal about the chief mate’s point of view toward the mystery ship?

• He is suspicious of the ship occupants' motivation.

• He is excited to explore a new mystery and confront the ship.

• He feels confident in his explanation about why the ship is there.

• He believes it does not matter why the ship is there or who is on it.

How does the narrator's description of the sea in "An Episode from the Coast" differ from the speaker's description in "After the Sea-Ship"?

In paragraph 1 of “An Episode from the Coast” the narrator describes the sea as ​ ​ (a)   , while in “After the Sea-Ship” the speaker describes it as ​ (b)   .

• Swift and lively
• soundless and still
• quiet and disturbing
• excited and bubbling
• playful and filled with sound
• large and overwhelming
• dark and laughing menacingly
• broken and fragmented