Blueback by Tim Winton Multiple Choice Questions

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Questions and Answers

What did Abel do just as the sun came up?

Went for a walk on the beach

Stayed in bed and slept

Pulled on his wetsuit and ran down the jetty (correct)

Started preparing breakfast

What did Abel's mother do while waiting for Abel in the dinghy?

She had the outboard motor running (correct)

She was reading a book

She was fixing the anchor

She was fishing

What did Abel do before getting into the water?

Checked the anchor

Started the motor

Pulled out his fins, snorkel, and mask (correct)

Untied the bowline

What did Abel do to his mask before getting into the water?

Rubbed spit into it to prevent fogging Signup and view all the answers

What were Abel and his mother collecting in the ocean?

Abalone Signup and view all the answers

How did Abel and his mother collect the abalone?

Using snorkels and bags Signup and view all the answers

What kind of fish did Abel encounter underwater?

Blue groper Signup and view all the answers

How is the blue groper described in the story?

Magnificent, with colorful scales and a large size Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel's mother feed to the blue groper?

Abalone Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel and his mother reflect on as they returned home?

Their lucky experience Signup and view all the answers

What does the story emphasize about conservation?

The importance of leaving some abalone to breed and grow Signup and view all the answers

What does the story convey about the underwater setting?

Vividly described with details of marine life, the sensation of diving, and the beauty of the ocean Signup and view all the answers

What does the story capture about the bond between Abel and his mother?

Their shared love for diving and the ocean Signup and view all the answers

What emotions does the story convey?

Adventure, danger, wonder, and joy Signup and view all the answers

What is the main theme regarding marine life?

Respect for marine life Signup and view all the answers

What does the story emphasize about the encounter with the blue groper?

The rarity and beauty of the creature Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel Jackson do for a living?

Sells abalone shells Signup and view all the answers

Where is Abel's father buried?

In the family cemetery, but his body was never found Signup and view all the answers

What kind of life does Abel lead with his mother?

Self-sufficient life without mains electricity or TV Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel dream of in the future?

Having a big family of his own Signup and view all the answers

Where do the Jacksons live?

Longboat Bay Signup and view all the answers

What becomes significant to Abel in the story?

An old groper named Blueback Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel keep a secret from the rest of the world?

Blueback Signup and view all the answers

Where do Abel and his mother encounter Blueback while diving?

Robbers Head Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel daydream about at school?

Blueback's age and experiences Signup and view all the answers

What is the setting of the story?

Coastal town where the sea plays a central role Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel convince his mother to do?

Visit Robbers Head to see Blueback again Signup and view all the answers

How does the Jackson family make a living?

Selling abalone shells and fishing off Robbers Head Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary concern expressed by Abel's mother regarding Macka's diving?

Operating alone using a hookah Signup and view all the answers

What ultimately happens to Macka while diving?

Runs out of fuel Signup and view all the answers

What prevents Abel from swimming with Blueback?

Rough seas Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel take as a memento from the peppermint tree shrine to his father?

A piece of coral Signup and view all the answers

What are the primary themes focused on in the story?

Friendship, loss, and challenges of growing up Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the giant fish that Abel befriends?

Blueback Signup and view all the answers

What does Macka use while diving, disregarding safety concerns?

Hookah Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel's mother do when she finds Macka's boat silent?

Jumps into the water to rescue Macka Signup and view all the answers

How does the story portray Macka's fate?

Macka is found drowned, not attacked by a shark Signup and view all the answers

What prevents Abel from swimming with Blueback?

Rough seas Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel take as a memento from the peppermint tree shrine to his father?

A piece of coral Signup and view all the answers

What are the primary themes focused on in the story?

Friendship, loss, and challenges of growing up Signup and view all the answers

What is Abel's primary concern regarding Blueback's growing popularity?

That someone might harm the fish to gain notoriety Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel's mother do to protect Blueback?

She warns passing boats and fishermen about Blueback Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of Abel's father in the story?

He was a pearl diver who died when Abel was two years old Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel ponder about in relation to Blueback?

The mysteries of nature and the passage of time Signup and view all the answers

How does Mad Macka contribute to the story?

He assures Abel's mother that the fish is safe with him Signup and view all the answers

What is Abel's daily routine with Blueback?

Swimming with Blueback at Robbers Head every day Signup and view all the answers

How does the text portray Abel's connection with nature?

As deep, with contemplation of life's mysteries and efforts to protect the natural world Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel's mother do when she encounters Blueback while diving with Abel?

She has a close encounter with Blueback Signup and view all the answers

How does Abel express his concern for Blueback's safety?

By worrying that Blueback's popularity might attract someone who would harm the fish Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel wonder about regarding dead people and fish?

He wonders about the thoughts of dead people and fish, reflecting on the mysteries of life and death Signup and view all the answers

What does the story emphasize about the bond between Abel and Blueback?

It emphasizes the bond between Abel and Blueback, as well as Abel's concern for the fish's safety in the face of growing attention Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel feel like when he thinks about the vastness of the land and sea?

A speck, like a bubble on the sea left by a breaking wave Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel do as he encounters huge schools of tuna while exploring the coast?

Drifts amidst the tuna as they rise around him, feeding like packs of wild dogs on terrified baitfish Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel compare himself to when reflecting on the vastness of the land and sea?

A speck, like a bubble on the sea left by a breaking wave Signup and view all the answers

How does Abel feel about the prospect of being plankton as he watches a whale strain water through its baleen?

Glad I'm not plankton Signup and view all the answers

What motivates Abel to take action to protect the bay?

His frustration with Costello's destructive actions Signup and view all the answers

Why does Abel's mother consider selling their property?

Financial strain due to Abel's education Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel do despite feeling helpless?

He confronts Costello directly Signup and view all the answers

What change does Abel notice in his hands?

They have become soft from being at school Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel's mother express a dislike for?

Inland living Signup and view all the answers

What emotional attachment does Abel's mother express?

A desire to die by the sea Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel decide to do as a result of witnessing Costello's actions?

Confront Costello by the bay Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel express a love for in the story?

Their way of life by the sea Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel feel increasingly distressed by?

Costello's destructive actions Signup and view all the answers

What has Abel's mother's dislike for inland living led to?

A consideration to sell their property Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel decide to take into his own hands despite a change in his physical condition?

Confront Costello's destructive actions Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel express a desire to protect in the story?

The bay's resources Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel and his mother find on Costello's boat?

Illegal catches of abalone and crayfish Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel do while his mother went diving to release the abalone back into the water?

Emptied crates of abalone over the side Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel discover while diving with his mother?

Divers spearing a large blue groper Signup and view all the answers

What does the story highlight about the mother's behavior?

Her act of bravery in saving Blueback Signup and view all the answers

What was the duo's response to encountering illegal fishing activities?

They confronted and defied the illegal fishing practices Signup and view all the answers

What happened when Abel and his mother returned to shore after confronting illegal fishing?

They waited for trouble, but none came Signup and view all the answers

What did Costello and his accomplice do after the confrontation?

They continued their illegal fishing activities Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrative emphasize about the importance of standing up against illegal fishing?

It is crucial for protecting marine life Signup and view all the answers

What does the story highlight about the mother's behavior?

Her unconventional behavior Signup and view all the answers

What ultimately happens to the blue groper, Blueback, during the confrontation?

It escapes, thanks to Abel's mother's intervention Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the story?

Defiance against illegal fishing practices Signup and view all the answers

What does the story emphasize about the bond between Abel and his mother?

Their shared determination to stand up against illegal fishing Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel realize about the cruelty of greed?

It was demonstrated through the suffering of a tiger shark left to die in agony by Costello. Signup and view all the answers

What did the developers resort to in order to pressure Dora into selling her land?

Damaging the road and causing mysterious bushfires. Signup and view all the answers

How did Abel feel upon returning to school after the summer?

Older and wiser. Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel's mother, Dora, resist in Longboat Bay?

Pressure from developers who wanted to build a resort. Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel ponder during his high school years?

Whether his mother would remarry. Signup and view all the answers

What did the Fisheries patrol boat do to Costello, affecting Abel's family?

Fined Costello and put him out of business. Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel feel about being away from his mother during her struggles?

Helpless. Signup and view all the answers

What did the mysterious bushfires and road damage highlight about the developers' actions?

Their extreme measures to pressure Dora into selling her land. Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel's mother do in response to the developers' attempts to persuade her?

Refused their gifts and money. Signup and view all the answers

What was Abel's primary emotion upon learning about the suffering of the tiger shark?

Sadness. Signup and view all the answers

What theme does the text emphasize through Dora's resistance against the developers?

Resilience and strength. Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel realize about the bond between him and his mother?

It was tested by the struggles they faced. Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel's mother find solace and strength in?

Her love for the sea, the bush, her house, and her late husband Signup and view all the answers

What drives Abel to leave Longboat Bay?

A desire to understand the sea Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel feel despite his academic pursuits?

No closer to understanding the thoughts of fish and the secrets of the sea Signup and view all the answers

What does the text reflect on?

The enduring bonds of love, the passage of time, and the mysteries of the sea Signup and view all the answers

What becomes apparent to Abel about his mother's aging?

When standing next to Stella Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrative weave themes of?

Love, loss, perseverance, and the unyielding connection to the sea Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel's mother humorously hint at regarding Stella?

That Stella will have to share Abel Signup and view all the answers

Where does Abel take both women to swim with Blueback?

Robbers Head Signup and view all the answers

What leaves Abel's mother convinced that 'the ocean is sick'?

A mass die-off of pilchards along the coast without a clear cause Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel do during breaks from his studies?

Returns to Longboat Bay, engages in traditional activities with his mother, and makes home improvements Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel feel no closer to understanding despite his academic pursuits?

The thoughts of fish and the secrets of the sea Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel find solace and strength in?

His love for the sea, the bush, his house, and his late father Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel feel like when he realized he was older than his father?

A cold shock Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel and Stella have a feast of on the cool verandah?

Crayfish and abalone Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel become as a result of his expertise in marine biology?

An expert invited for lectures and study tours Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel feel like despite his academic pursuits?

Like a boy with a snorkel staring at the strange world underwater Signup and view all the answers

What prompts Abel to take responsibility for the neglected family property?

Stella's fall and broken hip Signup and view all the answers

What leads Abel to quit his job and dedicate himself to Longboat Bay?

The declining health of his mother Signup and view all the answers

What event marks the end of the story?

Stella's passing and the passing of her love for the sea to the next generation Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel feel drawn to as he reflects on his father?

The neglected family property Signup and view all the answers

What prompts Abel to carry on the traditions of the bay and dedicate himself to Longboat Bay?

The declining health of his mother Signup and view all the answers

What does Dora share stories of?

The ocean and the sanctuary status granted to the bay Signup and view all the answers

What becomes apparent to Abel about his mother's aging?

Her frailty and declining health Signup and view all the answers

What does the story end with?

Stella's passing and the passing of her love for the sea to the next generation Signup and view all the answers

What does Stella convince Abel to do?

Stay and care for their home Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel witness while nursing Stella back to health?

The bay being declared a marine reserve Signup and view all the answers

What does Abel and Stella carry on while welcoming their daughter, Dora?

The traditions of the bay Signup and view all the answers

What does the story emphasize about Abel's bond with Longboat Bay?

His deep connection and dedication to the place Signup and view all the answers

What prompted Dora to take action to protect Longboat Bay?

The exposure of whale bones after a storm Signup and view all the answers

What led to Longboat Bay being declared as a marine sanctuary?

Dora's relentless efforts and hundreds of letters she wrote Signup and view all the answers

What left Abel feeling sad but wanting to know more about the sea?

His dream of his mother's death and Blueback, the old fish Signup and view all the answers

What were Abel and Stella doing when they received the news of Longboat Bay's sanctuary status?

Diving Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the story?

The environmental changes in Longboat Bay and Dora's determination to protect it Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel dream of in relation to Blueback?

His mother's death and Blueback, the old fish Signup and view all the answers

What did Dora witness in Longboat Bay that led her to take action?

Worrying environmental changes Signup and view all the answers

What did the storm do to Longboat Bay, prompting Dora to take action?

Devastated it, exposing whale bones Signup and view all the answers

What did Dora do that led to Longboat Bay becoming a marine park?

Wrote hundreds of letters to protect it Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel and Stella receive news about while diving?

Longboat Bay's sanctuary status Signup and view all the answers

What prompted Dora's determination to protect Longboat Bay?

Worrying environmental changes Signup and view all the answers

What left Abel feeling sad but curious about the sea?

His dream of his mother's death and Blueback, the old fish Signup and view all the answers

What was Abel's father's initial reaction when Abel was born?

He wanted Abel to meet the sea straight away to prevent homesickness Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel do the day before Dora Jackson died?

Carried her down to the shore and let her float in the clear, still water Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel and Stella do after the bay grew rich with life?

Went back to being scientists Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel believe about the secret of the sea?

His mother and father knew all the secrets, and he would too eventually Signup and view all the answers

What happened on little Dora Jackson's third birthday?

Three divers encountered a huge blue creature off Robbers Head Signup and view all the answers

What made the bay rich with life?

Fish coming into it for sanctuary Signup and view all the answers

What did Abel and Stella do as people came to visit them from all over the world?

They continued to watch, listen, and read as scientists Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Abel's Connection with Nature

Abel ponders the mysteries of nature and the passage of time, particularly in relation to the fish Blueback
Abel is given lines for daydreaming in class, but his thoughts remain fixated on Blueback
Abel takes care of the ducks and has a close encounter with Blueback while diving with his mother
Abel's father was a pearl diver who died when Abel was two years old, leaving his mother to remember him
Abel wonders about the thoughts of dead people and fish, reflecting on the mysteries of life and death
Abel swims with Blueback at Robbers Head every day, keeping their encounters a secret
Abel's mother warns passing boats and fishermen about Blueback to protect the fish from being hunted
Mad Macka, an abalone diver, knows about Blueback and assures Abel's mother that the fish is safe with him
Blueback becomes a local legend, with stories spreading about the boy and the fish
Abel worries that Blueback's popularity might attract someone who would harm the fish to gain notoriety
The text portrays Abel's deep connection with nature, his contemplation of life's mysteries, and his efforts to protect the natural world
The story emphasizes the bond between Abel and Blueback, as well as Abel's concern for the fish's safety in the face of growing attention

The Bonds of Love and the Mystery of the Sea

Abel Jackson's mother finds solace and strength in her love for the sea, the bush, her house, and her late husband.
Abel's mother outlasts sneaky businessmen through calm patience and perseverance.
Abel witnesses a mass die-off of pilchards along the coast without a clear cause, leaving his mother convinced that "the ocean is sick."
Abel, driven by a desire to understand the sea, leaves Longboat Bay to study marine science at university.
Despite his academic pursuits, Abel feels no closer to understanding the thoughts of fish and the secrets of the sea.
Abel returns to Longboat Bay during breaks, engaging in traditional activities with his mother and making home improvements.
Abel falls in love with Stella, a girl who shares his passion for the sea, and introduces her to his aging mother.
Abel takes both women to swim with Blueback, an old groper at Robbers Head, where they experience a playful interaction with the fish.
Abel's mother's aging becomes apparent to him when standing next to Stella, highlighting his absence from home.
Abel's mother humorously hints that Stella will have to share Abel, indicating her acceptance of their relationship.
The text reflects on the enduring bonds of love, the passage of time, and the mysteries of the sea, all intertwined in the lives of the characters.
The narrative weaves themes of love, loss, perseverance, and the unyielding connection to the sea, creating a rich and emotional tapestry.

Blueback and the Preservation of Longboat Bay

Abel's father died when a tiger shark broke him in two while diving
Abel received a diving magazine and a letter from his mother about the increasing number of divers in Longboat Bay
An oil tanker cracked off the coast of Longboat Bay, but no oil reached the shore
Dora Jackson, Abel's mother, witnessed worrying environmental changes in Longboat Bay
A storm devastated Longboat Bay, exposing whale bones and prompting Dora to take action
Dora wrote hundreds of letters to protect Longboat Bay, leading to its declaration as a marine sanctuary
Abel had a dream of his mother's death and Blueback, the old fish
Stella and Abel were diving when they received the news of Longboat Bay's sanctuary status
The dream of Abel's mother's death left him feeling sad but wanting to know more about the sea
Dora's efforts to protect Longboat Bay were successful, and it became a marine park
The text explores the environmental changes in Longboat Bay and Dora's determination to protect it
The story reflects on the impact of human activities on the natural world and the importance of conservation efforts

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