The Old Man and the Sea

By Ernest Hemingway
He always thought of the sea la mar which is what
people call her in Spanish when they love her.
Sometimes those who love her say bad things of her say
bad things of her but they are always said as though
she were a woman. Some of the younger fisherman,
those who used buoys as floats for their lines and has
motor boats, bought when the shark livers had brought
much money, spoke of her as el mar which is
masculine. They spoke of her as a contestant or a place
or even an enemy. But the old man ALWAYS thought of
her as feminine and as something that gave or withheld
great favors, and if she did wild or wicked it things it
was because she could not help them. The moon affects
her as it does a woman, he thought.
1. The narrator of the story intends to…
a. bring the readers closer to the character
b. convey the narrator’s personal view
c. recount his encounter with the old man
d. reveal the inner thoughts of the old man
2. Which of the following lines suggest a
personification?
a. …she did wild or wicked things it was…
b. …spoke of her as el mar which is masculine…
c. …those who love her say bad things…
d. …the shark livers had brought much money…

3. The attitude of the old man towards the sea is…

a. complex and reverent
b. detached and formal
c. personal and gentle
d. reflective and sentimental

4. The line, the moon affects her, might reflect…

a. a fact that moon is a special entity beyond one’s
comprehension
b. a make believe story that creates fear among the
fisherman
c. an opinion that suggests the relationship of the old
man with the woman
d. a slice of really like whenever tides occur due to
moon’s gravitational force
5. The subject of contention among the
townspeople is…
a. the moon
b. the sea
c. the old man
d. the woman in general