Chapter: 18. The Second Voyage
Comprehension
A. Answer these questions.
What was Sinbad’s initial reaction when he realized he was stranded alone on the island? Initially, Sinbad cried out, “What a fool I am! Why did I come away from my beautiful home in Baghdad?” expressing regret, but then quickly thought, “It is foolish to cry out and do nothing.” How did Sinbad identify the enormous white dome he found on the island? Sinbad identified the enormous white dome as a roc’s egg after he looked up and saw the enormous bird sitting on it, remembering stories sailors told about a great bird called a roc or rukh. What natural phenomenon occurred in the Valley of Diamonds at night, posing a threat to Sinbad? At night in the Valley of Diamonds, huge snakes began to come out of their holes, posing a threat to Sinbad. Before tying himself to the meat, what did Sinbad do with the diamonds he found in the valley? Before tying himself to the meat, Sinbad filled a bag he carried food in with the biggest and best diamonds. What promise did Sinbad make to himself upon returning to Baghdad at the end of this voyage, and what does the final sentence suggest about this promise? Sinbad promised himself that he would stay at home, be happy with his friends, and never go to sea again. However, the final sentence (“But I did go to sea again.”) suggests that he did not keep this promise. B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.
It was like an enormous egg. ‘If it is a dome,’ I thought, ‘where is the house? Where is the door?’ As I was looking at it, something shut out the light of the sun. I looked up. What I saw was an enormous bird.
a. What was Sinbad initially confused about regarding the large white object?
* Sinbad was confused as to why the large white object, which looked like a dome, didn’t have a house or a door associated with it.
b. What “shut out the light of the sun”?
* An enormous bird (the Roc) shut out the light of the sun as it came to sit on its egg.
c. What realization did Sinbad have about the object and the bird?
* Sinbad realized that the object was a roc’s egg and the enormous bird was the roc that had come to sit on it. But there was no place where I could get up the sides of that valley. I walked along it and I saw that the valley floor was made of nothing but diamonds. They were very good diamonds, very big and beautiful. But I did not want them; I wanted to get out of the valley.
a. What was Sinbad’s primary concern upon realizing he was in the valley?
* Sinbad’s primary concern upon realizing he was in the valley was finding a way to get out of it, as there was no place to climb the steep sides.
b. What significant discovery did he make about the valley floor?
* He discovered that the valley floor was made entirely of very good, big, and beautiful diamonds.
c. Why was he not immediately interested in collecting the diamonds?
* He was not immediately interested in collecting the diamonds because his overwhelming priority was to escape the valley, not to acquire wealth at that moment. C. Answer this literature-based question.
In adventure stories, the protagonist (main character) often displays heroic qualities. How does Sinbad’s character in “The Second Voyage” embody the qualities of a hero?
Sinbad embodies the qualities of a hero through his resilience (bouncing back from despair when stranded), his resourcefulness (cleverly using the Roc’s leg and the merchants’ meat strategy), and his courage (facing unknown dangers like the Roc and giant snakes without giving up). He is also driven by a noble spirit of exploration and, despite his fear, consistently seeks a way to overcome his challenges, ultimately emerging successful and triumphant. 
Answer key