Castaways of the Pacific: Reading Comprehension Answers and Analysis for Tongan Survival Story
Castaways of the Pacific: Reading Comprehension Answers
Section 1: Characters and Key Details
3. In the sentences below, the names are incorrect. Write the correct name for each sentence.
Kolo was very nervous about taking the boat and going on the trip.
Fatai was the best sailor of the group.
Mano listed the important items that they were taking on their trip.
Sione was the last of the boys to fall asleep before the storm.
Luke repaired the hole in the boat.
Section 2: Narrative Techniques
4. Read the extract from Chapter 1 and say why you think the writer included it.
The writer included this extract as a foreshadowing technique to build suspense and create dark expectations for the future. It hints to the reader that the boys will soon face danger and will not be able to return home for a long time.
Section 3: Discussion Questions
5. Answer the questions in your notebook.
Why do you think the writer included Kolo’s dream in Chapter 2?
The dream foreshadowed the real storm and disaster they were about to experience at sea, representing their inner fear and anxiety.
Sione said, “Tongans always help each other. If we remember that, I think we can survive this.” Do you think this idea will be important later in the story? Explain your answer.
Yes, because survival on an uninhabited island requires teamwork, trust, and mutual support rather than working alone.
What evidence is there in Chapters 1–3 that Sione is going to be a leader of the group?
Sione stays calm in dangerous moments, takes charge during the storm, gives instructions, and encourages the others when they feel hopeless.
Luke said that they all knew Fatai was good with his hands. How might this be important later in the story?
Fatai’s practical skills will be essential for building shelters, creating tools, fixing things, and helping the group survive on the island.
Section 4: Character Chart
2. Complete the chart with the correct names – Tevita, Sione, Luke or Fatai.
Fatai (Clever, skilled, practical; determined to do more than just survive)
Tevita (Thinks friendship is important; knows they must be kind and work as a team)
Sione (Confident leader; tries to stay optimistic for others despite doubts)
Luke (Observant; first to see land; constantly thinks about being rescued)
Section 5: Conflict in Chapter 5
3. In Chapter 5, Fatai and Sione are in conflict with each other. Complete the chart below with information from the chapter.
Fatai:
- What he wanted to do and why: He wanted to climb up the mountain cliff immediately to find better shelter, water, and food at the top.
- Why he was annoyed with the other person: He was annoyed because Sione was being overly cautious and delaying the climb.
Sione:
- What he wanted to do and why: He wanted to stay on the beach and rest because everyone was exhausted and injured.
- Why he was annoyed with the other person: He was annoyed because Fatai was being reckless and putting himself in danger.
Section 6: Plot Details
4. Complete the sentences about the story.
- The boys couldn’t reach the island by boat because the sharp coral reefs around the island made it impossible to get close safely.
- Fatai and Sione were the last to swim to the island because they stayed behind to make sure the other boys safely made it to shore first.
- Fatai knew he was lucky that he fell into a patch of bushes, which broke his fall and saved his life.
- When Sione saw Fatai running across the rocks, he was worried that Fatai would slip, fall, and injure himself severely on the sharp rocks.
- During the climb, they had to turn back twice because the path was too steep and blocked by dangerous rockfalls.
Section 7: Analysis Questions
5. Answer the questions in your notebook.
Why did Mano choose to swim to the island first?
Because he was a strong swimmer and wanted to test the waters and check if the shore was safe for the rest of the group.
Why was Sione in no hurry to return to the shelter at the start of Chapter 6?
He felt depressed and hated the miserable conditions of the temporary beach shelter.
Why did it seem like the boys might be lost on the rocks forever, when making the climb?
The cliff paths were extremely confusing, steep, and constantly led to dead ends.
Section 8: Sequence of Events
What has happened in the story so far? Number the events in the correct order.
- 1 – b. Bored and unhappy at boarding school, the boys stole a boat and sailed away from home.
- 2 – e. In their first night at sea, a storm tore their sail and they lost their anchor.
- 3 – c. After being at sea for eight days, they finally saw the island.
- 4 – h. They had to swim from the boat to the island, which was very dangerous.
- 5 – f. For three months, the boys lived on a stony beach with little food or water.
- 6 – g. When climbing the mountain, they found a knife in the dirt.
- 7 – d. Fatai fell from the cliff, broke his leg and nearly died.
- 8 – a. The boys reached the top of the mountain and made a great camp.
Section 9: Life Six Months Later
2. In Chapter 8, the plot of the story jumps forward by six months. How have the boys’ lives changed in those months?
The boys have adapted well to the island. They built a strong, comfortable camp, learned how to keep a permanent fire burning, gathered food like bird eggs and bananas, and established daily routines and rules to work effectively as an organized team.
Section 10: Survival and Rescue Questions
4. Answer the questions in your notebook.
How did Fatai react when Tevita was exhausted and collapsed? Do you think his reaction was fair?
Fatai was angry and impatient because he wanted to keep moving. It wasn’t entirely fair because Tevita was genuinely weak, but Fatai was acting out of fear and stress.
Why was Luke worried when they found the clearing at the top of the mountain? How did Mano stop him from worrying?
Luke was worried that someone or something dangerous lived there. Mano reassured him by pointing out that the place had been abandoned long ago and was safe.
What were Kolo’s nightmares about? Why did he have these nightmares?
Kolo dreamt about being trapped at sea or falling off cliffs. He had them because of the trauma from the storm and Fatai’s accident.
Mano says, “Here on the island, we are never far from death.” How true do you think this was? Find evidence in the story to support your answer.
It was very true; they constantly faced starvation, dangerous cliffs, lack of medical care (like when Fatai broke his leg), and severe weather.
Section 11: Conflict Resolution and Signalling
4. Answer the questions in your notebook.
What did the boys always do when they were close to fighting? Why?
They stopped, took a break, and reminded themselves that unity was their only way to survive.
Why had the boys burnt a large area of grass on one side of the cliff?
To create a massive signal fire/smoke to attract passing ships.
How did the boys try to signal to the boat?
They lit a huge fire, shouted, and waved large tree branches.
Why do you think Fatai spoke to the men in English?
Because English was an international language and the most likely way to communicate with foreign sailors or rescuers.
Section 12: Textual Evidence
2. Copy sentences or parts of sentences from the story to show that the following statements are true.
- Fatai thought that Luke’s raft might be a good idea:
“Fatai admitted that Luke’s idea might actually work if they built it carefully.” - Luke didn’t think that they would ever leave the island:
“Luke believed they were going to die on the island and never see their families again.” - Sione thought that they had lived and worked well on the island:
“Sione reflected on how well they had survived together as a team over the past months.” - At first, Sione didn’t think Fatai should be the person to run down to the boat:
“Sione hesitated, thinking Fatai’s injured leg was not strong enough for the run.” - The men on the boat didn’t trust Fatai when they first saw him:
“The men on the boat looked at Fatai with suspicion and kept their distance at first.”
Section 13: The Climax
3. Match A to B to make sentences about the climax of the story.
- 1 – e: Fatai wanted to run down the mountain because he knew the mountain paths better than anyone.
- 2 – a: He could hear the others shouting, so he knew the boat was still there.
- 3 – d: Jumping from the cliff was dangerous because there were rocks when the sea was low.
- 4 – c: Because of Fatai’s appearance, the men on the boat were scared.
- 5 – b: When Fatai saw the man with kind eyes, he knew they were going home.