Why isn't Santiago prepared for the first shark attack?

A. Because Santiago had not seen any sharks in these waters before.
B. Because the shark comes up, almost out of nowhere, from the ocean depths.
C. Because sharks are built to feed on all the fishes in the sea and not marlin.
D. Because Santiago thought any sharks would assume the marlin was part of the boat.

To understand why Santiago isn't prepared for the first shark attack, we need to examine the given options and determine the correct answer.

A. Because Santiago had not seen any sharks in these waters before.
B. Because the shark comes up, almost out of nowhere, from the ocean depths.
C. Because sharks are built to feed on all the fishes in the sea and not marlin.
D. Because Santiago thought any sharks would assume the marlin was part of the boat.

To figure out the correct answer, let's analyze each option:

Option A suggests that Santiago is unprepared because he hadn't seen any sharks in these waters before. However, this option is not entirely accurate because Santiago has encountered sharks in these waters before, even though he describes them as "beautiful" and does not fear them.

Option B states that Santiago is unprepared because the shark comes up unexpectedly from the ocean depths. This option is plausible because Santiago is caught off guard when the shark suddenly appears near his boat. However, it does not fully explain his lack of preparation.

Option C suggests that sharks are built to feed on all the fishes in the sea and not marlins. While this option is valid in terms of shark behavior, it does not directly address Santiago's lack of preparedness for the shark attack.

Option D states that Santiago believed any sharks would assume the marlin was part of the boat. This option provides a plausible explanation for Santiago's lack of preparation. Santiago, being an experienced fisherman, had faith that the shark would not attack the marlin hooked to his boat.

Therefore, the correct answer is D. Santiago thought any sharks would assume the marlin was part of the boat.

Please let me know if you need any further clarification.