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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Ruth think will be Gary's biggest problem in the race?

2. What awakens Gary while he is training for his second Iditarod?

3. How many dogs does Gary take to Alaska?

4. About how many teams entered the race?

5. What happens to the moose on the trapping trail?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Gary's appearance when he enters the cafe at Nikolai?

2. What is Gary's dilemma about helping the other team at the beginning of the race? What does he decide to do?

3. Describe how Gary and his team descend into Dalzell Gorge.

4. Gary writes in the Prologue, "Everything had been done wrong." What does he think he did wrong?

5. What is Gary's reaction when the Doughnut man kicks the dog to death at Don's Cabin?

6. What happens to the musher who leaves Shaktolik just before Gary does?

7. In "Finger Lake," how does Gary justify eating the meat that has mixed with the dog chow?

8. Why is Gary horrified when he first views Dalzell Gorge?

9. Why does Gary stop trapping, killing, and hunting animals?

10. At the Rohn River checkpoint, how does Gary rationalize the idea of quitting the race?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What positive experiences does Gary take away from his experience training for and running of the Iditarod? Discuss at least four.

Essay Topic 2

Gary has a relationship with all of his dogs, but his relationship with Cookie is particularly strong. Give at least four examples of Gary's relationship with Cookie.

Essay Topic 3

Gary interacts with a variety of people, animals, and places in this book. Discuss how Gary interacts with his wife, trail leaders and others at the pre-race meetings, mushers on the trail, and animals on the trail. Are these interactions positive or negative? Why?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 975 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample