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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why was it a little difficult to read Virginia's letter?
(a) The ink smudged.
(b) She wrote in Spanish.
(c) Her spelling skills were terrible.
(d) The paper was torn and mildewed.

2. Who did Mrs. Murphy say they ought to eat?
(a) Towser
(b) Milt
(c) Charles
(d) No-one

3. How did James Reed revive Patty?
(a) He yelled at her and smacked her.
(b) He gave her crumbs he stored in his mitten.
(c) He performed CPR on her.
(d) He rubbed cold snow on her face.

4. How did Patrick Dolan die?
(a) He hallucinated and broke away from the fire then died of cold and starvation.
(b) He ate poisoned meat.
(c) He died from infection.
(d) He was killed.

5. How did they stay warm at night?
(a) They huddled together under a blanket near the fire.
(b) They built a huge fire.
(c) They layered their clothing.
(d) They drank whiskey.

6. Why didn't Virginia join the group that went off for help?
(a) She was too young.
(b) She became ill.
(c) She wasn't strong enough.
(d) They needed her to babysit the little ones.

7. What was the problem with Tommy?
(a) His leg wound was infected.
(b) He couldn't breathe right.
(c) He couldn't walk through the deep snow, and they couldn't carry him.
(d) He wouldn't stop coughing.

8. Hw many other people died the night Dolan died?
(a) 3
(b) 4
(c)
(d) 5

9. What did emigrants do once they realize that they were trapped?
(a) They hunted for food.
(b) They turned around.
(c) They cried.
(d) They began to make dwellings.

10. How did the rescue party find the survivors?
(a) They saw the swirls of smoke coming from the cabins.
(b) They used a detailed map.
(c) They asked the Native Americans.
(d) They followed trails.

11. What happened to the Breen's dog, Towser?
(a) They traded it to the Native Americans for food.
(b) They had to eat it.
(c) The Native Americans stole it.
(d) It ran away.

12. What happened to the people who resorted to cannibalism?
(a) They became ill.
(b) Nothing
(c) They grew stronger.
(d) They died.

13. Who was the first snowshoer to die?
(a) Mary Ann Graves
(b) Charles Stanton
(c) William Eddy
(d) Lem Murphy

14. What did Louis Keseberg do in California?
(a) He started lecturing on the Donner Party experience.
(b) He became a law officer.
(c) He earned a reputation as a thief.
(d) He ran a hotel and restaurant.

15. Why wasn't William Foster tried for the deaths of Luis and Salvador?
(a) Killing Native Americans was not regarded as murder.
(b) They figured he had been through enough trauma.
(c) There was no judge.
(d) He didn't really do it.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did William Graves believe about when the group's troubles began?

2. What did Aunt Betsy cook in the morning?

3. Why was sitting difficult for them?

4. What did William Eddy find in his pack?

5. How did Mary Murphy's first husband treat her?

(see the answer keys)

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