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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What happens to the moose on the trapping trail?
(a) She runs ahead to attack another team.
(b) Gary attacks her with an ax.
(c) The other musher shoots her.
(d) She gets bored and leaves.

2. What does Ruth say to Gary after his skunk encounter in "Major Wrecks"?
(a) "What's that smell?"
(b) "What happened to you?"
(c) "Why don't you change your clothes?"
(d) "You need a shower."

3. Why does Gary carry a gun?
(a) To protect himself from his dogs.
(b) To protect himself against other mushers.
(c) To hunt.
(d) To shoot feral dogs.

4. When does the Iditarod race start?
(a) Early April.
(b) Late January.
(c) Early January.
(d) Early March.

5. What is Gary's number for the race?
(a) Fifteen.
(b) Fifty-three.
(c) Twenty-two.
(d) Thirty-two.

Short Answer Questions

1. What happens when the team gets to the end of the driveway to run in the first snow of the season?

2. What does Gary see Marge hunt?

3. What is one mistake that Gary makes right before the race starts?

4. Why doesn't Gary feel pain when the snow hook pierces his boot?

5. Why does Gary attend the pre-race banquet?

Short Essay Questions

1. What goes wrong for Gary between the start of the race and the time he rejoins the trail?

2. Why does the race start in downtown Anchorage?

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

4. In the Prelude, what warning signs of the coming storm does Gary miss?

5. In "Alaska," what does Gary mean when he writes, "Sleep died early"?

6. What terrifies Gary during his run in the first snow?

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

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

9. What things are discussed during the musher meetings?

10. What paradox of the race does Gary write about in "Alaska"?

(see the answer keys)

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