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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 say about running the dogs after the first snow?

2. At the start of "Beginnings", how long has Gary been running dogs?

3. Where does Gary get the old bike he uses for dog running?

4. How long is the trail that the team runs in "First Snow"?

5. About how many dog booties would be needed for one team for the entire race?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. When Gary hears his diagnosis at the end of the book, what does he think about? Be specific.

3. In the last chapter, how does the doctor tell Gary about Gary's test results?

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

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

6. Describe Don's Cabin. How did it get its name?

7. What happens as Gary and his team are leaving Ophir?

8. Describe Gary's fear when he learns his diagnosis in "An End."

9. Why is Gary in a doctor's office at the end of the book?

10. How cold does it get during the Yukon part of the race?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Prepare an essay to the Iditarod race committee. Write as yourself, but incorporate as much information from the book as you can. Include recommendations for helping to prepare new mushers in the future.

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

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

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