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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 Gary see Marge hunt?

2. After Devil falls in "First Snow", why isn't he run over by the sled?

3. What does the command "Haw" mean?

4. What happens during Gary's second night in the kennel?

5. What does Gary say he had when he started training for his first Iditarod?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Gary do to "become dog?"

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

3. In "Beginnings," what does Gary mean when he writes, "I began to notice the dogs"?

4. Why is Gary elated when he reaches the checkpoint at Rainy Pass Lodge?

5. At the end of the book, what does Gary ask his friend to do? Why?

6. How does the red-bearded musher in "Alaska" react when his lead dog bites Gary?

7. How do the people in Alaska help Gary?

8. What is the challenge of running from Koyuk to Nome?

9. In "An End," what is the difference between Gary's version of a normal life and his doctor's version?

10. After Gary starts back from the wrong trail outside Anchorage, he sees "the extent of the damage." What does he mean?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Write a summary of the book. Include highlights of training, highlights of Gary's first race, and Gary's overall experience with the race. Weave the text into a coherent essay with distinct paragraphs and with transitions.

Essay Topic 3

Which three parts of the race do you think Gary would say are most challenging? Why?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 847 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample