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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. In the Fish Creek fire, where was the author standing when the fire jumped?

2. What did the Smokejumpers of Mann Gulch wear to protect their heads on the jump?

3. What did Rumsey fall into that caused him to stop running when he jumped from the crevice?

4. How long is the Smokejumper's parachute fall from the plane to the ground?

5. Where had the author's boots come from?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did the Fish Creek fire look like as it jumped the trail? What choices did the author have the moment he decided to stand in front of the fire to try to put it out?

2. Where was the author when the fire spread to the side hill trail, the firefighters' second line of defense? What important decision did he make right as he saw the fire jump from one side of the trail to the other?

3. What did the author know about hiking boots? Why were they important? What kind of boots was he wearing the day of the Fish Creek fire? Why?

4. When the author returned to the spot in which he had stood when the fire jumped the trail, what did he realize about himself? What did he realize about the fire?

5. What did the author learn about the Mann Gulch fire smokejumpers? How did this affect him? Why was the author so interested in the news of the Mann Gulch fire?

6. Where was the big fire the author had fought when he was in the Forest Service? How did the people living in the area support themselves and their families?

7. How were the Smokejumpers delivered to the drop site? Who was on the plane with them? What did each man do in the mission?

8. How did the firefighters at the Forest Service think the fire would spread? Why did they think the fire starters had the same idea?

9. What was the profile of a smokejumper in the 1940s?

10. Why did Dodge set a fire in front of the fire raging toward himself and his men on Mann Gulch? What was he trying to accomplish? Why did his men not follow his orders?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Maclean discussed different types of fires in his story and explains that these different fires converged at Mann Gulch. How did Maclean explain the Mann Gulch fire in terms of types of fires? Why is it important to the credibility of the story to understand different types of fires?

Essay Topic 2

Maclean suggests that there were a set of specific and unique circumstances surrounding the jump into the Mann Gulch fire. He mentions, for example, that the radio broke upon landing leaving the Smokejumpers unable to communicate. What other specific events and circumstances made this jump unique and unusual? How did each event affect the outcome of the tragedy?

Essay Topic 3

Who was Frank Derry? For what comic stunt is he known? What were some of his contributions to fire fighting?

(see the answer keys)

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