About
Retells a part of the Odyssey in which Odysseus and his men, returning from the Land of the Dead determined to sail home to Ithaca, encounter Scylla, the six-headed monster, and Charybdis, the deadly whirlpool.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
Summarize how this story begins.
Page 13 — Odysseus and his men return to Circe’s island; she feeds them and they rest; Odysseus shares who he talked with at the Land of the Dead
13
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
List the warnings Circe gave Odysseus.
Page 23 — He was going to pass the sirens, he needed to make sure his men put beeswax in their ears or they will die; he is to pass the sea monster Scylla but not fight her, if he fights more men will die, only 6 men will die if they hurry past her; he’ll reach the sun god’s island and he is not to touch the animals or his men will die and he’ll have trouble when he arrives home
23
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Why did Odysseus want to tell his men about the dangerous voyage ahead of them?
Page 37 — So, they could be prepared and know what to expect
37
Describe the experience Odysseus and his sailors had while passing the sirens.
Page 39 — The wind stopped blowing; Odysseus prepared the beeswax and his men put it in their ears; they tied Odysseus to the mast; the men rowed past the island; the sirens sang and Odysseus desired to throw himself into the water, but his men wouldn’t untie him; they got past the island, and they were all safe
39
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
What does it mean to defy something?
Page 51 — openly resist or refuse to obey
51
Why did Odysseus defy Circe’s counsel?
Page 51 — He didn’t want any of his men to die
51
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Why did Odysseus understand Circe’s words at the end of the chapter?
Page 56 — He saw that there was no way he could fight Scylla and that the best thing he could do was to hurry past her
56
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
Why was Odysseus worried about Eurylochus’s plan?
Page 63 — He knew that this plan could still go wrong and that circumstances might make his men want to eat the sheep and cattle of the sun god
63
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
How did the plan go wrong?
Page 66 — Zeus caused a storm to rage on the island for so long that they ran out of provisions and found less and less to eat, so his men were hungry
66
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Summarize this chapter.
Page 73 — The men killed the sun god’s animals; Odysseus was angered; they sailed away, and a horrible storm hit and all of the men but Odysseus were killed
73
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
What word would you use to describe how Odysseus was feeling at the end of this chapter?
Betrayed by his gods; alone; devastated
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
Who did Odysseus meet and how did she help him?
Page 89 — Calypso; she sang to him which helped him feel comforted and at peace
89
Describe how Odysseus felt at the end of this story.
Page 91 — He was broken (heart and body); worried about his family; but relieved to find peace and safety after all the troubles he and his men have been through
91
Downloads
All the book’s resources, or just the ones you need, ready to read or print.
Worksheets
Practice sheets with space to write your answers.
Download one reading section
A small printout with all the resources for the selected section.
