Tag Archives: Survival

Comprehension Questions – The Voyage of the Frog

The Voyage of the Frog

by Gary Paulsen

(this book has some swearing and contains the phrases "swimming nude" and "making love")

Grades 8-12; Genre - Fiction; GRL S; AR pts: 5.0

David thought he was alone, that the ocean around him was all there was of the world. The wind screamed, the waves towered, and his boat, the twenty-two foot fiberglass FROG, skidded and bucked and, each moment, filled deeper and grew heavier with sea water. But in fact, David wasn't alone at all. He'd had the FROG as a partner from the beginning.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Describe the main character. His name is David, his uncle has just died of cancer, 14 years old, only child in his family, close to his uncle, who taught him to sail p.1
  2. Who gave David the sailing boat the Frog and why didn’t he want it? His uncle; he’d rather have his uncle p.2
  3. What did David’s uncle’s request of him? To have David take his ashes in the Frog so far out in the ocean he couldn’t see land, then spread them in the water p.7

Chapter 2

  1. Why was David so eager to know all about the Frog? The memory of Owen his uncle p.12
  2. What was in the small box David brought with him onto the boat? His uncle’s ashes p.13
  3. Why did David decide to sail that night instead of the next morning? He thought they were perfect sailing conditions; it was his uncle’s favorite time to sail p.15

Chapter 3

  1. What simile does the author use to describe the swells of water on page 19? A hand cradling and holding the Frog p.19
  2. How long did David need to travel to meet his uncle’s wishes? All night long p.20
  3. What beautiful path was David going to follow into the night? The golden light of the sun reflecting on the sea as it went down p.21

Chapter 4

  1. What did Owen want to spend his time doing when he was alive? Studying p.24
  2. What created the lights David saw in the water? small marine animals p.26
  3. What word did the author use to describe David’s feelings of being out of sight of land on page 29?  What does it mean in this context? Sober; marked by sedate or gravely or earnestly thoughtful character or demeanor p.29

Chapter 5

  1. Why was David angry at the small box that held the ashes? It could hold his uncle p.33
  2. How did the thread hooked on the cabin save David’s life? Because of the thread he turned and saw the storm barreling in on him p.34
  3. What hit David in the head during the storm? the boom p.37

Chapter 6

  1. When David woke up what did he have to do to stop the boat from sinking? Close the hatch p.41
  2. Why did David have a hard time thinking clearly when he woke up in the night? He had a concussion p.42
  3. Describe how you would feel if you were injured, lost on the ocean, your boat’s heavy with water, and your all alone? Listen to your child’s thoughts p.48

Chapter 7

  1. Describe where the phrase “one hand for the sailor, one hand for the ship” came from and what it means. In the old sailing days when the sailors had to climb up high onto the wooden yard, they would be terrified to let go and take care of the sails. One hand is to take care of yourself and the other is to take care of the ship p.53
  2. Why did David tell himself, “one hand for the ship”? His life depended on the Frog and if he didn’t stop worrying about himself and take care of the ship, she would sink p.53
  3. How did David drain the water from the cabin? A water pump p.54

Chapter 8

  1. Explain why David felt some things were better not to know and to just let them be on page 58. Listen to your child’s answer p.58
  2. What woke David in the night?  A shark bumping and scraping against the boat p.60
  3. What did David have that helped him get through this situation? Knowledge p.65

Chapter 9

  1. Why was David surprised to see himself covered with so many cuts and bruises? He didn’t realize he’d been beaten up during the storm p.69
  2. Who could David relate to when he analyzed his hunger? A man in the store looking at the food on the shelves and not being able to eat it p.72
  3. How did David get the thoughts of hunger out of his mind? Distracted himself by getting to work p.73

Chapter 10

  1. Why did David call his boat the “rag boat”? Dishrags, cloth, cushions, drying sails, ropes, rags, and towels had been tied all over the boat to dry, and it reminded him of a Chinese boat in the harbor at Hong Kong with several families living on it doing laundry p.78
  2. Why did David decide to keep his trash instead of throwing it overboard? He realized it might come in handy p.79
  3. Why didn’t David want to keep reading the Frog’s log? It was a personal journal of his uncle and had intimate experiences in it. He felt like he was prying p.83

Chapter 11

  1.  What woke David in the night? A huge tanker plowing toward him p.86
  2. Why couldn’t anyone hear or see David as the tanker went by? The engines were too loud, and it was dark; no one was looking p.88
  3. How would you feel if you saw hope disappear like David did? Listen to your child’s thoughts p.91

Chapter 12

  1. What emotion was David feeling at the beginning of this chapter? Hate p.92
  2. What did he realize about that emotion? It didn’t help his situation, and it festered more hate p.95
  3. How did David know a change was coming? The swells were different p.97

Chapter 13

  1. What happened when David ate the other half of the canned stew? He got sick p.101
  2. Why did David call the wind “homewind” at the end of this chapter? This wind was taking him toward home p.106

Chapter 14

  1. What surrounded David as he sailed toward home? 4 killer whales p.108
  2. How did the whales show him they were friends? They didn’t hurt him, they stayed in a formation around his boat, like they were protecting him p.110
  3. Find a word or phrase to describe how David felt on page 111 when there was a good wind. Listen to your child’s answers p.111

Chapter 15

  1. What did David almost crash into while sailing in the dark? Land; a beach p.119
  2. How did he know it was land? He could hear the surf p.119
  3. How did he know it wasn’t California? There weren’t any city lights p.120

Chapter 16

  1. Why was David frustrated at finding land? The land he was expecting to find was California/home, this land was barren with no sign of life p.122
  2. Why did David feel safe in the bay? It was sheltered from the wind p.126

Chapter 17

  1. What woke up David as he slept in the bay? A strong stench from the whales blasting water out of their blowholes p.128
  2. Why couldn’t David stay in the bay after the whales left? He appreciated and enjoyed their company and didn’t want to be in the bay alone p.13
  3. When David realized the storm was coming, why didn’t he go back to the bay to ride it out? He didn’t know when the storm was coming, and he didn’t want to lose precious sailing time p.131

Chapter 18

  1. Why couldn’t David let the sea take the Frog again? The Frog was a part of who he was now, and he didn’t want to abandon her by going inside during the storm again p.134
  2. What did David see as the storm passed and what did it mean? Another boat coming his way; he knew he was saved and could go home p.136
  3. Why didn’t David let the researchers save him? The rescuers couldn’t take the Frog with them and he couldn’t leave the Frog behind after everything they had been through together; it had saved him p.139

Comprehension Questions – Brian’s Hunt

Brian’s Hunt

By Gary Paulsen

(This book contains graphic scenes of animal violence and gore)

Grades 6-8; Genre – Fiction; GRL S; AR pts: 3.0

This story takes place two years after Brian had been stranded in the Canadian wilderness. When Brian finds a dog one night, a dog that is wounded and whimpering, he senses danger. The dog is badly hurt, and as Brian cares for it, he worries about his Cree friends who live north of his camp. His instincts tell him to head north, quickly. With his new companion at his side, and with a terrible, growing sense of unease, he sets out to learn what happened. He sets out on the hunt.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Describe Brian’s dreams right after the accident of crashing in the lake and how they’re different now. They were more tarrying and traumatizing then and now they’re more fond memories and comical p.2
  2. How old is Brian now? 16 yrs old p.2
  3. Why did Brian decide against shooting the moose? It was a lot of meat to deal with and he didn’t want to waste any of it p.5
  4. Why did Brian think about Susan Smallhorn? She sounded interesting; pretty; brave; had a scar under her eye he thought of as a beauty mark; he’d never met her p.6

Chapter 2

  1. Why had school and studying become different after his airplane crash? He started to realize the things you could learn and know from books. Being in his life and death situation changed his perspective p.10
  2. Why did the world Brian’s parents live in look ugly to him? He didn’t like the sights, sounds and smells anymore. They focused on “things”, money, the right car, the right girls and the right clothes p.11
  3. Why did Brian take so long to move the canoe after studying the pike? He didn’t want to scare it p.14
  4. What lesson did Brian learn from the Inuit hunting seal? To be patient and not get frustrated p.16

Chapter 3

  1. Why did Brian check his equipment every day? To make sure it was in good shape; make sure it was all there p.21
  2. Why did Brian like to sleep in the canoe in the middle of the lake? Less mosquitoes, like a cradle rocking him to sleep p.24

Chapter 4

  1. How did Brian wake up in the middle of the night? He heard an odd sound and he’s very in tune with odd sounds out in the wilderness/bush p.27
  2. What was making the sound? A dog that was in his cooking spot p.30
  3. How did Brian know the dog he could approach the dog? It was wounded, it was female and a type of dog he had seen in Cree camps, whimpering and not growling p.30

Chapter 5

  1. Describe the dog’s condition. Its side was ripped open about 1.5 feet long, there was a torn back flap of skin on the shoulder that exposed muscle p.33
  2. How did the dog respond to Brian sewing up it’s shoulder? Moaned, looked him in the eyes, seemed to trust him p.36
  3. What Brian know about the dog? She was a female, she was a human dog, couldn’t hunt for herself, away from her people and wondered why so far away from them p.38
  4. What kind of thinking skills is Brian using to figure out what happened to the dog and what conclusion did he come to? Critical thinking, process of elimination; a bear attacked the dog p.42

Chapter 6

  1. What were the two reasons Brian gives of why the rabbit screamed when he shot it? It warned other animals there was a predator and other predators came to the area out of curiosity p.46
  2. What were the ingredients to Brian’s stew? Rice, rabbit meat, fish meat p.48
  3. How does the author describe how Brian felt about the dog? She was a friend in need p.50
  4. Explain why you think Brian felt a push to move and go north? He felt a pressing need to know where the dog came from and why it was injured p.50

Chapter 7

  1. How did Brian get over the beaver dams as he was traveling? He had to unload his canoe, lower it by hand, then repack it in the stream below p.54
  2. What does the phrase mean, “he saw inside things” relating to hunting? He saw a line of where the arrow should hit p.56
  3. Why did Brian say “thank you” to each animal after he had killed it? Because it cost the animals their lives to feed him and he was grateful to them p.49

Chapter 8

  1. What did Brian realize about having a dog? That he would never go without a dog again, there was a loneliness that was always there, until now p.61
  2. Why did Brian think the dog left his people? Something hurt them or the camp p.62
  3. How did Brian know he was in the woods where man lived? The animals were quiet and out of sight p.66
  4. How did the dog feel about drawing nearer to the island? She was up and whining and growling p.67

Chapter 9

  1. Who did Brian find and what condition was this person in? David Smallhorn; he was ripped up and dead p.72
  2. Why didn’t Brian grab the gun? He wasn’t as familiar with it and knew his broadhead could do good damage p.74
  3. Where did he find Anne’s body? Dragged off into the brush p.76
  4. What had happened to Susan? She was berry picking along the shore and saw what had happened as she came back and ran back to the canoe and was able to get away from the bear p.79
  5. Where did Brian find Susan and what condition was she in? down the lake 4 miles from the island; she was crazed and exhausted p.82

Chapter 10

  1. What was Susan’s reaction to finding out both of her parents are dead? Sobbed for hours p.86
  2. Where were the two small children? In Winnipeg with relatives p.86
  3. Why did Brian want to stay on the island and not fly out with the rescuers? He wanted to hunt the bear p.87

THE HUNT

  1. Why was Brian able to trust the dog? She could smell out the bear’s tracks even if Brian couldn’t see them; the dog would warn him if there was danger p.91
  2. How was Brian able to discern between the bear he was hunting to the other bears he saw? The other bears didn’t chase him or go after him; their claw prints were different since the big bear had a missing claw and broken claw p.93
  3. How did Brian feel when he first realized the bear was hunting him? Scared; coldness on his neck, no breath, everything stopped 94
  4. How did Brian fight the bear once his bow was knocked out of his hands and the bear attacked him? Picked up arrows that had been flung to the ground around him p.96
  5. Was Brian satisfied now that he’d killed the bear? Explain. No, he just felt sorrow for his friends that had died p.98

Comprehension Questions – My Side of the Mountain

My Side of the Mountain

By Jean Craighead George

Grades 4-7; Genre – Fiction; GRL U; AR pts: 6.0

Fifteen-year-old Sam Gribley has decided to run away from his crowded apartment home, but unlike most kids who rarely get beyond their block, Sam goes from New York City all the way to the ruined farm of Great-grandfather Gribley in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. Sam learns to live off the land, and in the course of a year, discovers just how much he values freedom, independence, and adventure when faced with the challenges of blizzards, loneliness and fear.

Vocabulary
Writing Prompts

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Describe Sam’s home. It’s in a tree he dug and burned out that’s six feet in diameter; his bed is on the right made of ash slats and deerskin; fireplace on the left made of clay and stones; chimney p.3
  2. How did Sam know that a blizzard was coming? The animals were silent and in hiding; his hawk was nervous; it was darker than usual during the daytime p.7
  3. Tell me about Sam’s family. He has a mom and dad, four sisters and four brothers p.8
  4. Tell me the story of Great Grandpa Gribley and how it effects Sam?  He owned the land in the Catskill Mountains and built a home and plowed the land; the farm failed and he went to be a sailor; Sam found the land with the tree that had Gribley carved into it and lives 300 feet from it; he wanted to live on his great grandfather’s land p.9

Chapter 2

  1. What did the truck driver say to Sam as he dropped him off in the forest? He was surprised and told him how he ran away as a child as well; Said he’d be back in the morning if Sam wanted a ride home p.10
  2. Describe Sam’s first night in the woods? He was able to catch fish, but couldn’t start a fire to cook them; he made a shelter, but was so cold with the winds and he couldn’t sleep because of a whippoorwill calling p.17
  3. How would you have felt in this situation? Listen to your child’s answers p.17

Chapter 3

  1. How did Miss Turner respond to Sam when he told her he wanted to live on his great grandfather’s farm? She believed him and supported him; told him to come back if he needed any books to learn about plants, trees and animals p.22
  2. How did Sam find his great grandfather’s property? From Miss Turner’s hand drawn maps p.22
  3. How did having a fire during the night compare to not having a fire? It made the woods friendly and warm; filled the woods with brightness when the first night was dark and frightful p.24

Chapter 4

  1. What did Sam find as he explored his great grandpa’s farm? Hickory trees; a small stream; the foundation of the house; apple trees; walnut trees; a marsh; giant trees p.26

Chapter 5

  1. Why was Sam so careful and deliberate on where his home was? He didn't want it to be seen by people as they came through the mountains p.29
  2. Why did Sam feel like he didn’t plan his time very well in those first few days of his adventure? He had started a home, but didn’t have any food; he would work himself so hard he hardly had energy to find any food; he’d get hungrier p.29
  3. How did Sam put out the fire as he burned out his tree house? he’d smother it with dirt p.35

Chapter 6

  1. What was the story the old woman told Sam? The mountain was haunted; little men play ninepin in the gorge at twilight p.38
  2. Give me three characteristics the old woman has. Explain why you chose those. She was determined; strong; fierce; forceful; bossy; talked a lot; listen to your child's answer p.38
  3. How did Sam get away from the old woman? He walked her to her home and then headed to the library in town p.40

Chapter 7

  1. What did Sam do while he waited to see a peregrine falcon? Ate apples, went fishing and cooked his fish p.42
  2. How did Sam escape the mother falcon as he stole her chick? He used his shoe to protect himself from her dive, jumped to a ledge below, sat down and slid to the next ledge; she saw her other chicks and left him alone p.44

Chapter 8

  1. Who was the man at Sam’s camp and why was he there? A fire warden come to check the area since they saw smoke from Sam’s fire; they were worried about forest fires p.48

Chapter 9

  1. Who is The Baron and how did Sam meet him? A weasel and Sam caught him in a trap p.51
  2. Why did Sam want to catch a deer? To make a door for his home; make tethers for Frightful and a blanket for Sam p.52
  3. How was Sam careful so the warden wouldn’t come back? Put pine needles in bare areas; cleaned up front yard; used dry firewood so it wouldn’t smoke much p.52

Chapter 10

  1. How did Sam get his door? Someone shot a deer but left it; he got to the meadow and dragged it to the woods and covered it to look like a bush; then he cleaned his camp and hid in his tree p.56
  2. How did Sam know the poacher had left his camp and probably wouldn’t return? He heard a gunshot far down the mountain p.57
  3. How long did it take Sam to get the deer ready for smoking and the hide ready for tanning? Many, many days p.57

Chapter 11

  1. What did Sam do to get the deer hide ready to be a door? Soaked it in water and wood chips in a stump for 5 days; chewed, rubbed and jumped on it to make it soft; he had to cut it down to fit the door opening p.59
  2. How did Sam train Frightful to fly to his hand? He’d hold food in his hand and whistle p.62
  3. Why did hikers come to the area during the summer? To hike through the meadow to the gorge p.64
  4. When the two hikers were just about to have lunch on The Baron’s boulder, they left. What made them leave? The Baron running all over and around them p.64
  5. Why didn’t Sam want Frightful to eat what she catches? Because she’ll go wild p.68

Chapter 12

  1. How did Sam always know something was wrong in the forest? Frightful would be alerted p.72
  2. Describe Bando. A college English teacher who got lost in the forest; friendly smile; kind; blue eyes; likes birds; knows how to swing an ax and build a raft p.80
  3. Why does Bando call Sam Thoreau? Thoreau’s an old poet and writer p.77
  4. Name five things Bando and Sam did together? Made jam; made the raft; smoked fish; gathering white oak acorns and groundnuts; harvesting the blueberry crop; went fishing; made willow whistles p.81

Chapter 13

  1. What did Sam decide to use to keep warm for the winter? A clay fireplace p.89
  2. What was Sam looking for as he dug around the old Gribley farmhouse? Anything metal to help him with his fireplace p.90
  3. What did Sam find to help with his fireplace? A flat, narrow, long rock p.92

Chapter 14

  1. What did Sam do to celebrate Halloween? He had a party by leaving out nuts, crayfish, smoked rabbit and apples for the woodland animals p.96
  2. What was the result of the party? Raccoons came in Sam’s tree house and tossed them all over his bed and floor; Sam got sprayed by a skunk; animals found Sam’s camp and food p.99
  3. How did Sam get rid of the animals? Made the fire big; yelled; growled and snarled, hissed and snorted p.100

Chapter 15

  1. What is this chapter about? Deer hunting season and how Sam gets three deer p.104
  2. How does Sam get three deer? Hunters shot the deer, but couldn’t find them after they dropped dead p.104
  3. Describe how Sam made his deerskin hide jacket? Cut a rectangle with a hole for his head and sewed on straight sleeves p.105
  4. What does Sam compare this jacket to? A Russian military blouse and a carpenter’s apron p.106

Chapter 16

  1. When Sam went into town, what made people stare at him? His clothing p.108
  2. Who is Mr. Jacket? A young man Sam met in the drugstore p.108
  3. What important thing did Sam forget to do to prepare for the winter season? Why did it matter? Stack up a big woodpile; to prevent having to go out into the cold and snow to gather and chop wood p.112

Chapter 17

  1. Why did Sam place “x’s” outside his tree house? It was where he wanted to pile the firewood so he could reach it when the snow was deep and then tunnel to other firewood piles p.112
  2. How did Sam and Frightful spend their winter days and evenings? Eat breakfast; Go to the gorge; ice fishing; digging up plants to eat; go to the field and Frightful would fly while Sam would kick the grasses and sometimes a rabbit or pheasant would come up and Frightful would dive to get it; experiment with food; watch Frightful; write notes; go to bed p.113
  3. Sam thought he would tunnel to get to his firewood, but what did he end up doing instead? Walking on the snow and digging for wood p.115

Chapter 18

  1. Who does Sam compare the birds of the forest to? People who lived at his apartment house on Third Avenue home p.117
  2. Who was Sam’s first visitor during the Christmas holiday? Bando p.119
  3. Bando brought up newspaper articles. What did they report? A young man living in the Catskill Mountains p.120
  4. Who also came to visit Sam? His dad p.124

Chapter 19

  1. During the winter months what helped Sam know what to expect in the weather? The birds and animals p.134
  2. Why did Sam oversleep after the rain had frozen into ice? His home was in a block of ice and he couldn’t hear any morning sounds p.139
  3. Find an example of a simile on page 139. ice on a limb like shattering crystal; sky like Indian soup
  4. What was the consequence of the ice storm in the forest? broken trees and limbs lay everywhere; birds and animals died of starvation p.141

Chapter 20

  1. Why couldn’t Sam let Frightful go? He needed her still; she would have been killed by another female since she didn’t have a territory; he had trained her to have instincts made for man; she was a captive bird, not a wild bird p.149
  2. What information did Sam tell Matt Spell? He saw the wild boy wearing a bearskin coat who ran away and lives in a cave. The boy has long matted hair and wears a coon-tail hat. The boy wears newspapers for shoes and does a lot of fishing. He lives off of fish, roots, berries, rabbit and nuts.p.154
  3. What was the deal Matt made with Sam? Matt would come stay with Sam during spring break and would print what Sam told him to p.156

Chapter 21

  1. What does creating the guesthouse mean to Sam? That he was not a runaway anymore; he wouldn’t be alone anymore and hiding in the wilderness p.166
  2. How did Sam know his time on the mountain was coming to an end? Matt said photographers may be on the mountain; more and more newspaper articles were out about him; now that people knew about him, they would move him back to the city p.168

Chapter 22

  1. Who came to visit Sam? The entire family p.174
  2. Why did Sam’s family come to the mountain? They missed him; wanted to see what he was doing; his mom still wanted to take care of him and be his mom p.176
  3. What did Sam’s dad begin to build? A house p.176
  4. Summarize your favorite part of this story. Listen to your child's answer

Comprehension Questions- Hatchet

Hatchet

By Gary Paulsen

Grades 5-12; Genre - Fiction; GRL R; AR pts: 7.0

Brian's on his way to visit his father in Canada when the pilot of the small airplane he's in has a heart attack.  Brian spends 54 days out in the Canadian wilderness learning how to survive.  His mother gave him a hatchet before he left and with that, he learned how to make a fire, a bow along with arrows and a spear, as he waited to be rescued.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Where is Brian going?  To visit his dad in Canada   p. 7
  2. Why is Brian not speaking to his mom?  He’s angry at her for causing the divorce/ he knows a secret about her   p. 3
  3. What did Brian’s mom give him on the drive up to the airplane?  A hatchet   p. 8
  4. What happened to the pilot as they flew toward Canada?  He had a heart attack   p. 11
  5. How did Brian know the pilot was having a heart attack?  He had previously seen an elderly man have a heart attack and he was acting the same   p. 11

Chapter 2

  1. What was the response Brian got as he tried to communicate over the radio?  Someone responded, but the transmission was lost and he never got anyone else   p. 19
  2. What were Brian’s two choices as he flew in the plane wondering what to do?  Take the plane down immediately or wait until it ran out of fuel and the plane would go down by force  p. 23
  3. Where did Brian decide would be the best place to land the plane?  on the water  p. 23
  4. What did the airplane do that made Brian realize he had to land the plane?  Coughed and died/ ran out of gas   p. 25   

Chapter 3

  1. Where was Brian able to land the plane?  In an “L” shaped lake   p. 29
  2. What did Brian have to do to make it out of the crashed airplane alive?  Tear off his seat belt, swim through the broken windshield, swim to the surface and swim to shore.   P. 29

Chapter 4

  1. What was the secret Brian knew about his mom?  He saw her with another man in a station wagon and assumed that was the reason for the divorce   p. 32
  2. What attacked Brian as he watched the sun rise?  Mosquitoes and black flies   p. 36
  3. What made the mosquitoes and black flies disappear and leave Brian alone?  Heat from the sun; the sun rising fully   p. 38
  4. How does the forest compare to the city life Brian was used to?  quiet, different colors, insects humming, birds chirping, splashing from the fish   p. 41

Chapter 5

  1. How old is Brian?  13 years old   p. 46
  2. What advice did Brian’s English teacher give him in school?  be motivated, you’re your best asset, stay positive and on top of things,   p. 49
  3. Why didn't Brian think the searchers would find him very quickly?  The pilot  jerked the plane off course when he was having his heart attack   p. 53

Chapter 6

  1. What did Brian decide to use as a shelter?  an overhang in the cliff   p. 57
  2. What food did Brian find to eat?  Tart berries on a bush   p. 63
  3. How did Brian make his shelter safer?  Used sticks to make a wall and closed it off   p. 65

Chapter 7

  1.  When Brian looked in the water at his reflection, how did he feel?  He was frightened   p. 69
  2. Why?  He saw how cut up, bruised, swollen, bleeding he was/ didn’t realize he was in such bad shape   p. 69
  3. What did Brian call the berries that made him sick?  Gut cherries   p. 71
  4. What other kind of berries did Brian find?  Raspberries    p. 73
  5. Why did Brian turn back after running away from the bear?  He realized the bear wasn’t there to hurt him, the bear just wanted the raspberries    p. 75

Chapter 8

  1. Why had the porcupine attacked Brian during the night in the shelter?  Brian scared it; it was protecting itself   p. 81
  2. What did Brian dream of the night he got hurt by the porcupine?  His father and Terry telling him how to make a fire   p. 86
  3. What was Brian able to use to start a fire?  His hatchet and the hard rock   p. 86

Chapter 9

  1. What steps did Brian take to make a fire?  Made sparks from hitting the hatchet against the black rock onto fine kindling, blew gently on it, added small wood pieces and grass, then dried sticks from trees    p. 91
  2. Why do you think Brian felt like the fire was his friend?  It would protect him and help him   p. 92

Chapter 10

  1. What did Brian find at the shore buried in the sand?  Eggs   p. 99
  2. Who had laid the eggs?  A turtle   p. 99
  3. How did Brian eat the eggs?  Broke them open with his hatchet and a stick and ate them raw   p.101
  4. Why did Brian want to continue thinking about the searchers?  he felt if he stopped thinking about them, they would stop thinking about him; he knew he needed to continue hoping   p. 102

Chapter 11

  1. How had Brian begun to change physically since the crash?  Thinner, tanned, leathery face   p. 104
  2. How was Brian’s mind different since the crash?  He now knew what the noises were around him, when he saw something, he really saw it, not just noticed it   p. 105
  3. What was Brian’s plan if he ever heard a plane engine roar overhead?  Run up with a burning limb and light the signal fire   p. 106
  4. As Brian looked over the lake what did he realize he could eat?  Fish   p. 107

Chapter 12

  1.  What was Brian working on when he heard the whine of the plane engine?  Bow    p. 116
  2. Tell me three words that would describe how Brian felt when the plane turned and went away?  Despair, disappointment, hopeless, sad, alone etc.  p. 118

Chapter 13

  1. What did Brian use for a string on his bow?  His shoelace   p. 124
  2. Why wasn’t Brian able to catch any fish when he first made his bow and arrow?  He was aiming to high/ the water would make the fish appear closer than they were   p. 125
  3. What kind of hope did Brian find building in him?  tough hope/ hope that he could survive and take care of himself   p. 127

Chapter 14

  1.  What were the effects Brian had after he was sprayed with the skunk?  Blind for two full hours, eyes hurt for weeks, smell lingered at least a month and a half later   p. 131
  2. How did Brian make a ladder to get to his food shelf?  Found a pine, chopped off branches so the remaining branches were 4-5 apart, chopped the log so it’s only ten feet long   p. 133
  3. What did Brian do to store the fish so they wouldn’t go bad?  He made a pond to keep them close and fresh so he could catch them when he needed them   p.  136

Chapter 15

  1. Tell me about the event, First Meat?  That was the first time Brian killed a foolbird for food   p. 142
  2. Why was it so difficult for Brian to catch a foolbird?   They blended in with the environment, silent, stood perfectly still, couldn’t see them until after they flew    p. 139
  3. What trick did Brian learn that keep the mosquitoes and flies off his food and out of his shelter?  they didn’t like the smoke   p. 144
  4. When Brian was cleaning the bird to eat it, what did he do with the insides of the bird?  Wash it off into the pond   p. 144

Chapter 16

  1. Tell me two of the “First Days” Brian remembered?  First Arrow Day, First Rabbit Day,  First Meat Day   p. 147
  2. How did the moose react to Brian when she saw him at the water and wanted to come down to the water herself?  Attacked him   p. 150
  3. What did Brian have to do to get away from the moose?  When the moose was eating he had to crawl away slowly from her, stopping and waiting when the hair on her back raised up  p. 151
  4. Why did Brian feel like he was back to “square one” after the tornado?  He was injured, had no fire, no food, and his weapons and shelter were gone   p. 157
  5. After the tornado, what unnatural object was sticking out of the water?  The tail of the airplane  p. 159

Chapter 17

  1. Why was Brian anxious to get the survival pack from the back of the plane?  It would have things to make his surviving much easier   p. 163
  2. What is a fish board?  A flattened board Brian used to lay his fish on and lean to the fire to cook them   p. 165
  3. Why was building a raft difficult for Brian?  He didn’t have anything to hold the logs together   p. 166
  4. How did he solve his problem?  Used logs with branches and wove them together   p. 167
  5. When Brian finally made it to the plane, what was his predicament?  Couldn’t get inside of it   p. 172

Chapter 18

  1. How was Brian able to get into the plane?  Cut through the aluminum with his hatchet   p. 174
  2. What did Brian have to dive into the water for?  His hatchet   p. 175
  3. What made Brian sick when he was under the water looking for the survival bag?     Seeing the skull of the pilot         p. 180
  4. How long did it take Brian to go to the plane, get the survival bag and get back to his camp?  From morning until into the dark of night   p. 183

Chapter 19

  1. How did Brian feel about the items in the survival pack as he looked through them?  Happy and sad; they changed him   p. 186
  2. How did the items in the survival bag change him?  made him more removed from the world around him   p. 187
  3. When Brian went through the dehydrated food packages, why do you think he decided to feast now and be careful with the food later?  He was so hungry; he felt he knew how to get his own food, so he wanted to enjoy what was there that night; he wanted to celebrate for finding the survival bag   p. 189
  4. When Brian was preparing his feast and drinking his orange drink, what appeared out of the sky?  An airplane   p. 190
  5. What was the first thing Brian said to the pilot of the plane who rescued him? He told him his name and asked if he'd like something to eat   p. 191