Balto, the Dog Who Saved Nome Comprehension
  • 1. The cowboys __________ the cattle back into the pen.
A) drifts
B) telegraph
C) survived
D) guided
  • 2. The train conductor sent a message to the station by _________.
A) tripped
B) telegraph
C) splinters
D) temperature
  • 3. The _________ of smow beside the road were very high.
A) earned
B) drifts
C) trail
D) guided
  • 4. We were glad we had warm coats, because the ____________ was dropping fast.
A) temperature
B) telegraph
C) guided
D) splinters
  • 5. ___________ from wood stuck in my finger.
A) Drifts
B) Trail
C) Guided
D) Splinters
  • 6. The dog followed the _________ that would lead it home.
A) temperature
B) trail
C) telegraph
D) guided
  • 7. At the beginning of the story, what is the problem in Nome?
A) Many people are sick with diphtheria.
B) People are dying from the flu.
C) Telephone lines are frozen.
D) Nome is 880 miles from Anchorage
  • 8. All of the following are reasons why it is difficult to get medicine to Nome except _________.
A) dog teams can get through the storm
B) the strong winds prevent planes from flying
C) the sea is frozen, so no ships can sail there.
D) trains can't get over the snowdrifts.
  • 9. How was this trip with the dogs different for Kasson?
A) Balto had to guide Kasson and the dogs.
B) It was longer than other trips.
C) Kasson had never made a trip to Nome.
D) The trail went across a sea of ice.
  • 10. In this story, mush was ______.
A) a command for the dogs to start pulling the sled
B) a mix of snow and icy water
C) cold food for dogs
D) a hot food Kasson always ate.
  • 11. To what did the writer compare the movement of the sea ice?
A) the smoothness of glass
B) The up and down of a roller coaster
C) a gun being shot
D) keys on telegraph
  • 12. The bumpy ice was the worst part of the trail over the sea ice because ________.
A) the dogs hurt their paws on the sharp ice
B) the dogs slipped and skidded
C) the sled kept turning over
D) Kasson couldn't see through the falling snow
  • 13. What made the loud cracking sound?
A) A frozen tree branch broke off in the wind.
B) The sea ice split apart.
C) Someone fired a gun.
D) A runner broke off the sled.
  • 14. How did Balto show that he was smart?
A) by reaching the town of Safety in fourteen hours
B) by getting a team of doctors to the rescue train
C) by saving Gunnar Kasson from freezing in the snow
D) by getting around where the sea ice was breaking up
  • 15. What made the trip miles longer than Kasson expected?
A) The team missed the town of Safety.
B) The team had to go around the deepest snow.
C) The airport was closed.
D) Balto could not find the trail.
  • 16. Balto was a good lead dog because he was ________.
A) friendly and sure-footed
B) tame and strong
C) big and fast
D) calm and determined
  • 17. Why did Kasson shake his head when people thanked him?
A) He was shaking snow off his head.
B) He was shivering from the cold.
C) He wanted them to thank Balto, not him.
D) He wanted to take care of Balto's paws.
  • 18. There is a statue of Balto in New York City because he ________.
A) trusted people
B) had great courage
C) was a handsome dog
D) was born in New York
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