All About Sled Dogs

1. Which choice provides a summary of the passage?

• A Sled dogs were first used in long races that took place in Alaska, but sled dogs are now used by people traveling through the Arctic regions of Canada.
• B Sled dogs are used today by people who need to pull heavy loads long distances across the snow, and only the strongest dogs are used to pull the sleds.
• C Sled dogs have been used in very cold places for hundreds of years, but the equipment and reasons for using sled dogs have changed throughout history.
• D Sled dogs have been used around the world for thousands of years, and dogs are used today to keep mushers company on long racing trips.

2. What text structure do the authors use in paragraphs 1-5?

• A The authors use cause and effect to explain why larger and stronger breeds of dogs were chosen to pull sleds.
• B The authors use chronological order to explain that sled dogs were used by people in Canada and Alaska over a long period of time.
• C The authors use compare and contrast to explain that sled dogs used in Canada were different from ones used in Alaska.
• D The authors use problem and solution to explain why explorers used dogs to pull sleds while they searched new areas of the world.

3. Which quotation supports the authors’ point that sled dogs are made to live in the climate of the Arctic?

• A “The native people counted on dogs and sleds to move themselves and their belongings around.” (paragraph 2)
• B “In the 1700s and 1800s, fur trappers and traders used sled dogs to carry furs and supplies.” (paragraph 4)
• C “Sled dogs need a lot of exercise. Because they’re happiest running several hours a day, they’re not good city dogs.” (paragraph 12)
• D “They feel best in cold weather. Their bodies have special ways of surviving in the freezing temperatures.” (paragraph 13)

4. Part A How did dog sleds become more popular in Alaska and Canada?

• A People had large dogs that they wanted to exercise regularly.
• B People hoped that dogs would help them find gold quickly during the gold rush.
• C People wanted to explore new places that others had never been.
• D People were looking for ways to carry supplies more easily during the gold rush.

5. Which quotation from the passage supports the answer to Part A?

• A “In the late 1800s, explorers began trying to reach the North and South Poles.” (paragraph 5)
• B “Mining camps sprang up and often turned into busy towns.” (paragraph 8)
• C “People needed a way to transport furs, gold, mail, doctors, and many other things all over the country.” (paragraph 9)
• D “Although Siberian huskies and Canadian Inuit dogs are good sled dogs, Malamutes can handle the heaviest loads.” (paragraph 10)

6. What do the authors mean by the phrase “Malamutes can handle the heaviest loads” in paragraph 10?

• A Malamutes are eager.
• B Malamutes are gentle.
• C Malamutes are smart.
• D Malamutes are strong.

7. Which phrase from paragraph 21 helps the reader determine the meaning of the word bond?

• A “…now the official sport…”
• B “…are all athletes.”
• C “…live and train together.”
• D “…get through a race…”

8. Based on the passage, what is the Iditarod?

• A a sled dog race
• B a kind of sled
• C a breed of dog
• D a heavy snowstorm

9. How does the information in the passage from Iditarod Alaska add to the information in the passage from “Sled Dogs”?

• A The passage from Iditarod Alaska explains why the dogs used for sled dog racing are so strong.
• B The passage from Iditarod Alaska describes some of the challenges that mushers may face in training their dogs.
• C The passage from Iditarod Alaska describes some of the materials that are used to make dog sleds.
• D The passage from Iditarod Alaska explains how long it takes for mushers to train their sled dog teams properly.

10. How is the information in the passage from “Sled Dogs” different from the information in the passage from Iditarod Alaska?

• A The passage from “Sled Dogs” provides information about successful mushers in the Iditarod, but the passage from Iditarod Alaska provides information about someone with no experience racing a sled dog team.
• B The passage from “Sled Dogs” provides information about how the Iditarod began, but the passage from Iditarod Alaska provides information about why mushers decide to participate in the Iditarod.
• C The passage from “Sled Dogs” provides information about the two main types of dogs used for sled dog racing, but the passage from Iditarod Alaska provides information about only one type of dog used in a sled dog race.
• D The passage from “Sled Dogs” provides information about how strong dogs need to be to pull the sleds, but the passage from Iditarod Alaska provides information about how fast the dogs need to be to pull the sleds.