John Henry Story Comprehension

1. Why does John Henry keep working even when the task is very hard?

• He wants to show he is stronger than the hammer

• He enjoys working on the railroad

• He feels responsible for helping the workers

• He wants to race a train

2. What can you infer about John Henry’s character when he says he will beat the steam drill?

• He is afraid of machines

• He is determined and confident

• He is careless

• He likes to race for fun

3. Which sentence best paraphrases this part of the story: “John Henry swung his hammer with all his might, keeping pace with the machine”?

• John Henry was slow and careful with the hammer

• John Henry worked as hard as he could to match the machine

• John Henry stopped working when the machine started

• John Henry watched the machine without touching his hammer

4. 4. Which event happened first in the story?

• John Henry races the steam drill

• John Henry is born

• The workers build the railroad

• John Henry dies

5. What is the main idea of the story?

• Machines are better than people

• Hard work and determination can make someone a legend

• Railroads are easy to build

• People should avoid competition

6. What does the word “legend” most likely mean in the title John Henry: An American Legend?

• A real person from history

• A train worker

• A story about someone famous for brave deeds

• A machine

7. In the sentence “John Henry’s hammer rang against the steel,” what does the word rang most likely mean?

• Made a loud, clear sound

• Walked slowly

• Broke into pieces

• Stopped working

8. Why do you think Ezra Jack Keats wrote this story?

• To persuade readers to work on railroads

• To inform readers about the history of steam drills

• To explain how to build a railroad

• To entertain readers with a story about John Henry’s strength

9. Which detail shows the author wanted to describe John Henry’s strength?

• “He swung his hammer with all his might”

• “The steam drill moved faster than a horse”

• “The workers built the railroad”

• “John Henry went to the city”

10. Why does the author mention how the workers cheered for John Henry?

• To inform readers about the dangers of working on railroads

• To persuade readers to cheer for railroad workers

• To explain the rules of hammering contests

• To describe how they admire him and are excited that he beat the machine.