Wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

The Johnstown Flood

Total questions: 17

Worksheet time: 6mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What was the mood at the beginning of the story?

a)

joyful

b)

peaceful

c)

tense

d)

angry

2.

Which event happened first?

a)

A great wave hit the town.

b)

Gertrude rode on a muddy mattress.

c)

Gertrude's father reached dry land.

d)

Rain flooded the town.

3.

James Quinn was not worried about his wife because she

a)

made it to the top of the hill.

b)

happened to be out of town.

c)

wouldn't leave the house.

d)

was a very strong swimmer.

4.

What event happened last?

a)

James Quinn led his family up the hill.

b)

A dead horse slammed into Gertrude's raft.

c)

Gertrude crawled out of a hole in the house.

d)

Two men wrapped Gertrude in a blanket.

5.

Why didn't Gertrude follow her father to the hill?

a)

Gertrude had the measles and was too sick to run.

b)

The woman who was carrying her turned back to the house.

c)

Her aunt was slow because she had to carry Gertrude.

d)

Gertrude was angry with her father and she disobeyed him.

6.

What was the mood while the flood was raging through the town?

a)

calm

b)

frightening

c)

boring

d)

hopeful

7.

Gertrude survived the flood by

a)

hiding in a cupboard

b)

following her father

c)

climbing on the roof of a building

d)

floating on a mattress

8.

From what you learned in the story, Gertrude was

a)

a woman

b)

an old woman

c)

a little girl

d)

a baby

9.

What was the mood at the end of the story?

a)

optimistic

b)

solemn

c)

cheerful

d)

relaxed

10.

Which caused the greatest damage to the town?

a)

the rain that slowly crept up into the yards of homes in town

b)

a roof the size of a steamboat that raced down the street on top of the floodwaters

c)

the huge wave that hit the town and flooded the streets with water

d)

the fire that Gertrude watched burn after she found safety

11.

What does the following quote mean? "Everyone who survived the flood would carry some especially vivid mental picture of how things had looked just before the great wave struck. . ."

a)

The wave caused a huge amount of damage.

b)

The wave killed everyone who saw it coming.

c)

Many people didn't see the great wave coming.

d)

Most of the townspeople managed to survive the flood.

12.

Which phrase from this story might help a reader follow the chronological order?

a)

In recalling the day

b)

looking behind

c)

on top of him

d)

a few days before

13.

The author helps make the order of this story's events understandable by using

a)

actual date and times of events

b)

foreshadowing

c)

time-order signal words

d)

flashbacks

14.

Which event happened first?

a)

Mr. Quinn raced after being reminded of the baby with measles.

b)

Aunt Abbie and Libby Hipp ran back to the house with Gertrude.

c)

A great wave washed over the town, just missing Gertrude's father.

d)

Gertrude sat on the front porch as she watched the ducks swim among the flowers.

15.

How did Gertrude finally escape from the flood waters?

a)

She was able to navigate the mattress to a house on a hillside.

b)

A man hanging out of a window held out a pole that she was able to grab.

c)

Maxwell McAchren swam to her mattress and was able to throw her to safety.

d)

The people floating by on a roof were able to catch her as she jumped.

16.

At the end of the story, the reader learns that Gertrude was

a)

back at home, safe with the rest of her family

b)

being cared for by a family she did not know very well

c)

ready to leave Johnstown with the rest of her family

d)

completely alone and frightened about the future

17.

Name two things that happened right after Aunt Abbie, Libby Hipp, and Gertrude reached the third floor of the house.

(a)