Worksheets"To Build a Fire"
Total questions: 25
Worksheet time: 32mins
What is this story about?
a guide to building a fire
the struggle for survival
the beauty of the natural world
an enjoyable camping trip
This short story is more....
optimistic
pessimistic
empathetic
apathetic
What is the main character's major flaw?
anger
pride
ignorance
spite
What happens to the dog?
It dies due to the freezing cold.
The man kills it and eats it.
The man kills it and uses the fur for warmth.
It watches the man die and then runs off to find shelter.
The man is best described as
intelligent and highly organized
brave and heroic
foolish and unimaginative
very knowledgeable about the Alaskan wilderness
The man makes all the following mistakes except
deciding to travel alone
forgetting to bring matches with him
not listening to people who know more about the north
not understanding the danger he faces
Which of the following character flaws brings about the man's tragic end?
cowardice
carelessness
overconfidence
greed
What is a possible theme of the story?
People choose their own destinies
Nature is more powerful than humans
In nature humans live by instinct
Heed the advice of the experienced
Jack London's attitude toward the Yukon wilderness is one of
nostalgia
respect
apprehension
affection
After he falls into the spring the man
cannot build a fire
succeeds in building a fire
kills the dog to stay warm
builds a roaring fire and dries out completely
When the bough full of snow falls, the man
realizes that he is likely to die
starts the fire easily
huddles with the dog to warm his hands and feet
immediately panics and runs toward camp
Which mistakes ultimately lead to the man's death?
He travels alone, doesn't listen to knowledgeable people, and ignores signs of how cold it really is.
He travels with others, doesn't listen to survival experts, and he's oblivious to how cold it really is.
He travels alone, pays attention to the dog's actions, and is acutely aware of how cold it really is.
He travels with others, listens to knowledgeable people, and he is oblivious to how cold it really is.
Who is the antagonist in the story?
Nature
The dog
Ole Jeb
The man
What effect did the man's frozen hand have on his survival?
He was unable to cook bacon and heat up his lunch by the fire.
He was unable to light matches and properly tend to the fire.
He was unable to comfort his dog by petting it
He was unable to use his hands to warm his feet.
What type of dog is with him
Doberman
Pit
Boxer
Husky
keenly distressing to the feelings; or deeply and/or emotionally moving (Adj)
reiterated
poignant
intangible
apprehension
fear and worry for the future; hesitation based on fear or expectations (Noun)
apprehension
imperative
peremptorily
conjectural
In London's story, nature is portrayed as
indifferent to humanity
warm and kind
helpful but ignored
misunderstood and misused.
What genre is this short story?
Fantasy
Memoir
Realistic Fiction
Expository Nonfiction
Which statement best expresses a theme of the text?
One should not travel the woods in winter.
Any careless behavior can result in disaster.
Those who are prepared will always survive the wild.
Animals are better equipped for danger than humans.
Which sentence best foreshadows the outcome of the story?
“A foot of snow had fallen since the last sled had passed over, and he was glad he was without a sled, traveling light.”
“He was making four miles an hour, and he calculated that he would arrive at the forks at half past twelve.”
“The old-timer had been very serious in laying down the law that no man must travel alone in the Klondike after fifty below.”
“Well, here he was; he had had the accident; he was alone; and he had saved himself.”
Which two sentences from the text best support the inference that the man is cautious and alert?
“Once, coming around a bend, he shied abruptly, like a startled horse, curved away from the place where he had been walking, and retreated several places back along the trail.”
“He knew that the coldest snaps never froze these springs, and he knew likewise their danger.”
“As he walked along he rubbed his cheek-bones and nose with the back of his mittened hand.”
“He was sure to frost his cheeks; he knew that, and experienced a pang of regret that he had not devised a nose-strap of the sort Bud wore in cold snaps.”
“Also, he noted that the stinging which had first come to his toes when he sat down was already passing away.”
Which sentence from the text best supports the theme that “Any careless behavior can result in disaster”?
"Once in a while the though reiterated itself that it was very cold and that he had never experienced such cold."
"He stood and studied the creek-bed and its banks, and decided that the flow of water came from the right."
"The bulge of the earth intervened between it and Henderson Creek, where the man walked under a clear sky at noon and cast no shadow."
"He chuckled at his foolishness, and as he chuckled he noted the numbness creeping into the exposed fingers."
Which sentence from the text best supports the idea that dangers are often disguised by seemingly harmless elements?
"But rub as he would, the instant he stopped his cheekbones went numb, and the following instant the end of his nose went numb.”
“Sometimes a skin of ice half an inch thick covered them, and in turn was covered by the snow.”
“Once again, however, he had a close call; and once, suspecting danger, he compelled the dog to go on in front.”
“He struck the fingers repeatedly and returned them to the mitten, baring the other hand for the purpose of eating.”
