IMPORTANT: Comprehension questions will be in chronological order as you read through the story. Page numbers are approximate, and will vary with different editions of the book.
Section 1: Chapters 1-2
Vocabulary
- beard: hair that grows on a man’s face
- hitch: to hook two things together
- cure: to restore to health
- wrinkles: creases or lines
- determined: being very sure about doing something
- examine: to carefully inspect
Vocabulary Usage in the Book
- And when he cried his beard filled up with tears. (Ch. 1, pgs. 1-2)
- “Hitch up Rex for me, Willy.” (Ch. 1, pg. 7)
- “…And there’s no cure except in the person’s own mind…” (Ch. 1, pg. 10)
- Her skin was tan and her face was covered with wrinkles . (Ch. 1, pg. 5)
- But little Willy was determined . (Ch. 2, pg. 18)
- Doc Smith proceeded to examine Grandfather. (Ch. 1, pg. 7)
Vocabulary Sentences
- Julie used a hot iron to smooth all of the wrinkles out of her dress.
- My uncle had to hitch a trailer to the truck so he could haul his new boat to the lake.
- The old professor wears a dark jacket and has a long, grey beard.
- The school nurse had to examine the child’s ankle when she twisted it.
- It was the young scientist’s dream to find a cure for cancer.
- After many hours of practicing, Brent was determined to make it in the band.
Comprehension Questions
- Little Willy thinks Grandfather is still in bed because he is playing around with him. (Ch. 1, pg. 3 )
- Little Willy and Searchlight get Doc Smith to check on Grandfather. (Ch. 1, pg. 5)
- Doc Smith says that Grandfather doesn’t want to live anymore. (Ch. 1, pg. 10)
- Grandfather doesn’t say anything, but uses his hands to answer little Willy’s questions. (Ch. 2, pgs. 14-16)
- Little Willy is sure that Grandfather will die if the potato crop dies. (Ch. 2, pg. 18)
- It takes over ten days for little Willy and Searchlight to complete the harvest. (Ch. 2, pg. 20)
- Grandfather puts his palm down on the bed as a way to tell little Willy “no.” (Ch. 2, pg. 21)
Section 2: Chapters 3-4
Vocabulary
- twilight: the time of day between night and day
- gully: a trench in the earth made by running water
- insist: to make a demand
- brim: the part of the hat that sticks out
- errand: a short trip to get something
- legal: allowed by the law
Vocabulary Usage in the Book
- Little Willy’s voice sang out across the snowy twilight. (Ch. 3, pg. 27)
- She had run this race a hundred times before, and she knew the whereabouts of every fallen tree and hidden gully. (Ch. 3, pg. 27)
- And then he insisted that little Willy shut the door. (Ch. 4, pg. 33)
- It’s fun to be outdoors and see the snowflakes float down past the brim of your hat, and hear the squeak of the fresh powder under your boots. (Ch. 3, pg. 32)
- After school, they would go into the town of Jackson and run errands. (Ch. 3, pg. 24)
- “…And it’s all legal…” (Ch. 4, pg. 34)
Vocabulary Sentences
- My mother asked me to run an errand to get milk and eggs for her.
- The fireflies start to come out right around twilight.
- The lady’s face was shaded by the very large brim on her hat.
- It is not legal to steal someone else’s belongings.
- After the rainstorm, there was a deep gully on the hillside near my house.
- The little girl tried to insist that she be given a lollipop.
Comprehension Questions
- It is easy to tell that it is winter in Wyoming because there is snow on everything. (Ch. 3, pg. 22)
- After breakfast, little Willy would hitch Searchlight to the shed and ride to school. (Ch. 3, pg. 24)
- Little Willy has fifty dollars in his savings account. (Ch. 3, pg. 25)
- Clifford Snyder is the man with the horse, waiting for little Willy. (Ch. 4, pg. 31)
- Clifford Snyder says that Grandfather hasn’t been paying taxes on the farm. (Ch. 4, pg. 34)
- The tax bills are inside the strongbox. (Ch. 4, pg. 35)
- Grandfather owes five hundred dollars in taxes on the farm. (Ch. 4, pg. 36)
Section 3: Chapters 5-6
Vocabulary
- clutch: to grip with your hands
- legend: an old and fantastic story
- saliva: fluid that comes out of your mouth
- strut: to walk in a proud way
- mayor: the head of a city
- bobble: to bounce clumsily
Vocabulary Usage in the Book
- But little Willy wasn’t listening as he ran out of the store, clutching the poster in his hand. (Ch. 5, pg. 45)
- Stories and legends about the awesome mountain man followed shortly. (Ch. 6, pg. 51
- Lester was skinny but strong, wore a white apron, and talked with saliva on his lips. (Ch. 5, pg. 43)
- The dogs held up their heads proudly and strutted in unison. (Ch. 6, pg. 50)
- “I’ll pick up another at the mayor’s office.” (Ch. 5, pg. 43)
- When he talked, the cigar bobbled up and down, and little Willy wondered why the ash didn’t fall off the end of it. (Ch. 5, pg. 40)
Vocabulary Sentences
- The mayor of our city rode a float in the Fourth of July parade.
- When I go to the dentist, he puts cotton in my mouth to soak up my saliva.
- We watched the baseball player strut to the dugout after hitting a home run.
- The legend of Atlantis tells the story of a city underneath the sea.
- Joey likes to make his toy boat bobble in the bathtub by splashing a lot.
- Sarah had to clutch her hat to her head when the wind was very strong so it would not blow away.
Comprehension Questions
- Little Willy thinks Grandfather will get better if he pays the taxes. (Ch. 5, pg. 40)
- Mr. Foster says little Willy should sell the farm. (Ch. 5, pg. 42)
- Searchlight greets little Willy when he walks out of the bank. (Ch. 5, pg. 43)
- Little Willy sees a poster for the National Dogsled Race. (Ch. 5, pg. 44)
- The entrance fee for the National Dogsled Race is fifty dollars. (Ch. 6, pg. 48)
- Five beautiful Sayomeds catch little Willy’s eye as he is hitching Searchlight to the sled. (Ch. 6, pg. 51)
- Stone Fox plans to use the prize to buy the land back for his people to return to. (Ch. 6, pg. 54)
Section 4: Chapters 7-10
Vocabulary
- abreast: side by side
- contestant: a person in a contest or game
- abrupt: sudden or quick
- swig: a gulp of a drink
- massive: very large and heavy
- shriek: to cry out loudly
Vocabulary Usage in the Book
- They stood nine abreast. (Ch. 8, pg. 65)
- The old church clock showed a few minutes before ten as the contestants positioned themselves directly beneath the long banner that stretched across the street. (Ch. 8, pg. 65)
- As he turned onto Main Street, he brought the sled to an abrupt halt. (Ch. 8, pg. 63)
- Dusty took a powerful swig from a whiskey bottle. (Ch. 8, pg. 68)
- In the barn Stone Fox stood unmoving for another moment; then he reached out with one massive hand and gently patted one of the Samoyeds. (Ch. 7, pg. 61)
Vocabulary Sentences
- The bus came to an abrupt stop when the dog ran out in front of it.
- The hairy spider landed on my sister’s shoulder and caused her to shriek.
- Before I ran out onto the soccer field, I took a quick swig of water.
- My aunt Deb was chosen as a contestant on the new game show.
- When Sam looked in his backyard, he saw two bluebirds sitting abreast on top of his fence.
- From the airplane window the jet engines looked massive.
Comprehension Questions
- Doc Smith tells Willy that she thinks he is foolish for using his college money to enter the race, but that she will also be rooting for him. (Ch. 7, pg. 57)
- Stone Fox punches little Willy in the face when he reaches out to pet the five Samoyeds. (Ch. 7, pg. 60)
- Little Willy can’t sleep because his eye is so painful. (Ch. 7, pg. 62)
- Little Willy and Searchlight are able to take the sharp turns at full speed because they only have one dog and a small sled. (Ch. 9, pg. 72)
- Little Willy and Searchlight take a shortcut across the frozen lake. (Ch. 9, pg. 73)
- Little Willy sees Grandfather sitting up in bed and looking out the window at him and Searchlight. (Ch. 9, pg. 74)
- Little Willy carries Searchlight across the finish line, and they win the race. (Ch. 10, pg. 83)