Where the Red Fern Grows Chapter 9

1. At the beginning of Chapter 9 when Billy was about to give up on cutting down the large tree ______________.
a) Little Ann and Old Dan started whining
b) Grandpa came by with an idea for keeping the coon in the tree long enough for Billy to rest
c) Papa came and told him he had to come on home
d) Billy found a new strength from a prayer he said

2. Grandpa's trick for keeping the coon in the tree was ________________.
a) to build a large fire
b) to make a scarecrow
c) to play loud music

3. Why did Grandpa pick up Old Dan and place him in the buggy?
a) Old Dan's paw was hurt.
b) Old Dan wouldn't leave Little Ann.
c) Old Dan didn't want to leave the coon.
d) Old Dan wasn't feeling well.

4. What trick had the coon used on the hounds?
a) backtracking
b) crossing the river
c) jumping from tree to tree
d) climbing the fence

5. What surprised Billy when he woke up the next morning?
a) Billy wasn't sore from all the chopping he had done the day before.
b) Old Dan had slept by the sycamore.
c) The rain had cleaned away all scent of the coon and his dogs no longer cared if they got the coon.
d) Billy was too sore to move, so he just didn't care if he got the coon or not.

6. Why did Billy start crying?
a) He had blisters coming up and popping all over his hands.
b) He knew he could never chop the tree down.
c) Old Dan started howling.
d) He was too tired to work any longer.

7. Why did Billy think his prayer had been answered?
a) The wind blew the large tree over.
b) The rain came and cooled his tired body.
c) The coon fell out of the tree and broke its neck.

8. A good title for Chapter 9 could be __________________.
a) Grandpa's Trick
b) Beating the Giant Sycamore Tree
c) Chicken and Dumplings
d) Coon Hunting

9. Based on the story, it is likely that in the future _____________.
a) Billy's sisters will start hunting coons too
b) Billy will find a new hobby
c) Billy will no longer want to hunt
d) Billy will continue to hunt coons

10. Which question does the story answer?
a) Will Billy's family move to town?
b) Will Billy catch the coon in the large sycamore?
c) Will Little Ann and Old Dan become friends with the coon Billy heard bawling two years earlier?
d) Will Billy catch many coons?

11. What is the main conflict in Chapter 9, and how is it resolved?
a) Billy needed to rest, so Grandpa came up with a method for keeping the coon in the tree.
b) Little Ann and Old Dan were inexperienced hunters, and had to learn all the tricks of the coons to be successful coon dogs.
c) The coon ran up the giant sycamore tree which Billy had to cut down to catch the coon.
d) Billy's mother was worried, so she sent the girls down to check on him.

12. Which sentence from Where the Red Fern Grows supports the conclusion that Billy believes God helped him?
a) It wasn't hard for me to decide. I was firmly convinced that I had been helped.
b) Do you think God heard my prayer?
c) You must remember the big sycamore was the tallest tree in the bottoms.
d) No, I'm afraid I can't help you there.



----------Key----------

1. (b)
2. (b)
3. (c)
4. (a)
5. (b)
6. (a)
7. (a)
8. (b)
9. (d)
10. (b)
11. (c)
12. (a)