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Tuesday 29 November 2016

Practice Questions for the Black Stallion

Black Stallion Questions
Chapter 1
1.       Which direction is the ship going? West, homeward
2.       What is the name of the steamer? The Drake
3.       Which sea is it travelling through? Gulf of Aden
4.       What is the ship’s cargo? Rice, tea, jute, oil, coffee, seeds
5.       What is Alec’s full name? Alexander Ramsay
6.       What colour is Alec’s hair? Red
7.       How long had he been in India? Two months
8.       Who had he stayed with? Uncle Ralph
9.       What is Uncle Ralph’s occupation? A missionary
10.   What had Uncle Ralph taught him? To ride a horse
11.   What kind of pocket knife did he receive from his uncle? Pearl, engraved
12.   What was the occasion he received it? Birthday
13.   What city is engraved on the knife? Bombay
14.   How long will the trip home take all together? 4 weeks
15.   How did Alec travel the way to India? Sailed with friends of his father’s
16.   What does Alec think about as they pass Arabia? The horses bred there
17.   What is the source of the whistling sound? The black horse
18.   What was the crowd of Arabs doing? Trying to control a black horse
19.   What is across the eyes of the black horse? A white scarf
20.   What is this creature? A stallion born wild
21.   How many men were trying to get the stallion onto the ship? 4 men
22.   What did the horse’s stall used to be? A cabin
23.   Who receives the bills from the dark skinned man in a turban? Captain Watson
24.   Where does the dark skinned man go next? To his own cabin
25.   Who does the dark skinned man talk to? Nobody except the captain
26.   What is the colour of the horse’s nostrils? Pink
27.   Where does Alec get the lumps of sugar? From the dinner table
28.   Where does Alec leave the sugar for the horse? On the sill
Chapter 2
1.       What kind of weather is it the night the horse does not retreat when seeing Alec? Rainy
2.       What kind of storm occurs at sea? Lightning storm
3.       What does Alec get from under his bed? A life jacket
4.       What does Alec do right after a sailor is swept overboard? He prays
5.       What happens to Alec after lightning strikes the Drake? He falls unconscious
6.       What damage has occurred to the ship? It is struck in two and is sinking
7.       What are they doing to save people? Manning the lifeboats
8.       How many lifeboats are sent out? Two
9.       What does the dark skinned man try to take from Alec? His life jacket
10.   What happened when the dark skinned man lost his balance? He fell into the ocean and drowned
11.   What does Alec want to do to the horse on board? Set it free
12.   How does he keep hold of the black? He ties the rope attached to the horse around his waist
13.   How many times had the black stopped and changed course? Four times
14.   Why does Alec feel sick to his stomach? He had swallowed salt water
15.   What kind of sand is on the beach of the island? White
16.   When they reach land, what is the danger to Alec? Being dragged to death by the rope attached to his waist
17.   How does Alec undo the rope? He cuts it with the knife in his pocket
18.   What does Alec say when he has cut the rope? “Yes, Uncle Ralph, it did come in handy”
Chapter 3
1.       Describe Alec’s tongue when he wakes up on the sand? Feels swollen
2.       What does Alec need desperately? Water
3.       What is his plan to find water? Follow the horse’s hoof marks
4.       From where can Alec see the entire island? The top of a sand dune
5.       How large is the island? Two miles in circumference
6.       To which side of the spring is the horse standing? To the right
7.       Why does Alec stand still when the stallion charges at him? He feels numb
8.       Where does Alec go after cooling off in the water? Under a bush to sleep
9.       How long had Alec gone without eating? A day and a half
10.   What food does Alec find first? A berry bush
11.   What will Alec use to build a shelter? Driftwood
12.   What makes Alec shudder while building the shelter? The plank was from the lifeboat of the Drake
13.   What is the seaweed for? To fill in spaces between the wood pieces
14.   How does Alec try to catch fish? With a spear made from a pole and his knife
15.   How many fish does Alec catch the first day? None
16.   After he has caught the fish, what is Alec’s next problem? Building a fire to cook it
17.   Where had he seen someone light a fire without matches? In India
18.   What colour is the shell he sees on the beach? Red
19.   Why would Alec never consider killing the black for food? It had saved him
20.   What is carrageen? Edible seaweed/moss
21.   Where had he tasted it before? In his biology class
22.   What must be done to the carrageen before eating it? Rinsed of salt and dried in the sun  
23.   Why does he put some on the ground by the stream? To see if the black would eat it
Chapter 4
1.       What shape was the head of the snake that the Black had killed? Diamond
2.       In what does Alec boil the carrageen? A turtle shell
3.       What does the Black do the first time Alec tries to ride on his back? Runs very fast and knocks him off his back
4.       Why are there tears on Alec’s cheeks when he rides the Black? The wind rushes at him because the horse runs so swiftly
5.       Why does the horse scream during Alec’s night’s sleep? His shelter is on fire
6.       How does Alec try to put out the fire? Fill turtle shell with water
7.       Why was it such a problem that Alec’s shelter was destroyed? Winter was coming and there is no more wood on the island
8.       What kind of accent does Pat have? Irish
Chapter 5
1.       Where is the freighter’s next stop? Rio de Janeiro, p. 49.
2.       Why is Alec’s leg limp? Kicked by hoof of Black in the water, p. 56.
3.       How was the crew able to subdue Black? Nearly choke him to make him weak, p. 58.
4.       How will they contact Alec’s parents? Wire them up, p. 59.
Chapter 6
1.       What had Alec saved from breakfast to feed the horse? Apple, p. 61.
2.       At the wire office, who speaks Spanish? Pat, p. 62.
3.       Why is Alec not able to give money to the captain who rescued him from the island? Parents didn’t know about Black which meant that they barely sent enough fare for Alec’s horse, p. 63.
Chapter 7
1.       Why does Alec sleep on a cot amid the stalls? The Black doesn’t like to be left alone, p. 74.
2.       What happened to the ship before it entered New York harbour? Quarantine Inspection, p. 77.
3.       What New York landmark made Alec cry? Statue of Liberty, p. 80.
4.       How does Alec blindfold the Black in New York? With his sweater, p. 82.
5.       Who is Joe Russo? A newspaper reporter, p. 87.
6.       Which newspaper is Joe Russo a reporter for? The Daily Telegram, p. 87.
7.       How does Joe help the family? He finds a van to transport the horse, p. 87.
Chapter 8
1.       What was the Black’s intro to New York City? Noise, noise, noise, p. 88.
2.       Where does Alec live? Flushing, p. 89.
3.       Whose permission does Alec ask for use of the barn? Mrs. Dailey, p. 90.
4.       Who is the boarder in the one good stall? Napoleon, p. 91.
5.       Who will fix up the stall? Alec, p. 91.
6.       What is Mr. Dailey’s first name? Henry, p. 92.
7.       Whose straw do they borrow? Tony’s, p. 94.
8.       How do Napoleon and the Black greet each other? With a whinny, p. 95.
9.       What does Henry hand Alec as they leave the barnyard? A key, p. 96.
10.   Where does Alec tell the story to Joe Russo? The living room of the house, p. 98.
11.   What time does Alec wake up? Just after midnight, p. 100.
12.   What is Tony moaning? Mio Dio, p. 100.
13.   Who would like to look at the horse that caused commotion? Police man
14.   What is Tony’s occupation? A huckster
Chapter 9
1.       What does Alec notice when he wakes up in his bedroom? High school banners, p. 104.
2.       What season is it when Alec returns to New York? Fall, p. 104.
3.       What language does Tony sign in? Italian, p. 105.
4.       Where are Henry’s trophies and silver cups stored? A trunk in the barn, p. 111.
5.       On which horse did Henry win the Kentucky Derby? Chang, p. 111.
6.       What spooks the Black? A low flying plane missing its motor
Chapter 10
1.       How do Henry and Alec search for the Black? Using Henry’s car, p. 116.
2.       Why are Alec’s feet soaked? Early morning dew, p. 118.
3.       What sound was in the woods at the park? Woodpecker, p. 120.
4.       When Alec finds the Black, what does he look like? Dirty with burrs, p. 121.
5.       What does Alec’s mom serve for breakfast? Griddle cakes and sausages, p. 126.
6.       Who is concerned Alec will neglect his studies because of his horse? Alec’s mom, p. 127.
Chapter 11
1.       What colour is the jockey cap?  Green, p 130
2.       How is the bundle of riding equipment wrapped?  In newspapers, p. 131
3.       What number is Henry’s riding number? 3, p. 130
4.       How did Chang die?  Blood clot after winning the race, p. 130
5.       What stands in the way of the Black racing? They can’t prove he’s a thorough bred, p. 132
6.       How does Henry show he wants to be Alec’s partner?  He helps pay for feed, p. 133
7.       What are the names of Alec’s school friends?  Whiff and Bill, p. 137
Chapter 12
1.       What time is Alec finished his school day? 12:30 pm, p. 145
2.       Why can’t Alec concentrate on Geometry on April 1st? The first day of training Black
3.       Who leaps for the door “like a sprinter off his marks”? Alec, p. 146
4.       Where did the heavy saddle come from that they would use to train the Black? 2nd hand store, p. 148
5.       How do they strap the saddle on the horse?  With a cinch, p. 159
Chapter 13
1.       What phase of the moon is it when Henry and Alec ride at night?  Full, p. 156
2.       Who says “Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat”?  Henry, p. 158
3.       How do Henry and Alec keep Black calmer to go in the truck?  Take Napoleon too, p. 158
4.       What word is written over the Iron Gate at the racetrack?  BELMONT, p. 159
5.       Who is the watchman at Belmont?  Jake, p. 160
6.       What is the flash of silver in Jake’s hand?  A stop watch, p. 163
7.       What happens at the racetrack that makes Alec’s hands bleed?  Alec was trying to pull on reins to slow the horse down but he wouldn’t slow down, p. 166
8.       What does Alec pour on his cut hands?  Iodine, p. 172
Chapter 14
1.       How is Alec prepared for the 2nd time around the track?  Heavy gloves, tight sweater and a handkerchief to keep hair out of eyes, p. 173
2.       Match Sunraider and Cyclone to the part of the USA they’re from.  S = West, C=East
3.       Who wrote a column to suggest a Chicago race between Sunraider and Cyclone?  Jim Neville, p. 180
4.       What was the date for the race?  June 26, p. 180
5.       Why might the Black be able to join the race?  It’s not about thoroughbreds, p. 183
6.       Who owns Cyclone? Mr. E.L. Hurst, p. 180
7.       Who owns Sunraider?  Mr. C.T. Volence, p. 179
Chapter 15
1.       Who is Alec’s mom visiting in Chicago?  Alec’s aunt, p. 196
Chapter 16
1.       What’s dad’s condition for riding in the Chicago race?  Finish exams first, p. 206
2.       What does Jim give Alec before leaving for the train?  Personalized horse blanket, p. 209
3.       Why won’t the Black get into the trailer? Napoleon isn’t there, p. 211
Chapter 17
1.       What part of the train do Alec and Henry ride on? Cots with horses in freight cars, p. 214
2.       What does the rhythmic beat of the wheels seem to say to Alec?  Chicago, Chicago, Chicago, p. 216
3.       What colour is Cyclone?  Reddish, p. 220
4.       What colour is Sunraider?  Pure white, p. 221
Chapter 18
1.       What is Alec’s aunt’s name?  Aunt Bess, p. 223
2.       What does Alec’s mom and aunt notice outside the window on June 26?  Traffic Jam, p. 223
3.       What is Aunt Beth’s surprise for Mrs. Ramsay?  Tickets to the big race, p. 224
4.       What is Mrs. Ramsay’s first name?  Belle, p. 224
5.       How does Alec’s father get to Chicago for the big race?  Airplane, p. 225
6.       What is Cyclone wearing? A red robe and red blinkers, p. 228
7.       What is Sunraider wearing?  A white blanker
8.       What is noticed about Sunraider’s legs?  All 4 are bandaged, p. 228
9.       Where are some fans seated? On rooftops, p. 230
10.   What had some people been calling the mystery horse?  Neville’s Folly, p.231
11.   How many spectators are at the race? 80,000, p. 231
12.   What is like a small burr lost in the stallion’s thick, black mane?  The jockey- Alec
13.   Why does the black join the race late? Cut by Sunraider and Alec was going to treat the cut (the race announcer didn’t notice)
14.   What is placed around the Black’s neck?  A horseshoe of roses, p. 237
15.   Who gave Alec the Gold Trophy?  The governor of the state, p. 239   



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