A Walk in the Woods

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

CHAPTERS 1-2

Reading Check

1. When does Bryson plan to start his hike?

2. What does Bryson worry about the most before he starts hiking?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why does Bryson have reservations about traveling with Katz?

Paired Resource

“A Guide to Safety on the Appalachian Trail”

• This guide to safety on the AT from The New York Times describes the major dangers that hikers face and how to stay safe. (Subscription may be required for viewing.)
• This article connects to the theme of Wilderness and Civilization.
• Bryson shares a fear of bear attacks while on the trail. How do Bryson’s perceived risks compare to the actual dangers hikers usually encounter?

CHAPTERS 3-4

Reading Check

1. Where do Bryson and Katz start their journey?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why does Katz use toilet paper as a coffee filter?

2. According to Bryson, what is the main reason that the Forest Service builds so many roads?

CHAPTERS 5-6

Reading Check

1. How does Mary Ellen describe Katz and Bryson to other hikers?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What is “Trail Magic”?

2. Why is it ironic that Katz and Bryson get stuck in a blizzard?

CHAPTERS 7-8

Reading Check

1. Who are the other occupants of the Birch Spring Gap Shelter?

2. Where do Bryson and Katz drive after they get to Gatlinburg?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why do Bryson and Katz decide to skip part of the trail?

CHAPTERS 9-10

Reading Check

1. What does Bryson call people who hike the whole trail in a single season?

2. Besides noodles, what does Katz know how to cook?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What rationale does Bryson provide for skipping part of the AT?

Paired Resource

“Tales From the Appalachian Trail”

• This article from Smithsonian describes 10 of the most famous hikers of the AT, some of whom Bryson describes in this chapter.
• This article connects to the theme of The History of the Appalachian Trail.
• How have the stories of famous hikers influenced the Appalachian Trail’s popularity and reputation? What impact have they had on hiking culture or outdoor recreation more generally? How have the stories of famous hikers influenced Bryson’s perspective on the Appalachian Trail?

CHAPTERS 11-12

Reading Check

1. What chore does Katz enjoy?

2. What does Katz steal from the rude woman in the shelter?

Short Answer

1. Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

2. Why does Bryson have difficulty getting to Kmart?

CHAPTERS 13-14

Reading Check

1. What is the “strangest, saddest town” Bryson has ever seen? (Chapter 14)

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How does Bryson decide to hike parts of the AT during the summer?

2. Why is the Pennsylvania section of the AT unpopular?

CHAPTERS 15-16

Reading Check

1. Whom does Bryson say are the real losers in the forests of the East Coast?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How does Bryson feel about hiking through the “protected corridor”?

2. What is Chicken John famous for?

CHAPTERS 17-18

Reading Check

1. Who joins Bryson on his hikes in New Hampshire?

2. What does Bryson find most interesting in the Mount Washington museum?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What does Bryson find surprising about his hike up Mount Washington?

Paired Resource

“The Fight Over the Future of Mount Washington”

• This article from New Hampshire Public Radio discusses a recent effort to add a hotel and restaurant to the top of Mount Washington.
• This article connects to the theme of Wilderness and Civilization.
• What are some pros and cons of this proposition? How might Bryson respond to these arguments?

CHAPTERS 19-21

Reading Check

1. What does Katz propose as an alternative to carrying a pack?

2. What percentage of the AT does Bryson complete?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What does Katz admit after they see the moose?

2. What causes the argument between Katz and Bryson?

Recommended Next Reads 

The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson

• In this book by the same author, Bryson travels around small-town America, observing the land and the people he encounters.
• Shared themes include Wilderness and Civilization.
• Shared topics include traveling and adventure.
• The Lost Continent on SuperSummary

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

• This book explores the life of Christopher McCandless, a young man who ventured into the Alaskan wilderness in search of a raw, transcendent experience.
• Shared themes include Wilderness and Civilization and Isolation and Companionship.
• Shared topics include nature, self-discovery, and travel.
• Into the Wild on SuperSummary