Life on the Mississippi

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

Prologue-Chapter XV

Reading Check

1. What does Twain dream of becoming as a young boy?

2. Who trained Twain while he worked on the Paul Jones?

3. Who does Mr. Bixby claim would have killed Twain if Twain had described the route of the Mississippi River to him?

4. Which of Twain’s rivals nearly drowns but ends up appearing heroic?

5. What does Twain believe to be the best profession, practiced by the “freest men in America”?

Short Answer

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

1. What is the purpose of Twain’s comparison of the Mississippi River and other bodies of water, including the Nile and Amazon Basin?

2. Why does Twain include the Mississippi River’s history in his narrative? What makes him become a pilot?

3. In what way does Twain refer to his other literary works to describe life on and near the river?

4. What are Twain’s depictions of his own pride? What is the effect of pride on how others perceive him?

5. What does Twain find surprising about navigating the Mississippi River once he does it for himself? What effect does navigation of the Mississippi have on some of the pilots?