Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

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

Chapters 1-8

Reading Check

1. Why does Mrs. Frisby go to see Mr. Ages?

2. What does the owl tell Mrs. Frisby to do?

3. How many children does Mrs. Frisby have?

4. What is going to happen in five days?

5. Why does the owl decide to help Mrs. Frisby?

6. Where do the Frisbys live?

7. Who is the animal Mrs. Frisby must watch out for the most?

Short Answer

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

1. Why is Mrs. Frisby worried about moving?

2. Whom does Mrs. Frisby set free, and how do they repay her?

3. How does Mrs. Frisby get to the owl?

Paired Resource

“What Does Home Mean to You?”

• Habitat for Humanity asks readers to define what “home” means to them. The personal stories and quotations on this site connect to the theme The Meaning of Home.
• What does the concept of home mean to you? How does home make you feel?

“Adaptation and Survival”

• A short article from National Geographic that details specific kinds of animal adaptations
• Connects to the novel’s theme of Adapting in the Face of Forces More Powerful Than Oneself
• What are some other ways that animals change their behaviors to adapt to their environment?