Reading Comprehension: Island of the Blue Dolphins

Who is the narrator of the story?

• Scott O'Dell

• an outside voice that is not a character in the book

• a man from Karana's tribe

• Karana

Who is Chief Chowig?

• Karana's brother

• Karana's father

• the leader of the Aleut hunters

• the interpreter who translates between two languages

How did the island get its name?

• It looks like the shape of a dolphin lying on its side.

• The dolphins that swim around the island are bright blue.

• The tribe believes its ancestors were dolphins.

• Dolphins come to the island every year to give birth to their babies.

What is the best description of daily conditions on the island?

• very cold

• windy

• hot and dry

• rainy and wet

Karana's brother, Ramo, was...

• very helpful with gathering roots.

• older and wiser than she was.

• small, imaginative, and sometimes foolish.

Why did Chief Chowig not trust Captain Orlov?

• He feared all strangers.

• He remembered another time when Aleuts came to hunt.

• Captain Orlov and his men treat the members of the tribe poorly.

Why did the Aleuts come to Ghalas-at?

• to find fish to eat

• to fix their ship

• to hunt otter

• because they were lost

What agreement did Chief Chowig reach with the Aleut captain?

• The tribe would share their fish with the Aleuts.

• The Aleuts would help the tribe build better boats.

• He would marry the chief’s daughter.

• The Aleuts would pay the tribe in goods for the otter they hunted, and each would get equal parts.

What three signs were noted that suggested that the hunters were getting ready to leave?

• The Aleuts made a large fire and burned their trash.

• Captain Orlov trimmed his beard

• The Aleut woman spent a whole afternoon cleaning her aprons.

• The Aleuts stopped sharpening spears & focused on cleaning otter pelts.

What was the first sign of trouble with the Aleuts?

• When the tribe of Ghalas-at found a school of white bass

• When the Aleuts arrived

• When Captain Orlov trimmed his beard

• When Karana & Ramo were digging up roots to harvest