Dear Mr Kilmer Chapter

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DEAR MR KILMER – CHAPTER 1
1. Why is it freezing?
It is snowing
2. How was the weather?
cold
3. Who is Richard’s brother?
Gus
4. How far was the hike to their hunting cabin?
5 miles
5. “The woods were silent, and any sound would carry a long way”. Why do you think it is
important to stay silent?(pg 1)
The noise will make the animals run away
6. What is the setting of place in this chapter?
A creek in Iowa
7. Where are they going?
To their hunting cabin
8. What was Richard’s big day supposed to be?
To kill his first deer
9. How many people were in the cabin? Who are they?
Three. Richard, Gus and Pa
10. How old is Richard?
15 years old
11. Describe the characters:

RICHARD PA GUS ANGIE

Pale and slender Dark and brawny Dark and Dark and brawny, a
brawny little stout

12. Who was Richard’s sister?

Angie
13. When did Richard's mother die?
When Richard was seven
14. Describe the sound made by the stream
Gentle, pleasant gurgling sound
15. Why did the deer go to the large pool?
To drink
16. What did Richard, Gus and their dad do at the leafless bushes?
They crouch down to wait for the deer
17. What is a buck?
A male deer
18. How far was the deer from them?
Less than 50 feet away
19. Why was it a perfect target?
The side is turned towards the hunters
20. Who raised the rifle first?

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Gus

21. Why did Richard wished the deer to flee back into the woods? (Pg4)
so that he does not have to kill it
22. Why could the deer not smell them?
Because they place themselves upwind of the pool
23. Why did Richard raised the rifle a mere quarter of an inch?
He does not want to shoot and kill animals
24. It wouldn't have been a clean kill. You'd have just wounded him-we don't let that happen if
we can help it (pg 5). What do you understand from this?
The deer will get hurt and died painfully.
25. What is the meaning of clean kill?
Kill it with one shot
26. Gus said ’That boy's no kin of me” what does he mean?
They are not blood related
27. Why did Gus stomp back up the slope?
he was angry because they are leaving without any kill.
28. “Don't you go another step without unloading that rifle, Gus” Pa called out. This showed
that Pa is..
A very carefull perso n
29. Why do they have to unload their gun?
For their safety
30. Why did Richard’s father want to talk to him?
He wanted to know/understand Richards
31. What was Richard’s reason for not shooting the animal?
He feels he does not have the right to kill animals/he does not like killing animals
32. “You missed that buck on purpose. Why son? What is your opinion on Pa after reading this
part?
Pa is a very understanding person
33. Who is Roland? What happened to him?
Pa’s brother. He died in war.
34. Why was Gus popular in school and what is he good at?
He is a terrific athlete who is good in football
35. How is the relationship between Gus and Richard?
They are not very close
36. Why did Gus scold Richard?
Because Richard missed the shot
37. Why did Richard not want to be in the baseball team?

38. Who work more on the farm?

39. Did Gus feel sad after killing an animal?
40. What is Gus nickname for Richard?

41. What was the craziest idea Gus was talking about?(pg10)
42. “Did Pa realise how differently he and his eldest son felt about hunting”. What are the
differences? (pg11)

43. What was Gus’s favourite topic?

44. Name the countries that were involved in the war?

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45. What was Pa's reaction when Gus wanted to join the army?
46. Why did Gus father not allow him to join the army?
47. What is it about War that Richard dreaded? Give 4 reasons.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
48. What did Gus and his father argued about after dinner?
49. Where did Richard slip away to while they were arguing?
50. Who was Angie and what was she doing? (pg 14)
51. How did Richard help his sister in the kitchen?
52. How old was Angie when her mother died?
53. Why did Angie quit school?
54. List (6) the life of a full-time women’s life then?
I
Ii
Iii
Iv
v.
vi

55. Who did Richard’s father lose in life?

56. How old was Richard when he first went hunting?
57. What was the ‘painful childhood emotions’ that Richard had?
58. Why did Richard open his desk drawer?
59. Rewrite the poem Richard had written when he was 8 years old

60. What was in the drawer?

61. Did anyone know that Richard wrote poetry?
62. Why do you think Richard keeps his poem writing a secret?
63. Why do you think Richard lock the poems in the drawer?
64. Do you think Richard is strange?
65. Which character do you think is the most interesting in this chapter? Why?
66. What is a frostbite?

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