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Questions: Preface 1. What were the Chinese crews working on? The crews were working on a trans-continental railroad. 2. Tell me about the Manchus group from China. The Manchus group from China was a group of barbarians that do bad things and kill everyone that is known as a stranger. 3. Who were the "Strangers" and what did they do? The strangers were a group of men that Otters birth mother was and gave aid to the Manchus gang. 4. Why were many people from China coming to the United States? So they would not be killed and there would not be as much war.

Chapter 1 1. Why was Otter able to leave school? What made him so special? Otter was able to leave school because it was the day of his father and uncles homecoming and they were some of the best sacrificing men in their crew and because of this Otters family was well known and was able to make big contibution to their town. 2. Why was Stumpy hit across the palm? He was hit because he was laughing at Otter and because Otter's family had sacrificed so much in war for China, the family should be resecpted for all they have done so Stumpy shouldn't of acted like the bully he was. 3. Why did Uncle Bucky treat Otter like a "pet?" Because Otter was nice and because of his familys reputation in Golden Mountain related things he would most likley be well known so peeple would most likley want to get to know him and be his friend andbe well liked by him. 4. What was the "work" that mother was talking about? She meant working on the railroad. 5. Who was Uncle Foxfire and what was he famous for? Uncle Foxfire is a man who fought at the Golden Mountain and was well known because he sacrificed alot for china. 6. Why do you think the village is making a big deal about Otter's father and uncle coming back home? Because they had fought very bravely at the Golden Mountain and they both had sacrificed alot for china and its people.

Chapter 2 1. What happened to the Golden Cat? He was a fossil that refused to send any of his family to the Golden Mountain. He thought that he could keep one hop ahead of bad times. But yet his son Stony is one of the Tenants. 2. Why does Otter want to go to the Golden Mountain? Otter wanted to come to America because he thought America was better than China because there was not as much war and violence and he probably thought that when he got older he woud have less cchances of getting killed. 3. Why didn't Otter give Stumpy's mother a bowl of rice? He did not gi ve her a bowl of rice because Otter thought that is mother was cruel or mean. 4. What is the problem so far in this story? I think the problen so far in this story is that, otter's father and uncle just came back from the Golden Moutain and Otter is not acting to excited because he is to busy thinking about what he really wants to do which is go to America.

Chapter 3

1. Why was the family celebrating and having a banquet? They were having a banquet because Uncle Foxfire and Otter's father fust came home from fighting bravly at the Golden Mountain. 2. Who is the "Watch?" The Watch is a group os bodygaurds or security. 3. Why did the group of beggars come in and interrupt the party? They came because they wanted food and wanted money or something good to trade for opium. For example, they tried to steal uncle pines robe. 4. What was the uncle's plan to keep the British and opium out of China? His uncles plan was to use Amerian weapons to fight the british. 5. Why was father called a clown and Uncle Foxfire called a prophet? He was called a clown because he is always joking around. Uncle Firefox was called a prophet because to was a fearless strong leader. 6. Why does Otter want to follow his father and uncle? He wants to go with them to the Golden Mountain because he wants see a different part of the world and explore a new continent while fighting for China. 7. Why do you think the mother might listen to Uncle Foxfire more than Otter and his father? She would listen to Uncle Foxfire because he is her brother and she looks up to him and he is such a strong battle leader and for example if otter went to the Golden Mountain, she would trust him to look after Otter. 8. What do you think is the main idea of this chapter? I think the main idea is Otter wanting to go to the Golden Mountain with his father and uncle but his mother wants him to stay home with her.

Chapter 4 1. What was the main idea of this chapter? The main idea of this chapter was the conversation between Uncle Foxfire, Otter's mother and father and Otter about taking Otter to the Golden Mountain because for Otter it could be a life changing opportunity. 2. What questions do you have from chapter 4? Some questions I had were... What is tonic? What is lattice? Why are uncle foxfire and Otter's father having trouble with english when earlyer in the book they weren't having alot of trouble? Chapter 5 1. How does a goldfish turn into a dragon? A goldfish can turn into a dragon when it makes a long difficult swim upstream and swim between the gate and tured into a dragon. 2. What happened to the drunken Manchus and Otter? The Manchus was sitting next to Otter and Cricket at the resturant and when Otter asked him to stop singing he got angry and puled out his sharp tool and waved in front of Otter's face but Otter pushed it away and he got even more angry but when he tried to do something he knocked himself out on a chiar leg.

Chapter 6 1. What did it mean when mother told Otter that he was, "neither Stranger nor Young?" It meant that Otter did not have a true backround of heritage so he really did not belong in any catergory of groups of people of the same kind. 2. Describe Otter's birth mom and dad? What were they like? How did they die? Otter's birthparents were different yet alike. Otter's mother, Aster, was small yet very lively. Otter's mother described her as a peppercorn. She died in a massecare of the Manchus. Otter's father, Tiny, was very tall and muscular and he was a blacksmith. He deid in battle when he sacrificed his life for his friends and family. 3. Why is it not safe for Otter to remain at home? It is not safe for Otter to stay in Three Willows because since he killed a Manchus, he could be tracked down and killed by another Manchus because he did the the same to a man f their kind. 4. What does it mean when it says, "Tiny never lived long enough to see ice?" It probbaly means that he deid before the season of winter came to the Golden Mountain and because he did not see ice because ice comes in winter. 5. Why does mother want Otter to study father's letters as if his life depended on it? She probably wants him to do that because if anything ever comes across him that letter could of taught him, he could use his fathers letters as advice and in case something happened to him or the letters, they would always be in his mind. 6. Who do you think the woman is at the end of this chapter? Why is the wind howling, "Don't go, don't go?" she is probably saying that because she probably just lost someone important in her life and she doesn't want them to leave her and she is still greiving abut her loss.

Chapter 7 1. Why did Otter and Brush get into a fight? They got into a fight beause Brush was gooing to look and steal Otter's things so Otter used his skills and backround knowledge to take down Brush so he would not do anything to him so the chance of fighting happening again would decrease. In the story It said that Otter's birthfather came across this sam problem and this is a time when his letter would come in handy to give Otter something to do if the same thingg were to happen to him. 2. How did the westerners make the goldfields into wastelands? They turned it into wastelands by taking the god out of the moutains. 3. Where were Shifty, Brush and Otter going? They were going to work in the camps and work ant the holes that had been dug which were dug to make laying railroad easier. 4. How does Otter think he might find father and his uncle? When he gets to the camp he sees a group of T'ang men which are men of his kind and tries and searches everywhere to find his father and uncle Foxfire.

Chapter 8 1. Who are the demons that they are talking about in this chapter? The demons in this chapter are the westners, (americans), that were talking to Otter about the snow plows. 2. What was so useful about this snowplow? The snow plows were useful because the machine moved snow away from the railroad tracks. 3. How did Sean save Otter? Sean saved otter when he was about to fall f the side of the wagon onto the cliff side but before he slipped sean grabbed him and pulled him back in the wagon. 4. Describe the camp. At the camp there were many men working which meant thaat it was like summerfest on opening day, snow plows and other machines and locomotives driving around the dirty camp, snow falling and there was snow and ice on the ground, shacks homes and other living spaces and areas crowded close together in the camp. Chapter 9

1. Why did Shrimp speak to them in rhymes? Shrimp spoke in rhymes because it was and simpler way to find out what lauguage other people spoke. 2. What did it mean when father said, "you hopped out of the soup pot and into the fire?" This saying meant that Otter got himself in to way worse troble that he had already had to deal with and take on. 3. Describe Otter in this chapter. How is he changing from the beginning of the book? Throughout the story, Otter has become more mature and confident in himself for example him having to go to the Golden mountain. 4. What do you predict will happen next? I think that Otter will get killed or hurt or something will happen to his father or uncle because if not somehow it feels like there is not to much information to continue the story with.

Chapter 10

1. What did father mean when he said that, "Victory is 20 centimeters a shift?" He means that their win is not to far to come and in it 20 cenimeters of work ahead. 2. What is the point that they are talking about? Why does no one like working at the point? They are not working because they all know about minng explosins aroung where they have been working. 3. On page 110, it says that uncle was arguing "vehemently," what does this mean? It means that as he was arguing, he was strongly putting forth his anger to the discussion. 4. Who is Strobridge and Kilroy? Strobrige was the leader of the men and Kilroy was the supervisement to Strobridge and the men. 5. So what half-truths is Uncle Foxfire talking about? The half truths they Uncle foxfire was that he didn't tell his family about the hard times he had expierenced in America and all the other bad things that had happened there he was telling a real truth. 6. Why is Otter so upset at the end of this chapter? He is upset because America was not what he thought and expected to be.

Chapter 11 1. What happened to Shaky? Shaky almost got blown up and killed with the rest of his group and men. 2. What is a "greenhorn?" A greehorn is a inexpierenced person that could be new to a crew and is usless. 3. Why did father slap Otter's wrist? He slapped his wrist because he didnt want to to get sick from eating the cold snow. 4. Explain the ending of this chapter? At the ending of this chapter,Otter found out that his uncle foxfire lead a group of misfits and reilied that the men were not making to much pogress so he relized that 20 cemimeters really meant alot.

Chapter 12

1. How can you not like each other but still be an efficient crew? By not liking each other but still making a stable crew, you have to work together and try to stick together and stay on the good sides of the men in your crew because you could get fired or hurt by someone who does no like you. 2. What were the holes for? If these are the holes I am thinking of, they would put dynimite at the bottom of the holes then when it exploded it would be deeper and it is easyer to do rather than digging. 3. What was meant when they said, "Fire in the heading?" They meant that the dynomite was on fire. 4. What was meant when father said to Otter, "Don't be a martyr?" It meant that tter should not be acting weak and stubborn probably because at the Golden Mountain if he represents himself in great power, he could be in great power. 5. Why did Kilroy call Uncle Foxfire, "John?" Kilroy called uncle foxfire John because since Kilroy does not know hw to speak chinese and uncle foxfire is not good with english, he could not find out his real name so he called him john.

Chapter 13

1. What did Uncle Foxfire mean when he said that Otter looked at the world as black and white but he looked at it in shades of gray? He means that when you are younger you see the world differently then older people do because you think differently and have different ways of looking at it. 2. Who is the Tiger? The Tiger is the mountain that they have been working on. 3. Why is it so important that Otter get some sort of hobby? It is important that he got a hobby because then he would be able to trade Packy for would he coud do or make for something he could use or needed. 4. What are the three rules the cabin chose to live by? The three rules were, 1: Keep warm, 2: Keep clean. 3: Keep dry 5. Why didn't Uncle Foxfire or father help Otter? He did not get help from him because he broke the rules so he was unworthy of his uncles help. 6. Who is Sean? Why did he say, " 'Tis he that's the lucky one?" Sean is a westerner who works at the camp but he is the lucky one because his time is done at the camp and he does not have to go anymore. 7. Explain the last paragraph of this chapter - what did it mean? At the end of this chapter it was talking about Otter thinking about his dream of coming to America but reilzing that it wasn't worth coming to after all yet if he didn't come he could be in danger.

Chapter 14

1. What does it mean when Uncle Foxfire referred to all westerners as "equal?" He said that because they all had equal rights at the camp yet they were poor and rich. 2. Why did Otter run his arm through the bucket of tea? Otter ran his hand through the bucket of tea because when he was mad at one other crew member, he ran his hand through to scoop some tea up and splash at him. 3. Why was Otter supposed to stay away from Sean? Otter was supposed to stay away from him because they didn't really like westerners and his father did not want his son to hang around Sean. 4. Why is Otter determined to disobey his father? He wants to disobey him because he wants to be friends with Sean because he doesn't have many friends at the camp and he has never disobeyed his father before and wanted to see how it felt.

Chapter 15 1. Who was Sean fighting and what was the fight about? Sean was fighting Kiroy and they were fighting because Sean did not want to work at the camp with his dad anymore so he took his anger out on Kilroy, (his father). 2. Why did Kilroy tell the guy that it was ok to fight his son? Otter's father did not like westerners and Kilroy did not realy like chinese men so Kilroy was upset thatt Sean was hanging out with Otter so Kilroy to the man he could fight his son because he was mad and upest with Sean. 3. On page 171 Otters states that he was, "preparing for a tirade," what did he mean? A tirade is fast heavy and usually angry buisness, so because he hung out with Sean again his father would be very mad at him so he was almost preparing for the worst because he knew what was coming. 4. Why did Otter's father say he was sorry to his son? Otter's father said he was sorry because he had told his son not to hang around Sean or talk to him and he was the only person Otter was comfortabe talking to him and he was his only real friend.

Chapter 16 1. Why did Otter want to talk to Bright Star about his plan to help Doggy? O tter wanted to talk to Bright Star because he wanted help Doggy because his ove of music had taken over him and he wanted to help fofill his dream. He also did it not he would have something to do and not be bored in his cabin and his music sooted him and reminded him of home. 2. Why did Bright Star decide that Otter should give Doggy the moon guitar? Bright Stra agreed to give Doggy the moon guitar because he loves music so much and because it was Otter's idea.

Chapter 17 1. What was the irony of Doggy getting frostbite on his fingers? The terrible irony of Doggy getting frostbite on his fingers is that he could not play nice music on his new moon guitar Otter got for him. 2. Why did Otter stay to watch? Otter stayed to watch because if he left everying in his cabin would think he was a coward.

Chapter 18

1. What did Uncle Foxfire mean when he said, "We'll make a guest out of you yet?" I think hemeant that Otter shouldn't get to comfortable because he still has a lot more work and choirs to do. 2. What do you think caused the explosion? I think that instead of using their picax, someone used dynamite because they were to lazy and it ended up doing something worse then they intended it to be. Or something happened to one of the charges and some rubble fell in the tunell and dirt and smoke were everywhere. 3. Why wasn't Uncle Foxfire worried about Otter's father? He probably wasn't afraid because he knows that he is a tough strong man and whatever happened he wuld find a way to recover or get himself free.

Chapter 19

1. Why did Uncle Foxfire apologize to Otter? He probably apologized because since Otter's father was missing from their group, they went to go looking for them instead of getting away from the mess and keeping themself safe and since Otter is younger, all the smoke form the explosion was probably hard on him. 2. What did father mean when he said, "Don't try to trick the trickster?" He probably meant, don't play tricks on the tiger or something might happen to you and i will trick you back. 3. Describe how Otter felt by the end of this chapter towards the tiger. He was upset about what happened and he was mad at what he quote on quote did to his father.

Chapter 20

1. Why do they describe their living/working situation as a battlefield? Their living situation at the camp was dangerous, dirty and sometimes somkey, cold and Otter was not comfortable there so sometimes he felt scared. 2. Why did Otter insist that he and father had quit? He insited this because his father went blind which meant he could not do much work anymore so he said he should leave and Otter said that about himself because he didnt want to be there anymore and he probably still wanted to be with his dad. 3. Why did Kilroy have to use the whip? What was this a symbol of? Kilroy had to use the whip on Otter and hit him with it because he was disobeying and yelling at his commands. The is the symbol of dishonor. 4. Why did father talk Otter into standing up and giving in to Kilroy's demands? His father talked him into that because things would only get worse and Otter was already making things worse. 5. Make a prediction as to what will happen next? I think that Otter may go back to the three willows and the Manchus will find him and hurt him. If he stays things may get better for him.

Chapter 21

1. What does it mean when Uncle Foxfire said, "Anger is a luxury up here?"

2. Why did Uncle Foxfire let Otter say such awful things to him?

3. How can Uncle Foxfire make a promise that he's not sure he can keep?

Chapter 22

1. What did the Tiger symbolize to Otter?

2. Why does everyone cough?

3. Why was Uncle Foxfire willing to take orders from Keg Mouth?

4. Tell me about the ending of this chapter. Now what questions do you have?

Chapter 23

1. Otter once thought of Uncle Foxfire as a legend, what is a legend?

2. Why does Otter admire Uncle Foxfire? Give examples/evidence to support your answer.

3. What is the plan to get off the mountain and go home?