THE RIFLE by Gary Paulsen Comprehension Questions

1768

Rifling is the process of putting spiral grooves down the bore of a rifle to spin and stabilize the patched ball as it travels. It is important for accuracy as it prevents the ball from wobbling to the side and allows for a more stable trajectory.

John Waynewright used a twist of one turn in forty inches, slightly faster than others who made rifled barrels. This slight increase made the ball spin faster and become more stable on its trajectory.

Rifles were considered an enormous improvement over smoothbore guns because they were more accurate due to rifling, which prevented the ball from wobbling to the side and allowed for a more stable trajectory.

The rifling process involved using a long wooden rod with adjustable sharpened steel teeth to make rifling grooves in the barrel. It took two weeks to create the rifling grooves, followed by a week of polishing the bore with lard and fine sand.

The craftsman collected two quarts of cow’s urine to oxidize the barrel, heating and soaking it eight times to achieve a deep plum-brown color.

The barrel was coated with refined cooking grease to enhance its appearance.

The craftsman carved the rough shape of the stock using maple wood, which proved challenging due to its rock hardness and the presence of small knots.

The function involves placing powder and a patched ball down the bore, with finer powder in a small cup called the pan. The hammer, holding a piece of flint, is cocked and placed over the powder in the pan, ready to fire through a tiny hole drilled into the chamber.

The craftsman opted for less drop in the stock to minimize recoil and increase accuracy.

Waynewright’s faster twist of one turn in thirty-five inches was used for the.40–caliber bore.

It took two weeks to create the rifling grooves.

The bore was polished with lard and fine sand.

The barrel was polished with fine sand until it shone like silver.

The craftsman's meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail resulted in the creation of a unique and functional flintlock rifle.

The craftsman collected two quarts of cow’s urine to oxidize the barrel, heating and soaking it eight times to achieve a deep plum-brown color.

He discovered all three shots had landed in the same spot.

He saw only one hole, but upon closer inspection, he discovered that all three shots had landed in the same spot.

He felt it was too special to part with.

The day after his remarkable shooting feat.

He felt it had a greater purpose and emotional attachment.

He noticed the handmade aspect of the rifle and showed interest in it.

His own rifle for Cornish to work on.

His rugged, outdoorsman character and interest in Cornish's rifle suggest a potential exchange or further involvement.

His emotional attachment to his craftsmanship and the significance he attributes to the weapon.

A potential turning point, hinting at a new direction for Cornish and his prized rifle.

It highlights his passion for rifle-making and the emotional connection he forms with his creations.

It portrays his personal and professional aspirations through his craftsmanship, dedication, and emotional investment in his work.

Dropping the hammer, striking the frizzen, and igniting the powder to propel the ball out of the barrel.

Includes dry powder, clean flint, and proper positioning of components.

Lock, trigger, springs, and hammer.

Serpentine jaw on the hammer, flattened trigger, and finely polished brass components.

Wood of the stock smoothed to a marble finish, and the brass polished to a shine.

Emotionally attached to it, but needs the money to start a family.

That it may not shoot straight, rendering it worthless.

Running a clean patch down the bore, fitting a black flint, and preparing the balls and powder.

Thirty paces away.

To ensure his own movement does not affect the rifle's performance.

Meticulous craftsmanship and emotional attachment.

Dedication and skill required for such a task.

Cornish possessed the rare blend of artistic thinking and skill needed to create a sweet rifle.

Waynewright favored functional and plain rifles, which held back Cornish's artistic abilities.

Cornish acquired a special piece of curly maple wood for the gun stock after working on bread-and-butter items for two years.

Cornish wanted to create a rifle matching the uniqueness of the wood he acquired for the gun stock.

Cornish used a .30–caliber tube and bored it out to .40 caliber for accuracy.

Trucing the barrel alone took weeks, and then he spent another two months draw-filing the outside of the barrel to have six flat sides.

Cornish was consumed by his work on the rifle in the evenings by candlelight, causing him to miss hunting season.

Fate intervened during the rifling process, further delaying the completion of the rifle.

Cornish's dedication to detail and craftsmanship slowed the rifle's production, but it was a labor of love for him.

The story illustrates the rare artistry and dedication required to create a sweet rifle, making it a symbol of craftsmanship in a time when weapons were crucial for survival.

The narrative emphasizes the rarity and artistry of sweet rifles, highlighting the dedication and skill required to create such a masterpiece in a demanding and vital industry.

He discovered that the rifle was so accurate that it shot three balls in virtually the same place.

He realized that he would never be able to sell it.

He met Clara the day after he found how sweet the rifle was, when she came with her father to pick up his fowling piece that Cornish had repaired.

Clara smiled back in a way that meant so much.

a year's worth of cured hides and a packhorse

He felt a sense of loss and missed the rifle

It emphasizes that every action has consequences and is interconnected with other events

McNary is the leader of the group, known as McNary's Rangers, and they fight for American independence.

Byam is given a saddle, cup, spoon, bowl, and supplies for his rifle.

The journey takes close to six weeks, with challenges including rain, mud, and fighting.

Byam proves to be a skilled marksman, taking down British officers at long ranges during skirmishes.

The text captures Byam's unexpected transition from a fugitive to a member of a group fighting for American independence.

Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence from England.

The British soldiers found stored powder and lead on the Bainbridge farm.

John Byam intervened and shot a British officer, but was unable to save Bainbridge.

Byam narrowly escaped by riding into the woods, but his horse was mortally wounded.

Byam eluded the British soldiers by steering the packhorse into the woods.

The text sets the stage for the beginning of the Revolutionary War.

The events highlight the tensions leading to the war and individuals' choices in the conflict.

England added taxes to Colonial produce and products to prevent American domination.

Bainbridge was caught aiding rebels and faced execution by hanging.

Byam's escape was nearly foiled, but he and the packhorse fell into a ravine.

Byam fled on horseback, with British soldiers in pursuit.

The British soldiers found stored powder and lead on the Bainbridge farm.

Byam's accuracy with his rifle and his adeptness at targeting British officers from long distances.

The maker, Cornish, succumbed to dysentery, a common cause of death for soldiers in that era.

It was taken by a woman named Sarah, who had lost her sons in the war, and eventually placed in her attic, remaining hidden and forgotten.

It remained hidden in the attic as the house changed ownership, and a wealthy bachelor bought the house without knowing about the rifle.

It is a tale of skill, tragedy, and the passage of time.

He succumbed to dysentery, which was a common cause of death for soldiers in that era.

It remained hidden in the attic as the house changed ownership, and its whereabouts remained unknown.

He bought the house without knowing about the rifle in the attic, leading to the rifle's whereabouts remaining unknown and hidden away.

It remained hidden in the attic, eventually forgotten and its whereabouts unknown.

It reflects a tale of skill, tragedy, and the passage of time.

It remained hidden in the attic, as the house changed ownership, and its whereabouts remained unknown and forgotten.

He bought the house without knowing about the rifle in the attic, leading to the rifle's whereabouts remaining unknown and hidden away.

A man

Over 200 years

Christmas candles

He lit the fireplace and the candles

A man named Harv

A spark from the touchhole ignition

The boy becomes smitten with love for the heavy equipment, and he spends his mornings observing the men driving the machinery and pushing the earth.

The parents often observed the boy and a small friend playing with their toys in the sand at the side of the driveway, and the Border collie sat there, watching them intently, as if trying to help them play.

The significant change is that the boy begins to have friends other than the dog, and the dog becomes accustomed to the child being there all the time and stays with him just the same.

The event that captures the boy's attention and fascination is the heavy equipment moving into the lot next to them and pushing out dirt to build a house. After this, he spends his mornings running outside and sitting on the edge of the property with the collie next to him, watching the men drive the machinery and push the earth.

Harv is responsible for the deadly rifle incident, and the consequences include Richard's death, his parents' grief, Harv's own guilt, and his eventual death in a vehicular accident.

The rifle is thrown into Muddy Creek by Harv but is found and preserved by a man named Tilson.

Tilson believes that guns don't kill people, people do. He cleans and preserves the rifle, storing it in a walnut-veneer gun case.

The uncertain fate of the rifle is that it could potentially become a valuable collector's item.

The ball from the exploding rifle hits and kills Richard in 1.43 seconds.

The ball from the rifle travels at over 1200 feet per second when it hits Richard.

Richard's mother ends up in a state mental hospital due to her struggle with grief after Richard's death.

Tilson cleans and preserves the rifle, storing it in a walnut-veneer gun case.

Harv blames himself for the accident and dies in an alcohol-induced vehicular accident four years later.

The rifle's fate remains uncertain and could potentially become a valuable collector's item, adding an element of mystery and potential significance to the story.

The deadly rifle incident has a profound impact, leading to Richard's death, his parents' grief, Harv's guilt, and eventual death, as well as the involvement of other characters like Tilson in the preservation of the rifle.

The deadly rifle incident serves as a pivotal event, leading to significant consequences for the characters involved and adding layers of complexity to the narrative.

A husky man with a tee shirt that barely covered his muscles.

Santa brought him heavy metal toys.

Being taken to a dinosaur museum by his grandfather.

The family moved to Missouri, and the boy had a collie as his constant companion.

An elderly fighter pilot.

Harv Kline had two children, and the collie would play with and watch over them.

A best friend named Dennis and his first girlfriend named Peggy.

Due to his lack of interaction with them before moving to Missouri.

Peggy broke the ice and talked to the boy after his best friend, Dennis, teased her about the boy's feelings for her.

The presence of the collie provided the boy with constant companionship and a sense of security in his new neighborhood.

His early experiences and interactions with people and animals influenced his passions and social development during his childhood.

Safety measures included keeping it in pitch-dark rooms on sailing ships and using wet blankets to prevent sparks.

Exposure to air caused black powder to absorb moisture, cake, and become inert.

John Byam took great care in loading the rifle to prevent the powder from caking and ruining over time.

Muzzle-loading rifles used powder and ball, making it difficult to determine if they were loaded, leading to many accidents.

Black powder, used in muzzle-loading rifles, was highly explosive and required extreme caution in handling and storage.

Exposure to air caused black powder to absorb moisture, cake, and become inert, which could have happened over 217 years.

The rifle, passed down through generations, was never checked for being loaded, as it lacked a breech and the method to verify was not widely known.

Richard's journey from childhood to adolescence is marked by changes influenced by his relationship with Peggy, evolving interests, and aspirations.

Peggy influenced Richard's journey from childhood to adolescence through their relationship.

The rifle, lacking a breech, was never checked for being loaded, as the method to verify was not widely known.

Muzzle-loading rifles used powder and ball, making it difficult to determine if they were loaded, leading to many accidents.

Safety measures included keeping it in pitch-dark rooms on sailing ships and using wet blankets to prevent sparks.