The Pony Express
Reading Comprehension Quiz
Which happened first?
The Pony Express was started.
The train line to California was finished.
The first telegraph line to California was finished.
Settlers rushed to California to find gold.
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Which best explains why Pony Express riders had to weigh less than 125 pounds?
Horses were scared of heavier men.
Horses could move quicker with lighter men.
Heavier men were more expensive.
Heavier men scared customers.
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How fast could the Pony Express take a letter from California to Missouri?
24 hours
twenty days
one month
ten days
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How do you know this? Cite the text in your answer.
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Why were the Pony Express stations about ten miles apart?
This was as far as a horse could run without getting tired.
This was about as far as a man could walk in a single day.
This was as far as a man could ride on a horse in a day.
This was so the riders wouldn't get so lonely at night.
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Which was probably not a requirement to be a rider for the Pony Express?
You had to be brave in the face of danger.
You had to be light.
You had to be able to read and write.
You had to be an expert horse rider.
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Which best describes that main idea of the fifth paragraph?
It is about how many Pony Express stations there were.
It is about how far the Pony Express riders would go in a day.
It is about how the Pony Express carried mail so quickly.
It is about how the Pony Express riders slept in the stations.
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Which of these ended the Pony Express?
The Civil War
The train line
The telegraph
Wars with Native Americans
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How do you know this? Use the text in your response.
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About how far did Pony Express riders travel on a usual day?
200 miles
10 miles
100 miles
2000 miles
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How many mail pouches did the Pony Express lose?
Too many to keep track
Two
The Pony Express never lost a mail pouch.
One
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Which title best describes the author's purpose in writing this?
The Pony Express: Stories of Their Bravery in Battle
Out of Touch: Why Phones are Faster Than Horses
Back in Touch: Why We Should Use Horses to Deliver the Mail
The Pony Express: About the 1860's Fastest Mail Service
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How was the Pony Express able to move letters across the country so quickly? Refer to the text in your answer.
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How did the California Gold Rush help to create a need for the Pony Express? Use the text to support your response.
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Why was the Pony Express no longer needed? Refer to the text in your answer.
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The Pony Express
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