Fahrenheit 451…
Read pages 1-29 (until “The flutter of the cards…”) and answer the following questions in complete
sentences.
Reading Comprehension Questions:
1. What memory is Montag reminded of when he looks at the light in Clarisse’s eyes?
2. What are the two things that Clarisse’s uncle was arrested for?
3. The conversation with Clarisse reminds Montag of another conversation he once had with who?
4. What object does Montag accidentally kick and why does it cause him to call the hospital?
5. Why doesn’t a doctor come to the house?
6. How did Mildred become an expert in reading lips?
7. What does Mildred want Montag to buy, and what is Montag’s response?
8. Why does Clarisse need to see a psychiatrist?
9. What game do the men play with the mechanical hound?
10. Describe what Clarisse means when she says “people don’t talk about anything.”
11. How did a fireman in Seattle commit suicide?
Inference Questions: Remember to write you answers to the inference questions like this…
I inferred that ... because I read…
1. During the first paragraph of the book, you can infer that Montag is doing what?
2. What can you infer about fireman based on Clarisse’s reaction to Montag on the sidewalk?
3. What can you infer about Montag’s happiness based on his response to Clarisse’s question?
4. What can you infer about Montag’s wife and marriage based on the author’s use of word “mausoleum”
when describing the bedroom?
5. You can infer that the hidden wasp/seashells are actually what?
6. You can infer that the reason why Montag wants to join Clarisse’s family and listen to their
conversations is because…?
7. What can you infer about Mildred’s character based on her behavior and interaction with Montag the
morning after her suicide attempt?
8. What can you infer about Montag’s ventilator grill?
9. What can you infer about society based on the “blurs” and billboards, and the differences between
Clarisse and her peers?
Fahrenheit 451…
Read pages 29-60 (until “Montag watched through the window…”) and answer the
following questions in complete sentences.
Reading Comprehension Questions:
1. What happened to the last man that Montag and the fire crew “fixed?”
2. What do the other firemen show Montag when he suggests that fireman used to put
out fires?
3. How does the woman act and what does she say when the firemen first arrive at her
house?
4. Why is Montag upset that the woman is still in the house?
5. What does Montag’s hand do as Montag is running up the stairs?
6. What does the woman do that causes the firemen to rush out of the house?
7. Who is Latimer and what does he have to do with the woman and her books?
8. Where does Montag hide the book?
9. What does it mean when it says that Mildred’s words were like a 2 year old’s?
10. Where did Mildred and Montag meet?
11. What is Montag’s criticism of Mildred’s television shows?
12. What happened to Clarisse?
13. Why is Montag thinking of quitting his job, and what is Mildred’s reaction?
14. Why doesn’t Montag want Mildred to fix his pillow?
15. From page 51-55, Beatty describes how society began to think less and consume
more over time. Summarize how it happened in a few sentences.
16. Why did firemen start burning books?
17. What happens to people after they die in this new society and why?
18. According to Beatty, what do books talk about ?
Fahrenheit 451
Read pages 60-88 (up till “Montag was in the dark street again, looking at the world”)
Reading Comprehension Questions:
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Why were porches abrogated?
Why does the television say Mildred’s name?
What is Mildred’s suggestion for cheering up Montag after Beatty leaves?
What does Mildred do when Montag shows her what’s behind the grill?
Paraphrase the quote that Montag reads from the book on page 67.
When Mildred asks Montag why she should read, he answers her by yelling about a
lot of things (pgs 69-70). In one sentence, summarize his main point.
Why does Montag want to contact Faber?
What question does Montag ask his wife before going to find Faber?
The 2nd Part of Fahrenheit 451 is titled “The Sieve and the Sand.” How is this title
symbolic of what is happening in the story? (The answer lies on pages 74, 75, and
76)
What does Faber mean when he talks about Christ being “one of the family” and
“dressed down?”
Why does Faber call himself a coward?
Faber says that society is a mess because 3 things are gone. What are those 3 things?
How does Montag convince Faber to help him with his plan?
What device does Faber give Montag to help him deal with Captain Beatty?
Fahrenheit 451…
Read pages 88 – 115
Reading Comprehension Questions:
1. Why is Montag wary of following Faber’s directions when he first leaves Faber’s
house?
2. Montag stops the women’s television because he wants to talk to them about what?
3. Why do the women’s faces remind Montag of the faces of saints in a church?
4. What is Faber’s suggestion for covering up Montag’s mistakes in front of the
women?
5. What does Montag want Mrs. Bowles to think about on her way home?
6. Why are some of the books from Montag’s stash missing?
7. Why does Faber tell Montag not to haggle or nag the other firemen when Montag
finally returns to the firehouse?
8. Montag turns in his book to Beatty and sits down to play cards. Then Beatty starts to
use quotes from various authors. Why?
9. When the firemen respond to the alarm, to what address do they go?
10. Why does Mildred leave with a suitcase?
11. What does Beatty order Montag to do, and why does Montag actually carry out the
order?
12. What does Montag do when Beatty threatens to track down Faber?
13. What happens to Montag’s leg?
Inference Questions:
1. What can you infer about Mrs. Phelps relationship with her husband?
2. What can you infer about the relationship between Mrs. Bowles and her children?
3. What can you infer about what really happened with the election between Noble
and Hoag?
4. Infer what the content of the poem has to do with the situation happening in
Fahrenheit 451, and why it has such a strong effect on Mrs. Phelps. (It’s okay to
search the internet for information about this poem).
Fahrenheit 451…
Read pages 115 – 133 (Stop where it says, “swept away in the dark…”)
Reading Comprehension Questions:
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Why is Montag crying in an alley?
Faber is alive, so why does Montag say that he burnt and killed Faber too?
What happens to Montag when he tries to cross the boulevard?
Why did the driver of the car decide not to hit Montag?
Who is Mrs. Black’s husband, and why does Montag visit her home?
What is a walking camp?
What does Montag instruct Faber to do as way of stopping the Mechanical Hound?
How is Montag able to see the Mechanical Hound chasing him?
Why does everyone in the city look out their doors and windows at the same time?
Inference Questions:
1. Infer what the author is trying to show the reader by having the war begin while Montag
is running from the police.
Fahrenheit 451…
Read to the end of the book.
1. Write a paragraph explaining how the story ends.
2. Write another paragraph explaining what the theme of this book was.