Teacher’s Resource Packetpw.mtlaurelschools.org/subsites/Danielle-Bieler/documents/NIMH.pdfTips for Using This Packet The comprehension questions are intended to provide a quick

Teacher’s Resource Packet for

Comprehension questions by chapter Answer key

Discussion questions for small or whole groups Vocabulary worksheets

by Gary Walter

Grades 4-7

by Robert C. O’Brien

Tips for Using This Packet

The comprehension questions are intended to provide a quick check of literal comprehen-

sion following a chapter or a few chapters. They may be presented orally or in print.

The comprehension questions should not be used as an end-of-book test. Many questions

are context-specific to the chapter and will not make sense or will be confusing if used only

at the end of the book. They are intended to be used after a one-day reading assignment of

one to three chapters.

Discussion questions may be used in whole-group or in small-group settings. Many of these

questions require inference, analysis, prediction, and problem-solving.

Part 1 Vocabulary words come from the first half of the book, and Part 2 from the second

half.

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

Comprehension Questions

Chapters 1-3

Name __________________________________

Chapter 1

1. Which of Mrs. Frisby’s children was sick? ________________________

2. What food did they have for breakfast? _________________________

Chapter 2

3. Why did Mrs. Frisby go to see Mr. Ages?

__________________________________________________

4. What had Mr. Ages been doing before he came home?

__________________________________________________

Chapter 3

5. What had happened to the crow? _______________________________________________

6. What did Mrs. Frisby do for the crow?

_____________________________________________________________________



Chapters 4-6

Name __________________________________

Chapter 4

1. Why did Mrs. Frisby worry about Moving Day?

______________________________________________________________

2. Why would the family have to move? _____________________________________________

Chapter 5

3. What was strange about the cat’s behavior?

______________________________________________________________________

4. What were the rats pulling? ________________________________

Chapter 6

5. Who is Jeremy? _______________________________

6. Who did Jeremy think might be able to help Mrs. Frisby? _____________________________



Chapters 7-9

Name __________________________________

Chapter 7

1. How did Mrs. Frisby get to the owl? _____________________________________________

2. Why did the owl ask Mrs. Frisby to step inside his house?

____________________________________________________

Chapter 8

3. What advice did the owl give to Mrs. Frisby? ______________________________________

4. Where do the rats live? ____________________________

Chapter 9

5. What did Mrs. Frisby and Timothy talk about?

_______________________________________________________

6. Who did Mrs. Frisby go to see the next day? ____________________________________



Chapters 10-12

Name __________________________________

Chapter 10

1. Who did Mrs. Frisby meet in the rose bush? ____________________________________

2. Was Mrs. Frisby ever allowed to enter the rats’ home? ___________

Chapter 11

3. How were the rats able to have light underground?

_________________________________________________

4. Because Mr. Ages had difficulty walking, instead of taking the stairs, how did they get to the

lower level?

________________________________________________

Chapter 12

5. Who came into the library while Mrs. Frisby was there? ______________________________

6. Why was this individual coming into the library?

________________________________________________________



Chapters 13-15

Name __________________________________

Chapter 13

1. How were the rats planning to help Mrs. Frisby?

________________________________________________________________________

2. How do the rats make sure Dragon won’t bother them?

________________________________________________________________________

3. Who is going to do this? _____________________

Chapter 14

4. Why did the rats go to the marketplace? _________________________________________

5. What bad thing happened to Nicodemus one night in the marketplace?

_______________________________________________________

Chapter 15

6. Where did the truck take the rats? _______________________________

7. What were the rats put in when they got there? ______________________________



Chapters 16-18

Name __________________________________

Chapter 16

1. When the rat was in the maze, what made him stop running when he got close to escaping to

the outdoors?

_______________________________________________________

2. How did Justin try to escape? ___________________________________________________

Chapter 17

3. The scientists taught the rats how to ________________________.

4. What did Justin do one night after the lab closed?

___________________________________________________________

Chapter 18

5. How did the rats find their way back when exploring the air ducts?

________________________________________

6. What happened to six of the mice in the air duct?

______________________________________________



Chapters 19-21

Name __________________________________

Chapter 19

1. Why were the rats so excited about what they found in the study of the big house?

__________________________________________________

2. How did they know the owners would not come home?

__________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 20

3. What were the rats carrying in their sacks? __________________________________

4. What were the rats building in the cave? _______________________________

Chapter 21

5. What kind of a place did the rats hope to find for their new home?

_____________________________________________

6. What probably caused the death of the toy tinker?

_____________________________________________



Chapters 22-24

Name __________________________________

Chapter 22

1. What did the rats find in the truck that excited them? ________________________________

2. What was the plan for the rats to be able to stop stealing from others?

_______________________________

Chapter 23

3. Why had Jonathan never told Mrs. Frisby about his life with the rats?

___________________________________________________________________________

4. Whose job was it to put the poison in Dragon’s bowl? _______________________________

Chapter 24

5. Where did Billy put Mrs. Frisby? ________________________________

6. What happened to the rats found at Henderson’s hardware store?

______________________________________________________________



Chapters 25-26

Name __________________________________

Chapter 25

1. How did Mrs. Frisby get out of the cage? __________________________________________

2. Who tried to stop the rats from moving Mrs. Frisby’s house? __________________________

Chapter 26

3. Why do the rats have to move in such a hurry?

___________________________________________________________________________

4. Why would some rats stay behind?

___________________________________________________________________________



Chapters 27-Epilogue

Name __________________________________

Chapter 27

1. How did they move the rosebush? _______________________________________________

2. How were the rats able to escape? ________________________________________________

Epilogue

3. After swallowing the medicine, did Brutus recover or die? _________________________

4. During the summer, did Mrs. Frisby’s family stay in the cinder block house or move?

__________________________________

5. Did Mrs. Frisby ever tell her children what she knew about the rats? ____________



Answers

Chapter 1

1. Which of Mrs. Frisby’s children was sick? Timothy

2. What food did they have for breakfast? corn

Chapter 2

3. Why did Mrs. Frisby go to see Mr. Ages? to get medicine for Timothy

4. What had Mr. Ages been doing before he came home? collecting plants for medicines

Chapter 3

5. What had happened to the crow? got caught in string

6. What did Mrs. Frisby do for the crow? gnawed through the string to free him

Chapter 4

1. Why did Mrs. Frisby worry about Moving Day? Timothy might not be well enough to move

2. Why would the family have to move? the field would be plowed

Chapter 5

3. What was strange about the cat’s behavior? He did not chase Mrs. Frisby

4. What were the rats pulling? a wire

Chapter 6

5. Who is Jeremy? the crow

6. Who did Jeremy think might be able to help Mrs. Frisby? the owl

Chapter 7

1. How did Mrs. Frisby get to the owl? on Jeremy’s back

2. Why did the owl ask Mrs. Frisby to step inside his house? so he could see her

Chapter 8

3. What advice did the owl give to Mrs. Frisby? go to the rats

4. Where do the rats live? under the rosebush

Chapter 9

5. What did Mrs. Frisby and Timothy talk about? moving day/his illness

6. Who did Mrs. Frisby go to see the next day? the rats

Chapter 10

1. Who did Mrs. Frisby meet in the rose bush? Brutus/Mr. Ages

2. Was Mrs. Frisby ever allowed to enter the rats’ home? yes

Chapter 11

3. How were the rats able to have light underground? electricity/Christmas lights

4. Because Mr. Ages had difficulty walking, instead of taking the stairs, how did they get to the

lower level? elevator

Chapter 12

5. Who came into the library while Mrs. Frisby was there? Isabella/a young rat

6. Why was this individual coming into the library? to practice reading

Chapter 13

1. How were the rats planning to help Mrs. Frisby? move her house behind the rock

2. How do the rats make sure Dragon won’t bother them? put sleeping powder in his food

3. Who is going to do this? Mrs. Frisby

Chapter 14

4. Why did the rats go to the marketplace? to get food

5. What bad thing happened to Nicodemus one night in the marketplace? caught in a net

Chapter 15

6. Where did the truck take the rats? laboratory

7. What were the rats put in when they got there? cages

Chapter 16

1. When the rat was in the maze, what made him stop running when he got close to escaping to

the outdoors? electric shock

2. How did Justin try to escape? jumped out when the cage door was opened

Chapter 17

3. The scientists taught the rats how to _______________. read

4. What did Justin do one night after the lab closed? opened the cage/escaped

Chapter 18

5. How did the rats find their way back when exploring the air ducts? thread

6. What happened to six of the mice in the air duct? blown away

Chapter 19

1. Why were the rats so excited about what they found in the study of the big house? they could

learn to read from the books

2. How did they know the owners would not come home? found news clipping/on a trip around

the world

Chapter 20

3. What were the rats carrying in their sacks? grain

4. What were the rats building in the cave? plows

Chapter 21

5. What kind of a place did the rats hope to find for their new home? underground/cave

6. What probably caused the death of the toy tinker? digging out his truck

Chapter 22

1. What did the rats find in the truck that excited them? tools/motors

2. What was the plan for the rats to be able to stop stealing from others? farm

Chapter 23

3. Why had Jonathan never told Mrs. Frisby about his life with the rats? he would not grow old

as fast as she would

4. Whose job was it to put the poison in Dragon’s bowl? Mrs. Frisby

Chapter 24

5. Where did Billy put Mrs. Frisby? bird cage

6. What happened to the rats found at Henderson’s hardware store? electrocuted chewing on a

power cord

Chapter 25

1. How did Mrs. Frisby get out of the cage? Justin helped her

2. Who tried to stop the rats from moving Mrs. Frisby’s house? the shrew

Chapter 26

3. Why do the rats have to move in such a hurry? people are coming to dig up their home/kill

them

4. Why would some rats stay behind? so the people wouldn’t be suspicious/it would look like a

normal rat hole

Chapter 27

1. How did they move the rosebush? with a tractor/bulldozer

2. How were the rats able to escape? they had a secret escape hole

Epilogue

3. After swallowing the medicine, did Brutus recover or die? recover

4. During the summer, did Mrs. Frisby’s family stay in the cinder block house or move? move

5. Did Mrs. Frisby ever tell her children what she knew about the rats? yes


Discussion Questions

Chapter 1: The Sickness of Timothy Frisby

1. In what ways were the members of the Frisby family like humans?

2. How did Timothy’s brothers and sisters feel about having to care for him while their mother

was gone? How would you feel?

Chapter 2: Mr. Ages

3. What risks did Mrs. Frisby take in going to Mr. Ages? Why was she willing to take these

risks?

4. Why do you think Mr. Ages was willing to help Mrs. Frisby?

Chapter 3: The Crow and the Cat

5. Describe Jeremy’s personality.

6. What risks did Mrs. Frisby take in helping Jeremy?

7. Why do you think Mrs. Frisby was willing to help Jeremy? What does this tell you about the

kind of person (mouse) she is?

8. Jeremy said he was willing to help Mrs. Frisby if she ever needed help. How do you think

he might be able to help her?

Chapter 4: Mr. Fitzgibbon’s Plow

9. Every good plot has a problem to be solved. What is Mrs. Frisby’s problem?

10. Is Mrs. Frisby more worried about Mr. Fitzgibbon’s plow than she needs to be? Why or why

not?

11. Do you think the Frisby children understand the danger they are facing?

Chapter 5: Five Days

12. Although Mrs. Frisby came within ten feet of Dragon, he did not chase her. Why do you

think he behaved this way?

13. What was odd about the behavior of the rats? What do you think they were doing?

14. Do you think Mr. Fitzgibbon would plow up the Frisbys’ home if he knew it was there?

Why or why not?

Chapter 6: A Favor from Jeremy

15. When did Jeremy think was the best time to visit the owl? Why?

Chapter 7: The Owl

16. If Mrs. Frisby had known how frightening the ride on Jeremy’s back would be, do you think

she would have gone anyway? Why or why not?

17. What advice would you have given Mrs. Frisby when the owl asked her to come into his

house?

18. How do you think the owl may be able to help Mrs. Frisby?

Chapter 8: Go to the Rats

19. Why do you think the owl would have any interest in helping a mouse?

20. Why do you think the owl recognized the name of Mrs. Frisby’s husband?

21. How do you think the owl’s advice will help?

22. Do you think Mrs. Frisby should leave her children to go on these dangerous ventures?

Chapter 9: In the Rosebush

23. If you were Mrs. Frisby, what would you tell the children to reassure them?

24. Describe Timothy’s personality.

25. Why might Mrs. Frisby be afraid to visit the rats?

26. Describe how you imagine the entrance to the rats’ home looks.

Chapter 10: Brutus

27. Why do you think Brutus was so unkind to Mrs. Frisby?

28. How do you think Mr. Ages knew the rats? Why do you think he’s visiting them?

29. How do you think the rats had known Mr. Frisby?

30. What kind of reaction do you think Mrs. Frisby is expecting when she visits the rats?

Chapter 11: In the Library

31. What evidence is there that these rats are intelligent?

32. What do you think Mrs. Frisby saw in the rats’ home that surprised her most?

33. What do you think is “The Plan of the Rats of NIMH”?

Chapter 12: Isabella

34. What do you think Mrs. Frisby is thinking about as she waits in the library? What is she

feeling?

35. Describe the appearance and personality of Isabella.

36. Why do you think the author put Isabella in this story?

37. How does Isabella feel about Justin? How do you know?

Chapter 13: A Powder for Dragon

38. What did the owl mean when he said, “Move the house into the lee of the stone”?

39. What dangers will Mrs. Frisby face in putting the powder into Dragon’s bowl?

40. Why do the rats agree to let Mrs. Frisby do it?

Chapter 14: The Marketplace

41. Why were the rats attracted to the Farmers’ Market?

42. What was different as the rats approached the market that might have warned them of dan-

ger?

43. Why do you think the men want to capture the rats?

Chapter 15: In the Cage

44. What do you think will happen at the laboratory?

45. How do you think the rats felt as they were taken into the lab?

46. Why do you think the rats were divided into three groups in the lab?

47. What do you think is the purpose of the injections the rats received?

Chapter 16: The Maze

48. Explain how the maze tested intelligence.

49. Why did the workers in the lab not want to harm the rats?

50. Why do you think Dr. Shultz was not surprised when Justin tried to escape?

Chapter 17: A Lesson in Reading

51. How do you think learning to read will change the lives of the rats? How would your life be

different if you couldn’t read?

52. The name of the lab is NIMH. What do you think the letters stand for?

Chapter 18: The Air Ducts

53. Why did the rats not try to escape the first night they got out of their cages?

54. What difficulties did the rats face in planning their escape?

55. What would you advise the rats to do after their escape?

56. What do you think would have eventually happened to the rats if they had not escaped?

Chapter 19: The Boniface Estate

57. Do you think the rats were glad they had helped the mice escape? Why or why not?

58. How did their education help the rats after their escape?

59. What made the Boniface Estate a good place for the rats to stay?

Chapter 20: The Main Hall

60. How much do you think Mrs. Frisby should tell her children about her plan to put the pow-

der in Dragon’s bowl?

61. Why have the rats built plows, and why do they want to begin farming? Do you think this is

a good idea?

Chapter 21: The Toy Tinker

62. Why were the rats glad to leave the Boniface Estate?

63. Why do you think the discovery of the toy tinker’s truck is so important?

Chapter 22: Thorn Valley

64. How did the rats get electricity to their cave?

65. What was the point of the story about Mrs. Jones and the vacuum cleaner?

66. Why did the rats, who now had easy lives, begin to get dissatisfied?

67. Explain the disagreement between Nicodemus and Jenner.

68. Why did Nicodemus believe that Thorn Valley would be a good place for the rats to live?

Chapter 23: Captured

69. Why did Jonathan Frisby never tell Mrs. Frisby about NIMH or the rats?

70. Why did Jenner leave?

71. Do you think it was the right decision to destroy the machines, lights, and other comforts?

Why or why not?

72. What do you think Billy Fitzgibbon will do with Mrs. Frisby?

Chapter 24: Seven Dead Rats

73. How do you think the children will react when they learn their mother has been captured?

74. How do you explain the seven dead rats at the hardware store?

75. Do you think the men from the Public Health Service will come to the farm? If so, what will

they do?

Chapter 25: Escape

76. What has Mrs. Frisby heard that she must warn the rats about?

77. Why did Justin make it appear that the cage door was broken?

78. Who was preventing the rats from moving the Frisby home? Why?

79. Describe how the rats moved the cinder block.

Chapter 26: At the Meeting

80. How did Mrs. Frisby help the rats?

81. What steps do the rats need to take to make the men who were coming believe they were

ordinary rats?

Chapter 27: The Doctor

82. Do you think the doctor was Dr. Schultz from NIMH? Why or why not?

83. Why do you think it was so important for the people from NIMH to find the escaped rats?

84. Do you think the men were convinced that these were ordinary rats? Why or why not?

Chapter 28: Epilogue

85. Should Mrs. Frisby have told the children about their father and the rats?

86. Do you think the rats succeeded in their new home?

1. delirious

2. subdued

3. shrew

4. rancid

5. respite

6. prowl

7. dank

8. satchel

9. glum

10. incinerator

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH — Part 1 Vocabulary

Name ________________________________________

Look up each word in a dictionary and write the definition

1. futile

2. skeptical

3. plaintive

4. debris

5. solitude

6. sparse

7. thicket

8. antidote

9. cultivate

10. puny

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH — Part 2 Vocabulary

Name ________________________________________

Look up each word in a dictionary and write the definition

Documents

Teacher’s Resource Packetpw.mtlaurelschools.org/subsites/Danielle-Bieler/documents/NIMH.pdfTips for Using This Packet The comprehension questions are intended to provide a quick