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The following exercise can be printed out and completed in a traditional fashion. Click here for a self-marked version of this exercise.

THE MAIN IDEA
Circle the letter of the sentence which best describes the main idea of the article about the Last Spike. Be prepared to support your answer.
  1. How British Columbia joined Canada
  2. The last spike
  3. The building of the CPR
  4. The difficulties faced by construction crews working for the CPR
INTERPRETATION

  1. Because Canada is so large physically, the railroad helped unite the Canadian people. What might have happened if the railway had never been built?
    What do you imagine Canada might be like today?

  2. Besides helping to populate the prairies and points west of Ontario, how do you think the completion of the railroad changed Canada?
    Were all the changes good, or were some of them bad? Discuss.

  3. Have you ever been on a train? Where? Where were you going? Did you enjoy your trip?
    Do you think trains will continue to exist in the future?
INFERENCES
Based on the article, circle the letter which best completes each sentence.
  1. British Columbia...
    1. withdrew from Confederation, only to rejoin later.
    2. felt isolated from the rest of Canada.
    3. expected the government of Canada to live up to its promise.
    4. was the last place construction of the railroad started.

  2. The transcontinental railroad...
    1. helped unite Canada, both physically and politically.
    2. was the biggest construction project ever in Canada.
    3. cost too much.
    4. caused several political scandals in Canada.
UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU READ
If you can, answer these questions from memory. If you cannot, look back at the article.
  1. What event on November 7, 1885, brought Canada together as a country?
  2. What condition did British Columbia demand before it would join Confederation?
  3. Why was the start of construction of the transcontinental railroad delayed?
  4. What did the government give the Canadian Pacific Railway Company to complete the construction of the railroad?
REMEMBERING DETAILS
Write TRUE or FALSE under each statement. If the statement is false, write the statement correctly.
  1. The building of the railroad did nothing to change the Canadian west.
  2. British Columbia was always happy in Confederation.
  3. William Cornelius Van Horne drove the last spike.
  4. As the railroad progressed across the prairies, new towns began to be settled along the line.


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