Making Meaning: The Nuclear Tourist

According to “The Nuclear Tourist,” why do some people come back to the Chernobyl area to live?

• They want to return home despite the danger.

• They find the possibility of danger to be a thrill.

• They want to live in an area with few other people.

• They don't believe the radiation levels can harm them.

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CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

According to “The Nuclear Tourist,” how did the residents of Pripyat react at first to the meltdown at Chernobyl?

• by rushing to the site

• by carrying on as usual

• by quickly leaving the area

• by building a containment structure

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CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

What does “The Nuclear Tourist” suggest is the part of Chernobyl that has been most affected by the nuclear accident and its aftermath?

• the outdoor air

• the flora and fauna

• the earth that was once topsoil

• the atmosphere high above the area

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CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

What is the main reason that so many buildings described in “The Nuclear Tourist,” such as the school and hospital, are crumbling and run-down?

• No one has taken care of them for years.

• Radiation in the area has damaged them.

• Looters caused harm while removing valuable parts.

• They were bulldozed soon after the nuclear accident.

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CCSS.RI.11-12.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

According to “The Nuclear Tourist,” how has the world’s view of splitting the atom changed since it first occurred?

• from enthusiasm to fear

• from insecurity to confidence

• from excitement to anger

• from nervousness to appreciation

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CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Why does the author of “The Nuclear Tourist” come to feel at ease about his exposure risk while in the Chernobyl area?

• He thinks the benefits outweigh the danger.

• No one has been harmed by being in the area.

• Most measurements he has taken have been quite low.

• He has become used to the danger of radiation exposure.

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CCSS.RI. 9-10.6

CCSS.RI.8.6

CCSS.RI.8.9

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.6

A reader of “The Nuclear Tourist” can conclude that unless levels are extremely high, radiation’s negative effects on people can take a while to show up. Which detail from the text best supports this idea?

• It is not possible to see radiation but instead one must test for it using a dosimeter.

• Nearly 200 villagers were evacuated and many dogs were shot after the disaster.

• People who consumed irradiated food as children later developed thyroid cancer.

• People who lived near the explosion were told they could return in three to five days.

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CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Which sentence best describes how the author of “The Nuclear Tourist” feels about the lack of safety precautions during the trip?

• He is worried that he will be exposed to too much radiation.

• He is alarmed and plans to report his concerns after the trip.

• He is mostly calm but wishes there had been a few more rules.

• He is pleased that he is not restricted from visiting dangerous places.

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CCSS.RI. 9-10.6

CCSS.RI.8.6

CCSS.RI.8.9

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.6

What is the meaning of the Latin root -spec-?

• to sit

• to look

• to lean

• to travel

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CCSS.RF.3.3B

CCSS.RF.3.3C

CCSS.RF.3.3D

CCSS.RF.4.3A

CCSS.RF.5.3A

At the beginning of “The Nuclear Tourist,” the author explains that it takes around five sieverts of radiation to kill a person. How does this information help the reader?

• It allows the reader to estimate how much radiation the author is exposed to on his trip.

• It gives the reader information to help understand the radiation measurements throughout the article.

• It gives the reader an understanding of how quickly people get can sick after being exposed to tiny amounts of radiation.

• It lets the reader know how many people probably died as a result of radiation from the accident and how many died from other causes.

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CCSS.RI.11-12.10

CCSS.RI.6.10

CCSS.RI.7.10

CCSS.RI.8.10

CCSS.RI.9-10.10