The Pike Peak's Rush

How does the phrase “People from the east are flocking across Iowa” in paragraph 6 impact the meaning of the passage?

• A It clarifies the confusion that was caused by the number of people heading to the gold rush.

• B It describes the ease of travel for those miners who made the trips out west.

• C It emphasizes the large amounts of people who headed west.

• D It highlights the disinterest created by the gold rush.

What is the meaning of the phrase “lay much store on” as it is used in paragraph 19?

• A trust

• B recommend

• C doubt

• D discredit

Which statement correctly analyzes how the setting affects the characters?

• A The lack of success the characters experience on their farm makes them desperate to try farming in a different area.

• B The close proximity the characters have to the location of the gold rush makes the decision to head west an easy one.

• C The tough landscape around the characters makes a potential westward trip a dangerous idea.

• D The difficult work of growing crops on a farm plagued with drought and insect infestations makes the characters desire an escape from that life

What is a theme of the passage?

• A Children should respect the advice given by their parents.

• B Some risks must be taken in order to gain rewards.

• C Leaving the safety of home can lead to dangerous consequences.

• D Not everything reported in newspapers is accurate.

Which set of paragraphs from the passage provides support for the answer in Part A?

• A paragraphs 1-2

• B paragraphs 6-7

• C paragraphs 8-9

• D paragraphs 12-13

What is the meaning of overrun as it is used in paragraph 19?

• A confusing

• B crowded

• C destroyed

• D impassable

Which detail from the passage provides support for the answer in Part A?

• A “‘Digging gold’s different,’ retorted Terry. ‘Besides, we’ve a gold mine already, haven’t we? The one dad discovered.’” (paragraph 17)

• B “‘And I don’t remember where it is.’” (paragraph 19)

• C “‘The news does say twenty-five thousand people about to cross the plains and more coming. I do declare!’” (paragraph 20)

• D “‘I’m sure some of them will suffer dreadfully.’” (paragraph 20)

Which section of the passage best demonstrates how the author develops Harry as a more optimistic character than Terry?

• A paragraphs 4-5

• B paragraphs 15-16

• C paragraphs 17-18

• D paragraphs 21-22

20. Which two quotations from the passage support the inference that Father Richards wants his son to learn the value of earning his own way in life?

• A “‘Twenty-five thousand people—and more on the way! Think of that!’ exclaimed Mr. Richards, Terry’s father.” (paragraph 1)

• B “‘…and the steamboats up from St. Louis are loaded to the guards—everybody bound for the Pike’s Peak country and the Cherry Creek diggin’s there.’” (paragraph 6)

• C “‘The country’ll be overrun, and if the spot was worth anything it’s probably jumped, or will be jumped very quickly.’” (paragraph 19)

• D “‘Yes; they’ll earn their way, all right,’ agreed Father Richards. ‘It’s a tough region, yonder at the mountains—and the more people, the tighter the living, till they raise other crops than gold.’” (paragraph 21)

• E “‘I’m not joking,’ asserted Father Richards. ‘But he’ll have to find his own outfit, like other gold-seekers. Then he can go, and we’ll follow when we can.’” (paragraph 28)

How does the author contrast the points of view of Mother Richards and Father Richards?

• A The author uses the dialogue between the characters to show Mother Richards’s cautious and doubtful feelings in contrast to Father Richards’s playfulness and willingness to take a risk.

• B The author uses the details of the previous gold rush trip to show Mother Richards’s anticipation in contrast to Father Richards’s caution regarding a repeated trip to mine gold.

• C The author uses the parents’ reactions to Terry’s insistence to head west to contrast Mother Richards’s spontaneity to Father Richards’s hesitation.

• D The author uses the statistics from the newspaper to contrast Mother Richards’s disbelief to Father Richards’s astonishment.