ACT Reading (Prose Fiction)

PROSE FICTION: The Lessons of Wilderness Living

Members of modern society are fortunate to enjoy

many conveniences once unheard of or reserved for the

elite. Imagine, if you can, only one day without running

water. It strains the mind to think of all the daily rituals

5 one would have to change if the tap suddenly went dry.

People today take electricity for granted, too. Lately,

I’ve realized that while reliance on modern technol-

ogy can improve the efficiency and quality of life, it

also keeps people from learning meaningful lessons

10 about living with the earth. The conservation ethics that

I gained this summer while working at a hunting lodge

I could not have learned elsewhere.

The lodge is located on a massive, little known

lake in northern Canada, closer to the Arctic Circle than

15 it is to the U.S. border. Every spring, the lodge reopens

to welcome scores of dedicated anglers itching to dip

a line in the nearby pristine creeks. By summer, the

small lodge fills to capacity with eager hunters. On the

guided treks, these men and women primarily chase

20 migratory birds and caribou, but I have seen plenty

of other unique game come back to the lodge kitchen

for preparation. Every hunter agrees that what one

finds at the lodge is a truly luxurious hunting experience.

Many people are surprised to find the lodge is totally

25 self-sufficient, with the exception of the food staples it

receives by small airplane. For a whole season, I was

“off the grid,” totally dependent on the lodge to provide

me with heat, light, water, and sanitation.

When I asked the owner why he built his

30 modern-looking log lodge so far beyond the reach of

civilization, he replied, “I didn’t really like hunting any-

where the sewer line ran.” Or electricity or telephone

or the water main, I thought to myself. The boss is

a peculiar man, but I see why he had no reservations

35 about setting up shop so deep in the wilderness. He

had learned to love it years ago when he was an elite

mountain soldier in the army. He always mentioned that

life wasn’t as difficult in the sub-arctic wilderness as

people think. Of course, he had a lodge to run, and

40 not everyone was as hardy as he. His creative solutions

to the lack of infrastructure are impressive.

The first necessity of employees and guests is

clean water for cooking, eating, and washing. A nearby

creek feeds a large pump that draws the water through a

45 particulate filter and into a large holding tank. A much

smaller pipe takes some of this water through a series of

purification devices. Inside, every sink has three taps:

two blue and one red. Guests are used to the

blue ones, drinkable hot and cold water, but the red one

50 always requires an explanation. My contribution over

the summer was to design a sign for each sink explain-

ing the ways one could use the unpurified water from

the red tap that came directly from the holding tank.

Showering and cleaning are the most important uses,

55 but “red” water is also useful for the garden or to give to

the dogs.

The roof of the lodge is layered with solar cells

to take advantage of the bright, clear summer sky.

On average, the 10-room lodge can generate the

60 same amount of power as a conventional two-bedroom

apartment uses. Naturally, this poses challenges. The

biggest conservation measure I could see was total lack

of electronics, with the exception of the computer in

the back office, which I’ve never seen turned on. The

65 ceiling of every room has a large skylight, eliminating

the need for electric light during the day. At night, a

limited set of high-efficiency fluorescent bulbs illumi-

nates the corridors and public spaces. Staff is equipped

with flashlights for use in closets, outside, or in other

70 unlit spaces. Interestingly, the low lighting seems to fos-

ter an “early to bed, early to rise” mentality among the

guests, who always rave about how rested they feel after

a week’s stay.

Guests and staff alike stay warm with heavy

75 woolen blankets, or, as my boss once quipped, “personal

insulating devices.” A full-circle fireplace in the center

heats the main space. Smoke floats up the chim-

ney while the heavy stainless steel hood reflects heat

to all corners of the room. When guests close their

80 room doors at night, they can barely hear the high-speed

electric impellers that draw warmth from the fire into the

rooms.

The lodge is a model of efficiency in an often-

unforgiving territory. My summer there taught me to

85 budget more carefully my consumption of water and

power. It is such discipline that will be necessary in the

future when costs of these commodities might be so high

that civilization can no longer take their abundance for

granted.

Which of the following commentaries on modern utilities is best supported by the details in the passage?

• Public water and electricity are currently very expensive.

• Utility commodities might eventually run out.

• Public utility lines reinforce the divide between densely populated cities and sparse wilderness.

• Municipal water and electricity are taken for granted, so most people never learn to live without them.

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.6

PROSE FICTION: The Lessons of Wilderness Living

Members of modern society are fortunate to enjoy

many conveniences once unheard of or reserved for the

elite. Imagine, if you can, only one day without running

water. It strains the mind to think of all the daily rituals

5 one would have to change if the tap suddenly went dry.

People today take electricity for granted, too. Lately,

I’ve realized that while reliance on modern technol-

ogy can improve the efficiency and quality of life, it

also keeps people from learning meaningful lessons

10 about living with the earth. The conservation ethics that

I gained this summer while working at a hunting lodge

I could not have learned elsewhere.

The lodge is located on a massive, little known

lake in northern Canada, closer to the Arctic Circle than

15 it is to the U.S. border. Every spring, the lodge reopens

to welcome scores of dedicated anglers itching to dip

a line in the nearby pristine creeks. By summer, the

small lodge fills to capacity with eager hunters. On the

guided treks, these men and women primarily chase

20 migratory birds and caribou, but I have seen plenty

of other unique game come back to the lodge kitchen

for preparation. Every hunter agrees that what one

finds at the lodge is a truly luxurious hunting experience.

Many people are surprised to find the lodge is totally

25 self-sufficient, with the exception of the food staples it

receives by small airplane. For a whole season, I was

“off the grid,” totally dependent on the lodge to provide

me with heat, light, water, and sanitation.

When I asked the owner why he built his

30 modern-looking log lodge so far beyond the reach of

civilization, he replied, “I didn’t really like hunting any-

where the sewer line ran.” Or electricity or telephone

or the water main, I thought to myself. The boss is

a peculiar man, but I see why he had no reservations

35 about setting up shop so deep in the wilderness. He

had learned to love it years ago when he was an elite

mountain soldier in the army. He always mentioned that

life wasn’t as difficult in the sub-arctic wilderness as

people think. Of course, he had a lodge to run, and

40 not everyone was as hardy as he. His creative solutions

to the lack of infrastructure are impressive.

The first necessity of employees and guests is

clean water for cooking, eating, and washing. A nearby

creek feeds a large pump that draws the water through a

45 particulate filter and into a large holding tank. A much

smaller pipe takes some of this water through a series of

purification devices. Inside, every sink has three taps:

two blue and one red. Guests are used to the

blue ones, drinkable hot and cold water, but the red one

50 always requires an explanation. My contribution over

the summer was to design a sign for each sink explain-

ing the ways one could use the unpurified water from

the red tap that came directly from the holding tank.

Showering and cleaning are the most important uses,

55 but “red” water is also useful for the garden or to give to

the dogs.

The roof of the lodge is layered with solar cells

to take advantage of the bright, clear summer sky.

On average, the 10-room lodge can generate the

60 same amount of power as a conventional two-bedroom

apartment uses. Naturally, this poses challenges. The

biggest conservation measure I could see was total lack

of electronics, with the exception of the computer in

the back office, which I’ve never seen turned on. The

65 ceiling of every room has a large skylight, eliminating

the need for electric light during the day. At night, a

limited set of high-efficiency fluorescent bulbs illumi-

nates the corridors and public spaces. Staff is equipped

with flashlights for use in closets, outside, or in other

70 unlit spaces. Interestingly, the low lighting seems to fos-

ter an “early to bed, early to rise” mentality among the

guests, who always rave about how rested they feel after

a week’s stay.

Guests and staff alike stay warm with heavy

75 woolen blankets, or, as my boss once quipped, “personal

insulating devices.” A full-circle fireplace in the center

heats the main space. Smoke floats up the chim-

ney while the heavy stainless steel hood reflects heat

to all corners of the room. When guests close their

80 room doors at night, they can barely hear the high-speed

electric impellers that draw warmth from the fire into the

rooms.

The lodge is a model of efficiency in an often-

unforgiving territory. My summer there taught me to

85 budget more carefully my consumption of water and

power. It is such discipline that will be necessary in the

future when costs of these commodities might be so high

that civilization can no longer take their abundance for

granted.

One can reasonably infer from the passage that a person who were to drink from a red tap would most likely:

• prefer cooler water.

• have to become accustomed to water with added chlorine or fluoride.

• be disappointed by the low pressure

• risk falling ill from waterborne pathogens.

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

PROSE FICTION: The Lessons of Wilderness Living

Members of modern society are fortunate to enjoy

many conveniences once unheard of or reserved for the

elite. Imagine, if you can, only one day without running

water. It strains the mind to think of all the daily rituals

5 one would have to change if the tap suddenly went dry.

People today take electricity for granted, too. Lately,

I’ve realized that while reliance on modern technol-

ogy can improve the efficiency and quality of life, it

also keeps people from learning meaningful lessons

10 about living with the earth. The conservation ethics that

I gained this summer while working at a hunting lodge

I could not have learned elsewhere.

The lodge is located on a massive, little known

lake in northern Canada, closer to the Arctic Circle than

15 it is to the U.S. border. Every spring, the lodge reopens

to welcome scores of dedicated anglers itching to dip

a line in the nearby pristine creeks. By summer, the

small lodge fills to capacity with eager hunters. On the

guided treks, these men and women primarily chase

20 migratory birds and caribou, but I have seen plenty

of other unique game come back to the lodge kitchen

for preparation. Every hunter agrees that what one

finds at the lodge is a truly luxurious hunting experience.

Many people are surprised to find the lodge is totally

25 self-sufficient, with the exception of the food staples it

receives by small airplane. For a whole season, I was

“off the grid,” totally dependent on the lodge to provide

me with heat, light, water, and sanitation.

When I asked the owner why he built his

30 modern-looking log lodge so far beyond the reach of

civilization, he replied, “I didn’t really like hunting any-

where the sewer line ran.” Or electricity or telephone

or the water main, I thought to myself. The boss is

a peculiar man, but I see why he had no reservations

35 about setting up shop so deep in the wilderness. He

had learned to love it years ago when he was an elite

mountain soldier in the army. He always mentioned that

life wasn’t as difficult in the sub-arctic wilderness as

people think. Of course, he had a lodge to run, and

40 not everyone was as hardy as he. His creative solutions

to the lack of infrastructure are impressive.

The first necessity of employees and guests is

clean water for cooking, eating, and washing. A nearby

creek feeds a large pump that draws the water through a

45 particulate filter and into a large holding tank. A much

smaller pipe takes some of this water through a series of

purification devices. Inside, every sink has three taps:

two blue and one red. Guests are used to the

blue ones, drinkable hot and cold water, but the red one

50 always requires an explanation. My contribution over

the summer was to design a sign for each sink explain-

ing the ways one could use the unpurified water from

the red tap that came directly from the holding tank.

Showering and cleaning are the most important uses,

55 but “red” water is also useful for the garden or to give to

the dogs.

The roof of the lodge is layered with solar cells

to take advantage of the bright, clear summer sky.

On average, the 10-room lodge can generate the

60 same amount of power as a conventional two-bedroom

apartment uses. Naturally, this poses challenges. The

biggest conservation measure I could see was total lack

of electronics, with the exception of the computer in

the back office, which I’ve never seen turned on. The

65 ceiling of every room has a large skylight, eliminating

the need for electric light during the day. At night, a

limited set of high-efficiency fluorescent bulbs illumi-

nates the corridors and public spaces. Staff is equipped

with flashlights for use in closets, outside, or in other

70 unlit spaces. Interestingly, the low lighting seems to fos-

ter an “early to bed, early to rise” mentality among the

guests, who always rave about how rested they feel after

a week’s stay.

Guests and staff alike stay warm with heavy

75 woolen blankets, or, as my boss once quipped, “personal

insulating devices.” A full-circle fireplace in the center

heats the main space. Smoke floats up the chim-

ney while the heavy stainless steel hood reflects heat

to all corners of the room. When guests close their

80 room doors at night, they can barely hear the high-speed

electric impellers that draw warmth from the fire into the

rooms.

The lodge is a model of efficiency in an often-

unforgiving territory. My summer there taught me to

85 budget more carefully my consumption of water and

power. It is such discipline that will be necessary in the

future when costs of these commodities might be so high

that civilization can no longer take their abundance for

granted.

Given the way he is presented in the passage, the boss of the lodge can best be described as:

• sheltered and timid.

• vain and insincere.

• eccentric and enterprising.

• brash and calculating

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

PROSE FICTION: The Lessons of Wilderness Living

Members of modern society are fortunate to enjoy

many conveniences once unheard of or reserved for the

elite. Imagine, if you can, only one day without running

water. It strains the mind to think of all the daily rituals

5 one would have to change if the tap suddenly went dry.

People today take electricity for granted, too. Lately,

I’ve realized that while reliance on modern technol-

ogy can improve the efficiency and quality of life, it

also keeps people from learning meaningful lessons

10 about living with the earth. The conservation ethics that

I gained this summer while working at a hunting lodge

I could not have learned elsewhere.

The lodge is located on a massive, little known

lake in northern Canada, closer to the Arctic Circle than

15 it is to the U.S. border. Every spring, the lodge reopens

to welcome scores of dedicated anglers itching to dip

a line in the nearby pristine creeks. By summer, the

small lodge fills to capacity with eager hunters. On the

guided treks, these men and women primarily chase

20 migratory birds and caribou, but I have seen plenty

of other unique game come back to the lodge kitchen

for preparation. Every hunter agrees that what one

finds at the lodge is a truly luxurious hunting experience.

Many people are surprised to find the lodge is totally

25 self-sufficient, with the exception of the food staples it

receives by small airplane. For a whole season, I was

“off the grid,” totally dependent on the lodge to provide

me with heat, light, water, and sanitation.

When I asked the owner why he built his

30 modern-looking log lodge so far beyond the reach of

civilization, he replied, “I didn’t really like hunting any-

where the sewer line ran.” Or electricity or telephone

or the water main, I thought to myself. The boss is

a peculiar man, but I see why he had no reservations

35 about setting up shop so deep in the wilderness. He

had learned to love it years ago when he was an elite

mountain soldier in the army. He always mentioned that

life wasn’t as difficult in the sub-arctic wilderness as

people think. Of course, he had a lodge to run, and

40 not everyone was as hardy as he. His creative solutions

to the lack of infrastructure are impressive.

The first necessity of employees and guests is

clean water for cooking, eating, and washing. A nearby

creek feeds a large pump that draws the water through a

45 particulate filter and into a large holding tank. A much

smaller pipe takes some of this water through a series of

purification devices. Inside, every sink has three taps:

two blue and one red. Guests are used to the

blue ones, drinkable hot and cold water, but the red one

50 always requires an explanation. My contribution over

the summer was to design a sign for each sink explain-

ing the ways one could use the unpurified water from

the red tap that came directly from the holding tank.

Showering and cleaning are the most important uses,

55 but “red” water is also useful for the garden or to give to

the dogs.

The roof of the lodge is layered with solar cells

to take advantage of the bright, clear summer sky.

On average, the 10-room lodge can generate the

60 same amount of power as a conventional two-bedroom

apartment uses. Naturally, this poses challenges. The

biggest conservation measure I could see was total lack

of electronics, with the exception of the computer in

the back office, which I’ve never seen turned on. The

65 ceiling of every room has a large skylight, eliminating

the need for electric light during the day. At night, a

limited set of high-efficiency fluorescent bulbs illumi-

nates the corridors and public spaces. Staff is equipped

with flashlights for use in closets, outside, or in other

70 unlit spaces. Interestingly, the low lighting seems to fos-

ter an “early to bed, early to rise” mentality among the

guests, who always rave about how rested they feel after

a week’s stay.

Guests and staff alike stay warm with heavy

75 woolen blankets, or, as my boss once quipped, “personal

insulating devices.” A full-circle fireplace in the center

heats the main space. Smoke floats up the chim-

ney while the heavy stainless steel hood reflects heat

to all corners of the room. When guests close their

80 room doors at night, they can barely hear the high-speed

electric impellers that draw warmth from the fire into the

rooms.

The lodge is a model of efficiency in an often-

unforgiving territory. My summer there taught me to

85 budget more carefully my consumption of water and

power. It is such discipline that will be necessary in the

future when costs of these commodities might be so high

that civilization can no longer take their abundance for

granted.

The narrator's comment about novel hunts (lines 22–23) refers to trips that:

• provide amenities such as gourmet food.

• are all-inclusive, where no one need bring personal equipment.

• expose hunters to an unusual variety of game.

• educate guests on arctic ecology as they hunt.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

PROSE FICTION: The Lessons of Wilderness Living

Members of modern society are fortunate to enjoy

many conveniences once unheard of or reserved for the

elite. Imagine, if you can, only one day without running

water. It strains the mind to think of all the daily rituals

5 one would have to change if the tap suddenly went dry.

People today take electricity for granted, too. Lately,

I’ve realized that while reliance on modern technol-

ogy can improve the efficiency and quality of life, it

also keeps people from learning meaningful lessons

10 about living with the earth. The conservation ethics that

I gained this summer while working at a hunting lodge

I could not have learned elsewhere.

The lodge is located on a massive, little known

lake in northern Canada, closer to the Arctic Circle than

15 it is to the U.S. border. Every spring, the lodge reopens

to welcome scores of dedicated anglers itching to dip

a line in the nearby pristine creeks. By summer, the

small lodge fills to capacity with eager hunters. On the

guided treks, these men and women primarily chase

20 migratory birds and caribou, but I have seen plenty

of other unique game come back to the lodge kitchen

for preparation. Every hunter agrees that what one

finds at the lodge is a truly luxurious hunting experience.

Many people are surprised to find the lodge is totally

25 self-sufficient, with the exception of the food staples it

receives by small airplane. For a whole season, I was

“off the grid,” totally dependent on the lodge to provide

me with heat, light, water, and sanitation.

When I asked the owner why he built his

30 modern-looking log lodge so far beyond the reach of

civilization, he replied, “I didn’t really like hunting any-

where the sewer line ran.” Or electricity or telephone

or the water main, I thought to myself. The boss is

a peculiar man, but I see why he had no reservations

35 about setting up shop so deep in the wilderness. He

had learned to love it years ago when he was an elite

mountain soldier in the army. He always mentioned that

life wasn’t as difficult in the sub-arctic wilderness as

people think. Of course, he had a lodge to run, and

40 not everyone was as hardy as he. His creative solutions

to the lack of infrastructure are impressive.

The first necessity of employees and guests is

clean water for cooking, eating, and washing. A nearby

creek feeds a large pump that draws the water through a

45 particulate filter and into a large holding tank. A much

smaller pipe takes some of this water through a series of

purification devices. Inside, every sink has three taps:

two blue and one red. Guests are used to the

blue ones, drinkable hot and cold water, but the red one

50 always requires an explanation. My contribution over

the summer was to design a sign for each sink explain-

ing the ways one could use the unpurified water from

the red tap that came directly from the holding tank.

Showering and cleaning are the most important uses,

55 but “red” water is also useful for the garden or to give to

the dogs.

The roof of the lodge is layered with solar cells

to take advantage of the bright, clear summer sky.

On average, the 10-room lodge can generate the

60 same amount of power as a conventional two-bedroom

apartment uses. Naturally, this poses challenges. The

biggest conservation measure I could see was total lack

of electronics, with the exception of the computer in

the back office, which I’ve never seen turned on. The

65 ceiling of every room has a large skylight, eliminating

the need for electric light during the day. At night, a

limited set of high-efficiency fluorescent bulbs illumi-

nates the corridors and public spaces. Staff is equipped

with flashlights for use in closets, outside, or in other

70 unlit spaces. Interestingly, the low lighting seems to fos-

ter an “early to bed, early to rise” mentality among the

guests, who always rave about how rested they feel after

a week’s stay.

Guests and staff alike stay warm with heavy

75 woolen blankets, or, as my boss once quipped, “personal

insulating devices.” A full-circle fireplace in the center

heats the main space. Smoke floats up the chim-

ney while the heavy stainless steel hood reflects heat

to all corners of the room. When guests close their

80 room doors at night, they can barely hear the high-speed

electric impellers that draw warmth from the fire into the

rooms.

The lodge is a model of efficiency in an often-

unforgiving territory. My summer there taught me to

85 budget more carefully my consumption of water and

power. It is such discipline that will be necessary in the

future when costs of these commodities might be so high

that civilization can no longer take their abundance for

granted.

The second and third paragraphs suggest that, if not for the need to host a variety of guests, the boss would prefer:

• a lodge closer to city services.

• a more modest lodge with fewer creature comforts.

• a large hunting estate with modern improvements.

• a wilderness skills training facility.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

PROSE FICTION: The Lessons of Wilderness Living

Members of modern society are fortunate to enjoy

many conveniences once unheard of or reserved for the

elite. Imagine, if you can, only one day without running

water. It strains the mind to think of all the daily rituals

5 one would have to change if the tap suddenly went dry.

People today take electricity for granted, too. Lately,

I’ve realized that while reliance on modern technol-

ogy can improve the efficiency and quality of life, it

also keeps people from learning meaningful lessons

10 about living with the earth. The conservation ethics that

I gained this summer while working at a hunting lodge

I could not have learned elsewhere.

The lodge is located on a massive, little known

lake in northern Canada, closer to the Arctic Circle than

15 it is to the U.S. border. Every spring, the lodge reopens

to welcome scores of dedicated anglers itching to dip

a line in the nearby pristine creeks. By summer, the

small lodge fills to capacity with eager hunters. On the

guided treks, these men and women primarily chase

20 migratory birds and caribou, but I have seen plenty

of other unique game come back to the lodge kitchen

for preparation. Every hunter agrees that what one

finds at the lodge is a truly luxurious hunting experience.

Many people are surprised to find the lodge is totally

25 self-sufficient, with the exception of the food staples it

receives by small airplane. For a whole season, I was

“off the grid,” totally dependent on the lodge to provide

me with heat, light, water, and sanitation.

When I asked the owner why he built his

30 modern-looking log lodge so far beyond the reach of

civilization, he replied, “I didn’t really like hunting any-

where the sewer line ran.” Or electricity or telephone

or the water main, I thought to myself. The boss is

a peculiar man, but I see why he had no reservations

35 about setting up shop so deep in the wilderness. He

had learned to love it years ago when he was an elite

mountain soldier in the army. He always mentioned that

life wasn’t as difficult in the sub-arctic wilderness as

people think. Of course, he had a lodge to run, and

40 not everyone was as hardy as he. His creative solutions

to the lack of infrastructure are impressive.

The first necessity of employees and guests is

clean water for cooking, eating, and washing. A nearby

creek feeds a large pump that draws the water through a

45 particulate filter and into a large holding tank. A much

smaller pipe takes some of this water through a series of

purification devices. Inside, every sink has three taps:

two blue and one red. Guests are used to the

blue ones, drinkable hot and cold water, but the red one

50 always requires an explanation. My contribution over

the summer was to design a sign for each sink explain-

ing the ways one could use the unpurified water from

the red tap that came directly from the holding tank.

Showering and cleaning are the most important uses,

55 but “red” water is also useful for the garden or to give to

the dogs.

The roof of the lodge is layered with solar cells

to take advantage of the bright, clear summer sky.

On average, the 10-room lodge can generate the

60 same amount of power as a conventional two-bedroom

apartment uses. Naturally, this poses challenges. The

biggest conservation measure I could see was total lack

of electronics, with the exception of the computer in

the back office, which I’ve never seen turned on. The

65 ceiling of every room has a large skylight, eliminating

the need for electric light during the day. At night, a

limited set of high-efficiency fluorescent bulbs illumi-

nates the corridors and public spaces. Staff is equipped

with flashlights for use in closets, outside, or in other

70 unlit spaces. Interestingly, the low lighting seems to fos-

ter an “early to bed, early to rise” mentality among the

guests, who always rave about how rested they feel after

a week’s stay.

Guests and staff alike stay warm with heavy

75 woolen blankets, or, as my boss once quipped, “personal

insulating devices.” A full-circle fireplace in the center

heats the main space. Smoke floats up the chim-

ney while the heavy stainless steel hood reflects heat

to all corners of the room. When guests close their

80 room doors at night, they can barely hear the high-speed

electric impellers that draw warmth from the fire into the

rooms.

The lodge is a model of efficiency in an often-

unforgiving territory. My summer there taught me to

85 budget more carefully my consumption of water and

power. It is such discipline that will be necessary in the

future when costs of these commodities might be so high

that civilization can no longer take their abundance for

granted.

Which of the following conclusions about the relationship between the narrator and the boss is best supported by the details in the passage?

• The narrator does not fully grasp the boss's rationale for having such an isolated lodge, but admires his ingenuity nonetheless.

• The boss largely ignores the narrator and the rest of the workforce, focusing instead on the guests, but the narrator does not resent him for it.

• The boss is very shy and the narrator obliges him with privacy.

• The narrator is an inquisitive person whose frequent questions irritate the boss.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

PROSE FICTION: The Lessons of Wilderness Living

Members of modern society are fortunate to enjoy

many conveniences once unheard of or reserved for the

elite. Imagine, if you can, only one day without running

water. It strains the mind to think of all the daily rituals

5 one would have to change if the tap suddenly went dry.

People today take electricity for granted, too. Lately,

I’ve realized that while reliance on modern technol-

ogy can improve the efficiency and quality of life, it

also keeps people from learning meaningful lessons

10 about living with the earth. The conservation ethics that

I gained this summer while working at a hunting lodge

I could not have learned elsewhere.

The lodge is located on a massive, little known

lake in northern Canada, closer to the Arctic Circle than

15 it is to the U.S. border. Every spring, the lodge reopens

to welcome scores of dedicated anglers itching to dip

a line in the nearby pristine creeks. By summer, the

small lodge fills to capacity with eager hunters. On the

guided treks, these men and women primarily chase

20 migratory birds and caribou, but I have seen plenty

of other unique game come back to the lodge kitchen

for preparation. Every hunter agrees that what one

finds at the lodge is a truly luxurious hunting experience.

Many people are surprised to find the lodge is totally

25 self-sufficient, with the exception of the food staples it

receives by small airplane. For a whole season, I was

“off the grid,” totally dependent on the lodge to provide

me with heat, light, water, and sanitation.

When I asked the owner why he built his

30 modern-looking log lodge so far beyond the reach of

civilization, he replied, “I didn’t really like hunting any-

where the sewer line ran.” Or electricity or telephone

or the water main, I thought to myself. The boss is

a peculiar man, but I see why he had no reservations

35 about setting up shop so deep in the wilderness. He

had learned to love it years ago when he was an elite

mountain soldier in the army. He always mentioned that

life wasn’t as difficult in the sub-arctic wilderness as

people think. Of course, he had a lodge to run, and

40 not everyone was as hardy as he. His creative solutions

to the lack of infrastructure are impressive.

The first necessity of employees and guests is

clean water for cooking, eating, and washing. A nearby

creek feeds a large pump that draws the water through a

45 particulate filter and into a large holding tank. A much

smaller pipe takes some of this water through a series of

purification devices. Inside, every sink has three taps:

two blue and one red. Guests are used to the

blue ones, drinkable hot and cold water, but the red one

50 always requires an explanation. My contribution over

the summer was to design a sign for each sink explain-

ing the ways one could use the unpurified water from

the red tap that came directly from the holding tank.

Showering and cleaning are the most important uses,

55 but “red” water is also useful for the garden or to give to

the dogs.

The roof of the lodge is layered with solar cells

to take advantage of the bright, clear summer sky.

On average, the 10-room lodge can generate the

60 same amount of power as a conventional two-bedroom

apartment uses. Naturally, this poses challenges. The

biggest conservation measure I could see was total lack

of electronics, with the exception of the computer in

the back office, which I’ve never seen turned on. The

65 ceiling of every room has a large skylight, eliminating

the need for electric light during the day. At night, a

limited set of high-efficiency fluorescent bulbs illumi-

nates the corridors and public spaces. Staff is equipped

with flashlights for use in closets, outside, or in other

70 unlit spaces. Interestingly, the low lighting seems to fos-

ter an “early to bed, early to rise” mentality among the

guests, who always rave about how rested they feel after

a week’s stay.

Guests and staff alike stay warm with heavy

75 woolen blankets, or, as my boss once quipped, “personal

insulating devices.” A full-circle fireplace in the center

heats the main space. Smoke floats up the chim-

ney while the heavy stainless steel hood reflects heat

to all corners of the room. When guests close their

80 room doors at night, they can barely hear the high-speed

electric impellers that draw warmth from the fire into the

rooms.

The lodge is a model of efficiency in an often-

unforgiving territory. My summer there taught me to

85 budget more carefully my consumption of water and

power. It is such discipline that will be necessary in the

future when costs of these commodities might be so high

that civilization can no longer take their abundance for

granted.

What does the narrator suggest is a central characteristic of modern society's water and power consumption?

• Temperance

• Resourcefulness

• Excess

• Caution

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.6

PROSE FICTION: The Lessons of Wilderness Living

Members of modern society are fortunate to enjoy

many conveniences once unheard of or reserved for the

elite. Imagine, if you can, only one day without running

water. It strains the mind to think of all the daily rituals

5 one would have to change if the tap suddenly went dry.

People today take electricity for granted, too. Lately,

I’ve realized that while reliance on modern technol-

ogy can improve the efficiency and quality of life, it

also keeps people from learning meaningful lessons

10 about living with the earth. The conservation ethics that

I gained this summer while working at a hunting lodge

I could not have learned elsewhere.

The lodge is located on a massive, little known

lake in northern Canada, closer to the Arctic Circle than

15 it is to the U.S. border. Every spring, the lodge reopens

to welcome scores of dedicated anglers itching to dip

a line in the nearby pristine creeks. By summer, the

small lodge fills to capacity with eager hunters. On the

guided treks, these men and women primarily chase

20 migratory birds and caribou, but I have seen plenty

of other unique game come back to the lodge kitchen

for preparation. Every hunter agrees that what one

finds at the lodge is a truly luxurious hunting experience.

Many people are surprised to find the lodge is totally

25 self-sufficient, with the exception of the food staples it

receives by small airplane. For a whole season, I was

“off the grid,” totally dependent on the lodge to provide

me with heat, light, water, and sanitation.

When I asked the owner why he built his

30 modern-looking log lodge so far beyond the reach of

civilization, he replied, “I didn’t really like hunting any-

where the sewer line ran.” Or electricity or telephone

or the water main, I thought to myself. The boss is

a peculiar man, but I see why he had no reservations

35 about setting up shop so deep in the wilderness. He

had learned to love it years ago when he was an elite

mountain soldier in the army. He always mentioned that

life wasn’t as difficult in the sub-arctic wilderness as

people think. Of course, he had a lodge to run, and

40 not everyone was as hardy as he. His creative solutions

to the lack of infrastructure are impressive.

The first necessity of employees and guests is

clean water for cooking, eating, and washing. A nearby

creek feeds a large pump that draws the water through a

45 particulate filter and into a large holding tank. A much

smaller pipe takes some of this water through a series of

purification devices. Inside, every sink has three taps:

two blue and one red. Guests are used to the

blue ones, drinkable hot and cold water, but the red one

50 always requires an explanation. My contribution over

the summer was to design a sign for each sink explain-

ing the ways one could use the unpurified water from

the red tap that came directly from the holding tank.

Showering and cleaning are the most important uses,

55 but “red” water is also useful for the garden or to give to

the dogs.

The roof of the lodge is layered with solar cells

to take advantage of the bright, clear summer sky.

On average, the 10-room lodge can generate the

60 same amount of power as a conventional two-bedroom

apartment uses. Naturally, this poses challenges. The

biggest conservation measure I could see was total lack

of electronics, with the exception of the computer in

the back office, which I’ve never seen turned on. The

65 ceiling of every room has a large skylight, eliminating

the need for electric light during the day. At night, a

limited set of high-efficiency fluorescent bulbs illumi-

nates the corridors and public spaces. Staff is equipped

with flashlights for use in closets, outside, or in other

70 unlit spaces. Interestingly, the low lighting seems to fos-

ter an “early to bed, early to rise” mentality among the

guests, who always rave about how rested they feel after

a week’s stay.

Guests and staff alike stay warm with heavy

75 woolen blankets, or, as my boss once quipped, “personal

insulating devices.” A full-circle fireplace in the center

heats the main space. Smoke floats up the chim-

ney while the heavy stainless steel hood reflects heat

to all corners of the room. When guests close their

80 room doors at night, they can barely hear the high-speed

electric impellers that draw warmth from the fire into the

rooms.

The lodge is a model of efficiency in an often-

unforgiving territory. My summer there taught me to

85 budget more carefully my consumption of water and

power. It is such discipline that will be necessary in the

future when costs of these commodities might be so high

that civilization can no longer take their abundance for

granted.

As it is used in line 27, the word grid most likely means:

• roadway system.

• map.

• utility system.

• populated land.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.4

CCSS.L.11-12.5

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

PROSE FICTION: The Lessons of Wilderness Living

Members of modern society are fortunate to enjoy

many conveniences once unheard of or reserved for the

elite. Imagine, if you can, only one day without running

water. It strains the mind to think of all the daily rituals

5 one would have to change if the tap suddenly went dry.

People today take electricity for granted, too. Lately,

I’ve realized that while reliance on modern technol-

ogy can improve the efficiency and quality of life, it

also keeps people from learning meaningful lessons

10 about living with the earth. The conservation ethics that

I gained this summer while working at a hunting lodge

I could not have learned elsewhere.

The lodge is located on a massive, little known

lake in northern Canada, closer to the Arctic Circle than

15 it is to the U.S. border. Every spring, the lodge reopens

to welcome scores of dedicated anglers itching to dip

a line in the nearby pristine creeks. By summer, the

small lodge fills to capacity with eager hunters. On the

guided treks, these men and women primarily chase

20 migratory birds and caribou, but I have seen plenty

of other unique game come back to the lodge kitchen

for preparation. Every hunter agrees that what one

finds at the lodge is a truly luxurious hunting experience.

Many people are surprised to find the lodge is totally

25 self-sufficient, with the exception of the food staples it

receives by small airplane. For a whole season, I was

“off the grid,” totally dependent on the lodge to provide

me with heat, light, water, and sanitation.

When I asked the owner why he built his

30 modern-looking log lodge so far beyond the reach of

civilization, he replied, “I didn’t really like hunting any-

where the sewer line ran.” Or electricity or telephone

or the water main, I thought to myself. The boss is

a peculiar man, but I see why he had no reservations

35 about setting up shop so deep in the wilderness. He

had learned to love it years ago when he was an elite

mountain soldier in the army. He always mentioned that

life wasn’t as difficult in the sub-arctic wilderness as

people think. Of course, he had a lodge to run, and

40 not everyone was as hardy as he. His creative solutions

to the lack of infrastructure are impressive.

The first necessity of employees and guests is

clean water for cooking, eating, and washing. A nearby

creek feeds a large pump that draws the water through a

45 particulate filter and into a large holding tank. A much

smaller pipe takes some of this water through a series of

purification devices. Inside, every sink has three taps:

two blue and one red. Guests are used to the

blue ones, drinkable hot and cold water, but the red one

50 always requires an explanation. My contribution over

the summer was to design a sign for each sink explain-

ing the ways one could use the unpurified water from

the red tap that came directly from the holding tank.

Showering and cleaning are the most important uses,

55 but “red” water is also useful for the garden or to give to

the dogs.

The roof of the lodge is layered with solar cells

to take advantage of the bright, clear summer sky.

On average, the 10-room lodge can generate the

60 same amount of power as a conventional two-bedroom

apartment uses. Naturally, this poses challenges. The

biggest conservation measure I could see was total lack

of electronics, with the exception of the computer in

the back office, which I’ve never seen turned on. The

65 ceiling of every room has a large skylight, eliminating

the need for electric light during the day. At night, a

limited set of high-efficiency fluorescent bulbs illumi-

nates the corridors and public spaces. Staff is equipped

with flashlights for use in closets, outside, or in other

70 unlit spaces. Interestingly, the low lighting seems to fos-

ter an “early to bed, early to rise” mentality among the

guests, who always rave about how rested they feel after

a week’s stay.

Guests and staff alike stay warm with heavy

75 woolen blankets, or, as my boss once quipped, “personal

insulating devices.” A full-circle fireplace in the center

heats the main space. Smoke floats up the chim-

ney while the heavy stainless steel hood reflects heat

to all corners of the room. When guests close their

80 room doors at night, they can barely hear the high-speed

electric impellers that draw warmth from the fire into the

rooms.

The lodge is a model of efficiency in an often-

unforgiving territory. My summer there taught me to

85 budget more carefully my consumption of water and

power. It is such discipline that will be necessary in the

future when costs of these commodities might be so high

that civilization can no longer take their abundance for

granted.

The boss would most likely agree with which of the following characterizations of his lodge?

• It is rustic, unrefined, and occasionally uncomfortable.

• It retains its wilderness charm in spite of concessions to some modern conveniences.

• It establishes an oasis in the barren North for guests demanding luxury.

• It focuses on premium lodging, with some guests choosing to participate in guided hunts.

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

PROSE FICTION: The Lessons of Wilderness Living

Members of modern society are fortunate to enjoy

many conveniences once unheard of or reserved for the

elite. Imagine, if you can, only one day without running

water. It strains the mind to think of all the daily rituals

5 one would have to change if the tap suddenly went dry.

People today take electricity for granted, too. Lately,

I’ve realized that while reliance on modern technol-

ogy can improve the efficiency and quality of life, it

also keeps people from learning meaningful lessons

10 about living with the earth. The conservation ethics that

I gained this summer while working at a hunting lodge

I could not have learned elsewhere.

The lodge is located on a massive, little known

lake in northern Canada, closer to the Arctic Circle than

15 it is to the U.S. border. Every spring, the lodge reopens

to welcome scores of dedicated anglers itching to dip

a line in the nearby pristine creeks. By summer, the

small lodge fills to capacity with eager hunters. On the

guided treks, these men and women primarily chase

20 migratory birds and caribou, but I have seen plenty

of other unique game come back to the lodge kitchen

for preparation. Every hunter agrees that what one

finds at the lodge is a truly luxurious hunting experience.

Many people are surprised to find the lodge is totally

25 self-sufficient, with the exception of the food staples it

receives by small airplane. For a whole season, I was

“off the grid,” totally dependent on the lodge to provide

me with heat, light, water, and sanitation.

When I asked the owner why he built his

30 modern-looking log lodge so far beyond the reach of

civilization, he replied, “I didn’t really like hunting any-

where the sewer line ran.” Or electricity or telephone

or the water main, I thought to myself. The boss is

a peculiar man, but I see why he had no reservations

35 about setting up shop so deep in the wilderness. He

had learned to love it years ago when he was an elite

mountain soldier in the army. He always mentioned that

life wasn’t as difficult in the sub-arctic wilderness as

people think. Of course, he had a lodge to run, and

40 not everyone was as hardy as he. His creative solutions

to the lack of infrastructure are impressive.

The first necessity of employees and guests is

clean water for cooking, eating, and washing. A nearby

creek feeds a large pump that draws the water through a

45 particulate filter and into a large holding tank. A much

smaller pipe takes some of this water through a series of

purification devices. Inside, every sink has three taps:

two blue and one red. Guests are used to the

blue ones, drinkable hot and cold water, but the red one

50 always requires an explanation. My contribution over

the summer was to design a sign for each sink explain-

ing the ways one could use the unpurified water from

the red tap that came directly from the holding tank.

Showering and cleaning are the most important uses,

55 but “red” water is also useful for the garden or to give to

the dogs.

The roof of the lodge is layered with solar cells

to take advantage of the bright, clear summer sky.

On average, the 10-room lodge can generate the

60 same amount of power as a conventional two-bedroom

apartment uses. Naturally, this poses challenges. The

biggest conservation measure I could see was total lack

of electronics, with the exception of the computer in

the back office, which I’ve never seen turned on. The

65 ceiling of every room has a large skylight, eliminating

the need for electric light during the day. At night, a

limited set of high-efficiency fluorescent bulbs illumi-

nates the corridors and public spaces. Staff is equipped

with flashlights for use in closets, outside, or in other

70 unlit spaces. Interestingly, the low lighting seems to fos-

ter an “early to bed, early to rise” mentality among the

guests, who always rave about how rested they feel after

a week’s stay.

Guests and staff alike stay warm with heavy

75 woolen blankets, or, as my boss once quipped, “personal

insulating devices.” A full-circle fireplace in the center

heats the main space. Smoke floats up the chim-

ney while the heavy stainless steel hood reflects heat

to all corners of the room. When guests close their

80 room doors at night, they can barely hear the high-speed

electric impellers that draw warmth from the fire into the

rooms.

The lodge is a model of efficiency in an often-

unforgiving territory. My summer there taught me to

85 budget more carefully my consumption of water and

power. It is such discipline that will be necessary in the

future when costs of these commodities might be so high

that civilization can no longer take their abundance for

granted.

It is most reasonable to infer from the passage that the creeks near the lodge are pristine because:

• they teem with fish.

• the lodge only draws water from one of them.

• civilization is not present to alter or pollute them.

• many specialty fishes can be readily caught in their waters.

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.1