7th grade Check-in #4

Use context clues to determine the meaing of the word gulled: Gulled by Disney and others.

• to fool or trick someone

• entertained

• learn from

• showing great concentration

Use context clues to determine the meaing of the word tandem: They are working in tandem.

• working alone

• partnership or group of two

• group of three

• group of four

Use context clues to determine the meaing of the word precise: I was in and of beauty and at that precise moment I saw a doe.

• to cause harm or damage

• to suffer something unpleasant

• clearly defined and accurate

• estimate

Use context clues to determine the meaing of the word intent: "They were so intent on her, and the smell of her."

• to cause harm or pain

• working together

• clearly defined

• showing great concentration or focus

Use context clues to determine the meaing of the word sustain: "He sustained one small bite on his tail."

• to cause harm or damage

• to suffer something unpleasant

• clearly defined

• great concentration

Use context clues to determine the meaing of the word inflict: "He inflicted terrible damage with his teeth."

• to cause harm or damage

• to suffer something unpleasant

• clearly defined

• showing great concentration

5 It was a grandly beautiful winter morning. The temperature was perhaps ten below, with a bright sun that shone through ice crystals in the air so that everything seemed to sparkle. The dogs were working evenly, the gangline up through the middle of them thrumming with the rhythm it has when they are working in perfect tandem. We skirted the lake, which lay below and to the right. To the left and rising higher were willows and brush, which made something like a wall next to the trail.

6 The dogs were still running at a lope, though we had come over seven miles, and I was full of them; my life was full of them. We were, as it happens sometimes, dancing with winter. I could not help smiling, just smiling idiotically at the grandness of it. Part of the chant of an ancient Navajo prayer rolled through my mind:

7 Beauty above me
Beauty below me
Beauty before me . . .

8 That is how I felt then and frequently still feel when I am running dogs. I was in and of beauty and at that precise moment a doe, a white-tailed deer, exploded out of some willows on the left side of the team, heading down the bank toward the lake.

1. The author’s purpose in using many descriptive and sensory details is to —

• 1. describe the scene that morning.

• 1. persuade the reader that the outdoors should be enjoyed.

• 1. entertain the reader with a scene from nature.

• 1. criticize commonly held beliefs about nature

5 It was a grandly beautiful winter morning. The temperature was perhaps ten below, with a bright sun that shone through ice crystals in the air so that everything seemed to sparkle. The dogs were working evenly, the gangline up through the middle of them thrumming with the rhythm it has when they are working in perfect tandem. We skirted the lake, which lay below and to the right. To the left and rising higher were willows and brush, which made something like a wall next to the trail.

6 The dogs were still running at a lope, though we had come over seven miles, and I was full of them; my life was full of them. We were, as it happens sometimes, dancing with winter. I could not help smiling, just smiling idiotically at the grandness of it. Part of the chant of an ancient Navajo prayer rolled through my mind:

7 Beauty above me
Beauty below me
Beauty before me . . .

8 That is how I felt then and frequently still feel when I am running dogs. I was in and of beauty and at that precise moment a doe, a white-tailed deer, exploded out of some willows on the left side of the team, heading down the bank toward the lake.

1. Based on the author’s descriptions in paragraphs 5–8, the reader can conclude that he primarily wants to express a feeling of —

• 1. kinship with the Navajo.

• 1. fatigue from leading the dog sled.

• 1. anxiety about danger out in the woods

• 1. appreciation for the beauty of nature

1. Based on the details in the excerpt, the reader can infer that the author’s overall purpose in writing this piece is to show that

   Answer choices for the above question

   A. When you spend time in nature, you can feel the frightening power of the wilderness.

   B. You should not travel or work alone in nature, unless you have a pack of animals with you.

   C. In certain moments you can feel surrounded by beauty in nature, but there is also danger in the natural world.

   D. Reflecting on Native American literature and customs can enhance your appreciation of nature.

• 1. When you spend time in nature, you can feel the frightening power of the wilderness.

• 1. You should not travel or work alone in nature, unless you have a pack of animals with you

• 1. In certain moments you can feel surrounded by beauty in nature, but there is also danger in the natural world.

• 1. Reflecting on Native American literature and customs can enhance your appreciation of nature.

When would ask this question to yourself when you are reading a book? How is the plot of this story similar to and different from other books I have read in this genre?

• Before you read a book

• when you are reading a book

• after you get done reading a book

• none of the answers