Sam McGee & 50 Below is Quite Cold... Questions

How does the setting of "The Cremation of Sam McGee" in the Yukon affect Sam's character?

• The setting makes him joyful.

• The setting makes him appreciate the beauty of the Yukon.

• The setting makes him miserable.

• The setting makes him obsessed with gold.

What is the tone of this sensory detail: "and every day that quiet clay seemed to heavy and heavier grow"?

• weary

• energetic

• sad

• joyful

Which of the five senses does this imagery appeal to? "And he wore a smile you could see a mile, and he said, 'Please close that door.'"

• sound

• smell

• sight

• taste

Read this excerpt from "The Cremation of Sam McGee":

"And every day that quiet clay seemed to heavy and heavier grow."

• He sees Sam's body as a burden that keeps getting worse.

• He's become weary of searching for gold with nothing to show for it.

• He's concerned that Sam is getting more and more ill and will eventually die.

• He fears the sled will break down.

Think back to the article, including its title, headings, and key details:

What is the central (big) idea of "50 below is quite cold, even for Alaska"?

• The weather in Alaska can be bitterly cold, so people have different ways of adapting.

• Cynthia worries a lot, so she should take a vacation to a warmer climate.

• People should not live in such a place, and doing so is asking for trouble.

• People who live in Alaska should move.

Which sentence best states the main purpose of "50 below is quite cold, even for Alaska"?

• to entertain readers with a funny story about ife in an unusual environment

• to explain to readers a procedure for staying warm in bitterly cold environments

• to persuade readers to visit Alaska and experience the cold

• to inform readers about the extreme cold in Alaska and how Alaskans endure it

In the article, how does the section under the heading "Clouds are Like Insulation" develop the idea that cloud cover results in warmer temperatures?

• It focuses on a meteorologist's comparison of clouds to a tea kettle building up heat.

• It includes a meteorologist's comparison of clouds to a blanket that traps heat instead of letting it escape.

• It includes a description of how clouds act like a furnace that radiates heat toward the earth.

• It focuses on a meteorologist's description of how clouds absorb heat like a sponge.

Which sentences from "50 below is quite cold, even for Alaska" show the interaction between two ideas?

• "Sunlight has virtually no effect on temperatures. Clouds, however, insulate the air below them."

• "Cynthia Erickson woke up early. She hoped her four furnaces were working."

• "I want to leave," she said. "My teeth are frozen to my lips."

• "Snow helps keep the heat inside." Erickson said. "Everybody banks their houses."