"To Build a Fire" by Jack London

Which words from paragraph 1 help the reader understand the meaning of "devised"?

• The instant he stopped his cheeckbones went numb,

• He was sure to frost his cheeks.

• of the sort Bud wore in cold snaps.

• Such a strap passed across the cheeks.

The last two sentences of paragraph 1 convey that the man is-

• Extremely well prepared for the journey he is taking with his dog.

• Unconcerned about frostbite and other dangers from the extreme cold.

• Thinking through his plans for his arrival to the boys this evening.

• More worried about his dog than himself.

The description of ice and water in the creek in paragraphs 2 and 3 is important to the excerpt because it-

• Shows the level of danger the man confronts on his journey.

• Reveals the route the man is taking on his journey.

• Demonstrates how quickly the man's fingers turn numb when exposed.

• Explains why the man is traveling with his dog in Canada.

What is the best summary of paragraphs 1 through 3?

• A man and his dog are trekking through the wilderness in Canada on a very cold winter day. When the man nearly breaks through the ice of a creek, he sends his dog ahead and witnesses the dangerous consequences of the water on the dog's feet. Helping the dog remove the ice, the man notices numbness in his own fingers.

• A man and his dog are trekking through the wilderness in Canada on a very cold winter day. When the man nearly breaks through the ice of a creek, he sends his dog ahead in order to test the safety of the creek. Ice forms on the dog's fur and between its toes, and the man recalls that he understands that can hurt.

• A man has set out to make it to the boys' camp by 6 on a very cold day in the Canadian wilderness. When his dog stumbles through some ice and his feet get wet, the man is slowed down by the need to care for the animal. When he removes the ice between the dog's toes, the man thinks about how much danger he is in himself.

• A man considers the dangers of traveling alone in the wilderness on a very cold day in Canada. When he nearly breaks the ice underfoot, he becomes even more cautious and concerned for the success of his journey.The suffering of his dog- who develops ice between its toes-worries the man. and he stops tp build a fire so they can get warm.

Which sentence best illustrates the narrator's conflict?

• Once in a while, the thought reiterated itself that it was very cold and that he had never experienced such cold.

• Empty as the man's mind was of thoughts, he was keenly observant, and he noticed the changes in the creek. the curves and bends and timber-jams, and always he sharply noted where he placed his feet.

• Usually the snow above the hidden pools had a sunken, candied appearance that advertised the danger.

• He chuckled at his foolishness, and as he chuckled he noted the numbness creeping into the exposed fingers.

Read the sentence from paragraph 4- "He tried to take a mouthful, but the ice-muzzle prevented." what does the imagery in this sentence suggest about the narrator?

• The man is close to the end of his journey and able to laugh at his mistakes.

• The man believes himself to be muzzled like a dog.

• The man is in real danger now that he is both very cold and unable to eat.

• The man feels a new resolve to fix his predicament.

Through the man's experience, the author explores the idea that-

• The companionship between the man and his dog is essential to the success of the journey.

• Being knowledgeable about a situation does not always protect a person from danger.

• Hard work and dedication to a task is all that is needed to get through it.

• Peril lurks in the most unlikely of places.

The man's keen awareness of his surroundings leads him to-

• Change course and return home

• Speed up in order to make it to the boys faster

• recognize the danger he has put himself in

• Worry that his dog will get injured in the cold