Reading Passage Comprehension

In paragraph 8, the author uses glass as a metaphor to show her —

• intense anger

• deep personal regret

• vision problems

• extreme physical agony

In paragraph 4, the author’s attitude about being near wildlife is —

• terrified

• pleased

• cautious

• irritated

In which quotation does the author use descriptive language to show her unexpected awe?

• I crawled out of my tent and stood slowly, my muscles stiff from yesterday’s hike, my bare feet tender on the rocky dirt.

• My pack’s frame creaked behind me with each step, straining from the weight. The muscles of my upper back and shoulders were bound in tense, hot knots.

• I knew it was the top because there was snow. Not on the ground, but falling from the sky, in thin flakes that swirled in mad patterns, pushed by the wind.

• By noon I was up over 6,000 feet and the air had cooled, the sun suddenly disappearing behind clouds.

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Paragraph 10 builds upon the theme of —

• discovering how close humans are to nature

• rejecting modernity for a simpler way of living

• finding a sanctuary from society by retreating into nature

• gaining a new perspective by undergoing a challenging experience

In paragraph 1, the author details the history of the Pacific Crest Trail to —

• show the sacrifices that were necessary to complete the trail

• imply that it took an unreasonable amount of time to create the trail

• contrast how new the completed trail is with how old it feels to her

• emphasize that the trail’s history is not as interesting to her as the trail itself is

Read these quotations from the two selections.

A Train Trip

“And what will you remember?” “All the fun we’ve had.” “Not just filling the wood box and hauling water?” “That’s not hard.” “No,” he said. “That’s not hard. Aren’t you sorry to go away?” “Not if we’re going to Canada.”

Wild

I began to walk, feeling experienced in a way I hadn't the day before, less cautious with each step in spite of the scat, stronger beneath my pack.

In both quotations, the narrators display —

• optimism

• a need for approval

• a lack of self-worth

• self-doubt

What do the narrators of both selections have in common?

• They both show signs of being physically exhausted.

• They both exhibit some reluctance to proceed on a journey.

• They both experience deep feelings of regret.

• They both test the limits of their endurance.

In both selections, food is described as something —

• the narrators consume out of necessity

• the narrators find completely unappealing

• that represents love and caring

• that is in limited supply

Although the authors of the selections write in different styles, both of them make use of —

• short sentences

• occasional dialogue

• third-person narration

• vivid descriptions

Which definition best matches the use of the word tender in paragraph 3?

• Definition 1

• Definition 2

• Definition 3

• Definition 4