from Mississippi Solo

What element reveals that this selection is a memoir?

• figurative language

• sequence of events

• first-person pronouns

• sentence fragments

What evidence in the text supports inferences about the author’s past?

• “Too many marvelous days in a row and you begin to get used to it.”

• “I guess I’d had enough hard days to last me for a while.”

• “Each change had something to say, and I listened to the river.”

• “Nothing else mattered then. Going someplace or not.”

The author regards the river as

• a friend.

• an obstacle.

• an inspiration.

• a threat.

How did the author first know that a storm was approaching?

• The river was changing colors.

• The river whispered to him, “Get ready.”

• He felt the river dip down and up.

• He passed through a pocket of thin dry air.

Which of the following is an example of the author’s use of simile?

• “The river kept me company and kept me satisfied. Nothing else mattered.”

• “I passed through the far curtain of the insulated air.”

• “The tips of the trees bent way over . . . like fishing rods hooked on a big one.”

• “The trees swooshed loudly as the leaves and branches brushed hard together.”

As the storm approached, the author intended to head for shore. Why did he turn into the trees instead?

• He thought that the trees would provide better shelter.

• He was afraid there would not be time to reach the shore.

• The river “spoke” to him and grabbed the end of his canoe.

• The shoreline had been pushed back through the trees.

An avalanche moves

• slowly.

• haltingly.

• smoothly.

• rapidly.

When you insulate something, you

• move it to another location.

• keep heat from passing through it.

• fill it with water.

• make it more important.

To splinter means to

• break up.

• join together.

• bend over.

• make a loud noise.

Something that is ethereal is

• heavy and solid.

• cold and wet.

• light and airy.

• loud and noisy.