Making Meaning: The Nuclear Tourist

According to “The Nuclear Tourist,” why do some people come back to the Chernobyl area to live?

• They want to return home despite the danger.

• They find the possibility of danger to be a thrill.

• They want to live in an area with few other people.

• They don't believe the radiation levels can harm them.

According to “The Nuclear Tourist,” how did the residents of Pripyat react at first to the meltdown at Chernobyl?

• by rushing to the site

• by carrying on as usual

• by quickly leaving the area

• by building a containment structure

What does “The Nuclear Tourist” suggest is the part of Chernobyl that has been most affected by the nuclear accident and its aftermath?

• the outdoor air

• the flora and fauna

• the earth that was once topsoil

• the atmosphere high above the area

What is the main reason that so many buildings described in “The Nuclear Tourist,” such as the school and hospital, are crumbling and run-down?

• No one has taken care of them for years.

• Radiation in the area has damaged them.

• Looters caused harm while removing valuable parts.

• They were bulldozed soon after the nuclear accident.

According to “The Nuclear Tourist,” how has the world’s view of splitting the atom changed since it first occurred?

• from enthusiasm to fear

• from insecurity to confidence

• from excitement to anger

• from nervousness to appreciation

Why does the author of “The Nuclear Tourist” come to feel at ease about his exposure risk while in the Chernobyl area?

• He thinks the benefits outweigh the danger.

• No one has been harmed by being in the area.

• Most measurements he has taken have been quite low.

• He has become used to the danger of radiation exposure.

A reader of “The Nuclear Tourist” can conclude that unless levels are extremely high, radiation’s negative effects on people can take a while to show up. Which detail from the text best supports this idea?

• It is not possible to see radiation but instead one must test for it using a dosimeter.

• Nearly 200 villagers were evacuated and many dogs were shot after the disaster.

• People who consumed irradiated food as children later developed thyroid cancer.

• People who lived near the explosion were told they could return in three to five days.

Which sentence best describes how the author of “The Nuclear Tourist” feels about the lack of safety precautions during the trip?

• He is worried that he will be exposed to too much radiation.

• He is alarmed and plans to report his concerns after the trip.

• He is mostly calm but wishes there had been a few more rules.

• He is pleased that he is not restricted from visiting dangerous places.

What is the meaning of the Latin root -spec-?

• to sit

• to look

• to lean

• to travel

At the beginning of “The Nuclear Tourist,” the author explains that it takes around five sieverts of radiation to kill a person. How does this information help the reader?

• It allows the reader to estimate how much radiation the author is exposed to on his trip.

• It gives the reader information to help understand the radiation measurements throughout the article.

• It gives the reader an understanding of how quickly people get can sick after being exposed to tiny amounts of radiation.

• It lets the reader know how many people probably died as a result of radiation from the accident and how many died from other causes.