2.4 Explore the Wild West!

According to the passage, how were mountain men helpful to explorers and pioneers?

• They trapped small animals for their fur.
• They traded goods with Native Americans.
• They acted as guides, sharing their knowledge of the land with travelers.
• They went ahead of the pioneers, building a safe trail west for those in search of fortune.

The details in paragraphs 5 support the key idea that President Jefferson wanted Lewis and Clark to

• become missionaries
• write a book about prairie dogs
• trade beaver pelts with fur trappers
• discover a water route across the continent

Look at this illustration from the selection. What is the most likely reason the author included this illustration?

• to highlight the importance James Beckwourth in exploring the West.
• to show where the Crow Indians live.
• to describe the different routes traders would take to California.
• to explain what fur trappers did in the West.

How does the author mainly organize paragraph 22?

• To explain the steps of crossing a river.
• To compare the way the Native American crossed rivers with how the pioneers did?
• By showing some solutions the pioneers came up with for the problem of crossing rivers.
• To show the causes of river crossing and the effects they had on the pioneers.

According to the section "Along the Trail" what were some challenges the pioneers faced? CHOOSE TWO.

• Snow storms
• River crossings
• Disease
• Heat stroke

In the text circle on page 255, the passage says that scientists still study plant specimens gathered by Lewis and Clark. What is the meaning of specimens as it is used in the passage?

• sketches
• samples
• models
• copies

According to the selection, why did people leave furniture along the Oregon Trail?

• to mark the trail for other travelers
• to make the wagons lighter for the oxen
• because old furniture was considered garbage
• because they wanted to buy new furniture for their new lives

What caused the most pioneer deaths along the trail?

• getting cholera from polluted drinking water
• getting caught in mountain storms
• being crushed by frightened cattle
• leaving too late in the season

The selection says that some wagon covers had slogans written on them. What is the meaning of the word slogans?

• to show love for your country
• something that is very useful
• something that is usual or normal
• short phrases that are catchy and easy to remember

The text says that newspaper advertisements often did not give the complete picture of the hardships of daily life on the trail. What is the meaning of the word hardships?

• to show love for your country

• something that is very useful

• something that is usual or normal

• difficulties or suffering caused by not having enough of something