Where the West Begins Poem Questions

The reader can conclude that Belinda Mulroney’s first restaurant —

• was the only restaurant in town

• also sold clothes and mining supplies

• was a successful business investment

• offered miners good food at low prices

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

Which phrase from paragraph 6 helps the reader understand the meaning of the word grueling in paragraph 7?

• Other noteworthy businesses involved

• prospectors were not allowed

• burdened with more than 1,000 pounds of provisions

• transporting goods along the trails

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

The author wrote this selection most likely to —

• explain different ways people profited from the gold rush

• describe the prospectors’ journey to the goldfields in detail

• highlight how the search for gold gave people hope for the future

• relate the history of how the gold rush began

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RI.7.6

CCSS.RI.7.9

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

Which sentence supports the idea that goods were in demand during the Klondike gold rush?

• They charged per mile and by weight when they helped carry supplies.

• When she reached Dawson—the closest town to the goldfields—she sold these items for seven times the amount she purchased them for.

• The men made their fortune collecting tolls from travelers.

• It publicized Seattle as the “Gateway to the Golden Fields,” hoping to bring the prospectors’ business to Seattle.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.1

The map is included in the selection most likely to —

• explain why gold was found in the Yukon Territory of Canada

• illustrate why Seattle became an important port during the Yukon gold rush

• emphasize how dangerous the trails to the Yukon were

• demonstrate how much gold was found by prospectors

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.7

CCSS.RI.7.7

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RL.6.7

CCSS.RL.7.7

Read this line from the poem.

But I walked away a wiser man.

This line suggests that at the end of the poem the speaker —

• knows how valuable a small amount of gold can be

• realizes the most effective technique for panning for gold

• understands why so many people looked for gold during the gold rush

• gains a new perspective about the outcome of panning for gold

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

The repetition of the lines “Water and sand. That’s ALL it takes./Swish your pan. Pick out the flakes!” is used to emphasize the —

• importance of gold mining to the economy

• physical hardships and obstacles faced by miners

• additional tools needed by miners in the goldfields

• false promise that gold mining is an easy way to get rich

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.10

Read line 37 from the poem.

I should have known better.

From this line, the reader can infer that the speaker feels regret about —

• giving up his search for gold

• leaving his job to prospect for gold

• having the wrong equipment for panning for gold

• taking too long to locate an area to search for gold

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.5

This poem is mostly about a young man who —

• follows people going west in search of gold and tries different locations without success

• looks for a better alternative to a job that he does not enjoy doing and becomes a gold prospector

• goes west in hopes of finding gold and after several unsuccessful attempts finally realizes a better way to earn money

• tries the same method for finding gold and is unsuccessful because of his unwillingness to change

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.5

The poet’s use of short sentences helps create the poem’s —

• vivid imagery

• rhythm

• tone

• conflict

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5