The Cremation of Sam McGee

Which excerpt from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

• so I swore I would not fail

• a corpse half hid that I couldn’t get rid

• the trail has its own stern code

• in my heart how I cursed that load

Sam McGee wants Cap to cremate his body when he dies. What does he mean?

• He wants Cap to bury him somewhere nice.

• He wants Cap to send his body back to Tennessee.

• He wants Cap to burn his body to ashes.

• He wants Cap to arrange a funeral service for him.

To burn, rather than bury, a body

• Loathe

• Derelict

• Moil

• Cremate

What is the central idea of stanza 1?

• Life in the Arctic is harsh and hellish.

• People who lived in the Arctic were secretive.

• Sam McGee died in the Arctic.

• Many strange things have happened in the Arctic.

What is the central idea of stanza 2?

• Sam McGee was from Tennessee.

• Cotton blooms in Tennessee.

• Sam McGee wanted gold but hated the cold.

• Sam McGee was a grumpy, cantankerous man.

What is the central idea of stanzas 3-5?

• Sam McGee believes he will die on the trip and asks to be cremated.

• The trip to Dawson trail was dreadfully cold.

• The narrator shows the reader that Sam McGee was his best friend.

• Sam McGee lists his greatest fears and wishes.

What is the central idea of stanzas 7-9?

• The narrator begins to fear for his own death because of the cold, long journey.

• The narrator deals with the physical and mental consequences of the promise he made to Sam McGee.

• The narrator finds inner peace because of his newly-found purpose.

• The narrator breaks the promise he made to Sam McGee and is haunted by guilt and regret.

What is the central idea of stanzas 10-11?

• The narrator finds a place to fulfill his promise to Sam McGee.

• The narrator finds a way to abandon his responsibilities.

• The narrator converts a boat into a shelter for himself and Sam McGee.

• The narrator makes a fire to keep himself warm.

What is the main theme of 'The Cremation of Sam McGee'?

• A) The harshness of the Arctic environment

• B) The importance of friendship and promises

• C) The pursuit of wealth and its consequences

• D) The mystery of death and the afterlife

Which literary device is predominantly used in 'The Cremation of Sam McGee'?

• A) Metaphor

• B) Simile

• C) Personification

• D) Hyperbole