In La Rinconada, Peru

The author of "In La Rinconada, Peru, Searching for Beauty in Ugliness" implies that early stories about the amount of gold available may have been exaggerated. Which excerpt from the text best supports this idea?

• Down the centuries, the quest for El Dorado has held the South American continent in thrall, luring generations of fortune hunters to its far reaches

• The geologic exuberance known as the Cordillera of the Andes has yielded a fount of treasure...

• Nowhere has Peru's frenzy for gold been so fevered as in the mountains that surround Lake Titicaca

• Gold no longer rolls from the mountain in chunks the size of a man's head (if indeed it ever did)

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Read this excerpt from "In La Rinconada, Peru, Searching for Beauty in Ugliness."

The green is gone. The earth is turned. What you see as Mount Ananea looms into view is a lunar landscape, pitted with orange lakes that reek of cyanide.

What does this imagery most emphasize about the setting?

• the destruction caused by mining operations

• the terrible smell caused by lack of plumbing

• the surprising beauty in the midst of ugliness

• the way extreme temperatures affect the landscape

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

Read this excerpt from "In La Rinconada, Peru, Searching for Beauty in Ugliness." Gold ripped from Sleeping Beauty's entrails will glitter on Cartier and Tiffany counters around the world. What important idea do the sensory details in this excerpt convey most clearly?

• There is beauty to be found in all places.

• The demand for gold is leading to global violence.

• La Rinconada and its people pay a high price for others' luxury.

• The government of Peru has abandoned the people of La Rinconada.

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

What surprising thing does the author of “In La Rinconada, Peru, Searching for Beauty in Ugliness” witness on her trip?

• beautiful landscapes

• hunger and hardship

• environmental destruction

• fleeting moments of joy

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.6

CCSS.RI.11-12.6

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.6

According to “In La Rinconada, Peru, Searching for Beauty in Ugliness,” why do government officials rarely visit La Rinconada?

• There are no luxury hotels for visitors to stay in.

• The people there are so angry that officials would feel unwelcome.

• Thin air and bitter cold make the place uninviting.

• Mining companies have made safe travel to the peak difficult.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

According to the author of “In La Rinconada, Peru, Searching for Beauty in Ugliness,” how has the landscape at La Rinconada changed? Choose three options.

• There used to be grassland.

• There used to be leaping fish.

• There used to be sparkling lakes.

• There used to be a milder climate.

• There used to be medicinal plants.

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

A reader of “In La Rinconada, Peru, Searching for Beauty in Ugliness” can conclude that the company overseeing mining at La Rinconada does not care about the workers there. Which details from the text best support this conclusion? Choose three options.

• Electricity was installed only to fuel the mine machinery.

• The king’s mines from the 1700s collapsed under the weight of glaciers.

• Multinational companies are setting up mining operations in other places.

• Mined ore is washed with cyanide and pounded with mercury.

• Usually mild-mannered locals expressed rage about mining conditions in the area.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Which of the following statements from “In La Rinconada, Peru, Searching for Beauty in Ugliness” is most clearly an example of the author’s personal observation?

• The work outdoors is often done by women and children. The work in the damp, freezing shafts is done by men.

• Peru is one of the world’s leading producers of silver and one of Latin America’s most exuberant founts of precious metal.

• Wandering the ice-mud streets of La Rinconada, one can’t help but hope that this gold town’s days are numbered.

• Although Peru is small (slightly smaller than Alaska), it encompasses a virtual panoply of landforms.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.6

CCSS.RI.11-12.6

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.6

What is the primary theme of the article 'In La Rinconada, Peru, Searching for Beauty in Ugliness'?

• The environmental impact of mining

• The cultural heritage of Peru

• The economic growth of La Rinconada

• The beauty of the Andes mountains

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Which literary device is most prominently used in the phrase 'gold ripped from Sleeping Beauty's entrails'?

• Metaphor

• Simile

• Personification

• Hyperbole

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.12

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9