Gold Rush

In paragraph 6, Dame Shirley states that the gift she sent is her "last golden handiwork" because she ______.

• is keeping the rest of the gold she finds for herself

• will not be sending any more gifts to the recipient of her letter

• did not enjoy panning for gold and will not do it again

• is returning home soon and will not be sending any more letters

In paragraph 7, Dame Shirley states that she has learned the "secret of the former gold 'mineresses' success." What is the secret Dame Shirley learned?

• The gold mineresses stole their gold from other miners.

• The miners spread salt on the ground because it looks like gold.

• The miners gave the gold mineresses gold so they would leave.

• The gold mineresses panned for gold in rich, bedrock soil.

The author’s MAIN reason for including paragraph 7 was to explain why ________.

• the miners trick the women into thinking they found gold

• the people who live near the digs like to visit them

• many people have the wrong idea about how easy it is to find gold

• a lot of women become rich mining for gold

In paragraph 8, the diggers describe Dame Shirley’s findings as “an excellent ‘prospect’” because she ________.

• had a “lucky strike” and made a fortune

• got a significant amount of gold in one basinful of soil

• was given a basinful of rich, bedrock soil

• found a lot of gold after several basinfuls of soil

According to paragraph 8, most diggers ________.

• A. never made more than $8 a day

• B. made about $256 in a single basinful of soil

• C. often had “lucky strikes” when panning in bedrock soil

• D. yielded an income of at least $10 a day

What is the central idea of the passage?

• Mining gold is hard work and doesn't make many people rich.

• The best place to find a lot of gold is in bedrock soil.

• People from diverse backgrounds can make a good living mining for gold.

• Many women who visit digs come home with $20 in gold.

Read the following sentence. “I myself thought (now, don’t laugh) that one had but to stroll along romantic streamlets, stop now and then to admire the scenery, and rinse out a small panful of yellow sand.

What can be inferred about Dame Shirley from this sentence? Choose the BEST option.

• A. She worked independently as a gold "mineress."

• B. She exposed the trick miners were playing to other "mineresses."

• C. She was curious about mining but not in desperate need of the money.

• D. She planned to leave California after giving up the idea of prospecting for gold.

Mark which statements Dame Shirley would agree with about gold mining. (You can choose more than 1)

• Gold mining is not a good way to make a lot of money.

• Mining for gold is hard work and should only be done by men.

• “Lucky strikes” are rare and most miners make less than $10 a day.

• If miners work hard, they can make over $200 a day.

How does the illustration support what the reader has found out about Dame Shirley’s experience gold mining?

• The illustration shows how easy and profitable gold mining is for most people.

• The illustration supports the idea that miners fool people by scattering salt on the ground.

• The illustration supports Dame Shirley’s ideas about the “melancholy sacrifices” of mining.

• The illustration depicts the wrong idea people have about the profits made from gold mining.

Which quote from “Letter the Tenth: Amateur Mining—Hairbreadth ’Scapes, &c.” from The Shirley Letters from California Mines in 1851–1852, Adapted Version, is BEST supported by the illustration, A Charming Girl of New York in the Gold Region?

• A. “I am sorry I learned the trade, for I wet my feet, tore my dress, spoiled a pair of new gloves, nearly froze my fingers, got an awful headache, and caught cold.” (6)

• B. “I myself thought . . . that one had but to stroll along romantic streamlets, stop now and then to admire the scenery, and rinse out a small panful of yellow sand.” (7)

• C. “The miners trick their fair visitors by scattering a handful of ‘salt’ (which is exactly the color of gold-dust) through the dirt.” (7)

• D. “All the diggers we know say that it is an excellent ‘prospect’ to come from the rich bedrock.” (8)