The Run: Part 4-On the Road

RL 7.1: According to the text, what was the primary concern Mac voiced regarding Anna's injury?

• a) He was worried about whether they had enough medical supplies to treat her wound effectively.

• b) He was concerned about the pain Anna was experiencing and wanted to make her feel more comfortable.

• c) He was worried that Anna might become infected like the crazed people they had encountered.

• d) He was focused on cleaning the wound to prevent any potential scarring or long-term effects.

Answer explanation

While Mac does show concern for Anna's immediate well-being and the pain of her wound, the text strongly suggests his underlying and primary worry is about the potential for her to become one of the infected.

RL 7.1: Which two of the following details from the text explicitly describe Anna's physical reaction after she got out of the back of the truck?

• a) She immediately asked Dennis and Mac if they knew of any other safe places nearby.

• b) She stood up, still shaky from the ordeal, and then clambered out of the truck bed.

• c) She thanked Dennis and Mac profusely, her voice sounding strong and relieved.

• d) She hugged her legs to her chest and pressed her forehead against her knees.

• e) Her voice was ragged and breathless as she expressed her gratitude for being saved.

Answer explanation

Option (b) explicitly states she was "still shaky" and "clambered out." Option (e) describes her voice as "ragged and breathless," indicating a physical state resulting from her recent experience. Option (d) describes her posture in the truck, not immediately after exiting. Option (c) describes her tone and words, not just physical reactions. Option (a) describes her verbal inquiry about safe places.

RL 7.2: Which two of the following statements provide the most objective summaries of the key events in this section of the text?

• a) After rescuing Anna, Dennis and Mac, now joined by Jeremiah, decide to seek a secure rural location but first stop to treat Anna's zombie bite.

• b) Following Anna's dramatic rescue, the group travels to a secluded wooded area where they make a temporary camp and discuss their uncertain future together.

• c) The group, now including Anna and Jeremiah, finds a clearing in the woods where they set up a basic camp, and Mac tends to Anna's potentially dangerous leg wound.

• d) Having saved Anna and learned Jeremiah's tragic story, Dennis and Mac lead their new companions into the woods as night falls, postponing further plans.

• e) Worried about Anna's worsening injury from the infected person, Mac insists they find a safe place to rest and tend to her immediately.

Answer explanation

key events: the rescue of Anna, the inclusion of Jeremiah, the travel to the woods, the establishment of a temporary camp, and the tending to Anna's injury, without adding significant personal opinions or interpretations.

RL 7.2: Which of the following best identifies a central idea or theme developing in this section and how it is primarily developed?

• a) The theme of the fear of the unknown is developed through the characters' cautious exploration of the unfamiliar wooded landscape at night.

• b) The central idea of the struggle for survival in a dangerous world is developed through Mac's focus on gathering supplies and planning their next defensive move.

• c) The theme of the breakdown of communication is developed through the characters' reliance on a damaged radio signal to find other survivors.

• d) The central idea of the importance of empathy and extending help to others is developed through Dennis and Mac's decision to rescue both Anna and Jeremiah.

Answer explanation

This section highlights Dennis and Mac's compassionate actions in rescuing Anna from a dangerous situation and taking in the orphaned Jeremiah. Their willingness to help these strangers, despite their own precarious situation, strongly develops the theme of empathy and the value of human connection in a crisis.

RL 7.3 Part A: Which of the following best describes the relationship between the group's limited knowledge of the plague and their cautious interactions with Anna?

• a) Their lack of detailed information leads them to treat Anna with extreme suspicion and isolate her from the group.

• b) Because they don't fully understand how the plague spreads, they are hesitant but ultimately choose to offer her help while observing her closely.

• c) Their limited understanding of the plague's transmission makes them overly confident in their ability to prevent infection while caring for Anna.

• d) Knowing very little about the plague's effects, they rely entirely on Anna's understanding of her own condition and follow her instructions.

Answer explanation

they don’t fully understand how the plague spreads, they are hesitant but ultimately choose to offer her help while observing her closely.

RL 7.3 Part B: Which two pieces of evidence from the text best support your answer to Part A?

Part A: Because they don't fully understand how the plague spreads, they are hesitant but ultimately choose to offer her help while observing her closely.

• a) "Dennis forced his own gaze back to the road ahead of him."

• b) "‘Don’t go near the body,’ said Dennis. ‘We don’t know if he’s contagious.’"

• c) "Mac came around to the side of the truck and put a steadying hand on her shoulder."

• d) "‘How do you think the plague spreads?’ asked Mac carefully..."

• e) "Mac didn’t have to ask what she meant by ‘them.’"

Answer explanation

Dennis's warning about the body (b) reveals their awareness of the plague's contagious nature and their lack of certainty about transmission. Mac's careful question to Anna about how the plague spreads (d) indicates their limited knowledge and their attempt to understand the risks involved in helping her, suggesting a cautious approach despite their willingness to assist.

RL 7.4: The text states, "Whether the seclusion it offered was inviting or ominous, nobody could decide." What is the connotative meaning of the word "ominous" in this sentence?

• a) It implies the tree line looked dark and threatening, hinting at potential danger or misfortune lurking within.

• b) It suggests the tree line appeared peaceful and offered a sense of calm and tranquility to the group.

• c) It indicates the tree line was vast and expansive, making it difficult for the group to navigate or explore.

• d) It suggests the tree line was a familiar and welcoming sight, reminding the characters of safer times.

Answer explanation

The word "ominous" carries a negative connotation, suggesting something bad or harmful is likely to happen. In this context, it implies the seclusion of the woods might not be safe and could conceal unseen threats.

RL 7.4: Which two of the following best explain what the figurative language "shrank quickly in the rearview mirror" emphasizes about the characters' departure from Sunnydale?

• a) It illustrates Dennis's relief and eagerness to leave behind the traumatic events that had just occurred.

• b) It highlights the increasing speed of the truck as Dennis drove away from the dangerous town.

• c) It emphasizes the vastness of the abandoned countryside they were now entering after leaving the town.

• d) It suggests a sense of finality and a desire to put distance between themselves and the immediate threat they encountered.

• d) It conveys the idea that Sunnydale was a small and insignificant place in their overall journey.

Answer explanation

suggests their desire to create distance from danger, and implies Dennis's eagerness and relief to leave behind the negative experience in Sunnydale. The shrinking image in the mirror symbolizes their increasing separation from the threat.

RL 7.5: How does the author's structural choice of alternating between describing the group's actions and their internal thoughts primarily reveal the characters' unspoken anxieties?

• a) By showing the contrast between their outwardly calm actions of setting up camp and their inner worries about the dangers they still face.

• b) By highlighting the differences in how each character verbally expresses their fears and the actions they take to address those fears.

• c) By creating confusion for the reader, as the internal thoughts often contradict the characters' outward behavior and stated intentions.

• d) By slowing down the pacing of the narrative to emphasize the detailed steps they take in securing their temporary campsite for the night.

Answer explanation

The juxtaposition of their practical actions (setting up camp, tending to the wound) with the narration of their private anxieties (Mac's worry about Anna's leg, Dennis's furrowed brow) reveals the underlying tension and unspoken fears that belie their outward attempts at normalcy and control.

RL 7.5: Which two of the following best describe how the author's choice of pausing the action to include Jeremiah's question about Anna emphasizes his role in the group?

• a) It highlights his innocence and vulnerability, contrasting with the adults' more hardened reactions to the dangerous situation.

• b) It shows his developing concern and empathy for Anna, establishing him as a caring member of their newly formed group.

• c) It speeds up the pacing, injecting a moment of childlike curiosity into the otherwise tense adult interactions.

• d) It emphasizes his position as an outsider, as his question interrupts the adults' focused planning and concerns.

• e) It reveals his practical nature, as he is the first to vocalize a concern that Dennis and Mac were only thinking internally.

Answer explanation

Option (a) emphasizes his childlike innocence and vulnerability in contrast to the adults' more stoic responses to danger. Option (b) highlights his growing empathy and inclusion in the group dynamic by showing his concern for Anna's well-being.