James Madison Middle School
Grade 8
Winter Break Packet 2013-2014
I hope you are enjoying your winter break. I am excited about your progress this
year. In an effort to keep the momentum going, I have created a Winter Break
Packet to help you stay on target with your academic progress. This year’s
Winter Break Packet will consist of a Part I: Study Island assignment and a
Part I1: writing assignment. Part I of this assignment will be completed
using Study Island. Your Study Island will include several selected response
questions to answer, Part II of this assignment will be found on James
Madison Middle School website. Part II of this assignment will require you to
write a character analysis essay. The excerpts you will need to read for Part II of
this assignment are also found on James Madison Middle School website. The
window for this assignment is Dec. 16, 2013- Jan. 10, 2014. Please take
advantage of the extended window which opens a week before your winter
break begins and ends a week after we return from winter break.
ENJOY YOUR WINTER BREAK AND BE READY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
UPON OUR RETURN.
Winter Break Packet Grade 8 Part I: Selected Response
When Randy and the rest of the Huntington High School football team left the locker room, they walked
into a hostile crowd. The opposing team’s fans were mean, nasty, and aggressive. Some of them were
shouting things, others were throwing things. Randy ducked as a soda can missed the top of his helmet by
a good five feet.
"It’s okay," he said to himself. "All opposing teams are like that. We’re no different."
"Hey number 7!" a male fan screamed. "You stink!"
Randy felt nervous. Seven, of course, was his jersey number. The man continued to heckle Randy, and
some of his overweight friends began to join in.
"Don’t listen to them," his running back, Tee, advised. "They’re just trying to get inside your head."
Randy closed his eyes to try and block out the sounds of the hostile crowd. But just as he did, the
loudspeaker P.A. rumbled:
"Nummmmmmmmber 7! You are a chump and a half!"
The crowd laughed. Randy felt nervous, weak. Were they allowed to do that? Surely the school district
would put a halt to this. But sadly, no help came.
There was no choice but to play the game.
1. The purpose of the setting in the story is to
0 A. describe the game-winning drive.
0 B. create some emotional distance.
0 C, show why Randy is so nervous.
0 D. scare the reader.
Why Go Vegetarian?
People choose to eliminate meat from their diets for many reasons. Concerns about health risks,
farming practices, and environmental problems are just a few.
In recent years, many animal rights activists have investigated the way animals are treated on large
factory farms. They found that many farm animals spend their entire lives in cages where they are often
neglected and abused. Investigators also found that these animals are often fed chemicals in order to fatten
them up or to make them produce more milk or eggs.
Some health experts say that a healthy vegetarian diet can help reduce head disease, cancer, and
stroke. They say vegetarians also have lower cholesterol and blood pressure and are less likely to develop
diabetes. Others claim that a vegetarian diet will lead to a longer life. Much of the evidence to support these
claims comes from scientific studies.
Many vegetarian supporters would say the best thing you can do for the environment is to stop eating
meat. Some estimates show that the amount of water used just for farming equals the amount of water
used for everything else in the United States combined. Supporters say it takes 2,500 gallons of water to
produce a single pound of beef. This is equivalent to taking a long shower every day for two-and-a-half
weeks. The fertilizer used to grow crops that feed animals has also been identified by the Environmental
Protection Agency as a major water pollutant.
However, there are many who disagree with vegetarian supporters. A recent United Kingdom study
shows that while vegetarians seemed less likely to have cancer overall, they were more likely to have colon
cancer. Another study says that vegetarians risk not having enough iron because the richest sources of iron
come from meat. Some experts even say that animal fats are "necessary for human health."
Organizations such as The Heartland Institute, a Chicago-based research center, deny that meat
production harms the environment. In fact, they say that most of the land that is used for livestock farming
is not suitable for growing food. So using it to raise cattle doubles the amount of food produced. Heartland
also says that safe practices are required by law and that farmers must take care of their animals in order
to make money. They say that poorly fed and treated animals produce less meat. In turn, farmers make
less money.
No matter which side you agree with, you should always consult with your doctor before changing your
diet.
2. Which sentence from the passage supports the claim that eating meat is bad for the environment?
The fertilizer used to grow crops that feed
O A. animals has also been identified by the
Environmental Protection Agency as a
major water pollutant,
In recent years, many animal rights
activists have investigated the way animals
OB. are treated on large factory farms.
is used for livestock farming is not suitable
for growing food.
Heartland also says that safe practices are
required
by law
and that
farmers
must take
O -.ncare
of their
animals
in order
to make
money.
0 C. In fact, they say that most of the land that
3. According to the article, what pieces of evidence support the claim that vegetarians are healthier?
© A. fats in animal meat are essential to human
health
O B. higher risk of colon cancer and lower
levels of iron
animals raised on factory farms are treated
0 C. poorly
0 D. lower
occurrences
cancer,
and strokeof heart disease,
4. Which statement from the passage rejects the idea that raising cattle is bad for the environment?
© A. Some estimates show that the amount of water used just for farming equals the amount of water
used for everything else in the United States combined.
B They found that many farm animals spend their entire lives in cages where they are often neglected
O .andabused.
© C. In fact, they say that most of the land that is used for livestock farming is not suitable for growing
food. So using it to raise cattle doubles the amount of food produced.
D Heartland also says that safe practices are required by law and that farmers must take Care of their
© ’ animals in order to make money. They say that poorly fed and treated animals produce less meat.
Flip’s Position
by c.safos
Flip played the guard in high school, it’s called
the one spot. Now, he’s a statue and stands in one spot
in front of the gas station gathering dust on his shoulders.
The gas pumps barely reach his chin, and he can see over
just about every customer who pulls in for an oil change.
Rip’s still fast---checks the oil, airs the tires, and gases the tank
before a customer has a chance to tell him that he looks familiar.
His hands are like wild birds. The same hands that once collected
90 buckets in one game can change a flat tire in 90 seconds.
His knees creak and crackle when he squats to tie his shoes.
At night, he forgets to turn off the neon "open" sign. Flip played
the guard in high school. It’s called the one spot.
5. Why does the author use the metaphor "Now, he’s a statue and stands in one spot"?
. to show that Flip is lost and needs help
O A. getting back home
C to show that Flip is anxious to leave his job
O .andgohome
to show
that Flip stands patiently outside
O ¯Bthe
gas station
to show thatteam
Flip still plays on a local
O ¯Dbasketball
Storm at Tempest Cove
by Margaret Underwood
Andy Morgan looked down in surprise at his youngest son as they stood on the wharf. "Why are you up
at the crack of dawn?" He turned and winked at his three older sons. "I’ll bet you won’t be up as early when
it’s time for you to sail on the Sea Witch."
Jaime stood on the wharf watching the wakes of the Sea Witch and the Dolphin until the ships grew
small in the distance. Then, he headed for school.
When Jaime returned home, his mother looked worried. He knew she was thinking of the weather.
"Black clouds are roiling in from the sea. The wind is kicking up," Jaime said, voi~ing her unspoken
thoughts.
"Aye." She sighed and shook her head. "The sea is our friend, but it turns into a cruel enemy on days
like this."
A knock sounded at the door. The lights flickered and went out. Jaime ran to the door.
It was their neighbor, Gordie Snow. He was soaked. "It’s bad out there, Mary, but the ships are headed
for port. Just before the radio quit, we heard that the Dolphin suffered a broken rudder and the Sea Witch
has her in tow."
Jaime’s mother shook her head. "Troubles always come in threes. I broke my best pitcher this morning,
and my sister has the flu." .
Jaime counted the troubles and came up with five. Had they beaten the superstition, or were they
already started on the next three troubles? He ran out to do what he could.
Jaime bent into the wind. His slicker whipped around him, and his hat seemed ready to fly off his head.
The gentle waves of the morning were replaced by high walls of water that collapsed onshore with a roar.
From the supply shack, Jamie took flares to fire into the darkness. Their light would help guide the ships
into the cove. He tied them securely about his waist under his rain gear.
A steep cliff rose behind the beach. It was hidden by the sheets of rain. Jaime knew the flares would be
most visible if shot off from the top of the cliff. He would climb the cliff. He had done it before, but then the
wall was not slick and there wasn’t a twenty-knot gale that could tear him from the cliff.
He started to climb. He pulled himself up hand over hand, groping for each slippery foothold. He ignored
the plants’ prickles that tore into his skin. Shaking from his efforts, he dragged himself over the top.
Jaime shot off two flares. They rose with a loud swoosh, cutting into the black sky in a bright arc of light.
The ships shot off flares in response to show they had passed by the entrance to Tempest Cove. They
were almost home.
Later, as he made his way home, Jaime heard voices behind him. He was seized by friendly hands and
lifted onto broad shoulders that carried him back to the town hall, where the villagers had gathered. Then
followed a feast with toasts to the fishermen and a toast to Jaime Morgan--for his courage and quick
thinking that helped save the lives of the men of the village.
Copyright (c) 1999 by Highlights for Children, Inc,, Columbus, Ohio.
6. Which of the following actions contributes to the theme?
© A. Jaime being toasted by the village at the
feast
0 B. Gordie Snow coming to visit Jaime’s house
© C. Jaime climbing the cliff in the pouring rain
D Jaime following his dad and brothers to the
© "dock
it didn’t take me long to realize that there was something unusual about my new next-door neighbor. My
brother Tad and ] were kicking a soccer ball around in the front yard when the moving van pulled up. A few
minutes later, a car pulled into the driveway and a woman stepped out. Although the day was hot and
sunny enough to send trickles of sweat down my back, the woman was all bundled up. She wore a fulllength coat over her slacks, and a floppy straw hat swallowed her head. White netting hung down from the
hat’s brim, hiding her face. Long black gloves topped off her bizarre outfit.
Was she just wearing a bunch of her clothes because it was easier than packing them? Or did she have
something to hide?
She said something to the men in the van, then hurried up to the front door, unlocked it, and
disappeared inside. The next morning her car had disappeared into the garage. I never saw it parked
outside again. Sometimes after dark, I noticed headlights pulling out of her driveway, even though I hadn’t
seen her car all day.
I decided something suspicious was going on and dug my binoculars out of a box in the closet so I could
figure out what. My binoculars didn’t help much. All day long, our new neighbor kept her drapes closed.
Why would she do that? No matter how carefully I watched, I never saw her venture outside during the day,
but sometimes when I looked out of my window at night, I saw her walking by our house.
One evening after work, Morn took over some cookies and introduced herself. She said our new
neighbor seemed nice.
"But why don’t we ever see her outside during the day?" I asked.
"She’s probably too busy, Emily," my morn answered. "She has her own desktop publishing business."
She can’t be busy every day, I thought. Why doesn’t she come outside?
The entire summer passed without our mysterious neighbor stepping foot outside until night blanketed
the neighborhood. Finally, Tad asked the question we’d both been thinking but had not dared to ask.
"Do you think she could be a vampire?"
from "Spying on my Spooky Ndghbor" by Elizabeth Glann
7. At the start of the story, Emily is curious because
0 A. she sees that her neighbor refuses to
speak to the movers.
B her new neighbor
dressed in an
0 ’ extremely
unusualisway.
her brother Tad tells her that their new
OC. neighbor is strange.
she does not see a car pull up when her
new neighbor arrives.
Passa.qel
Spreading over the green-hued fields of County Galway, Ireland, Brigit’s Garden celebrates Irish
folklore, mythology, and heritage. Because of the climate-moderating effects of the nearby Gulf Stream,
and an abundance of water, a surprising array of colorful flowers, herbs, and vegetables thrives in this
garden, which reflects the four seasons and the cycle of life. This magical Irish garden is a year-round
island of serenity. The Garden Caf¢ specializes in "slow" food gathered from the garden and is considered
one of the best dining experiences in Ireland.
Passa~qe2
People lived on the edge of the Sahara desert in North Africa thousands of years ago, since the last ice
age. The climate of the Sahara was much wetter then than it is today. Evidence of this can be seen in the
30,000 petroglyphs, or rock drawings, of river animals such as crocodiles and hippopotamuses. Scientists
have found a wealth of fossilized plants, and fossils of marine dinosaurs have also been found here. The
modern Sahara, though, is not lush in vegetation, except in the Nile Valley, at a few oases, and in the
northern highlands where Mediterranean plants such as the olive tree grow. The region has been the
desert we know today for about 5,000 years. Some 2.5 million people currently live in the Sahara, almost all
of them on the desert’s edge in Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria.
8. How can these two passages be contrasted?
. One is about a garden; the other is about a
O A. desert.
One is about plants; the other is about
O ¯Canimals.
One involves people; the other involves
O ¯Bfossils.
_ One is about the Gulf Stream; the other is
O u. about Africa.
Mom had made it extremely clear--be polite and act helpful. "It’s only for a month," she said, "and then
I’ll be back from my business trip."
"But Morn, it’s the summer before high school! And what about my friends? I won’t know anyone in
Georgia."
"Sorry, Marissa, this can’t be helped. Once you’re there, I’m sure you’ll meet kids."
That’s how it was decided that i’d spend August with Grandma and Grandpa. it’s not that I didn’t like
them; i just didn’t know them. Morn and I lived in Massachusetts, and they lived in Georgia. Morn traveled
on business, and they didn’t travel. So the amount of quality time we’d spent together was pretty limited, in
fact, ! hadn’t seen them since second grade--six years ago.
Morn flew with me to Atlanta and then caught her flight to London. The minute after she left the old
farmhouse--the only house on the street--Grandma stood like a granite pillar in the kitchen and said, "You
can put your stuff in the spare room." She pointed up the stairs, so I trudged up the staircase with a
suitcase in each arm. The room was pretty basic--bed, desk, closet, clean sheets. Be polite and act
helpful, I thought. I hung up my clothes and told myself that I was lucky to have family to help me and Morn
when we needed it.
"Thanks very much," I said when I returned to the kitchen. "1 hung up my clothes so you wouldn’t have
to."
"1 wasn’t intending to."
I took a deep breath. "1 don’t know if Morn told you, but I know how to do laundry--a little. I’m no expert,
but I’m happy to help." Though, actually, I was hoping she’d tell me to go rest from my flight...or go get
some fresh air...or meet some neighborhood kids...
"Wednesday is laundry day," she said, "but if you’re eager to help..." She handed me a broom and
dustpan. "The kitchen floor needs a thorough sweeping, and you might as well do the front porch, too."
I smiled, said something polite and helpful, and got to work, wondering if I’d have better luck with
Grandpa.
I was sweeping the dust off the front steps as best I could when a streak of orange whizzed by. Actually,
it wasn’t a streak. It was a girl. A redheaded girl, maybe my age, on a bike. Where she came from, I had no
idea, but she was the first sign of life I’d seen in this town except for my grandparents.
"Hey!" I called after her, but the orange streak just streaked off.
That night at dinner, after I’d helped wash the dishes, I asked Grandpa, "Does that girl with the red hair
live around here?"
"Who?"
"There was a girl riding a bike on the road today."
"No kids live around here. Maybe itwas a dog."
Grandma chimed in, "You’re seeing things."
The next morning, as I politely stirred the oatmeal, I thought about "the dog"--the redheaded dog riding
the 10-speed bike. Maybe she rode by around the same time every day. So after washing the breakfast
bowls, I asked Grandma, "Do you want me to sweep the front porch again?"
"What a helpful young lady," she said.
I took off toward the porch. I must have swept it for 20 minutes before I saw the orange fireball roiling up
the road.
"Hey!" I cried, jumping down the steps as she cruised by.
She hit her brakes. "Finally!, the girl said. "Another kid to hang out with!"
9. Which of the following describes the main plot of the story?
Grandparents teach their young
0 A. granddaughter about being polite and
helpful,
The morn of a teenage girl goes on a
0 B. business trip even though it is not
important,
© C. A girl must spend the summer with
grandparents she does not really know.
© D. A girl from Massachusetts and a girl from
Georgia become friends one summer.
Messages
Sometimes, I wonder if I am alive, I feel so little. Here are some of the ways I ignore the messages my
body is sending me:
Consulting a clock to see if I’ve had enough sleep
Trying to recall how much I have eaten in order to know how hungry I am
Putting on glasses when my eyes hurt, instead of resting them
Using aspirin and antacids
Breathing through my mouth, which has no sense of smell
Putting thick-soled shoes between me and the ground
Passaeg_~_~
Everything Spring
She scooped up life like spring flowers,
Feeling the earth with her bare feet.
She breathed in the fragrance and described her experience
With a merry twinkle.
Sometimes a musical laugh.
Nothing escaped her notice,
She felt everything,
10. How are these two pieces of writing similar?.
O A. Both involve eyesight.
O B. Both focus mostly on smell.
O C. Both occur in the spring.
© D. Both are about the five senses.
Returns
by Parker Jenkins
CHARACTERS:
HELENE
JANET
BRIAN
STAGE SET: The setting is a street corner. The sidewalk is large and used to large amounts of foot traffic.
Awnings hang over shop windows. The corner store is a small market.
(HELENE can be seen through a window in the store. She is speaking to someone.)
JANET: Hi Brian, where is Helene?
BRIAN: inside. (jerking his head towards the store)
JANET: Oh, what’s she doing in there? Shopping?
BRIAN: Returning. She found out they gave her three boxes of tea bags, but they only charged her
for one.
JANET: So she’s giving them back?
(BRIAN sighs and then shakes his head.)
BRIAN: Nope. She’s trying to pay for the other two.
JANET: Oh. How long has she been in there?
BRIAN: Half an hour.
JANET: Half an hour? For two boxes of tea bags? Does it even matter?
(HELENE enters, presumably from the store.)
HELENE: It matters to me.
Cute Cat
by Bob Hennessey
CHARACTERS:
DAN
PAT
STAGE SET: DAN and PAT sit in a comfortable living room. A cat purrs and rubs against PAT’s leg.
PAT: Cute cat.
DAN: Thanks.
PAT: What’s its name?
DAN: Colette.
PAT: She’s really friendly.
DAN: Yeah. I rescued her. She was a stray and very sick.
PAT: That was kind of you. Was she badly ill?
DAN: Yeah, it cost quite a bit to pay for her surgery, but she is fine and well now. You would never
have known she was that sick.
PAT: Wow. So why did you pick her then if she was so sick?
(DAN stops looking at the cat and looks at PAT.)
DAN: I didn’t. She showed up on my doorstep and needed help. I didn’t pick her. She picked me. I
don’t even like cats. I just couldn’t turn my back on her.
Which of the following themes do these two dramas have in common?
O A. caution
O B. integrity
C¯ weakness
© D. charity
Passa eL1
Jackie Robinson began his professional baseball career in 1945 with the Kansas City Monarchs, one of
the leading teams of the then-separate Negro Leagues. Later that year, Robinson was recruited and signed
by Branch Rickey, the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers (now the Los Angeles Dodgers).
Robinson was called .up from the minor leagues to the Brooklyn team in 1946, becoming the first black
player to compete in the major leagues in the 20th century.
Breaking baseball’s color barrier was a serious challenge, and Robinson met fierce resistance from
many players and fans. Robinson endured malicious catcalls and racial slurs shouted from the stands and
even anonymous death threats. Some rival players threw pitches at Robinson’s head, spat on him when he
slid into a base, and attempted to injure him with the spikes on their shoes. However, the determined
Robinson survived these attacks and helped the Dodgers win the National League (NL) pennant in 1947.
During the season, Robinson led the NL with 29 stolen bases and was named rookie of the year in the
major leagues.
Passa_cle 2
Wilma Rudolph was one of America’s first great track and field athletes. Born in Tennessee, Rudolph
had far from a normal childhood. At the age of four she came down with pneumonia, polio, and scarlet
fever. The illnesses so ravaged her body that Rudolph could not even walk normally until she turned eleven
years old.
In high school, Rudolph was an outstanding basketball player. But track was the sport in which she
really shone. In 1956 she ran at the Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, and won a bronze medal in the
4X100-meter relay. At the 1960 Olympics, she won the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes and again ran on
the 4X100-meter relay team.
In 1961, Rudolph won the James E. Sullivan Memorial Award, an award that goes each year to the
outstanding amateur athlete in the US. Later that year Rudolph retired from competition.
12. What similarities existed in the career of these two athletes?
O A. Both participated in the Olympics.
O B. Both were outstanding amateur athletes.
© C. Both suffered childhood illnesses that
threatened their careers.
_ Both overcame huge obstacles to excel in
0 u. their sports.
Looking Out
by Jon Caswell
Jackson was cautious by nature. It was a trait that had served him well in his years as a military scout.
Looking from the ridge, he could see tiny specks in the sky miles out over the plains, and then his gaze
slowly dropped to the ants crossing the rock a few feet from his chin. From there, his gaze rose again more
slowly, to follow the gradual slope of the ridge, which fell away before him, ending in the dusty plains that
stretched to the horizon. The sunlight glared off the white of the alkali flats, causing the scout to squint his
eyes until they were just small slits in his face.
Jackson rolled his stomach slightly from his prone position to reach the field glasses. He took another
look over the barren nothingness to get a fix on the specks in the distance. He put the binoculars to his
eyes and found the floating specks. He focused the lenses. Sure enough, they were buzzards, which meant
some poor creature hadn’t made it across the waterless flats. He had crossed those flats himself just two
days before, and he knew how unforgiving they were.
Jackson tilted the field glasses down till he found the horizon. As he scanned the glaring plains, he
caught a glimpse of something moving - something darker than the monotonous white glare. It was just a
pinpoint of motion. He focused the field glasses skillfully. The pinpoint was made up of four moving things:
two ponies and two pack mules. The ponies each carried a rider, and the mules were loaded high, which he
made out right away. He had watched them for several minutes when the lead rider stopped and
dismounted. He could plainly make out a skirt - a woman! He studied the other rider, and she, too, was a
woman. Two Apache women riding alone with two pack mules was very unusual. Behind them, the
buzzards floated, circling lower to the carcasses they had been feeding on before the riders had interrupted
them.
After a few more minutes of watching, Jackson could see the women were heading in his direction. That
meant there had to be a village nearby because Apache women would not just be wandering about,
certainly not with two mules. Those two mules were carrying awfully big loads. That, and his years of
experience, told him those women were up to something. He wouldn’t be surprised if those mules were
hauling rifles. He packed the binoculars in his knapsack and pushed himself away from the edge of the
ridge. He headed back to his regiment. The captain would want to know about the two Apache women and
their heavily laden mules.
13. Why is Jackson suspicious of the two Apache women?
0 A. They are not dressed appropriately to
cross the desert.
Theytodid
not stop to cook food when it was
0 ¯ Ctime
eat.
0 B. They were not paying attention to the
buzzards overhead.
D They are leading pack animals through a
0 .dangerousarea.
14. Which of the following signals a major turning point in the story?
O A. the focusing of the field glasses
O B. the buzzards feeding
O C. the pinpoints of movement
O D. the heavily laden pack mules
15. Why is the first paragraph of the story important?
It makes the reader wonder about the tiny
OA. specks.
It allows the reader to feel what Jackson
OB. feels.
It draws a vivid picture of a dangerous
O ¯Ctime.
It introduces Jackson and explains where
O ¯Dheis.
16.
Half Full
A rainy day will go away.
A failing grade can soon be raised.
A nasty cut in time will shut.
A dire year will disappear.
What word below best describes the tone of this poem?
© A. powerful
© B. melancholic
© C. cynical
© D. optimistic
17. A real estate investor, a small business owner, and a board member running for reelection filed for
seats on the Austin school board on Monday. This was the first day of filing for the May 4 election. Manuel
Zuniga has pledged $300,000 to the low-performing Blackshear Elementary School. He will face Patricia
Whiteside, who is running for reelection. Zuniga said he would focus on raising teacher salaries and saving
money to share with poorer Texas districts. He also wants to carry out cost-cutting measures
recommended by state Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander.
Ave Wahrmund owns a semiconductor equipment company. She is seeking a second term in the District
4 seat. She said she would focus on closing the success gap between minority and white students. She
also wants to work on keeping quality teachers and involving the community in decision making.
Donald Abrams owns a medical consulting business. He filed for the District 7 seat. He plans to focus on
issues of health and wellness in Austin schools,
Which is the best summary of this article?
A Ave Wahrmund is running for reelection for the seat representing District 4. She owns a
O ¯ semiconductor equipment company. Ave wants to work on keeping quality teachers.
0 B. Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander has made several cost-cutting recommendations to all of
the school boards in Texas. Manuel Zuniga is interested in these ideas.
The Austin school board election is getting closer. It will be held on May 4. Some people are running
OC. for reelection. There are also people running for the very first time.
O D. Three people filed for election on the Austin school board. Manuel Zuniga, Ave Wahrmund, and
Donald Abrams each have their own plans for improving the schools in Austin.
18.
Silver Sickle
I will go up the tree, I will,
and not fall off the top at all-to pick the whitest silk ribbon
that you have left to rest.
Like I am shooting for the moon-the night it’s new, a silver sickle
on a carpet blue, with starry sprinkles.
The ribbon would have sparkled too.
I will gather magic dust
to scatter in your reddest hair
for you my rose, my love,
I will go up the tree.
Master Cat
My cat always stares at me,
as if it were my king.
I am supposed to understand
the purrs that always demand.
Am I to fetch a prey for it, or
serve it a rat three times a day,
and chase all the dogs
to kingdoms far away?
It thinks my hair is a toy.
My curls are ropes to climb
to rescue a kitty in distress.
it looks for her
throughout my strands.
Sometimes it naps
right on my hand.
How it can latch on to my limb!
It thinks it is an herbal cat
with vines, and I’m its tree.
The ways my cat rules me
are beyond any mastery.
What comparison can be made between the two poems?
A Both poems are about rescuing someone
’in a big trouble.
Each poem is narrated by its main
© C, character who is a male.
B The main character in each poem shows
’ love for nature.
The main character in each poem has an
OD. active imagination.
19. Dominic was balancing on the fence. No matter how many times he fell off or got hurt, he never
learned his lesson. Last spring, he’d sprained his left ankle. Last fall, he’d fractured his right wrist. One
summer, he’d spent six weeks with a cast on his leg. He just never learned.
His older sister, Sophia, was watching from the porch.. She knew that Morn would come out any second
and say, "Dominic Salvatore Mazzello, you come in this house immediately."
"Hey, Sophia, watch what I can do!" Dominic yelled from the fence.
He got up on his toes like a gymnast on a balance beam and stretched toward the sky.
"You’re going to fall!" Sophia shouted back.
"Oh, I am not! You’re just jealous because I can do this and you can’t."
Dominic reached higher and higher. Suddenly, his right foot slipped. Then, his left foot slipped. Sophia
saw her brother falling, falling, falling ....
As Dominic neared the ground, Sophia leaped from the porch, dashed to the fence, and caught her little
brother in her arms.
"Nice catch, Wonder Woman," Morn called from the front porch. Sophia and Dominic both smiled. But
Dominic stopped smiling as soon as Morn said, "Dominic Salvatore Mazzello, you come in this house
immediately."
Why does Morn call Sophia "Wonder Woman"?
© A. because Sophia performs a heroic act
because Dominic is always getting
O B. rescued
© C. because Dominic reads old comic books
_ because Sophia resembles Wonder
© u. Woman
20.
Comfortable Old Chair
The Thin Dome
A bird has a nest
A fox has a lair
A den is home
If you’re a bear.
I have a comfortable old chair.
My neighbors play pool at night,
and Guitar Hero in the day.
They like to park their sports cars
to block our entire driveway.
Soft pillowed blue,
I hear their teenage son
always busy at their hoop.
Their little rooster crows away
a flowered cloud.
anytime in its coop.
The perfect place to read aloud
to myself or silently
letting long words run over me,
cannot nap; I cannot sleep.
cannot move my home.
letting the stories I have read
even hear their oven beep-make moving pictures in my head.
my
walls need a thicker dome.
New chairs are nice
but mine is best.
My spot to think in
brood in
rest
to plot in
dream in, many dreams,
to scheme a few outlandish schemes in.
Kings need crowns to be the king
but me
I can be anything
any person
anywhere
if I just have my book and chair.
What comparison can be made between the two poems?
© A. They both express strong emotions of the
narrator.
They both discuss a part of the narrator’s
¯ © B. home life.
© C. They both express anger at the noisy
neighbors.
O D. They both discuss the comfort of the
narrator’s dome.
21. I’m cooked. Here it is, the day of the 1 lth annual Motorola Marathon. I’m all prepared to scam the
good folks who put on this great community event, and they go out and make their race cheater-proof. I ask
you, is that fair?
This was to be my one shot at winning a marathon without actually running a marathon. Figured I’d duck
out from behind a Port-a-potty or the Stevie Ray Vaughan statue and make a mad dash for the finish line.
The months of rigorous training have always been a sticking point with me, and then there’s that 26.2-mile
jaunt. The .2 part I can handle.
What is the narrator’s tone in this passage?
© A. serious and competitive
© B. argumentative and aggressive
© C. tired and troubled
© D. informal and playful
On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 became the first manned mission to land on the Moon. The mission
involved astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. Armstrong’s first steps on the Moon
were accompanied by his historic words: "That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
The landing fulfilled the goal set by President John F. Kennedy eight years earlier. He wanted the United
States to make it to the Moon within the decade. He believed this to be an important accomplishment in the
space race against the U.S.S.R. Kennedy said, "We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the
other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."
On the Moon, Astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin experimented with various methods of movement in the
diminished gravity. Long leaping steps seemed to work best for moving about. They explored the surface
for about two hours, collected 47 pounds of lunar samples, and planted the American flag on the Moon’s
surface. The crew safely returned to earth a little over eight days after leaving.
22. In a short summary of this article, which detail from the article would be most important to include?
A. "Long leaping steps seemed to work best
© for moving about."
"Kennedy said, ’We choose to go to the
Moon in this decade and do the other
OB. things.’"
© C. "Armstrong’s first steps on the Moon were
accompanied by his historic words."
"The mission involved astronauts Nell
© D. Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael
Collins."
23. Which of these is the best summary of the second paragraph?
The Moon landing of the Apollo 11 was
0 A. important because it fulfilled the goal set
by President Kennedy.
The landing fulfilled President Kennedy’s
0 B. goal and kept America ahead in the space
race with the U.S.S.R.
American chose to go to the Moon in the
O C. 1960s and to do other things because they
were hard and not easy.
President Kennedy said that it was
O D. important for the America to stay ahead of
the U.S.S.R. in the space race.
Joshua walked into basketball tryouts feeling confident. Considering how well he played over the
summer, he felt that he was going to make the varsity team for sure. He had spent most of the summer
playing in a basketball league, and although he hadn’t really known how to play, the more he practiced, the
better he played. He played so well that one of the coaches from the varsity team asked him to try out.
As Joshua waited for tryouts to begin, he observed some varsity players on the court. His eyes widened
at what he saw. All of them were unbelievably good. They were more experienced. They were taller. They
were faster. Even if he made the team, he probably wouldn’t get to play much. Joshua began to worry. He
still had a lot to learn.
Coach Hasslegrove glimpsed his worried expression and came over to have a word with him. "Joshua,"
he said, "all of these players were once like you. Just work hard. If you make the team, good. If not, then
life isn’t over. Go over there and just show us what you’ve got."
Joshua nodded in reply and joined the others on the court. He passed the ball well and made most of
his shots. What really got the coaches’ attention, however, was his defense. He didn’t let anyone get open.
He covered his man so well, his man didn’t score.
At the end of tryouts, Coach Hasslegrove called Joshua over. "You gave great effort," he said, "and your
defense is amazing! But you still need to learn some fundamentals. I want you to play this year on junior
varsity. Keep practicing like you have, and I guarantee you’ll be on varsity next year."
Joshua did his best to suppress his disappointment. He didn’t make varsity, but next year, he was going
to blow everyone away.
24. Which statement best describes a recurring theme in this passage?
To achieve your goals, all you need is
© A. confidence.
New friendships occur when they are least
O C. expected.
The more you practice, the better you will
0 B. become.
Summers should be filled with sports like
0 D. basketball.
The Raspberry Catcher
Browsing the fruit and vegetable aisle of the supermarket, I was struck by a familiar sensation. I soon
realized it was the smell of ripe raspberries. I looked down and saw them lined up in rows in neat packages,
and their sweet fragrance whisked me back 25 years.
The summers of my childhood were spent with Grandma and Grandpa on their large raspberry farm. I
would spend much of my days and evenings exploring the wonders d their acreage. My favorite thing to do
was walk up and down the rows while picking and eating ripe raspberries. The raspberry bushes grew tall
and thick and plush, and they went on as far as the eye could see.
One summer, Grandma fashioned a "raspberry catcher" for me. She took an old belt and threaded it
through a small wicker basket. She then strung the belt around my waist and through the loops of my
trousers so the basket hung from the front of my stomach. With the basket bouncing on my belly, I raced off
for the raspberry bushes and disappeared into the rows of lush red and green.
Most of the time, I ended my day with an empty basket, a red tongue, and a full stomach. When I did
bring some raspberries back, we would have an evening dessert of fresh berries topped with sugar and
cream. When I think back to those times, there were always plenty d berries but never enough days in the
summer.
25. Which sentence best contributes to the tone of the passage?
0 A. When I think back to those times, there were always plenty of berries but never enough days in the
summer.
0 B. The raspberry bushes grew tail and thick and plush, and they went on as far as the eye could see.
C. With
the basket
bouncing
on my belly, I raced off for the raspberry bushes and disappeared into the
0 rows
of lush
red and
green.
0 D. Browsing the fruit and vegetable aisle of the supermarket, I was struck by a familiar sensation.
The Buzzer
by Jon Caswell
When the clothes dryer’s buzzer went off, Jennifer jumped. She had dozed off at the kitchen table. "1
haie that buzzer," she said aloud, even though she lived alone. It had been a long day, and her boss at
work had been in a foul mood. She had been on her feet all day doing inventory in the storeroom, which
didn’t have air conditioning.
When the inventory count didn’t match the number in the account book, her boss had snapped, "Can’t
you even count?" This had really hurt Jennifer’s feelings.
The dryer buzzed again, jerking Jennifer out of the hurtful memory. She crossed the kitchen to the
laundry room and opened the dryer door. She pulled out a blouse and pressed it to her face. How she
loved the feel of things fresh out of the dryer! Jennifer put the laundry basket on the floor and loaded all the
clothes into it. Then, she headed to her bedroom to fold the clean clothes and put them away.
26. How does the setting change?
A It changes from the bedroom to the
© "kitchen.
© B. It changes from the washer to the dryer.
0 C. It changes from the past to the future.
0 D. It changes from the present to the past.
Lucy walked the streets of her neighborhood almost every day. She thought of it as her time. It was the
most peaceful time of her day, when she allowed her mind to wander. Oftentimes she had interesting ideas,
ideas that she could use in her drawings.
Then she heard sirens on a nearby street, she couldn’t tell which one, and suddenly her mind was
flooded with worries: Where were her children? Had she left the stove on? What about that space heater,
had she remembered to turn it off? The anxiety was overwhelming.
She was amazed at how quickly her mind could shift from peaceful, creative thoughts to raging worries.
She picked up the pace, heading in the direction of the sirens. Within a few minutes she arrived at her
street and saw that a policeman had stopped someone speeding through the neighborhood. She exhaled
and continued walking, only more slowly.
27. Why does the author use the metaphor "flooded with worries"?
to reflect how our thoughts flow as easily
as water
to mirror how fast she started walking after
OB. the sirens
©A.
to communicate how much she sweated
OC. on her walk
© D. to reflect how quickly and fully worry filled
her
The Girl in the Picture
I loved to look at the old photographs, especially the ones with me in them. I suppose that was bad of
me and proved I was stuck on myself, but I couldn’t help it. The pictures with me in them were just more
interesting. Every stage of my life was there, snapped by the camera and stamped on a glossy piece of
paper. I loved seeing myself at three, standing with my brother, Donald, in front of the house in our
matching cowboy and cowgirl outfits, or standing on a chair in front of the kitchen counter, mixing a birthday
cake for Mother. The pictures reminded me that I was real, that I always had been real and always would
be real, and that I wasn’t just some girl someone had made up.
28. After seeing all of the old pictures of herself, the narrator is more
O A. self-conscious.
O B. self-assured.
O C. cautious.
O D. mature.
Fanny Frost
by A. Gautam
She’s always sad in April,
even when flowers bloom.
She says it gives her a fever.
Summer gives her more gloom.
She looks out of the window
quietly, when it rains.
She doesn’t dance, instead she says,
"The sky is sad, it drops its chains."
She loves the winters more-to dance and ski, we’re told.
The wool, the scarves, and gloves
She loves the white, the cold.
29. How do the seasons in the poem contribute to the theme?
. They tell the reader how Fanny likes to
A. dress herself.
_ They guide Fanny through the routines of
O #. the world.
O C. They describe Fanny Frost’s mood in
different seasons.
O B. They show how Fanny’s world is different
from the poet’s.
Negative Self-Talk
"If you can change your thoughts," Dr. Hargrave said, "you can change your world."
"1 just don’t believe that’s true," Rory replied. "i’ve been coming to your office for nearly six months, and
I’ve changed plenty of thoughts, and I don’t see one thing that’s changed."
Dr. Hargrave pondered his patient’s words before she replied. "Rory, I just don’t agree. You’ve changed
quite a few things. First of all, you’ve lost nearly 30 pounds."
"And I’m still fat!"
"Now there’s a thought you could change,, the doctor replied.
"What are you talking about, what thought?"
"As long as you think of yourself as still fat, it won’t matter how much weight you lose. Thirty pounds is a
significant amount of weight to lose in six months. I have patients that would give up a month’s salary to
lose that much weight. Try saying this to yourself when you look at yourself in the mirror, I am a likable
person no matter how much I weigh."
"Oh doc, I can’t say that; it’s not true."
"There’s another thought you could change: that you don’t like yourself."
"Well, I don’t," Rory retorted. "I’m still overweight. I feel so unattractive, like the mirror may break every
time I look in it!"
"For goodness sake, Rory, you can’t talk to yourself like that and expect to be happy," Dr. Hargrave
said. "If you said that kind of thing to other people, you wouldn’t have any friends."
31). Based on the passage, which of these choices sounds like something Rory would most likely say?
O C. "1 love my teachers."
O D. "It’s my mother’s fault."
O A. "I’m ready for a boyfriend."
O B. "I’m not very pretty."
Narcissa
by Gwendolyn Brooks
Some of the girls are playing jacks.
Some are playing bail.
But small Narcissa is not playing
Anything at all.
Small Narcissa sits upon
A brick in her back yard
And looks at tiger-lilies,
And shakes her pigtails hard.
First she is an ancient queen
In pomp and purple veil.
Soon she is a singing wind.
And, next, a nightingale.
How fine to be Narcissa,
A-changing like all that!
While sitting still, as still, as still,
As anyone ever sat!
31. What is the setting of this poem?
© A. the playground
© B. Narcissa’s bedroom
O C. Narcissa’s back yard
© D. Narcissa’s school
On Being Solute
by Jon Caswell
Sea foam races toward shore,
marking the tide on the beach,
where sand and sea intermingle
to create luminous pink bubbles.
A colony of them floats on the waves
with the aplomb of a bull-rider-only to be left stranded at high tide.
Evanescent bubbles populate the beach
in iridescent mounds, effervescing
out of turbulence only to evaporate in the wind
or melt back into the surf.
Do they perceive themselves?
Do they devolve or progress?
Do bubbles aspire and transcend,
or are they just form-subdividing nothing into something?
32. "Solute" means "a substance dissolved in a solution." Which of these statements is the best explanation
of this metaphor?
. A flock of birds dissolves into the light of
© A. the setting sun.
Iridescent
pink bubbles
are created when
0 v.ft.sand
dissolves
in seawater.
B The poet is comparing himself to a bull
© ’ rider riding ocean waves.
n The poet is comparing himself to a
0 -. substance dissolved in a solution.
Possessions
by A. Gautam
I want to pack up
the folds of your skin
when you smile,
and the magic in your eyes
when you are my sunflower at dusk.
I am your shooting star.
I want to wrap it all
with a red ribbon
in a blue box-everything erasable or debatable-the little things I Iose
when I pack up and move.
33. What is the tone of the poem?
© A. comical
© B. neutral
0 C. sympathetic
0 D. nostalgic
Home for the Holidays
Sayaka leaned her back against the glass door for a long time. She looked inside her purse to check her
passport once again and then, she clutched the handle of the suitcase. Sayaka didn’t know that her ticket
and boarding pass had slipped from her fingers at the security gates.
The ordeal of saying goodbyes was already over. Now, Sayaka only had to head to the boarding gate,
and that was the hardest part of leaving home.
"At least I have not left yet," Sayaka cons©led herself.
Unaware of her mother standing on the other side of the glass door only a few yards away, Sayaka
traveled the memory lane. The highlight of her holidays was definitely her mother’s cooking. The days
Sayaka spent at home this winter played in her mind like the scenes of a favorite movie. She remembered
those pointless quarrels with her little brother and smiled.
34. How does the setting affect the narrator?
It makes the narrator lean against the
glass door.
It makes the narrator aware of her
surroundings.
It makes the narrator long for her home
and family.
It makes the narrator miss her travel
© D. documents.
© C.
Part ll: Character Analysis Essay Writing
I hope you are enjoying your winter break. I am excited about your progress this year. in an effort to keep the momentum
going, I have created a Winter Break Packet to help you stay on target with your academic progress. This year’s Winter
Break Packet will consist of a Part I: Study Island assignment and a Part I1: writing assignment. Part I of this
assignment will be completed using Study Island. Your Study Island will include several selected response questions to
answer. Part II of this assignment will be found on James Madison Middle School website. Part II of this assignment
will require you to write a character analysis essay. The excerpts you will need to read for Part II of this assignment are also
found on James Madison Middle School website. The window for this assignment is Dec. 16, 2013-Jan. 10, 2014. Please
take advantage of the extended window which opens a week before your winter break begins and ends a week after we
return from winter break.
ENJOY YOUR WINTER BREAK AND BE READY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING UPON OUR RETURN.
Directions:
You will read excerpts from two novels focused on survival in the wilderness.
These excerpts are from:
Brian’s Winter by Gary Paulsen
Call of the Wild by Jack London
Consider how the main character in each excerpt reacts to the incidences that occur, and write an essay in which you
analyze how each character’s thoughts and actions reveal aspects of his personality. You do not need to compare and
contrast the characters from the two texts. You may consider each one separately. Be sure to include evidence from
each excerpt to support your analysis and understanding.
***********----***----*** excerpts are below:*************************************~****
Brian’s Winter
1 Then the bear came.
2 Brian had come to know bears as well as he knew wolves or birds. They
were usually alone--unless it was a female with cubs--and they were
absolutely, totally devoted to eating. He had seen them several times
while picking berries, raking the bushes with their teeth to pull the fruit
off--and a goodly number of leaves as well, which they spit out before
swallowing the berries--and, as with the wolves, they seemed to get
along with him.
3 That is to say Brian would see them eating and he would move away and
let them pick where they wanted while he found another location. It
worked for the bears, he thought, smiling, and it worked for him, and this
thinking evolved into what Brian thought of as an understanding between
him and the bears: Since he left them alone, they would leave him alone.
4 Unfortunately the bears did not know that it was an agreement, and Brian
was suffering under the misunderstanding that, as in some imaginary
politically correct society, everything was working out.
5 All of this made him totally unprepared for the reality of the woods. To
wit: Bears and wolves did what they wanted to do, and Brian had to fit in.
6 He was literally awakened to the facts one morning during the two-week
warm spell. Brian had been sleeping soundly and woke to the clunking
sound of metal on rock. His mind and ears were tuned to all the natural
sounds around him and there was no sound in nature of metal on stone.
It snapped him awake in midbreath.
7 He was sleeping with his head in the opening of the shelter and he had
his face out and when he opened his eyes he saw what appeared to be a
wall of black-brown fur directly in front of him.
Read the excerpt from Brian’s Winter and answer the questions.
8 He thought he might be dreaming and shook his head but it didn’t go
away and he realized in the same moment that he was looking at the rear
end of a bear. No, he thought with a clinical logic that surprised him--I
am looking at the very large rear end of a very large bear.
9 The bear had come to Brian’s camp--smelling the gut-smell of the dead
rabbit, and the cooking odor from the pot. The bear did not see it as
Brian’s camp or territory. There was a food smell, it was hungry, it was
time to eat.
10 It had found the pot and knife by the fire where Brian had left them and
scooped them outside. Brian had washed them both in the lake when he
finished eating, but the smell of food was still in the air. Working around
the side of the opening, the bear had bumped the pan against a rock at
the same moment that it had settled its rump in the entrance of Brian’s
shelter.
11 Brian pulled back a foot. "Hey--get out of there!" he yelled, and kicked
the bear in the rear.
12 He was not certain what he expected. Perhaps that the bear would turn
and realize its mistake and then sheepishly trundle away. Or that the
bear would just run off.
13 With no hesitation, not even the smallest part of a second’s delay, the
bear turned and ripped the entire log side off the shelter with one sweep
of a front paw and a moist "whouuuft’ out of its nostrils.
14 Brian found himself looking up at the bear, turned now to look down on
the bey, and with another snort the bear swung its left paw again and
scooped Brian out of the hollow of the rock and flung him end over end
for twenty feet. Then the bear slipped forward and used both front paws
to pack Brian in a kind of ball and whap him down to the edge of the
water, where he lay, dazed, thinking in some way that he was still back in
the shelter.
15 The bear stopped and studied Brian for a long minute, then turned back
to ransacking the camp, looking for where that delicious smell had come
from. It sat back on its haunches and felt the air with its nostrils, located
another faint odor stream and followed it down to the edge of the water
where the fish pool lay. It dug in the water--not more than ten feet from
where Brian now lay, trying to figure out if his arms and legs were still all
attached to where they had been before--and pulled up the rabbit skull,
still with bits of meat on it, and swallowed it whole. It dug around in the
water again and found the guts and ate them and went back to
rummaging around in the pool, and when nothing more could be found
the bear looked once more at Brian, at the camp, and then walked away
without looking back.
16 Other than some minor scratches where the bear’s claws had slightly
scraped him--it was more a boxing action than a clawing one--Brian was
in one piece. He was still jolted and confused about just exactly which
end was up, but most of all he was grateful.
17 He knew that the bear could have done much more damage than it had.
He had seen a bear tear a stump out of the ground like a giant tooth
when it was looking for grubworms and ants. This bear could just as
easily have killed him, and had actually held back.
18 But as the day progressed Brian found himself stiffening, and by the time
he was ready for bed his whole body ached and he knew he would be
covered with bruises from the encounter.
19 He would have to find some way to protect himself, some weapon. The
fire worked well when it was burning, but it had burned down. His hatchet
and knife would have done nothing more than make the bear really
angry--something he did not like to think about--and his bow was good
only for smaller game. He had never tried to shoot anything bigger than a
foolbird or rabbit with it and doubted that the bow would push the arrow
deep enough to do anything but--again--make the bear really mad.
20 He bundled in his bag that night, the end of the two weeks of warm
weather. He kept putting wood on the fire, half afraid the bear would
come back. All the while he tried to think of a solution.
21 But in reality, the bear was not his primary adversary. Nor was the wolf,
nor any animal. Brian had become his own worst enemy because in all
the business of hunting, fishing and surviving he had forgotten the
primary rule: Always, always pay attention to what was happening.
Everything in nature means something and he had missed the warnings
that summer was ending, had in many ways already ended, and what
was coming would be the most dangerous thing he had faced since the
plane crash.
THE CALL OF THE W LD by Jack London
1 That night Buck faced the great problem of sleeping. The tent, illumined by a candle, glowed warmly in the midst of the
white plain; and when he, as a matter of course, entered it, both Perrault and Francois bombarded him with curses and
cooking utensils, till he recovered from his consternation and fled ignominiously into the outer cold. A chill wind was blowing
that nipped him sharply and bit with especial venom into his wounded shoulder. He lay down on the snow and attempted to
sleep, but the frost soon drove him shivering to his feet. Miserable and disconsolate, he wandered about among the many
tents, only to find that one place was as cold as another. Here and there savage dogs rushed upon him, but he bristled his
neck-hair and snarled (for he was learning fast) and they let him go his way unmolested.
2 Finally an idea came to him. He would return and see how his own teammates were making out. To his astonishment,
they had disappeared. Again he wandered about through the great camp, looking for them, and again he returned. Were
they in the tent? No, that could not be, else he would not have been driven out. Then where could they possibly be? With
drooping tail and shivering body, very forlorn indeed, he aimlessly circled the tent. Suddenly the snow gave way beneath his
fore legs and he sank down. Something wriggled under his feet. He sprang back, bristling and snarling, fearful of the unseen
and unknown. But a friendly little yelp reassured him, and he went back to investigate. A whiff of warm air ascended to his
nostrils, and there, curled up under the snow in a snug ball, lay Billee. He whined placatingly, squirmed and wriggled to
show his good will and intentions, and even ventured, as a bribe for peace, to lick Buck’s face with his warm wet tongue.
3 Another lesson. So that was the way they did it, eh? Buck confidently selected a spot, and with much fuss and wasted
effort proceeded to dig a hole for himself. In a trice the heat from his body filled the confined space and he was asleep. The
day had been long and arduous, and he slept soundly and comfortably, though he growled and barked and wrestled with
bad dreams.
4 Nor did he open his eyes till roused by the noises of the waking camp. At first he did not know where he was. It had
snowed during the night and he was completely buried. The snow walls pressed him on every side, and a great surge of
fear swept through him--the fear of the wild thing for the trap. It was a token that he was harking back through his own life to
the lives of his forebears; for he was a civilized dog, an unduly civilized dog and of his own experience knew no trap and so
could not of himself fear it. The muscles of his whole body contracted spasmodically and instinctively, the hair on his neck
and shoulders stood on end, and with a ferocious snarl he bounded straight up into the blinding day, the snow flying about
him in a flashing cloud. Ere he landed on his feet, he saw the white camp spread out before him and knew where he was
and remembered all that had passed from the time he went for a stroll with Manuel to the hole he had dug for himself the
night before.
5 A shout from Francois hailed his appearance. "What I say?" the dog-driver cried to Perrault. "Dat Buck for sure learn
quick as anything."
6 Perrault nodded gravely. As courier for the Canadian Government, bearing important dispatches, he was anxious to
secure the best dogs, and he was particularly gladdened by the possession of Buck.