CRA 7
EXAM
PREPARATION
ANS.1) The significance of the
writer stopping in Denver was
surprising. The whole village
and family was going to
California upon hearing that
there was gold there, and
wanted to get there despite any
hardships. However, it was
really shocking when they just
gave up halfway.
ANS.2) At the start of the
journey. The wheel had badly
cracked, it was beyond repair
and even though St. Louis was
not very far from where the
wagon was, it still took nearly a
whole day in going back and
getting the wheel and then
fixing it onto the wagon. This
had put the overall schedule
back by one day, meaning it
would take them one day longer
to reach California.
ANS.3) Firstly, at the very start
of the journey, a wheel flew
right off their wagon and it was
badly cracked and beyond
repair. Luckily, they had not
gone fair from St. Louis, so one
of their family members, got a
new wheel. However, fixing it
and getting the wheel both
nearly took an entire day.
Secondly, an awful rainstorm
brought on so much mud that
the oxen pulling the wagon
could not get the wagons
moving. Hence, everyone had to
wait for the rain to stop
completely and for the mud to
dry before they could continue.
This took a whole two days.
Then after just two weeks, the
Brown family had fallen ill.
Everyone had waited a few days
for them to recover, but
eventually they gave up and
turned back. So, they lost a few
more days.
ANS.4) The decided to just stay
in Denver because many days
had been wasted in the wheel
incident, the rain incident, the
Brown family illness incident,
and crossing the mountains.
These were many hardships that
the family had to endure.
ANS.5) The wagon master had
requested the writer and his
family to change their minds, as
they had already overcome the
challenges of crossing the
mountain and it would have
been a smooth trip from now
own. This shows that the trip
would have been easy and there
would be no hardships to
endure.
ANS.6) The author is impatient
and weak as he could not
endure any more hardships after
some time had passed. While
others were persevering, he
gave up and decided it was too
much for him to handle.
Secondly, he has high
expectations as he expected the
trip to go very easily and that’s
why he had agreed to go on the
trip. Thirdly, he makes quick
and rash decisions that are
regrettable in the future, as he
quickly agreed to go to
California without considering if
he will be able to endure all the
hardships or not. This also
shows he is greedy, because as
soon he heard about the gold,
he made a quick decision to go.
ANS.7) At first, the narrator was
excited and happy for his
journey to California for gold
and a job, but as the hardships
and difficulties increased, the
narrator just wanted to get done
with the trip, and he did not
even care much about the gold
in California or the jobs. Hence
he just stopped in Denver, and
settled there and made a
decision to just find a job there.
ANS.8) Disenchanted:
disappointed
Exhilarated: very happy
Enlightened: informed
Endured: tolerated
Stumbled: to fall upon more and
more troubles
Perseverance: never give up and
keep trying hard.
