Our wigwam we always carried with us wherever we went. It was made in the following manner:-Poles were cut about fifteen feet long: three with crotches at the end, which were stuck in the ground some distance apart, the upper ends meeting, and fastened with bark; and then other poles were cut in circular form and bound round the first, and then covered with plaited reeds, or sewed birch bark, leaving an opening on the top for the smoke to escape. The skins of animals formed a covering for a gap, which answered for a door. The family all sat, tailor-fashion, on mats. In the fall and winter they were generally made more secure, for the purpose of keeping out the rain and cold. The covering of our wigwam was always carried by my mother, whenever we went through the woods. In the summer it was easier and pleasanter to move about from place to place, than in the winter. In the summer we had birch-bark canoes, and with these we travelled very rapidly and easily. In the winter everything was carried upon the back.
This question has two parts. Answer Part A, and then answer Part B.
Part A
What is the author's main purpose in this passage?
1. to reveal how a wigwam changed travel
2. to convey the importance of having a wigwam
3. to describe the process of setting up a wigwam
4. to explain how a wigwam was adapted for the seasons
Part B
Which detail from the passage best supports the correct answer from Part A?
1. "carried with us wherever we went"
2. "was made in the following manner"
3. "for the purpose of keeping out the rain and cold"
4. "was easier and pleasanter to move about"
1 answer
Part A
The author's main purpose in this passage is:
4. to explain how a wigwam was adapted for the seasons.
Part B
The detail from the passage that best supports this answer is:
3. "for the purpose of keeping out the rain and cold."
This detail illustrates how the wigwam was adjusted and made more secure in different seasons to address varying weather conditions.
