1. Letters Home from Yosemite
By: Lisa Halvorsen

2. He photographed the wilderness.
Vocabulary
He photographed the wilderness.
place that is in a natural state
streets that run through the center of a city
sand dunes that rise out of the desert floor
area that has been cleared for farming

3. place that is in a natural state
Answer
place that is in a natural state

4. John Muir was a naturalist.
Vocabulary
John Muir was a naturalist.
person who comes from another country
person who puts out forest fires
person who likes to fish and camp
person who studies living things

5. D. person who studies living things
Answer
D. person who studies living things

6. We want to preserve this forest.
Vocabulary
We want to preserve this forest.
save
manage
divide
replant

7. Answer
save

8. The band put on an impressive show.
Vocabulary
The band put on an impressive show.
interesting
amazing
amateur
expensive

9. Answer
B. amazing

10. What species is that animal?
Vocabulary
What species is that animal?
type
color
shape
height

11. Answer
type

12. Vocabulary We fell on the slopes. pile of rocks frozen pond
sides of a mountain
huge sheet of ice

13. Answer
C. sides of a mountain

14. Vocabulary Can you see the glacier? huge sheet of ice high waterfall
deep valley
snowy mountain top

15. Answer
huge sheet of ice

16. Comprehension
Which of the following sentences was an OPINION stated by the author?
I knew we were in for an exciting vacation.
I’d been reading about Yosemite on the plane.
I learned that it is America’s third national park.
Yosemite was established as a national park.

17. I knew we were in for an exciting vacation.

18. Why did the author provide headings throughout the selection?
to give directions for traveling to different places in the park.
to group the facts about different main topics
to persuade the reader that the park is work preserving

19. D. to group the facts about different main topics

20. Which clue can help you know that this story takes place in recent times?
The first group of tourists arrives.
Native Americans were the only people living in Yosemite.
The narrator traveled in an airplane.
John Muir had just convinced the government to preserve Yosemite.

21. C. The narrator traveled in an airplane.

22. Travel to Badger Pass in 1855 was different than it is today because the only way people could get there was by
A. raft
B. car
C. skis
D. horseback

23. D. horseback

24. Which of the following is a main idea from the selection?
A. Yosemite’s first visitors arrived in 1855.
B. Yosemite is a popular place to visit.
C. Most visitors go to Yosemite in the summer.
D. Badger Pass was California’s first ski area.

25. B. Yosemite is a popular place to visit.

26. Which of the following was an opinion from the selection?
A. Bridalveil Fall is 620 feet high.
B. More than half of America’s highest waterfalls are in Yosemite.
C. One of the prettiest (waterfalls) is Bridalveil Falls.
D. Sometimes hard wings actually blow the falls sideways.

27. C. One of the prettiest (waterfalls) is Bridalveil Falls.

28. What attraction did the author go to see immediately after visiting Glacier Point?
A. Tioga Pass
B. El Capitan
C. Yosemite Valley
D. Badger Pass

29. B. El Capitan

30. Which detail supports the main idea that visitors must be careful around the animals at Yosemite?
A. Bears will rip open a tent if they smell food.
B. Male deer graze near the roads.
C. Bats swoop through the air to catch insects.
D. The young bears are as cute as teddy bears.

31. Bears will rip
open a tent if they
smell food.

32. Which of the following is a fact stated by the author?
A. “The view from Glacier Point was totally awesome.”
B. “I could also see El Capitan and Half Dome.”
C. “I like the way the light reflected off the bare rock surfaces…”
D. “One of my favorite places was mirror lake.”

33. B. “I could also see El Capitan and Half Dome.”

34. Why do the trees at Tioga Pass stay small?
A. The highway blocks the sunlight.
B. The soil is not very fertile.
C. There is not enough rain.
D. The elevation is very high.

35. D. The elevation is very high.

36. Group Discussions What is one theme among the selection?
(Hint: A theme is a message or lesson taught by the story.)

37. Possible Theme
Yosemite has many natural wonders that are worth being preserved.

38. What is one detail that supports the main idea that Yosemite is located in a unique place?

39. Possible Details
Yosemite is located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which is the longest and highest mountain range in the United States.

40. How can you tell that the author’s main purpose for writing this selection was to inform?

41. The author tells many facts about Yosemite.

42. Good Luck!
I know you will do GREAT!
Do your best! 