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Directions: Please read the following passage within the limited time, and then do the exercise.
Length of Text: 363 words Time Allowed: 4.5 minutes
5.
Westward to the Mississippi
1
Even before the United States became a nation, some of its people began to move west. Many were attracted by the promise of new opportunities; some, by the search for adventure. In fact, the westward movement has continued throughout the history of the United States.
2 The first to travel to the unknown lands west of the Appalachian Mountains were the trappers and fur traders, whose trails were later followed by actual settlers. There are many legends about Daniel Boone, a trapper and wilderness expert, who led courageous people through a steep pass in the mountains.
3 As the years passed, other pioneers went on to areas still farther west, toward the Mississippi River. Some families moved more than once, looking for better land. The migrants encountered many hardship?muddy trails, bad weather, illness, hunger, and sometimes hostile Indians. Many died during the journey and were buried along the way. Still the pioneers kept moving westward on foot, on horseback, and in covered wagons. The arched cloth roofs of these wagons gave some protection from the weather for the travelers and for their few possessions. In fact, the covered wagons could even float across a stream. When there was a threat of Indian attack, the wagons of a party would be arranged in a circle. The women and children would hide within the enclosure, while the men stood guard outside, prepared to fight if necessary.
4 When they reached the place where they wished to settle, the pioneers built log cabins. These crude shelters had no windows and no floors. Wooden shelves along the wall were used as beds. A fireplace served both for warmth and for cooking. The men would go off to hunt in the woods, while the women did all the other work. Neighbors usually gathered to help each other in building a cabin or a barn, and in other difficult tasks. To celebrate completion of the work, they would all join in a merry party.
5 After the settlers had cleared the land and started farming, living conditions slowly began to improve. More comfortable houses were built, and the women tried to bring some beauty as well as convenience into the home.
Comprehension Exercise