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10. Which resource would most likely have detailed maps of the arctic region?
A. a book on ice fishing B. an atlas C. a thesaurus D. a dictionary
11. What is another word for anorak?
A. coat B. spear C. pants D. blanket
12. Which paragraph contains information about making boots?
A. paragraph 6 B. paragraph 3 C. paragraph7 D. paragraph 8
13. What would be a synonym for the word kayaks in paragraph 4?
A. harpoon B. boat C. skis D. water
9. What was the author’s purpose for writing this article?
A. to inform about Inuittraveling
B. to persuade you thatarctic life is extremely hard
C. to entertain you withstories about arctic life
D. to inform you about theInuit and how they lived
7. What can you infer about why the Inuit made igloos rather than stone homes?
A. they had plenty ofstone but those homeswere too hard to build
B. they had plenty of snowand igloos were easy tomake
C. they needed homes thatwere easy to move
D. they needed homes thatcould allow for fires to bemade inside
8. What does the word ancestors mean in paragraph 4?
A. friend B. father C. a dead earlier relative D. mother
Name: The Inuit
The Inuit *
1 The Inuit people, or Eskimo, crossed into North America thousands of years ago. They used an ice bridge of the Bering Strait during the last ice age. The word Inuit means “people” and this tribe speaks Inuit. This is one of two branches of the Eskimo language.
2 Some of these ancient people went south to warmer parts of present-day Canada, the U.S., and South America. The Inuit stayed in the frigid arctic. Their homes are in Canada, Alaska, and Greenland. They settled along the coastlines of the ocean, lakes, and rivers. They are snowy and frozen yearlong. Life was very hard due to the low temperatures, snow, and ice that never melted. The freezing winters were very long and the summers chilly and short. They became experts at finding food to survive.
3 The Inuit were great fishermen and hunters. Yet, they were never able to grow crops due to the arctic climate. Since ice covers all water, they hunted by cutting holes into the ice. Then, they dropped fishing hooks into the water. They also trapped seals and other mammals at these spots. As seals arose from the water for air, the Inuit speared them. They also hunted arctic foxes, polar bears, caribou, and walruses.
4 They became experts at “reading” the ice and frigid waters. They knew when the ice was dangerous to walk on and its thickness. This allowed them to hunt and fish safely. This knowledge was passed down from their ancestors. It also taught them how to use their boats, or kayaks, to hunt whales. These kayaks were covered in waterproof sealskin and would be steered around ice flows and icebergs to find prey.
5 They used every part of whales for survival. Whale fat and oil was burned for lighting simple lanterns! The bones and ivory were used for tools and weapons, such as knives, harpoons, spears, and needles. The warm and dry animal hides were used for clothing, blankets, and shelter.
6 Many Inuit lived in igloos during the coldest parts of the year. This was mostly the winter months when the howling wind whipped across the snowy land. They first would form large blocks of snow. Then, they would stack them on one another creating a circular, domed shelter. The huge amount of snow and ice made these shelters easy to make quickly. They could also make a small fire inside the igloo without melting the blocks. For the warmer months, they would build tents covered in animal hides. These skins were held up by frames made of wood or bones. These tribes knew that they had to use all of their cold environment to survive.
7 While Inuit men hunted and made shelters, the women made clothing. In such a cold land, animal fur was perfect for staying warm. Tribal members wore two layers in an anorak, or parka. Fur traps warm pockets of air against the body, so the inner layer of fur was worn against the skin. The outer layer’s fur faced the wind. This layer was waterproof, keeping the person dry. Pants were also made using this method. Boots also needed to be waterproof to keep out melting snow. Seal skin was perfect to use since it kept out water very well and was tough. Also, polar bear and caribou pelts were highly prized for the same reasons. The Inuit used every part of an animal!
8 Besides using kayaks to travel, the Inuit also had dogsleds. They preferred the large and rugged huskies. They were strong enough to pull a sled, rider, and gear. These dogs were also used to the freezing air and could haul a rider for miles across the ice. This was the easiest way to take supplies long distances.