Read the excerpt from an adaptation of "To Build a Fire.” After a time a stinging sensation returned, and the man stripped the mitten from his right hand, fetched forth the birch-bark, and brought out his bunch of sulphur matches. But his hand had already gone numb again, and in his effort to separate one match from the others, the whole bunch fell in the snow. How does the setting affect the plot in this excerpt? The unfamiliar land makes it challenging for the man to find his way. The blanket of snow makes it impossible for the man to stay dry. The extreme cold makes simple survival steps difficult to perform. The tree cover makes it difficult to determine the time of day.

Read the passage. the dust bowl during the 1930s, extreme drought and high winds made life incredibly difficult in the great plains region of the united states. in many areas, rainfall was forty percent less than normal. the soil became extremely dry, and when strong winds blew, they created tremendous dust storms. these so-called “black blizzards” were so thick that they made daylight seem like dusk. during this terrible period, the great plains region of the united states was named the “dust bowl.” over the next few years, the drought continued, and the winds created more dust storms. in some places, the drought and high winds lasted for eight years. many people wondered if the black blizzards would ever end. which statement about this paragraph’s main idea is true? this paragraph’s main idea is stated in the topic sentence. there are not enough details to support the main idea. this paragraph’s main idea is implied. this paragraph does not express a main idea.