The Harrowing Journey of Emigrants Crossing the Great Plains

Emigrant's Experience Crossing the Great Plains

(1) You grandkids asked me to write down what I recall about being an emigrant crossing the Great Plains in a covered wagon. (2) It all seems so long ago now. (3) And some things are still too sad or too scary to want to remember. (4) I've heard people say about the overland trails, "The cowards never started, and the weak died along the way." (5) Well, I don't feel right about calling anyone a coward. (6) I've learned the folly of sitting in judgment on other folks. (7) But I will say something about the weak dying along the way. (8) The strong died as well, because smallpox and cholera are no respecters of persons. (9) I saw so many grave markers by the side of the trail. (10) It was in the spring that we started out. (11) Coming from back East, most of us were used to a landscape with plowed fields and woods. (12) The uncultivated, treeless plains stretching to the horizon frightened many emigrants. (13) I guess I was different because, when we left the Missouri River and climbed the bluffs, the view pleased me. (14) There were green hills as far as I could see. (15) We brought the best oxen and horses we had on the farm to pull our wagons, but even so we often traveled only about ten miles a day. (16) This was partly the result of the need of frequent halts to rest both the animals and the emigrants. (17) But bad weather-such as heavy rains-also often slowed us down. (18) One day after traveling some distance we found that our three-year-old Amy was missing, and I still can't recall this without a sick feeling here in the pit of my stomach. (19) She had been left behind when we started moving again after a halt. (20) Mercifully, another wagon train found Amy and soon returned her to us. (21) But the memory of those few hours still haunts me. (22) A good memory is how we celebrated the Fourth of July on the trail. (23) We ate roasted antelope with gooseberry sauce, sang patriotic songs, and recited what we could remember of the Declaration of Independence. (24) This is uplifting to think about. (25) Perhaps that's enough for now. (26) Later I'll tell you about crossing the Columbia River. (27) Now that was an experience!

Question:

Choose the BEST way to revise the syntax of sentence 18 to heighten the tone of increasing anxiety. Select one:

• a. I still can't recall without a sick feeling here in the pit of my stomach how one day after traveling some distance we found that our three-year-old Amy was missing.
• b. After traveling some distance one day, we found that our three-year-old Amy was missing. I still can't recall this without a sick feeling here in the pit of my stomach.
• c. One day after traveling some distance we found that our three-year-old Amy was missing. I still can't recall this without a sick feeling. Here in the pit of my stomach.
• d. We found that our three-year-old Amy was missing one day after we had traveled some distance. I still can't recall this without a sick feeling here in the pit of my stomach.

Final answer:

Option (d) best revises sentence 18, placing the fact of the child's disappearance before the narrator's emotional response, therefore increasing the anxiety tone.

Explanation:

The best way to revise the syntax of sentence 18 to heighten the tone of increasing anxiety is option (d). We found that our three-year-old Amy was missing one day after we had traveled some distance. I still can't recall this without a sick feeling here in the pit of my stomach.

Option (d) best revises sentence 18, placing the fact of the child's disappearance before the narrator's emotional response, therefore increasing the anxiety tone.

This revision effectively builds suspense by first stating the alarming fact of the child's disappearance and follows it with the narrator's emotional reaction, enhancing the anxious tone of the situation.