The Litter Bug
by Moll Flowers
The objective was to find a campground before dark, but Maria and I were too enchanted with the forest to retain any sense of urgency. We were surrounded by Douglas Firs, which we'd learned could survive for hundreds of years. They shot up into the sky, their foliage blotting out the sunlight. Their massive red-brown trunks were wider than Maria and I when we stood side-by-side. We'd actually found one especially large Fir that had blown down over the winter. The hole left by its roots was about the size of a one-car garage.
I was whistling a tune, my eyes on the trees, when Maria pointed out a scrap of white paper. She picked it up. It was a candy bar wrapper.
"Litter bugs," I said, shaking my head. I couldn't understand how a fellow camper could be so careless.
Further down the trail, Maria spotted another wrapper: This time it was a package of rice, torn-open. Beyond that was a half-empty package of trail mix, upturned in the dirt. A trail of rice and nuts led into the woods.
"Let's pick this stuff up," Maria said. "That'll be our good deed for the day."
Maria spent the remainder of the hike picking up various half-eaten foods and trash. Meanwhile, I took photos of the trees. Eventually we came to a treacherous bridge overlooking a waterfall. The campground, I knew, would be on the other side of the bridge. This was a good thing: It was already dusk, and setting up the tent in total dark would have been difficult.
We arrived at the campground, ready to lecture the litter bugs that we imagined would have arrived before us. We were surprised to find the whole place uninhabited. Near the river bank, we found a flat area sheltered by trees. I was unfurling the tent when I heard a noise. I turned to Maria to ask her if she'd heard the noise, but the look on her face told me she had. Her eyes were wide with fright. She pointed at a spot in the bushes, and it was then that I saw the bear. It was foraging in the trees, and it had something in its mouth.
To my relief, it scampered off and disappeared. But not before it dropped the thing that it'd had in its mouth. It was an empty package of peanuts.
8
What is the best summary of the passage?
A.
Out in a forest, Maria and the narrator admire the Douglas Firs that are supposed to survive for hundreds of years. They search for a place where they can camp, and on the way they find a lot of trash. Maria picks up the trash, while the narrator takes pictures of the trees, and soon, they arrive at an uninhabited campground. While fixing the tent, they spot a bear in the bushes.
B.
While looking for a campground, Maria and the narrator admire the Douglas Firs in the forest. On their way, they find a trail of half-eaten food, and Maria picks up the trash while the narrator takes pictures of the trees. Finally, they arrive at an uninhabited campground, and when they spot a bear near the bushes, it drops an empty package of peanuts and scampers away.
C.
While looking for a campground in the forest, Maria and the narrator spot a lot of trash, including candy wrappers and rice packets. They begin to collect the trash, and later when they spot some Douglas Firs, they become so enchanted by their beauty that they forget about their campground. Finally, they reach a place where they spot a bear.
D.
Maria and the narrator are hiking in the forest and looking for a place to camp. They spot some Douglas Firs and are so enchanted by their beauty that they forget about their campground. After picking up trash from the forest and taking pictures, they come to a treacherous-looking bridge, and on the other side, they find a campground which is uninhabited.