Excerpt from: The First Tears — Based on an Inuit FolktaleElizabeth Kibler5 Amak became exasperated as he watched the seals swim
away into the dark water. However, Amak’s spirits rose when he saw a lone seal sitting alone near the edge of the water. Sure that the seal did not see him, he advanced stealthily and stayed as quiet as possible. At the last moment, and with a burst of energy, Amak sprang toward the remaining seal; however, he was too late, as the animal jumped into the water to join the rest. He collapsed onto the ground in sorrow. As Amak got up, he felt a feeling he did not recognize. Water started running down the sides of Amak’s face. He touched the warm water and tasted it. It was as salty as the ocean flowing in front of him. Amak felt himself making strange noises and choking as the water flowed from his eyes. 6 Amak's wife and son heard the strange noises and came to find him. When they finally caught sight of him, he still had water pouring from his eyes. His wife and child were very afraid because they did not understand. After Amak told the story of the seals and how they eluded his grasp, water began to flow from his wife’s and son’s eyes, too. Amak and his family wept because of the seals. That is how people learned to cry.In the sixth paragraph the word eluded meansA) jumped. B) forced. C) avoided. D) pierced.
