In the text, John Miller says, “By adding a little noise to the system you produce coherence in the flow.” In this sentence, the word noise refers to

Written Response – Answer the following questions based on your knowledge of the text. What are some factors that can make it difficult to maintain speed in a stairway evacuation?

What is the meaning of this metaphor from lines 115–116: “every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low”? 

Gregor dislikes his job and his boss, but he cannot change jobs because

Written Response In what way is the movement of water similar to the way people in large groups move when they evacuate a building or an area? In what way does the movement of water differ from the movement of people?

Vocabulary – Choose the answer that best explains the meaning of each underlined word. To reallocate is to

A poignant story is always

 What does intermittent mean? 

The author’s details about locked hotels and snipers watching the crowd from above (lines 61–66)  help create a tone that is 

What does opaque mean?