Question

read the passage from theodore roosevelt: an autobiography.
in the yellowstone the animals seem always to behave as one wishes them to! it is always possible to see the sheep and deer and antelope, and also the great herds of elk, which are shyer than the smaller beasts. in apri we found the elk weak after the short commons and hard living of winter.
what is the closest meaning of the underlined phrase as it used in the excerpt?
survival efforts
hunting season
long and cold season
trials and tribulations

Explanation:

To determine the meaning of "short commons and hard living of winter", we analyze the context. The elk are weak after winter, so the phrase describes the difficult conditions they face to survive. "Survival efforts" fits as it refers to the struggles to stay alive. "Hunting season" is irrelevant (no hunting context). "Long and cold season" describes winter's length/cold, not the elk's experience. "Trials and tribulations" is too general; "survival efforts" is more specific to the elk's struggle to survive winter.

Answer:

A. survival efforts