Why was the river crossing considered fateful?

Why was the river crossing considered fateful?

• A. It had a hidden rapid
• B. In two months water would be very high and he couldn't pass
• C. It was the only crossing
• D. It had a dangerous current

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that timing and the ability to retreat were the decisive factors. If he pressed on now and tried to return two months later, the water would be very high from snowmelt and he wouldn’t be able to pass back. That means the crossing would seal his fate by trapping him in the wild once the river rose, making escape impossible. The other details—such as a hidden rapid or a dangerous current—are not the central reason this crossing became fateful; the crucial point is the coming rise in water that would prevent a return.

The key idea is that timing and the ability to retreat were the decisive factors. If he pressed on now and tried to return two months later, the water would be very high from snowmelt and he wouldn’t be able to pass back. That means the crossing would seal his fate by trapping him in the wild once the river rose, making escape impossible. The other details—such as a hidden rapid or a dangerous current—are not the central reason this crossing became fateful; the crucial point is the coming rise in water that would prevent a return.