How did Jim Gallien meet McCandless, and what was his occupation?

• A. He encountered him in a library; he was a teacher.
• B. He picked him up as a hitchhiker; he was a union electrician.
• C. He found him stranded at a rest area; he was a park ranger.
• D. He saw him at a bus station; he was a shop owner.

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is who actually interacted with McCandless and what his job was. In the story, McCandless is picked up along a road by a man named Jim Gallien, who was there as a hitchhiker on that day. Gallien’s occupation is a union electrician, and his encounter with McCandless is notable because he gave him a ride toward the edge of the wilderness, listened to his plans to live off the land, and urged him to consider his gear and safety. This moment contrasts McCandless’s idealism with a practical, experienced perspective who tried to help him avoid danger.