How did Wayne Westerberg learn that McCandless was dead?

• A. One of his friends told him to listen to radio and said the kid who died of starvation sounded like Chris
• B. He read it in the newspaper
• C. He saw a TV report
• D. He received a letter

Answer: (A)

The question tests understanding of how Wayne Westerberg learned about Chris McCandless’s death through a fragment of information that came via casual conversation and a radio broadcast. In the narrative, a friend tells Wayne to listen to the radio, describing that “the kid who died of starvation” sounded like Chris. That detail—a voice on the radio that matched a known story—is enough for Wayne to infer that the report was about Chris, even though he wasn’t reading a newspaper, watching a TV report, or receiving a letter. This shows how information can travel through personal networks and media glimpses, and how a specific phrasing in a broadcast can trigger the recognition of a familiar person.