Final answer:
In the novel 'Hatchet' by Gary Paulsen, Brian Robeson avoids getting sprayed by a skunk by remaining very still, demonstrating the importance of understanding wildlife behavior for wilderness survival.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question likely refers to a situation from the novel Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, which is commonly assigned in middle school English or literature classes. In this survival story, the protagonist Brian Robeson uses his wits and survival skills to avoid various dangers in the wilderness after a plane crash. When faced with the threat of getting sprayed by a skunk, Brian stays very still to avoid provoking the animal, which eventually decides he is not a threat and moves away without spraying. Understanding an animal's behavior, like that of a skunk's defensive spray, is important in wilderness survival scenarios. Such knowledge can spare a person from unpleasant and hazardous consequences, such as the powerful odor and potential irritation caused by skunk spray.