Unit 4

Which of the following statements best encapsulates the author's line of reasoning in the passage? A. "...McDonald's presented a different kind of comfort for my family and me." (paragraph 2) B. "By 1965 the sandwich had gone national." (paragraph 4) C. "Its appeal is inscrutable, perhaps out of proportion to its paltry constituent parts." (paragraph 5) D. "These days, the sandwich is more expensive than ever; it's also less beautiful than I remember." (paragraph 7, sentence 1) E. "Nowadays, a good Filet-O-Fish is hard to find." (paragraph 7, sentence 6)

A. "...McDonald's presented a different kind of comfort for my family and me." (paragraph 2)

Which of the following versions of sentence 3 (reproduced below) best previews the line of reasoning in the passage? Though so different, both species domesticated themselves by joining humans for their own benefit and providing benefits in return, thus ensuring their places beside humans. A. (As it is now) B. However, because cats and dogs are so dissimilar in their behaviors, many people prefer one animal to the other. C. Yet when we look further back in their history, both cats and dogs share a common ancestor: a mammal of the order Carnivora. D. While dogs may be the oldest companion species of humans, this does not necessarily mean that cats are less thoroughly domesticated than dogs are. E. Obtaining access to a steady supply of food is crucial to the story of domestication for both species.

A. (As it is now)

Which of the following statements from the first paragraph most directly expresses the author's thesis in the passage? A. "The stereotype that plagued me the most was the portrait of the Asian-American as the perpetual foreigner." (sentence 1) B. "I washed away this tincture of foreignness with language." (sentence 3) C. "[M]y pleasure in language feels largely independent of any other identity." (sentence 4) D. "[M]y own failure at Japanese gave me direct experience of illiteracy." (sentence 7) E. "I collected English words like amulets." (sentence 8)

B. "I washed away this tincture of foreignness with language." (sentence 3)

The author introduces her essay by relating an anecdote from her vacation in France (paragraphs 1 and 2) primarily to A. praise the widespread custom of European napping B. confirm her audience's suspicion that napping is inefficient C. offer advice to Americans traveling in rural France D. establish a cultural comparison for her argument about napping E. explain the daily routine of a French lockkeeper

D. establish a cultural comparison for her argument about napping

Which of the following versions of the underlined text best achieves this purpose? A. (as it is now) B. food, although without agriculture, the development of civilization would never have been possible C. food, the history of which is equally as fascinating as the history of the domestication of dogs and cats D. food; farmers continue to struggle with the problems of pests to this day, but the technology at their disposal is far greater than anything these early farmers could have imagined E. food: it also brought us those graceful, warm, furry creatures who snooze contentedly in our homes and delight us with their playful antics

E. food: it also brought us those graceful, warm, furry creatures who snooze contentedly in our homes and delight us with their playful antics

Which of the following statements most directly expresses the author's thesis in the passage? A. "Americans are afraid of naps" (paragraph 3) B. "Napping is too luxurious." (paragraph 4, sentence 1) C. "[Napping] seems to be a natural inclination." (paragraph 4, sentence 2) D. "Fighting off natural inclinations is a major Puritan virtue." (paragraph 4, sentence 4) E. "[T]he process of falling asleep in the afternoon is quite different from bedtime sleep." (paragraph 5, sentence 2)

A. "Americans are afraid of naps" (paragraph 3)

Which of the following sentences, if placed before sentence 1, would best orient the audience and provide an engaging introduction to the topic of the first paragraph? A. The process of domestication varies by species. B. As any pet owner knows, dogs and cats are very different. C. Domestication is the taming of an animal and then keeping it as a pet or as a farm animal. D. The natural instincts of dogs and cats toward one another are usually antagonistic, but pet owners can help foster friendly relationships between their pets. E. The personalities of cat owners and dog owners are as different as the personalities of the pets they prefer.

B. As any pet owner knows, dogs and cats are very different.

Which of the following versions of the underlined text most effectively accomplishes this goal? A. (as it is now) B. the cost has soared to 1.8 cents per penny C. economists worry that the penny is unsustainable D. the United States Mint has looked into less expensive metals E. the penny is made of only 2.5% copper

B. the cost has soared to 1.8 cents per penny

In sentence 15 (reproduced below), which version of the underlined text produces a logical comparison between Hale and Roulstone in the controversy surrounding "Mary Had a Little Lamb"? Whereas Hale was a widowed mother of five, Roulstone was a ten-year-old boy who never published anything. A. (as it is now) B. was a prolific author who wrote both novels and poems C. successfully petitioned for Thanksgiving to be a national holiday D. never knew of Roulstone until Sawyer claimed he was the author of the poem E. delivered a moral message at the end of the poem about being kind to animals

B. was a prolific author who wrote both novels and poems

The writer wants to add a conclusion after sentence 14 that summarizes the argument of the passage. Which of the following sentences best achieves this purpose? A. Critics of the movement to start the school day later stress that the change will place a burden on working families that cannot easily rearrange transportation and child care. B. If California passes a bill into law, it will become the first state to require all middle and high schools to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. C. Hence, more schools should follow the trend of starting later in the morning if they want to see improved test scores, greater attendance numbers, and, most importantly, healthier, happier teens. D. As sleep expert Dr. Carol Ash argues, "The cost of sleep loss is astronomical. It's costing billions of dollars. Poor academic performance, absenteeism at school. And federally funded dollars are attached to the absenteeism rate." E. While s

C. Hence, more schools should follow the trend of starting later in the morning if they want to see improved test scores, greater attendance numbers, and, most importantly, healthier, happier teens.

In sentence 6 (reproduced below), the writer is considering deleting the underlined text. However, strong evidence indicates that this event did not inspire the poem and that the author was in fact Sarah Josepha Hale, not Roulstone. Should the writer keep or delete the underlined text? A. Keep it, because it indicates why the story of Roulstone's composition is described as "charming" in sentence 5. B. Keep it, because it deepens the discussion in the passage by leading the reader to consider different ways a poem may be inspired. C. Keep it, because it previews the way the rest of the passage will support the thesis about Hale's authorship with evidence. D. Delete it, because it contains unimportant information that distracts from the statement of the thesis. E. Delete it, because it contradicts the discussion of Roulstone's childhood in the first paragraph.

C. Keep it, because it previews the way the rest of the passage will support the thesis about Hale's authorship with evidence.

In the third paragraph, the author describes the Filet-O-Fish primarily to A. argue why McDonald's is her favorite fast-food restaurant B. justify why it is more expensive than other menu items C. convey her cultural familiarity with the sandwich D. explain its rise in popularity in China E. describe the taste to those unfamiliar

C. convey her cultural familiarity with the sandwich

Which version of the underlined text best accomplishes this purpose? A. penny, saying, "We remember our piggy banks and counting out all the pennies and then taking them in and getting a dollar bill or a couple of dollars from it." B. penny and argued that discontinuing the penny "is not going to be a huge savings for government." C. penny but argued that the coin is a sign of government inefficiency, calling it "a good metaphor for some of the larger problems that we've got." D. penny and, in an interview, said that the issue is "one of those things where I think people get attached emotionally to the way things have been." E. penny and, when asked why the penny hasn't been withdrawn from circulation yet, replied, "I don't know."

C. penny but argued that the coin is a sign of government inefficiency, calling it "a good metaphor for some of the larger problems that we've got."

Which of the following statements best describes the function of the passage's final paragraph? A. It restates the author's thesis in a way that is designed to engage his audience's attention. B. It answers an earlier objection to the author's argument. C. It exhorts the audience to avoid making assumptions about strangers. D. It examines the significance of the author's argument in a broader cultural context. E. It emphasizes the author's desire to develop strategies for assimilation.

D. It examines the significance of the author's argument in a broader cultural context.

The writer is considering changing the passage to argue that Tyler does not have enough evidence to support the assertion that da Vinci had exotropia. The writer drafted the following thesis statement, which is intended to preview the line of reasoning the new passage would have. Though it is true that Tyler studied six separate works of art, including such famous works as Vitruvian Man and Salvator Mundi, there is not enough evidence to prove that da Vinci suffered from exotropia. Should the writer include the underlined portion of the thesis statement? A. Yes, because it helps remind readers of some famous da Vinci works. B. Yes, because it strengthens the thesis by conceding that the works Tyler studied are important ones. C. Yes, since it suggests that the writer is knowledgeable on the subject of da Vinci. D. No, because a thesis does not need to provide specifics of an argument or evidence to be a good preview.

D. No, because a thesis does not need to provide specifics of an argument or evidence to be a good preview.

The author's opening lines ("One of the first...packing our things") capture the audience's attention by A. stating factual details B. describing the opening of the restaurant C. presenting a counter opinion D. setting up a contrast E. appealing to readers who enjoy fast food

D. setting up a contrast

In the second paragraph, the author contrasts the various attitudes toward McDonald's primarily to A. highlight the global prevalence of McDonald's B. suggest that the cost of McDonald's varies per country C. explain the timeline of McDonald's openings across the world D. identify the similarities between Canadian and Chinese cultures E. emphasize how different cultures view fast food

E. emphasize how different cultures view fast food

In the second paragraph, the author compares his relationships with mathematics and English primarily to A. suggest how a desire to meet his teachers' expectations influenced the author's academic interests B. imply that his determination to excel in mathematics was linked to a need to impress his classmates C. indicate that his approach to both subjects was equally informed by his love of language D. demonstrate the advantages of a multidisciplinary approach to high school education E. explain how his awareness of a cultural stereotype influenced his preference for one subject over the other

E. explain how his awareness of a cultural stereotype influenced his preference for one subject over the other