Aplang unit 4 progress check

In the second paragraph, the author defines femininity as a "challenge" primarily to support which of the following points?

Reconciling the demands of femininity with her ambition presented difficulties.

Which of the following best describes the function of the first two clauses of the passage's final sentence ("It is natural . . . despised") in the context of the passage as a whole?

They urge a change in attitude that should follow logically from the author's argument.

The writer is considering adding the following sentence before sentence 1.

Yes, because the sentence presents an intriguing question that focuses the audience on the topic of the passage.

In the third sentence of the first paragraph, the author mentions society's ability to "execute its own mandates" primarily to

clarify the nature of the subject matter he will discuss

In the context of the passage as a whole, the first paragraph primarily serves to

establish the context for the problem the author seeks to address

In the first two paragraphs, the author contrasts experiences from her girlhood with those from her later life in order to

introduce two different attitudes toward femininity

Which of the following quotations best represents the thesis statement of the passage?

"But though this proposition is not likely to be contested in general terms, the practical question, where to place the limit—how to make the fitting adjustment between individual independence and social control—is a subject on which nearly everything remains to be done." (paragraph 2, sentence 1)

Which of the following statements most directly expresses the author's thesis in the passage?

"[R]eal excellence often comes unheralded and from unexpected quarters." (paragraph 1, sentence 5)

Which version of sentence 3 (reproduced below) provides the most effective thesis statement for the passage?

(As it is now)

The writer wants to add a sentence after sentence 1 to provide factual support for the introductory claim and focus the audience on the argument of the passage. Which of the following sentences best accomplishes this purpose?

A recent study found that 86 percent of Americans are stressed-out from constantly checking their smartphones.

Which of the following pieces of information is most appropriate for the writer to include in the new version of the sentence?

An overview of the new study's claim that optimal language acquisition can occur up to age 30 and even older adults can acquire basic competence in a language

The writer wants to add a sentence after sentence 2 that previews the main line of reasoning in the paragraph. Which of the following best achieves this goal?

In the last few decades, however, a new holiday has been celebrated on that second Monday in October: Indigenous Peoples' Day.

In context, which version of sentence 6 (reproduced below) provides the most effective explanation of the "critical period" mentioned in sentence 5?

It designates the time in one's life during which the capacity to absorb the rules and structure of a language is maximized.

In the second paragraph, the author develops a comparison between life and "a thousand arrows shot from the same point and aimed at the same object" primarily to suggest that

people exhibit remarkable diversity in their development over time

Which of the following versions of the underlined text would best accomplish this goal?

those of metamessages in digital communications often are not

The writer wants to add a concluding sentence that brings the argument to a unified end by summing up the main claim of the passage and returning to a theme from the first paragraph. Which of the following choices, if added after sentence 14, best accomplishes this goal?

It is thus likely that for many years to come, the only way for humans to have an experience exploring distant planets will be by opening a book or going to the movies rather than hopping on a rocket.

Which of the following best describes the function of the first sentence of the second paragraph ("Science is empirical, rational, general, and cumulative; and it is all four at once.") ?

It previews the authors' line of reasoning in their larger argument.

The writer is considering deleting the underlined portion of sentence 3 (reproduced below), adjusting the capitalization as needed.

Keep it, because it provides sensory details that help the writer describe the concept being discussed in the paragraph.