english test (studysinc questions)

Which of the sentences below best describes the effect of observing Mason's experience over the years? (Boyhood) A. The viewer is confused by the scattershot dialogue between the characters and cannot tell where we are. B. By eavesdropping on Mason's interactions with his Dad, the viewer gets a fuller picture of their evolving relationship over time. C. The viewer understands Mason's changing approach to romantic relationships. D. The intimacy of the scenes between Mason and his Dad helps the viewer relate to the experience.

B. By eavesdropping on Mason's interactions with his Dad, the viewer gets a fuller picture of their evolving relationship over time.

Which of these inferences is best supported by the following passage (paragraphs 7-10)? (The Four Foods) "Midway through our sandwiches we begin to talk. "Mom says she's allergic to goose feathers," I say. "What are you going to do with all the pillows from Europe?"My father takes a sip of water. "Those pillows belonged to your great-grandmother. The feathers in them came all the way from Lvov."I nod. "It's the shtetl. Mom doesn't want to go back."My father sucks up a sesame seed through a gap between his teeth, and I wait for him to acknowledge my analysis." A. The father is unimpressed by his daughter's symbolic interpretation of why her mother is allergic to the pillows. B. The father has his own symbolic reading as to why his wife can't stand her pillows. C. The father is angry at his daughter for a wrong she had committed years earlier. D. The father dislikes his food, but is only eating it to maintain a cordial relationship with his daughter.

A. The father is unimpressed by his daughter's symbolic interpretation of why her mother is allergic to the pillows.

Which of the following selections best explains how postmodernism differs from modernism? (Postmodernism) A. Postmodernism promotes the idea that the world is essentially incoherent B. Postmodernism is interested in the meaning brought to a text by the reader C. Postmodernism employs the use of fragmentation D. A & B only

D. A & B only

Which of these inferences about the narrator and her father is best supported by the text? (The Four Foods) A. It is the near-death experience of the narrator's father that finally allows the two of them to bond over their roots. B. It is only when they stop intellectual discussion and return to basic pleasures of caring and food that they can finally bond. C. It is only when they are separated from the narrator's mother that the two can finally have a substantive discussion and truly bond. D. He had consumed American products and fallen in love with American culture long before Castro banned access in Cuba.

B. It is only when they stop intellectual discussion and return to basic pleasures of caring and food that they can finally bond.

Which of the following statements best explains the mother's relationship with the narrator? (The Four Foods) A. frantic and jealous B. awkward and emotional C. teasing but loving D. encouraging but cordial

C. teasing but loving

What inference can most likely be drawn from the passage below? (Boyhood) DAD (CONT'D) "I try to stay busy." It's just straight up, the lyrics... it's a straight up old school country song. SONG "I do the dishes, I mow the lawn..." DAD Listen to the production of this. Production's like uh, "Abbey Road" or something. SONG "I try to keep myself occupied." Dad sings along. DAD "Even though I know you're not comin' home." You know, his old woman's gone straight up. Nothin' fancy. DAD AND SONG "I try to keep the house nice and neat. Make my bed. I change the sheets." A. The band Wilco wrote the song playing in the car specifically for use in the film. B. Mason's Dad is a bad driver because he pays more attention to what music is playing than road safety. C. The main point of contention between Mason and his Dad is music. D. Mason's Dad considers himself to be a responsible father.

D. Mason's Dad considers himself to be a responsible father.

A central idea of the poem is most closely that _____________. (So Much Happiness) A. nothing expresses happiness quite like coffee cake and ripe peaches B. the enlightened can produce happiness at will C. happiness can come without reason or rhyme D. the poet prefers to write about negative emotions, like sadness or jealousy

C. happiness can come without reason or rhyme

What is most closely a central idea of the poem? (Gaman) A. We can't predict the outcome of our decisions. B. The past always seems better in hindsight. C. Change does not come without great sacrifice and loss. D. Patience is a virtue.

A. We can't predict the outcome of our decisions.

Which of the following inferences regarding Mr. Smith is best supported by the passage below (paragraph 24)? (Song of Solomon) "They kidded him, abused him, told their children to tell him they were out or sick or gone to Pittsburgh. But they held on to those little yellow cards as though they meant something-laid them gently in the shoe box along with the rent receipts, marriage licenses, and expired factory identification badges. Mr. Smith smiled through it all, managing to keep his eyes focused almost the whole time on his customers' feet. He wore a business suit for his work, but his house was no better than theirs. He never had a woman that any of them knew about and said nothing in church but an occasional "Amen." He never beat anybody up and he wasn't seen after dark, so they thought he was probably a nice man. But he was heavily associated with illness and death, neither of which was distinguishable from the brown picture of the North Carolina Mutual Life Building on the back of their yellow cards. Jumping from the roof of Mercy was the most interesting thing he had done. None of them had suspected he had it in him. Just goes to show, they murmured to each other, you never really do know about people." A. He has no interests outside of his job. B. He is a decent, but unremarkable, man. C. He is widely respected for his work. D. He wants to kill himself because he is friendless.

B. He is a decent, but unremarkable, man.

The following passage mainly shows what about Officer Harmony (paragraphs 25-27)? (American Horse) "My heavens, what a sight." Vicki Koob was impressed."A character," apologized Officer Harmony.As a tribal police officer who could be counted on to help out the State Patrol, Harmony thought he always had to explain about Indians or get twice as tough to show he did not favor them. He was slow-moving and shy but two jumps ahead of other people all the same, and now, as he watched Uncle Lawrence's splendid approach, he gazed speculatively at the torn and bulging pocket of the smoking jacket." A. He is acting tough in front of Uncle Lawrence because he is in love with Vicki Koob. B. He is deeply prejudices against Native Americans. C. He feels the need to prove his allegiance to the state patrol. D. He is one of the best officers on the force.

C. He feels the need to prove his allegiance to the state patrol.

Which of these inferences about the mother and father is best supported by the text? (The Four Foods) A. They try to gain intimacy with their daughter through different means than their daughter tries to gain intimacy with them. B. They wish their daughter would stop obsessively studying and marry Jake. C. They are afraid to deeply hurt their daughter by directly telling her to stop researching history. D. They want their daughter to become more learned in Jewish history before they will grant her more intimacy.

A. They try to gain intimacy with their daughter through different means than their daughter tries to gain intimacy with them.

What does the following passage (paragraph 34) most closely suggest about Ruth? (Song of Solomon) "To have to live without that single gift saddened him and left his imagination so bereft that he appeared dull even to the women who did not hate his mother. The ones who did, who accepted her invitations to tea and envied the doctor's big dark house of twelve rooms and the green sedan, called him "peculiar." The others, who knew that the house was more prison than palace, and that the Dodge sedan was for Sunday drives only, felt sorry for Ruth Foster and her dry daughters, and called her son "deep." Even mysterious." A. She has cheated on her husband previously. B. She is despised by all the local women. C. She leads a privileged but isolated life. D. She feels content with her lifestyle.

C. She leads a privileged but isolated life.

What is mainly the purpose of this text? (The Immortal Horizon) A. To explain why recovering addicts often replace their cravings with other extreme habits and situations B. To expose Lazarus lake as a con artist who cheats money from retired veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder C. To explore the unique story of the Barkley Marathons and the type of people who are drawn to competing in it. D. To persuade the authorities to shut down the dangerous race at Frozen Head State Park, due to safety concerns

C. To explore the unique story of the Barkley Marathons and the type of people who are drawn to competing in it.

The following passage (paragraphs 25-30) adds to the development of the text mainly by... (Song of Solomon) "The singing woman quieted down and, humming the tune, walked through the crowd toward the rose-petal lady, who was still cradling her stomach."You should make yourself warm," she whispered to her, touching her lightly on the elbow. "A little bird'll be here with the morning.""Oh?" said the rose-petal lady. "Tomorrow morning?""That's the only morning coming.""It can't be," the rose-petal lady said. "It's too soon.""No it ain't. Right on time." A. explaining how the singing woman knows when the baby will be born B. suggesting that the baby will be born with defects since he's premature C. suggesting that the singing woman is a professional fortune teller D. foreshadowing what will happen next with the rose-petal lady's baby

D. foreshadowing what will happen next with the rose-petal lady's baby

Which of the following inferences is best supported by the passage below (lines 1-5)? This alone is what I wish for you: knowledge. To understand each desire has an edge, to know we are responsible for the lives we change. No faith comes without cost, no one believes without dying. (Demeter's Prayer to Hades) A. Demeter wants Hades to understand that his actions have consequences. B. Having faith is dangerous C. Demeter warns Hades she will pursue revenge. D. Demeter is trying to define desire.

A. Demeter wants Hades to understand that his actions have consequences.

The author's choice to break the poem into two stanzas adds to the development of the poem mainly by ____________. (Demeter's Prayer to Hades) A. switching gears from a chronicle of Hades' past actions to a challenge for him to change his ways in the future B. placing more emphasis on the second stanza than the first C. marking a dramatic shift in the speaker's tone D. shifting the point of view in the poem

A. switching gears from a chronicle of Hades' past actions to a challenge for him to change his ways in the future

Which statement best supports the central idea of this essay? (Literary Seminar: Democratizing Literature) A. Twitter and Instagram will replace print publications entirely. B. Rupi Kaur, best-selling author of Milk and Honey, owes her success to Instagram. C. The Internet revolutionized publishing, making it easier for creators to get their content to the masses. D. Access to the Internet and self-publishing lead to a surplus of creators which will increase the number of print publications.

C. The Internet revolutionized publishing, making it easier for creators to get their content to the masses.

What can the reader infer from the following lines (lines 8-10)? what ground opened to waste, though you dreamed a wealth of flowers. (Demeter's Prayer to Hades) A. Hades dreamt of beauty and romance, but his actions created destruction. B. Hades forgives Demeter. C. Demeter believes her daughter will soon be set free. D. Hades has a responsibility to repair the damage he has done.

A. Hades dreamt of beauty and romance, but his actions created destruction.

Which of the following inferences about Brackett is best supported by the following passage (paragraphs 38-39)? (American Horse) "He's nuts," Brackett huffed along the side of Vicki's neck. "Never mind him."Vicki's hair had sweated down her nape in tiny corkscrews and some of the hairs were so long and dangly now that they disappeared into the zippered back of her dress. Brackett noticed this as he spoke into her ear. His face grew red and the backs of his hands prickled. He slid under the steering wheel and got out of the car. He walked around the hood to stand with Leo Harmony." A. He is momentarily attracted to Vicki. B. He has decided he's going to enter Lawrence's home and reclaim his luger. C. He is uncomfortably hot in the car and needs to step out for fresh air. D. He is annoyed enough at his coworker that he has to remove himself from the car.

A. He is momentarily attracted to Vicki.

Which of the following inferences about Officer Harmony is best supported by the following passage (paragraphs 56-58)? (American Horse) "Ma Cousin," he said in the Michif dialect that people used if they were relatives or sometimes if they needed gas or a couple of dollars, "why don't you come out here and stop this foolishness?""I ain't your cousin," Albertine said. Anger boiled up in her suddenly. "I ain't related to no pigs."She bit her lip and watched him through the cracks, circling, a big tan punching dummy with his boots full of sand so he never stayed down once he fell. He was empty inside, all stale air. But he knew how to get to her so much better than a white cop could. And now he was circling because he wasn't sure she didn't have a weapon, maybe a knife or the German luger that was the only thing that her father, Albert American Horse, had left his wife and daughter besides his name." A. He tries to win over Albertine by connecting with her as an Indian. B. He is planning on shooting Albertine if she opens the door. C. He knows that Albertine has either a gun or a knife in her possession. D. He tries to win over Albertine by reminding her that they are family.

A. He tries to win over Albertine by connecting with her as an Indian.

Which of the following inferences is best supported by the passage below (paragraph 4)? (The Warmth of Other Suns) "Miss Theenie stood watching. One by one, her children had left her and gone up north. Sam and Cleve to Ohio. Josie to Syracuse. Irene to Milwaukee. Now the man Miss Theenie had tried to keep Ida Mae from marrying in the first place was taking her away, too. Miss Theenie had no choice but to accept it and let Ida Mae and the grandchildren go for good. Miss Theenie drew them close to her, as she always did whenever anyone was leaving. She had them bow their heads. She whispered a prayer that her daughter and her daughter's family be protected on the long journey ahead in the Jim Crow car." A. Many young African Americans left the South in search of better treatment and opportunities in the North. B. Elderly family members were often too stubborn to leave the South because they were used to the cultural norms there. C. Young African Americans migrated to the North, looking for work, before they helped their elderly family members join them. D. White men often married African American women in order to help them migrate to the North and seek better opportunities.

A. Many young African Americans left the South in search of better treatment and opportunities in the North.

The following passage (paragraph 13) mainly adds to the development of the text by.. (Warmth of Other Suns). "He had lived up to his family's accidental surname. Starling. Distant cousin to the mockingbird. He had spoken up about what he had seen in the world he was born into, like the starling that sang Mozart's own music back to him or the starling out of Shakespeare that tormented the king by speaking the name of Mortimer. Only, George was paying the price for tormenting the ruling class that owned the citrus groves. There was no place in the Jim Crow South for a colored starling like him." A. suggesting that George Starling is being persecuted for protesting injustice B. illustrating that George Starling is highly educated C. introducing the theme of the inevitability of fate D. suggesting that Starling's family encouraged him to take action

A. suggesting that George Starling is being persecuted for protesting injustice

Which of the following inferences is best supported by the text? (Warmth of Other Suns). A. George Swanson Starling says few goodbyes because he is ashamed that he was fired from his job in the citrus groves. B. Starling must flee because he angered the grove owners, although he did not break any official laws. C. Starling and his wife do not share the same views on segregation. D. Starling is fleeing to avoid legal prosecution.

B. Starling must flee because he angered the grove owners, although he did not break any official laws.

The following passage (paragraphs 7-11) mainly suggests that... (Song of Solomon) "The nurse gazed at the stout woman as though she had spoken Welsh. Then she closed her mouth, looked again at the cat-eyed boy, and lacing her fingers, spoke her next words very slowly to him."Listen. Go around to the back of the hospital to the guard's office. It will say 'Emergency Admissions' on the door. a-d-m-i-s-i-o-n-s. But the guard will be there. Tell him to get over here—on the double. Move now. Move!" She unlaced her fingers and made scooping notions with her hands, the palms pushing against the wintry air.A man in a brown suit came toward her, puffing little white clouds of breath. "Fire truck's on its way. Get back inside. You'll freeze to death."The nurse nodded."You left out a s, ma'am," the boy said. The North was new to him and he had just begun to learn he could speak up to white people. But she'd already gone, rubbing her arms against the cold." A. the boy is good at spelling B. the nurse is prejudiced C. the boy lives in a racist town D. the nurse wants to help the boy

B. the nurse is prejudiced

The passage below (paragraph 8) adds to the development of the text mainly by.. (Warmth of Other Suns). "A railing divided the stairs onto the train, one side of the railing for white passengers, the other for colored, so the soles of their shoes would not touch the same stair. He boarded on the colored side of the railing, a final reminder from the place of his birth of the absurdity of the world he was leaving." A. arguing that the "separate but equal" law made life better for African Americans B. offering a glimpse into everyday life for Southerners during the 1940s C. providing an example of the prejudice that African Americans wanted to leave behind D. showing that Jim Crow laws were often ignored by African Americans by the 1940s

C. providing an example of the prejudice that African Americans wanted to leave behind

The following passage mainly shows that ________(paragraph 1-2). (The Four Foods) "My father is an imposing man. Small, with dark, sad eyes and gums that bleed when he brushes them in the morning. I ask my mother why he scares me so much. "It's his knowledge," she says. "He knows things."I go out and buy a dictionary. I go out and buy textual sources for the study of world religions. History. Philosophy. The natural sciences. I craft concepts into sentences, theories into questions best asked over the telephone. I call my father. I say, "Dad?" A. the narrator fears her father B. the narrator has a wide ranging interests in many topics of study C. the narrator hopes to connect with her father by gaining knowledge D. the narrator hopes to become a professor

C. the narrator hopes to connect with her father by gaining knowledge

Which of the following statements about Buddy is best supported by the passage below (paragraphs 74-75)? (American Horse) "Vicki remembered the emergency chocolate bar she kept in her purse, fished it out, and offered it to Buddy. He did not react, so she closed his fingers over the package and peeled the paper off one end.The car accelerated. Buddy felt the road and wheels pummeling each other and the rush of the heavy motor purring in high gear. Buddy knew that what he'd seen in his mind that morning, the thing coming out of the sky with barbs and chains, had hooked him. Somehow he was caught and held in the sour tin smell of the pale woman's armpit. Somehow he was pinned between their pounds of breathless flesh. He looked at the chocolate in his hand. He was squeezing the bar so hard that a thin brown trickle had melted down his arm. Automatically he put the bar in his mouth." A. He sees a large machine falling from the sky. B. He does not like chocolate bars. C. He is thankful that he has been rescued from his abusive family. D. He is distraught about being taken from his family.

D. He is distraught about being taken from his family.

Which of the following inferences about George Starling is best supported by the passage below (paragraphs 8-9)? (Warmth of Other Suns). "A railing divided the stairs onto the train, one side of the railing for white passengers, the other for colored, so the soles of their shoes would not touch the same stair. He boarded on the colored side of the railing, a final reminder from the place of his birth of the absurdity of the world he was leaving.He was getting out alive. So he didn't let it bother him. "I got on the car where they told me to get on," he said years later." A. He does not think that segregation is an important issue. B. He boards the car he is directed to because he believes that one should always follow the rules, no matter what. C. He is no longer bothered by segregation because he doesn't anticipate living much longer. D. He is not letting segregation bother him because he anticipates leaving it behind when he arrives in the North.

D. He is not letting segregation bother him because he anticipates leaving it behind when he arrives in the North.

The following passage (paragraph 49) mainly shows that _________. (American Horse) "Not one thing escaped Vicki Koob's trained and cataloguing gaze. She made note of the cupboard that held only commodity flour and coffee. The unsanitary tin oil drum beneath the kitchen window, full of empty surplus pork cans and beer bottles, caught her eye as did Uncle Lawrence's physical and mental deteriorations. She quickly described these "benchmarks of alcoholic dependency within the extended family of Woodrow (Buddy) American Horse" as she walked around the room with the little notebook open, pushed against her belly to steady it. Although Vicki had been there before, Albertine's presence had always made it difficult for her to take notes." A. Vicki herself has struggled with alcoholism and poverty when she was a child B. Vicki is disgusted by the condition of Uncle Lawrence's house C. Vicki had been in this house before D. Vicki is taking notes in order to make her case to take Buddy from his family

D. Vicki is taking notes in order to make her case to take Buddy from his family

The following passage (paragraph 1) mainly adds to the development of the text by _________. (Hyperbole and a Half) "One of the most terrifying things that has ever happened to me was watching myself decide over and over again—thirty-five days in a row—to not return a movie I had just rented. Every day, I saw it sitting there on the arm of my couch. And every day, I thought, I should really do something about that... and then I just didn't." A. persuading readers who struggle with mental health to get help B. sharing the author's first experience with procrastination C. suggesting that the author is a hoarder D. introducing the author's problematic lack of motivation

D. introducing the author's problematic lack of motivation