PACT Reading Practice Questions

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Which word could replace the underlined word in the following sentence? I was surprised to discover that her second novel, unlike her first, was drawn-out and banal. a expository b deplorable c sentimental d hackneyed

"Hackneyed" has a similar meaning to "banal"--"so lacking in originality to be obvious and boring."

An excerpt of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (1) My sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery, was more than twenty years older than I, and had established a great reputation with herself and the neighbors because she had brought me up "by hand." Having at that time to find out for myself what the expression meant, and knowing her to have a hard and heavy hand, and to be much in the habit of laying it upon her husband as well as upon me, I supposed that Joe Gargery and I were both brought up by hand. (2) She was not a good-looking woman, my sister; and I had a general impression that she must have made Joe Gargery marry her by hand. Joe was a fair man, with curls of flaxen hair on each side of his smooth face, and with eyes of such a very undecided blue that they seemed to have somehow got mixed with their own whites. He was a mild, good-natured, sweet-tempered, easy-going, foolish, dear fellow,—a sort of Hercules in strength, and also in weakness. (3) My sister, Mrs. Joe, with black hair and eyes, had such a prevailing redness of skin that I sometimes used to wonder whether it was possible she washed herself with a nutmeg-grater instead of soap. She was tall and bony, and almost always wore a coarse apron, fastened over her figure behind with two loops, and having a square impregnable bib in front, that was stuck full of pins and needles. She made it a powerful merit in herself, and a strong reproach against Joe, that she wore this apron so much. Though I really see no reason why she should have worn it at all; or why, if she did wear it at all, she should not have taken it off, every day of her life. Which word could be substituted for "impregnable" in paragraph 3? a Unconquerable b Foolhardy c Loose d Vulnerable

"Impregnable" means unconquerable and describing a part of her apron with this word, Dickens is also describing Mrs. Joe.

Which word could replace the underlined word in the following sentence? Brian, who is known to procrastinate, was conspicuously absent on the day of the big presentation. a predictably b subtly c noticeably d invariably

"Noticeably" has a similar meaning to "conspicuously"--"n a clearly visible way, a way that attracts attention."

Which word could replace the underlined word in the following sentence? Technological advances are having an unprecedented effect on the way we live and work. a a novel b a pragmatic c a significant d a detrimental

"Novel" has the same meaning as "unprecedented"--never done or known before.

Which word could replace the underlined word in the following sentence? Technological advances are having an unprecedented effect on the way we live and work. a a significant b a detrimental c a novel d a pragmatic

"Novel" has the same meaning as "unprecedented"--never done or known before.

Which word could replace the underlined word in the following sentence? The book extols the benefits of eliminating carbohydrates from one's diet. a explains b praises c depicts d refutes

"Praise" has a similar meaning to "extol"--"to praise enthusiastically."

Which word could replace the underlined word in the following sentence? The book extols the benefits of eliminating carbohydrates from one's diet. a praises b explains c depicts d refutes

"Praise" has a similar meaning to "extol"--"to praise enthusiastically."

Which of the following means the same as the underlined words in the given sentence? He was a generally taciturn old man, but with enough prodding by his grandchildren, he would tell interesting stories about growing up in the country. a rambling b withdrawn c confused d condescending

"Withdrawn" and "taciturn" both describe a person who is uncommunicative and quiet.

The bell, hung on the door by means of a curved ribbon of steel, was difficult to circumvent. It was hopelessly cracked; but of an evening, at the slightest provocation, it clattered behind the customer with impudent virulence. It clattered; and at that signal, through the dusty glass door behind the painted deal counter, Mr. Verloc would issue hastily from the parlour at the back. His eyes were naturally heavy; he had an air of having wallowed, fully dressed, all day on an unmade bed. Another man would have felt such an appearance a distinct disadvantage. In a commercial transaction of the retail order much depends on the seller's engaging and amiable aspect. But Mr. Verloc knew his business, and remained undisturbed by any sort of æsthetic doubt about his appearance. Which of the following is the best meaning of the words impudent virulence as it is used in the passage? a rude infectiousness b loud clamor c muted heralding d annoying certainty

A This is the best meaning as the bell is loud and annoying, almost on purpose.

(1) In admitting the analogy that undoubtedly exists between the arts of painting, poetry, music, and acting, it should be remembered that the first three are opposed to the last, in at least the one quality of permanence. The picture, oratorio, or book must bear the test of calculating criticism, whereas the work of an actor is fleeting: it not only dies with him, but, through his different moods, may vary from night to night. If the performance be indifferent it is no consolation for the audience to hear that the player acted well last night, or to be told that he will act better to-morrow night; it is this night that the public has to deal with, and the impression the actor has made, good or bad, remains as such upon the mind of that particular audience. (2)The author, painter, or musician, if he be dissatisfied with his work, may alter and perfect it before giving it publicity, but an actor cannot rub out; he ought, therefore, in justice to his audience, to be sure of what he is going to place before it. Should a picture in an art gallery be carelessly painted we can pass on to another, or if a book fails to please us we can put it down. An escape from this kind of dullness is easily made, but in a theatre the auditor is imprisoned. If the acting is indifferent, he must endure it, at least for a time. He cannot withdraw without making himself conspicuous; so he remains, hoping that there may be some improvement as the play proceeds, or perhaps from consideration for the company he is in. It is this helpless condition that renders careless acting so offensive. An escape from this kind of dulness is easily made, but in a theatre the auditor is imprisoned. If the acting is indifferent, he must endure it, at least for a time. He cannot withdraw without making himself conspicuous; so he remains, hoping that there may be some improvement as the play proceeds, or perhaps from consideration for the company he is in. In the above excerpt from the passage, the author does which of the following? a illustrates his main idea b disputes a concern c anticipates an objection d defines a concept

A. The author uses these lines to paint a vivid picture.

Ode to the West Wind by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1) O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's being, (2) Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead (3) Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing, (4) Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red, (5) Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou, (6) Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed (7) The wingèd seeds, where they lie cold and low, (8) Each like a corpse within its grave, until (9) Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow (10) Her clarion o'er the dreaming earth, and fill (11) (Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air) (12) With living hues and odours plain and hill: (13) Wild Spirit, which art moving everywhere; (14) Destroyer and Preserver; hear, O hear! What figurative language device is used in line 1 of the poem? a Apostrophe b Rhetorical question c Repetition d Antithesis

A. The poem addresses an inanimate object - the West Wind - so this is correct.

A. This is the best meaning as the bell is loud and annoying, almost on purpose.

(1) Whenever travellers penetrate into remote regions where human hunters are unknown, they find the wild things half tame, little afraid of man, and inclined to stare curiously from a distance of a few paces. It takes a long time and much restraint to win back their confidence. This is ideal, a paradise for the naturalist and the camera hunter. (2) In the early days of the West, when game abounded and when fifty yards was the extreme deadly range of the hunter's weapons, wild creatures were comparatively tame. The advent of the rifle and of the lawless skin hunter soon turned all big game into fugitives of excessive shyness and wariness. One glimpse of a man half a mile off, or a whiff of him on the breeze, was enough to make a Mountain Ram or a Wolf run for miles, though formerly these creatures would have gazed serenely from a point but a hundred yards removed. (3) The establishment of the Yellowstone Park in 1872 was the beginning of a new era of protection for wildlife; and, by slow degrees, a different attitude in these animals toward us. In this Reservation, and nowhere else at present in the northwest, the wild things are not only abundant, but they have resumed their traditional Garden-of-Eden attitude toward man. Which of the following statements best expresses the central idea of the passage? a It is better to have tame animals. b Hunting is bad for animal populations. c Animals learn to fear men, but the fear can be reversed over time. d Yellowstone National Park should be a model for other parks.

All paragraphs in the passage relate to this idea. Animals were not afraid of men until they became more of a threat with the advent of the rifle. Then, when protected from hunting in Yellowstone, the animals eventually became more comfortable with the presence of men.

Read the excerpt below and answer the question. "See what a grade was seated on this brow, Hyperion's curls, the front of Jove himself, An eye like Mars' to threaten and command." From "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare, Act 3, Scene 4. What type of literary device is being used in this excerpt? a alliteration b metaphor c allusion d foreshadowing

An allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something within a text. In this example, Hamlet describes his father in the context of Greek gods.

Read the passage below before answering the question. Vitamins and minerals are important nutrients needed by our bodies to maintain health and happiness. The only way to consume these is through taking a multivitamin supplement, right? Wrong. Dietary supplement companies profited about $37-billion a year in America, and these companies would like you to believe that vitamin pills are the best way to maintain your health. Eating a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, however, will provide you with the same, better nutrition without the scary additives that can be found in vitamin supplements. For example, a half-cup of raw broccoli provides for 65% of your Vitamin C recommendation, plus 21 other vitamins and minerals, without lining the pockets of the vitamin company. In what ways does the author show bias against vitamin supplement companies? A) He includes reputable facts with sources both supporting and arguing against them. B) He uses strong, negative language when discussing the companies. C) He provides logical reasons to support the consumption of raw vegetables. D) He attempts to persuade the reader to choose fresh food over supplements.

An author's bias can be demonstrated through a lack of facts or focusing solely on one side of the argument. In this passage, we can feel the author's distrust of vitamin companies through word choice like "Wrong," "scary additives," or "line the pockets." This makes Choice B the best answer. Choice A is incorrect because there are no sources listed for any of the statements made against vitamin companies. Choices C and D support the assessment that the author is unbiased.

(1) The history of aeronautics may be divided into two periods, with the year 1914 as the dividing line between them. Before the great war the many brilliant minds that were trying to solve the problems of aerial navigation received comparatively little help or encouragement from humanity at large. The airship and the aeroplane were both accomplished facts, but most people looked upon them as ticklish contrivances of very little practical value. From the year 1909 onward aviation occupied an immense share of public attention; liberal prizes for aerial feats were offered; new records for speed, altitude, and endurance were made from day to day; but to the public, and perhaps to most of the aviators themselves, all this meant merely that a new and thrilling sport had been created, rather than a new art of boundless utility. Very few business men felt inclined to invest money in the development of aircraft, and the governments of the leading nations, with a single exception, were incredibly blind to the importance of building air fleets for use in war. The exception was Germany, which not only gave strong support to Count Zeppelin in the building of his dirigibles, but developed military aviation to such an extent that she entered the war with about 800 aeroplanes and a thousand trained pilots. (2) With the outbreak of the war the budding art burst into vigorous bloom. Unlimited funds were now available for experimenting and building. Thousands of flyers invaded the air, and the battle zone was a testing ground on a vast scale, where one improvement was hardly introduced before it was replaced by another. Some of the best engineering talent of the world was diverted from many and various fields to the one task of supplying the demands of the military aeronauts for more speed, more power, more reliable motors, better materials and appliances. Thus the war not only perfected aeronautics—especially aviation—as an art, but practically created it as an industry. At the close of hostilities the world found itself in possession of a vast fleet of aircraft, a multitude of aircraft factories, and a great army of trained aeronauts. According to the passage, what was the catalyst for changing the field of aeronautics and making it more mainstream? a Germany b Munitions factories c World War I d Aerial Competitions

As aeronautics expanded, it was used to great effect in WWI.

A Day by Emily Dickinson (1) I'll tell you how the sun rose, — (2) A ribbon at a time. (3) The steeples swam in amethyst, (4) The news like squirrels ran. (5) The hills untied their bonnets, (6) The bobolinks begun. (7) Then I said softly to myself, (8) "That must have been the sun!" (9) But how he set, I know not. (10) There seemed a purple stile (11) Which little yellow boys and girls (12) Were climbing all the while (13) Till when they reached the other side, (14) A dominie in gray (15) Put gently up the evening bars, (16) And led the flock away. Dickinson uses the phrase, 'A ribbon at a time" to: a help the audience visualize the different colors b describe the way the sun creates different colors in the sky as it rises c symbolically describe the sunrise as a gift d describe an image of the sunlight abruptly replacing the darkness

As the sun rises, the light impacts the color of the sky differently at different levels; there are "ribbons" of gold and orange near the horizon and purples and blues further up in the sky.

From the northern slope of the mound, you cannot see much as there is a thick stand of trees blocking your view. If, _________, from the top of the mound you look southward through the trees a view may be got of the silver stream of the Bowstring, coming as if directly toward the mound. ________ this tributary flowed close by the mound, for the mound would undoubtedly be built on the extreme point. But as from year to year the Bowstring River deposited the detritus carried down by it, it formed a bank or bar, and was gradually diverted from its course. Which of the following is the best meaning of the word point as it is used in the passage? a the point of a tool used in mound-building b a piece of land tapering into a point c the point of a spear d a main idea or topic

The Black Death, or, as it has been known, the Oriental plague, the bubonic plague, or in England, simply the plague, and in Italy, "la mortalega" (the great mortality) derived its name from the Orient; its inflammatory boils, tumors of the glands, and black spots, indicative of putrid decomposition, were such as have been seen in no other febrile disease. All the symptoms were not found in every case, and in many cases one symptom alone preceded death. Although afflicted with all the manifestations of the plague, some patients recovered. According to Hecker the symptoms of cephalic affliction were seen; many patients were stupefied and fell into a deep sleep, or became speechless from palsy of the tongue, while others remained sleepless and without rest. The fauces and tongue were black and as if suffused with blood; no beverage could assuage the burning thirst, so that suffering continued without alleviation until death, which many in their despair accelerated with their own hands. Contagion was evident, for attendants caught the disease from their parents and friends, and many houses were emptied of their inhabitants. This passage is primarily concerned with: a the effects of religion on those who chose suicide over suffering. b the plague's many symptoms and its effects on individuals. c the widespread contamination by those treating the disease. d the false assumptions about the disease that lead to hysteria.

The following is an excerpt from a lecture written by Ralph Emerson in his collection "Representative Men" (1) This range of Plato instructs us what to think of the vexed question concerning his reputed works,—what are genuine, what spurious. It is singular that wherever we find a man higher, by a whole head, than any of his contemporaries, it is sure to come into doubt, what are his real works. Thus, Homer, Plato, Raffaelle, Shakespeare. For these men magnetize their contemporaries, so that their companions can do for them what they can never do for themselves; and the great man does thus live in several bodies; and write, or paint, or act, by many hands; and after some time, it is not easy to say what is the authentic work of the master, and what is only of his school. (2) Plato, too, like every great man, consumed his own times. What is a great man, but one of great affinities, who takes up into himself all arts, sciences, all knowables, as his food? He can spare nothing; he can dispose of everything. What is not good for virtue is good for knowledge. Hence his contemporaries tax him with plagiarism. But the inventor only knows how to borrow; and society is glad to forget the innumerable laborers who ministered to this architect, and reserves all its gratitude for him. When we are praising Plato, it seems we are praising quotations from Solon, and Sophron, and Philolaus. Be it so. Every book is a quotation; and every house is a quotation out of all forests, and mines, and stone quarries; and every man is a quotation from all his ancestors. And this grasping inventor puts all nations under contribution. (3) Plato absorbed the learning of his times,—Philolaus, Timaeus, Heraclitus, Parmenides, and what else; then his master, Socrates; and finding himself still capable of a larger synthesis,—beyond all example then or since,—he traveled into Italy, to gain what Pythagoras had for him; then into Egypt, and perhaps still further east, to import the other element, which Europe wanted, into the European mind. This breadth entitles him to stand as the representative of philosophy. He says, in the Republic, "Such a genius as philosophers must of necessity have, is wont but seldom, in all its parts, to meet in one man; but its different parts generally spring up in different persons." Every man, who would do anything well, must come to it from a higher ground. A philosopher must be more than a philosopher. Plato is clothed with the powers of a poet, stands upon the highest place of the poet, and (though I doubt he wanted the decisive gift of lyric expression) mainly is not a poet, because he chose to use the poetic gift to an ulterior purpose. Based on the information included in this excerpt, the intended audience is: a people who do not think Plato plagiarized others' work. b people who are critical of Plato's work. c students studying Plato's ideas. d educators preparing to teach Plato.

B. Emerson most likely wrote this with the intended audience of those who criticize Plato and accuse him of plagiarism. The persuasive tone and use of counter arguments suggest he is attempting to change the minds of people who disagree with him.

(1) In 1996, a loggerhead turtle called Adelita swam across 9,000 miles from Mexico to Japan, crossing the entire Pacific on her way. Wallace J. Nichols tracked this epic journey with a satellite tag. But Adelita herself had no such technology at her disposal. How did she steer a route across two oceans to find her destination? (2) Nathan Putman has the answer. By testing hatchling turtles in a special tank, he has found that they can use the Earth's magnetic field as their own Global Positioning System (GPS). By sensing the field, they can work out both their latitude and longitude and head in the right direction. (3) Putman thinks that the turtles work out their position using two features of the Earth's magnetic field that change over its surface. They can sense the field's inclination, or the angle at which it dips towards the surface. At the poles, this angle is roughly 90 degrees and at the equator, it's roughly zero degrees. They can also sense its intensity, which is strongest near the poles and weakest near the Equator. Different parts of the world have unique combinations of these two variables. Neither corresponds directly to either latitude or longitude, but together, they provide a "magnetic signature" that tells the turtle where it is. The first sentence in paragraph 2 of the above reading selection says, "Nathan Putman has the answer." What does Mr. Putnam have the answer to? a What happened to Adelita after her great voyage. b How the sea turtle navigated such a distance without a satellite. c How sea turtles instinctively know what time of year is best to travel. d Why the sea turtle went on its "epic journey".

B. In the previous paragraph, the question posed referred to how the turtle knew how to get to her destination.

(1) No community has ever been more completely isolated than the first white immigrants to Sydney. (2) They were three thousand miles away from the nearest white men; before them lay a great ocean, visited only at rare intervals, and, for the greater part, unexplored; behind them was an unknown continent, a vast, untrodden waste, in which they formed but a speck. (3) They were almost completely shut out from the rest of the civilized world, and few of them could have any hope of returning to their homeland. (4) This made the British colony all the more suitable as a place of punishment; for people at home shrank with horror at the idea of being banished to what seemed like a tomb for living men and women. Which of the following states the main idea of the passage? a an outline of the population of Sydney and its relation to England b a description of the remoteness of Sydney and how this lead to using Australia as a penitentiary c a claim that only the most adventurous or the most depraved would visit Sydney d a description of the effects of extreme isolation on a person

B. The main idea of this passage describes the location of Sydney and how this relates to its inhabitants.

(1) Outside, the palace is not so very imposing. The Egyptians built their temples to last forever; but the palaces of their Kings were meant to serve only for a short time. The new King might not care for the old King's home, and so each Pharaoh builds his house according to his own taste, of light materials. It will serve his turn, and his successor may build another for himself. A high wall, with battlements, towers, and heavy gates, surrounds it; for, though Pharaoh is a god, his subjects are sometimes rather difficult to keep in order. Plots against the King have not been unknown in the past; and on at least one occasion, a great Pharaoh of bygone days had to spring from his couch and fight single-handed for his life against a crowd of conspirators who had forced an entrance into the palace while he was enjoying his siesta. So since then Pharaoh has found it better to trust in his strong walls, and in the big broadswords of his faithful Sardinian guardsmen, than in any divinity that may belong to himself. (2) Within the great boundary wall lie pleasant gardens, gay with all sorts of flowers, and an artificial lake shows its gleaming water here and there through the trees and shrubs. The palace itself is all glittering white stucco on the outside. A high central door leads into a great audience hall, glowing with colour, its roof supported by painted pillars in the form of lotus-stalks; and on either side of this lie two smaller halls. Behind the audience chamber are two immense dining-rooms, and behind these come the sleeping apartments of the numerous household. Ramses has a multitude of wives, and a whole army of sons and daughters, and it takes no small space to house them all. The bedroom of the great King himself stands apart from the other rooms, and is surrounded by banks of flowers in full bloom. According to the passage, what can be concluded about the author? a He's a botanist. b He's an Egyptologist. c He's an archeologist. d He's an architect.

B. This passage is mainly about Egyptian palaces, so this specific conclusion is the best choice.

(1) Today, the Vikings are mostly known as violent pirates and raiders. It is true that Vikings did raid and destroy many towns and villages along coastlines, all the way from what is now northern Russia to (3) Morocco. However, the Vikings were also traders and merchants and didn't simply destroy things. They built towns and markets of their own, including Hedeby, which in the 10th century had a (5) population of 1,500, making it the largest trading town in northern Europe. At their height, the Vikings attacked, settled, or traded on four continents. They were active all the way from Canada (they (7) became the first Europeans to travel to the Americas) to present day Istanbul. Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the selection? a Vikings attacked, settled, or traded on four continents. b Vikings destroyed towns, but they also created towns and markets. c Vikings contributed positively to society and never harmed it. d The reputation Vikings have as destroyers is completely accurate.

By including both positive and negative facts about Vikings, the author makes it clear that he wants to show both sides of the story of Vikings: they destroyed, but they also created.

(1) In 1804, President Thomas Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on a very difficult expedition. He wanted them to explore the massive 828,000 square miles of territory west of the Mississippi that the United States had bought from France for $15 million. The deal between Jefferson and the French emperor Napoleon was known as the Louisiana Purchase; it doubled the size of the United States. (2) Lewis and Clark and their Corps of Discovery were charged with finding a route from the east through this enormous and uncharted new terrain all the way west to the Pacific Ocean. Opening a route to the west would increase trade opportunities with China, particularly for the lucrative fur business—and Jefferson needed his purchase to pay off. However, in order to succeed, the explorers needed to interact with Native American tribes they did not know and whose language they did not speak. They had to pass over treacherous mountains and rivers that were unfamiliar to them. To complete the job, Lewis and Clark relied on the tracking, language, and negotiation skills of a Native American woman, Sacagawea. According to the information presented in the selection, Lewis and Clark relied on Sacagawea because: a she knew a great deal about the fur trade. b she spoke the language of the Native American tribes and knew a great deal about the fur trade. c she possessed tracking skills and spoke the language of the Native American tribes. d she was familiar with the route to the Pacific Ocean.

C The selection explicitly states that Sacagawea had "tracking, language, and negotiation skills."

Water is indispensable for the living organism; but there are two great divisions of such organisms—plants and animals. Animals are generally, but not universally, free to move, and therefore to travel to seek their food. But their food is restricted; they cannot directly convert inorganic matter to their own use; they can only assimilate organic material. The plant, on the other hand, can make use of inorganic material. Plant life, therefore, requires an abundant supply of water in which the various substances necessary for its support can be dissolved; it must either be in water, or, if on land, there must be an active circulation of water both through the atmosphere and through the soil, so as to bring to it the food that it requires. This passage indicates which of the following about life? a Plants only need a few materials, whereas animals need much more for survival. b The active circulation of water through soil paves the way for plant life. c Without water, neither plant nor animal life can survive. d Inorganic material is crucial for plant life survival but not for animal life.

C. The supporting evidence in this passage shows that nothing survives without water.

The light of the Crescent Moon, like some fairy boat suspended in the sky, is bright enough to cast changing and dancing sparkles of silver upon the ocean. The Evening Star declines slowly in its turn toward the western horizon. Our gaze is held by a shining world that dominates the whole of the occidental heavens. This is the "Shepherd's Star," Venus of rays translucent. Which of the following best describes the way in which the information in this passage is conveyed? a A generalization is made, followed by specific examples. b A bizarre image is used to illustrate a ridiculous claim. c A metaphor and highly sensory language is used to convey awe for the night sky. d Examples of past experiences are used to define and illustrate the study of stars.

C. This is the way the author is conveying the information.

(1) A purely American species, and one of as much economic importance as any leaf-dropping tree, is the sugar maple, known also as rock maple—one designation because we can get sweetness from its sap, the other because of the hardness of its wood. (2)The sugar maples of New England, to me, are more individual and almost more essentially beautiful than the famed elms. (3) No saccharine life-blood is drawn from the elm; therefore its elegance is considered. (4) I notice that we seldom think much of beauty when it attaches to something we can eat! Which of the following best summarizes the main points of the passage? a Sugar maples are as elegant as elms, and their fall colors make them more beautiful. b Sugar maples are largely native to New England, where they are celebrated as a symbol of the hearty spirit of the area. c Sugar maples produce sap for humans to make syrup out of, so they are the most beloved of all the trees. d Sugar maples, also known as rock maples, are both useful and beautiful as they provide sap and they look even more beautiful than the elms.

(1) Animals know better than man what kind of food they need, for the simple reason that their tastes are natural, while man has allowed his to become perverted. In times of sickness absurd practices have been observed. Ice-cream and buttermilk, for example, were for ages refused to typhoid fever patients, while to-day they are generally used under such circumstances. But the natural desire for sour and cold things was always in evidence; animals have always depended upon these desires. _______________________________________________. (2) Among them are skilled dietitians, who restrict their diet in case of illness, keep quiet, avoid all excitement, seek restful places where there is plenty of fresh air and clean water. If a dog loses his appetite, he eats "dog grass," while a sick cat delights in catnip. Deer, goats, cows, and sheep, when sick seek various medicinal herbs. When deer or cattle have rheumatism, they invariably seek a health resort where they may bathe in a sulphur spring and drink of the healing mineral waters. They also know the full value of lying in the warm sun. Based on information contained in the selection, which of the following best describes a major difference between animals and humans? a Human are more intelligent than animals, so their tastes are more elevated. b Animals always act on their instincts, whereas humans are too civilized. c Animals have never tasted ice cream, so they don't know what they're missing. d Animals have a natural instinct to heal themselves, whereas humans can act absurdly.

The habits of a people, which are to a certain extent the product of the country in which they live, in turn have a pronounced effect on their habitations. New Mexico and Arizona came into the possession of the United States in 1846, and prior to that time the Navajo lived chiefly by war and plunder. The Mexican settlers along the Rio Grande and the Native Americans already there had early interactions. Thousands of sheep and horses from the Mexican settlers formed the starting point of the large flocks and herds which constitute the wealth of the Navajo today. The Navajo reservation is better suited for the raising of sheep than for anything else, and the step from the life of a warrior and hunter to that of a shepherd is not a long one, nor a hard one to take. Under the stress of necessity the Navajo became a peaceful pastoral tribe, living by their flocks and herds, and practicing horticulture only in an extremely limited and precarious way. Under modern conditions they are slowly developing into an agricultural tribe, and this development has already progressed far enough to materially affect their house structures; but in a general way it may be said that they are pastoral people, and their habits have been dictated largely by that mode of life. Every family is possessed of a flock of sheep and goats, sometimes numbering many thousands, and a band of horses, generally several hundreds, in a few instances several thousands. In recent times many possess small herds of cattle, the progeny of those which strayed into the reservation from the numerous large herds in its vicinity. The condition of the tribe, as a whole, is not only far removed from hardship, but may even be said to be one of comparative affluence. According to this passage, which is not a type of livestock the Navajo people have kept in flocks or herds? a horses b sheep c cattle d buffalo

A Guide to London (1) At the northern extremity of the Regent's Park are the Zoological Gardens, the property of the Zoological Society, and established in 1826. These gardens are very extensive; and being removed from the dingy atmosphere, noise, and bustle of London, present an agreeable and country-like aspect. The grounds have been disposed in picturesque style—here a clump of shrubby trees and border of flowers, indigenous and exotic; there a pretty miniature lake; and at intervals a neat rustic cottage, with straw-thatched roof and honeysuckled porch. (2) Much of the ground, also, is occupied as green meadows, either subdivided into small paddocks for deer and other quadrupeds, or dotted with movable trellis-houses, the abodes of different kinds of birds which require the refreshing exercise of walking on the green turf. Throughout the whole, neat gravel-walks wind their serpentine course, and conduct the visitor to the carnivora-house, reptile-house, bear-pit, monkey-house, aviaries, aquaria, and other departments of the establishment. The collection of animals is unquestionably the finest in England. How does the description of the landscape contribute to the main purpose of the passage? a The purpose is to explain where exotic animals are kept, and the description of the landscape shows how much space they have. b The purpose is to explain the rich diversity of plants and landscapes in the gardens, and this description supports this purpose. c The purpose is to explain London as a city, and the description of the gardens shows one of its beautiful attractions. d The purpose is to explain the rich diversity of the gardens, and the description of the types of landscape supports this purpose.

D The passage is an in-depth description of the Zoological Gardens, so describing the landscape supports the purpose.

It may fairly be supposed that if the people of this country could have been made to realize the immense money value of the great buffalo herds as they existed in 1870, a vigorous and successful effort would have been made to regulate and restrict the slaughter. The fur seal of Alaska, of which about 100,000 are killed annually for their skins, yield an annual revenue to the Government of $100,000 and add $900,000 more to the actual wealth of the United States. It pays to protect those seals, and we mean to protect them against all comers who seek their unrestricted slaughter, no matter whether the poachers be American, English, Russian, or Canadian. It would be folly to do otherwise, and if those who would exterminate the fur seal by shooting them in the water will not desist for the telling, then they must by the compelling. The fur seal is a good investment for the United States, and their number is not diminishing. How does comparing the buffalo to the fur seal strengthen the argument that the killing of buffalo should have been better managed for economic reasons? a By comparing the economic assets of each species. b By proving that buffalo hides are worth much more than the pelts of fur seals. c By proving that the buffalo deserved to be slaughtered for economic reasons, just as the fur seals had been. d By showing an example of another species-the fur seal-that is better managed and whose number is static.

D. The author makes this comparison in order to show the successful management of a species hunted for its hides.

It has been seen that flames have been prominent sources of artificial light; and although of low luminous efficiency, they still have much to commend them from the standpoints of portability, convenience, and subdivisions. The materials which have been burned for light, whether solid or liquid, are rich in carbon, and the solid particles of carbon by virtue of their incandescence are responsible for the brightness of a flame. According to the information provided in the passage, which of the following inferences can be made? a Artificial light is most effective with minimal carbon. b Artificial light is brightest when it burns the hottest. c The more carbon, the hotter the flame. d The more carbon, the brighter the light.

D. The passage explains that "solid particles of carbon...are responsible for the brightness of a flame."

The Black Death, or, as it has been known, the Oriental plague, the bubonic plague, or in England, simply the plague, and in Italy, "la mortalega" (the great mortality) derived its name from the Orient; its inflammatory boils, tumors of the glands, and black spots, indicative of putrid decomposition, were such as have been seen in no other febrile disease. All the symptoms were not found in every case, and in many cases one symptom alone preceded death. Although afflicted with all the manifestations of the plague, some patients recovered. According to Hecker the symptoms of cephalic affliction were seen; many patients were stupefied and fell into a deep sleep, or became speechless from palsy of the tongue, while others remained sleepless and without rest. The fauces and tongue were black and as if suffused with blood; no beverage could assuage the burning thirst, so that suffering continued without alleviation until death, which many in their despair accelerated with their own hands. Contagion was evident, for attendants caught the disease from their parents and friends, and many houses were emptied of their inhabitants. According to the passage, the Plague had many different names, which shows that: a people misdiagnosed the Plague often. b communication was difficult, so communities renamed the disease often. c there are many different strains of the disease. d the disease was found all over the world.

D. The passage provides examples of many different cultures' names for the disease.

The dryness of the South African climate makes very strongly for its salubrity. It is the absence of moisture no less than the elevation above sea-level that gives to the air its fresh, keen, bracing quality, the quality which enables one to support the sun-heat, which keeps the physical frame in vigour, which helps children to grow up active and healthy, which confines to comparatively few districts that deadliest foe of Europeans, swamp-fever. It also keeps crime rates low. Which of the following statements does not fit into the pattern of logic developed in the passage? a The sun is strong in South Africa, but not dangerous. b The air in South Africa is bracing. c Children are mostly healthy due to the climate. d Crime rates are related to weather.

D. This statement does not fit the pattern of logic in the passage.

It is during the rainy season that this port earns the reputation of being one of the most pestiferous spots on the globe. The air is then hot and oppressive, reminding the geologist of the steaming atmosphere in the carboniferous period; the surrounding plains are flooded with water, and the roads, even some of the streets of the city become impassable; intolerable mosquitoes, huge cockroaches, disgusting centipedes, venomous scorpions, and still more deadly serpents, keep the human species circumspect, and fevers and dysenteries do the work of death. This passage suggests that a direct effect of the rainy season is: a more fevers. b more insects. c impassable roads. d flooding of farmland.

D. a direct effect of the rainy season is impassable roads because the plains become flooded.

The following is an excerpt from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream EGEUS Happy be Theseus, our renownèd Duke! THESEUS Thanks, good Egeus. What's the news with thee? EGEUS Full of vexation come I, with complaint Against my child, my daughter Hermia. (5) Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord, This man hath my consent to marry her. Stand forth, Lysander. And, my gracious Duke, This man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child. Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, (10) And interchang'd love-tokens with my child. Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung, With feigning voice, verses of feigning love; And stol'n the impression of her fantasy With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gauds, conceits, (15) Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats (messengers Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth) With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart, Turn'd her obedience (which is due to me) To stubborn harshness. And, my gracious Duke, (20) Be it so she will not here before your grace Consent to marry with Demetrius, I beg the ancient privilege of Athens: As she is mine I may dispose of her; Which shall be either to this gentleman (25) Or to her death, according to our law Immediately provided in that case. THESEUS What say you, Hermia? Be advis'd, fair maid. To you your father should be as a god; One that compos'd your beauties, yea, and one (30) To whom you are but as a form in wax By him imprinted, and within his power To leave the figure, or disfigure it. Demetrius is a worthy gentleman. HERMIA So is Lysander. (35) THESEUS In himself he is. But in this kind, wanting your father's voice, The other must be held the worthier. HERMIA I would my father look'd but with my eyes. THESEUS Rather your eyes must with his judgment look. (40) HERMIA I do entreat your Grace to pardon me. I know not by what power I am made bold, Nor how it may concern my modesty In such a presence here to plead my thoughts: But I beseech your Grace that I may know (45) The worst that may befall me in this case, If I refuse to wed Demetrius. In line 17, Egeus says, "With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart." What is the meaning of this metaphor in the context of the excerpt? a By loving her more truly that Demetrius, Lysander has gained Hermia's love in return. b Egeus doubts that Lysander has true feelings for his daughter. c Lysander is only pretending to love Hermia. d Demetrius has caused her to no longer love her father.

Egeus describes Lysander as being "cunning" and having "filched" Hermia's heart. His use of "cunning" and "filched" shows he does not believe Lysander actually loves his daughter.

In 1983, Harold Washington was the first African American elected mayor of Chicago. The following is an excerpt from his acceptance speech. (1) Tonight we are here. Tonight we are here to celebrate a resounding victory. We, we have fought a good fight. We have finished our course. And we have kept the faith. We fought that good fight. We fought it, with unseasoned weapons and with a phalanx of people who mostly have never been involved in a political campaign before. This has truly been a pilgrimage. Our government will be moving forward as well, including more people. And more kinds of people, than any government in the history of Chicago. Today... today... today, Chicago has seen the bright daybreak for this city and for perhaps this entire country. The whole nation is watching as Chicago is so powerful in this! Oh yes, they're watching. (2) Out of the crucible... Out of the crucible of this city's most trying election, carried on the tide of the most massive voter turnout in Chicago's history. Blacks. Whites. Hispanics. Jews. Gentiles. Protestant and Catholics of all stripes. Have joined hands to form a new democratic coalition. And... and to begin in this place a new democratic movement. (3) The talents and dreams of our citizens and neighborhoods will nourish our government the way it should be cherished and feed into the moving river of mankind. And we have kept the faith in ourselves as decent, caring people who gather together as a part of something greater than themselves. We never stopped believing that we were a part of something good and something that had never happened before. (4) We intend to revitalize and rebuild this city. To open its doors and be certain that its babies are healthy! And its old people are fed and well-housed. We intend, we intend that our city will grow again and bring prosperity to ALL of its citizens. In paragraph 1, the word "resounding" is best defined as: a bittersweet. b shocking. c questionable. d decisive.

If you don't know the definition of the word, look at the context. The speaker here won a "resounding" victory, he says, and as he says this, he employs lots of inclusive language ("we"), indicating that the collective majority all worked together. Therefore, it seems like they won by a large margin.

In 1983, Harold Washington was the first African American elected mayor of Chicago. The following is an excerpt from his acceptance speech. (1) Tonight we are here. Tonight we are here to celebrate a resounding victory. We, we have fought a good fight. We have finished our course. And we have kept the faith. We fought that good fight. We fought it, with unseasoned weapons and with a phalanx of people who mostly have never been involved in a political campaign before. This has truly been a pilgrimage. Our government will be moving forward as well, including more people. And more kinds of people, than any government in the history of Chicago. Today... today... today, Chicago has seen the bright daybreak for this city and for perhaps this entire country. The whole nation is watching as Chicago is so powerful in this! Oh yes, they're watching. (2) Out of the crucible... Out of the crucible of this city's most trying election, carried on the tide of the most massive voter turnout in Chicago's history. Blacks. Whites. Hispanics. Jews. Gentiles. Protestant and Catholics of all stripes. Have joined hands to form a new democratic coalition. And... and to begin in this place a new democratic movement. (3) The talents and dreams of our citizens and neighborhoods will nourish our government the way it should be cherished and feed into the moving river of mankind. And we have kept the faith in ourselves as decent, caring people who gather together as a part of something greater than themselves. We never stopped believing that we were a part of something good and something that had never happened before. (4) We intend to revitalize and rebuild this city. To open its doors and be certain that its babies are healthy! And its old people are fed and well-housed. We intend, we intend that our city will grow again and bring prosperity to ALL of its citizens. In paragraph 1, the word "resounding" is best defined as: a decisive. b shocking. c bittersweet. d questionable.

Passage 1: Punishment, it is said, is not inflicted on the offender as a retribution for his misdeeds, it is inflicted for the purpose of protecting society against its enemies. Such a view leaves moral considerations entirely out of account; it leaves no room for the just indignation of the public at the spectacle of crime. It is defective in other ways. For instance, a criminal has a particular animosity against some single individual; it may be he murders this person, or does him grievous bodily harm. Such an offender has no similar animosity against any one else; as far as the rest of the community is concerned he is perfectly harmless. On the supposition that punishment is only intended to protect society against the criminal, a man of this description would escape punishment altogether. Passage 2: No doubt the idea of punishment originated in the feeling of resentment and hatred and vengeance that, to some extent at least, is incident to life. The dog is hit with a stick and turns and bites the stick. Animals repel attack and fight their enemies to death. The primitive man vented his hatred and vengeance on things animate and inanimate. In the tribes no injury was satisfied until some member of the offending tribe was killed. In more recent times family feuds have followed down the generations and were not forgotten until the last member of a family was destroyed. Biologically, anger and hatred follow fear and injury, and punishment follows these in turn. Individuals, communities and whole peoples hate and swear vengeance for an injury, real or fancied. Punishments, even to the extent of death, are inflicted where there can be no possible object except revenge. The word "object" in the last line of the second passage most nearly means: a to refute b to return c thing d aim

In this context, "object" is used as a noun that means focus or aim.

(1) In his lifetime Dr. Parkman was a well-known figure in the streets of Boston. His peculiar personal appearance and eccentric habits combined to make him something of a character. As he walked through the streets he presented a remarkable appearance. He was exceptionally tall, longer in the body than the legs; his lower jaw protruded some half an inch beyond the upper; he carried his body bent forward from the small of his back. He seemed to be always in a hurry; so impetuous was he that, if his horse did not travel fast enough to please him, he would get off its back, and, leaving the steed in the middle of the street, hasten on his way on foot. A just and generous man, he was extremely punctilious in matters of business, and uncompromising in his resentment of any form of falsehood or deceit. It was the force of his resentment in such a case that cost him his life. (2) The doctor was unfailingly punctual in taking his meals. Dr. Kingsley, during the fourteen years he had acted as his agent, had always been able to make sure of finding him at home at his dinner hour, half-past two o'clock. But on Friday, November 23, 1849, to his surprise and that of his family, Dr. Parkman did not come home to dinner; and their anxiety was increased when the day passed, and there was still no sign of the doctor's return. Inquiries were made. From these it appeared that Dr. Parkman had been last seen alive between one and two o'clock on the Friday afternoon. About half-past one he had visited a grocer's shop in Bridge Street, made some purchases, and left behind him a paper bag containing a lettuce, which, he said, he would call for on his way home. Shortly before two o'clock he was seen by a workman, at a distance of forty or fifty feet from the Medical College, going in that direction. From that moment all certain trace of him was lost. Which word could be substituted for "punctilious" without changing the meaning of the passage? a meticulous b early c messy d demanding

In this context, "punctilious" is referring to Dr. Parkman's careful attitude towards business, so meticulous is the best definition of this word.

When we think of bees, we think of pesky, buzzing insects that sting us and ruin outdoor gatherings. We might wonder: how badly can we possibly need bees? The truth is, bees are an incredibly important part of our ecosystem on Earth-no matter how annoying they may be to humans. We just don't recognize their contributions. Here's something that might surprise you: One out of every three mouthfuls of food in the American diet is, in some way, a product of honeybee pollination-from fruit to nuts to coffee beans. Unfortunately, bees have been disappearing around the world for some time now. Their mass disappearance continues to present new problems around the planet. The author's statement that "bees are an incredibly important part of our ecosystem" is: A) valid because the author provides statistics. B) valid because the author is an expert in bee research. C) invalid because of contradictory examples. D) invalid because of untrue statements.

Remember, first decide if an argument is valid or not. In this passage, the author provides a specific statistic ("One out of every three mouthfuls of food in the American diet is, in some way, a product of honeybee pollination") to back up his claim. Therefore, choices C and D are out. Choice A is best since we can't tell the background of the author.

Vitamins and minerals are important nutrients needed by our bodies to maintain health and happiness. The only way to consume these is through taking a multivitamin supplement, right? Wrong. Dietary supplement companies profited about $37 billion a year in America, and these companies would like you to believe that vitamin pills are the best way to maintain your health. Eating a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, however, will provide you with the same, better nutrition without the scary additives that can be found in vitamin supplements. For example, a half-cup of raw broccoli provides for 65% of your Vitamin C recommendation, plus 21 other vitamins and minerals, without lining the pockets of the vitamin company. While arguing for the consumption of raw fruits and vegetables, what is the author assuming? A) Everyone has easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables. B) Raw fruits and vegetables contain lots of vitamins and minerals. C) Dietary supplements are inexpensive. D) Vegetables are better than fruits.

Remember an assumption is not stated in the text, but must be something the author would think in order for the argument to be valid. When choosing an assumption, think about the purpose of the text and what the author would agree with. The best answer is option A. In order for the argument to be true that people should choose raw food over supplements, everyone must have equal and easy access to them. Option B would not be an assumption because broccoli's nutritional content was provided. Option C goes against the author's data on vitamin companies' profits. Option D would not likely be a belief of the author because the two are never compared against each other.

Vitamins and minerals are important nutrients needed by our bodies to maintain health and happiness. The only way to consume these is through taking a multivitamin supplement, right? Wrong. Dietary supplement companies profited about $37 billion a year in America, and these companies would like you to believe that vitamin pills are the best way to maintain your health. Eating a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, however, will provide you with the same, better nutrition without the scary additives that can be found in vitamin supplements. For example, a half cup of raw broccoli provides for 65% of your Vitamin C recommendation, plus 21 other vitamins and minerals, without lining the pockets of the vitamin company. In this passage, the author implies that anyone who takes vitamin supplements: A) is risking their health and safety. B) is paying unnecessarily for vitamins and minerals. C) is choosing the healthiest way to supplement their diet. D) is too lazy to cook their own meals.

Remember an implication is suggested through the text but not stated. You need to make a logical leap to something the author would believe or agree with, but is also supported by the text. Because the passage suggests that supplements may contain "scary additives," it is implied that anyone who takes them is A) risking their health. The author suggests Choice B explicitly; he lists how much money supplement companies earn and says "lining the pockets." Choice C is a direct contradiction of what the author believes. Nowhere in the passage does the author mention cooking meals, so Choice D cannot be implied or inferred from the text.

When we think of bees, we think of pesky, buzzing insects that sting us and ruin outdoor gatherings. We might wonder: how badly can we possibly need bees? The truth is, bees are an incredibly important part of our ecosystem on Earth-no matter how annoying they may be to humans. We just don't recognize their contributions. Here's something that might surprise you: One out of every three mouthfuls of food in the American diet is, in some way, a product of honeybee pollination-from fruit to nuts to coffee beans. Bees have been disappearing around the world for some time now. Their mass disappearance continues to present new problems around the planet. Which statement is an opinion? A) When we think of bees, we think of pesky, buzzing insects that sting us and ruin outdoor gatherings. B) We might wonder: how badly can we possibly need bees? C) Here's something that might surprise you: One out of every three mouthfuls of food in the American diet is, in some way, a product of honeybee pollination-from fruit to nuts to coffee beans. D) Bees have been disappearing around the world for some time now.

Remember an opinion represents a statement that cannot be validated through research. Option A is the best example of an opinion. The author is assuming that everyone feels the same way about bees, which may or may not be accurate. There is also no way to prove that his sentence is how everyone thinks of bees. Option B is neither an opinion or a fact but a rhetorical question used to transition the passage. C and D are both examples of facts.

The Lewis and Clark expedition is significant in many ways-for science, geography, ethnology, the politics of empire; for providing (through their journals) an unparalleled description of the West at the dawn of the 19th century; for offering enduring lessons in bravery, perseverance, and the success that comes from working together; for leaving behind what the historian Bernard DeVoto recognized as "something simple and immortal-a tableau of courage and endurance in clear light, one of the world's heroic stories that seem like myths." When the expedition was originally conceived, the United States ended at the Mississippi River. Thanks to Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase, by the time they set off from the Mississippi's east bank in 1804, the nation's boundaries had been stretched to the Rocky Mountains. The Southwest and the Pacific coast were still claimed by others, however, and there was nothing to indicate that our nation would one day embrace it all. However, Lewis and Clark's arrival on the continent's western coast helped make possible what we now consider inevitable. They set the stage for the "new America" and expanded our horizons. From the passage, which of the following can be inferred? A) When the expedition was originally conceived, the United States ended at the Mississippi River. B) No later explorations matched the distance covered by Lewis and Clark. C) Lewis and Clark traveled through territory not owned by the United States. D) The author is arguing for future expeditions.

Remember, an inference is a logic jump. The passage states that "The Southwest and the Pacific coast were still claimed by others..." and "...Lewis and Clark's arrival on the continent's western coast..." This indicates that while the United States did not control the area on the Western coast, Lewis and Clark made it there. Therefore, they must have traveled through territory owned by others. The other choices are too narrow in focus or beyond the scope. A) This is a true statement given directly. It's not suggested; it's stated. B) This is too many logic jumps. The passage only talks about what happened before and leading up to their journey. It doesn't talk about future explorations. D) This distractor is a "primary purpose" answer, not something to infer. In addition, the author doesn't talk about a need for future expeditions.

When we think of bees, we think of pesky, buzzing insects that sting us and ruin outdoor gatherings. We might wonder: how badly can we possibly need bees? The truth is, bees are an incredibly important part of our ecosystem on Earth-no matter how annoying they might be to humans. We just don't recognize their contributions. Here's something that might surprise you: One out of every three mouthfuls of food in the American diet is, in some way, a product of honeybee pollination-from fruit to nuts to coffee beans. Unfortunately, bees have been disappearing around the world for some time now. Their mass disappearance continues to present new problems around the planet. Which of the following pieces of evidence used by the author best strengthens his view that "bees are an incredibly important part of our ecosystem on Earth?" A. the "mass disappearance" of bees at the end B. the use of the word "pesky" in the opening C. the statistics used D. the loss of orange groves in Florida

Remember, when looking at given evidence, make sure you know the author's goal. Here, it's given in the question stem (his view that "bees are an incredibly important part of our ecosystem on Earth"). What evidence is he using to strengthen this? Choice C is best. The statistics show how much food (1 out of 3 mouthfuls) is a result of bee pollination. The other choices are not as strong. A) The mention of the "mass disappearance" of bees is evidence, but it's not tied to his argument of why bees are important. Something can disappear without being important. B) The use of the word "annoying" shows a negative, rather than a positive view of bees. D) This evidence might help, but it wasn't used by the author. The question is asking for "evidence used by the author." If this was a, "Which of the following, if true, supports the conclusion of the passage?" type of question, then something similar to this would be a good answer.

Student compliance with school rules is required for a distraction-free learning environment. a involvement with b conformity to c discernment of d support of

Students who comply with school rules would follow them regardless of whether they agree with the rule. Similarly, "conformity" means going along with expectations and does not require or imply the students' approval of the rules.

Which of the following means the same as the underlined words in the given sentence? Student compliance with school rules is required for a distraction-free learning environment. a conformity to b discernment of c support of d involvement with

(1) Earth's largest desert is actually a very frigid place covered with ice: Antarctica. In order for an area to be considered a desert, it must receive very little rainfall. More specifically, it must receive an (3) average of less than 10 inches of precipitation—which can be rain, sleet, hail, or snow—on the ground every year. Antarctica, the coldest place on earth, has an average temperature that usually falls (5) below the freezing point. And because cold air holds less moisture than warm air, the air in Antarctica does not hold much moisture at all. This is evident in the low precipitation statistics recorded for (7) Antarctica. For example, the central part of Antarctica receives an average of less than two inches of snow every year. However, the coastline of Antarctica receives a little bit more—between seven and (9) eight inches per year. Because Antarctica gets so little precipitation every year, it is considered a desert. The author's primary purpose in this selection is: a to provide precipitation statistics for Antarctica. b to explain why Antarctica is considered a desert. c to define precipitation. d to explain how much rainfall is necessary to sustain life.

The author discusses why Antarctica is classified as a desert and gives a definition regarding rainfall and statistics on precipitation to prove the claim.

The following is an excerpt from a lecture written by Ralph Emerson in his collection "Representative Men" Shakespeare's youth fell in a time when the English people were importunate for dramatic entertainments. The court took offence easily at political allusions, and attempted to suppress them. But the people wanted them. Inn-yards, houses without roofs, and extemporaneous enclosures at country fairs, were the ready theatres of strolling players. The people had tasted this new joy; and, as we could not hope to suppress newspapers now,—no, not by the strongest party,—neither then could king, prelate, or puritan, alone or united, suppress an organ, which was ballad, epic, newspaper, caucus, lecture, punch, and library, at the same time. The author uses "extemporaneous" to mean: a elaborate b empty c expensive d makeshift

The author is describing how quickly this new art has taken over the common people's interests. Since the previous two locations were "inn-yards" and "houses without roofs," the enclosures were probably thrown together at the last minute. Therefore, "makeshift" is best.

From the northern slope of the mound, you cannot see much as there is a thick stand of trees blocking your view. If, _________, from the top of the mound you look southward through the trees a view may be got of the silver stream of the Bowstring, coming as if directly toward the mound. ________ this tributary flowed close by the mound, for the mound would undoubtedly be built on the extreme point. But as from year to year the Bowstring River deposited the detritus carried down by it, it formed a bank or bar, and was gradually diverted from its course. Which of the following is the best meaning of the word point as it is used in the passage? a a piece of land tapering into a point b the point of a spear c the point of a tool used in mound-building d a main idea or topic

The author is describing the land, so this is the correct definition.

(1) Have you ever seen a person who is homeless? (2) Chances are, you have. (3) Homelessness is an issue that has become an epidemic, affecting people of every age and in every country. (4) This issue is especially evident in societies where people live a hand-to-mouth existence, living from paycheck to paycheck. (5) If you walk down the street in many big cities in the United States, you might notice people sleeping on the sidewalk or begging for food or money. (6) These individuals are very visible to passersby, and it is difficult to ignore them. (7) However, there are also homeless people who do not sleep on the streets. (8) They are not as visible to the public eye, but they are also homeless. (9) These people often spend their nights sleeping in shelters, which provide food, rooms, and often a variety of social services (like daycare). (10) We might not see these people on the streets, but it does not mean that they aren't suffering. Which of the following best defines the word "epidemic" as it is used in sentence 3 of the selection? a contagious b widespread c limited d restrained

The author is using "epidemic" to mean "widespread." The clause after the word is "affecting people of every age and in every country" which indicates it affects many people.

(1) The failure of every former attempt to reach the Nile source did not astonish me, as the expeditions had consisted of parties, which, when difficulties occur, generally end in difference of opinion and in retreat; I therefore determined to proceed alone, trusting in the guidance of a Divine Providence and the good fortune that sometimes attends a tenacity of purpose. (2) I weighed carefully the chances of the undertaking. (3) Before me, untrodden Africa; against me, the obstacles that had defeated the world since its creation; on my side, a somewhat tough constitution, perfect independence, a long experience in savage life, and both time and means, which I intended to devote to the object without limit. In the context of the second sentence, "weighed" most closely means: a measured b considered c weighted d swayed

The author is weighing his chances, which most closely means that he was considering his chances.

(1) Have you ever seen a person who is homeless? (2) Chances are, you have. (3) Homelessness is an issue that has become an epidemic, affecting people of every age and in every country. (4) This issue is especially evident in societies where people live a hand-to-mouth existence, living from paycheck to paycheck. (5) If you walk down the street in many big cities in the United States, you might notice people sleeping on the sidewalk or begging for food or money. (6) These individuals are very visible to passersby, and it is difficult to ignore them. (7) However, there are also homeless people who do not sleep on the streets. (8) They are not as visible to the public eye, but they are also homeless. (9) These people often spend their nights sleeping in shelters, which provide food, rooms, and often a variety of social services (like daycare). (10) We might not see these people on the streets, but it does not mean that they aren't suffering. Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the selection? a The problem of homelessness can be solved. b Homelessness is a serious issue. c People should take action to solve the problem of homelessness. d Homelessness happens only in the United States.

The author makes it clear that "homelessness is a serious issue" by calling it an epidemic and by mentioning how widespread it is.

Passage 1 is by Dorothy Sayers; Passage 2 is adapted from a work by Raymond Chandler. Both were acclaimed crime novel authors. Passage 1 The detective story does not and cannot attain the loftiest level of literary achievement. Though it deals with the most desperate effects of rage, jealousy, and revenge, it rarely touches the heights and depths of human passion. It presents us with an accomplished fact, and looks upon death with a dispassionate eye. It does not show us the inner workings of the murderer's mind—it must not, for the identity of the criminal is hidden until the end of the book. The most successful writers are those who contrive to keep the story running from beginning to end upon the same emotional level, and it is better to err in the direction of too little feeling than too much. Passage 2 I think what was really gnawing at Dorothy Sayers in her critique of the detective story was the realization that her kind of detective story was an arid formula unable to satisfy its own implications. If the story started to be about real people, they soon had to do unreal things to conform to the artificial pattern required by the plot. When they did unreal things, they ceased to be real themselves. Sayers' own stories show that she was annoyed by this triteness. Yet she would not give her characters their heads and let them make their own mystery. In the context of Passage 1, the word "loftiest" in sentence 1 most nearly means: a nearest. b lowest. c highest. d furthest.

The author of Passage 1 is describing why she believes that detective stories fall short compared to other genres. Therefore, she most likely means they "cannot attain the highest level."

An excerpt from Peter Pan by J.M.Barrie (1) Mrs. Darling loved to have everything just so, and Mr. Darling had a passion for being exactly like his neighbours; so, of course, they had a nurse. As they were poor, owing to the amount of milk the children drank, this nurse was a prim Newfoundland dog, called Nana, who had belonged to no one in particular until the Darlings engaged her. She had always thought children important, however, and the Darlings had become acquainted with her in Kensington Gardens, where she spent most of her spare time peeping into perambulators, and was much hated by careless nursemaids, whom she followed to their homes and complained of to their mistresses. (2) She proved to be quite a treasure of a nurse. How thorough she was at bath-time, and up at any moment of the night if one of her charges made the slightest cry. Of course her kennel was in the nursery. She had a genius for knowing when a cough is a thing to have no patience with and when it needs stocking around your throat. She believed to her last day in old-fashioned remedies like rhubarb leaf, and made sounds of contempt over all this new-fangled talk about germs, and so on. It was a lesson in propriety to see her escorting the children to school, walking sedately by their side when they were well behaved, and butting them back into line if they strayed. The author uses personification in this passage to: a show that the children run the household. b relate the thoughts of attitudes of the dog/nanny, Nana. c describe the park next to the family's house in a poetic manner. d give a sense of contentment and security to the house.

The author personifies Nana, the dog, so that the reader can understand some plot points from her point of view.

(1) Lima, the capital city of the South American country of Peru, is located near the Pacific Ocean in the Sechura Desert. This desert region is one of the driest in the world and receives almost no rainfall. Yet more than eight million people live in Lima. Because of the scarcity of water, one out of every 10 residents has no access to running water. Some people depend on private companies to deliver water to their homes and businesses. (2) The engineers at the University of Engineering and Technology of Peru (UTEC) thought about how Lima's extreme water shortage problem could be solved. They noticed that even though the rainfall in Lima was scant, the humidity was high. Due to the city's coastal location, humidity can be higher than 90 percent on summer days. The engineers wondered whether they could harness the moisture in the air. (3) The staff at the university realized that this project, while helping the residents of Lima, could also showcase UTEC's engineering program. Thus they formed a partnership with the advertising agency Mayo DraftFCB. The two groups created an advertisement to demonstrate the university's engineering projects. They made a billboard that extracted moisture from the air and converted it into drinkable water. The water was then made available to the public. In paragraph 2, the word "scant" is best defined as: a proliferation. b shortage. The context of "scant" here in this sentence is referring to the fact that there is hardly any rainfall in this desert area of South America. Therefore, "shortage" is the correct answer. c remoteness. d contamination.

The context of "scant" here in this sentence is referring to the fact that there is hardly any rainfall in this desert area of South America. Therefore, "shortage" is the correct answer.

Excerpt from Jack London's The Call of the Wild. And this was the manner of dog Buck was in the fall of 1897, when the Klondike strike dragged men from all the world into the frozen North. But Buck did not read the newspapers, and he did not know that Manuel, one of the gardener's helpers, was an undesirable acquaintance. Manuel had one besetting sin. He loved to play Chinese lottery. Also, in his gambling, he had one besetting weakness—faith in a system; and this made his damnation certain. For to play a system requires money, while the wages of a gardener's helper do not lap over the needs of a wife and numerous progeny. --Jack London, from The Call of the Wild Why does the author include the description of Manuel's money problems? a to foreshadow desperate actions to make money b to describe an effect of the Klondike strike c to reveal the reason Buck does not trust him d to further establish an understanding of the challenges of this time period

The description of Manuel's gambling and money problems foreshadows that his financial desperation will cause him to do something unethical for money.

The following is an excerpt from Henry VIII by A.F. Pollard, M.A. In the whole range of English history there is no monarch whose character has been more variously depicted by contemporaries or more strenuously debated by posterity than the "majestic lord who broke the bonds of Rome". To one historian an inhuman embodiment of cruelty and vice, to another a superhuman incarnation of courage, wisdom and strength of will, Henry VIII has, by an almost universal consent, been placed above or below the grade of humanity. So unique was his personality, so singular his achievements, that he appears in the light of a special dispensation sent like another Attila to be the scourge of mankind, or like a second Hercules to cleanse, or at least to demolish, Augean stables. The dictates of his will seemed as inexorable as the decrees of fate, and the history of his reign is strewn with records of the ruin of those who failed to placate his wrath. Of the six queens he married, two he divorced, and two he beheaded. Four English cardinals lived in his reign; one perished by the executioner's axe, one escaped it by absence, and a third by a timely but natural death. Of a similar number of dukes half were condemned by attainder; and the same method of speedy despatch accounted for six or seven earls and viscounts and for scores of lesser degree. He began his reign by executing the ministers of his father, he continued it by sending his own to the scaffold. The Tower of London was both palace and prison, and statesmen passed swiftly from one to the other; in silent obscurity alone lay salvation. Religion and politics, rank and profession made little difference; priest and layman, cardinal-archbishop and "hammer of the monks," men whom Henry had raised from the mire, and peers, over whose heads they were placed, were joined in a common fate. Wolsey and More, Cromwell and Norfolk, trod the same dizzy path to the same fatal end; and the English people looked on powerless or unmoved. They sent their burgesses and knights of the shire to Westminster without let or hindrance, and Parliament met with a regularity that grew with the rigour of Henry's rule; but it seemed to assemble only to register the royal edicts and clothe with a legal cloak the naked violence of Henry's acts. It remembered its privileges only to lay them at Henry's feet, it cancelled his debts, endowed his proclamations with the force of laws, and authorised him to repeal acts of attainder and dispose of his crown at will. Secure of its support Henry turned and rent the spiritual unity of Western Christendom, and settled at a blow that perennial struggle between Church and State, in which kings and emperors had bitten the dust. With every epithet of contumely and scorn he trampled under foot the jurisdiction of him who was believed to hold the keys of heaven and hell. Borrowing in practice the old maxim of Roman law, cujus regio, ejus religio*, he placed himself in the seat of authority in religion and presumed to define the faith of which Leo had styled him defender. Others have made themselves despots by their mastery of many legions, through the agency of a secret police, or by means of an organised bureaucracy. Yet Henry's standing army consisted of a few gentlemen pensioners and yeomen of the guard; he had neither secret police nor organised bureaucracy. Even then Englishmen boasted that they were not slaves like the French, and foreigners pointed a finger of scorn at their turbulence. Had they not permanently or temporarily deprived of power nearly half their kings who had reigned since William the Conqueror? Yet Henry VIII not only left them their arms, but repeatedly urged them to keep those arms ready for use. He eschewed that air of mystery with which tyrants have usually sought to impose on the mind of the people. All his life he moved familiarly and almost unguarded in the midst of his subjects, and he died in his bed, full of years, with the spell of his power unbroken and the terror of his name unimpaired. * - Latin phrase meaning "Whose realm, his religion." Which of the following statements represents the main idea of the excerpt? a Henry VIII was a well-loved and kind ruler whose actions continue to be celebrated. b Henry VIII was a paranoid and ruthless ruler whose actions resulted in the death of numerous prominent figures. c Henry VIII was a heartless and cruel ruler whose actions left him disliked by his people. d Henry VIII was a controversial ruler in British history whose actions and personality are hard to define.

The excerpt describes how Henry VIII was unique from other rulers in British history. The second sentence tells us that historians have a difficult time deciding if he was the "embodiment of cruelty and vice" or an "incarnation of courage."

The Egyptians regarded man as composed of various different entities, each having its separate life and functions. First, there was the body; then the Ka or double, which was a less solid duplicate of the corporeal form--a coloured but ethereal projection of the individual, reproducing him feature for feature. The double of a child was as a child; the double of a woman was a woman; the double of a man was a man. After the double (Ka) came the Soul (Bi or Ba), which was popularly represented as a human-headed bird; after the Soul came the "Khû," or "the Luminous," a spark from the divine fire. None of these elements were in their own nature imperishable. Left to themselves, they would hasten to dissolution, and the man would thus die a second time; that is to say, he would be annihilated. The piety of the survivors found means, however, to avert this catastrophe. By the process of embalmment, they could for ages suspend the decomposition of the body; while by means of prayer and offerings, they saved the Double, the Soul, and the "Luminous" from the second death, and secured to them all that was necessary for the prolongation of their existence. The main idea of the first paragraph is that Egyptians: a believed that a person is made up of four separate elements. b feared the annihilation of their soul after death. c feared that, without embalming, they could not reach a higher existence. d believed that Ka were ghosts.

The first paragraph is mainly concerned with the description of the different parts of a person.

Use the excerpt below from the book Canning, Freezing, Storing Garden Produce by the United States Department of Agriculture to answer the following questions. The major method used for home preservation of food is temperature control. This includes canning with a pressure canner or a boiling water bath, blanching food before freezing, refrigerating food, and freezing it. Microorganisms which cause disease and food spoilage are sensitive to environment temperature variations. By increasing the food's temperature, microorganisms are destroyed. When the temperature is decreased, their growth is inhibited. This excerpt focuses on: a how to save food using temperature methods. b the microorganisms commonly present in food. c the latest trends in food preservation recipes. d how to cook food and avoid cross-contamination.

The first sentence of this informational paragraph contains the main idea, which states, "The major method used for home preservation of food is temperature control." This is the main focus of the excerpt.

Note: The original source of the text below was written in the late 19th century. The habits of a people, which are to a certain extent the product of the country in which they live, in turn have a pronounced effect on their habitations. New Mexico and Arizona came into the possession of the United States in 1846, and prior to that time the Navajo lived chiefly by war and plunder. The Mexican settlers along the Rio Grande and the Native Americans already there had early interactions. Thousands of sheep and horses from the Mexican settlers formed the starting point of the large flocks and herds which constitute the wealth of the Navajo today. The Navajo reservation is better suited for the raising of sheep than for anything else, and the step from the life of a warrior and hunter to that of a shepherd is not a long one, nor a hard one to take. Under the stress of necessity the Navajo became a peaceful pastoral tribe, living by their flocks and herds, and practicing horticulture only in an extremely limited and precarious way. Under modern conditions they are slowly developing into an agricultural tribe, and this development has already progressed far enough to materially affect their house structures; but in a general way it may be said that they are pastoral people, and their habits have been dictated largely by that mode of life. Every family is possessed of a flock of sheep and goats, sometimes numbering many thousands, and a band of horses, generally several hundreds, in a few instances several thousands. In recent times many possess small herds of cattle, the progeny of those which strayed into the reservation from the numerous large herds in its vicinity. The condition of the tribe, as a whole, is not only far removed from hardship, but may even be said to be one of comparative affluence. This passage is primarily concerned with how the changing Navajo culture affected: a their financial contribution as an agricultural tribe. b the style of their habitations. c the local flora and fauna. d the other tribes in their vicinity.

The first sentence points out that a tribe's culture "ha[s] a pronounced effect on their habits."

A Day by Emily Dickinson (1) I'll tell you how the sun rose, — (2) A ribbon at a time. (3) The steeples swam in amethyst, (4) The news like squirrels ran. (5) The hills untied their bonnets, (6) The bobolinks begun. (7) Then I said softly to myself, (8) "That must have been the sun!" (9) But how he set, I know not. (10) There seemed a purple stile (11) Which little yellow boys and girls (12) Were climbing all the while (13) Till when they reached the other side, (14) A dominie in gray (15) Put gently up the evening bars, (16) And led the flock away. What deeper meaning is conveyed with the use of religious imagery like "steeples", "flock", and "dominie" in this poem? a The use of religious imagery conveys the sense that this natural occurrence is holy and reverential. b The use of religious imagery points out the common belief of the time that everything that occurred in nature is holy and religious. c Religious imagery is used in a cynical way, which mirrors the poet's attitude towards religion. d The use of religious imagery shows how deeply religious the author is.

The imagery does convey a sense that the sunrise is awe-inspiring and holy, and should be considered with reverence.

A Day by Emily Dickinson (1) I'll tell you how the sun rose, — (2) A ribbon at a time. (3) The steeples swam in amethyst, (4) The news like squirrels ran. (5) The hills untied their bonnets, (6) The bobolinks begun. (7) Then I said softly to myself, (8) "That must have been the sun!" (9) But how he set, I know not. (10) There seemed a purple stile (11) Which little yellow boys and girls (12) Were climbing all the while (13) Till when they reached the other side, (14) A dominie in gray (15) Put gently up the evening bars, (16) And led the flock away. What deeper meaning is conveyed with the use of religious imagery like "steeples", "flock", and "dominie" in this poem? a The use of religious imagery conveys the sense that this natural occurrence is holy and reverential. b The use of religious imagery points out the common belief of the time that everything that occurred in nature is holy and religious. c The use of religious imagery shows how deeply religious the author is. d Religious imagery is used in a cynical way, which mirrors the poet's attitude towards religion.

The imagery does convey a sense that the sunrise is awe-inspiring and holy, and should be considered with reverence.

(1) Determining which foods are junk and which aren't can be confusing. Is fast food junk? What about high-calorie or convenience-store foods? Think of it this way: If the food has very few vitamins, minerals, (3) and other nutrients that you need to be healthy, it's probably junk. The main principle to remember is that food classified as junk will have a lot of sugar, fat, and/or salt. (5) The effects of junk food are no laughing matter. Junk food can lead to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. But you may not realize how much it can immediately make you feel like, well, junk. The fat in (7) those foods can build up on your blood vessel walls, Dr. Harold Jayne explains, which "makes it harder for your blood vessels to circulate blood around your body." That buildup can quickly effect how (9) well you are able to perform during sports and other exercise. Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of paragraph 1 of the selection? a Junk foods have low nutritional content and high amounts of sugar, fat, or salt. b Nutritious food contains vitamins and minerals. c It is easy to tell which foods are junk and which foods are nutritious. d All fast food can be classified as junk food.

The main point of paragraph 1 is that junk foods have low nutritional content and high amounts of sugar, fat, or salt. The author includes this point to show the reader how to determine if a food should be classified as junk.

This book is neither exact nor eloquent. The thoughts are not precise; the expressions are vague; and, of consequence, the reasonings of no value. The attempts at rich displays of imaginative power are contrasted with a want of invention; and illustrative stories, of feeble execution, are lavished abundantly in lieu of physiological facts. The volumes are too insipid to cheat an idle hour of its weariness; they rather engender fatigue than relieve it. The author will never enter the true elysium of glory; he has not substance enough to proceed straight up the ascent; but will certainly be "blown transverse into the devious air." Like most of the literature of the day, this new Theory of Moral Sentiments is essentially transient. It will pass, like anti-masonry, without producing an era. The author uses the image of the book being blown away by the wind to suggest that: a it is too short for a serious audience. b the book's tone is lighthearted. c readers are unlikely to finish the book. d the ideas carry little weight and will not make a significant impact on the reader.

The paragraph focuses on the general inadequacy of the ideas in the book, saying it lacks "substance." It is this lacking in substance that is figuratively described as allowing the book to be blown away by the wind.

This book is neither exact nor eloquent. The thoughts are not precise; the expressions are vague; and, of consequence, the reasonings of no value. The attempts at rich displays of imaginative power are contrasted with a want of invention; and illustrative stories, of feeble execution, are lavished abundantly in lieu of physiological facts. The volumes are too insipid to cheat an idle hour of its weariness; they rather engender fatigue than relieve it. The author will never enter the true elysium of glory; he has not substance enough to proceed straight up the ascent; but will certainly be "blown transverse into the devious air." Like most of the literature of the day, this new Theory of Moral Sentiments is essentially transient. It will pass, like anti-masonry, without producing an era. The author uses the image of the book being blown away by the wind to suggest that: a the book's tone is lighthearted. b the ideas carry little weight and will not make a significant impact on the reader. c it is too short for a serious audience. d readers are unlikely to finish the book.

(1) The history of aeronautics may be divided into two periods, with the year 1914 as the dividing line between them. Before the great war the many brilliant minds that were trying to solve the problems of aerial navigation received comparatively little help or encouragement from humanity at large. The airship and the aeroplane were both accomplished facts, but most people looked upon them as ticklish contrivances of very little practical value. From the year 1909 onward aviation occupied an immense share of public attention; liberal prizes for aerial feats were offered; new records for speed, altitude, and endurance were made from day to day; but to the public, and perhaps to most of the aviators themselves, all this meant merely that a new and thrilling sport had been created, rather than a new art of boundless utility. Very few business men felt inclined to invest money in the development of aircraft, and the governments of the leading nations, with a single exception, were incredibly blind to the importance of building air fleets for use in war. The exception was Germany, which not only gave strong support to Count Zeppelin in the building of his dirigibles, but developed military aviation to such an extent that she entered the war with about 800 aeroplanes and a thousand trained pilots. (2) With the outbreak of the war the budding art burst into vigorous bloom. Unlimited funds were now available for experimenting and building. Thousands of flyers invaded the air, and the battle zone was a testing ground on a vast scale, where one improvement was hardly introduced before it was replaced by another. Some of the best engineering talent of the world was diverted from many and various fields to the one task of supplying the demands of the military aeronauts for more speed, more power, more reliable motors, better materials and appliances. Thus the war not only perfected aeronautics—especially aviation—as an art, but practically created it as an industry. At the close of hostilities the world found itself in possession of a vast fleet of aircraft, a multitude of aircraft factories, and a great army of trained aeronauts. What are "dirigibles," according to context clues in the text? a Dirigibles are "air fleets for use in the war", and Germany was a strong supporter of their inventor, Count Zeppelin. b Dirigibles are aircraft that were used in contests of aerial feats before the war. c Dirigibles are weapons that are mounted on airplanes, used mainly in World War I. d Dirigibles are German-trained pilots since Germany was the "single exception" in terms of supporting aviation as an industry.

The passage describes Germany as the one country who backed the creation of "air fleets for use in war," and uses Count Zeppelin as his creations as an example.

Passage 1: Punishment, it is said, is not inflicted on the offender as a retribution for his misdeeds, it is inflicted for the purpose of protecting society against its enemies. Such a view leaves moral considerations entirely out of account; it leaves no room for the just indignation of the public at the spectacle of crime. It is defective in other ways. For instance, a criminal has a particular animosity against some single individual; it may be he murders this person, or does him grievous bodily harm. Such an offender has no similar animosity against any one else; as far as the rest of the community is concerned he is perfectly harmless. On the supposition that punishment is only intended to protect society against the criminal, a man of this description would escape punishment altogether. Passage 2: No doubt the idea of punishment originated in the feeling of resentment and hatred and vengeance that, to some extent at least, is incident to life. The dog is hit with a stick and turns and bites the stick. Animals repel attack and fight their enemies to death. The primitive man vented his hatred and vengeance on things animate and inanimate. In the tribes no injury was satisfied until some member of the offending tribe was killed. In more recent times family feuds have followed down the generations and were not forgotten until the last member of a family was destroyed. Biologically, anger and hatred follow fear and injury, and punishment follows these in turn. Individuals, communities and whole peoples hate and swear vengeance for an injury, real or fancied. Punishments, even to the extent of death, are inflicted where there can be no possible object except revenge. In the second passage, the example of the dog biting the stick is used to show: a the idea of punishment is based on reason or morals. b punishment is inflicted upon an inappropriate object-the stick-and not on the deserving party-the hand holding the stick. c only unintelligent creatures like dogs react when harmed. d punishment morally raises human beings over animals and primitive people.

The passage states that the dog bites the stick, not the hand holding it, to show that punishment can be meted out on inappropriate targets.

A poem by William Wordsworth I heard a thousand blended notes, While in a grove I sate reclined, In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts Bring sad thoughts to the mind. To her fair works did nature link The human soul that through me ran; And much it griev'd my heart to think What man has made of man. Through primrose-tufts, in that sweet bower, The periwinkle trail'd its wreathes; And 'tis my faith that every flower Enjoys the air it breathes. The birds around me hopp'd and play'd: Their thoughts I cannot measure, But the least motion which they made, It seem'd a thrill of pleasure. The budding twigs spread out their fan, To catch the breezy air; And I must think, do all I can, That there was pleasure there. If I these thoughts may not prevent, If such be of my creed the plan, Have I not reason to lament What man has made of man? The poet uses repetition in verses 2 and 6 to: a mimic the sound of spring rain. b drive home his main point. c emphasize the goodness of nature. d remember times gone by.

The poet's main point, the sadness of "what man has made of man" is repeated twice, driving it home.

A poem by William Wordsworth I heard a thousand blended notes, While in a grove I sate reclined, In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts Bring sad thoughts to the mind. To her fair works did nature link The human soul that through me ran; And much it griev'd my heart to think What man has made of man. Through primrose-tufts, in that sweet bower, The periwinkle trail'd its wreathes; And 'tis my faith that every flower Enjoys the air it breathes. The birds around me hopp'd and play'd: Their thoughts I cannot measure, But the least motion which they made, It seem'd a thrill of pleasure. The budding twigs spread out their fan, To catch the breezy air; And I must think, do all I can, That there was pleasure there. If I these thoughts may not prevent, If such be of my creed the plan, Have I not reason to lament What man has made of man? The poet uses repetition in verses 2 and 6 to: a mimic the sound of spring rain. b drive home his main point. c remember times gone by. d emphasize the goodness of nature.

The poet's main point, the sadness of "what man has made of man" is repeated twice, driving it home.

When you come suddenly upon the porcupine in his native haunts, he draws his head back and down, puts up his shield, trails his broad tail, and waddles slowly away. His shield is the bundle of larger quills upon his back, which he opens and spreads out in a circular form so that the whole body is quite hidden beneath it. The porcupine's great chisel-like teeth, which are quite as formidable as those of the woodchuck, he does not appear to use at all in his defense. He relies entirely upon his quills, and when those fail him, he is done for. The word "haunts" in the first sentence most closely means: a habitat b ghosts c perseverance d melancholy

The porcupine's haunts are his habitat.

(1) Some men who had been hopeless of supporting their families in comfort and independence at home thought that they had only to come out to Canada to make their fortunes. (2) A desire for wealth and escaping violence are two common reasons for families to emigrate from their homes. (3) They were made to believe that if it did not actually rain gold, that precious metal could be obtained by stooping to pick it up. (4) Soon, the infection became general. (5) The Canada mania spread into the middle ranks of British society. (6) Thousands and tens of thousands of men landed upon these shores for the space of three or four years. (7) Much of this higher class was perfectly unfitted by their previous habits and education for contending with the stern realities of emigrant life. (8) Many men were unprepared to wield the spade and guide the plough, or try their strength against the stubborn trees of the forest. (9) Nor would such persons submit cheerfully to the saucy familiarity of servants who think themselves as good as their employers. (10) Too many of these honourable men were easy dupes to the designing land-speculators. (11) Not having counted the cost, but only looking upon the bright side of the picture held up to their admiring gaze, they were easily manipulated by experienced land-speculators. According to the passage, middle-class immigrants to Canada were: a generally able to maintain their elevated status. b inexperienced but able to depend on the help of land speculators. c at a disadvantage compared to the lower class arrivals. d uncommon because they did not have financial motivation.

The second half of the passage focuses on ways the middle class were less prepared for both the hardships and change in social norms. They did not arrive with many of the skills needed for their new lives and were unused to being treated poorly.

Below is an excerpt from Song of Solomon 2:3 As an apple tree among the trees of the forest so is my beloved among the young men. With great delight, I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. What does the term "apple tree" signify? a the man's location in the city b the man's similarity to the other young men c the man's appearance d the man's uniqueness and beauty

The term "apple tree" is describing the man's uniqueness and beauty. A forest typically consists of non-fruit bearing trees; finding a fruit tree "among" the forest would be unique.

(1) No community has ever been more completely isolated than the first white immigrants to Sydney. (2) They were three thousand miles away from the nearest white men; before them lay a great ocean, visited only at rare intervals, and, for the greater part, unexplored; behind them was an unknown continent, a vast, untrodden waste, in which they formed but a speck. (3) They were almost completely shut out from the rest of the civilized world, and few of them could have any hope of returning to their homeland. (4) This made the British colony all the more suitable as a place of punishment; for people at home shrank with horror at the idea of being banished to what seemed like a tomb for living men and women. The author probably uses the word "speck" in line 2 to mean: a an indelible stain. b an inconsequential amount. c a dust mote. d a permanent blemish.

The text describes the great tracts of land and ocean and refers to the English population as a "speck," or an inconsequential amount.

Excerpt from Inaugural Address by John F. Kennedy, January 20, 1961 (1) "In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than in mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe. (2) Now the trumpet summons us again - not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are - but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, 'rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation'- a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself. (3) Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort? (4) In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shirk from this responsibility - I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it-- and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. (5) And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you-- ask what you can do for your country. (6) My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. (7) Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own." a a court order b to draw away from c a call to action d to make noise

The word "summons" in this context is best defined as a "call to action". The excerpt even defines the word, in a way, when it reads "not as a call to bear arms,...but a call to bear the burden..."

The following is an excerpt from a lecture written by Ralph Emerson in his collection "Representative Men" (1) This range of Plato instructs us what to think of the vexed question concerning his reputed works,—what are genuine, what spurious. It is singular that wherever we find a man higher, by a whole head, than any of his contemporaries, it is sure to come into doubt, what are his real works. Thus, Homer, Plato, Raffaelle, Shakespeare. For these men magnetize their contemporaries, so that their companions can do for them what they can never do for themselves; and the great man does thus live in several bodies; and write, or paint, or act, by many hands; and after some time, it is not easy to say what is the authentic work of the master, and what is only of his school. (2) Plato, too, like every great man, consumed his own times. What is a great man, but one of great affinities, who takes up into himself all arts, sciences, all knowables, as his food? He can spare nothing; he can dispose of everything. What is not good for virtue is good for knowledge. Hence his contemporaries tax him with plagiarism. But the inventor only knows how to borrow; and society is glad to forget the innumerable laborers who ministered to this architect, and reserves all its gratitude for him. When we are praising Plato, it seems we are praising quotations from Solon, and Sophron, and Philolaus. Be it so. Every book is a quotation; and every house is a quotation out of all forests, and mines, and stone quarries; and every man is a quotation from all his ancestors. And this grasping inventor puts all nations under contribution. (3) Plato absorbed the learning of his times,—Philolaus, Timaeus, Heraclitus, Parmenides, and what else; then his master, Socrates; and finding himself still capable of a larger synthesis,—beyond all example then or since,—he traveled into Italy, to gain what Pythagoras had for him; then into Egypt, and perhaps still further east, to import the other element, which Europe wanted, into the European mind. This breadth entitles him to stand as the representative of philosophy. He says, in the Republic, "Such a genius as philosophers must of necessity have, is wont but seldom, in all its parts, to meet in one man; but its different parts generally spring up in different persons." Every man, who would do anything well, must come to it from a higher ground. A philosopher must be more than a philosopher. Plato is clothed with the powers of a poet, stands upon the highest place of the poet, and (though I doubt he wanted the decisive gift of lyric expression) mainly is not a poet, because he chose to use the poetic gift to an ulterior purpose. In the first line of the passage, the author uses "vexed" to mean: a hateful b disputed c obvious d vague

The word vexed is used in the opening, in "the vexed question concerning [Plato's] reputed works." So, the question is about works assumed, "reputed" to be written by Plato. The word "reputed" informs the reader that some question whether it is truly Plato's ideas represented in these writings. He goes on to say that great men have the question asked, "What are his real works." Therefore, the "vexed question" is the disputed authorship of Plato's works.

The following is an excerpt from a lecture written by Ralph Emerson in his collection "Representative Men" (1) This range of Plato instructs us what to think of the vexed question concerning his reputed works,—what are genuine, what spurious. It is singular that wherever we find a man higher, by a whole head, than any of his contemporaries, it is sure to come into doubt, what are his real works. Thus, Homer, Plato, Raffaelle, Shakespeare. For these men magnetize their contemporaries, so that their companions can do for them what they can never do for themselves; and the great man does thus live in several bodies; and write, or paint, or act, by many hands; and after some time, it is not easy to say what is the authentic work of the master, and what is only of his school. (2) Plato, too, like every great man, consumed his own times. What is a great man, but one of great affinities, who takes up into himself all arts, sciences, all knowables, as his food? He can spare nothing; he can dispose of everything. What is not good for virtue is good for knowledge. Hence his contemporaries tax him with plagiarism. But the inventor only knows how to borrow; and society is glad to forget the innumerable laborers who ministered to this architect, and reserves all its gratitude for him. When we are praising Plato, it seems we are praising quotations from Solon, and Sophron, and Philolaus. Be it so. Every book is a quotation; and every house is a quotation out of all forests, and mines, and stone quarries; and every man is a quotation from all his ancestors. And this grasping inventor puts all nations under contribution. (3) Plato absorbed the learning of his times,—Philolaus, Timaeus, Heraclitus, Parmenides, and what else; then his master, Socrates; and finding himself still capable of a larger synthesis,—beyond all example then or since,—he traveled into Italy, to gain what Pythagoras had for him; then into Egypt, and perhaps still further east, to import the other element, which Europe wanted, into the European mind. This breadth entitles him to stand as the representative of philosophy. He says, in the Republic, "Such a genius as philosophers must of necessity have, is wont but seldom, in all its parts, to meet in one man; but its different parts generally spring up in different persons." Every man, who would do anything well, must come to it from a higher ground. A philosopher must be more than a philosopher. Plato is clothed with the powers of a poet, stands upon the highest place of the poet, and (though I doubt he wanted the decisive gift of lyric expression) mainly is not a poet, because he chose to use the poetic gift to an ulterior purpose. In the first line of the passage, the author uses "vexed" to mean: a obvious b hateful c disputed d vague

(1) A picture is worth a thousand words. When you go on vacation, it is often customary to send friends and family members photo postcards from the beautiful places you visit. The postcards not only let them know where you are and how you're doing, but (3) they provide them with a keepsake from your vacation. Today, the ritual of sending postcards has been somewhat replaced by posting vacation pictures on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media (5) sites. In a recent survey of vacationers, 75% said that they are more likely to post on Facebook than to send a postcard. Not long ago, however, it was not uncommon for people to amass many hundreds of (7) postcards received from acquaintances. As these collections grew, a hunger for more postcards arose, and some people became amateur postcard collectors. Which of the following would be a synonym for the word "customary" as it is used in line 1 of the selection? a judicial b unusual c common d measure

The words customary and common both means "of frequent occurrence; usual."

"Sick" by Shel Silverstein (1) "I cannot go to school today," (2) Said little Peggy Ann McKay. (2) "I have the measles and the mumps, (3) A gash, a rash and purple bumps. (4) My mouth is wet, my throat is dry, (5) I'm going blind in my right eye. (6) My tonsils are as big as rocks, (7) I've counted sixteen chicken pox (8) And there's one more--that's seventeen, (9) And don't you think my face looks green? (10) My leg is cut--my eyes are blue-- (11) It might be instamatic flu. (12) I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke, (13) I'm sure that my left leg is broke-- (14) My hip hurts when I move my chin, (15) My belly button's caving in, (16) My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained, (17) My 'pendix pains each time it rains. (18) My nose is cold, my toes are numb. (19) I have a sliver in my thumb. (20) My neck is stiff, my voice is weak, (21) I hardly whisper when I speak. (22) My tongue is filling up my mouth, (23) I think my hair is falling out. (24) My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight, (25) My temperature is one-o-eight. (26) My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear, (27) There is a hole inside my ear. (28) I have a hangnail, and my heart is--what? (29) What's that? What's that you say? (30) You say today is. . .Saturday? (31) G'bye, I'm going out to play!" Which word could replace "There is" in the line "There is a hole inside my ear." without changing the meaning? a They're b There's c Theirs d Theres

There's

Note: The original source of the text below was written in the late 19th century. The habits of a people, which are to a certain extent the product of the country in which they live, in turn have a pronounced effect on their habitations. New Mexico and Arizona came into the possession of the United States in 1846, and prior to that time the Navajo lived chiefly by war and plunder. The Mexican settlers along the Rio Grande and the Native Americans already there had early interactions. Thousands of sheep and horses from the Mexican settlers formed the starting point of the large flocks and herds which constitute the wealth of the Navajo today. The Navajo reservation is better suited for the raising of sheep than for anything else, and the step from the life of a warrior and hunter to that of a shepherd is not a long one, nor a hard one to take. Under the stress of necessity the Navajo became a peaceful pastoral tribe, living by their flocks and herds, and practicing horticulture only in an extremely limited and precarious way. Under modern conditions they are slowly developing into an agricultural tribe, and this development has already progressed far enough to materially affect their house structures; but in a general way it may be said that they are pastoral people, and their habits have been dictated largely by that mode of life. Every family is possessed of a flock of sheep and goats, sometimes numbering many thousands, and a band of horses, generally several hundreds, in a few instances several thousands. In recent times many possess small herds of cattle, the progeny of those which strayed into the reservation from the numerous large herds in its vicinity. The condition of the tribe, as a whole, is not only far removed from hardship, but may even be said to be one of comparative affluence. Which of the following is not used to describe Navajo people? a agricultural b changeable c tactful d affluent

This is correct as the passage does not mention the Navajos' communication skills.

(1) Now, in the same way that education develops and increases the power of the brain, so exercise has a similar effect on the body. When the muscles are strengthened, the beneficial effect is also participated in by the heart, lungs, and digestive organs, and thus the removal of worn-out material from the body is assisted. The effect of exercise is thus to remove used up products from the system, and so afford an opportunity for renewed material to take their place. There is nothing more important than exercise. (2) Ceaseless changes are constantly going on throughout the body, and any part which has fulfilled its object is no longer necessary for the requirements of the system, in fact it becomes injurious. Its removal has to take place by one of the various outlets, and it is by exercise that its expulsion is greatly assisted. In this way exercise differs altogether from the part played by food. The latter is the introduction of nourishment into the system for the renewal of its wants, while exercise is the principal agent by which debris is eliminated. The author uses the word "injurious" to mean: a harmful. b harmless. c obsolete. d nutritious.

This is the correct meaning because the word "injurious" refers to how some used-up materials in our bodies can harm us.

Who has not seen inventors of these capricious motors standing by the roadside scratching their heads in despair, utterly at a loss to know why the stubborn thing does not go? Who has not seen skilled mechanics in blue jeans and unskilled amateurs flat on their backs under the vehicle, peering upward into the intricacies of the mechanism, trying to find the cause,—the obscure, the hidden source of all their trouble? And then the probing with wires, the tugs with wrenches, the wrestling with screw-drivers, the many trials,—for the most part futile,—the subdued language of the bunkers, and at length, when least expected, a start, and the machine goes off as if nothing at all had been the matter. It is then the skilled driver looks wise and does not betray his surprise to the gaping crowd, just looks as if the start were the anticipated result of his well-directed efforts instead of a chance hit amidst blind gropings. In the passage, why does the author include a description of both mechanics and amateurs experiencing the same struggle to fix the cars? a to suggest the idea that pressure from onlookers affects everyone the same b to reveal his distrust of mechanics c to persuade car owners to attempt to fix problems themselves instead of paying a mechanic d to emphasize that the issue with the car is often not the fault of the operator

This paragraph goes to great lengths to express how mysterious many of the issues are, describing cars as broken one moment, then suddenly fixed. Because of this, the author is emphasizing the defect or shortcoming to be one with the car, and not the person trying to fix it.

World travel is a goal many working people aspire to. But with so many destinations and travel options, the thought of planning a trip can be daunting. The first step to take when beginning travel planning is to decide on a destination. Use the internet, books, or movies to inspire your choice. Once you've picked your location, the next step is to do some research for activities and sights to visit while there. Many travel books and websites exist to help with narrowing down your itinerary. The next step is to research and book travel and hotels. If you're leaving your home country, be sure to file for or renew your passport; if you don't, you won't be able to enter a new country or return to your old one! While planning out an itinerary will help encourage smooth travels and keep any points of interest on the radar, be sure to leave some time to just explore and wing it. Some of the most exciting travel adventures are unplanned! According to the passage, what would happen if you traveled internationally without a passport? A) You would not be able to travel internationally. B) You would not be able to see historic sites. C) You would not be able to move quickly and easily through airports. D) You would not be allowed to return home.

This question is asking you to recall what the author says about passports. By returning to the passage and reading that specific sentence, the obvious answer is Choice D. While Choice A is true, it is not about what would happen if you did travel internationally. Choices B and C are never mentioned in the passage and can be quickly eliminated as possible correct answers.

The following is an excerpt from Henry VIII by A.F. Pollard, M.A. In the whole range of English history there is no monarch whose character has been more variously depicted by contemporaries or more strenuously debated by posterity than the "majestic lord who broke the bonds of Rome". To one historian an inhuman embodiment of cruelty and vice, to another a superhuman incarnation of courage, wisdom and strength of will, Henry VIII has, by an almost universal consent, been placed above or below the grade of humanity. So unique was his personality, so singular his achievements, that he appears in the light of a special dispensation sent like another Attila to be the scourge of mankind, or like a second Hercules to cleanse, or at least to demolish, Augean stables. The dictates of his will seemed as inexorable as the decrees of fate, and the history of his reign is strewn with records of the ruin of those who failed to placate his wrath. Of the six queens he married, two he divorced, and two he beheaded. Four English cardinals lived in his reign; one perished by the executioner's axe, one escaped it by absence, and a third by a timely but natural death. Of a similar number of dukes half were condemned by attainder; and the same method of speedy despatch accounted for six or seven earls and viscounts and for scores of lesser degree. He began his reign by executing the ministers of his father, he continued it by sending his own to the scaffold. The Tower of London was both palace and prison, and statesmen passed swiftly from one to the other; in silent obscurity alone lay salvation. Religion and politics, rank and profession made little difference; priest and layman, cardinal-archbishop and "hammer of the monks," men whom Henry had raised from the mire, and peers, over whose heads they were placed, were joined in a common fate. Wolsey and More, Cromwell and Norfolk, trod the same dizzy path to the same fatal end; and the English people looked on powerless or unmoved. They sent their burgesses and knights of the shire to Westminster without let or hindrance, and Parliament met with a regularity that grew with the rigour of Henry's rule; but it seemed to assemble only to register the royal edicts and clothe with a legal cloak the naked violence of Henry's acts. It remembered its privileges only to lay them at Henry's feet, it cancelled his debts, endowed his proclamations with the force of laws, and authorised him to repeal acts of attainder and dispose of his crown at will. Secure of its support Henry turned and rent the spiritual unity of Western Christendom, and settled at a blow that perennial struggle between Church and State, in which kings and emperors had bitten the dust. With every epithet of contumely and scorn he trampled under foot the jurisdiction of him who was believed to hold the keys of heaven and hell. Borrowing in practice the old maxim of Roman law, cujus regio, ejus religio*, he placed himself in the seat of authority in religion and presumed to define the faith of which Leo had styled him defender. Others have made themselves despots by their mastery of many legions, through the agency of a secret police, or by means of an organised bureaucracy. Yet Henry's standing army consisted of a few gentlemen pensioners and yeomen of the guard; he had neither secret police nor organised bureaucracy. Even then Englishmen boasted that they were not slaves like the French, and foreigners pointed a finger of scorn at their turbulence. Had they not permanently or temporarily deprived of power nearly half their kings who had reigned since William the Conqueror? Yet Henry VIII not only left them their arms, but repeatedly urged them to keep those arms ready for use. He eschewed that air of mystery with which tyrants have usually sought to impose on the mind of the people. All his life he moved familiarly and almost unguarded in the midst of his subjects, and he died in his bed, full of years, with the spell of his power unbroken and the terror of his name unimpaired. * - Latin phrase meaning "Whose realm, his religion." All of the following statements relate to Henry VIII's rule EXCEPT a he married and remarried multiple times while king. b he was backed by Parliament when he issued new laws and decrees. c he kept a small army and encouraged the population to maintain arms. d he punished anyone who did not go along with his plans and desires.

This statement is related to how Henry VIII ruled. The text says that parliament met to "[cancel] his debts, [endow] his proclamations with the force of laws, and [authorise] him to repeal acts of attainder and dispose of his crown at will." A While this statement is a fact, his marriages do not directly relate to how he ruled

Which figurative language device is used in the following sentence from Frankenstein? The winter has been dreadfully severe, but the spring promises well, and it is considered as a remarkably early season, so that perhaps I may sail sooner than I expected. a Personification b Simile c Hyperbole d Metonymy

When spring is described as making a promise of good weather, the author is giving spring human characteristics.

The age of exploration marked a new frontier for sea navigation. This epoch began in the 15th century when Portugal and Spain started to expand their commercial interests and trade routes across the oceans, resulting in the exchange of goods and sometimes even traditions. Sailors used new technologies to navigate across the world, including a device called the quadrant, a fan-shaped magnetic object that measured the altitude of stars, the moon, and the sun in order to determine the latitude of a ship. Another device was the compass, which used Earth's magnetic poles to point navigators north, south, east, or west. Time-keeping devices, like hourglasses, were important in calculating how far and how fast a ship had sailed. Early navigators also used maps, although these were not always accurate and were often written during the course of the exploration. These maps were then improved upon with new explorations. With these new technologies, the success of the age of exploration was unparalleled. Which of the following conclusions is best supported by the passage? A) 15th century maps were the most reliable means of navigating the oceans. B) 15th century exploration was made possible only with the financial support of Spain and Portugal. C) The quadrant drastically improved explorers' ability to navigate the oceans. D) Without new technologies, explorers would have made less progress.

Your conclusion should be a logical summary of the passage. The main idea here is to express to the reader why 15th century exploration was a success. Multiple technologies are listed and described, which makes D the best choice. Choice A is a direct contradiction of what the passage says, and both A and C focus too narrowly on only one piece of technology. Choice B, while possibly historically accurate, cannot be verified with the information given in the passage. Conclusions should always be based on what is directly supported by the text.

An Excerpt, from Appleton's Science Monthly in 1898 (1) While the officers and friends of education in large cities are exerting themselves to provide open-air playgrounds for the schools, the villages and smaller towns all over the East are reversing the case. (2) Except in the small district schools, the children's playground has almost ceased to exist. (3) This is an evil which has crept in with the tendency to centralize the schools. (4) When in any place the schools begin to overflow, a movement to put up a larger building takes place, accompanied by an effort to create a high-school department; not so much the need of the community as the ambitious dream of some principal who would be superintendent. (5) This dream is too easily realized, because it flatters the people. (6) Then there rises a preposterous structure of stone and brick; a house of many gables, out of keeping with everything, either public or private, in the place; a temple of vanity. (7) Now is rung the knell of the school playground. (8) To maintain the fine lawn, studded with shrubbery, and threaded by bluestone roads, the janitor has to employ an assistant to keep the grounds in order. (9) A shut-in, penitentiary like place has been evolved by the architect and school committee, gratifying to their pride and a deep wrong to the children. (10) There are many wrongs about it; the one insisted upon here is the abolishing of the recess, that time-honored joy of the American schoolboy and schoolgirl. Which sentence from the passage best states the main idea? a sentence 3 b sentence 2 c sentence 4 d sentence 5

The horse was probably at first most valued for its use in war. The people which possessed it certainly had a great advantage over their less well-provided neighbors. In fact, the development of the military art was made easy by the strength, endurance, and fleetness characterizing this creature. In the wide range of species that have been domesticated or might be won to companionship with man, there is none other which so completely supplements the human body, making it fit for great deeds. If the horse had been much smaller or larger than he is, he would have been far less serviceable to man. For example, the elephant has been found too large for agricultural uses, and too powerful to be controlled by his master under conditions of excitement. According to the passage, why are horses more useful to people than elephants? a It is easier to train horses to perform tasks than elephants. b Horses are smaller and less powerful than elephants. c Horses more easily bond with people. d Horses have greater endurance than elephants.

b The passage notes that elephants' size makes them less useful and says that they are too powerful to be controlled when they are excited. The passage also mentions the horse's strength, but because of its smaller size, people are more able to control them.

(1) President Kennedy was not the first to imagine sending a man to the moon. A little more than 100 years earlier, in 1865, science fiction writer Jules Verne also imagined space travel. He put his innovative thoughts in a book called From the Earth to the Moon. In it he described a lunar expedition that is so eerily close to the Apollo 11 mission that a reader would think he was predicting the future. He called his spaceship with a crew of three the Columbiad. In his book the spacecraft launches from Florida, and the United States Navy recovers it from the Pacific Ocean. In 1969, Florida was the launch site of Apollo 11. The command module was named Columbia. When the spacecraft returned to Earth, it splashed down in the Pacific, where the navy recovered it along with its three-astronaut crew. Verne accurately delineated the future when the technology of his own time made his predictions seem highly unlikely to occur. How could he have known that his far-fetched idea was not so far-fetched after all? (2) Like Verne, other science fiction writers have accurately described inventions that are commonplace today. Many of H. G. Wells's ideas, for example, have become a reality. Considered by many to be one of the best science fiction writers of all time, Wells wrote about lasers, wireless communication, automatic doors, and other gadgets that did not exist at the time of his writings. But today these gadgets are such an integral part of ours society that we probably cannot imagine living without them. Wells also describes a journey to the moon on a spaceship made from an anti-gravity material. We can only speculate that these writers might have inspired those who later turned their fiction into reality. (3) In 2012 a Mars rover, developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), landed on the planet Mars. No one would have been more excited to hear the news than Ray Bradbury, one of America's greatest science fiction writers. In 1950 he wrote about travel to Mars in his book The Martian Chronicles. The book describes an expedition that lands humans on Mars. The story then tells how the people inhabit the planet and bring their families to live there. Since NASA has successfully landed a rover on Mars, Bradbury's fantasy may yet become reality. The Mars rover, appropriately called Curiosity, is gathering information that will help NASA plan a manned mission to Mars sometime in the 2030s. Will future families travel to Mars to live there, as Bradbury imagined? If so, the world as we know it today will certainly be different. What is one detail that illustrates how Jules Verne's book connects with the real Apollo 11 mission? a The mission's name, Apollo 11, was taken directly from Verne's book. b When the spacecraft returned to earth, it landed in the Pacific Ocean. c Kennedy was President during the moon landing. d When they landed on Mars, it looked eerily similar to the way Bradbury had described it.

b This question asks you to recall supporting detail provided in the passage directly. This is the only answer that correctly states what is explicitly written.

Today, the Vikings are mostly known as violent pirates and raiders. It is true that Vikings did raid and destroy many towns and villages along coastlines, all the way from what is now northern Russia to Morocco. However, the Vikings were also traders and merchants and didn't simply destroy things. They built towns and markets of their own, including Hedeby, which in the 10th century had a population of 1,500, making it the largest trading town in northern Europe. At their height, the Vikings attacked, settled, or traded on four continents. They were active all the way from Canada (they became the first Europeans to travel to the Americas) to present-day Istanbul. This passage was primarily written for: A) Historians researching Viking settlements B) Children learning about Vikings for the first time C) Middle school students in a history class D) People researching travel to Scandinavia

c. In order to correctly assess the audience, we need to think about the type of information included as well as the level of vocabulary used. The best answer is C. The vocabulary is not too difficult for a middle school student to understand, and the information presented is neither over-simplified nor extremely complicated. If the passage were written for: A - we'd likely see more complicated terminology or jargon related to Vikings B - the author would need to include definitions of some of the terms, like "raid" or "merchant." D - while this information might be interesting to someone wanting to travel to Scandinavia, it wouldn't be relevant for travel research.

(1) Some men who had been hopeless of supporting their families in comfort and independence at home thought that they had only to come out to Canada to make their fortunes. (2) A desire for wealth and escaping violence are two common reasons for families to emigrate from their homes. (3) They were made to believe that if it did not actually rain gold, that precious metal could be obtained by stooping to pick it up. (4) Soon, the infection became general. (5) The Canada mania spread into the middle ranks of British society. (6) Thousands and tens of thousands of men landed upon these shores for the space of three or four years. (7) Much of this higher class was perfectly unfitted by their previous habits and education for contending with the stern realities of emigrant life. (8) Many men were unprepared to wield the spade and guide the plough, or try their strength against the stubborn trees of the forest. (9) Nor would such persons submit cheerfully to the saucy familiarity of servants who think themselves as good as their employers. (10) Too many of these honourable men were easy dupes to the designing land-speculators. (11) Not having counted the cost, but only looking upon the bright side of the picture held up to their admiring gaze, they were easily manipulated by experienced land-speculators. What does this passage imply about the gold in Canada? a What they thought was gold was actually pyrite, known as fool's gold. b Gold was easily accessible and commonly found. c It was not as plentiful as men were led to believe. d No one actually became rich by finding gold in Canada at this time.

c. The author writes, "They were made to believe that if it did not actually rain gold, that precious metal could be obtained by stooping to pick it up." Next, he describes various hardships faced by the immigrants in Canada. While he doesn't explicitly state it, saying "they were made to believe" implies that it was untrue, especially in combination with the additional details that describe hardships with no descriptions of success.

The following is an excerpt from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted on the earth and the big trees were kings. An empty stream, a great silence, an impenetrable forest. The air was warm, thick, heavy, sluggish. There was no joy in the brilliance of sunshine. The long stretches of the waterway ran on, deserted, into the gloom of overshadowed distances. On silvery sand-banks hippos and alligators sunned themselves side by side. The broadening waters flowed through a mob of wooded islands; you lost your way on that river as you would in a desert, and butted all day long against shoals, trying to find the channel, till you thought yourself bewitched and cut off for ever from everything you had known once—somewhere—far away—in another existence perhaps. The author wrote this paragraph in order to: a define the main conflict for the novel. b reflect on his emotional connection to past experiences. c inform the audience of what to expect when visiting the congo. d describe the setting and contribute to the tone.

d This excerpt succeeds in describing what would likely be an unfamiliar scene for the audience, while also helping establish the tone of the story.

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