English

For me, reading has always been a path toward liberation and fulfillment. To learn to read is to start down the road of liberation, a road which should be accessible to everyone. No one has the right to keep you from reading, and yet that is what is happening in many areas in this country today. There are those who think they know best what we should read. These censors are at work in all areas of our daily lives. Which best describes how Anaya uses rhetorical appeal to convince readers that censors want to limit what people can read?

A. Anaya speaks about everyone's right to read what they choose in order to appeal to the reader's sense of fairness.

The bagel data also reflect how much personal mood seems to affect honesty. Weather, for instance, is a major factor. Unseasonably pleasant weather inspires people to pay at a higher rate. Unseasonably cold weather, meanwhile, makes people cheat prolifically; so do heavy rain and wind. Worst are the holidays. The week of Christmas produces a 2 percent drop in payment rates—again, a 15 percent increase in theft, an effect on the same magnitude, in reverse, as that of 9/11. Thanksgiving is nearly as bad; the week of Valentine's Day is also lousy, as is the week straddling April 15. There are, however, a few good holidays: the weeks that include the Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Columbus Day. The difference in the two sets of holidays? The low-cheating holidays represent little more than an extra day off from work. The high-cheating holidays are fraught with miscellaneous anxieties and the high expectations of loved ones.

A. Different emotional states affect people's honesty.

My friend had concluded that if he took his language and culture out of his poetry, he stood a better chance of receiving a fellowship. He took out his native language, the poetic patois of our reality, the rich mixture of Spanish, English, pachuco and street talk which we know so well. In other words, he took the tortillas out of his poetry, which is to say he took the soul out of his poetry. At a neighborhood fair in Texas, somewhere between the German Oom-pah Sausage Stand and the Mexican Gorditas booth, I overheard a young man say to his friend, "I wish I had a heritage. Sometimes I feel—so lonely for one." And the tall American trees were dangling their thick branches right down over his head. Which best states how the structures of both excerpts support ideas about cultural diversity?

A. Each incorporates non-English words.

Then my father was called; he came forward jauntily, smiling. He tried to kiss my mother, but she turned away from him. I only heard one sentence of what he said. "I'm doing all I can, Your Honor," he mumbled, grinning. In this excerpt, how does Wright convey his father's attitude and beliefs?

A. He depicts his father's carefree, dismissive behavior.

(Enter, from the side door, Mary, the pretty servant girl, who fusses about at the back of the room.) What do the stage directions reveal about Mary?

A. Her fidgeting suggests that she is nervous about sharing her thoughts.

By autumn, what had begun as an adventurous expedition had turned into an exhausting, indecisive war of attrition in which we fought for no cause other than our own survival. Which statement best explains the paradox in the excerpt?

A. It is odd that war should ever be viewed as an adventurous expedition.

He made that poor piano moan with melody. O Blues! Swaying to and fro on his rickety stool He played that sad raggy tune like a musical fool. Sweet Blues! Coming from a black man's soul. O Blues! In a deep song voice with a melancholy tone I heard that Negro sing, that old piano moan— "Ain't got nobody in all this world, Ain't got nobody but ma self. I's gwine to quit ma frownin' And put ma troubles on the shelf." What is the effect of repeating the phrase "piano moan" in the poem?

A. It sets a sad, mournful tone.

I stood on all of that and it worked for a second. But then I had the tips of my fingers on the vase, and the tragedies started to wobble, and the tuxedo was incredibly distracting, and the next thing was that everything was on the floor, including me, and including the vase, which had shattered. "I didn't do it!" I hollered, but they didn't even hear me, because they were playing music too loud and cracking up too much. How does the narration shape Oskar's characterization in this excerpt?

A. It shows his youth and inexperience.

I have been a nurse for twenty years. In that time, I have seen a great number of patients suffer because they did not have health insurance. One of the worst cases was a young mother of two who was diagnosed with early stage skin cancer. Because she could not afford treatment, the cancer spread from her skin to other parts of her body. By the time I saw her for the first time, the cancer had reached her brain and she could no longer be helped. This sort of thing should not happen to anyone. A strong universal health care system could prevent instances like this from occurring. What makes this appeal from the paragraph convincing? One of the worst cases was a young mother of two who was diagnosed with early stage skin cancer.

A. It uses a specific example as evidence.

Yet some of my friends tell me they understand 50 percent of what my mother says. Some say they understand 80 to 90 percent. Some say they understand none of it, as if she were speaking pure Chinese. But to me, my mother's English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. It's my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, full of observation and imagery. That was the language that helped shape the way I saw things, expressed things, made sense of the world. Which best summarizes the central idea of the excerpt?

A. Nonstandard forms of English are valid, complete languages.

Leon knocked at the old carved door with its symbols of the Lamb. While he waited he looked up at the twin bells from the king of Spain with the last sunlight pouring around them in their tower. What does the image of the Lamb above the priest's door symbolize?

A. The Lamb symbolizes the traditions of the Catholic Church.

Of course, neural networks still have a long way to go before they can model the human brain. As physicist Heinz Pagels has said: "The difference between a real neuron and the model neurons . . . is like the difference between a human hand and a pair of pliers." But the fact that a simple neural network can speak at all is remarkable, indicating that perhaps human abilities can be simulated by electronics. . . .

A. The simulated speech of neural networks suggests the potential for other electronic simulations.

Of course, neural networks still have a long way to go before they can model the human brain. As physicist Heinz Pagels has said: "The difference between a real neuron and the model neurons . . . is like the difference between a human hand and a pair of pliers." But the fact that a simple neural network can speak at all is remarkable, indicating that perhaps human abilities can be simulated by electronics. . . . Which is the most accurate summary of Kaku's argument?

A. The simulated speech of neural networks suggests the potential for other electronic simulations.

What emotional truth is conveyed in both "Ambush" and "Facing It"?

A. Those who experienced or fought in the Vietnam War are forever affected by it in some way.

The speaker in "The Weary Blues" is most likely

A. an audience member at a blues show.

What feeling is conveyed in both "Ambush" and "Facing It"?

A. confusion

Their Eyes Were Watching God is set in the Florida Everglades, a swampy area. In the novel, the setting is referred to as "the muck." This description is an example of

A. dialect.

An effective argumentative essay must provide evidence because

A. evidence appeals to the reader's sense of logic.

"Kerroway?" "Yeah." "Kerroway it's gonna be the Sherman Local at 7 AM this morning." "Sherman Local right." "Out of Bayshore, you know the way?" "Yeah." "You had that same job last Sunday——Okay Keroway-y-y-y-y." This excerpt best illustrates which influence on Jack Kerouac's writing?

A. personal experiences

In those days he really didn't know what he was talking about; that is to say, he was a young jailkid all hung-up on the wonderful possibilities of becoming a real intellectual, and he liked to talk in the tone and using the words, but in a jumbled way, that he had heard from "real intellectuals"—although, mind you, he wasn't so naïve as that in all other things, and it took him just a few months with Carlo Marx to become completely in there with all the terms and jargon. Which is a key feature of Kerouac's diction that contributes to his writing style?

A. the use of youth culture slang

A tortilla is a round flatbread that appears in most Mexican dishes, including tacos, enchiladas, and tostadas. Tortillas are made with cornmeal or sometimes wheat flour. Traditionally, the corn or wheat grains are ground on a stone. Next, the meal from these grains is formed into small pieces of dough and patted into thin circles by hand. Finally, the tortilla is baked on a griddle. Today, tortilla dough is usually mixed by machine, flattened into shape, and passed on a conveyor belt to cook over a flame. Tortillas can be purchased at most major grocery stores. Which best describes the purpose of this passage?

A. to inform audiences about the production and types of tortillas

I know this for a fact, because when I was growing up, my mother's "limited" English limited my perception of her. I was ashamed of her English. I believed that her English reflected the quality of what she had to say. That is, because she expressed them imperfectly her thoughts were imperfect. What is the purpose of this text?

A. to inform readers based on Tan's childhood experience

I wandered in and out of the brilliant stacks of cans following you, and followed in my imagination by the store detective. From this excerpt, it can best be inferred that the speaker is

A. unconcerned about the time.

Text messaging while driving is dangerous, and making it against the law in many states would be a good idea. Which is the best revision of the underlined portion of the sentence?

A. which is why many states support banning the practice.

Which excerpt from Infinite Jest best illustrates an objective narrative voice?

B. 'You are Harold Incandenza, eighteen, date of secondary-school graduation approximately one month from now, attending the Enfield Tennis Academy. . . .'

What best describes an element shared by the article "Indicted Her for Murder" and the excerpt from Midnight Assassin?

B. Both address the fact that Mrs. Hossack was in the house at the time of her husband's murder.

How are the authors of "Ambush" and "Facing It" similar in their view of war?

B. Both authors have painful and conflicted feelings.

Keeping in mind the ending of the story, which best describes the irony of Mr. Shiftlet's statement?

B. Instead of staying at the plantation, where he can see sunsets like these for the rest of his life, he runs away with Mrs. Crater's car and money.

MRS. HALE (abruptly moving toward her.) Mrs. Peters? MRS. PETERS. Yes Mrs. Hale? (At upstage right door.) MRS. HALE. Do you think she did it? MRS. PETERS (in a frightened voice.) Oh, I don't know. What is one possible advantage of hearing the characters' voices as opposed to silently reading the scene?

B. It helps listeners keep track of which woman is speaking.

I am a writer. And by that definition, I am someone who has always loved language. I am fascinated by language in daily life. I spend a great deal of my time thinking about the power of language—the way it can evoke an emotion, a visual image, a complex idea, or a simple truth. Language is the tool of my trade. And I use them all—all the Englishes I grew up with. How does Tan build a central idea of her story in the excerpt?

B. Tan references her work with language to build the idea that all forms of English are purposeful and meaningful.

Those tests were constructed around items like fill-in-the-blank sentence completion, such as "Even though Tom was ______, Mary thought he was _____." And the correct answer always seemed to be the most bland combinations of thoughts, for example, "Even though Tom was foolish, Mary thought he was ridiculous." Well, according to my mother, there were very few limitations as to what Tom could have been and what Mary might have thought of him. So I never did well on tests like that. Which information from the excerpt best supports the inference that achievement tests ignore imagination as an element of language ability?

B. Tan's mother could think of several ways to answer a question like the one described in the excerpt.

The fake, counterfeit money, which isn't valid, was discovered in the crime investigation. What is the best way to revise this sentence to eliminate wordiness?

B. The counterfeit money was discovered in the crime investigation.

Which of the following sentences is written correctly?

B. The drum major performed badly because she forgot the routine.

The works of Charles Dickens a famous British writer include David Copperfield and Oliver Twist. Which is the best revision of this sentence?

B. The works of Charles Dickens, a famous British writer, include David Copperfield and Oliver Twist.

Twenty miles from the city a pair of enormous eggs, identical in contour and separated only by a courtesy bay, jut out into the most domesticated body of salt water in the Western hemisphere, the great wet barnyard of Long Island Sound. They were not perfect ovals—like the egg in the Columbus story, they are both crushed flat at the contact end—but their physical resemblance must be a source of perpetual confusion to the gulls that fly overhead. To the wingless a more arresting phenomenon is their dissimilarity in every particular except shape and size. I lived at West Egg, the—well, the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them. The use of words such as "fashionable," "superficial," "bizarre," and "sinister" provide

B. a sense of artificiality in the world the narrator finds himself in.

You came to love your life, to love and respect the mere fact of it, but often you became heedless of it in the way that somnambulists are heedless. Being good meant staying alive, and sometimes that was only a matter of caring enough at any given moment. Based on the excerpt, which best describes a good soldier?

B. a soldier who is always vigilant

What are the plaintiffs seeking for their children in Brown v. Board of Education?

B. admission to public schools

Go where you may, search where you will, roam through all the monarchies and despotisms of the Old World, travel through South America, search out every abuse, and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me, that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival. Which of the following best describes Douglass's word choice in this excerpt?

B. clever

Which is a feature of dialect?

B. informal language used in a specific location

My best friend is a white girl named Denise— we look at boys together. She sat in front of me all through grade school because of our names: O'Connor, Ozawa. In the excerpt, Okita reveals significant details about

B. race and friendship.

If I sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk, my secretaries would have little time for anything other than such correspondence in the course of the day, and I would have no time for constructive work.

B. to undermine the significance of his critics' letter

When evaluating your compare-and-contrast essay, it is essential to ensure that

B. you answered the prompt logically.

Our tragedy today is a general and universal physical fear so long sustained by now that we can even bear it. There are no longer problems of the spirit. There is only the question: When will I be blown up? Because of this, the young man or woman writing today has forgotten the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself which alone can make good writing because only that is worth writing about, worth the agony and the sweat. According to Faulkner, what is the biggest problem preventing young writers from producing "good writing"?

C, Young writers live in physical fear and therefore are prevented from concentrating on matters of the spirit.

Which excerpt from "Harrison Bergeron" best illustrates irony?

C. And she had to apologize at once for her voice, which was a very unfair voice for a woman to use. Her voice was a warm, luminous, timeless melody.

Dell is most successful at depicting the women's difficulty with modern romance in part two of King Arthur's Socks: A Comedy in One Act through his portrayal of

C. Guenevere considering her desires "wicked."

It is unbelievable how fast people adapt. It hurts to admit it, but within hours of first breathing the cattle car's nauseating air, we began to feel at home. 'Home' was the edge of the wooden plank I sat on as I dreamed of the Jewish exiles of antiquity and the Middle Ages. More curious than afraid, I thought of myself as their brother. Mixed into my sadness there was undeniable excitement, for we were living a historic event, a historic adventure. Which best describes the author at this point in his life?

C. He is too young and naive to truly understand what is happening.

Which excerpt from The Great Gatsby best indicates that Nick is not fully content with his life?

C. Instead of being the warm center of the world, the Middle West now seemed like the ragged edge of the universe—so I decided to go East and learn the bond business.

The question of whether or not to allow cell phones in school is an important one. Cell phones are a monumental distraction to young people whose attention should be focused on learning. However, they do serve a purpose in that phones allow students to communicate with their parents. Plus, cell phones are great for taking pictures with friends. In all, cell phone use at school must be carefully regulated. Which best explains the inconsistency in writing used in this paragraph?

C. It does not maintain the same tone throughout.

COUNTY ATTORNEY. Oh, I guess they're not very dangerous things the ladies have picked up. (Moves a few things about, disturbing the quilt pieces which cover the box. Steps back.) No, Mrs. Peters doesn't need supervising. For that matter, a sheriff's wife is married to the law. Ever think of it that way, Mrs. Peters? Which of the following most accurately describes this excerpt?

C. It is situational irony because the County Attorney has actually issued a relevant warning to Mrs. Peters without realizing it.

One day I was hanging around the campus and Chad and Tim Gray told me Dean was staying in a cold-water pad in East Harlem, the Spanish Harlem. Dean had arrived the night before, the first time in New York, with his beautiful little sharp chick Marylou; they got off the Greyhound bus at 50th Street and cut around the corner looking for a place to eat and went right in Hector's, and since then Hector's cafeteria has always been a big symbol of New York for Dean. Which statement best describes how Kerouac's diction and syntax reflect the essence of the beat generation?

C. Kerouac's use of diction and syntax reflect nonconformist values and an adventurous spirit.

I began to learn from him as much as he probably learned from me. As far as my work was concerned he said, "Go ahead, everything you do is great." He watched over my shoulder as I wrote stories, yelling, "Yes! That's right! Wow! Man!" and "Phew!" and wiped his face with his handkerchief. "Man, wow, there's so many things to do, so many things to write!" Which statement best explains why Kerouac's writing style is described as "wild form"?

C. Kerouac's use of syntax gives his writing an animated, conversational style by breaking free of traditional writing structures.

No, let us go no further. Decency and custom forbid it. I said it earlier, when speaking of my grandfather: In Jewish tradition a man's death belongs to him alone. Let the gas chambers remain closed to prying eyes, and to the imagination. We will never know all that happened behind those doors of steel.

C. Some truths are too difficult to fathom if one has not experienced them.

COUNTY ATTORNEY (as one turning from serious things to little pleasantries). Well, ladies, have you decided whether she was going to quilt it or knot it? MRS. PETERS. We think she was going to--knot it. COUNTY ATTORNEY. Well, that's interesting, I'm sure. (Seeing the birdcage.) Has the bird flown? MRS. HALE (putting more quilt pieces over the box.) We think the--cat got it. Which idea is suggested by this excerpt?

C. The women are going to hide what they have discovered to protect Mrs. Wright.

Which accurately describes a contrast between Wiesel's All Rivers Run to the Sea and Art Spiegelman's graphic novel, Maus?

C. Wiesel's story includes his thoughts and feelings, whereas Spiegelman's novel illustrates his father's horrific experiences.

Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in its application. How does King support this claim?

C. by describing a law about parade permits

And now she turns up her nose at jazz and all its manifestations—likewise almost everything else distinctly racial. In this context, what is the meaning of "manifestations"?

C. displays

According to Objectivism, man exists

C. for his own sake.

HALE. "Why—where is he?" says I, not knowing what to say. She just pointed upstairs—like that (himself pointing to the room above). What does the word "pointing" mean in this stage direction?

C. indicating

Langston Hughes was extremely versatile. He wrote poetry, published essays, and even authored a commissioned history of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In this context, what is the meaning of "versatile"?

C. multi-talented

Thump, thump, thump, went his foot on the floor. He played a few chords then he sang some more. The repetition of the word "thump" is an example of what literary device?

C. onomatopoeia

The sun was approaching the long mesa where it disappeared during the winter. What type of figurative language is included in this passage?

C. personification

Competitive sports are valuable activities for young people today. They emphasize the importance of being part of a team and working toward a common goal. Competitive sports give today's youth an advantage as athletes tend to be more confident in themselves and their abilities. Participation in competitive sports is strongly recommended for our students. Which strategy does the author use in her choice of language to convey her message?

C. persuasive influence

There are those walking to church on their knees. Some with fat rags tied around their legs and others with pillows, one to kneel on, and one to flop ahead. There are women with black shawls crossing and uncrossing themselves. There are armies of penitents carrying banners and flowered arches while musicians play tinny trumpets and tinny drums. What cultural element is revealed in this excerpt?

C. religion

Roosevelt's Executive Order No. 9066 was based on

C. the assumption that Japanese Americans posed a threat to national security.

The war literature of some early twentieth-century American writers, such as Elie Wiesel, focused on

C. the violence directed at noncombatants.

Which excerpt from Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique contains underlined keywords that reflect mainstream society's view of a woman's role in the 1950s and '60s?

D. All they had to do was devote their lives from earliest girlhood to finding a husband and bearing children.

1. Introduction A. Thesis 2. Editorial one A. Evaluate the argument 3. Editorial two A. Evaluate the argument 3. Compare and contrast A. Which is more effective? 5. __________ Which best fills the blank in the outline?

D. Conclusion

Which excerpt from Black Boy best reflects the way in which Wright's knowledge of history and culture influence his views on his father?

D. From far beyond the horizons that bound this bleak plantation there had come to me through my living the knowledge that my father was a black peasant who had gone to the city seeking life, but who had failed in the city; a black peasant whose life had been hopelessly snarled in the city.

"Send us rain clouds, Grandfather." They laid the bundle in the back of the pickup and covered it with a heavy tarp before they started back to the pueblo. This quote is located early in the narrative. What does it reveal about Leon?

D. He greatly values the traditional beliefs of the Pueblo people.

Sometimes a woman would say "I feel empty somehow . . . incomplete." Or she would say, "I feel as if I don't exist." Sometimes she blotted out the feeling with a tranquilizer. Which best describes the connotation of "blotted" in the excerpt?

D. It has a negative connotation, because it implies women were merely temporarily lessening the feelings of emptiness.

The awful crime of which Mrs. Hossack stands accused is still fresh in the minds of every newspaper reader in Iowa. Which best describes the excerpt?

D. It is an opinion because it cannot be proven using objective evidence.

Which strategy is the best way to improve the written expression in a redundant sentence?

D. Remove unnecessary repetition.

What happens after Lancelot tells Vivien that he needs to devote himself to his work in King Arthur's Socks: A Comedy in One Act?

D. She threatens to marry another man.

COUNTY ATTORNEY. Let's talk about that later, Mr. Hale. I do want to talk about that, but tell now just what happened when you got to the house. HALE. I didn't hear or see anything; I knocked at the door, and still it was all quiet inside. I knew they must be up, it was past eight o'clock. So I knocked again, and I thought I heard somebody say, "Come in." I wasn't sure, I'm not sure yet, but I opened the door—this door (indicating the door by which the two women are still standing), and there in that rocker—(pointing to it) sat Mrs. Wright. (They all look at the rocker.) What would be one advantage of watching this scene as opposed to reading it?

D. The audience would actually watch all of the characters turn to stare at the rocker, which could enhance the mood of the scene.

Which statement best supports the claim that "The Railroad Earth" contains stylistic features representative of the Beat movement?

D. The author uses spontaneous language and free-spirited structure.

Read the lines from "Harlem." Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Read the lines from "The Weary Blues." He did a lazy sway . . . He did a lazy sway. Which best describes the relationship between these lines?

D. The lines from "Harlem" and the lines from "The Weary Blues" both provide details using the sense of sight.

How does the author's use of a one-act climactic structure affect the meaning of part two of King Arthur's Socks: A Comedy in One Act?

D. The simple structure presents one clear message about human nature.

The silhouette of a moving cat wavered across the moonlight, and turning my head to watch it, I saw that I was not alone—fifty feet away a figure had emerged from the shadow of my neighbor's mansion and was standing with his hands in his pockets regarding the silver pepper of the stars. Something in his leisurely movements and the secure position of his feet upon the lawn suggested that it was Mr. Gatsby himself, come out to determine what share was his of our local heavens. The appearance of Gatsby from the shadows suggests that

D. he is a man of mystery and secrets.

That bleakly memorable morning I hated the unbelievable streets and the Negroes and whites who had, equally, made them that way. But I knew that it was folly, as my father would have said, this bitterness was folly. Which best states the key problem that Baldwin presents?

D. his feeling of hatred

I was relieved when the Crash came. I was released. Being in business was something I detested. When I found that I could sell a song or a poem, I became me, I became alive. Other people didn't see it that way. They were throwing themselves out of windows.

D. it gave him the opportunity to develop and profit from his creativity.

I was relieved when the Crash came. I was released. Being in business was something I detested. When I found that I could sell a song or a poem, I became me, I became alive. Other people didn't see it that way. They were throwing themselves out of windows. Harburg was relieved when the crash occurred because

D. it gave him the opportunity to develop and profit from his creativity.

A quarter of a century was to elapse between the time when I saw my father sitting with the strange woman and the time when I was to see him again. . . . I stood before him, poised, my mind aching as it embraced the simple nakedness of his life, feeling how completely his soul was imprisoned by the slow flow of the seasons, by wind and rain and sun, how fastened were his memories to a crude and raw past, how chained were his actions and emotions to the direct, animalistic impulses of his withering body. Wright's purpose telling this anecdote is to illustrate his father's

D. shortcomings.

Which event is described in both "Ambush" and "Facing It"?

D. the death of a soldier

Jack Kerouac demonstrates the influence of American blues and jazz music in "The Railroad Earth" through his use of

D. unconventional sentence structure.

I speak English with passion: it's the tongue of my consciousness, a flashing knife blade of crystal, my tool, my craft. How does the imagery create a visual of the speaker's use of English?

a. It portrays her command of English as precise and beautiful.

You came to love your life, to love and respect the mere fact of it, but often you became heedless of it in the way that somnambulists are heedless. Being good meant staying alive, and sometimes that was only a matter of caring enough at any given moment. Based on the excerpt, which best describes a good soldier?

b. a soldier who is always vigilant

They used to tell me I was building a dream With peace and glory ahead— These lines emphasize the pre-Great Depression belief that

c. American businesses were imperishable.

I'm already picking up my brakeman's lantern from where it's been hanging on the door handle and my tattered timetable's been long in my backpocket folded and ready to go, everything tight, keys, timetable, lantern, knife, handkerchief, wallet, comb, railroad keys, change and myself. Which phrase from the excerpt best supports the idea that the narrator has held the same job for several years?

c. my tattered timetable's been long in my backpocket