Subtest I

In Theatre of the Absurd, the characters often use dislocated, repetitious, and clichéd speech primarily to: A. illustrate the essentially illogical, purposeless nature of the human condition. B. re-create the workings of the subconscious. C. mock the exaggerated dignity and wisdom of modern, self-professed intellectuals. D. reinforce the comedic action of farcical plots.

Correct Response: A. Absurdist literature imparts the idea that the existence and actions of human beings are, in effect, senseless, useless, and therefore absurd. In Theatre of the Absurd, characters' speech reflects this senselessness, as when in Samuel Beckett's play Waiting for Godot one of the characters remarks, "Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, it's awful."

In ancient Greek drama, the technique of deus ex machina was used to: A. resolve plot complications and save the hero from difficulties. B. transport and assemble large pieces of stage scenery. C. introduce a new character without interrupting the action. D. illustrate the spiritual transformation of the villain

Correct Response: A. In ancient Greek drama, gods were lowered onto the stage by a mechanism to extricate characters from a seemingly hopeless situation. The Latin phrase used to describe this convention—deus ex machina; literally "god from the machine"—has come to mean any turn of events that resolves plot complications and solves characters' problems through an unexpected and unlikely intervention

By the road to the contagious hospital under the surge of the blue mottled clouds driven from the northeast—a cold wind. Beyond, the waste of broad, muddy fields brown with dried weeds, standing and fallen patches of standing water the scattering of tall trees All along the road the reddish purplish, forked, upstanding, twiggy stuff of bushes and small trees with dead, brown leaves under them leafless vines— In this excerpt, Williams uses descriptive details to create a mood of: A. despondency. B. frustration. C. bewilderment. D. hostility

Correct Response: A. In this excerpt, Williams uses descriptive details such as "a cold wind," "broad, muddy fields / brown with dried weeds," "patches of standing water," and "dead, brown leaves under them / leafless vines—" to evoke a bleak roadside landscape that is devoid of life and the promise of new growth. The repetition of "brown" emphasizes the fields' barrenness, while the phrase "patches of standing water" suggests stagnation and contamination (echoing "contagious hospital") rather than the cleansing refreshment offered by running water. These details combine to create a mood of despondency.

I know of no way of judging the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years, to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House? Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with these warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation—the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motives for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been for so long forging In this excerpt, Henry develops the question-and-answer organization of the speech by using rhetorical questions to: A. highlight the discrepancy between the conciliatory manner of the British and their warlike actions. B. compare and contrast the past actions of the British with their current policies. C. explore a variety of possible interpretations of the current actions of the British government. D. emphasize the power of American colonists to triumph in an armed conflict with the British

Correct Response: A. In this excerpt, the use of rhetorical questions creates dramatic emphasis for the step-by-step analysis of the political situation in colonial America. Each question highlights the discrepancy between Great Britain's conciliatory manner and its warlike actions, while each answer forcibly reveals the true motives of the British ("Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? ... These are the implements of war and subjugation. ...").

As each slaty wall of water approached, it shut all else from the view of the men in the boat, and it was not difficult to imagine that this particular wave was the final outburst of the ocean, the last effort of the grim water. There was a terrible grace in the move of the waves, and they came in silence, save for the snarling of the crests. Which of the following statements accurately describes how Crane uses a literary or rhetorical technique in this passage? A. Personification is used to portray the ocean as an unsympathetic creature intent on destroying the men in the boat. B. Metaphors related to industry and machinery compare the ocean to a never-ending production line. C. Words connoting dizziness and disorientation illustrate the physical and emotional exhaustion felt by the men in the boat. D. Hyperbole is used to emphasize the vastness of the ocean and the relative insignificance of the men in the boat

Correct Response: A. In this passage, the ocean is quite clearly personified as a pitiless, wrathful being bent on crushing the men in the boat. The ocean has a "slaty," "grim" aspect and a furious attitude, evinced by the constant "snarling of the crests" and the "final outburst" of one of its waves

Literary works by American regionalist writers such as Kate Chopin, Charles W. Chesnutt, and Bret Harte typically focus on which of the following subjects? A. the unique physical landscape of a place and the distinctive customs, dialect, and way of thinking of those who live there B. the special appeal of a geographic area and the reasons that people have for deciding to settle there C. the need felt by residents of isolated rural communities to broaden their worldview D. the benefits of leading a simple, agrarian lifestyle that values personal happiness over material wealth

Correct Response: A. Literary works associated with regionalism typically include detailed descriptions of a particular region and of the unique—and sometimes eccentric—customs, dress, and manner of speaking and thinking of those who inhabit the region. These descriptions give the works an air of authenticity and serves to pique the curiosity of readers

Literary works by British writers of the neoclassical period such as Alexander Pope, John Dryden, and Samuel Johnson tend to share which of the following characteristics? A. a fondness for satire and an inclination to make generalizations about the world in the form of aphoristic verse B. the use of stock imagery and alliterative verse to tell tales of kings, knights, and epic battles C. an idealistic view of the world and a preoccupation with the close examination of inner feelings and emotions D. the use of symbolism and an impressionistic, broad-stroke style to express ideas indirectly

Correct Response: A. Neoclassical writers took as their primary subject human beings and what human beings possess in common—their shared thoughts, feelings, experiences, and characteristics. In their works, Pope, Dryden, and Johnson made general observations about human beings, and in doing so, often produced adages with satiric overtones (e.g., "Man never thinks himself happy, but when he enjoys those things which others want or desire."—Pope).

Which of the following forms of fixed or closed verse originated in Italy but was introduced to England, where it was developed and established as an English literary tradition? A. sonnet B. ballad C. villanelle D. limerick

Correct Response: A. The earliest sonnets are believed to have been written in Sicily during the thirteenth century. In the early sixteenth century, Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, introduced the Italian, or Petrarchan, sonnet to England. By the late sixteenth century, Surrey had changed the structure and rhyme scheme of the sonnet from abbaabba, cdecde (or cdcdcd), to abba, cdcd, efef, gg, and the new English sonnet form was established.

1Edith Maud Eaton may not be included in the canon of great American authors, yet her work is worthy of attention. 2Born in 1865, Eaton was the daughter of a British father and a Chinese mother who had been raised in England. 3The family immigrated to the United States in the 1870s. 4It was a time of bitter prejudice against the Chinese laborers who had come to work on the railroad linking the American east and west. 5Anti-Chinese sentiment grew so fierce that in 1882 Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, a law barring further immigration. 6The Exclusion Act remained law until 1943. 7Against this backdrop, Eaton became the first Chinese-American author to be published in this country. 8Writing under the pseudonym Sui Sin Far, Eaton published stories and articles in numerous national magazines. 9Most noteworthy was her 1909 essay "Leaves from the Mental Portfolio of an Eurasian," in which she embraced her identity and openly discussed the pain inflicted by American bigotry" During the revision process, which of the following changes would improve the logic and coherence of the paragraph? A. deleting Sentence 6 B. inserting Sentence 7 after Sentence 9 C. deleting Sentence 8 D. inserting Sentence 8 between Sentences 1 and 2

Correct Response: A. The focus of the paragraph is on the life and work of Edith Maud Eaton, the first Chinese American author to be published in the United States. The few sentences in the middle of the paragraph that cover anti-Chinese sentiment in the United States and the Chinese Exclusion Act provide information that is relevant to the subject: namely, the social and political circumstances under which Eaton found herself living and working. However, the one sentence that reveals how long the Exclusion Act remained law marks a digression; it takes the reader out of the chronological scope of the paragraph and has nothing to do with the subject of Eaton

For, if we take a survey of the greatest actions that have been performed in the world, under the influence of single men, which are the establishment of new empires by conquest, the advance and progress of new schemes in philosophy, and the contriving, as well as the propagating, of new religions, we shall find the authors of them all to have been persons whose natural reason had admitted great revolutions from their diet, their education, the prevalency of some certain temper, together with the particular influence of air and climate. Besides, there is something individual in human minds, that easily kindles at the accidental approach and collision of certain circumstances, which, though of paltry and mean appearance, do often flame out into the greatest emergencies of life. For great turns are not always given by strong hands, but by lucky adaption, and at proper seasons; and it is of no import where the fire was kindled, if the vapor has once got up into the brain. For the upper region of man is furnished like the middle region of the air; the materials are formed from causes of the widest difference, yet produce at last the same substance and effect. In this excerpt, Swift primarily satirizes which of the following aspects of late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century rationalism? A. a belief in the power of human reasoning to reveal truth B. the spread and growing acceptance of the scientific method C. the erosion of unquestioning acceptance of religious doctrine D. a faith that humanity necessarily progresses toward perfection

Correct Response: A. The rationalism of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries held that all truths, especially religious ones, were accessible and comprehensible through pure human reason; reason was in itself a source of knowledge superior to and independent of sense perceptions. In this excerpt, Swift mocks the rationalist view by equating the knowledge that reason supposedly brings with rising "vapor" and asserting that the sources of the vapor are immaterial ("it is of no import where the fire was kindled"). Swift suggests that reason is merely the result of "the accidental approach and collision of certain circumstances" rather than an act of conscious thought

She begins, and my grandmother joins her. Mother and daughter sing like young girls. If my father were alive, he would play his accordion and sway like a boat. I've never been in Peking, or the Summer Palace, nor stood on the great Stone Boat to watch the rain begin on Kuen Ming Lake, the picnickers running away in the grass. But I love to hear it sung; how the waterlilies fill with rain until they overturn, spilling water into water, then rock back, and fill with more. Both women have begun to cry. But neither stops her song. In this poem, Lee uses imagery and figurative language to explore which of the following themes? A. the strength of bonds forged by shared experiences B. the ability of artists to find inspiration in nature C. the desire to recapture memories of a simpler time D. the obligation to respect elder family members

Correct Response: A. Throughout the poem, Lee uses imagery and figurative language to illustrate the strength of the bonds that are forged by shared experiences across generations. As the mother and grandmother sing, the speaker is transported to a place and time that hold great significance for the two women. The lyrics of the song present vivid images of scenes the speaker never witnessed ("the picnickers / running away in the grass"), while the singers' tears convey their sense of loss. Just as the waterlilies are "spilling water into water," the women's tears spill into the song, revealing a deep emotional connection to memories that the speaker does not share. Their singing creates a shared experience that forges a familial and cultural bond across the three generations.

By the road to the contagious hospital under the surge of the blue mottled clouds driven from the northeast—a cold wind. Beyond, the waste of broad, muddy fields brown with dried weeds, standing and fallen patches of standing water the scattering of tall trees All along the road the reddish purplish, forked, upstanding, twiggy stuff of bushes and small trees with dead, brown leaves under them leafless vines— The style and subject matter in this excerpt are most characteristic of poetry from which of the following literary movements? A. imagist B. Symbolist C. Parnassian D. new formalist

Correct Response: A. Imagist poetry is typically written in free verse, draws on a wide range of subject matter, is expressed in common speech, and relies on a clear, concentrated image to convey meaning. In this excerpt, a singular image (a bleak, roadside landscape) is presented in plain language ("broad, muddy fields / brown with dried weeds") and in no particular metrical or verse form.

The circus was like all other circuses, except that it was shabbier than most, and the performers seemed to have less heart in it than usual. They did their best, and went through with their parts conscientiously, but they looked as if they never had had a good time in their lives. The audience was hilarious, and cheered and laughed at the tired clown until he looked as if he thought his speeches might possibly be funny, after all. We were so glad we had pleased the poor thing; and when he sang a song our satisfaction was still greater, and so he sang it all over again. Perhaps he had been associating with people who were used to circuses. Which of the following reader variables would be most likely to help students use inference to identify the narrator's tone in this passage? A. personal experience B. knowledge of specialized vocabulary C. motivation to learn D. familiarity with narrative text structure

Correct Response: A. It is important to take reader variables into account when matching reader to task. Students who have personal experience viewing a circus performance would be able to apply that knowledge to the passage as they attempt to use inference to identify the narrator's tone.

Literary works by postmodern British writers such as Angela Carter, Salman Rushdie, and Jeanette Winterson generally tend to share which of the following characteristics? A. the use of fragmented narrative structures with multiple shifts in consciousness, chronology, and location B. an emphasis on the rich universality of life in cultures and countries all over the world C. a sense of sentimental nostalgia for nineteenth- and early twentiethcentury life, typically expressed in rueful, melancholic tones D. the use of brief, economic literary forms and a spare, astringent literary style

Correct Response: A. Postmodernism built on modernism by extending the sense of social fragmentation into a self-conscious examination of literature itself, experimenting with new literary forms. A postmodernist novel, for example, might dispense with coherent plot in order to draw the reader's attention to narration as a literary convention. Fragmented narrative structures are characteristic of postmodernism, including shifts in consciousness, chronology, or location

ALGERNON. My dear fellow, the way you flirt with Gwendolen is perfectly disgraceful. It is almost as bad as the way Gwendolen flirts with you. JACK. I am in love with Gwendolen. I have come up to town expressly to propose to her. ALGERNON. I thought you had come up for pleasure? . . . I call that business. JACK. How utterly unromantic you are! ALGERNON. I really don't see anything romantic in proposing. It is very romantic to be in love. But there is nothing romantic about a definite proposal. Why, one may be accepted. One usually is, I believe. Then the excitement is all over. The very essence of romance is uncertainty. If ever I get married, I'll certainly try to forget the fact. JACK. I have no doubt about that, dear Algy. The Divorce Court was specially invented for people whose memories are so curiously constituted. ALGERNON. Oh! there is no use speculating on that subject. Divorces are made in Heaven—(JACK puts out his hand to take a sandwich. ALGERNON at once interferes.) Please don't touch the cucumber sandwiches. They are ordered specially for Aunt Augusta. (Takes one and eats it.) JACK. Well, you have been eating them all the time. ALGERNON. That is quite a different matter. She is my aunt. (Takes plate from below.) Have some bread and butter. The bread and butter is for Gwendolen. Gwendolen is devoted to bread and butter. JACK. (Advancing to table and helping himself.) And very good bread and butter it is, too. ALGERNON. Well, my dear fellow, you need not eat as if you were going to eat it all. You behave as if you were married to her already. You are not married to her already, and I don't think you ever will be. JACK. Why on earth do you say that? ALGERNON. Well, in the first place girls never marry the men they flirt with. Girls don't think it right. JACK. Oh, that is nonsense! ALGERNON. It isn't. It is a great truth. It accounts for the extraordinary number of bachelors that one sees all over the place. In the second place, I don't give my consent. In this excerpt, Wilde explores which of the following themes? A. the challenge of sustaining romance during marriage B. the range of expectations with which people approach marriage C. the factors that contribute to a successful marriage D. the danger of losing one's sense of self-identity during marriage

Correct Response: B. In this excerpt, Wilde illustrates the range of expectations with which people approach marriage through two characters: Jack, a romantic, and Algernon, a cynic. Jack views marriage as the natural fulfillment of romantic love, while Algernon views it as the end of romance and the epitome of boredom. In addition to exploring the theme through dialogue, Wilde uses the characters' choice of refreshment to highlight their contrasting views of marriage. When Algernon partakes of sandwiches "ordered specially for Aunt Augusta" but bars Jack from sharing them, Jack is content to partake of the "very good bread and butter" to which Gwendolen is "devoted." While Jack is happy to share an unexciting life with Gwendolen, Algernon believes he is entitled to excitement, which may keep him among "the extraordinary number of bachelors that one sees all over the place."

"Nonsense, arrant nonsense, as ever was talked!" cried Mr. Knightley. "Robert Martin's manners have sense, sincerity, and good humour to recommend them; and his mind more true gentility than Harriet Smith could understand." Emma made no answer, and tried to look cheerfully unconcerned, but was really feeling uncomfortable, and wanting him very much to be gone. She did not repent what she had done; she still thought herself a better judge of such a point of female right and refinement than he could be; but yet she had a sort of habitual respect for his judgment in general, which made her dislike having it so loudly against her; and to have him sitting just opposite to her in angry state was very disagreeable. Some minutes passed in this unpleasant silence, with only one attempt on Emma's side to talk of the weather, but he made no answer. He was thinking. Which of the following qualitative dimensions of text complexity would most likely contribute to the difficulty level of this excerpt for students in an eleventh-grade class? A. background knowledge demands B. sentence structure C. multiple layers of meaning D. language conventionality

Correct Response: B. In this passage, the second paragraph begins with a sentence in which three dependent clauses are separated by commas. The second sentence of the second paragraph contains four independent clauses joined by semicolons, in addition to a dependent clause. Such complex sentence structure would most likely prove the greatest challenge to eleventh-grade students as they attempt to comprehend the passage.

One significant feature of literature written for young adults is that the narratives tend to: A. explore educational and professional choices that people make rather than the particular skills and interests that led them to pursue their goals. B. focus on the thoughts and experiences of an individual character and convey a sense of immediacy rather than nostalgia. C. provide a straightforward approach for solving a social problem rather than a long explication of the roots and complexities of the problem. D. inquire into the motivations and actions of a wide range of characters and convey a sense of levity rather than deep seriousness

Correct Response: B. Literature written for young adults usually features a teenage protagonist and provides reflections on and interpretations of his or her particular point of view. Also, the action or events tend to occur quickly. The dialogue is direct, sometimes confrontational, and the story takes place over a relatively short period of time, such as a summer vacation or school trip

All their expression lives in their eyes—and loses itself to a simple lowering of lids, to a shadow. And since there is little of the mountain about them— nothing in the hair or in the terribly fragile limbs but coldness and secrecy—it is impossible for them to settle themselves into forms that are calm, lasting, and necessary. . . Which of the following statements accurately describes how a poetic device is used in the excerpt? A. Metaphor is used to highlight the similarities between human experience and the life of animals. B. Personification is used to critique humanity's disconnection from the natural world. C. Conventions associated with traditional fables are used to satirize the comic foibles of human beings. D. Irony is used to criticize the thoughtless brutality of human beings toward animals.

Correct Response: B. The poet uses personification to present this passage from the point of view of an ox. As the speaker of the poem, the ox comments on humanity's detachment from the natural world ("there is little of the mountain about them"). The ox judges human beings harshly for their weakness and isolation ("nothing in the hair or in the terribly fragile limbs but coldness and secrecy"). Unlike animals, who live in harmony with nature, human beings are unable to "settle themselves into forms that are calm, lasting, and necessary."

If you see unhealthy or unsafe conditions . . . If you see unhealthy or unsafe conditions in your workplace, notify a supervisor immediately. • You have a right to report unhealthy or unsafe conditions to the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). If you choose to, you may make your report to OSHA confidential. • If unhealthy or unsafe conditions persist, you have a right to request an OSHA inspection of your workplace. You are entitled to be present at any inspection. OSHA may require your employer to correct conditions. If you are asked to perform unsafe work . . . You have the right to refuse to perform tasks that place you in clear danger of death or serious injury. However, you do NOT have a general right to refuse to perform work on the grounds that it is unsafe. • If you are asked to perform work you believe to be unsafe, report your concerns to a supervisor. Additional safety equipment and procedures may be available. • If your concerns about unsafe work are not addressed, you may report conditions to OSHA. The primary purpose of this document is to: A. define the rights and responsibilities of employees and employers. B. explain policies for employees to address problems in the workplace. C. describe the role OSHA plays in protecting the rights of employees. D. answer questions employees and employers have about workplace safety.

Correct Response: B. Although this workplace document does make reference to employees' rights, the primary purpose is provide explicit plans or methods of action for employees to take if/when they encounter unsafe conditions on the job. For each hypothetical situation, the employee is given a clear, appropriate, and expedient procedure or course of action to follow.

I know of no way of judging the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years, to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House? Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with these warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation—the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motives for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been for so long forging Which of the following is the main claim being advanced in the excerpt? A. Traitors are undermining the colonists' cause. B. The conduct of the British reflects their hostile intent. C. Memory is short and has a tendency to deceive. D. The British military is overwhelming in its strength

Correct Response: B. Henry's main purpose in this excerpt is to expose the actual designs of the British as opposed to their stated intentions. Henry suggests that actions, not words, are the best indicators of intent. Therefore he asks his listeners to look critically at the British's "insidious smile" and "gracious reception," which mask the hostile intent evident in their warlike conduct.

A researcher often refers to documents that are available both in printed form and on the Internet. In which of the following situations would it be most helpful for the researcher to access the electronic version of a document? A. The document has an extensive annotated bibliography. B. The researcher wants to locate specific words or phrases in the document. C. The document contains unfamiliar technical jargon. D. The researcher wants to focus on the document's main ideas.

Correct Response: B. Locating specific words or phrases in a traditional printed text can be extremely time consuming, even with a good index. If the text is available on the Internet, this task is greatly simplified, as the researcher can easily use an Internet search engine to locate the word or phrase in the text

1. Thesis Statement: ______________________________ 2. Service learning meets educational goals through community service. a. _________ b. __________ 3. How students benefit from service learning a. Students gain a greater understanding of themselves and their community. b. Students gain practical experience applying potential job skills in the real world. 4. How service learning benefits the community a. Necessary work is completed. b. Recipients of student service learn about local schools. 5. Possible concerns about service learning a. Service learning can be fully integrated into required curriculum. b. Students who participate in service learning will be fully supervised. 6. Conclusion The writer can most effectively clarify the information in the outline by including which of the following details in the blanks in section 2? A. a. Service learning classes can be added to the school's existing curriculum. b. Teachers place students with community-based organizations. B. a. Teachers and community groups find appropriate service opportunities for students. b. Lessons link student service and classroom objectives. C. a. Service learning integrates curricular objectives with community volunteer work. b. Community-based organizations contribute to classroom learning. D. a. Teachers get the opportunity to work with community-based organizations. b. Students gain experience working in their communities

Correct Response: B. (SMR Code: 3.2) The outline provides three reasons for a school to adopt a service learning program: service learning meets educational goals, benefits students personally, and benefits the community. To best clarify the first reason (service learning meets educational goals) the writer needs to explain (a) how teachers and community-group leaders will collaborate to find appropriate community service opportunities for students and (b) how the objectives of school lessons and the objectives of community-group projects will be connected or aligned.

That morning, I wrote down a list of things that I remembered having learned from my father. I had to remind myself, at least under my breath, that I did remember still. In the back of my mind, I could almost hear his voice saying these things to me, in the very same way that he had spoken over the years: "You have memory of walking in a mist at dawn in a banana jungle that no longer exists. You have lived this long in this strange world, so far from home, because you remember." The lifelines in my father's palms were named after Caroline and me. He remembered everything. He remembered old men napping on tree branches, forgetting the height of the trees and the vulnerability of their bodies. He remembered old women sitting sidesaddle on ancient donkeys, taking their last steps. He remembered young wives who got ill from sadness when their men went to the Bahamas or the Dominican Republic to cut sugarcane and were never heard from again. In this excerpt, Danticat explores primarily which of the following aspects of the immigrant experience? A. the physical and emotional hardships endured by immigrants who wish to create a better life for their children B. the disillusionment felt by immigrants whose experiences in a new country fail to meet their expectations C. the fragility of the link between immigrants' sense of personal identity and their cultural and ethnic heritage D. the valuable cultural exchanges that occur between immigrants and those who are native to the country they have adopted

Correct Response: C. In this excerpt, Danticat uses the word "remember" repeatedly, and she juxtaposes various images of young and old, home and away, and present and past. This rhetorical technique and these images all serve to illustrate the tenuousness of an immigrant's connection to his or her cultural and ethnic roots and the assiduous care it can take to maintain that connection.

So she stood thinking. Without making any thought precise—for she was one of those reticent people whose minds hold their thoughts enmeshed in clouds of silence—she was filled with thoughts. Her mind was like her room, in which lights advanced and retreated, came pirouetting and stepping delicately, spread their tails, pecked their way; and then her whole being was suffused, like the room again, with a cloud of some profound knowledge, some unspoken regret, and then she was full of locked drawers, stuffed with letters, like her cabinets. To talk of "prizing her open" as if she were an oyster, to use any but the finest and subtlest and most pliable tools upon her was impious and absurd. One must imagine—here was she in the looking glass. Which of the following statements accurately describes how Woolf uses figurative language to support characterization in the excerpt? A. The connection drawn between the character's ideas and the lights in her room suggests that she believes that rational thought illuminates the truth while emotion obscures it. B. The references to the movements of dancers and birds imply that the character is incapable of serious, sustained intellectual inquiry. C. The descriptions of the character's thoughts as "enmeshed in clouds of silence" and her mind as "full of locked drawers" illustrate the degree to which she represses disagreeable thoughts. D. The implied comparison between the character's mind and a pearl hidden inside an oyster suggests that she views intelligence as a valuable commodity.

Correct Response: C. In this excerpt, a character is described as "one of those reticent people whose minds hold their thoughts enmeshed in clouds of silence—she was filled with thoughts," most of which remain unspoken or are repressed, much like letters hidden in "locked drawers." The figurative language illustrates how the character obscures and conceals her thoughts, both from others and from herself.

The war with Mexico, discovery of gold in California in 1848, the acquisition of new territory, and the developments of our hitherto undeveloped Western possessions, stimulated the financial pulse, and permeated every avenue of industry and speculative life. While in New York State I met several going and returning gold seekers, many giving dazzling accounts of immense deposits of gold in the new Eldorado; and others, as ever the case with adventurers, gave gloomy statements of peril and disaster. A judicious temperament, untiring energy, a lexicon of endeavor, in which there is no such word as "fail," is the only open sesame to hidden opportunities in a new country. Fortune, in precarious mood, may sometime smile on the inert, but she seldom fails to surrender to pluck, tenacity and perseverance. As the Oxford men say it is the one pull more of the oar that proves the "beefiness of the fellow;" it is the one march more that wins the campaign; the five minutes more persistent courage that wins the fight In this excerpt, the author's primary purpose is to: A. describe a specific time period in U.S. history. B. convince readers to seek out adventure. C. suggest that individuals control their own destiny. D. explain the reasons for his financial success

Correct Response: C. In this excerpt, the author uses developments that took place in the United States during the mid-nineteenth century to provide context for his ideas about the nature of good fortune. According to Gibbs, individuals who possess a "judicious temperament, untiring energy, [and] a lexicon of endeavor" that does not include the word fail are much more likely to experience good fortune than those who make little effort to succeed and who give up easily.

Which of the following statements accurately describes the role of revision in the writing process? A. Revision is a discrete phase of the writing process that should occur after the initial drafting phase. B. Substantive revisions should be finalized during the second-draft phase of the writing process. C. Revision is a recursive activity that may occur at any phase of the writing process. D. Substantive revision should occur primarily during the editing phase of the writing process.

Correct Response: C. Revision is not a single activity but is recursive, occurring as many times as needed at any phase of the writing process. Students, for example, may revise outlines for a paper to modify the topics covered or revise prewriting exercises to explore different approaches. Drafts at all levels may be revised to improve any aspect of the composition, including structural or stylistic elements as well as written-language conventions.

Which of the following excerpts from literary works is most characteristic of the narrative technique known as stream of consciousness? A. The people took more pride in the duel than in all the other events put together, perhaps. It was a glory to their town to have such a thing happen there. In their eyes the principals had reached the summit of human honor. Everybody paid homage to their names; their praises were in all mouths. Even the duelists' subordinates came in for a handsome share of the public approbation. . . . B. Then the old lord summoned all his servants, and told them, with terrible oaths, and words more terrible, that his daughter had disgraced herself, and that he had turned her out of doors,—her, and her child,—and that if ever they gave her help,—or food—or shelter,—he prayed that they might never enter Heaven. C. Volubly, troublously, the late clock sounded, coming in on the wake of Big Ben, with its lap full of trifles. Beaten up, broken up by the assault of carriages, the brutality of vans, the eager advance of myriads of angular men, of flaunting women, the domes and spires of offices and hospitals, the last relics of this lap full of odds and ends seemed to break, like the spray of an exhausted wave. . . . D. Folds of scarlet drapery shut in my view to the right hand; to the left were the clear panes of glass, protecting, but not separating me from the drear November day. At intervals, while turning over the leaves of my book, I studied the aspect of that winter afternoon. Afar, it offered a pale blank of mist and cloud; near, a scene of wet lawn and storm-beat shrub. . . .

Correct Response: C. Stream of consciousness is a writing technique or style that is free and indirect and seeks to record in an all-inclusive way the continuous flow of the narrator's thoughts, feelings, memories, and expectations. Stream of consciousness can be somewhat discursive and repetitive ("Beaten up, broken up, ... the brutality ... the eager advance ... of angular men ... of flaunting women ... the domes and spires ... the last relics. ...").

For your primary care doctor, you might want a general or family practitioner, an internist, or a geriatrician. • General practitioners provide health care for a wide range of medical problems. They do not focus on any one area of medicine. • Family practitioners are similar to general practitioners, with extra training on health care for all family members, regardless of age. • Internists are doctors for adults. Some internists take additional training to become specialists. For example, cardiologists are internists who specialize in diseases of the heart. • Geriatricians specialize in the care of older adults. A geriatrician is trained in family practice or internal medicine, but has additional training in caring for older people. Which of the following statements accurately describes how textual features are used in this excerpt to help convey information? A. An introductory paragraph is used to preview important ideas, such as strategies for choosing a doctor. B. Boldfaced text is used to call the reader's attention to key words and phrases, such as "type of doctor." C. Bullets are used to help the reader quickly locate major details, such as categories of primary care doctors. D. Parallel structures are used to aid comprehension of central points, such as doctors' areas of specialization.

Correct Response: C. The purpose of this excerpt from a public service document is to describe clearly and concisely the basic types of doctors that one might choose for one's physician. The bullets call attention to important details that clarify and elaborate on the four types of doctors identified in a topic sentence: general practitioner, family practitioner, internist, and geriatrician. The bulleted format helps readers locate each type quickly and distinguish between them easily.

Raven was always cheating the people, so they finally took his beak away from him. After a time he went up the river and made a raft, which he loaded with moss. Floating down to the camps on it, he told the people that his head was sore where his beak had been torn off, and that he was lying in the moss to cool it. Then he went back upriver and made several more rafts. When the people saw these floating down toward them, they thought that a large group of warriors was coming to help Raven regain his beak. They held a council and decided to send a young girl to take the beak to an old woman who lived alone at some distance from the camp. Raven, who had concealed himself among them and heard the council's plans, waited until the girl came back. Then he went to the old woman and told her that the girl wanted her to return the beak to him. Suspecting nothing, the old woman gave him his beak. He put it on and flew away, cawing with pleasure at his success. This passage is most characteristic of which of the following literary forms associated with the oral tradition? A. fairy tale B. legend C. trickster tale D. fable

Correct Response: C. In a trickster tale, an anthropomorphized animal often serves as the protagonist. The trickster-hero can be a shape-shifter, a cheat, a liar, or a rival to other animals, humans, or the gods and is usually characterized by mischievous, deceptive, or even treacherous behavior. In this passage, Raven, a common trickster-hero among some North American indigenous peoples, is seen "cheating the people" and "conceal[ing] himself among them," while the people themselves, "suspecting nothing," are ultimately duped into returning his beak to him.

Love is a kind of war, and no assignment for cowards. Where those banners fly, heroes are always on guard. Soft, those barracks? They know long marches, terrible weather, Night and winter and storm, grief and excessive fatigue. Often the rain pelts down from the drenching cloudbursts of heaven, Often you lie on the ground, wrapped in a mantle of cold. Did not Apollo once, in bondage to King Admetus, Care for the heifers, and find sleep on a pallet of straw? What Apollo could stand is not disgraceful for mortals; Put off your pride, young man; enter the bondage of love. If you are given no path where the journey is level and easy, If in your way you find barricade, padlock on door, Use your inventive wits, come slipping down through a skylight, Clamber, hand over hand, where a high window swings wide. She will be happy to know that she was the cause of your danger; More than anything else, that will be proof of your love. Think of Leander, who could, no doubt, get along without Hero, Yet he would swim the straits, so his beloved might know. In this excerpt, Ovid suggests that a true romantic hero demonstrates which of the following qualities? A. physical attractiveness B. magnetic charm C. resourceful determination D. intellectual curiosity

Correct Response: C. In this excerpt, Ovid uses an extended metaphor to show that the pursuit and acquisition of romantic love is akin to the prosecution of war: a serious undertaking and "no assignment for cowards." To complete the mission successfully, a romantic hero must demonstrate resourcefulness ("Use your inventive wits") and determination ("They know long marches, terrible weather, / Night and winter and storm, grief and excessive fatigue").

1. Thesis Statement: ______________________________ 2. Service learning meets educational goals through community service. a. _________ b. __________ 3. How students benefit from service learning a. Students gain a greater understanding of themselves and their community. b. Students gain practical experience applying potential job skills in the real world. 4. How service learning benefits the community a. Necessary work is completed. b. Recipients of student service learn about local schools. 5. Possible concerns about service learning a. Service learning can be fully integrated into required curriculum. b. Students who participate in service learning will be fully supervised. 6. Conclusion Given the information provided in the outline, which of the following sentences would be the most appropriate thesis statement for the writer to use in the essay? A. Many high schools and community colleges incorporate service learning into the curriculum. B. Service learning is a great way for students to escape the classroom and learn by doing. C. A service learning program would benefit students and community members in concrete ways. D. Participation in a service learning program looks very impressive on a college application

Correct Response: C. (SMR Code: 3.2) Sections 2 and 3 of the outline focus on specific ways in which service learning helps students achieve educational, personal, and career goals while also benefiting the community. The information provided in the outline clearly supports the thesis statement "A service learning program would benefit students and community members in concrete ways."

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore. Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he; But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door— Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door— Perched, and sat, and nothing more. Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, "Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven, Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore— Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!" Quoth the Raven "Nevermore." The Common Core State Standards place the poem "The Raven" in the grade 9-10 text complexity band. Ninth-grade students' comprehension of the poem's levels of meaning would most likely be enhanced by background knowledge of which of the following poetic devices? A. internal rhyme B. alliteration C. trochaic octameter D. allusion

Correct Response: D. Allusion is a reference to another work of literature or art, a person, or an event. The use of allusion adds levels of meaning to a poem. In the excerpt, allusions to Pallas Athena, the goddess of wisdom, and Pluto, god of the underworld, in ancient Greek mythology suggest that the Raven may have emerged from the underworld ("the Night's Plutonian shore") to impart somber wisdom ("Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door").

A job applicant is drafting an e-mail message to thank a prospective employer for a recent interview. In which of the following paragraphs is the style and content most appropriate for the applicant to use for this purpose? A. Thanks so much for interviewing me for the job. I am totally psyched about it, because I know I would be great at the job, and I think I would fit in really well at your company. I hope to hear from you soon. B. Please accept my sincere thanks for granting me an interview for the position of administrative assistant. I trust that after reviewing my qualifications you will agree that I am well suited for the position. C. I wanted to thank you for taking precious time away from your extremely busy schedule to discuss the administrative assistant position. As you can see from my résumé, I am the ideal candidate for the job. D. Thank you for interviewing me for the administrative assistant position at your company. I appreciated the opportunity to learn about the responsibilities and challenges of the job. I hope to hear from you soon.

Correct Response: D. An e-mail message to a prospective employer should be direct, succinct, and respectful. The use of slang or colloquial language could be interpreted as a sign of immaturity or a lack of professionalism. The use of overly formal language or an overly bold or confident tone could be interpreted as obsequiousness or insolence.

The circus was like all other circuses, except that it was shabbier than most, and the performers seemed to have less heart in it than usual. They did their best, and went through with their parts conscientiously, but they looked as if they never had had a good time in their lives. The audience was hilarious, and cheered and laughed at the tired clown until he looked as if he thought his speeches might possibly be funny, after all. We were so glad we had pleased the poor thing; and when he sang a song our satisfaction was still greater, and so he sang it all over again. Perhaps he had been associating with people who were used to circuses. Which of the following statements accurately describes the use of a literary device in this passage? A. Figurative language helps convey the subtle levels of emotional interaction between the circus performers and the audience. B. Descriptive details emphasize the cynical apathy of the circus performers and their indifference to the audience. C. Use of the first-person point of view stresses the urban observer's sense of detachment from the circus performers and rural audience. D. Comic irony highlights the delight the narrator and her companion take in observing the circus performers and audience

Correct Response: D. Comic irony results from an amusing reversal of expectations. In this passage, the reader's expectation of what normally happens at a circus contrasts with the actuality of the characters' experience. The narrator and her companion are more amused by the despondency of the performers than by the circus acts themselves, and are more intent on pleasing the clown than on being entertained by him ("We were so glad we had pleased the poor thing").

In the following passage, the speaker is Ulysses, one of the Greek commanders in the war against the Trojans. When that the general is not like the hive To whom the foragers shall all repair, What honey is expected? . . . The heavens themselves, the planets, and this centre Observe degree, priority, and place, . . . And therefore is the glorious planet Sol In noble eminence enthron'd and spher'd Amidst the other; whose med'cinable eye Corrects the [ill aspects] of [planets evil], And posts like the commandment of a king, Sans check, to good and bad. But when the planets In evil mixture to disorder wander, What plagues and what portents, what mutiny! The ideas suggested in this passage most clearly reflect the political context of Shakespeare's time by: A. portraying a world that has been torn apart by warring factions that struggle to gain control. B. showing how real power depends on the loyalty, sacrifice, and dedication of the common man. C. demonstrating how laws of supply and demand regulate the nature and structure of power. D. affirming the power of central authority as a unifying force to prevent political fragmentation.

Correct Response: D. During Shakespeare's time, the strong, prosperous reign of Queen Elizabeth unified a war-torn England. The passage from Troilus and Cressida reflects this political context by picturing the sun as a ruler who prevents disorder among the planets ("corrects the ill aspects of planets evil"). The comparison of the sun to a human king suggests that central authority is essential to avoid political fragmentation both on earth and in the heavens

Oceans make up the earth's largest ecosystem, covering around 75% of the planet's surface. • Scientists divide ocean ecosystems by depth and distance from shore, into four zones: the intertidal zone, the pelagic zone, the benthic zone, and the abyssal zone. • The marine biome—or major ecological and environmental community—includes the oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries. • The oceans absorb and store heat, a capacity that helps to stabilize the earth's temperatures and climates. • By some measures, oceans have greater biodiversity than any other ecosystem. Given the information provided in these notes, the writer will be best prepared to develop this section of the report by: A. comparing and contrasting the earth's ecosystems and biomes. B. constructing a hypothesis about the ocean ecosystem. C. illustrating the characteristics of ecosystems and biomes. D. presenting an extended definition of the ocean ecosystem.

Correct Response: D. For a report on the earth's major ecosystems, a writer would find extended definitions to be an effective mode of development, especially if writing for an audience of nonspecialists. Each section of the report would include an extended definition of one of the earth's ecosystems—in this case, the ocean ecosystem. This section would begin with a formal sentence definition that establishes a focus (e.g., "Oceans make up the earth's largest ecosystem, covering around 75% of the planet's surface"), followed by several shorter definitions that clarify or elaborate on the first, formal definition. The overall objective would be to explain the complex term ocean ecosystem to a lay audience by anticipating and responding to various questions about it: What is the ocean ecosystem? What are some of the things it does? How significant is it to the planet?

I am through living with others and their tricks. I stay in the country, care only to be left alone. Bamboo and plum trees do not betray you, Monkeys and cranes are tolerant of independent souls. I pick chrysanthemums, tend orchids: Their fragrance stays in my coat. I step on the moon in search of my plum trees, The snow wets my kerchief. My ears are attuned to the harp music of the brook. As for friends, a green mountain is enough for me. In this poem, descriptive details are used to support which of the following themes? A. the benefits of living a modest, self-reliant lifestyle B. the urge to abandon the familiar in search of adventure C. the desire to attain spiritual enlightenment D. the power of nature to heal emotional wounds

Correct Response: D. In the poem, the speaker describes how his solitary life in nature offers freedom from deception ("I am through living with others and their tricks") and betrayal ("Bamboo and plum trees do not betray you"). The imagery presented in the remainder of the poem focuses on the speaker's preference for the comfortable companionship offered by nature over human companionship ("As for friends, a green mountain is enough for me").

Poetry is a kind of speech which cannot be translated except at the cost of serious distortions; whereas the mythical value of the myth is preserved even through the worst translation. Whatever our ignorance of the language and the culture of the people where it originated, a myth is still felt as a myth by any reader anywhere in the world. Its substance does not lie in its style, its original music, or its syntax, but in the story which it tells. Myth is language, functioning on an especially high level where meaning succeeds practically at "taking off" from the linguistic ground on which it keeps on rolling. The central idea of this excerpt is that: A. the meaning of language resides not in concrete words and sounds, but in an abstract deep structure. B. the binary opposition of reality/symbolism is a significant feature of literary works. C. the chronological order of events and the sequence in which events are related are distinct elements of a narrative. D. genre conventions, like codes or signs, convey meaning independently of the words in a written text

Correct Response: D. In this excerpt, Lévi-Strauss argues that the conventions of myth, unlike those of poetry, produce a unique effect that, remarkably, transcends language itself—"Its substance does not lie in its style ... or its syntax, but in the story which it tells." In this sense, the meaning of myth exists independently of the various and individual words and sounds that can be used to convey it

Now begins the cry Of the guitar, Breaking the vaults Of dawn. Now begins the cry Of the guitar. Useless To still it. Impossible To still it. It weeps monotonously As weeps the water, As weeps the wind Over snow. Impossible To still it. It weeps For distant things, Warm southern sands Desiring white camellias. It mourns the arrow without a target, The evening without morning. And the first bird dead Upon a branch. O guitar! A wounded heart, Wounded by five swords. The style and subject matter of this poem are most characteristic of works from which of the following movements in world literature? A. classicism B. romanticism C. realism D. modernism

Correct Response: D. The modernist movement in literature developed during the turbulent events of the early to middle twentieth century. In response to the devastation of war, and feeling disconnected from the traditions of the past, many modern writers infused their works with an extreme sense of uncertainty, disillusionment, and despair. The language and imagery used in this poem ("cry," "weeps," "mourns," "useless," "impossible," and "evening without morning") invoke the inevitability of death and create a stark and unsettling atmosphere, which is characteristic of modernist poetry.

It has never been difficult to foresee that the completion of the Central Park must inevitably produce a very marked effect upon the character and habits of our people, especially on Sundays. The fashionable classes, professional men, and people whose engagements give them some leisure every day, will visit the Park and use it for recreation on week days. But the great mass of our laboring classes are absolutely debarred from using it at all, unless they do so on Sunday. Hitherto they have had no place of attractive resort, and have from compulsion, and to the sacrifice of health and comfort, remained at home. But the Park creates a new state of things,—and it will inevitably be filled every pleasant Sunday by thousands and tens of thousands of our citizens, laborers and others, who embrace that as the only occasion afforded during the week for fresh air, recreation, and a pleasant walk or ride for themselves and their families. This result is already apparent. Every Sunday the Park is even now filled with people of this class,—respectable in appearance, perfectly orderly in their conduct, and enjoying the beautiful region thus opened to them all the more keenly, because of the rarity of the experience which it affords them. Descriptions of visitors to Central Park in this passage primarily reflect the belief, common in the nineteenth century, that: A. regular exercise was necessary for all members of society. B. preserving Sunday as a day of rest for laborers was important. C. granting full citizenship to people of all classes was possible. D. healthy recreation was edifying for working-class people

Correct Response: D. This article indicates that, during the middle 1800s in New York City, free time, "leisure" time, or time for "recreation" was a luxury afforded mainly to the "fashionable classes," not the "great mass of our laboring classes." Working-class people had little means and few, if any, opportunities to escape the city, or even their homes, and visit a "place of attractive resort." But with the construction of Central Park, "a new state of things" emerged. Now, there was a public place where all citizens could go to enjoy "fresh air, recreation, and a pleasant walk or ride for themselves and their families." For working-class people, especially, spending Sunday in the park could be physically invigorating and spiritually uplifting.

In the following passage, the speaker is Ulysses, one of the Greek commanders in the war against the Trojans. When that the general is not like the hive To whom the foragers shall all repair, What honey is expected? . . . The heavens themselves, the planets, and this centre Observe degree, priority, and place, . . . And therefore is the glorious planet Sol In noble eminence enthron'd and spher'd Amidst the other; whose med'cinable eye Corrects the [ill aspects] of [planets evil], And posts like the commandment of a king, Sans check, to good and bad. But when the planets In evil mixture to disorder wander, What plagues and what portents, what mutiny! This passage most clearly reflects the Elizabethan worldview in its assertion that: A. reason is the source of all true wisdom and is godlike in its power to lead and inspire. B. the world's civilizations are an insignificant presence in a cosmos ruled by forces beyond human control. C. mankind is fundamentally evil and civilization can be maintained only by force. D. human society is part of a cosmic hierarchy in which every element has its proper role.

Correct Response: D. This passage refers to a cosmic hierarchy in which each element (worker bees, generals, kings, planets, the sun) has its proper role. Bees in the social hierarchy of a hive produce honey, while planets follow their proper orbits ("observe degree, priority, and place") under the watchful eye of the sun. By extension, human society is also kept in balance by "the commandment of a king."

As the Oxford men say it is the one pull more of the oar that proves the "beefiness of the fellow;" it is the one march more that wins the campaign; the five minutes more persistent courage that wins the fight In the last sentence of the excerpt, the author uses a series of analogies to illustrate the meaning of which of the following words from the excerpt? A. judicious B. lexicon C. inert D. tenacity

Correct Response: D. An individual who demonstrates tenacity has a firm resolve and is capable of dogged persistence. The author uses the analogies "one pull more of the oar," "one march more," and "five minutes more persistent courage" to support the idea that an individual's "pluck, tenacity and perseverance," rather than random luck, are what determine how well the individual benefits from "hidden opportunities."

we charge through the skies of disillusion, seeking the widening of eyes, we gaze at chaos, speak to deadened hearts and ears stopped with commerce. We drift around our region of clowns, walking on air as dreams fly behind our eyes. we forage among broken bodies, fractured minds to find just ways retraced and new like beaten cloth. and if they come again will they come again? and if they come again will they dance this time? will the new egungun1 dance once more resplendent in rich-glassed cloth? will they be of their people's needs, rise to those needs, settle whirling rifts salve, O, festering hearts? will they say when they come O my people, O my people, how to love you delicately? This poem primarily focuses on which of the following concerns of contemporary African writers? A. the need to retain regional cultural and language differences in the face of African unification B. the importance of spiritual leadership and political solidarity in opposition to tyrannical dictators C. the matriarchal role of women in nurturing and healing future generations of Africans D. the spiritual and emotional bankruptcy arising from the loss of traditional values and aspirations of wealth

Correct Response: D. This poem refers to disillusion, chaos, "fractured minds," "festering hearts," and materialistic ambitions ("ears stopped with commerce"). It also conveys a melancholy tone of longing for traditional religious rituals ("will the new egungun dance once more ... ?"). These elements suggest the spiritual and emotional bankruptcy associated with loss of traditional values and aspirations of wealth, a theme addressed by many contemporary African writers

1I will never forget the first time I taught. 2I was in graduate school, working on a master's degree in English, and I thought that teaching a section of first-year composition would be an easy way to earn a little extra money. 3The summer before, I hardly thought about teaching, preferring to focus on reading ahead for my grad courses. 4After all, I figured, how hard could teaching first-year writing really be? 5On the first day of the semester, I made photocopies of my syllabus and headed to class whistling a happy tune. 6________ I froze in my tracks. 7The room was filled to overflowing with students looking up expectantly at me. 8Glancing at my pathetic little pile of papers, I regretted doing so little to prepare. 9While I wrote my name on the board, I struggled to calm my nerves. 10Finally, I swallowed my panic and turned around to face the students. 11My life had never been the same since that fateful day. Which of the following clausal modifiers, if inserted in the blank in Sentence 6, would most effectively control the flow and pace of the narrative? A. Because I was so nervous, B. After I settled down at my desk, C. When I realized how foolish I'd been, D. As I strolled through the door,

Correct Response: D. (SMR Code: 3.3) In this paragraph, the phrase "As I strolled through the door" works most sensibly and effectively in the blank. This clausal modifier, paired with the independent clause "I froze in my tracks," works best to set up a sudden change in the formerly relaxed and casual manner of the narrator. This modifier also makes the most sense chronologically, since the narrator cannot experience feelings of nervousness or foolishness or settle down at the desk until after strolling through the door of the classroom and then freezing in his or her tracks.

1I will never forget the first time I taught. 2I was in graduate school, working on a master's degree in English, and I thought that teaching a section of first-year composition would be an easy way to earn a little extra money. 3The summer before, I hardly thought about teaching, preferring to focus on reading ahead for my grad courses. 4After all, I figured, how hard could teaching first-year writing really be? 5On the first day of the semester, I made photocopies of my syllabus and headed to class whistling a happy tune. 6________ I froze in my tracks. 7The room was filled to overflowing with students looking up expectantly at me. 8Glancing at my pathetic little pile of papers, I regretted doing so little to prepare. 9While I wrote my name on the board, I struggled to calm my nerves. 10Finally, I swallowed my panic and turned around to face the students. 11My life had never been the same since that fateful day. Which of the following revised versions of a sentence from the paragraph has been edited correctly to eliminate an error in verb tense? A. Sentence 1: I am never forgetting the first time I had taught. B. Sentence 3: The summer before, I hardly thought about teaching, preferred to focus on reading ahead for my grad courses. C. Sentence 8: Glancing at my pathetic little pile of papers, I had regretted doing so little to prepare. D. Sentence 11: My life has never been the same since that fateful day.

Correct Response: D. (SMR Code: 3.4) In Sentence 11, the use of the past perfect tense to refer to an event that occurred in the past and is linked to the present is incorrect. Replacing the past perfect tense ("had never been") with the present perfect tense ("has never been") appropriately indicates that the writer's past experience of a first day of teaching continues to influence the writer's life in the present

A draft research paper includes a passage that is a direct quotation from a primary source. When reviewing the draft, the researcher decides to interject a phrase in the quoted material to explain a term that may not be familiar to modern readers. Which of the following procedures should the researcher use to differentiate the inserted phrase from the quoted material? A. identifying the inserted phrase in the footnote for the quoted material B. using ellipses to set off the inserted phrase from the quoted material C. adding a footnote immediately after the inserted phrase D. enclosing the inserted phrase in brackets

Correct Response: D. (SMR Code: 3.5) In direct quotations, an inserted phrase from any other source and for any reason is always enclosed in brackets (e.g., "As water drips from the clepsydra [ancient Greek water clock], the day passes"). In this way, brackets preserve the integrity of the quotation by signaling the reader that the inserted phrase is not part of the original material.