Oae English Language Arts

Front 1

A student has prepared the chart that appears below.

Based on this chart, the student is most likely attempting to build his vocabulary by:

A. adding prefixes and suffixes to common roots to form new words.

B. grouping words according to the part of speech to which they belong.

C. analyzing exceptions to standard spelling and pronunciation.

D. exploring links in meaning between words with common elements.

Back 1

The correct answer is exploring links in meaning between words with common elements.

This question requires the examinee to connect unfamiliar words and phrases with familiar words, phrases, concepts, and experiences. The student starts with more familiar words, such as recognize, congregate, and notice, and relates them to less familiar words, such as cognizant, egregious, and notorious, respectively. By grouping words according to their common elements and exploring links in meaning, the student is essentially identifying cognate words.

For example, congregation and aggregate are both cognates of the Latin greg, meaning "flock, herd."

Front 2

Which is most helpful in learning the meaning of a new word?

Back 2

hearing the word explained in context

Front 3

Students often figure out a new word based on its more familiar root word, or encounter a word that is in their listening vocabulary but not in their reading vocabulary. They look for a part of the word they know, or try to think of a familiar word that is like the unknown word. What concept does this involve?

Back 3

morphemic analysis

Front 4

Use context clues in the passage and the information provided in the chart to answer questions 3 and 4. Monochronism and Polychronism 1 Another important distinction is that between monochronic and polychronic time orientations (Hall, 1959, 1976, 1987). 2Monochronic people or cultures—such as those of the United States, Germany, Scandinavia, and Switzerland—generally schedule one thing at a time. 3 In these cultures, time is compartmentalized and there is a time for everything. 4 Polychronic people or cultures, on the other hand—groups such as Latin Americans, Mediterranean people, and Arabs—tend to schedule more than one thing at the same time. 5 Eating, conducting business with several different people, and taking care of family matters may all be undertaken simultaneously. 6 No culture is entirely monochronic or polychronic; rather, these are general tendencies that are found across a large part of the culture. 7 Some cultures combine both time orientations; in Japan and in some American groups, for example, both orientations are found.

Given the context clues in the passage, which of the following phrases best defines “monochronic”?

Back 4

focuses on one task at a time

Front 5

The best synonym for the word “distinction” as it is used in sentence 1 of the passage is:

Back 5

Difference

Front 6

Which of the following pairs of words acquired new, specialized meanings due to the influence of the field of psychology?

A. introvert, inhibition

B. sedan, coupe

C. broadcast, screen

or

D. network, window

Back 6

A. introvert, inhibition

This question requires the examinee to recognize historical, social, and cultural influences that have helped shape the English language. The word introvert was first used in the late seventeenth century to mean "to concentrate upon oneself." The word inhibition was first used in the fourteenth century to mean "something that forbids or restricts." Each of these words took on specialized meanings in the field of psychology in the late nineteenth century: introvert came to mean "to produce psychological introversion in," and inhibition came to mean "a mental process imposing restraint on behavior."

Front 7

Which of the following sentences from research papers is the best example of a specific detail?

A. Author Charles W. Chesnutt became one of the most significant African American voices at the turn of the twentieth century.

B. Kate Chopin, author of the 1899 novel The Awakening, faced significant obstacles as a female writer in late-nineteenth-century America.

C. If he had completed it before his death, Nikolay Gogol's Dead Souls would likely be considered a masterpiece of Russian literature.

D. Nigerian dramatist, novelist, poet, and critic Wole Soyinka won the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature, a first for an African writer.

Back 7

D. Nigerian dramatist, novelist, poet, and critic Wole Soyinka won the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature, a first for an African writer.

This question requires the examinee to distinguish between general statements and specific details presented in an informational text. Only the response Nigerian dramatist, novelist, poet, and critic Wole Soyinka won the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature, a first for an African writer. offers a specific, factual detail rather than a general statement or broad proposition. The sentence in this response could be used as a supporting detail for a thesis or position statement (general statement), whereas the sentences in the other three responses are all theses that would require supporting details.

Front 8

1In 1869, two factions of women parted ways and formed separate organizations devoted to women’s rights. 2The more radical wing, including Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, bitterly denounced the Fifteenth Amendment because it gave the vote to black men only. 3They helped to found the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA), which argued for a renewed commitment to the original Declaration of Sentiments passed in Seneca Falls, New York, two decades earlier. 4They favored married women’s property rights, liberalization of divorce laws, opening colleges and trade schools to women, and a new federal amendment to allow women to vote. 5Lucy Stone and her husband, Henry Blackwell, founded the rival American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA). 6This group downplayed the larger struggle for women’s rights and focused on the suffrage question exclusively. 7Its members supported the Fifteenth Amendment and retained ties to the Republican Party. 8The AWSA focused on state-by-state campaigns for women’s suffrage.

1. The passage above is mainly about:

A. the Fifteenth Amendment.

B. organizations devoted to women’s rights.

C. the National Woman Suffrage Association.

or

D. the work of Cady Stanton.

2. Which question would best help an active reader determine the major supporting details in the paragraph?

A. What is the Declaration of Sentiments?

B. What organizations were established to support women’s rights?

C. Who were Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucy Stone?

D. What is the Fifteenth Amendment?

Back 8

B. organizations devoted to women’s rights.

B. What organizations were established to support women's rights?

Front 9

Read the excerpt below from a magazine article, then answer the question that follows.It used to be simpler. Whenever the surface waters of the equatorial Pacific turned warmer than normal in summer, climatologists would expect an El Niño year, then forecast when and where droughts, floods, and hurricanes might occur. But that was before a study by Georgia Tech scientists, led by Hye-Mi Kim, deciphered the effects of another pattern in which high temperatures are confined to the central Pacific. Now the already difficult field of atmospheric forecasting has become even trickier. Called El Niño Modoki (Japanese for "similar but different"), it joins El Niño and La Niña, a cold-water phenomenon, as major climate swings that emerge every few years. A Modoki cycle triggers more land falling storms in the Gulf of Mexico and the western Caribbean than normal, and more tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic than El Niño does. Another difference: Modoki's precipitation patterns are the reverse of El Niño's—making the American West, for instance, drier rather than wetter. In 2009, despite early signs of a Modoki year, El Niño prevailed, producing the fewest named Atlantic storms since 1997.

Which of the following paragraphs provides an accurate summary of the information in this excerpt?

A. A team of scientists at Georgia Tech, led by Hye-Mi Kim, has made a discovery that will make weather forecasting a more difficult task than it already is. The team found that every few years a major climate swing called El Niño Modoki will have effects on the southern United States and Central America that are markedly different from those of La Niña.

B. When surface temperatures in the central Pacific are warm, scientists know that El Niño is imminent, and when those temperatures are cold, they know that La Niña is approaching. However, when the American West receives little rainfall and coastal towns near the Gulf of Mexico experience many storms, scientists know that El Niño Modoki has been triggered.

C. In 2009, all signs indicated that El Niño Modoki would occur, but instead, a typical El Niño pattern emerged, rendering the Atlantic almost storm-free for the first time since 1997. So, El Niño Modoki is different from El Niño when it comes to the amount of precipitation produced but similar in the number of storms to hit land in the Gulf of Mexico.

or

D. In addition to El Niño and La Niña, a third major climatic phenomenon has been discovered, called El Niño Modoki. Like El Niño, El Niño Modoki is generated by warm surface temperatures in the central Pacific; but unlike El Niño, it causes more storms in the Atlantic and Caribbean and less precipitation in the western United States.

Back 9

D. In addition to El Niño and La Niña, a third major climatic phenomenon has been discovered, called El Niño Modoki. Like El Niño, El Niño Modoki is generated by warm surface temperatures in the central Pacific; but unlike El Niño, it causes more storms in the Atlantic and Caribbean and less precipitation in the western United States.

Front 10

Read the excerpt below; then answer the question that follows.

Learning how to behave when with your horse is the first step towards building a good working relationship with him. A well-treated horse is trusting but a frightened horse can be very strong and could be dangerously unsafe. Always speak calmly. Horses are sensitive to tone of voice, so never shout. Avoid noises like road drills or motor bikes. Don't move suddenly or carelessly when around horses. Use persuasion to encourage your horse. Horses never forget a bad experience, but you can use their memory to your advantage as they will also remember praise and rewards. Horses work best when they are in a happy environment and they like routine.

For which of the following statements does this excerpt offer a sufficient amount of supporting detail?

A. Horses are best trained in remote, rural places.

B. A highly disciplined horse will be a hard-working horse.

C. Horses respond best to steady, gentle encouragement.

or

D. A calm horse requires less praise than a skittish horse.

Back 10

C. Horses respond best to steady, gentle encouragement.

This question requires the examinee to assess the sufficiency of evidence, examples, and reasons provided to explain a concept or process presented in an informational text. The details in the excerpt explain the dos and don'ts of communicating with horses, such as do "speak calmly" to them but don't "move suddenly or carelessly" around them. Collectively, these tips support the practice of using steady, gentle encouragement with horses.

Front 11

Read the excerpt below from a magazine article; then answer the question that follows.

Computers should be in the schools. They have the potential to accomplish great things. With the right software, they could help make science tangible or teach neglected topics like art and music. They could help students form a concrete idea of society by displaying on screen a version of the city in which they live a picture that tracks real life moment by moment.In practice, however, computers make our worst educational nightmares come true. While we bemoan the decline of literacy, computers discount words in favor of pictures and pictures in favor of video. While we fret about the decreasing cogency of public debate, computers dismiss linear argument and promote fast, shallow romps across the information landscape. While we worry about basic skills, we allow into the classroom software that will do a student's arithmetic or correct his spelling.

The organizational structure of this excerpt can best be described as:

A. problem-and-solution.

B. definition and example.

C. cause-and-effect.

or

D. compare and contrast.

Back 11

D. Compare and contrast

This question requires the examinee to use knowledge of organizational features and structure of a persuasive text to help enhance comprehension of the text. In the first paragraph of this excerpt, the author describes the great "potential" that computers have in the schools; he offers a vision of how computers could benefit students' learning. In the second paragraph, though, the author describes how, "in practice," computers have a mainly deleterious influence; he offers a sobering account of how computers actually undermine students' learning. Overall, in this excerpt, the author is comparing and contrasting ideal computer use with real computer use.

Front 12

Questions 1–3 are about the following passage:

Science, especially twentieth-century science, has provided us with a glimpse of something we never really knew before: the revelation of human ignorance. We have been used to the belief, down one century after another, that we more or less comprehend everything bar one or two mysteries like the mental processes of our gods. Every age, not just the eighteenth century, regarded itself as the Age of Reason, and we have never lacked for explanations of the world and its ways. Now, we are being brought up short, and this has been the work of science. We have a wilderness of mystery to make our way through in the centuries ahead, and we will need science for this but not science alone. Science will, in its own time, produce the data and some of the meaning in the data, but never the full meaning. For getting a full grasp, for perceiving real significance when significance is at hand, we shall need minds at work from all sorts of brains outside the fields of science, most of all the brains of poets, of course, but also those of artists, musicians, philosophers, historians, and writers in general.

1. This passage includes sufficient reasons to support which of the following arguments?

A. Artists, musicians, philosophers, and historians contribute as much to our understanding of the world as do scientists.

B. Ignorance is preferable to being overwhelmed with new scientific information that is impossible to understand.

C. Science teachers should make science more compelling to their students by focusing on strange natural phenomena.

D. An individual can learn more about science by living alone in the wilderness than by using modern technology.

2. This passage best exemplifies which of the following organizational structures?

A. spatial

B. cause-and-effect

C. sequential

D. problem-and-solution

3. In the passage, the phrase "a wilderness of mystery" is most likely intended to evoke which of the following feelings?

A.disappointment

B. excitement

C. uncertainty

D. nostalgia

Back 12

A. Artists, musicians, philosophers, and historians contribute as much to our understanding of the world as do scientists.

D. Problem-and-solution

C. Uncertainity

Front 13

How can a man be satisfied to entertain an opinion merely, and enjoy it? Is there any enjoyment in it, if his opinion is that he is aggrieved? If you are cheated out of a single dollar by your neighbor, you do not rest satisfied with knowing that you are cheated, or with saying that you are cheated, or even with petitioning him to pay you your due; but you take effectual steps at once to obtain the full amount, and see that you are never cheated again. Action from principle—the perception and the performance of right—changes things and relations; it is essentially revolutionary, and does not consist wholly with anything which was.

In this excerpt, an analogy is used to support the author's argument primarily by:

A. making an ethical appeal for readers to become activists.

B. creating common ground between the author and readers.

C. establishing the author's credibility as a revolutionary.

D. amusing readers by exaggerating humorous aspects of politics.

Back 13

A. making an ethical appeal for readers to become activists.

Front 14

Read the excerpt below from a magazine article; then answer the question that follows.

Computers should be in the schools. They have the potential to accomplish great things. With the right software, they could help make science tangible or teach neglected topics like art and music. They could help students form a concrete idea of society by displaying on screen a version of the city in which they live a picture that tracks real life moment by moment.In practice, however, computers make our worst educational nightmares come true. While we bemoan the decline of literacy, computers discount words in favor of pictures and pictures in favor of video. While we fret about the decreasing cogency of public debate, computers dismiss linear argument and promote fast, shallow romps across the information landscape. While we worry about basic skills, we allow into the classroom software that will do a student's arithmetic or correct his spelling.

The organizational structure of this excerpt can best be described as:

A. problem-and-solution.

B. definition and example.

C. cause-and-effect.

or

D. compare and contrast.

Back 14

D. compare and contrast.

This question requires the examinee to use knowledge of organizational features and structure of a persuasive text to help enhance comprehension of the text. In the first paragraph of this excerpt, the author describes the great "potential" that computers have in the schools; he offers a vision of how computers could benefit students' learning. In the second paragraph, though, the author describes how, "in practice," computers have a mainly deleterious influence; he offers a sobering account of how computers actually undermine students' learning. Overall, in this excerpt, the author is comparing and contrasting ideal computer use with real computer use.

Front 15

Representative government in the United States has broken down. Our legislators do not represent the public, the voters, or even those who voted for them but rather the commercial-industrial interests that finance their political campaigns and control the organs of communication—the TV, the newspapers, the billboards, the radio. Politics is a game for the rich only. Representative government in the USA represents money, not people, and therefore has forfeited our allegiance and moral support. We owe it nothing but the taxation it extorts from us under threats of seizure of property. . . .

Which of the following statements best describes the effect of the author's use of a rhetorical technique in this excerpt?

A. The author's use of specific examples such as TV, newspapers, and radio demonstrates a thoroughly researched perspective.

B. The author's use of a simple, clear position statement at the beginning of the argument helps reinforce the overall validity of the argument.

C. A focus on appeals to authority and emotion reveals that the author's perspective is based primarily on hearsay.

D. A reliance on exaggerations and sweeping generalizations reveals strong biases in the author's argument.

Back 15

D. A reliance on exaggerations and sweeping generalizations reveals strong biases in the author's argument.

This question requires the examinee to analyze the use of a rhetorical technique in a persuasive text. In the excerpt, the author reveals strong biases through exaggerations such as "Representative government in the United States has broken down" and sweeping generalizations such as "Politics is a game for the rich only."

Front 16

An individual reads the instructions below for acquiring an absentee ballot. She provides her local board of elections with her driver's license, a statement identifying the election in which she would like to vote, and an address to which she would like the absentee ballot mailed.Voter Registration InformationHow can I acquire an absentee ballot?Write or go to the board of elections in your county and request an absentee ballot application. On the application, you must provide the following information:your printed name and signature,the address at which you are currently registered to voteyour date of birth,personal identification, which may be any one of the following:your driver's license number, orthe last four digits of your social security number, ora copy of your current and valid photo identification or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document that shows your name and addressa statement identifying the election for which the absentee ballot is being requested,a statement declaring that you are a qualified elector, andan address to which you would like the ballot mailed, if applicable.Absentee ballot applications must be received by your county's board of elections by noon of the Saturday before the election.Based on these instructions, this individual will need to provide which of the following additional materials in order to acquire an absentee ballot?

A. a copy of her birth certificate

B. a statement declaring that she is a qualified elector

C. a copy of her most recent phone bill

D. a paycheck that she has endorsed but not yet cashed

Back 16

B. a statement declaring that she is a qualified elector

This question requires the examinee to use information presented in a technical text to gain knowledge and develop skills, such as learning and exercising citizens' rights. When the individual acquires the application at her local board of elections, she will be able to fill in her name, date of birth, and current address as well as provide her signature. In addition, she will have in hand her driver's license, the address to which she would like her ballot mailed, and a statement identifying the elections in which she would like to vote. According to the instructions, then, the last piece she will need to complete her application is a statement declaring that she is a qualified elector.

Front 17

Read the excerpt below from a work of fiction; then answer the question that follows.

Well, thish-yer Smiley had rat-tarriers, and chicken cocks, and tom-cats and all them kind of things, till you couldn't rest, and you couldn't fetch nothing for him to bet on but he'd match you. He ketched a frog one day, and took him home, and said he cal'lated to educate him; and so he never done nothing for three months but set in his back-yard and learn that frog to jump. And you bet you he did learn him, too. He'd give him a little punch behind, and the next minute you'd see that frog whirling in the air like a doughnut see him turn one summerset, or may be a couple, if he got a good start, and come down flat-footed and all right, like a cat.

In this excerpt, the author deviates from Standard American English primarily to:

A. capture regional speech.

B. employ economy of expression.

C. appeal to a specific audience.

D. ease readability.

Back 17

A. Capture regional speech

This question requires the examinee to analyze the impact of specific word choice on meaning and tone in a work of literary prose. In the excerpt, by deviating from Standard American English the author gives the narrator a very distinctive and fully animated voice, a voice that readers, especially readers from or familiar with the United States, may easily associate with a particular region, its inhabitants, and their rich manner of expression.

Front 18

Read the following excerpt from a short story and answer Questions 1 and 2.

Day had broken cold and gray, exceedingly cold and gray, when the man turned aside from the main Yukon trail and climbed the high earth-bank, where a dim and little-traveled trail led eastward through the fat spruce timberland. It was a steep bank, and he paused for breath at the top, excusing the act to himself by looking at his watch. It was nine o'clock. There was no sun nor hint of sun, though there was not a cloud in the sky. It was a clear day, and yet there seemed an intangible pall over the face of things, a subtle gloom that made the day dark, and that was due to the absence of sun. This fact did not worry the man. He was used to the lack of sun. It had been days since he had seen the sun, and he knew that a few more days must pass before that cheerful orb, due south, would just peep above the skyline and dip immediately from view.

-Jack London "To Build A Fire"

1. This excerpt best exemplifies which of the following structural elements of fiction?

A. rising action

B. climax

C. denouement

D. exposition

2. The sentence "It was a steep bank, and he paused for breath at the top, excusing the act to himself by looking at his watch" suggests that the man is:

A. disoriented by the absence of sunlight.

B. unaccustomed to being in the wilderness.

C. impatient to reach his destination.

D. unaware of the beauty surrounding him.

Back 18

D. exposition

B. Unaccustomed to being in the wilderness

Front 19

Read the following excerpt from a novel and answer Question.

By one of those caprices of the mind which we are perhaps most subject to in early youth, I at once gave up my former occupations, set down natural history and all its progeny as a deformed and abortive creation, and entertained the greatest disdain for a would-be science which could never even step within the threshold of real knowledge. In this mood of mind I betook myself to the mathematics and the branches of study appertaining to that science as being built upon secure foundations, and so worthy of my consideration.Thus strangely are our souls constructed, and by such slight ligaments are we bound to prosperity or ruin. When I look back, it seems to me as if this almost miraculous change of inclination and will was the immediate suggestion of the guardian angel of my life—the last effort made by the spirit of preservation to avert the storm that was even then hanging in the stars and ready to envelop me.Source

Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein Or, the Modern Prometheus"

In this excerpt, which of the following actions of the narrator is most likely being foreshadowed?

A. resuming the study of natural history with disastrous consequences

B. solving a mathematical problem by lucky coincidence

C. making a scientific discovery that benefits humanity

D. sacrificing material wealth as a means of spiritual enlightenment

Back 19

A. resuming the study of natural history with disastrous consequences

Front 20

Read the following excerpt below from a memoir and answer Question

The kitchen and living room were combined into one of the most beautiful rooms I have ever known. Our kitchen had a huge black wood stove for cooking and for heating the house. On the wall hung pots, pans, and various roots and herbs used for cooking and making medicine. There was a large table, two chairs and two benches made from wide planks, which we scrubbed with homemade lye soap after each meal. On one wall were shelves for our good dishes and a cupboard for storing everyday tin plates, cups, and food.The living-room area had a homemade chesterfield and a chair of carved wood and woven rawhide, a couple of rocking chairs painted red, and an old steamer trunk by the east window. The floor was made of wide planks which were scoured to an even whiteness all over. We made braided rugs during the winter months from old rags, although it often took us a full year to gather enough for even a small rug.

In this excerpt, a description of setting is used to characterize the narrator's family as:

A. competitive and ambitious.

B. eccentric and joyful.

C. frugal and hardworking.

D. nurturing and affectionate.

Back 20

C. frugal and hardworking

Front 21

Read the excerpt below from an autobiographical work; then answer the question that follows.

The barrenness of Stamps1 was exactly what I wanted, without will or consciousness. After St. Louis, with its noise and activity, its trucks and buses, and loud family gatherings, I welcomed the obscure lanes and lonely bungalows set back deep in dirt yards. The resignation of its inhabitants encouraged me to relax. They showed me a contentment based on the belief that nothing more was coming to them, although a great deal more was due. Their decision to be satisfied with life's inequities was a lesson for me. Entering Stamps, I had the feeling that I was stepping over the border lines of the map and would fall, without fear, right off the end of the world. Nothing more could happen, for in Stamps nothing happened. 1Stamps: town in Arkansas

Maya Angelou From "I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS"

In this excerpt, the narrator's tone reflects an attitude of:

A. superiority and condescension.

B. stubborn resistance.

C. passive submission.

D. boredom and impatience.

Back 21

C. passive submission.

This question requires the examinee to analyze the use of tone in a work of literary prose. In the excerpt, the narrator describes the "resignation" and "contentment" exhibited by the inhabitants of the small, quiet town of Stamps and explains that she, too, has begun to adopt the same placid disposition. It "was exactly what I wanted. . . . I welcomed the obscure lanes and the lonely bungalows set back deep in dirt yards."

Front 22

Read the excerpt below from a work of poetry; then answer the question that follows.

Shape the lips to an o, say a.

That's island.One word of Swedish has changed the whole neighborhood.

When I look up, the yellow house on the corner

is a galleon stranded in flowers. Around it

the wind. Even the high roar of a leaf-mulcher

could be the horn-blast from a ship

as it skirts the misted shoals.

We don't need much more to keep things going.

Families complete themselves

and refuse to budge from the present,

the present extends its glass forehead to sea

(backyard breezes, scattered cardinals)

and if, one evening, the house on the corner

took off over the marshland,

neither I nor my neighbor

would be amazed. . . .

In this excerpt, imagery is used primarily to:

A. establish a comparison between a house and an ocean-bound ship.

B. sharpen the contrast between the everyday and the fantastic.

C. suggest a connection between language and the passage of time.

D. draw a distinction between a word's denotative and connotative meaning.

Back 22

C. sharpen the contrast between the everyday and the fantastic.

This question requires the examinee to analyze the use of poetic devices, such as allusion, paradox, symbolism, imagery, and irony, in a work of poetry. In the excerpt, "one word of Swedish," a strikingly unusual sound in a presumably English-speaking neighborhood, excites the speaker's imagination at once, transforming the ordinary, familiar "yellow house on the corner" into a fantastic "galleon" that is set to sea. This fantasy is all that the speaker and other neighbors need "to keep things going"—to transcend "the present" and all the quotidian objects, individuals, and events associated with it. The nautical imagery, then, serves to draw a contrast between the static, commonplace aspects of the neighborhood and the dynamic, exotic aspects of the sea.

Front 23

Read the excerpt below from a work of poetry; then answer the question that follows.

Streaming tears, sobbing tears, throes, choked with wild cries;O storm, embodied, rising, careering with swift steps along

the beach!

O wild and dismal night storm, with wind—O belching

and desperate!

O shade so sedate and decorous by day, with calm countenance

and regulated pace,

But away at night as you fly, none looking—O then the

unloosen'd ocean,

Of tears! tears! tears!

1. Which of the following figures of speech is used in this excerpt to emphasize the passionate nature of the speaker's appeal?

A. apostrophe

B. synechdoche

C. hyperbole

D. simile

Back 23

A. apostrophe

This question requires the examinee to analyze the use of a figure of speech in a work of poetry. An apostrophe is a rhetorical figure used to address directly and explicitly an abstract or inanimate entity (e.g., Justice, an absent lover, a painting). In the excerpt, phrases such as "O wild and dismal night storm" and "O shade so sedate and decorous" indicate the speaker's use of apostrophe.

Front 24

a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa, as inCleveland won by six runs (meaning “Cleveland's baseball team”).

Back 24

Synecdoche

Front 25

Consider the following poem as you answer questions 1–3.

A Pause of Thought

by Christina G. RossettiI

I looked for that which is not, nor can be,

And hope deferred made my heart sick in truth

But years must pass before a hope of youth

Is resigned utterly. I watched and waited with a steadfast will: And though the object seemed to flee away

That I so longed for, ever day by day

I watched and waited still. Sometimes I said: This thing shall be no more; My expectation wearies and shall cease; I will resign it now and be at peace: Yet never gave it o’er. Sometimes I said: It is an empty name

I long for; to a name why should I give

The peace of all the days I have to live?–– Yet gave it all the same. Alas, thou foolish one! alike unfit

For healthy joy and salutary pain: Thou knowest the chase useless, and again

Turnest to follow it.

1. What is the theme of the poem?

A. After enough time passes, you can move on from any long-held hope.

B. You can grow weary of hoping, so give it up to gain peace of mind.

C. It is hard to give up hope even when you know the object you desire can never be obtained.

D. If you can give a name to certain kinds of hope, you can more easily obtain the things which you desire.

2. The irony in line 1 is that:

A. looking for what is desired is not very helpful.

B. the thing desired does not exist and can never be obtained.

C. the speaker does not know what he or she desires.

D. the reader does not know what the speaker desires.

3. Which of the following best characterizes the speaker at the end of the poem?

A. The speaker reflects on past wishes but remains determined.

B. The speaker gives up on desires easily and gets ill.

C. The speaker has given up doing anything useful.

D. The speaker does not expect good things from life.

Back 25

C. It is hard to give up hope even when you know the object you desire can never be obtained.

B. the thing desired does not exist and can never be obtained.

A. The speaker reflects on past wishes but remains determined.

Front 26

The Railway Train

by Emily Dickinson

1 I like to see it lap the miles, And lick the valleys up, And stop to feed itself at tanks; And then, prodigious, step5 Around a pile of mountains, And supercilious peer In shanties by the sides of roads; And then a quarry pare To fit its sides, and crawl between,10 Complaining all the while In horrid, hooting stanza Then chase itself downhill And neigh like Boanerges; Then, punctual as a star,15 Stop–docile and omnipotent At its own stable door.

1. What figurative language does the poet use to describe the train?

A. alliteration

B. onomatopoeia

C. metaphor

D. irony

2. What does the figurative language in lines 13–16 aim to do?

A. emphasize the sound of a train

B. exaggerate the characteristics of a train

C. compare a train to a horse

D. describe a mountain

Back 26

C. Metaphor

C. compare a train to a horse

Front 27

Which of the following statements best describes a primary characteristic of American naturalism in late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century literature?

A. In naturalist fiction, protagonists governed by forces beyond their control represent a determinist philosophy.

B. Naturalist writing focuses on the author's experiences in the wilderness and features careful, scientific description of wildlife.

C. Naturalist writing is distinguished by dialect and stock characters, who are often depicted in conflict with their environment.

D. In naturalist fiction, vernacular diction is used to depict recognizably contemporary characters and plausible events.

Back 27

D. In naturalist fiction, protagonists governed by forces beyond their control represent a determinist philosophy.

This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of the formal, stylistic, and thematic characteristics of major movements and periods in American literature and literatures from around the world. Naturalist fiction emerged from post-Darwinian biological theory. In such fiction, the lives of human beings are depicted as belonging completely to the order of nature; that is, their lots are determined by heredity and the environment in which they find themselves. As such, characters often fall victim to their own animal instincts and to external social and economic pressures, all of which are largely beyond their control.

Front 28

Read the excerpt below and answer the questions that follow.

Long ago, near the beginning of the world, Gray Eagle was a guardian of the sun and moon and stars, of fresh water, and of fire. Gray Eagle hated people so much that he kept these things hidden. People lived in darkness, without fire and without fresh water. Gray Eagle had a beautiful daughter, and Raven fell in love with her. At that time Raven was a handsome young man. He changed himself into a snow-white bird, and as a snow-white bird he pleased Gray Eagle's daughter. She invited him to her father's lodge. When Raven saw the sun and the moon and the stars and fresh water hanging on the sides of Eagle's lodge, he knew what he should do. He watched for his chance to seize them when no one was looking. He stole all of them, and a brand of fire also, and flew out of the lodge through the smoke hole.As soon as Raven got outside, he hung the sun up in the sky. It made so much light that he was able to fly far out to an island in the middle of the ocean. When the sun set, he fastened the moon up in the sky and hung the stars around in different places. By this new light he kept on flying, carrying with him the fresh water and the brand of fire he had stolen.

1. The style and subject matter of this excerpt are most characteristic of works from which of the following literary genres?

A. tall tale

B. creation story

C. nursery rhyme

D. fairy tale

2. In many world cultures, an epic hero is most often characterized as:

A. a young person who is preordained by the gods to become a powerful leader.

B. an ordinary person whose strength and intelligence are tested during a journey.

C. a part-human, part-divine being who uses superhuman powers to vanquish evil.

D. a god masquerading as a human who interferes in the lives of everyday people.

3. Which of the following themes is frequently explored in the works of writers of the U.S. transcendentalist movement?

A. the possibility of finding self-fulfillment by living in harmony with nature

B. the futility of searching for meaning in a meaningless universe

C. the need to preserve regional traditions while embracing progressive ideas

D. the immorality of pursuing personal dreams for selfish reasons

4. Which of the following pairs of authors is best known for creating literary works that explore the challenges of redefining individual, tribal, and national identities in postcolonial Africa?

A. Doris Lessing and Athol Fugard

B. Chinua Achebe and Bessie Head

C. Alan Paton and Nadine Gordimer

D. Isak Dinesen and Albert Camus

Back 28

B. Creation story

B. an ordinary person whose strength and intelligence are tested during a journey.

A. the possibility of finding self-fulfillment by living in harmony with nature

B. Chinua Achebe and Bessie Head

Front 29

Which of the following statements best describes the stylistic and thematic characteristics of a fable?

A. It uses humor and hyperbole to create a fantasy that reflects, celebrates, or criticizes social values.

B. It describes events in the life of a well-known community figure in order to memorialize that figure.

C. It combines elements of reality and magic in order to reveal insights into human nature.

D. It dramatizes human actions through animal characters in order to teach a moral lesson about human behavior.

Back 29

D. It dramatizes human actions through animal characters in order to teach a moral lesson about human behavior.

This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of the stylistic and thematic characteristics of major literary genres and works from diverse oral traditions. A fable is a short story whose primary purpose is to instruct or guide, not just entertain. Most fables use anthropomorphism to express a moral lesson, usually in the form of an epigram. For example, the epigram "slow and steady wins the race" is from Aesop's well-known fable "The Tortoise and the Hare."

Front 30

Read "Prayer" below, a poem by Joseph Bruchac; then answer the question that follows.

Let my words

be bright with animals,

images the flash of a gull's wing.

If we pretend

that we are at the center,

that moles and king

fishers,

eels and coyotes

are at the edge of grace,

then we circle, dead moons

about a cold sun.

This morning I ask only

the blessing of the crayfish,

the beatitude of the birds;

to wear the skin of the bear

in my songs;

to work like a man with my hands.

This poem most clearly expresses which of the following aspects of Native American culture?

A. an attitude of reverence and respect toward living creatures

B. the focus on a cyclical, rather than linear, concept of time

C. a belief in the interconnectedness of physical and spiritual realms

D. the role of storytelling in keeping a communal identity

Back 30

A. an attitude of reverence and respect toward living creatures

This question requires the examinee to analyze in literary works the expression of diverse values, attitudes, and ideas of peoples from various regional, ethnic, and cultural groups. In the poem, the speaker warns that if we human beings see ourselves at the "center" of life, as superior creatures, alone capable of "grace," while we see other creatures on the "edge," incidental and inessential in the grand scheme of things, then we effect a world bereft of radiance and glory ("dead moons / about a cold sun"). The idea, shared by many Native American peoples, is rather to view all creatures with respect and even reverence, to engage and embrace them on some level, to seek "the blessing of the crayfish" and "the beatitude of the birds."

Front 31

In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Brutus’ wife Portia says, “I grant I am a woman; but withal / A woman well reputed …” What does this reflect about society’s attitude during Shakespeare’s time?

A. Women were considered less important than men.

B. Women and men were considered equals.

C. Women enjoyed good reputations during that time.

D. Women were considered superior to men.

Back 31

D. Women were considered less important than men.

Front 32

Read Those Winter Sundays below, a poem by Robert Hayden; then answer the question that follows.

Sundays too my father got up early

and put his clothes on in the blue

black cold, then with cracked hands that ached

from labor in the weekday weather made

banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.

I'd wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking. When the rooms were warm, he'd call, and slowly I would rise and dress, fearing the chronic angers of that house,

Speaking indifferently to him, who had driven out the cold

and polished my good shoes as well. What did I know, what did I know

of love's austere and lonely offices?

In this poem, Hayden explores mainly which of the following issues related to human growth and maturity?

A. the increased understanding of the meaning and significance of work

B. the newfound respect with which children may come to regard their parents

C. the higher level of accountability to which parents may come to hold their children

D. the heightened awareness of and concern for personal and financial security

Back 32

B. the newfound respect with which children may come to regard their parents

Front 33

Read the excerpt below from George Washington Gómez, a novel by Américo Paredes; then answer the question that follows.

So, at eight years of age, after having finished low first with Miss Josephine, Guálito passed to high second with Miss Huff, and in so doing entered American school at last. Under Miss Huff's guidance he began to acquire an Angloamerican self, and as the years passed, under Miss Huff and other teachers like her, he developed simultaneously in two widely divergent paths. In the schoolroom he was an American; at home and on the playground he was a Mexican. Throughout his early childhood these two selves grew within him without much conflict, each an exponent of a different tongue and a different way of living. The boy nurtured these two selves within him, each radically different and antagonistic to the other, without realizing their separate existences.

In this excerpt, Paredes comments primarily on the experience of:

A. spiritual enlightenment.

B. racial prejudice.

C. bicultural identity.

D. dual citizenship.

Back 33

bicultural identity.

Front 34

Read the excerpt below from Among Children, a poem by Philip Levine; then answer the question that follows.

I walk among the rows of bowed heads—the children are sleeping through fourth grade

so as to be ready for what is ahead, the monumental boredom of junior high

and the rush forward tearing their wings

loose and turning their eyes forever inward. These are the children of Flint, their fathers

work at the spark plug factory or truck

bottled water in 5 gallon sea-blue jugs

to the widows of the suburbs. You can see

already how their backs have thickened, how their small hands, soiled by pig iron, leap and stutter even in dreams....

In this poem, Levine is most likely commenting on which of the following aspects of industrial society?

A. the material rewards of working long hours at dangerous jobs

B.the limited opportunities for children of working-class families

C. the unfortunate exposure of children to squalid living conditions

D. the social implications of non-compulsory public education

Back 34

B. the limited opportunities for children of working-class families

Front 35

Read the excerpt below from "The Cry of the Children," a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning; then answer the question that follows.

Alas, alas, the children! they are seeking

Death in life, as best to have: They are binding up their hearts away from breaking,

With a ceremen1 from the grave. Go out, children, from the mine and from the city,

Sing out, children, as the little thrushes do; Pluck your handfuls of the meadow-cowslips2 pretty,

Laugh aloud, to feel your fingers let them through! But they answer, "Are your cowslips of the meadows

Like our weeds anear the mine? Leave us quiet in the dark of the coal-shadows,

From your pleasures fair and fine!"

1ceremen: burial shroud

2cowslips: primroses

In this excerpt, Browning is most likely trying to influence public opinion about which of the following social issues?

A. child hunger and homelessness

B. child labor exploitation

C. infant mortality rates

D. elementary school truancy

Back 35

B. child labor exploitation

This question requires the examinee to analyze how a writer influenced public opinion about a major social issue through a literary work. In the excerpt, the speaker pities the children whose plight it is to work in mines and factories and entreats them to try to break away ("Go out, children, from the mine and from the city"), play, and be carefree ("Sing out, children," "Laugh aloud"). But the children can only reply, "Leave us quiet in the dark," indicating clearly their hopeless outlook.

Front 36

Which of the following sentences contains an error in agreement?

A. Years after I first read it, J. D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey ranks among my all-time favorite novels.

B. Volunteer work with local nonprofit agencies look impressive on any student's college application.

C. My cat Bruiser, unlike most animals, remains calm in the veterinarian's waiting room.

D. The latest data show that neither the incumbent congresswoman nor her challenger has the upper hand.

Back 36

B. Volunteer work with local nonprofit agencies look impressive on any student's college application.

This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of appropriate word usage and grammatical sentence structure to use when developing text. The subject of the sentence in the response Volunteer work with local nonprofit agencies look impressive on any student’s college application is work, not agencies; therefore the singular form of the verb to look is required—looks, not look.

Front 37

Which sentence best expresses the relationship between the two clauses?

A. Looking at the character development in the story, the novelist surprisingly reveals psychological insight to us.

B. Looking at the character development in the story, the novelist reveals to us surprisingly psychological insight.

C. Looking at the character development in the story, we discover the novelist’s surprisingly psychological insight.

D. Looking at the character development in the story, surprising psychological insight is revealed to us.

Back 37

C. Looking at the character development in the story, we discover the novelist’s surprisingly psychological insight.

Front 38

Which of the following sentences contains an error in punctuation?

A. Our team was not ready; in fact, only the coach had prepared for the game.

B. Ray served grilled salmon and asparagus for dinner; everyone enjoyed it.

C. This spring and summer he will grow: daffodils, roses, and mums.

D. My sister is allergic to two things: nail polish and fabric softener.

Back 38

C. This spring and summer he will grow: daffodils, roses, and mums.

Front 39

Which of the following sentences contains an error in usage?

A. A sweet wine complements almost any spicy dish.

B. That captain will take out her boat irrespective of the weather.

C. The professor alluded to Hamlet repeatedly during her lecture.

D. Six states comprise the region called New England.

Back 39

D. Six states comprise the region called New England.

Front 40

Which of the following sentences would be the best topic sentence for a paragraph on rain forests?

A. Tree branches in the rain forest's canopy rarely interlock or even touch.

B. The over story consists of the crowns of trees that rise 10–200 feet above the canopy.

C. Medicinal plants, such as rosy periwinkle, are found in the rain forest's shrub layer.

D. The vertical structure of a rainforest can be divided into five basic layers.

Back 40

D. The vertical structure of a rainforest can be divided into five basic layers.

Front 41

A writer has drafted the short paragraph below as part of a persuasive essay.

For many students who are finishing up high school, taking a year off before heading to college may be a wise decision. In fact, today, some colleges even strongly encourage potential college first-years to take time off before attending. Taking time off can allow a student to explore his or her career interests, travel abroad and learn a new language, volunteer for a political campaign, or simply work full time to save money.

Which of the following sentences would be most effective for the writer to use in the blank as a conclusion to this paragraph?

A. There are many students who spend their first year of college partying, sleeping late, and skipping classes, which is a terrible waste.

B. Some colleges have found that high school students who take a year off before attending college end up earning better grades in college.

C. Some high school students are not accepted at the colleges that they would like to attend, so they reapply to them the next year.

D. There are many exciting opportunities to take advantage of after high school, and going to college is only one of them.

Back 41

A. There are many exciting opportunities to take advantage of after high school, and going to college is only one of them.

This question requires the examinee to recognize methods of developing a conclusion to a text that provides a summary or resolution. The first two sentences of the paragraph introduce the idea that, for many students, taking a year off between high school and college may be advisable. Next, a list of several constructive ways in which to spend a year off is provided. In the response There are many exciting opportunities to take advantage of after high school, and going to college is only one of them, the main idea of the paragraph is summed up most effectively and thus is the best conclusion; the other responses serve only to introduce more details, some of which are tangential to the main idea of the paragraph.

Front 42

Which of the following methods, used during the drafting phase of the writing process, would best help a writer maintain focus on a central concept?

A. reducing attention to mechanics such as spelling and punctuation

B. avoiding the use of transitional words or phrases

C. repeating key words or phrases in each paragraph

D. using narrative order to relate information in each paragraph

Back 42

C. repeating key words or phrases in each paragraph

This question requires the examinee to recognize methods of drafting text to show logical development of a central idea or concept through the use of relevant supporting details. One method of maintaining focus on a central concept while developing a text is to repeat throughout the text key words and phrases related to the concept. For example, if a writer were developing an essay on the concept of ambition, she might repeat throughout the essay words and phrases such as leadership, initiative, change the world, enterprising, and goal-oriented. Such an approach would help the writer stay anchored to the main idea or ideas she wishes to explicate in the essay.

Front 43

Choose the sentence with the best parallel structure.

A. She was stocky, she was built for the cold and enormously strong.

B. She was stocky, built for the cold, and she was enormously strong.

C. She was stocky, built for the cold, and enormously strong.

Back 43

C. She was stocky, built for the cold, and enormously strong.

Front 44

Consider the following 3 sentences and then choose the response that best combines the ideas.

-Jennie hated getting sand in her shoes.

-Sand in her shoes made her feel uncomfortable.

-Jennie only wore socks with tennis shoes or large fur-lined boots.

A. Sand in her shoes made Jennie feel uncomfortable because she only wore socks with tennis shoes or large fur-lined boots because she hated getting sand in her shoes.

B. Jennie only wore socks with tennis shoes or sand that she hated and made her feel uncomfortable or large fur-lined boots.

C. Jennie hated getting sand in her shoes because it made her feel uncomfortable, so she only wore socks with tennis shoes or large fur-lined boots.

Back 44

C. Jennie hated getting sand in her shoes because it made her feel uncomfortable, so she only wore socks with tennis shoes or large fur-lined boots.

Front 45

A writer has drafted the short paragraph below as part of an expository essay.

Diana Chang is a contemporary Chinese American poet. She spent much of her childhood in China. Her work reflects her cultural heritage. Her work often exhibits the use of ancient Chinese verse forms.

Which of the following revised versions of this paragraph should the writer choose to use in the essay to engage the reader more fully and provide the clearest meaning?

A. Diana Chang, who spent most of her childhood in China, is a contemporary Chinese American poet whose work reflects her cultural heritage. In fact, many of her poems exhibit the influence of ancient Chinese verse forms.

B. Diana Chang spent much of her childhood in China. Now, she spends much of her adult life writing poetry. She is Chinese American. She writes poetry that reflects her cultural heritage. She writes poetry that reflects ancient Chinese verse forms.

C. Many contemporary Chinese American poets exhibit the use of ancient Chinese verse forms in their works. Diana Chang spent much of her childhood in China and now lives in the United States. As a result, her work often reflects her Chinese cultural heritage.

D. Many poets reflect their cultural heritage in their works. They use ancient verse forms. One contemporary Chinese American poet, Diana Chang, spent much of her childhood in China and now lives in the United States.

Back 45

B. Diana Chang, who spent most of her childhood in China, is a contemporary Chinese American poet whose work reflects her cultural heritage. In fact, many of her poems exhibit the influence of ancient Chinese verse forms.

This question requires the examinee to recognize methods of revising text to generate interest and clarify meaning. In the response Diana Change, who spent most of her childhood in China, is a contemporary Chinese American poet whose work reflects her cultural heritage. In fact, many of her poems exhibit the influence of ancient Chinese verse forms., the first three sentences of the original draft are combined to subordinate information in the clearest and most appropriate way. Also, the last sentence of the original draft is linked effectively to the preceding sentence by employing a transitional phrase ("In fact, . . .).

Front 46

A writer is reviewing a journal article as a possible information source for a research paper. The writer can best determine whether the article contains bias by asking which of the following questions during the review?

A. Does the author use technical or field-specific terminology?

B. Does the author provide sufficient supporting details for main ideas?

C. Does the article include an adequate bibliography of related resources?

D. Does the article include exaggerated or overly generalized statements?

Back 46

D. Does the article include exaggerated or overly generalized statements?

This question requires the examinee to recognize methods of assessing the credibility, objectivity, and reliability of sources of information. One method of assessing the objectivity of a source of information is to look for exaggerations and overgeneralization in the source. Statements such asThere are a thousand reasons for individuals to purchase residential wind turbines and During periods of great sadness, all individuals should take a prescribed antidepressant, for example, demonstrate exaggeration and overgeneralization, respectively, and would indicate that a source contains a bias.

Front 47

Which is the best source to find information related to plant and animal life in the Amazon rainforest?

A. scientific journals showing the effects of deforestation on the ozone layer

B. an atlas including both topographical and agricultural maps

C. Brazilian newspaper articles about the deforestation of the Amazon

D. Internet websites related to the Amazon ecosystems and environmental protection

Back 47

D. Internet websites related to the Amazon ecosystems and environmental protection

Front 48

Which is the best source to find the countries that border Mali?

A. a government database

B. a thesaurus

C. an online newspaper

D. an atlas

Back 48

D. an atlas

Front 49

Use the following citations to answer questions 3 through 5.

Source One: Lee, Yu Jin and Kim R. Ye, Land Laws and the Rainforest. Austin: Red Grove Inc., 2005.The authors, scientists affiliated with universities in Texas and South America, review the history of land laws in Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador to examine how government actions have impacted land use in countries with vast tracts of rainforest. The findings affirm that governments that have intervened most actively to set aside land from developers and investors have lower rates of tree loss. The book does not examine the economic and political effects of limiting development on those lands.

Source Two: Friedman, Sheila. Saving the Rainforests of South America. San Diego: Bookmakers Inc., 2006.The author of this publication is an environmentalist whose research has focused on the Amazon Rainforest and its preservation. Her book describes the harmful effects of deforestation on the plant and animal life in the Amazon over time. The book does not review whether the effects have increased or decreased in recent years with the advent of more government actions preventing deforestation.

1. The first source above would be most useful for which of the following research questions?

A. What roles can governments play in regulating how lands should be used?

B. What are the economic impacts of government intervention in land use?

C. What is the Brazilian government doing to preserve rainforest lands?

D. How is land use in South America different from the United States?

2. Which of the following would you not expect to find in Sheila Friedman’s book?

A. references to source materials about Brazil’s policies and laws

B. citations from government studies showing the decrease in deforestation in the Amazon

C. statistics documenting plant and animal life present in the Amazon

D. data supporting continued development of lands in the Amazon region

3. If you wanted to write a research paper about the environmental effects of shrinking rainforests in South America, which source would be best to use and why?

A. The second source because it describes the deforestation that has occurred in the Amazon over the past decade.

B. The first source because it focuses on the government’s impact on tree loss by regulating development in rainforest regions of South America.

C. The first source because it focuses on tree loss without addressing economic and political issues.

D. The second source because it proves information about the deforestation of the Amazon and how this has affected both the plant and animal life there.

Back 49

C. What is the Brazilian government doing to preserve rainforest lands?

A. references to source materials about Brazil’s policies and laws

D. The second source because it proves information about the deforestation of the Amazon and how this has affected both the plant and animal life there.

Front 50

A writer is developing a research paper and decides to use the passage below to support an idea in the paper.

Writers are hunter-gatherers by nature and need. I started early and never quit. All fiction is based on research. We need voices that aren't ours and experiences we never had. In my case, it's invariably a young person's voice that jumpstarts my next novel. Happily, it keeps happening.—"The Story as Alternative Universe," by Richard Peck (English Journal, p. 73)

Which of the following attempts to quote and paraphrase this passage would be most appropriate for the writer to use in the paper?

A. According to Richard Peck, writers are hunter-gatherers by nature and need. He believes that all fiction is based on research, and for him, it is usually "a young person's voice" that provides him with a new perspective for "jumpstarting" his next novel (Peck 73).

B. According to Richard Peck, "writers are hunter-gatherers by nature and need." They must look outside themselves for people, places, and perspectives to use in their works that are new and revealing. "We need voices that aren't ours and experiences we never had" (Peck 73).

C.Most fiction relies on research for its insights. Richard Peck points out that writers are like "hunter-gatherers." By nature and need, they must find "voices" that are not theirs and "experiences" that are not familiar to them. Happily for Peck, this "keeps happening" (Peck 73).

D. Most writers are like hunter-gatherers. They "need voices that aren't theirs and experiences they never had." For Richard Peck, it's usually a young person's voice that provides the impulse for beginning a new novel. "And happily," he is able to find that voice regularly (Peck 73).

Back 50

B. According to Richard Peck, "writers are hunter-gatherers by nature and need." They must look outside themselves for people, places, and perspectives to use in their works that are new and revealing. "We need voices that aren't ours and experiences we never had" (Peck 73).

This question requires the examinee to recognize methods of quoting from and paraphrasing sources appropriately. In the response According to Richard Peck, "writers are hunter-gatherers by nature and need." They must look outside themselves for people, places, and perspectives to use in their works that are new and revealing. "We need voices that aren't ours and experiences we never had" (Peck 73)., a signal phrase introduces the source of the ideas and the quotations used in the paragraph, attributing them appropriately to Richard Peck. Peck's main idea is also paraphrased appropriately; each quotation captures his unique ideas and forms of expression. The other responses provide deficient paraphrases and contain examples of plagiarism, misquoting, and ineffective or unnecessary quoting.

Front 51

A memoir is the most appropriate narrative form for a writer to use for which of the following purposes?

A. presenting the writer's observations about and insights into selected events from the writer's life

B. recording the writer's immediate emotional response to a personal experience

C. offering a chronological account of the writer's life from an impartial perspective

D. analyzing the significance of the writer's life within a broad historical context

Back 51

A. presenting the writer's observations about and insights into selected events from the writer's life

This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of the forms and purposes of narrative writing, such as describing an event or relating a personal experience. A memoir is a type of autobiography. It is the most appropriate form of narrative writing to use to provide a careful, reflective account of particular, and usually significant, persons and events from a writer's life, presented as the writer him- or herself remembers them. A memoir is not necessarily the most appropriate form of narrative writing to use when informality, chronology, objectivity, or historical accuracy is a primary concern of the writer.

Front 52

A writer is developing a short story about a business executive. Which of the following versions of a sentence from the story would most effectively convey an impression of the executive as forceful and aggressive?

A. Veronica traipsed in, plunked her laptop onto her desk, and mumbled a greeting.

B. Veronica walked in, put her laptop on her desk, and said, "Good morning."

C. Veronica breezed in, slid her laptop onto her desk, and waved hello.

D. Veronica marched in, shoved her laptop onto her desk, and declared, "Morning."

Back 52

D. Veronica marched in, shoved her laptop onto her desk, and declared, "Morning."

Front 53

A writer is developing a short story about a police detective. For which of the following reasons would the writer most likely employ a stream-of-consciousness narrative in the story?

A. recounting factual details of the detective's first case

B. explaining the steps the detective takes to investigate a crime

C. depicting the detective's dissociative thought process

D. describing the furniture arrangement in the detective's office

Back 53

C. depicting the detective's dissociative thought process

Front 54

A high school student would like to use narrative writing to enhance his peers' knowledge of several techniques they can use to communicate more effectively with their parents and guardians. Given the student's topic and purpose, the most appropriate form of writing for the student to use would be a:

A. short story.

B. skit.

C. memoir.

D. journal entry.

Back 54

B. Skit

Front 55

Which of the following versions of an excerpt from the draft of a personal essay would provide the most vivid, concrete details to describe a place?

A. On summer days the warm air inside my local library is lazily stirred by the wooden blades of tired ceiling fans. When you take a tattered book from the shelf, the dust may make you sneeze, but as soon as you open the book, you'll inhale a scent of ancient forests.

B. On summer days at my local library you can hear rustling newspapers, clicking computer keys, and rotating ceiling fans. People are allowed to sneeze and cough, but the only person allowed to make noise on purpose is the librarian.

C. My local library is like an old shirt you should throw away because it's torn and faded, but it's your favorite so you hang onto it. In the summer, the library's ceiling fans barely make a dent in the heat. But I'd rather be at the library than at an air-conditioned bookstore.

D. My local library is not as quiet as a library should be. People don't talk, but they make noise by turning pages. Sounds you'd never notice outdoors are a lot louder inside the library. Sometimes the ceiling fans sound like helicopters.

Back 55

A. On summer days the warm air inside my local library is lazily stirred by the wooden blades of tired ceiling fans. When you take a tattered book from the shelf, the dust may make you sneeze, but as soon as you open the book, you'll inhale a scent of ancient forests.

Front 56

A writer develops the notes below in preparation for writing an article about hiking.

-A map, a compass, a first-aid kit, gear for inclement weather, and plenty of food and water are essential for even the shortest hikes.

-After you build your confidence on day hikes, you might be ready to start learning about backpacking and overnight hiking.

-Be sure to stay hydrated and to take regular breaks throughout your hike.

-Plan your hike ahead of time by choosing appropriate trails for your experience and fitness levels, deciding how far you will be able to hike, and mapping out your route.

-Pace yourself as you hike, especially when you are going uphill.

Given the information provided in these notes, the writer will be best prepared to develop the article using which of the following organizational approaches?

A. classification-and-division

B. definition

C. sequential order

D. problem-and-solution

Back 56

sequential order

This question requires the examinee to recognize methods of selecting an effective organizational approach to use in writing an informative or explanatory text, such as cause-and-effect, problem-and-solution, or chronological order. The writer's notes provide information about the various steps and stages involved in planning and preparing for a hike, taking a hike, and enhancing and expanding the hiking experience. Therefore, the writer will be best prepared to develop the article using a sequential approach (e.g., "Before a hike, . . ."; "During the hike, . . ."; "After the hike, . . .").

Front 57

Which of the following versions of a paragraph from a personal journal best demonstrates the use of vivid, concrete details to describe a place?

A. In my town, the most popular breakfast spot is Josie's Diner. Situated just off the main highway, the diner has been a favorite with both locals and out-of-towners ever since it opened in 1972. Once you try the pancakes at Josie's, you will understand why many people refuse to eat pancakes anywhere else.

B. Even though Josie’s is a roadside diner like hundreds of other roadside diners, it has become a popular place in our town, and for miles around, to eat breakfast. The diner itself is nothing special to look at inside or out, but the people who come from near and far are not there for the view. They are there for the pancakes.

C. I have been a loyal patron of Josie's Diner for many years. I am a local, but many other loyal customers travel from great distances. Because Josie's is close to a major highway, there are always many interesting people at the counter when I stop in for breakfast. Most of us are there for one thing: the pancakes.

D. Josie's Diner may look like a ramshackle house, but it is really breakfast heaven. Inside, friendly chatter and clattering dishes drown out the rumble of traffic from the nearby highway. The torn vinyl stools at the stainless-steel counter are front-row seats for the best breakfast in town: a short stack of hot buttermilk pancakes.

Back 57

D. Josie's Diner may look like a ramshackle house, but it is really breakfast heaven. Inside, friendly chatter and clattering dishes drown out the rumble of traffic from the nearby highway. The torn vinyl stools at the stainless-steel counter are front-row seats for the best breakfast in town: a short stack of hot buttermilk pancakes.

This question requires the examinee to recognize methods of selecting effective and appropriate sensory details and using specific nouns and strong verbs to convey precisely the unique aspects of a subject. In the response Josie's Diner may look like a ramshackle house, but it is really breakfast heaven. Inside, friendly chatter and clattering dishes drown out the rumble of traffic from the nearby highway. The torn vinyl stools at the stainless-steel counter are front-row seats for the best breakfast in town: a short stack of hot buttermilk pancakes., the writer uses vivid details, such as "clattering dishes," "torn vinyl stools," and "hot buttermilk pancakes," to create the clearest and strongest sensory impression of the diner.

Front 58

A writer develops the topic sentence below for a paragraph in an expository essay on ancient Egyptian architecture.

The Great Pyramid is an immense structure and the largest of the three pyramids of Giza, Egypt.

Which of the following supporting details would be most effective for the writer to use in the paragraph with this topic sentence?

A. The length of each side of the Great Pyramid at its base is over 750 feet, which is equivalent to the distance spanned by about 20 full-size school buses placed end to end.

B. The Great Sphinx, which lies just south of the Great Pyramid, extends approximately 240 feet in length and is carved entirely from limestone.

C. The four sides of the Great Pyramid are slightly and evenly bowed in, creating a concavity which, remarkably, matches the curvature of the earth.

D. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus estimated that it took about 100,000 laborers over 20 years to complete the construction of the Great Pyramid.

Back 58

A. The length of each side of the Great Pyramid at its base is over 750 feet, which is equivalent to the distance spanned by about 20 full-size school buses placed end to end.

This question requires the examinee to recognize methods of developing a topic thoroughly by selecting concrete details. Response A provides the only supporting detail pertaining to the size of the Great Pyramid ("each side . . . over 750 feet") and does so in a way that is easy to envision ("the distance spanned by about 20 full-size school buses"). The other responses provide details pertaining to the shape or construction of the Great Pyramid and so do not support the topic sentence.

Front 59

A writer is developing a newspaper editorial to encourage increasing the energy efficiency of state and local government buildings. Which of the following details supports the writer's position primarily by making an appeal to authority?

A. Many government buildings use energy extremely inefficiently, wasting countless millions of our tax dollars.

B. Investments in energy efficiency can yield a significant return in the form of lower heating and electricity costs.

C. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, public buildings are an ideal place to begin increasing efficiency.

D. Money saved when state and local governments increase their energy efficiency can be directed to vital programs.

Back 59

C. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, public buildings are an ideal place to begin increasing efficiency.

This question requires the examinee to recognize methods of developing an argument fairly and thoroughly by supplying relevant evidence. A writer uses an appeal to authority to help convince an audience to take an action or adopt an idea because experts in the particular field recommend or approve of such an idea or action. The supporting detail in the response According to the U.S. Department of Energy, public buildings are an ideal place to begin increasing efficiency. cites the U.S. Department of Energy as the expert, and since that government entity is a legitimate and recognized authority, calling on its expertise to support the writer's position advances the writer's argument.

Front 60

A writer has drafted the short paragraph below as part of a newspaper editorial.

I am against the current proposal for constructing a new expressway that would run through, or at least closely around, our city. We are already grossly over budget in our spending on the city's bridges and roads, so spending even more money on an expressway at this time would be unwise.

Let's face it, expressways are dirty, noisy, and dangerous. Therefore, we should act now to block this proposal and preserve the high quality of life that we currently enjoy in our city.

Which of the following sentences would be most effective for the writer to use in the blank in this paragraph to anticipate and respond to a potential counterargument?

A. Some people insist on promoting systems and technologies that shuttle us through our daily lives at a faster and faster pace, when really what we need to do is slow down and savor each day.

B. Supporters of this proposal would like to fund the construction of the expressway through a federal loan, but they have not yet determined what the term and amount of the loan should be.

C. Supporters of this proposal completely lack any background knowledge in urban planning or city transit systems, which makes them unqualified to assess the soundness of the proposal.

D. Some people claim that having a new expressway would alleviate downtown traffic congestion, but an expressway could also make down-town traffic worse by facilitating drivers' access to the city.

Back 60

D. Some people claim that having a new expressway would alleviate downtown traffic congestion, but an expressway could also make down-town traffic worse by facilitating drivers' access to the city.

This question requires the examinee to recognize methods of effectively anticipating and addressing possible counterarguments. The response. Some people claim that having a new expressway would alleviate downtown traffic congestion, but an expressway could also make down-town traffic worse by facilitating drivers' access to the city. provides the most effective counterargument to the "no new expressway" position: namely, an expressway could reduce downtown traffic. This response also responds to the counterargument effectively: an expressway could actually increase downtown traffic by providing easy access. The other responses either fail to provide a compelling counterargument and response or provide one that is immaterial or irrelevant to the writer's position.

Front 61

Which of the following statements would provide a writer with the strongest position for an argumentative essay?

A. The last time Meryl Streep won an Academy Award was in 1982.

B. The first actor to play James Bond on screen was Barry Nelson.

C. The top-grossing movie of 2008 was The Dark Knight.

D. The best film adaptation of Hamlet starred Kenneth Branagh.

Back 61

D. The best film adaptation of Hamlet starred Kenneth Branagh.

Front 62

Nico developed a writing plan for a paper about the voting age.

Consider his plan as you answer questions 2-4.

Lowering the Voting Age to Sixteen

Pros

Cons

1. Sixteen-year olds will be motivated to learn about issues.

2. Voting booths are in schools, so it would be easy for young people to vote.

3. Youth with jobs deserve to have a say in government since they pay taxes.

4. If youth can vote, politicians will pay attention to their needs.

5. Learning to vote at an early age will encourage young people to vote later.

6. If young people vote, families will discuss the issues with their kids and encourage the adults to vote, too.

1. Sixteen-year olds don’t know that much about politics and the world.

2. It would cost the government extra money and time to let them vote.

3. Sixteen-year-olds are not that interested in politics.

4. Sixteen-year olds don’t have a mature perspective on the world.

5. I think that sixteen-year olds should be allowed to vote if they take a current events class first.

2. Based on the content of the writing plan, which statement below should be placed under the heading Pros?

A. Youth will have to live with the consequences of this country’s decisions for many years.

B. Kids will develop a greater sense of responsibility if they vote.

C. The amount of money that sixteen-year-olds pay in taxes is negligible.

D. Some sixteen-year-olds would make irresponsible decisions.

3. Which detail should be deleted because it is misplaced in the writing plan?

A. Voting booths are in schools, so it would be easy for young people to vote.

B. Sixteen-year-olds don’t have a mature perspective on the world.

C. I think that sixteen-year-olds should be allowed to vote if they take a current events class first.

D. If young people vote, families will discuss the issues with their kids and encourage the adults to vote, too.

4. Which statement is related to Cons and could be added to the writing plan?

A. Voting will give young people a stake in their future as well as their present life.

B. Teens probably would not vote if given the opportunity.

C. Voters need to learn about the candidates and what they stand for.

D. High school students have a lot of responsibilities at school and at home.

Back 62

B. Kids will develop a greater sense of responsibility if they vote.

C. I think that sixteen-year-olds should be allowed to vote if they take a current events class first.

B.Teens probably would not vote if given the opportunity.

Front 63

A writer is developing an analytical essay on the excerpt below.

I was getting along fine with Mama, Papa-Daddy and Uncle Rondo until my sister Stella-Rondo just separated from her husband and came back home again. Mr. Whitaker! Of course I went with Mr. Whitaker first, when he first appeared here in China Grove, taking "Pose Yourself" photos, and Stella-Rondo broke us up. Told him I was one-sided. Bigger on one side than the other, which is a deliberate, calculated falsehood: I'm the same. Stella-Rondo is exactly twelve months to the day younger than I am and for that reason she's spoiled.She's always had anything in the world she wanted and then she'd throw it away. Papa-Daddy gave her this gorgeous Add-a-Pearl necklace when she was eight years old and she threw it away playing baseball when she was nine, with only two pearls.

—from "Why I Live at the P.O.," by Eudora Welty

Given the textual support in this excerpt, the writer should develop the essay by addressing which of the following questions?

A. How are structural elements used to express themes?

B. How do the details of the setting help to establish mood?

C. How do literary devices help to build the central conflict?

D. How is diction used to reveal the character of the narrator?

Back 63

How is diction used to reveal the character of the narrator?

This question requires the examinee to recognize methods of formulating a specific question to address through analytical writing and of developing a thesis statement that makes a significant claim or conveys a purpose for writing. The excerpt serves primarily to reveal the personality and attitude of the narrator by allowing the reader to hear her unique voice. Therefore, a writer would be best prepared to address in an essay the question of how diction is used in the excerpt to reveal the character of the narrator. Other elements, such as setting, theme, and conflict, are used or developed only slightly, if at all, in the excerpt and would not be good starting points for an analytical essay.

Front 64

A primary purpose of analytical writing in response to literature is to:

A. interpret a literary work by examining its plot, characters, themes, and stylistic elements.

B. argue a point about the artistic merits of a literary work by citing relevant supporting details from the work.

C. explain how a literary work has influenced and been influenced by social and cultural trends.

D. describe the process by which the author of a literary work conceived and developed the idea for the work.

Back 64

A. interpret a literary work by examining its plot, characters, themes, and stylistic elements.

This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of the purposes of analytical writing in response to literature. The primary purpose of analytical writing, particularly in response to literature, is to examine closely how various literary devices and techniques, such as plot, characterization, and imagery, are used to create meaning, convey messages, and develop themes or central ideas in a work.

Front 65

A writer is developing an analytical essay on the poem below.

When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,I all alone beweep my outcast state, And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries, And look upon myself, and curse my fate, Wishing me like to one more rich in hope, Featured like him, like him with friends possessed, Desiring this man's art and that man's scope, With what I most enjoy contented least; Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising, Haply I think on thee—and then my state, Like to the lark at break of day arisingFrom sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate; For thy sweet love remembered such wealth bringsThat then I scorn to change my state with kings.

—Sonnet 29, by William Shakespeare

1. Which of the following questions would be most appropriate for the writer to address in the essay?

A. How does the speaker's attitude shift in the final two lines of the sonnet?

B. What types of figurative language does Shakespeare use in the sonnet?

C. How is the sonnet's metric pattern different from that of a Petrarchan sonnet?

D. What do the words bootless and featured mean in the context of the sonnet?

2. Which of the following thesis statements would be most appropriate for the writer to use in the introductory paragraph of the essay?

A. Readers of poetry should never assume that the poet is also the speaker.

B. Shakespearean sonnets have a rhyme scheme of abab, cdcd, efef, gg, so in Shakespeare's time the words least and possessed must have rhymed.

C. The speaker demonstrates how self-centeredness leads to loneliness and self-pity.

D. In the lines "Like to the lark at break of day arising / From sullen earth," the speaker projects his own feelings onto the lark and the land.

3. A writer is developing an analytical essay on the depiction of warfare in the novels The Red Badge of Courage, All Quiet on the Western Front, and Catch 22. Which of the following organizational structures would be most appropriate for the writer to use?

A. order of general to specific

B. comparison-and-contrast

C. definition-and-example

D. order of increasing importance

4. Chronological order would be the most appropriate way to organize supporting details in an analytical essay that focuses on which of the following topics?

A. humor and satire in the plays of Oscar Wilde

B. regional dialogue in the fiction of Zora Neale Hurston

C. nature imagery in the essays of Annie Dillard

D. tradition and innovation in the poetry of Allen Ginsberg

Back 65

A. How does the speaker's attitude shift in the final two lines of the sonnet?

C. The speaker demonstrates how self-centeredness leads to loneliness and self-pity.

B. comparison-and-contrast

D. tradition and innovation in the poetry of Allen Ginsberg

Front 66

Which of the following sentences is the best example of a speaker using the rhetorical device of repetition?

A. "You've heard the saying 'A stitch in time saves nine,' but have you thought about what it means?"

B. "I'd like to tell you about my own experiences and about the mistakes I've made."

C. "In five years, will you be where you are now or at the beginning of something new?"

D. "I understand your goals, I share those goals, and I believe we can achieve our goals together."

Back 66

D. "I understand your goals, I share those goals, and I believe we can achieve our goals together."

This question requires the examinee to recognize methods of incorporating effective and appropriate language styles, rhetorical devices, and vocal techniques into speeches on various topics and for various purposes, audiences, and occasions. The oral remark in the response “I understand your goals, I share those goals, and I believe we can achieve our goals together.” uses repeated words ("I . . . goals, I . . . goals, and I . . . goals.") and the same syntactic pattern (subject–verb–complement, subject–verb–complement, subject–verb–complement) to achieve its rhetorical effect.

Front 67

Back-channeling cues, such as "yes" and "uh-huh," come under which stage of listening?

A.understanding

B.evaluating

C.responding

Dhearing

Back 67

C. Responding

Front 68

Which type of listening helps you check your understanding of what the speaker said and, more importantly, what he or she meant?

A. critical listening

B. depth listening

C. active listening

D. empathic listening

Back 68

C. active listening

Front 69

Phrases like "I myself personally" and "blue in color" violate which guideline of clarity?

A. Use short, familiar words.

B. Be economical.

C. Use guide phrases.

D. Use specific terms and numbers.

Back 69

B. Be economical.

Front 70

To connect with the audience, the informative speaker should stress:

A. the complexity of the message.

B. the relevance and usefulness.
C. what the audience already knows.

D. the high levels of abstraction.

Back 70

B. the relevance and usefulness.

Front 71

A dinner guest has just finished a delicious meal and feels full but could eat more if it were considered socially appropriate to do so. The host, at whose home the dinner has taken place, approaches the guest, and the conversation below occurs.

HOST: Well, I see that you've cleaned your plate. Would you like to have some more?

DINNER GUEST: No, thank you. The meal was delicious, but I'm full.

HOST: Oh, nonsense. You must have some more to eat. Please. There's plenty!

DINNER GUEST: Oh, no, thank you. I really couldn't. It was a wonderful meal, but I don't think I could eat another bite.

HOST: Are you sure? You seemed to enjoy the main course so much. Please try some more, will you?

Which of the following factors would be most important for the dinner guest to consider before responding to the host?

A. the difference in age between the guest and host

B. the facial expressions of the host

C. the differences in body language used by the guest and host

D. the cultural background of the host

Back 71

D. the cultural background of the host

This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of the social norms and conventions involved in interpersonal communication and how these are influenced by factors such as self-concept, cultural or socioeconomic background, age, and gender. In this case, the host's cultural background would be the most relevant factor for the dinner guest to consider, since in some cultures, one or two initial "no, thank you" responses are not interpreted as a true negative response. In the host's culture, it may be customary to offer a second helping three or four times before finally withdrawing the offer.

Front 72

The superintendent of a school district with a diverse population is creating a multimedia presentation for principals to use when explaining the district's health curriculum to students and their families. In selecting images for this presentation, the superintendent should give primary consideration to which of the following questions?

A. Might these images be interpreted differently based on an individual's values and beliefs?

B. What actions might individuals take in response to these images?

C. Are the activities and settings depicted in these images familiar to the audience?

D. Will these images be outdated or inaccurate in a few years?

Back 72

A. Might these images be interpreted differently based on an individual's values and beliefs?

This question requires the examinee to examine how personal experience and prior knowledge can affect an individual's interpretation of visual images in various media. The superintendent's primary concern should be how the images he or she chooses to include in the presentation might be interpreted differently by individuals with different values and beliefs. For example, for a part of the presentation that deals with diet and nutrition, the superintendent would want to be aware that images of fruits, vegetables, and grains may symbolize and speak to different human values than images of meat do.

Front 73

Which of the following is an example of a prop?

A. graph displaying the change in oil production

B. a slide show with voice over

C. a model of a spaceship

D. all of the above

Back 73

D. all of the above

Front 74

Which of the following would be MOST effective for presenting information about changes in the cost of college tuition?

A. slideshow showing colleges

B. line graph

C. music video

D. student poll

Back 74

B. line graph

Front 75

What should you do before using visual aids in a speech?

A. Rehearse referring to them during the speech.

B. Know how they work.

C. Practice using them.

D. All of the above

Back 75

D. All of the above