benchmark - grade 12 - form 2
TRANSCRIPT
Read the selections and answer each question.
A Tiny House Leads to a Bigger Life
A Tiny House Leads to a Bigger Life
On average, Americans spend between one -third and one- half of their income on their homes.
What would happen if that number dropped dramatically? Would people's quality of life improve
as they could instead spend that money on vacations, travel, and college, or just save it to
provide a better sense of security? Yes. The answer is a resounding yes, and many people have
already discovered that tiny houses are good for those and many other reasons.
Good for the Environment
The typical American home is around 2,600 square feet, and this number is growing. In
comparison, the typical tiny house is between 100 and 400 square feet and has less impact on
the environment than a typical home. Tiny houses require fewer materials to construct and
maintain. They also result in less energy and water consumption when in use, simply because
there is less interior space to light, heat, and cool, and the appliances tend to be smaller and
require less energy and water to run. The mobility of some tiny homes also enables them to be
moved to new locations to further reduce energy use; a tiny house can be moved to a shady
area during the summer and to a sunny area during the winter. Because tiny homes are so small,
they also encourage residents to spend time outdoors enjoying the environment. This additional
connection to the environment encourages people to better protect it.
Good for Your Wallet
Although the cost of a tiny home is far from paltry, tiny homes cost much less than typical homes,
in terms of purchase price, furnishings, maintenance, insurance, taxes, and utility bills. As a result,
people who have tiny homes are less likely to have a mortgage and typically have more money in
savings compared to other U.S. homeowners. They can use the money at their disposal on things
other than their homes or can even decide to work less. For this reason, tiny homes are popular
with young adults who may have lower starting salaries or student loans to pay off. They are also
popular with retirees who have lower incomes. This gives homeowners more financial freedom if
the unexpected happens and they are without an income for a time. By being less expensive, tiny
homes enable people to feel more financially secure and less vulnerable.
Good for Flexibility
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Question 1
Which statement most effectively summarizes the key ideas of the passage?
There are a lot more places you can fit a tiny house than you can a typical home. Because of
that, you are more likely to be able to build your home in an ideal location, such as one with an
ideal commute or an ideal view. Many tiny homes are even mobile and can be pulled on trailers
from place to place to allow homeowners to try out many different locations or be close to loved
ones if needed. Another reason that tiny houses are popular with retirees is that they can be
moved to warmer climates during the winter and back to cooler ones during the summer.
Good for Your Soul
By their very nature, tiny homes lead to a simpler life and less baggage. With only 400 square
feet to work with, residents are forced to give up a lot of their “stuff,” get rid of clutter, and think
carefully about any new purchases. Having fewer possessions and having to spend less time
maintaining their home and their possessions help people instead focus their energy on
relationships and experiences. And in a tiny home, people spend more time in close proximity to
one another and have more social interactions, giving them little choice but to develop strong
relationships. Each of the above factors—the environment, financial freedom, and increased time
and mobility—are good for the soul as well.
The number of people choosing tiny homes each year is increasing. The number and variety of
benefits that tiny homes afford makes it worthwhile for anyone, whether they are buying their first
home or their last, to evaluate whether a tiny home would work for them. When it comes to tiny
houses, less is more.
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Everyone wants to save money and the environment, so everyone should investigate buying a tiny house.
Tiny houses are affordable and flexible, and they complement the lifestyles of both millennials and retirees.
Tiny houses offer financial and environmental benefits, in addition to personal wellness, so they are becomingmore popular.
Problems associated with economic recession, global warming, and stress are growing, and tiny houses are theanswer for everyone.
Question 2
Read these sentences from the first paragraph of the passage.
What is the most likely reason the author included the sentences in the passage?
Question 3
This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Would people's quality of life improve as they can instead spend that money on vacations, travel, and
college, or just save it to provide a better sense of security? Yes. The answer is a resounding yes . . .
to dramatize the benefits of buying a tiny house
to highlight the disadvantages of traditional houses
to suggest that there are few downsides to tiny houses
to list ways tiny houses improve upon traditional houses
Part A
Read this sentence from the passage.
What is the meaning of the word vulnerable as it is used in the sentence?
By being less expensive, tiny homes enable people to feel more financially secure and less
vulnerable.
under scrutiny
easily harmed
subject to shame
prone to mistakes
Part B
Which detail from the passage best supports the answer to the previous question?
. . . the cost of a tiny home is far from paltry . . .
. . . typically have more money in savings, compared to other U.S. homeowners.
. . . tiny homes are popular with young adults . . .
. . . if the unexpected happens and they are without an income for a time.
Question 4
This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Question 5
Which two sentences best describe the author's point of view in the passage?
Question 6
Which two statements describe the effects of the author's use of questions in the first paragraph?
Part A
Read this sentence from the passage.
What is the meaning of the phrase "less baggage" as it is used in the sentence?
By their very nature, tiny homes lead to a simpler life and less baggage.
fewer belongings
lack of emotional issues
fewer items to pack for travel
lack of equipment needing transport
Part B
Which detail from the passage best supports the answer to the previous question?
. . . pulled on trailers from place to place . . .
. . . think carefully about any new purchases.
. . . focus their energy on relationships and experiences.
. . . increased time and mobility . . .
Although tiny houses are better in many ways, people lack awareness of their attributes.
Although tiny houses can have positive effects, most people are hesitant to invest in them.
Because of the many examples of their superiority, tiny houses are worth more consideration.
Because they are less expensive to build, tiny houses are better for young adults and retirees.
Although much smaller than traditional homes, tiny houses provide more benefits than their larger counterparts.
The questions help to capture the reader's attention.
The questions begin to discredit the opposing arguments.
The questions summarize all the main points in the passage.
The questions provide necessary details about the topic.
The questions begin to persuade readers to agree with the author's point of view.
Question 7
Which two sentences from the passage best develop the central idea of the passage?
Question 8
The passage presents the claim that a tiny home is "good for the environment." Sort and group each
detail from the passage to match it with "True" if the statement helps develop this claim, or with "False"
if the statement does not help develop this claim.
On average, Americans spend between one‐third and one‐half of their incomes on their homes. . . .
The typical American home is around 2,600 square feet, and this number is growing.
For this reason, tiny homes are popular with young adults who may have lower starting salaries or student loans topay off.
Having fewer possessions and having to spend less time maintaining their home and their possessions help peopleinstead focus their energy on relationships and experiences.
Each of the above factors—the environment, financial freedom, and increased time and mobility—are good for thesoul as well.
Available Options ( 4 of 4 )
. . . a tiny house can be moved to a shady area during the summer . . .
Tiny houses require fewer materials to construct and maintain.
. . . tiny homes lead to a simpler life . . . . . . tiny homes cost much less than typical homes . . .
True
False
Question 9
Drag and drop, in order, the ideas the author uses to build the argument that owning a tiny house
improves people's well-being.
First Second Third Last
Available Options ( 4 of 4 )
eople can "develop strong relationships." People can "get rid of clutter."
People spend more "time outdoors, enjoying the environment."
Tiny houses provide "more financial freedom."
Question 10
Read this sentence from the passage.
Sort and group each statement to match it with "Yes" if the statement effectively explains the author's
argument in the sentence, or with "No" if it does not effectively explain the author's argument.
When it comes to tiny houses, less is more.
Available Options ( 4 of 4 )
They also result in less energy and water consumption when in use, simply because there is less interior
space to light, heat, and cool.
You are more likely to be able to build your home in an ideal location, such as one with an ideal commute
or an ideal view.
This additional connection to the environment encourages people to better protect it.
As a result, people who have tiny homes are less likely to have a mortgage and typically have more
money in savings compared to other U.S. homeowners.
Yes
No
Read the passage “Two Ways of Seeing a River.” Then answer the questions.
Two Ways of Seeing a River
Two Ways of Seeing a River
by Mark Twain
Now when I had mastered the language of this water and had come to know every trifling feature
that bordered the great river as familiarly as I knew the letters of the alphabet, I had made a
valuable acquisition. But I had lost something, too. I had lost something which could never be
restored to me while I lived. All the grace, the beauty, the poetry had gone out of the majestic
river! I still keep in mind a certain wonderful sunset which I witnessed when steamboating was
new to me. A broad expanse of the river was turned to blood; in the middle distance the red hue
brightened into gold, through which a solitary log came floating, black and conspicuous; in one
place a long, slanting mark lay sparkling upon the water; in another the surface was broken by
boiling, tumbling rings, that were as many- tinted as an opal; where the ruddy flush was faintest,
was a smooth spot that was covered with graceful circles and radiating lines, ever so delicately
traced; the shore on our left was densely wooded, and the sombre shadow that fell from this
forest was broken in one place by a long, ruffled trail that shone like silver; and high above the
forest wall a clean- stemmed dead tree waved a single leafy bough that glowed like a flame in the
unobstructed splendor that was flowing from the sun.
There were graceful curves, reflected images, woody heights, soft distances; and over the whole
scene, far and near, the dissolving lights drifted steadily, enriching it, every passing moment, with
new marvels of coloring.
I stood like one bewitched. I drank it in, in a speechless rapture. The world was new to me, and I
had never seen anything like this at home. But as I have said, a day came when I began to cease
from noting the glories and the charms which the moon and the sun and the twilight wrought
upon the river's face; another day came when I ceased altogether to note them. Then, if that
sunset scene had been repeated, I should have looked upon it without rapture, and should have
commented upon it, inwardly, in this fashion: "This sun means that we are going to have wind
to morrow; that floating log means that the river is rising, small thanks to it; that slanting mark on
the water refers to a bluff reef which is going to kill somebody's steamboat one of these nights, if
it keeps on stretching out like that; those tumbling 'boils' show a dissolving bar and a changing
channel there; the lines and circles in the slick water over yonder are a warning that that
troublesome place is shoaling up dangerously; that silver streak in the shadow of the forest is
the 'break' from a new snag, and he has located himself in the very best place he could have
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Question 11
This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
found to fish for steamboats; that tall dead tree, with a single living branch, is not going to last
long, and then how is a body ever going to get through this blind place at night without the
friendly old landmark?"
No, the romance and the beauty were all gone from the river. All the value any feature of it had
for me now was the amount of usefulness it could furnish toward compassing the safe piloting of
a steamboat. Since those days, I have pitied doctors from my heart. What does the lovely flush in
a beauty's cheek mean to a doctor but a "break" that ripples above some deadly disease? Are
not all her visible charms sown thick with what are to him the signs and symbols of hidden
decay?
Excerpt from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain, 1883
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1 shoaling: becoming shallow
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Part A
Read this clause from the excerpt.
Which sentence best describes the meaning of the clause?
A broad expanse of the river was turned to blood . . .
An injured animal has fallen into the water.
The narrator views the river as a family member.
The setting sun has cast its reflection in the water.
The upcoming section of the river poses a threat to the narrator.
Part B
Which detail from the excerpt best supports the answer to the previous question?
. . . steamboating was new to me.
. . . the red hue brightened into gold . . .
. . . a long, slanting mark lay sparkling upon the water . . .
. . . the sombre shadow that fell from this forest . . .
Question 12
Which three sentences from the first paragraph best show how the paragraph is important to the
theme of the excerpt?
Question 13
Read this dictionary entry.
Now read this sentence from the excerpt and answer the question.
Which definition most closely reflects the meaning of the word compassing as it is used in the
sentence?
Now when I had mastered the language of this water and had come to know every trifling feature that bordered thegreat river as familiarly as I knew the letters of the alphabet, I had made a valuable acquisition.
But I had lost something, too.
I had lost something which could never be restored to me while I lived.
All the grace, the beauty, the poetry had gone out of the majestic river!
I still keep in mind a certain wonderful sunset which I witnessed when steamboating was new to me.
A broad expanse of the river was turned to blood; in the middle distance the red hue brightened into gold, throughwhich a solitary log came floating, black and conspicuous; in one place a long, slanting mark lay sparkling upon thewater; in another the surface was broken by boiling, tumbling rings, that were as many‐tinted as an opal . . .
compass v. 1. To devise or contrive, to plot. 2. To encompass or encircle something. 3. To bring about,
achieve. 4. To comprehend, understand.
All the value any feature of it had for me now was the amount of usefulness it could furnish toward
compassing the safe piloting of a steamboat.
Definition 1
Definition 2
Definition 3
Definition 4
Read the passage “When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer.” Then answer the questions.
When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer
When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer
by Walt Whitman
When I heard the learn’d astronomer;
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me;
When I was shown the charts and the diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them;
When I, sitting, heard the astronomer, where he lectured with much applause in the lecture -room,
How soon, unaccountable, I became tired and sick;
Till rising and gliding out, I wander’d off by myself,
In the mystical moist night air, and from time to time,
Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.
"When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer" from Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman, 1881- 82.
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Question 14
This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A
How does the speaker's perception of the astronomer contribute to the development of the astronomer
as a character?
The speaker thinks that the astronomer provides interesting visual aids, developing the idea that the astronomer isan intelligent individual.
The speaker believes that the astronomer's calculations are not relevant, developing the idea that the astronomeris a careless scientist.
The speaker thinks that the astronomer's lecture is tedious, developing the idea that the astronomer does notunderstand the emotional aspect of experiencing stars.
The speaker concludes that the astronomer deserves the acclaim that he receives, developing the idea that theastronomer is well qualified to explain the topic to students.
Part B
Which detail from the poem best supports the answer to the previous question?
. . . the figures, were ranged in columns before me . . .
. . . to add, divide, and measure them . . .
. . . lectured with much applause . . .
. . . I became tired and sick . . .
Read the passage “The Time Machine.” Then answer the questions.
The Time Machine
The Time Machine
by H. G. Wells
The Test
I told some of you last Thursday of the principles of the Time Machine, and showed you the
actual thing itself, incomplete in the workshop. There it is now, a little travel- worn, truly; and one of
the ivory bars is cracked, and a brass rail bent; but the rest of it's sound enough. I expected to
finish it on Friday, but on Friday when the putting together was nearly done, I found that one of
the nickel bars was exactly one inch too short, and this I had to get remade; so that the thing was
not complete until this morning. It was at ten o'clock to day that the first of all Time Machines
began its career. I gave it a last tap, tried all the screws again, put one more drop of oil on the
quartz rod, and sat myself in the saddle. ...I took the starting lever in one hand and the stopping
one in the other, pressed the first, and almost immediately the second. I seemed to reel; I felt a
nightmare sensation of falling; and, looking round, I saw the laboratory exactly as before. Had
anything happened? For a moment I suspected that my intellect had tricked me. Then I noted the
clock. A moment before, as it seemed, it had stood at a minute or so past ten; now it was nearly
half- past three!
I drew a breath, set my teeth, gripped the starting lever with both hands, and went off with a thud.
The laboratory got hazy and went dark. Mrs. Watchett came in and walked, apparently without
seeing me, towards the garden door. I suppose it took her a minute or so to traverse the place,
but to me she seemed to shoot across the room like a rocket. I pressed the lever over to its
extreme position. The night came like the turning out of a lamp, and in another moment came
to- morrow. The laboratory grew faint and hazy, then fainter and ever fainter. To- morrow night
came black, then day again, night again, day again, faster and faster still. An eddying murmur
filled my ears, and a strange, dumb confusedness descended on my mind.
The Feeling
I am afraid I cannot convey the peculiar sensations of time travelling. They are excessively
unpleasant. There is a feeling exactly like that one has upon a switchback—of a helpless
headlong motion! I felt the same horrible anticipation, too, of an imminent smash. As I put on
pace, night followed day like the flapping of a black wing. The dim suggestion of the laboratory
seemed presently to fall away from me, and I saw the sun hopping swiftly across the sky, leaping
it every minute, and every minute marking a day. I supposed the laboratory had been destroyed
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and I had come into the open air. I had a dim impression of scaffolding, but I was already going
too fast to be conscious of any moving things. The slowest snail that ever crawled dashed by too
fast for me. The twinkling succession of darkness and light was excessively painful to the eye.
Then, in the intermittent darknesses, I saw the moon spinning swiftly through her quarters from
new to full, and had a faint glimpse of the circling stars. Presently, as I went on, still gaining
velocity, the palpitation of night and day merged into one continuous greyness; the sky took on a
wonderful deepness of blue, a splendid luminous color like that of early twilight; the jerking sun
became a streak of fire, a brilliant arch, in space; the moon a fainter fluctuating band; and I could
see nothing of the stars, save now and then a brighter circle flickering in the blue.
The landscape was misty and vague. I was still on the hill side upon which this house now stands,
and the shoulder rose above me grey and dim. I saw trees growing and changing like puffs of
vapour, now brown, now green; they grew, spread, shivered, and passed away. I saw huge
buildings rise up faint and fair, and pass like dreams. The whole surface of the earth seemed
changed—melting and flowing under my eyes. The little hands upon the dials that registered my
speed raced round faster and faster. Presently I noted that the sun belt swayed up and down,
from solstice to solstice, in a minute or less, and that consequently my pace was over a year a
minute; and minute by minute the white snow flashed across the world, and vanished, and was
followed by the bright, brief green of spring.
The unpleasant sensations of the start were less poignant now. They merged at last into a kind
of hysterical exhilaration. I remarked indeed a clumsy swaying of the machine, for which I was
unable to account. But my mind was too confused to attend to it. So with a kind of madness
growing upon me, I flung myself into futurity. At first I scarce thought of stopping, scarce thought
of anything but these new sensations. But presently a fresh series of impressions grew up in my
mind—a certain curiosity and therewith a certain dread—until at last they took complete
possession of me. What strange developments of humanity, what wonderful advances upon our
rudimentary civilization, I thought, might not appear when I came to look nearly into the dim
elusive world that raced and fluctuated before my eyes! I saw great and splendid architecture
rising about me, more massive than any buildings of our own time, and yet, as it seemed, built of
glimmer and mist. I saw a richer green flow up the hill side, and remain there, without any wintry
intermission. Even through the veil of my confusion the earth seemed very fair. And so my mind
came round to the business of stopping. ...
Wells, H. G. The Time Machine (United Kingdom: Heinemann, 1895), accessed from http://
www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/35/pg35 -images.html.
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1 eddying: moving in a different direction than a larger flow or current
2 poignant: having strong emotional impact
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Question 15
This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Question 16
Match each of the narrator's motivations with the action it inspires.
Narrator’s Motivations Action It Inspires
Part A
Which sentence best states the central idea of the excerpt?
A sense of adventure can overcome fear and hardship.
Earth will be more beautiful after the collapse of human civilization.
The sensations of time travel are unpleasant and should be avoided.
Human civilization is likely to move through cycles of creation and destruction.
Part B
Which sentence from the excerpt best supports the answer to the previous question?
There is a feeling exactly like that one has upon a switchback—of a helpless headlong motion!
I saw huge buildings rise up faint and fair, and pass like dreams.
But presently a fresh series of impressions grew up in my mind—a certain curiosity and therewith a certain dread—until at last they took complete possession of me.
Even through the veil of my confusion the earth seemed very fair.
Available Options ( 3 of 3 )
Continuing to travel far into the future Stopping the time machine
Switching the time machine on
Delirious exhilaration
Curiosity about the changing scenery
Desire to find out if the time machine works
Question 17
Read this sentence from the excerpt.
Choose two effects that the author creates by including this sentence so near the beginning of the
excerpt.
Question 18
Read this sentence from the excerpt.
What impact does the phrase "like the turning out of a lamp" have on the reader?
It was at ten o'clock to day that the first of all Time Machines began its career.
It provides details that help the reader trust the narrator more completely.
It prompts the reader to wonder why the time traveller began his experiment.
It adds to the reader's feelings of suspense about what time events took place.
It lets the reader know that the time travelling experiment has been successful.
It informs the reader that the nature of the narrator's adventure is related to time travelling.
The night came like the turning out of a lamp, and in another moment came to -morrow.
It lends a tone of finality.
It creates a sense of suddenness.
It shocks the reader by contradicting expectations.
It comforts the reader with a reference to the familiar.
Question 19
This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Question 20
How does the development of the main character drive the plot forward?
Part A
Read this sentence from the excerpt.
Now read this dictionary entry.
Which definition best matches the use of the word rudimentary in the sentence?
What strange developments of humanity, what wonderful advances upon our rudimentary civilization,
I thought, might not appear when I came to look nearly into the dim elusive world that raced and
fluctuated before my eyes!
rudimentary adj. 1. Easy to understand. 2. Relying solely on basic principles. 3. Having an immature
form. 4. Pertaining to early stages of education.
Definition 1
Definition 2
Definition 3
Definition 4
Part B
Which sentence from the excerpt best supports the answer to the previous question?
But my mind was too confused to attend to it.
But presently a fresh series of impressions grew up in my mind—a certain curiosity and therewith a certain dread—until at last they took complete possession of me.
I saw great and splendid architecture rising about me, more massive than any buildings of our own time, and yet, asit seemed, built of glimmer and mist.
Even through the veil of my confusion the earth seemed very fair.
The main character's machine provides a means to explore the far future.
The main character's brash decisions move the story swiftly toward an adventure.
The main character's flaws create a personal conflict that will need to be resolved.
The main character's narration provides a framework to understand the exposition.
Question 21
Which cultural value does the narrator demonstrate by making the decision to slow down?
His interest in civilization causes him to slow down upon seeing the buildings of the future.
His care for dignified appearances causes him to slow down upon feeling the swaying motion of the time machine.
His need for physical comfort causes him to slow down upon feeling the unpleasant sensations of being on thetime machine.
His desire to remain in control of his emotions causes him to slow down upon feeling the sensation of hystericalexhilaration.
Question 22
Read the story and then answer the question.
Which sentence best replaces the underlined sentence to help develop the main character?
Molly couldn't contain her excitement as the clock ticked down to the end of the school year. That
summer, she was going to her uncle's farm to help train his horses. She had been there last summer,
but she hadn't been old enough to ride. While watching her uncle navigate his favorite horse around
the field, she had been filled with a sense of awe.
"Do you think I'll be able to do that one day?" she had asked him.
"I think next year will be the year!" he had replied.
Since then, she had remembered what he had said.
Since then, she had read a lot about the proper care and grooming of horses.
Since then, she had tried to understand why her uncle was making her wait to ride his horses.
Since then, she had dreamed of riding the majestic horse around the field, just like her uncle.
Since then, she had thought about horses and all of the other kinds of animals on her uncle's farm.
Question 23
A student is writing a narrative about the story behind her name. Read the narrative and the directions
that follow.
Drag and drop each sentence that would best improve the narrative into the space next to the
paragraph in which the sentence would be most effective.
Paragraph Sentence
Paragraph 1:
Flora Maria Juanita Caldwell. That's me. To some people, my name sounds a bit strange, but to me, it
sounds just about perfect. My name is made up of the names of my mother, my grandmother, and
my great-grandmother.
Paragraph 2:
When my parents found out that they were going to have a girl, my mother knew exactly what she
wanted to name me. My father, on the other hand, wasn't so sure.
Paragraph 3:
Eventually, my mother was able to win him over. On the day I was born, it was made official. The
student wants to improve the development of her narrative.
Available Options ( 3 of 3 )
"Don't you think the name is too long?" my father argued.
"Welcome to the world, Flora Maria Juanita Caldwell," my father said softly as he held me for the first time.
My mother's name is Juanita, my grandmother's name is Maria, and my great -grandmother's name is Flora.
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 3
Question 24
Read the draft of a student's essay and answer the question.
Which sentence provides the best conclusion that supports the information presented?
Question 25
A student is writing a narrative about a time she got in trouble in kindergarten. The student wants to
convey a vivid picture of herself as a stubborn kindergartner.
Which two sentences best accomplish this task?
In 1940, a teenager from France made a remarkable discovery when he found an entrance to a
cave. This became known as Lascaux Cave, and the discovery helped researchers learn about
human ancestors. The cave was filled with primitive paintings made over 17,000 years ago. These
paintings depict many animals native to the area, such as wildcats and bison. Researchers believe
that these are some of the earliest known works of art, making it a discovery in need of preservation.
Unfortunately, different fungi have threatened the cave, causing officials to close it to everyone
except scientists.
Some of the paintings are also believed to contain early maps of the stars, as seen by our ancestors.
While charcoal was used for some of the paintings, the artists used mostly a primitive paint made from local clay.
Experts hope that by limiting access to the cave, it will be preserved for future generations to appreciate and study.
Many videos and pictures have been taken of the cave, giving people around the world an opportunity toexperience it.
"But I want to play the snakes and ladders game now!" I wailed.
"Sierra, it's time to join us for rug time," Mrs. Sweeney called to me in her cheerful voice.
The game sat on the top of the bookshelf, just out of the reach of my grubby little hands.
"Rug time! Rug time!" Mrs. Sweeney called out in her singsong voice, and all of the students followed except for me.
My mom had dressed me in my new red dress and put my hair into two bouncy little pigtails tied with little whitebows.
Question 26
A student is writing an essay on the construction of the Panama Canal. Read the student essay and
answer the question that follows.
The student wants to add information to support the claim that the canal was a major engineering feat.
Which detail best supports this claim?
The Panama Canal is a 48 -mile- long channel cut through the Isthmus of Panama to connect the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The United States began building the canal in 1904. Construction of the
canal was a major engineering feat.
The construction project was plagued by disease and accidents that resulted in multiple construction delays.
The Panama Canal was finally opened to ships on August 15, 1914, and had an almost immediate impact on globalcommerce.
The United States spent almost $375 million on the project, making the Panama Canal one of the most expensivecivil engineering projects in U.S. history.
The canal required the excavation of more than 200 million cubic yards of material and an extensive system oflocks that would carry ships over the mountainous terrain.
Question 27
A student is conducting research on NASA's Mars Orbiter. The student found three sources. Read the
excerpts from the sources and answer the question that follows.
Which sentence is the best synthesis of the information presented?
Source 1:
"NASA Report on the Cost of the Mars Orbiter"
Cost to build and launch orbiter: $125,000,000
Purpose: To collect and send data back from Mars
Source 2:
"The Problem with Multiple Systems of Measurement"
Take, for instance, the case of the Mars Orbiter, which NASA launched in 1999. The company that
built the spacecraft used the non -SI pound -seconds when they should have used SI units of newton- -
seconds.
Source 3:
"NASA Adopts System of Checks and Balances after Failed Rover Incident"
While many blamed human error for the failed launch of the Mars Orbiter, officials at NASA blamed a
failed system. They have since implemented a system of checks and balances to prevent future
errors.
The Mars Orbiter cost $125 million and was designed to travel to Mars and send data about the planet back toEarth.
NASA has taken precautions to prevent further errors after its $125 million Mars Orbiter failed to reach itsdestination due to a calculation error.
NASA took responsibility when its Mars Orbiter failed to reach its destination and has taken steps to ensure futuremissions do not fall prey to the same measurement errors.
As can be learned from the Mars Orbiter, scientists in different parts of the world use different systems ofmeasurements when designing orbiters and other devices designed to collect information in space.
Question 28
A student is comparing information from two newspaper articles to establish an opinion about
government spending. Read the excerpts from the sources.
Which response best synthesizes information from both articles to form an opinion?
Source 1:
The key to reducing the national debt is to spend less. Raising the taxes of America's wealthiest
citizens will not solve the federal government's spending problem. The first step to cutting down on
spending is that politicians should weed out unnecessary federal programs and reduce funding for
other programs. Another important step is to stop punishing businesses for finding ways to avoid
nuisance taxes. This will create an incentive for businesses to hire more employees.
Source 2:
The national debt should not be reduced through cutting benefits from Medicare, Medicaid, and
Social Security. Benefits should not be taken away from those who have earned them through years
of hard work and sacrifice. The government should be focused on bringing company headquarters
back to America to create jobs and improve the economy.
Solving the national debt crisis requires the government to reduce funding to federal programs. Increasing taxeswill do nothing to curtail the excessive spending of the federal government. Before the government raises taxes,they should first reduce funds to all programs.
The government should lower interest rates and make it easier for people and businesses to borrow money. Theborrowed money fuels the economy when borrowers use it to purchase goods and services. The spending of thismoney will create jobs and more tax money for the government.
One solution to government spending is to make cuts to federally funded benefit programs, while another solutionis to raise taxes on the wealthy. Both solutions have negative impacts on society. Politicians should turn theirattention to other government- funded programs and agencies and strive to strengthen the economy.
Cutting funding to programs that benefit retired, hard- working citizens is not the solution to the national debt.Bringing jobs back from overseas is the key to fixing the national debt. If companies relocate their headquartersback to America, more jobs will be created. This will help the economy because with more working people, thereare more consumers to spend money.
Question 29
A student read the following research before beginning a persuasive essay on the safety of genetically
modified foods.
Choose two statements that explain why the information from the source has not been effectively
synthesized into the student's paragraph.
The World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, the National Academy
of Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science have all declared that
there's no good evidence GMOs are unsafe. Hundreds of studies back up that conclusion.
The USDA’s catalog of recently engineered plants shows plenty of worthwhile options. The list
includes drought- tolerant corn, virus -resistant plums, non -browning apples, potatoes with fewer
natural toxins, and soybeans that produce less saturated fat. A recent global inventory by the U.N.
Food and Agriculture Organization discusses other projects in the pipeline: virus -resistant beans,
heat -tolerant sugarcane, salt- tolerant wheat, disease -resistant cassava, high- iron rice, and cotton that
requires less nitrogen fertilizer. Skim the news, and you’ll find scientists at work on more ambitious
ideas: high -calcium carrots, antioxidant tomatoes, nonallergenic nuts, bacteria- resistant oranges,
water -conserving wheat, corn and cassava loaded with extra nutrients, and a flaxlike plant that
produces the healthy oil formerly available only in fish.
After an exhaustive and rigorous scientific review, the FDA has arrived at the decision that
AquAdvantage salmon is as safe to eat as any non- genetically engineered (GE) Atlantic salmon, and
also as nutritious. The FDA scientists rigorously evaluated extensive data submitted by the
manufacturer, AquaBounty Technologies, and other peer- reviewed data, to assess whether
AquAdvantage salmon met the criteria for approval established by law: safety and effectiveness. The
data demonstrated that the inserted genes remained stable over several generations of fish, that
food from the GE salmon is safe to eat by humans and animals, that the genetic engineering is safe
for the fish, and that the salmon meets the sponsor’s claim about faster growth. The student wrote
the following paragraph after conducting the research.
Even though a large number of Americans believe that genetically modified foods (GMOs) are
dangerous to eat, there is just as large of a body of research telling us the opposite. The FDA has
concluded that AquAdvantage is just as safe as if it were not genetically engineered. Since the
genes were stable over a few generations, it's been determined that it's safe to eat, not only for
humans, but for animals too.
The paragraph does not specifically explain what AquAdvantage is.
The paragraph does not address why many people believe GMOs are unsafe.
The paragraph relies too heavily on expressing an opinion about genetically modified foods.
The paragraph incorrectly concludes that a large body of research supports the safety of GMOs.
Question 30
A student is writing a report about the rights United States citizens have in regard to
government overreach. One of her sources is the Declaration of Independence. Read this excerpt from
the Declaration of Independence and answer the question that follows.
Which two lines from the excerpt should the student use to best support the claim that citizens may
regulate the government when their rights are threatened?
The paragraph omits key information about the USDA's recent developments and future projects related to GMOs.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
Happiness. –That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just
powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes
destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new
Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to
them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that
Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly
all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than
to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of
abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under
absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new
Guards for their future security.
. . . that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty andthe pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent ofthe governed. . . .
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter orto abolish it, and to institute new Government. . . .
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transientcauses. . . .
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reducethem under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government. . . .
Question 31
Read the excerpt from the U.S. Constitution.
What are two purposes of the excerpted text?
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a
presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in
the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for
the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal
case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process
of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
to protect members of the armed forces from being punished for crimes
to declare that a person cannot be punished for a crime without being tried
to defend people from criminals who commit the same crime more than once
to prohibit a court from sending someone to trial multiple times for the same offense
to indicate that no one can be held responsible for committing a crime unless he or she is a member of the armedforces
Question 32
Which sentence demonstrates the correct use of a hyphen?
Question 33
Read the sentence.
Some grammar experts feel that it is acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition, while other
experts feel that it is not. Which revision will be most widely approved of by grammar experts?
Question 34
Read the sentence.
What words are misspelled?
Jeffrey ate a huge dinner before going to the hockey- game last night.
We were not allowed to visit the factory -workers on the production floor.
The president appeared on the third- floor balcony to address the crowd.
Ms. Lennox asked the two of us to co- operate in planning the camping trip.
Maria could not decide which store to buy her friend's gift from.
Maria could not decide which store to buy her friend's gift.
Maria could not decide from which store to buy her friend's gift.
Maria could not decide at which store to buy her friend's gift at.
Maria could not decide from which store to buy her friend's gift from.
The Bill of Rights insures the individual freedom of citizens by informing them of there legal rights.
insures
there
individual
citizens
informing
legal
Question 35
Read this excerpt from a style guide.
Now read this sentence.
According to the style guide, which revision should be made to the sentence?
For a source with three or fewer authors, list the authors' last names in the text or in the
parenthetical citation.
For example: Smith, Yang, and Moore argue that tougher gun control is not needed in the United
States (76).
For a source with more than three authors, use the work's bibliographic information as a guide for
your citation. Provide the first author's last name followed by et al. or list all the last names.
For example: Jones et al. counter Smith, Yang, and Moore's argument by noting that the current
spike in gun violence in America compels lawmakers to adjust gun laws (4). OR Legal experts
counter Smith, Yang, and Moore's argument by noting that the current spike in gun violence in
America compels lawmakers to adjust gun laws (Jones et al. 4).
OR Jones, Driscoll, Ackerson, and Bell counter Smith, Yang, and Moore's argument by noting that the
current spike in gun violence in America compels lawmakers to adjust gun laws (4).
Marken, Truesdale, Ojimba, and Figeroa assert that simply counting calories will not help most
people lose weight (Marken, Truesdale, Ojimba, and Figeroa 211).
(Marken, Truesdale, Ojimba, and Figeroa 211) should be changed to (211).
The scientists' names should be moved from the beginning to the end of the sentence.
(Marken, Truesdale, Ojimba, and Figeroa 211) should be changed to include the article title.
There should be quotation marks around "simply counting calories will not help most people lose weight."