Question 1: What is the function of a concluding paragraph?

• Summarize and reinforce the main point (Correct answer)
• List sources
• Introduce new arguments
• Start a new topic

Correct answer: Summarize and reinforce the main point

A conclusion restates the thesis and ties together main ideas.

Question 2: What is the difference between explicit and implicit information?

• They mean the same thing
• Explicit is longer; implicit is shorter
• Explicit is directly stated; implicit is suggested or implied (Correct answer)
• Explicit is false; implicit is true

Correct answer: Explicit is directly stated; implicit is suggested or implied

Explicit information is clearly and directly stated in the text, while implicit information is suggested through hints, context, and inference.

Question 3: The Industrial Revolution primarily involved a shift from what to what?

• Cities to villages
• Farming to hunting
• Hand production to machine manufacturing (Correct answer)
• Trade to subsistence

Correct answer: Hand production to machine manufacturing

It marked the move from manual labor to mechanized factory production.

Question 4: In economics, what does 'scarcity' refer to?

• Excess production
• Unlimited resources
• Limited resources relative to wants (Correct answer)
• Equal distribution

Correct answer: Limited resources relative to wants

Scarcity is the gap between limited resources and unlimited wants.

Question 5: What form of energy travels in waves and allows us to see objects?

• Light energy (Correct answer)
• Elastic energy
• Chemical energy
• Nuclear energy

Correct answer: Light energy

Light energy is electromagnetic radiation that the eyes detect to enable vision.

Question 6: What is the mean of the numbers 4, 8, 10, and 14?

• 10
• 9 (Correct answer)
• 12
• 8

Correct answer: 9

Sum is 36, divided by 4 values equals 9.

Question 7: When water changes from a liquid to a gas, this physical change is called what?

• Evaporation (Correct answer)
• Freezing
• Sublimation
• Condensation

Correct answer: Evaporation

Evaporation is the change from liquid to gas at the surface of a liquid.

Question 8: In context, which definition best fits 'elaborate' in: 'Please elaborate on your answer'?

• to correct a mistake
• to shorten your response
• to repeat what was said
• to explain in more detail (Correct answer)

Correct answer: to explain in more detail

When asked to 'elaborate,' you are being asked to provide more details or expand your explanation.

Question 9: In a chemical equation, the substances present before the reaction occurs are called the what?

• Products
• Solvents
• Reactants (Correct answer)
• Catalysts

Correct answer: Reactants

Reactants are the starting substances that are transformed into products.

Question 10: Which organelle is responsible for converting glucose into usable energy (ATP) in a cell?

• Ribosome
• Nucleus
• Mitochondria (Correct answer)
• Golgi apparatus

Correct answer: Mitochondria

Mitochondria carry out cellular respiration, producing ATP from glucose and oxygen.

Question 11: What is latitude?

• The depth of the ocean
• Distance east or west of the Prime Meridian
• Distance north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees (Correct answer)
• The height above sea level

Correct answer: Distance north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees

Latitude measures angular distance north or south of the Equator, with the Equator at 0° and the poles at 90° N and 90° S.

Question 12: What is 40% of 250?

• 110
• 80
• 100 (Correct answer)
• 125

Correct answer: 100

0.40 × 250 = 100.

Question 13: Read the following passage and answer the question: The following passage is from a discussion of various ways that living creatures have been classified over the years. The world can be classified in different ways, depending on one's interests and principles of clas- sification. The classifications (also known as Line taxonomies) in turn determine which comparisons 5 seem natural or unnatural, which literal or analog- ical. For example, it has been common to classify living creatures into three distinct groups—plants, animals, and humans. According to this classifica- tion, human beings are not a special kind of 10 animal, nor animals a special kind of plant. Thus any comparisons between the three groups are strictly analogical. Reasoning from inheritance in garden peas to inheritance in fruit flies, and from these two species to inheritance in human beings, 15 is sheer poetic metaphor. Another mode of classifying living creatures is commonly attributed to Aristotle. Instead of treat- ing plants, animals, and humans as distinct groups, they are nested. All living creatures 20 possess a vegetative soul that enables them to grow and metabolize. Of these, some also have a sensory soul that enables them to sense their envi- ronments and move. One species also has a rational soul that is capable of true understanding. 25 Thus, human beings are a special sort of animal, and animals are a special sort of plant. Given this classification, reasoning from human beings to all other species with respect to the attributes of the vegetative soul is legitimate, reasoning from 30 human beings to other animals with respect to the attributes of the sensory soul is also legitimate, but reasoning from the rational characteristics of the human species to any other species is merely analogical. According to both classifications, the 35 human species is unique. In the first, it has a king- dom all to itself; in the second, it stands at the pinnacle of the taxonomic hierarchy. Homo sapiens is unique. All species are. But this sort of uniqueness is not enough for many 40 (probably most) people, philosophers included. For some reason, it is very important that the species to which we belong be uniquely unique. It is of utmost importance that the human species be insulated from all other species with respect to 45 how we explain certain qualities. Human beings clearly are capable of developing and learning languages. For some reason, it is very important that the waggle dance performed by bees * not count as a genuine language. I have never been 50 able to understand why. I happen to think that the waggle dance differs from human languages to such a degree that little is gained by terming them both "languages," but even if "language" is so defined that the waggle dance slips in, bees still 55 remain bees. It is equally important to some that no other species use tools. No matter how inge- nious other species get in the manipulation of objects in their environment, it is absolutely essential that nothing they do count as "tool use." 60 I, however, fail to see what difference it makes whether any of these devices such as probes and anvils, etc. are really tools. All the species involved remain distinct biological species no matter what decisions are made. Similar observa- 65 tions hold for rationality and anything a computer might do. Which of the following is NOT possible within an Aristotelian classification scheme?

• Two species that are alike in having vegetative souls but differ in that only one has a sensory soul
• A species having vegetative and rational souls while lacking a sensory soul (Correct answer)
• A species having vegetative and sensory souls while lacking a rational soul
• A species having a vegetative soul while lacking sensory and rational souls
• Two species that are alike in having sensory souls but differ in that one lacks a rational soul

Correct answer: A species having vegetative and rational souls while lacking a sensory soul

The Aristotelian scheme described is a nested hierarchy: all living creatures have a vegetative soul, some of these also have a sensory soul, and one species (humans) also has a rational soul. This means that to possess a rational soul, a species *must* also possess a sensory soul, and to possess a sensory soul, it *must* also possess a vegetative soul. Therefore, a species having a rational soul but lacking a sensory soul breaks this nested structure and is not possible.

Question 14: What is the perimeter of a rectangle that is 8 cm long and 5 cm wide?

• 13 cm
• 40 cm
• 26 cm (Correct answer)
• 18 cm

Correct answer: 26 cm

Perimeter = 2(8 + 5) = 2(13) = 26 cm.

Question 15: What is the term for a sustained increase in the general price level of goods and services?

• Recession
• Inflation (Correct answer)
• Surplus
• Deflation

Correct answer: Inflation

Inflation is a general rise in prices over time.

Question 16: Read the passage and answer question <11>: J.K. Rowling [1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life-changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1>over the next five years. The Philosopher’s Stone was the first of seven children’s books published under her pen name J. K. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.<2> [2] When the Philosopher’s Stone was published <3>in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It’s <4>first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling’s seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children’s literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5>a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.<6> [3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. [4] Rowling once said, “Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light”. <13>J. K. Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make- believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope.<15>

• relatives, which
• relatives who (Correct answer)
• NO CHANGE
• relatives that

Correct answer: relatives who

[3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. “relatives who” is the correct answer because of relative pronouns. “Who” is used when referring to a person or persons. “NO CHANGE”, “relatives that”, and “relatives, which” are incorrect because “that” and “which” refer to nonhuman objects.

Question 17: Read the passage and answer question <8>: J.K. Rowling [1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life-changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1>over the next five years. The Philosopher’s Stone was the first of seven children’s books published under her pen name J. K. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.<2> [2] When the Philosopher’s Stone was published <3>in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It’s <4>first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling’s seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children’s literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5>a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.<6> [3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. [4] Rowling once said, “Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light”. <13>J. K. Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make- believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope.<15> If the writer were to omit the underlined portion <8> (adjusting the punctuation as necessary), the sentence would primarily lose

• an explanation that is important because most readers will be curious to learn more about Harry Potter
• an unnecessary detail since most readers know the spells in the Harry Potter series
• a visual description of a spell in the Harry Potter series
• an explanation that is important because the organization’s name is linked to its mission (Correct answer)

Correct answer: an explanation that is important because the organization’s name is linked to its mission

[3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. If the writer were to omit the underlined portion (adjusting the punctuation as necessary), the sentence would primarily lose “an explanation that is important because the organization’s name is linked to its mission” is the correct answer because of purpose. “an unnecessary detail since most readers know the spells in the Harry Potter series “, “a visual description of a spell in the Harry Potter series “, and “an explanation that is important because most readers will be curious to learn more about Harry Potter” are incorrect because the answers do not fit with the purpose of Paragraph 3.

Question 18: Determine whether the sentence in the open and close parenthesis is correct or whether it needs to be revised.: Most of my favorite movies contain (slapstick humor, however physical comedy is not) the only way to make me laugh.

• slapstick humor, but it is not physical comedy that is
• slapstick humor, however physical comedy is not
• slapstick humor, and physical comedy is not
• slapstick humor, but physical comedy is not (Correct answer)
• slapstick humor; physical comedy is not

Correct answer: slapstick humor, but physical comedy is not

The correct answer is “slapstick humor, but physical comedy is not” (“slapstick humor, however physical comedy is not” is a run-on: “however” is NOT a conjunction. “slapstick humor, and physical comedy is not” and “slapstick humor; physical comedy is not” are missing contrast. “slapstick humor, but it is not physical comedy that is” is not at all concise.)

Question 19: What is Newton's First Law of Motion?

• Energy cannot be created or destroyed
• An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an external force (Correct answer)
• For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction
• Force equals mass times acceleration

Correct answer: An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an external force

Newton's First Law (Law of Inertia) states that objects resist changes in their state of motion unless an external force acts upon them.

Question 20: Read the passage and answer question <3> : J.K. Rowling [1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life-changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1>over the next five years. The Philosopher’s Stone was the first of seven children’s books published under her pen name J. K. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.<2> [2] When the Philosopher’s Stone was published <3>in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It’s <4>first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling’s seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children’s literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5>a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.<6> [3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. [4] Rowling once said, “Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light”. <13>J. K. Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make- believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope.<15>

• no change (Correct answer)
• was publishing
• had published
• had been publishing

Correct answer: no change

[2] When the Philosopher’s Stone was published <3>in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It’s <4>first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling’s seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children’s literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5>a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.<6> “NO CHANGE “ is the correct answer because of verb tense. A demonstrates simple past tense, which is completed action in the past. “had published “ is incorrect because the answer is past perfect. “was publishing “ is incorrect because the answer is past progressive. “had been publishing” is incorrect because the answer is past perfect progressive.

Question 21: The ancient civilization that built pyramids along the Nile River was located in which region?

• Rome
• Mesopotamia
• Egypt (Correct answer)
• Greece

Correct answer: Egypt

Ancient Egypt developed along the Nile and built the pyramids.

Question 22: A reader encounters the word 'benevolent' and the sentence describes a man giving food to the poor. What does 'benevolent' most likely mean?

• Wealthy but greedy
• Quiet and shy
• Angry and bitter
• Kind and generous (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Kind and generous

Context clues about giving to the poor indicate kindness and generosity.

Question 23: If a car travels 150 miles in 3 hours, what is its average speed?

• 75 mph
• 45 mph
• 50 mph (Correct answer)
• 60 mph

Correct answer: 50 mph

Speed = distance/time = 150/3 = 50 mph.

Question 24: What is photosynthesis?

• The process by which animals breathe
• The process of cell division
• The process by which plants convert sunlight into chemical energy (glucose) (Correct answer)
• The process of breaking down food

Correct answer: The process by which plants convert sunlight into chemical energy (glucose)

Photosynthesis uses sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce glucose and oxygen, converting light energy into chemical energy stored in sugar molecules.

Question 25: What is the unit used to measure electric current?

• Watt
• Volt
• Ampere (Correct answer)
• Ohm

Correct answer: Ampere

Electric current is measured in amperes, often shortened to amps.

Question 26: If x = -2, what is the value of x^2 + 3x?

• -10
• 4
• 10
• -2 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: -2

(-2)^2 + 3(-2) = 4 - 6 = -2.

Question 27: What is the role of a conclusion in an essay?

• To list the title
• To summarize and reinforce the main argument (Correct answer)
• To start a new topic
• To introduce new evidence

Correct answer: To summarize and reinforce the main argument

A conclusion wraps up the essay by summarizing and reinforcing the main argument.

Question 28: What does the root word 'rupt' mean in 'interrupt,' 'erupt,' and 'disrupt'?

• to build
• to break (Correct answer)
• to flow
• to speak

Correct answer: to break

The Latin root 'rupt' means 'to break,' so all three words involve something being broken or disrupted.

Question 29: Which sentence uses the correct verb tense consistently?

• She walk in and seen him.
• She walked in and saw him. (Correct answer)
• She walks in and saw him.
• She walked in and sees him.

Correct answer: She walked in and saw him.

Both verbs stay in the past tense for consistency.

Question 30: What are the three branches of the United States government?

• Senate, House, Court
• Federal, State, Local
• Democratic, Republican, Independent
• Executive, Legislative, Judicial (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Executive, Legislative, Judicial

The U.S. Constitution establishes three branches: Executive (President), Legislative (Congress), and Judicial (Supreme Court and federal courts), each with checks and balances.

Question 31: Read the following passage and answer the question: Passage 1 Because it is filled with contradictions, performance is also filled with risk. This is the domain of stage fright. The actor is aware that appearing in front of an audience is a Line scary proposition. Maintaining the reality of the character is, 5 in itself, a fragile affair; it demands of the actor a series of complex transformations. The actor has the unique problem of hiding and showing at the same time. The actor’s conscious fear is not about making a mistake, but about allowing the audience to see something that it is not supposed to see: 10 namely, the performer’s fear, or stage fright. Passage 2 The term “stage fright” has largely dropped out of use, because we know now that dwelling on something this malevolent gives it power. If I tell you not to be afraid, you may dwell on your fear. If I say, do not think of 15 fast-food burgers under any circumstances, a line of them will parade through your mind. The key to most fears is substitution. On the simplest level, you replace the ogre with something less menacing to fill your consciousness. If you will imagine yourself to be a 20 host rather than an actor, and think more about the comfort of your listeners than their verdicts, everything will fall into place. How do the passages view stage fright in relation to human behavior in general?

• Passage 1 emphasizes that situations unique to the theater cause stage fright, whereas Passage 2 views stage fright as similar in one way to most othe (Correct answer)
• Passage 1 attributes stage fright to an individual's personal problems, whereas Passage 2 believes stage fright is caused by social problems.
• Both passages view stage fright as a phenomenon that people experience in everyday life.
• Both passages view stage fright as part of a phase actors go through in their lives.
• Passage 1 sees stage fright as normal and healthy, while Passage 2 sees stage fright as an extreme reaction.

Correct answer: Passage 1 emphasizes that situations unique to the theater cause stage fright, whereas Passage 2 views stage fright as similar in one way to most othe

Passage 1 specifically discusses stage fright within the context of acting and performance, highlighting the unique challenges and fears faced by an "actor" in front of an "audience." In contrast, Passage 2 broadens the discussion by stating that "The key to most fears is substitution," suggesting that the mechanism for overcoming stage fright is applicable to fears in general, not just those specific to performance.

Question 32: Read the passage and answer question <4>: The Spine [1] Good spine health is important for every person. The human spine support the weight of the head, protects the body’s organs, and receives <1>the gravitational pull that helps with posture. Comprised of 33 bones, each called vertebra, the spine is divided into five regions: cervical, <2>thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal. Vertebra are named according to the region where they are located along the spine and in numerical order. Discs serve as cushions between each vertebra. Nerves run along the spine, carrying signals between the spine and the rest of the body. [2] There are many reasons why people experience problems with their spine. Some people like us are born <3>with defects such as spina bifida, which stunts infant <4>brain and spine development. Trauma to the spine can also create problems, in addition <5>when the damage is irreversible. Paralysis happened <6>when the spine is injured beyond repair, and may result in loss of function in the arms or legs. Another reason for damage is the body’s natural deterioration. As a person ages, the spine wears out. The discs that separate each vertebra lose moisture, and nerves that run alongside the spine can become more narrow, which <7>decreases the spines <8>ability to absorb pressure, especially when walking, jogging, or jumping. [3] Prevention is the best way to maintain a healthy back. There are varieties of ways that people keep themselves pain free and functioning at optimum levels. Sleeping on your back with a pillow under the knees supports its <9>natural curve during the night. When sitting at a desk, keeping ears, shoulders, and hips in line while resting the back firmly against the chair helps with posture. Standing straight with relaxed shoulders, hips, and knees will eliminate undue pressure on the spine. Walking with your head held high, chin tucked, and toes pointed forward will prevent slouching. Plus, you will look fantastically confident. <10> [4] Diet and sunshine are also important for back health, well-balanced <11>foods build lean muscles that support the spine. Lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and plenty <12>of water to keep the body hydrated are best choices for a daily regimen. While Vitamin D is found in many foods such as salmon and green leaf lettuce. The <13>sunshine is a body’s best source. At least ten minutes of day <14>sunlight will strengthen bones and provide energy to the body’s systems, encouraging the body to stand straighter. <15>

• infantile
• infants’ (Correct answer)
• NO CHANGE
• an infants’

Correct answer: infants’

The phrase 'infant brain and spine development' implies that the development belongs to or is characteristic of infants. To correctly show possession or association for a plural noun, the apostrophe should be placed after the 's'. Therefore, 'infants'' (plural possessive) is the correct form, indicating the development *of* infants' brains and spines.

Question 33: The Mississippi River flows generally in which direction toward the Gulf of Mexico?

• South (Correct answer)
• East
• West
• North

Correct answer: South

The Mississippi flows southward into the Gulf of Mexico.

Question 34: Which of the following words has a negative connotation?

• stubborn (Correct answer)
• persistent
• determined
• dedicated

Correct answer: stubborn

'Stubborn' implies an unwillingness to change that is viewed negatively, unlike 'determined' or 'persistent,' which are positive.

Question 35: What is the term for a substance made of two or more elements chemically combined?

• Compound (Correct answer)
• Mixture
• Solution
• Isotope

Correct answer: Compound

A compound forms when elements bond chemically in a fixed ratio.

Question 36: When two passages present different views on the same topic, a reader should:

• Ignore one passage
• Read only the titles
• Assume both are identical
• Compare the claims and evidence of each (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Compare the claims and evidence of each

Analyzing both passages means comparing their claims and supporting evidence.

Question 37: Read the following passage and answer the question: But man is not destined to vanish. He can be killed, but he cannot be destroyed, because his soul is deathless and his spirit is irrepressible. Therefore, though the situation seems dark in the context of the confrontation between the superpowers, the silver lining is provided by amazing phenomenon that the very nations which have spent incalculable resources and energy for the production of deadly weapons are desperately trying to find out how they might never be used. They threaten each other, intimidate each other and go to the brink, but before the total hour arrives they withdraw from the brink. The main point from the author's view is that

• Man's soul and spirit are immortal.
• Man's destiny is not fully clear or visible.
• Man's soul and spirit can not be destroyed by superpowers.
• Man's safety is assured by the delicate balance of power in terms of nuclear weapons.
• Human society will survive despite the serious threat of total annihilation. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Human society will survive despite the serious threat of total annihilation.

The passage opens with "But man is not destined to vanish" and concludes by highlighting that superpowers, despite creating deadly weapons, are "desperately trying to find out how they might never be used." This central argument emphasizes humanity's inherent resilience and the underlying efforts to prevent total destruction, ultimately conveying a message of survival despite grave threats.

Question 38: What is the tone of a passage that uses words like 'gloomy,' 'desolate,' and 'hopeless'?

• Joyful
• Somber (Correct answer)
• Humorous
• Excited

Correct answer: Somber

Words like gloomy and hopeless create a somber, melancholy tone.

Question 39: Which word is an antecedent in 'Maria lost her keys'?

• keys
• lost
• Maria (Correct answer)
• her

Correct answer: Maria

'Maria' is the noun that the pronoun 'her' refers to.

Question 40: What is the best way to support a claim in an essay?

• Add unrelated facts
• Repeat the claim
• Provide relevant evidence (Correct answer)
• Use more adjectives

Correct answer: Provide relevant evidence

Strong claims are backed by relevant evidence and examples.

Question 41: Which number is a prime number?

• 27
• 21
• 33
• 29 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 29

29 has only two factors, 1 and itself, so it is prime.

Question 42: What is the area of a triangle with base 10 and height 6?

• 60
• 16
• 30 (Correct answer)
• 15

Correct answer: 30

Area of a triangle = ½ × base × height = ½ × 10 × 6 = 30 square units.

Question 43: An author writes, 'Studies show 80% of users improved.' This statement is best described as:

• An emotional appeal
• A metaphor
• Evidence supporting a claim (Correct answer)
• A rhetorical question

Correct answer: Evidence supporting a claim

A cited statistic from studies serves as evidence to support a claim.

Question 44: What is the name for the solid, rocky outermost layer of the Earth?

• Inner core
• Crust (Correct answer)
• Outer core
• Mantle

Correct answer: Crust

The crust is the thin, solid outer layer of the Earth where we live.

Question 45: Determine whether the sentence in the open and close parenthesis is correct or whether it needs to be revised. : The argument (between Paarin and me about the dent in his car continued) until the early morning.

• between Paarin and I about the dent in his car continued
• about the dent in his car continued for Paarin and I
• between Paarin and I on the dent in his car continued
• between Paarin and me about the dent in his car continued (Correct answer)
• on the dent in his car between Paarin and me continued

Correct answer: between Paarin and me about the dent in his car continued

The correct answer is “between Paarin and me about the dent in his car continued” (“between Paarin and I about the dent in his car continued”, “about the dent in his car continued for Paarin and I”, and “between Paarin and I on the dent in his car continued” all have pronoun case errors: when the pronoun is the object of a preposition like “between,” you need to use the objective case. “on the dent in his car between Paarin and me continued” is awkward, especially in its misused idiom: “argument on.”)

Question 46: Which word correctly describes a statement that contradicts itself?

• paradox (Correct answer)
• hyperbole
• analogy
• metaphor

Correct answer: paradox

A 'paradox' is a statement that seems self-contradictory but may reveal a deeper truth.

Question 47: What is the theme of a literary work?

• The author's name
• The cover design
• The underlying message or insight about life (Correct answer)
• The number of chapters

Correct answer: The underlying message or insight about life

Theme is the central message or insight about life that the work conveys.

Question 48: Which group is granted the power to declare war under the U.S. Constitution?

• State governors
• The President
• The Supreme Court
• Congress (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Congress

Congress holds the constitutional power to declare war.

Question 49: How many amendments make up the Bill of Rights?

• Twelve
• Ten (Correct answer)
• Five
• Twenty-seven

Correct answer: Ten

The Bill of Rights consists of the first ten amendments.

Question 50: Lines of latitude measure distance in which direction?

• North and south of the equator (Correct answer)
• East and west of the prime meridian
• Toward the poles only
• Around the date line

Correct answer: North and south of the equator

Latitude measures degrees north or south of the equator.

Question 51: What does the word 'context' refer to in reading comprehension?

• The book's price
• The author's age
• The surrounding text that clarifies meaning (Correct answer)
• The page number

Correct answer: The surrounding text that clarifies meaning

Context is the surrounding text that helps clarify the meaning of a word or idea.

Question 52: Determine whether the sentence in the open and close parenthesis is correct or whether it needs to be revised. : In countries such as China the government is recognizing the advantages of (a capitalist market rather than communism and adjust) economic policy accordingly.

• capitalist market rather than a communist market and adjust
• capitalist market rather than Communism and adjust
• capitalist market rather than a communist market and adjusting (Correct answer)
• capitalist market rather than communism and adjust
• Capitalistic market nor a Communist market and adjusting

Correct answer: capitalist market rather than a communist market and adjusting

The problem with this sentence is in parallel structure. The test is very particular about being consistent about the forms of words used. So specifically since the sentence refers to a capitalist market, then the sentence must refer to a communist market—not communism, which is an ideology rather than a market system in this context. Only choices “capitalist market rather than Communism and adjust”, “capitalist market rather than a communist market and adjusting” and “Capitalistic market nor a Communist market and adjusting” remain. Choice “Capitalistic market nor a Communist market and adjusting” commits terrible capitalization (neither “capitalist” nor “communist”) mistakes and structure errors (where does the “nor” fit in?! It does not!) Only choice “capitalist market rather than Communism and adjust” and choice “capitalist market rather than a communist market and adjusting” remain now, but “capitalist market rather than Communism and adjust” mistakenly capitalizes communism and does not change “adjust” to match the parallel verb (i.e. recognizing). Choice “capitalist market rather than a communist market and adjusting” uses the right adjective forms of capitalism and communism, does not make capitalization errors and maintains parallel sentence structure.

Question 53: Which word best completes this sentence: 'After the argument, the two friends reached a _____ and shook hands.'

• compromise (Correct answer)
• debate
• rivalry
• conflict

Correct answer: compromise

A 'compromise' is an agreement reached by each side making concessions, fitting the context of resolving an argument.

Question 54: Which process describes the continuous movement of water between the ocean, air, and land?

• The rock cycle
• Erosion
• The water cycle (Correct answer)
• Plate tectonics

Correct answer: The water cycle

The water cycle moves water through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

Question 55: If a right triangle has legs of 3 and 4, what is the length of the hypotenuse?

• 7
• 12
• 5 (Correct answer)
• 6

Correct answer: 5

By the Pythagorean theorem, sqrt(3^2 + 4^2) = sqrt(25) = 5.

Question 56: Which transition word shows a cause-and-effect relationship?

• However
• Therefore (Correct answer)
• Meanwhile
• Furthermore

Correct answer: Therefore

'Therefore' indicates that what follows is a result or consequence of what came before, establishing a clear cause-and-effect relationship.

Question 57: The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 roughly doubled the size of the United States by acquiring land from which country?

• France (Correct answer)
• Great Britain
• Mexico
• Spain

Correct answer: France

The U.S. bought the Louisiana Territory from France under Napoleon.

Question 58: What is the meaning of the word 'benevolent'?

• harmful and cruel
• shy and reserved
• loud and boisterous
• well-meaning and kind (Correct answer)

Correct answer: well-meaning and kind

'Benevolent' comes from Latin roots meaning 'good will,' describing someone who is kind and generous.

Question 59: Read the following passage and answer the question:  In this passage a Mexican American historian describes a technique she used as part of her research. Doña Teodora offered me yet another cup of strong, black coffee. The aroma of the big, paper-thin Sonoran tortillas filled the small, linoleum-covered kitchen, and I Line knew that with the coffee I would receive a buttered tortilla 5 straight from the round, homemade comal (a flat, earthen- ware cooking pan) balanced on the gas-burning stove. For three days, from ten in the morning until early evening, I had been sitting in the same comfortable wooden chair, taking cup after cup of black coffee and consuming hot 10 tortillas. Doña Teodora was ninety years old, and although she would take occasional breaks from patting, extending, and turning over tortillas to let her cat in or out, it appeared that I was the only one exhausted at the end of the day. But once out, as I went over the notes, filed and organized the 15 tape cassettes, exhilaration would set in. The intellectual and emotional excitement I had previously experienced when a pertinent document would suddenly appear now waned in comparison to the gestures and words, the joy and anger doña Teodora offered. 20 She had not written down her thoughts; but the ideas, recollections, and images evoked by her lively oral expres- sion were jewels for anyone who wanted to know about the life of Mexicanas * in booming mining towns on both sides of the Mexico-United States border in the early twentieth 25 century. She never kept a diary. The thought of writing a memoir would have been put aside as presumptuous. But all her life doña Teodora had lived amidst the telling and retelling of family stories. Genealogies of her own family as well as complete and up-to-date information of the 30 marriages, births, and deaths of numerous families that made up her community were all well-kept memories. These chains of generations were fleshed out with recollec- tions of the many events and tribulations of these families. Oral history had proven to be a fertile field for my research 35 on the history of Mexicanas. My search had begun in libraries and archives—reposi- tories of conventional history. The available sources were to be found in census reports, church records, directories, and other such statistical information. These, however, as 40 important as they are, cannot provide one of the essential dimensions of history, the full narrative of the human experience that defies quantification and classification. In certain social groups this gap can be filled with diaries, memoirs, letters, or even reports from others. In the case of 45 Mexicanas in the United States, one of the many devastating consequences of defeat and conquest has been that the traditional institutions that preserve and transfer culture (the documentation of the past) have ignored these personal written sources. The letters, writings, and documents of 50 Mexican people have rarely, if ever, been included in archives, special collections, or libraries. At best, some centers have attempted to collect newspapers published by Mexicans, but the effort was started late. The historian who tries to reconstruct the past from newspapers is constantly 55 frustrated because, although titles abound, collections are scarce and often incomplete. Although many hours of previous study and preparation had taken me to doña Teodora's kitchen, I was initially unsure of my place. Was I really an insider or were the 60 experiences that had made the lives of my interviewees such that, although I could speak Spanish and am Mexicana, I was still an outsider? I realized, nonetheless, that the richness and depth of the spoken word challenges the comforting theories and models 65 of the social sciences. Mexican history challenges social- science models derived solely from victorious imperialistic experiences. Our history cannot be written without new sources. These sources will determine which concepts are needed to 70 illuminate and interpret the past, and these concepts will emerge from the people themselves. This will permit the description of events and structures to assume a culturally relevant perspective, thus emphasizing the point of view of the Mexican people. The use of theoretical constructs must 75 follow the voices of the people who live the reality, con- sciously or not. For too long the experiences of women have been studied according to male-oriented sources and constructs. These must be questioned. For the history of Mexican people, the sources primarily exist in our own 80 worlds. And it is here where we must begin. I often found that as the memory awakened, other sources would emerge. Boxes of letters, photographs, and even manuscripts and diaries would appear. Long-standing assumptions of illiteracy were shattered and had to be reexamined. I saw 85 that constant reevaluation became the rule rather than the exception. I entered women's worlds created on the margin —not only of Anglo life, but of, and outside of, the lives of their own fathers, husbands, sons, brothers, or priests, bosses, and bureaucrats. What is the effect of the question in lines 59-62?

• It refutes the claim that being an outsider is an important criterion for doing research.
• It eliminates the distinction between insider and outsider.
• It suggests that sharing ethnicity and language might not be enough to make one an insider. (Correct answer)
• It suggests that human sympathy is more important than ethnicity or language.
• It suggests that only those with an outsider's perspective can see things objectively.

Correct answer: It suggests that sharing ethnicity and language might not be enough to make one an insider.

The author explicitly states, "although I could speak Spanish and am Mexicana," she still questions if she was "an outsider." This directly implies that despite sharing ethnicity and language, she felt there might be other experiences or factors that could still make her an outsider to her interviewees' specific life experiences. The question highlights the complexity of truly understanding and connecting with a community, even when possessing apparent commonalities.

Question 60: What does the word 'excerpt' mean?

• a written summary
• a full-length novel
• a type of formal essay
• a short passage taken from a longer work (Correct answer)

Correct answer: a short passage taken from a longer work

An 'excerpt' is a selected passage or quotation taken from a book, film, or other longer piece.

Question 61: What does the phrase 'reading between the lines' refer to?

• Reading aloud
• Understanding implied meaning not directly stated (Correct answer)
• Reading every other line
• Skipping the conclusion

Correct answer: Understanding implied meaning not directly stated

It means grasping meaning that is implied rather than explicitly written.

Question 62: What was the significance of the Industrial Revolution?

• It ended all wars
• It transformed economies from agricultural to manufacturing, changing work, transportation, and society (Correct answer)
• It only affected England
• It happened in the 20th century

Correct answer: It transformed economies from agricultural to manufacturing, changing work, transportation, and society

The Industrial Revolution (late 18th-19th century) fundamentally transformed society from agrarian to industrial, introducing factory systems, urbanization, and new technologies.

Question 63: What is supply and demand in economics?

• A government regulation
• A type of currency
• The relationship between the availability of a product and the desire for it, which determines price (Correct answer)
• A type of business

Correct answer: The relationship between the availability of a product and the desire for it, which determines price

Supply and demand is the fundamental economic model where price is determined by the relationship between how much of something is available (supply) and how much people want it (demand).

Question 64: What is the area of a triangle with base 10 and height 6?

• 32
• 30 (Correct answer)
• 16
• 60

Correct answer: 30

Area = (1/2)(base)(height) = (1/2)(10)(6) = 30.

Question 65: In a persuasive essay, which element is the author most likely trying to influence?

• The page count
• The reader's opinion or actions (Correct answer)
• The font style
• The publication date

Correct answer: The reader's opinion or actions

Persuasive writing aims to change the reader's beliefs or prompt action.

Question 66: For every action force, there is an equal and opposite reaction force. This describes which law?

• Newton's first law
• Newton's third law (Correct answer)
• Ohm's law
• Law of conservation of mass

Correct answer: Newton's third law

Newton's third law states that forces come in equal and opposite pairs.

Question 67: Which body system is responsible for transporting oxygen and nutrients to cells throughout the body?

• Circulatory system (Correct answer)
• Digestive system
• Skeletal system
• Nervous system

Correct answer: Circulatory system

The circulatory system uses blood vessels and the heart to deliver oxygen and nutrients.

Question 68: What is the Bill of Rights?

• The preamble to the Constitution
• The Declaration of Independence
• A list of federal taxes
• The first 10 amendments to the US Constitution (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The first 10 amendments to the US Constitution

The Bill of Rights consists of the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1791, guaranteeing fundamental rights and freedoms.

Question 69: What organizational structure presents events in time order?

• Problem and solution
• Chronological order (Correct answer)
• Compare and contrast
• Cause and effect

Correct answer: Chronological order

Chronological order arranges events in the sequence they occurred, from earliest to latest, commonly used in narratives and historical texts.

Question 70: Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement?

• The students is ready.
• The group of students are ready.
• The group of students is ready. (Correct answer)
• The group are students ready.

Correct answer: The group of students is ready.

'Group' is the subject (singular), not 'students' (part of the prepositional phrase). A singular subject requires a singular verb: 'is'.

Question 71: The system in which power is divided between national and state governments is called what?

• Theocracy
• Anarchy
• Monarchy
• Federalism (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Federalism

Federalism divides power between national and state levels.

Question 72: Read the passage and answer question <7>: J.K. Rowling [1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life-changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1>over the next five years. The Philosopher’s Stone was the first of seven children’s books published under her pen name J. K. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.<2> [2] When the Philosopher’s Stone was published <3>in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It’s <4>first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling’s seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children’s literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5>a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.<6> [3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. [4] Rowling once said, “Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light”. <13>J. K. Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make- believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope.<15>

• most (Correct answer)
• NO CHANGE
• many
• more

Correct answer: most

[3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. “most “ is the correct answer because of qualifiers. “NO CHANGE” and “many” are incorrect because their answers are used with uncountable nouns. “more” is incorrect because the answer is used before a countable noun when comparing to a previous amount.

Question 73: What type of rock forms when molten magma or lava cools and hardens?

• Fossilized
• Metamorphic
• Igneous (Correct answer)
• Sedimentary

Correct answer: Igneous

Igneous rock forms from the cooling and solidifying of magma or lava.

Question 74: Which question best helps a reader evaluate a source's credibility?

• How long is the article?
• What font is used?
• Is the title interesting?
• Is the author qualified and the information accurate? (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Is the author qualified and the information accurate?

Credibility depends on the author's qualifications and the accuracy of the information.

Question 75: What is the slope-intercept form of a linear equation?

• ax + by = c
• y² = mx
• x = y + m
• y = mx + b (Correct answer)

Correct answer: y = mx + b

The slope-intercept form y = mx + b identifies the slope (m) and y-intercept (b) directly, making it easy to graph and analyze linear relationships.

Question 76: What does the word 'relevant' mean?

• closely connected to the matter at hand (Correct answer)
• extremely important
• difficult to understand
• unrelated to the topic

Correct answer: closely connected to the matter at hand

'Relevant' means directly related or applicable to the subject being discussed.

Question 77: Solve for y: y/4 = 9.

• 36 (Correct answer)
• 13
• 2.25
• 5

Correct answer: 36

Multiply both sides by 4 to get y = 36.

Question 78: Read the passage and answer question <9>: J.K. Rowling [1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life-changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1>over the next five years. The Philosopher’s Stone was the first of seven children’s books published under her pen name J. K. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.<2> [2] When the Philosopher’s Stone was published <3>in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It’s <4>first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling’s seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children’s literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5>a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.<6> [3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. [4] Rowling once said, “Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light”. <13>J. K. Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make- believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope.<15> The underlined word <9> most closely means

• created (Correct answer)
• discovered
• realized
• equipped

Correct answer: created

[3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. The underlined word most closely means “created” is the correct answer because of clarity. The context supports “created”, and eliminates the definitions of found as identified in answers “discovered”, “realized”, and “equipped”.

Question 79: Read the following passage and answer the question: The following passage is from a discussion of various ways that living creatures have been classified over the years. The world can be classified in different ways, depending on one's interests and principles of clas- sification. The classifications (also known as Line taxonomies) in turn determine which comparisons 5 seem natural or unnatural, which literal or analog- ical. For example, it has been common to classify living creatures into three distinct groups—plants, animals, and humans. According to this classifica- tion, human beings are not a special kind of 10 animal, nor animals a special kind of plant. Thus any comparisons between the three groups are strictly analogical. Reasoning from inheritance in garden peas to inheritance in fruit flies, and from these two species to inheritance in human beings, 15 is sheer poetic metaphor. Another mode of classifying living creatures is commonly attributed to Aristotle. Instead of treat- ing plants, animals, and humans as distinct groups, they are nested. All living creatures 20 possess a vegetative soul that enables them to grow and metabolize. Of these, some also have a sensory soul that enables them to sense their envi- ronments and move. One species also has a rational soul that is capable of true understanding. 25 Thus, human beings are a special sort of animal, and animals are a special sort of plant. Given this classification, reasoning from human beings to all other species with respect to the attributes of the vegetative soul is legitimate, reasoning from 30 human beings to other animals with respect to the attributes of the sensory soul is also legitimate, but reasoning from the rational characteristics of the human species to any other species is merely analogical. According to both classifications, the 35 human species is unique. In the first, it has a king- dom all to itself; in the second, it stands at the pinnacle of the taxonomic hierarchy. Homo sapiens is unique. All species are. But this sort of uniqueness is not enough for many 40 (probably most) people, philosophers included. For some reason, it is very important that the species to which we belong be uniquely unique. It is of utmost importance that the human species be insulated from all other species with respect to 45 how we explain certain qualities. Human beings clearly are capable of developing and learning languages. For some reason, it is very important that the waggle dance performed by bees * not count as a genuine language. I have never been 50 able to understand why. I happen to think that the waggle dance differs from human languages to such a degree that little is gained by terming them both "languages," but even if "language" is so defined that the waggle dance slips in, bees still 55 remain bees. It is equally important to some that no other species use tools. No matter how inge- nious other species get in the manipulation of objects in their environment, it is absolutely essential that nothing they do count as "tool use." 60 I, however, fail to see what difference it makes whether any of these devices such as probes and anvils, etc. are really tools. All the species involved remain distinct biological species no matter what decisions are made. Similar observa- 65 tions hold for rationality and anything a computer might do. Which best summarizes the idea of "uniquely unique" (line 42)?

• Our apparently unique status is an unintended by-product of classification systems.
• We are, by virtue of our elevated rank, insulated from many of the problems of survival faced by less sophisticated species.
• We are defined by attributes that we alone possess and that are qualitatively different from those of other species. (Correct answer)
• We are unique in the same way that all other species are unique.
• Our awareness of our uniqueness defines us as a rational species.

Correct answer: We are defined by attributes that we alone possess and that are qualitatively different from those of other species.

The passage explains "uniquely unique" by stating it's important for humans to be "insulated from all other species with respect to how we explain certain qualities." The examples given (bees' waggle dance not counting as "genuine language," other species not using "tools") illustrate a desire to define human attributes as fundamentally different and exclusive, rather than merely a matter of degree. This implies a qualitative distinction that sets humans apart.

Question 80: The principle that the government's power comes from the people is known as what?

• Popular sovereignty (Correct answer)
• Eminent domain
• Judicial review
• Separation of powers

Correct answer: Popular sovereignty

Popular sovereignty holds that political power resides in the people.

Question 81: Which sentence uses context clues to suggest the meaning of 'arid'?

• The arid desert received less than two inches of rain per year. (Correct answer)
• The arid forest was thick with trees.
• The arid lake was full of fish.
• The arid mountain was covered in snow.

Correct answer: The arid desert received less than two inches of rain per year.

The phrase 'less than two inches of rain per year' provides context that 'arid' means extremely dry.

Question 82: A recipe needs 2 cups of flour for 12 cookies. How much flour is needed for 30 cookies?

• 4 cups
• 3 cups
• 6 cups
• 5 cups (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 5 cups

Set up a proportion: 2/12 = x/30, so x = 5 cups.

Question 83: Read the following passage and answer the question: Disequilibrium at the interface of water and air is a factor on which the transfer of heat and water vapor from the ocean to the air depends. The air within about a millimeter of the water is almost saturated with water vapor and the temperature of the air is close to that of the surface water. Irrespective of how small these differences might be, they are crucial, and the disequilibrium is maintained by air near the surface mixing with air higher up, which is typically appreciably cooler and lower in water vapor content. The turbulence, which takes its energy from the wind mixes the air. As the speed of wind increases, so does the turbulence, and consequently the rate of heat and moisture transfer. We can arrive at a detailed understanding of this phenomenon after further study. The transfer of momentum from wind to water, which occurs when waves are formed is an interacting-and complicated phenomenon. When waves are made by the wind, it transfers important amounts of energy-energy, which is consequently not available for the production of turbulence. This passage principally intends to:

• attempt a description of a phenomenon (Correct answer)
• resolve a controversy
• sketch a theory
• tabulate various observations
• reinforce certain research findings

Correct answer: attempt a description of a phenomenon

The passage meticulously details the process of heat and water vapor transfer between the ocean and the air, explaining the role of disequilibrium, turbulence, and wind speed. It describes various interacting factors and their consequences, such as the transfer of momentum from wind to water. The concluding sentence, 'We can arrive at a detailed understanding of this phenomenon after further study,' reinforces that the passage is primarily *describing* a complex natural phenomenon rather than proposing a new theory or resolving a debate.

Question 84: During which process do organisms release energy by breaking down food in the presence of oxygen?

• Digestion only
• Cellular respiration (Correct answer)
• Photosynthesis
• Fermentation

Correct answer: Cellular respiration

Cellular respiration breaks down glucose with oxygen to release energy as ATP.

Question 85: When an author uses a flashback, what are they doing?

• Predicting the future
• Describing the setting only
• Ending the story abruptly
• Interrupting the narrative to show an earlier event (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Interrupting the narrative to show an earlier event

A flashback interrupts the present timeline to depict an event from the past.

Question 86: Read the passage and answer question <14>: The Spine [1] Good spine health is important for every person. The human spine support the weight of the head, protects the body’s organs, and receives <1>the gravitational pull that helps with posture. Comprised of 33 bones, each called vertebra, the spine is divided into five regions: cervical, <2>thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal. Vertebra are named according to the region where they are located along the spine and in numerical order. Discs serve as cushions between each vertebra. Nerves run along the spine, carrying signals between the spine and the rest of the body. [2] There are many reasons why people experience problems with their spine. Some people like us are born <3>with defects such as spina bifida, which stunts infant <4>brain and spine development. Trauma to the spine can also create problems, in addition <5>when the damage is irreversible. Paralysis happened <6>when the spine is injured beyond repair, and may result in loss of function in the arms or legs. Another reason for damage is the body’s natural deterioration. As a person ages, the spine wears out. The discs that separate each vertebra lose moisture, and nerves that run alongside the spine can become more narrow, which <7>decreases the spines <8>ability to absorb pressure, especially when walking, jogging, or jumping. [3] Prevention is the best way to maintain a healthy back. There are varieties of ways that people keep themselves pain free and functioning at optimum levels. Sleeping on your back with a pillow under the knees supports its <9>natural curve during the night. When sitting at a desk, keeping ears, shoulders, and hips in line while resting the back firmly against the chair helps with posture. Standing straight with relaxed shoulders, hips, and knees will eliminate undue pressure on the spine. Walking with your head held high, chin tucked, and toes pointed forward will prevent slouching. Plus, you will look fantastically confident. <10> [4] Diet and sunshine are also important for back health, well-balanced <11>foods build lean muscles that support the spine. Lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and plenty <12>of water to keep the body hydrated are best choices for a daily regimen. While Vitamin D is found in many foods such as salmon and green leaf lettuce. The <13>sunshine is a body’s best source. At least ten minutes of day <14>sunlight will strengthen bones and provide energy to the body’s systems, encouraging the body to stand straighter. <15>

• NO CHANGE
• todays
• daily (Correct answer)
• day’s

Correct answer: daily

The word 'day' in the original phrase 'ten minutes of day sunlight' is used incorrectly as an adjective modifying 'sunlight.' To properly describe the frequency or nature of the sunlight, an adjective is needed. Option C, 'daily,' correctly functions as an adjective meaning 'occurring every day' or 'of each day,' making the phrase 'ten minutes of daily sunlight' grammatically correct and clear.

Question 87: Read the following passage and answer the question: But man is not destined to vanish. He can be killed, but he cannot be destroyed, because his soul is deathless and his spirit is irrepressible. Therefore, though the situation seems dark in the context of the confrontation between the superpowers, the silver lining is provided by amazing phenomenon that the very nations which have spent incalculable resources and energy for the production of deadly weapons are desperately trying to find out how they might never be used. They threaten each other, intimidate each other and go to the brink, but before the total hour arrives they withdraw from the brink. 'Irrepressible' in the second line means

• unspirited
• unrestrainable (Correct answer)
• oppressive
• incompatible
• strong

Correct answer: unrestrainable

The context states that man "cannot be destroyed" because his "soul is deathless and his spirit is irrepressible." This implies that the spirit cannot be held back, suppressed, or controlled, suggesting an unstoppable or indomitable quality. "Unrestrainable" perfectly captures this meaning of being impossible to hold back or control.

Question 88: The right of citizens to vote is known as what?

• Suffrage (Correct answer)
• Sovereignty
• Ratification
• Naturalization

Correct answer: Suffrage

Suffrage is the right to vote in political elections.

Question 89: Which word is a coordinating conjunction?

• But (Correct answer)
• While
• Because
• Although

Correct answer: But

'But' is a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) joining equal clauses.

Question 90: A trait controlled by a dominant allele will appear in an organism if the organism has how many copies of that allele?

• At least one (Correct answer)
• Exactly three
• Exactly two
• Zero

Correct answer: At least one

A dominant trait is expressed when at least one dominant allele is present.

Question 91: Which subatomic particle has a negative electric charge?

• Electron (Correct answer)
• Nucleus
• Neutron
• Proton

Correct answer: Electron

Electrons carry a negative charge and orbit the nucleus of an atom.

Question 92: What is the value of 3x + 5 when x = 4?

• 17 (Correct answer)
• 12
• 9
• 20

Correct answer: 17

Substitute 4 for x: 3(4) + 5 = 12 + 5 = 17.

Question 93: Determine whether the sentence in the open and close parenthesis is correct or whether it needs to be revised. : A growing technology trend is to merge multiple devices with complimentary functions such as a phone, music player and (the scheduling features of a planner.)

• a planner. (Correct answer)
• the scheduling features of a planner.
• and a planner with scheduling features.
• scheduling features.
• and scheduling features.

Correct answer: a planner.

The sentence presents a list of devices: 'a phone, music player and...' To maintain parallelism, the final item in the list must be a noun that is structurally similar to 'phone' and 'music player.' Option E, 'a planner,' is a simple noun that perfectly aligns with the other items, creating a grammatically balanced and clear list. The original phrase 'the scheduling features of a planner' is unnecessarily wordy and breaks the parallel structure.

Question 94: A number increased by 15 equals 42. What is the number?

• 37
• 17
• 27 (Correct answer)
• 57

Correct answer: 27

Subtract 15 from 42 to get 27.

Question 95: Which sentence correctly uses an apostrophe?

• The children's toys are broken. (Correct answer)
• The tree's are tall.
• The dog's are playing.
• Its a beautiful day.

Correct answer: The children's toys are broken.

'Children's' correctly uses an apostrophe to show possession. 'Children' is already plural, so the possessive adds 's after the apostrophe.

Question 96: Read the following passage and answer the question: The following passage is from a discussion of various ways that living creatures have been classified over the years. The world can be classified in different ways, depending on one's interests and principles of clas- sification. The classifications (also known as Line taxonomies) in turn determine which comparisons 5 seem natural or unnatural, which literal or analog- ical. For example, it has been common to classify living creatures into three distinct groups—plants, animals, and humans. According to this classifica- tion, human beings are not a special kind of 10 animal, nor animals a special kind of plant. Thus any comparisons between the three groups are strictly analogical. Reasoning from inheritance in garden peas to inheritance in fruit flies, and from these two species to inheritance in human beings, 15 is sheer poetic metaphor. Another mode of classifying living creatures is commonly attributed to Aristotle. Instead of treat- ing plants, animals, and humans as distinct groups, they are nested. All living creatures 20 possess a vegetative soul that enables them to grow and metabolize. Of these, some also have a sensory soul that enables them to sense their envi- ronments and move. One species also has a rational soul that is capable of true understanding. 25 Thus, human beings are a special sort of animal, and animals are a special sort of plant. Given this classification, reasoning from human beings to all other species with respect to the attributes of the vegetative soul is legitimate, reasoning from 30 human beings to other animals with respect to the attributes of the sensory soul is also legitimate, but reasoning from the rational characteristics of the human species to any other species is merely analogical. According to both classifications, the 35 human species is unique. In the first, it has a king- dom all to itself; in the second, it stands at the pinnacle of the taxonomic hierarchy. Homo sapiens is unique. All species are. But this sort of uniqueness is not enough for many 40 (probably most) people, philosophers included. For some reason, it is very important that the species to which we belong be uniquely unique. It is of utmost importance that the human species be insulated from all other species with respect to 45 how we explain certain qualities. Human beings clearly are capable of developing and learning languages. For some reason, it is very important that the waggle dance performed by bees * not count as a genuine language. I have never been 50 able to understand why. I happen to think that the waggle dance differs from human languages to such a degree that little is gained by terming them both "languages," but even if "language" is so defined that the waggle dance slips in, bees still 55 remain bees. It is equally important to some that no other species use tools. No matter how inge- nious other species get in the manipulation of objects in their environment, it is absolutely essential that nothing they do count as "tool use." 60 I, however, fail to see what difference it makes whether any of these devices such as probes and anvils, etc. are really tools. All the species involved remain distinct biological species no matter what decisions are made. Similar observa- 65 tions hold for rationality and anything a computer might do. In the third paragraph, the author criticizes those who believe that

• Homo sapiens and animals belong to separate and distinct divisions of the living world (Correct answer)
• the differences between Homo sapiens and other animals are those of degree, not kind
• Homo sapiens and other organisms can be arranged in Aristotelian nested groups
• Homo sapiens and animals have the ability to control their environment
• the similarities between Homo sapiens and other species are more significant than their differences

Correct answer: Homo sapiens and animals belong to separate and distinct divisions of the living world

The author criticizes the desire for humans to be "uniquely unique" and "insulated from all other species" regarding certain qualities like language and tool use. This insistence on qualitative differences, rather than just quantitative ones, reflects a belief that humans occupy a fundamentally separate category from animals. The author finds this distinction unnecessary and questions its importance, implying a criticism of those who uphold such a rigid separation.

Question 97: Read the passage and answer question <2> : J.K. Rowling [1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life-changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1>over the next five years. The Philosopher’s Stone was the first of seven children’s books published under her pen name J. K. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.<2> [2] When the Philosopher’s Stone was published <3>in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It’s <4>first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling’s seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children’s literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5>a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.<6> [3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. [4] Rowling once said, “Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light”. <13>J. K. Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make- believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope.<15> Which of these sentences would most logically be added to the end of Paragraph 1?

• Even though children do not speak Latin or Ancient Greek, it is important that the book be translated into classical languages.
• These numbers show how incredibly successful J. K. Rowling really is!
• Rowling is a great example of how successful one can be when they use their time wisely, even when waiting for a train.
• Rowling’s international success has made her one of the most prolific writers of all time. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Rowling’s international success has made her one of the most prolific writers of all time.

[1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life-changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1>over the next five years. The Philosopher’s Stone was the first of seven children’s books published under her pen name J. K. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.<2> Which of these sentences would most logically be added to the end of Paragraph 1? “Rowling’s international success has made her one of the most prolific writers of all time. “is the correct answer because of writing strategy. The author’s purpose in Paragraph 1 is to highlight the success of Rowling’s books. “Even though children do not speak Latin or Ancient Greek, it is important that the book be translated into classical languages. “and “Rowling is a great example of how successful one can be when they use their time wisely, even when waiting for a train.” are incorrect because the answers do not fit with the author’s purpose. “These numbers show how incredibly successful J. K. Rowling really is! “is incorrect because of tone.

Question 98: What is the function of mitochondria in a cell?

• Cell division
• Energy production through cellular respiration (Correct answer)
• Protein synthesis
• Waste removal

Correct answer: Energy production through cellular respiration

Mitochondria are often called the 'powerhouse of the cell' because they produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate) through cellular respiration.

Question 99: Read the passage and answer question <6> : J.K. Rowling [1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life-changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1>over the next five years. The Philosopher’s Stone was the first of seven children’s books published under her pen name J. K. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.<2> [2] When the Philosopher’s Stone was published <3>in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It’s <4>first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling’s seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children’s literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5>a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.<6> [3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. [4] Rowling once said, “Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light”. <13>J. K. Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make- believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope.<15> The most appropriate sentence to place at the end of Paragraph 2 as a transition to Paragraph 3 is

• Someday, people will only remember the Harry Potter movies, and not Rowling’s books.
• Although Rowling’s legacy in children’s literacy is profound, she recently discovered a new passion for children’s causes. (Correct answer)
• Rowling’s legacy as a children’s writer will likely be forgotten because of her new work with children who are orphans.
• Rowling’s books are not as important as the new work she is doing to help children in orphanages.

Correct answer: Although Rowling’s legacy in children’s literacy is profound, she recently discovered a new passion for children’s causes.

[2] When the Philosopher’s Stone was published <3>in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It’s <4>first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling’s seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children’s literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5>a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.<6> The most appropriate sentence to place at the end of Paragraph 2 as a transition to Paragraph 3 is “Although Rowling’s legacy in children’s literacy is profound, she recently discovered a new passion for children’s causes.” is the correct answer because of transitions. “Although Rowling’s legacy in children’s literacy is profound, she recently discovered a new passion for children’s causes. “ correctly refers to the information in Paragraph 2, while foreshadowing the information in Paragraph 3. “Rowling’s legacy as a children’s writer will likely be forgotten because of her new work with children who are orphans.”, “Rowling’s books are not as important as the new work she is doing to help children in orphanages. “, and “Someday, people will only remember the Harry Potter movies, and not Rowling’s books.” are incorrect because their answers are not supported in the passage.

Question 100: Determine whether the sentence in the open and close parenthesis is correct or whether it needs to be revised. : During the (summer many students go away to summer camps that teach them skills about camaraderie, perseverance and integrity.)

• Summer many students go away to camps that teach them skills about camaraderie, perseverance and integrity.
• summer many students go away to summer camps that teach them skills about camaraderie, perseverance and maintaining integrity.
• summer many students go away to summer camps that teach them skills about camaraderie, perseverance and integrity.
• Summer many students go away to summer camps that teach them skills about camaraderie, perseverance and integrity.

Only choice “summer many students go away to camps that teach them skills about camaraderie, perseverance and integrity.” corrects the redundancy error in this sentence of writing “...summer camps...” after already stating that this event occurs “During the summer...” Choice “summer many students go away to summer camps that teach them skills about camaraderie, perseverance and integrity.”, “Summer many students go away to summer camps that teach them skills about camaraderie, perseverance and integrity.” and “summer many students go away to summer camps that teach them skills about camaraderie, perseverance and maintaining integrity.” suffer such redundancy. Choice “summer many students go away to summer camps that teach them skills about camaraderie, perseverance and maintaining integrity.” also breaks the list’s parallelism (values such as camaraderie and perseverance that should be followed simply by “integrity”). Choice “summer many students go away to camps that teach them skills about camaraderie, perseverance and integrity.” and “Summer many students go away to camps that teach them skills about camaraderie, perseverance and integrity.” remain, but choice “Summer many students go away to camps that teach them skills about camaraderie, perseverance and integrity.” makes the same mistake of choice “Summer many students go away to summer camps that teach them skills about camaraderie, perseverance and integrity.” by capitalizing a season. Although it may look better, seasons are NOT supposed to be capitalized unless they appear in a title or a proper noun.

Question 101: Which sentence correctly uses 'fewer' and 'less'?

• I have less books and fewer time.
• I have less books than you.
• I have fewer water than you.
• I have fewer books than you. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: I have fewer books than you.

'Fewer' is used for countable nouns like books.

Question 102: What is the circumference of a circle with radius 7 (use pi ≈ 22/7)?

• 44 (Correct answer)
• 14
• 49
• 22

Correct answer: 44

Circumference = 2(22/7)(7) = 44.

Question 103: Which gas makes up the largest portion of Earth's atmosphere?

• Argon
• Nitrogen (Correct answer)
• Carbon dioxide
• Oxygen

Correct answer: Nitrogen

Nitrogen makes up about 78 percent of Earth's atmosphere.

Question 104: A pie chart showing a country's budget would best be used to display what?

• Parts of a whole (Correct answer)
• Cause and effect
• Geographic location
• Change over time

Correct answer: Parts of a whole

Pie charts illustrate proportions of a total.

Question 105: Which of the following is equivalent to 0.75?

• 2/3
• 3/5
• 3/4 (Correct answer)
• 7/10

Correct answer: 3/4

0.75 equals 75/100, which reduces to 3/4.

Question 106: A peninsula is best defined as what?

• Land surrounded by water on all sides
• Land bordered by water on most sides (Correct answer)
• A ring of coral
• A flat highland

Correct answer: Land bordered by water on most sides

A peninsula is a body of land nearly surrounded by water but connected to a mainland.

Question 107: What gas do plants take in from the air during photosynthesis?

• Nitrogen
• Oxygen
• Carbon dioxide (Correct answer)
• Hydrogen

Correct answer: Carbon dioxide

Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen during photosynthesis.

Question 108: The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s primarily sought to end what?

• Taxation
• Racial segregation and discrimination (Correct answer)
• Military service
• Immigration

Correct answer: Racial segregation and discrimination

It fought to end legal racial segregation and secure equal rights.

Question 109: What economic concept describes the cost of the next-best alternative given up when making a choice?

• Marginal benefit
• Supply
• Inflation
• Opportunity cost (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Opportunity cost

Opportunity cost is the value of the best alternative forgone.

Question 110: What is the next number in the sequence 2, 6, 18, 54, ...?

• 150
• 216
• 162 (Correct answer)
• 108

Correct answer: 162

Each term is multiplied by 3, so 54 × 3 = 162.

Question 111: Read the passage and answer question <4> : J.K. Rowling [1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life-changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1>over the next five years. The Philosopher’s Stone was the first of seven children’s books published under her pen name J. K. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.<2> [2] When the Philosopher’s Stone was published <3>in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It’s <4>first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling’s seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children’s literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5>a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.<6> [3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. [4] Rowling once said, “Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light”. <13>J. K. Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make- believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope.<15>

• Its (Correct answer)
• NO CHANGE
• Its’
• It is

Correct answer: Its

2] When the Philosopher’s Stone was published <3>in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It’s <4>first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling’s seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children’s literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5>a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.<6> ”Its” is the correct answer because of possessive pronouns. Its is the correct form of the third person singular possessive pronoun. “NO CHANGE “ is incorrect because it is the contraction for “it is.” “It is” is incorrect because the sentence does not require the third person singular with the “to be” verb. “Its’ “ is incorrect because the apostrophe is unnecessary.

Question 112: What is the median of 3, 7, 9, 12, 20?

• 9 (Correct answer)
• 12
• 7
• 10

Correct answer: 9

With the values in order, the middle value is 9.

Question 113: Read the following passage and answer the question: Passage 1 Because it is filled with contradictions, performance is also filled with risk. This is the domain of stage fright. The actor is aware that appearing in front of an audience is a Line scary proposition. Maintaining the reality of the character is, 5 in itself, a fragile affair; it demands of the actor a series of complex transformations. The actor has the unique problem of hiding and showing at the same time. The actor’s conscious fear is not about making a mistake, but about allowing the audience to see something that it is not supposed to see: 10 namely, the performer’s fear, or stage fright. Passage 2 The term “stage fright” has largely dropped out of use, because we know now that dwelling on something this malevolent gives it power. If I tell you not to be afraid, you may dwell on your fear. If I say, do not think of 15 fast-food burgers under any circumstances, a line of them will parade through your mind. The key to most fears is substitution. On the simplest level, you replace the ogre with something less menacing to fill your consciousness. If you will imagine yourself to be a 20 host rather than an actor, and think more about the comfort of your listeners than their verdicts, everything will fall into place. Which of the following describes an actor coping with stage fright by following the advice of the author of Passage 2?

• A performer who follows the same rituals before every performance
• A performer who tries to impress the audience
• A performer who thinks of the audience as friends (Correct answer)
• A performer who tries to keep the audience amused
• A performer who blocks out thoughts of the audience

Correct answer: A performer who thinks of the audience as friends

Passage 2 advises replacing the "ogre" (the intimidating audience) with "something less menacing" and suggests imagining oneself as a "host" who thinks "about the comfort of your listeners than their verdicts." Thinking of the audience as friends aligns perfectly with this advice, as it transforms the perceived threat into a supportive, less intimidating group, thereby substituting the fear with a more comforting perspective.

Question 114: What is the main purpose of an outline before writing?

• To add citations
• To organize ideas logically (Correct answer)
• To choose a font
• To count words

Correct answer: To organize ideas logically

An outline arranges ideas in a logical order before drafting.

Question 115: Read the following passage and answer the question: In this passage a Mexican American historian describes a technique she used as part of her research. Doña Teodora offered me yet another cup of strong, black coffee. The aroma of the big, paper-thin Sonoran tortillas filled the small, linoleum-covered kitchen, and I Line knew that with the coffee I would receive a buttered tortilla 5 straight from the round, homemade comal (a flat, earthen- ware cooking pan) balanced on the gas-burning stove. For three days, from ten in the morning until early evening, I had been sitting in the same comfortable wooden chair, taking cup after cup of black coffee and consuming hot 10 tortillas. Doña Teodora was ninety years old, and although she would take occasional breaks from patting, extending, and turning over tortillas to let her cat in or out, it appeared that I was the only one exhausted at the end of the day. But once out, as I went over the notes, filed and organized the 15 tape cassettes, exhilaration would set in. The intellectual and emotional excitement I had previously experienced when a pertinent document would suddenly appear now waned in comparison to the gestures and words, the joy and anger doña Teodora offered. 20 She had not written down her thoughts; but the ideas, recollections, and images evoked by her lively oral expres- sion were jewels for anyone who wanted to know about the life of Mexicanas * in booming mining towns on both sides of the Mexico-United States border in the early twentieth 25 century. She never kept a diary. The thought of writing a memoir would have been put aside as presumptuous. But all her life doña Teodora had lived amidst the telling and retelling of family stories. Genealogies of her own family as well as complete and up-to-date information of the 30 marriages, births, and deaths of numerous families that made up her community were all well-kept memories. These chains of generations were fleshed out with recollec- tions of the many events and tribulations of these families. Oral history had proven to be a fertile field for my research 35 on the history of Mexicanas. My search had begun in libraries and archives—reposi- tories of conventional history. The available sources were to be found in census reports, church records, directories, and other such statistical information. These, however, as 40 important as they are, cannot provide one of the essential dimensions of history, the full narrative of the human experience that defies quantification and classification. In certain social groups this gap can be filled with diaries, memoirs, letters, or even reports from others. In the case of 45 Mexicanas in the United States, one of the many devastating consequences of defeat and conquest has been that the traditional institutions that preserve and transfer culture (the documentation of the past) have ignored these personal written sources. The letters, writings, and documents of 50 Mexican people have rarely, if ever, been included in archives, special collections, or libraries. At best, some centers have attempted to collect newspapers published by Mexicans, but the effort was started late. The historian who tries to reconstruct the past from newspapers is constantly 55 frustrated because, although titles abound, collections are scarce and often incomplete. Although many hours of previous study and preparation had taken me to doña Teodora's kitchen, I was initially unsure of my place. Was I really an insider or were the 60 experiences that had made the lives of my interviewees such that, although I could speak Spanish and am Mexicana, I was still an outsider? I realized, nonetheless, that the richness and depth of the spoken word challenges the comforting theories and models 65 of the social sciences. Mexican history challenges social- science models derived solely from victorious imperialistic experiences. Our history cannot be written without new sources. These sources will determine which concepts are needed to 70 illuminate and interpret the past, and these concepts will emerge from the people themselves. This will permit the description of events and structures to assume a culturally relevant perspective, thus emphasizing the point of view of the Mexican people. The use of theoretical constructs must 75 follow the voices of the people who live the reality, con- sciously or not. For too long the experiences of women have been studied according to male-oriented sources and constructs. These must be questioned. For the history of Mexican people, the sources primarily exist in our own 80 worlds. And it is here where we must begin. I often found that as the memory awakened, other sources would emerge. Boxes of letters, photographs, and even manuscripts and diaries would appear. Long-standing assumptions of illiteracy were shattered and had to be reexamined. I saw 85 that constant reevaluation became the rule rather than the exception. I entered women's worlds created on the margin —not only of Anglo life, but of, and outside of, the lives of their own fathers, husbands, sons, brothers, or priests, bosses, and bureaucrats. In what sense are "census reports, church records, directories" (line 38) inadequate?

• They place too great a reliance on political factors.
• They are often too difficult to obtain.
• They do not tell the human side of the story. (Correct answer)
• They are not of sufficient accuracy to be of use to historians.
• They blur the distinction between the political and the religious realm.

Correct answer: They do not tell the human side of the story.

The passage explicitly states that while 'census reports, church records, directories, and other such statistical information' are important, they 'cannot provide one of the essential dimensions of history, the full narrative of the human experience that defies quantification and classification.' This indicates their inadequacy lies in their inability to capture the personal, qualitative, and subjective aspects of people's lives, which is precisely 'the human side of the story.'

Question 116: Read the passage and answer question <2>: The Spine [1] Good spine health is important for every person. The human spine support the weight of the head, protects the body’s organs, and receives <1>the gravitational pull that helps with posture. Comprised of 33 bones, each called vertebra, the spine is divided into five regions: cervical, <2>thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal. Vertebra are named according to the region where they are located along the spine and in numerical order. Discs serve as cushions between each vertebra. Nerves run along the spine, carrying signals between the spine and the rest of the body. [2] There are many reasons why people experience problems with their spine. Some people like us are born <3>with defects such as spina bifida, which stunts infant <4>brain and spine development. Trauma to the spine can also create problems, in addition <5>when the damage is irreversible. Paralysis happened <6>when the spine is injured beyond repair, and may result in loss of function in the arms or legs. Another reason for damage is the body’s natural deterioration. As a person ages, the spine wears out. The discs that separate each vertebra lose moisture, and nerves that run alongside the spine can become more narrow, which <7>decreases the spines <8>ability to absorb pressure, especially when walking, jogging, or jumping. [3] Prevention is the best way to maintain a healthy back. There are varieties of ways that people keep themselves pain free and functioning at optimum levels. Sleeping on your back with a pillow under the knees supports its <9>natural curve during the night. When sitting at a desk, keeping ears, shoulders, and hips in line while resting the back firmly against the chair helps with posture. Standing straight with relaxed shoulders, hips, and knees will eliminate undue pressure on the spine. Walking with your head held high, chin tucked, and toes pointed forward will prevent slouching. Plus, you will look fantastically confident. <10> [4] Diet and sunshine are also important for back health, well-balanced <11>foods build lean muscles that support the spine. Lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and plenty <12>of water to keep the body hydrated are best choices for a daily regimen. While Vitamin D is found in many foods such as salmon and green leaf lettuce. The <13>sunshine is a body’s best source. At least ten minutes of day <14>sunlight will strengthen bones and provide energy to the body’s systems, encouraging the body to stand straighter. <15>

• regions; cervical,
• regions, cervical,
• regions — cervical
• NO CHANGE (Correct answer)

Correct answer: NO CHANGE

The original sentence correctly uses a colon to introduce a list of five regions of the spine. The items in the list ('cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal') are properly separated by commas, including the Oxford comma before 'and coccygeal,' which enhances clarity in a series of three or more items. Therefore, no revision is needed, and 'NO CHANGE' is the correct choice.

Question 117: What is the volume of a cube with edge length 3 cm?

• 27 cubic cm (Correct answer)
• 18 cubic cm
• 12 cubic cm
• 9 cubic cm

Correct answer: 27 cubic cm

Volume = side^3 = 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cubic cm.

Question 118: What type of rock is formed from cooled magma or lava?

• Metamorphic
• Fossil
• Sedimentary
• Igneous (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Igneous

Igneous rocks form when molten rock (magma underground or lava on the surface) cools and solidifies. Examples include granite and basalt.

Question 119: Read the passage and answer question <15>: The Spine [1] Good spine health is important for every person. The human spine support the weight of the head, protects the body’s organs, and receives <1>the gravitational pull that helps with posture. Comprised of 33 bones, each called vertebra, the spine is divided into five regions: cervical, <2>thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal. Vertebra are named according to the region where they are located along the spine and in numerical order. Discs serve as cushions between each vertebra. Nerves run along the spine, carrying signals between the spine and the rest of the body. [2] There are many reasons why people experience problems with their spine. Some people like us are born <3>with defects such as spina bifida, which stunts infant <4>brain and spine development. Trauma to the spine can also create problems, in addition <5>when the damage is irreversible. Paralysis happened <6>when the spine is injured beyond repair, and may result in loss of function in the arms or legs. Another reason for damage is the body’s natural deterioration. As a person ages, the spine wears out. The discs that separate each vertebra lose moisture, and nerves that run alongside the spine can become more narrow, which <7>decreases the spines <8>ability to absorb pressure, especially when walking, jogging, or jumping. [3] Prevention is the best way to maintain a healthy back. There are varieties of ways that people keep themselves pain free and functioning at optimum levels. Sleeping on your back with a pillow under the knees supports its <9>natural curve during the night. When sitting at a desk, keeping ears, shoulders, and hips in line while resting the back firmly against the chair helps with posture. Standing straight with relaxed shoulders, hips, and knees will eliminate undue pressure on the spine. Walking with your head held high, chin tucked, and toes pointed forward will prevent slouching. Plus, you will look fantastically confident. <10> [4] Diet and sunshine are also important for back health, well-balanced <11>foods build lean muscles that support the spine. Lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and plenty <12>of water to keep the body hydrated are best choices for a daily regimen. While Vitamin D is found in many foods such as salmon and green leaf lettuce. The <13>sunshine is a body’s best source. At least ten minutes of day <14>sunlight will strengthen bones and provide energy to the body’s systems, encouraging the body to stand straighter. <15> This passage would most likely be part of

• a personal letter from a doctor to his mother about the importance of taking care of her body.
• a chapter about the human spine that is located in an anatomy textbook.
• an entry for Spine in a medical dictionary.
• a pamphlet published by a chiropractor about good spine health. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: a pamphlet published by a chiropractor about good spine health.

The passage provides practical advice on maintaining good spine health, covering causes of problems, preventative measures, and dietary recommendations. Its informative yet accessible tone, combined with its focus on actionable steps for well-being, strongly suggests it is intended for a general audience seeking health guidance. This aligns perfectly with the purpose and format of a pamphlet published by a chiropractor, whose profession centers on spine health and preventative care.

Question 120: Which is a strong thesis statement?

• Uniforms are a topic.
• This essay is about school.
• School uniforms improve focus by reducing distractions. (Correct answer)
• I will talk about uniforms.

Correct answer: School uniforms improve focus by reducing distractions.

A strong thesis states a clear, arguable position.

Question 121: When summarizing a passage, a reader should:

• Copy the text exactly
• Capture only the main points in their own words (Correct answer)
• Include every minor detail
• Add personal opinions

Correct answer: Capture only the main points in their own words

A good summary restates the main points concisely in the reader's own words.

Question 122: What is the greatest common factor of 24 and 36?

• 8
• 12 (Correct answer)
• 4
• 6

Correct answer: 12

The largest factor shared by 24 and 36 is 12.

Question 123: What is the author's purpose when writing to persuade?

• To describe a scene
• To explain a process
• To tell a story
• To convince the reader to accept a viewpoint or take action (Correct answer)

Correct answer: To convince the reader to accept a viewpoint or take action

Persuasive writing aims to influence the reader's beliefs, attitudes, or actions through arguments, evidence, and rhetorical techniques.

Question 124: The day and night cycle on Earth is caused by which motion?

• Tilt of the axis
• The Moon's orbit
• Earth's revolution around the Sun
• Earth's rotation on its axis (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Earth's rotation on its axis

Earth's rotation on its axis once every 24 hours causes day and night.

Question 125: What is the Pythagorean theorem?

• a × b = c²
• a² + b² = c² (Correct answer)
• 2a + 2b = c
• a + b = c

Correct answer: a² + b² = c²

The Pythagorean theorem states that in a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides.

Question 126: The passage below will be used for 15 questions. Read the passage and answer question <1>: DIRECTIONS: In the passage below, certain phrases are underlined and numbered <x>. The question will present alternatives for the underlined part. In most cases. you are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole. If you think the original version is the best, choose "NO CHANGE". J.K. Rowling [1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life-changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1>over the next five years. The Philosopher’s Stone was the first of seven children’s books published under her pen name J. K. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.<2> [2] When the Philosopher’s Stone was published <3>in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It’s <4>first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling’s seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children’s literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5>a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.<6> [3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. [4] Rowling once said, “Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light”. <13>J. K. Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make- believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope.<15> The underlined portion <1> most likely means

• Rowling gave birth to a child who she named Harry Potter
• Rowling resuscitated a child named Harry Potter who was riding a train
• Rowling created a story about a boy named Harry Potter (Correct answer)
• Rowling was the puppeteer for a marionette called Harry Potter

Correct answer: Rowling created a story about a boy named Harry Potter

[1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life-changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1>over the next five years. The Philosopher’s Stone was the first of seven children’s books published under her pen name J. K. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.<2> The underlined portion most likely means “Rowling created a story about a boy named Harry Potter “ is the correct answer because of idioms. Idioms are phrases with meanings that are not apparent based on dictionary definitions. “Rowling gave birth to a child who she named Harry Potter “, “Rowling was the puppeteer for a marionette called Harry Potter “, and “Rowling resuscitated a child named Harry Potter who was riding a train” are incorrect because their answers do not fit with the context.

Question 127: In a food chain, organisms that make their own food using sunlight are called what?

• Consumers
• Predators
• Producers (Correct answer)
• Decomposers

Correct answer: Producers

Producers, such as plants, make their own food through photosynthesis.

Question 128: Read the passage and answer question <12>: J.K. Rowling [1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life-changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1>over the next five years. The Philosopher’s Stone was the first of seven children’s books published under her pen name J. K. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.<2> [2] When the Philosopher’s Stone was published <3>in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It’s <4>first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling’s seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children’s literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5>a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.<6> [3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. [4] Rowling once said, “Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light”. <13>J. K. Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make- believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope.<15>

• there
• their (Correct answer)
• they’re
• NO CHANGE

Correct answer: their

[3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. “their” is the correct choice because of case and number and they’re, there, and their. “NO CHANGE” is incorrect because children are plural and require a personal pronoun that is plural in number. “they’re” and “there” are incorrect because their answers are inaccurate spellings of “their.”

Question 129: What does the pH scale measure in a solution?

• Density
• Acidity or basicity (Correct answer)
• Conductivity
• Temperature

Correct answer: Acidity or basicity

The pH scale measures how acidic or basic a solution is, from 0 to 14.

Question 130: What does the suffix '-ology' mean in words like 'biology' and 'psychology'?

• the opposite of
• the result of
• the practice of
• the study of (Correct answer)

Correct answer: the study of

The suffix '-ology' comes from Greek and means 'the study of,' so biology is the study of life.

Question 131: Which sentence correctly uses a comma after an introductory phrase?

• After, the game we ate.
• After the, game we ate.
• After the game, we ate. (Correct answer)
• After the game we ate.

Correct answer: After the game, we ate.

A comma follows an introductory phrase before the main clause.

Question 132: What is the pH of a neutral solution?

• 10
• 14
• 0
• 7 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 7

A pH of 7 is neutral, meaning the solution is neither acidic nor basic. Values below 7 are acidic, and values above 7 are basic/alkaline.

Question 133: Which sentence correctly uses a colon?

• I need eggs: milk and bread.
• I need: eggs, milk, and bread.
• I: need eggs, milk, and bread.
• I need the following: eggs, milk, and bread. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: I need the following: eggs, milk, and bread.

A colon follows a complete clause to introduce a list.

Question 134: Which choice best combines: 'The movie was long. It was boring.'?

• The movie was long boring.
• The movie was long, it was boring.
• The movie was long; and boring.
• The movie was long and boring. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The movie was long and boring.

Combining with 'and' creates a smooth, concise sentence.

Question 135: On the periodic table, elements in the same vertical column are called a what?

• Series
• Phase
• Group (Correct answer)
• Period

Correct answer: Group

Elements in the same vertical column form a group and share similar properties.

Question 136: The gradual wearing away of rock and soil by wind or water is called what?

• Condensation
• Fusion
• Crystallization
• Erosion (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Erosion

Erosion is the transport of weathered rock and soil by wind, water, or ice.

Question 137: In the sentence 'The politician made an eloquent speech,' what does 'eloquent' mean?

• short and confusing
• loud and aggressive
• fluent and persuasive (Correct answer)
• boring and repetitive

Correct answer: fluent and persuasive

'Eloquent' describes speech that is fluent, forceful, and persuasive.

Question 138: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures what?

• A nation's population
• The total value of goods and services produced (Correct answer)
• Average rainfall
• The number of voters

Correct answer: The total value of goods and services produced

GDP is the total market value of goods and services a country produces.

Question 139: Which type of chemical reaction releases energy, often as heat?

• Exothermic (Correct answer)
• Reversible
• Endothermic
• Neutral

Correct answer: Exothermic

Exothermic reactions release energy, usually in the form of heat, to the surroundings.

Question 140: Which word is a synonym for 'analyze'?

• create
• examine (Correct answer)
• describe
• ignore

Correct answer: examine

To 'analyze' is to examine something carefully and in detail, making 'examine' its closest synonym.

Question 141: Which branch of the U.S. government interprets laws and the Constitution?

• Executive
• Legislative
• Bureaucratic
• Judicial (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Judicial

The judicial branch, led by the Supreme Court, interprets laws.

Question 142: Which right is protected by the First Amendment?

• Protection from unreasonable searches
• Right to bear arms
• Right to a speedy trial
• Freedom of speech (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Freedom of speech

The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.

Question 143: Read the following passage and answer the question: Greek mythology is a vehicle that uses mythological characters and creatures to teach people about the dangers, beauties and possible outcomes of life. In many myths, characters face moral dilemmas involving honor and practicality. The protagonists of epics face creatures that represent values and challenges such as respect, temptation and redemption. How has Greek mythology inevitably evolved with time and new story tellers? Scholars that have interpreted Greek mythology seek to maintain the universal values conveyed in these stories, while ensuring the validity of adapting these stories to their own distinct cultures. It is up to each reader to seek their own truths and learn from epic Greek mythology as best they can. Which word best describes the author’s account of Greek mythology?

• dubious
• critical
• idealistic (Correct answer)
• mysterious
• pessimistic

Correct answer: idealistic

The author presents Greek mythology in a highly positive and optimistic light, emphasizing its role in teaching 'universal values,' 'dangers, beauties and possible outcomes of life,' and promoting personal growth through 'seeking their own truths.' There is no hint of skepticism, negativity, or critical analysis. This consistently positive portrayal, focusing on the inherent good and wisdom within the myths, best aligns with an 'idealistic' description.

Question 144: Read the passage and answer question <14>: J.K. Rowling [1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life-changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1>over the next five years. The Philosopher’s Stone was the first of seven children’s books published under her pen name J. K. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.<2> [2] When the Philosopher’s Stone was published <3>in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It’s <4>first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling’s seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children’s literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5>a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.<6> [3] Today, Rowling spends much <7>of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8>She founded <9>the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10>vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which <11>cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12>families, either biological or adoptive. [4] Rowling once said, “Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light”. <13>J. K. Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make- believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope.<15> If the writer wanted to add information about research that compares and contrasts child development between children who are raised in their families homes with children who are raised in institutions, this new material would most logically be placed in

• a separate paragraph, because it would be the only paragraph devoted to a comparison between children raised in homes versus children raised in orphanages. (Correct answer)
• place of paragraph 4, because this information is irrelevant
• Paragraph 4, because this would be a strong conclusion to the passage as a whole.
• Paragraph 1, because the most important information must be introduced first.

Correct answer: a separate paragraph, because it would be the only paragraph devoted to a comparison between children raised in homes versus children raised in orphanages.

If the writer wanted to add information about research that compares and contrasts child development between children who are raised in their families homes with children who are raised in institutions, this new material would most logically be placed in “a separate paragraph, because it would be the only paragraph devoted to a comparison between children raised in homes versus children raised in orphanages.” is the correct answer because of sequence.

Question 145: What does 'bias' mean in relation to a text?

• A factual error
• A one-sided perspective that favors a particular viewpoint (Correct answer)
• A type of citation
• A grammatical mistake

Correct answer: A one-sided perspective that favors a particular viewpoint

Bias is a prejudice or inclination that causes an author to present information in a way that favors one side, potentially distorting the objective truth.

Question 146: What is 15% of 60?

• 15
• 12
• 6
• 9 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 9

15% of 60 = 0.15 × 60 = 9.

Question 147: Read the following passage and answer the question: The following passage is from a discussion of various ways that living creatures have been classified over the years. The world can be classified in different ways, depending on one's interests and principles of clas- sification. The classifications (also known as Line taxonomies) in turn determine which comparisons 5 seem natural or unnatural, which literal or analog- ical. For example, it has been common to classify living creatures into three distinct groups—plants, animals, and humans. According to this classifica- tion, human beings are not a special kind of 10 animal, nor animals a special kind of plant. Thus any comparisons between the three groups are strictly analogical. Reasoning from inheritance in garden peas to inheritance in fruit flies, and from these two species to inheritance in human beings, 15 is sheer poetic metaphor. Another mode of classifying living creatures is commonly attributed to Aristotle. Instead of treat- ing plants, animals, and humans as distinct groups, they are nested. All living creatures 20 possess a vegetative soul that enables them to grow and metabolize. Of these, some also have a sensory soul that enables them to sense their envi- ronments and move. One species also has a rational soul that is capable of true understanding. 25 Thus, human beings are a special sort of animal, and animals are a special sort of plant. Given this classification, reasoning from human beings to all other species with respect to the attributes of the vegetative soul is legitimate, reasoning from 30 human beings to other animals with respect to the attributes of the sensory soul is also legitimate, but reasoning from the rational characteristics of the human species to any other species is merely analogical. According to both classifications, the 35 human species is unique. In the first, it has a king- dom all to itself; in the second, it stands at the pinnacle of the taxonomic hierarchy. Homo sapiens is unique. All species are. But this sort of uniqueness is not enough for many 40 (probably most) people, philosophers included. For some reason, it is very important that the species to which we belong be uniquely unique. It is of utmost importance that the human species be insulated from all other species with respect to 45 how we explain certain qualities. Human beings clearly are capable of developing and learning languages. For some reason, it is very important that the waggle dance performed by bees * not count as a genuine language. I have never been 50 able to understand why. I happen to think that the waggle dance differs from human languages to such a degree that little is gained by terming them both "languages," but even if "language" is so defined that the waggle dance slips in, bees still 55 remain bees. It is equally important to some that no other species use tools. No matter how inge- nious other species get in the manipulation of objects in their environment, it is absolutely essential that nothing they do count as "tool use." 60 I, however, fail to see what difference it makes whether any of these devices such as probes and anvils, etc. are really tools. All the species involved remain distinct biological species no matter what decisions are made. Similar observa- 65 tions hold for rationality and anything a computer might do. Which of the following comparisons would be "legitimate" for all living organisms according to the Aristotelian scheme described in paragraph two? I. Comparisons based on the vegetative soul II. Comparisons based on the sensory soul III. Comparisons based on the rational soul

• II only
• I only (Correct answer)
• I, II, and III
• III only
• II and III only

Correct answer: I only

The passage states that "All living creatures possess a vegetative soul." This means the vegetative soul is common to *all* organisms in the Aristotelian scheme. Therefore, comparisons based on the vegetative soul would be legitimate for all living organisms, while sensory and rational souls are not universally present.

Question 148: The passage below will be used for the next 15 questions. Read the passage and answer question <1>: DIRECTIONS: In the passage below, certain phrases are underlined and numbered <x>. The question will present alternatives for the underlined part. In most cases. you are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole. If you think the original version is the best, choose "NO CHANGE". The Spine [1] Good spine health is important for every person. The human spine support the weight of the head, protects the body’s organs, and receives <1>the gravitational pull that helps with posture. Comprised of 33 bones, each called vertebra, the spine is divided into five regions: cervical, <2>thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal. Vertebra are named according to the region where they are located along the spine and in numerical order. Discs serve as cushions between each vertebra. Nerves run along the spine, carrying signals between the spine and the rest of the body. [2] There are many reasons why people experience problems with their spine. Some people like us are born <3>with defects such as spina bifida, which stunts infant <4>brain and spine development. Trauma to the spine can also create problems, in addition <5>when the damage is irreversible. Paralysis happened <6>when the spine is injured beyond repair, and may result in loss of function in the arms or legs. Another reason for damage is the body’s natural deterioration. As a person ages, the spine wears out. The discs that separate each vertebra lose moisture, and nerves that run alongside the spine can become more narrow, which <7>decreases the spines <8>ability to absorb pressure, especially when walking, jogging, or jumping. [3] Prevention is the best way to maintain a healthy back. There are varieties of ways that people keep themselves pain free and functioning at optimum levels. Sleeping on your back with a pillow under the knees supports its <9>natural curve during the night. When sitting at a desk, keeping ears, shoulders, and hips in line while resting the back firmly against the chair helps with posture. Standing straight with relaxed shoulders, hips, and knees will eliminate undue pressure on the spine. Walking with your head held high, chin tucked, and toes pointed forward will prevent slouching. Plus, you will look fantastically confident. <10> [4] Diet and sunshine are also important for back health, well-balanced <11>foods build lean muscles that support the spine. Lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and plenty <12>of water to keep the body hydrated are best choices for a daily regimen. While Vitamin D is found in many foods such as salmon and green leaf lettuce. The <13>sunshine is a body’s best source. At least ten minutes of day <14>sunlight will strengthen bones and provide energy to the body’s systems, encouraging the body to stand straighter. <15>

• The human spine supports the weight of the head, protect the body’s organs, and receive
• The human spine supports the weight of the head, protects the body’s organs, and receives (Correct answer)
• NO CHANGE
• The human spine support the weight of the head, protect the body’s organs, and receive

Correct answer: The human spine supports the weight of the head, protects the body’s organs, and receives

The original sentence contains a subject-verb agreement error and a lack of parallelism. The singular subject 'The human spine' requires a singular verb form, so 'support' should be 'supports.' Additionally, for proper parallelism in the list of actions ('supports the weight,' 'protects the body’s organs,' 'receives the gravitational pull'), all verbs must be in the same singular third-person form. Option B corrects 'support' to 'supports,' making all verbs agree with the singular subject and maintaining parallel structure.

Question 149: What does the prefix 'mis-' mean in the word 'misinterpret'?

• against
• before
• again
• wrongly (Correct answer)

Correct answer: wrongly

The prefix 'mis-' means wrongly or incorrectly, so 'misinterpret' means to interpret incorrectly.

Question 150: Read the passage and answer question <9>: The Spine [1] Good spine health is important for every person. The human spine support the weight of the head, protects the body’s organs, and receives <1>the gravitational pull that helps with posture. Comprised of 33 bones, each called vertebra, the spine is divided into five regions: cervical, <2>thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal. Vertebra are named according to the region where they are located along the spine and in numerical order. Discs serve as cushions between each vertebra. Nerves run along the spine, carrying signals between the spine and the rest of the body. [2] There are many reasons why people experience problems with their spine. Some people like us are born <3>with defects such as spina bifida, which stunts infant <4>brain and spine development. Trauma to the spine can also create problems, in addition <5>when the damage is irreversible. Paralysis happened <6>when the spine is injured beyond repair, and may result in loss of function in the arms or legs. Another reason for damage is the body’s natural deterioration. As a person ages, the spine wears out. The discs that separate each vertebra lose moisture, and nerves that run alongside the spine can become more narrow, which <7>decreases the spines <8>ability to absorb pressure, especially when walking, jogging, or jumping. [3] Prevention is the best way to maintain a healthy back. There are varieties of ways that people keep themselves pain free and functioning at optimum levels. Sleeping on your back with a pillow under the knees supports its <9>natural curve during the night. When sitting at a desk, keeping ears, shoulders, and hips in line while resting the back firmly against the chair helps with posture. Standing straight with relaxed shoulders, hips, and knees will eliminate undue pressure on the spine. Walking with your head held high, chin tucked, and toes pointed forward will prevent slouching. Plus, you will look fantastically confident. <10> [4] Diet and sunshine are also important for back health, well-balanced <11>foods build lean muscles that support the spine. Lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and plenty <12>of water to keep the body hydrated are best choices for a daily regimen. While Vitamin D is found in many foods such as salmon and green leaf lettuce. The <13>sunshine is a body’s best source. At least ten minutes of day <14>sunlight will strengthen bones and provide energy to the body’s systems, encouraging the body to stand straighter. <15>

• your
• NO CHANGE
• the pillow’s
• the back’s (Correct answer)

Correct answer: the back’s

The pronoun 'its' in the original sentence is ambiguous because it could potentially refer to 'pillow,' 'knees,' or 'back.' To ensure clarity and specify that the natural curve belongs to the back, option B, 'the back’s,' is the most precise and unambiguous choice. This revision clearly indicates that the pillow supports the natural curve of the back.

Question 151: Which transition word shows contrast?

• Furthermore
• However (Correct answer)
• Likewise
• Therefore

Correct answer: However

'However' signals a contrast between ideas.

Question 152: Which transition word signals a contrast between two ideas?

• Likewise
• Furthermore
• Additionally
• However (Correct answer)

Correct answer: However

'However' signals a contrast or shift between two ideas.

Question 153: Which type of map is designed to show physical features like mountains and rivers?

• Population map
• Climate map
• Physical map (Correct answer)
• Political map

Correct answer: Physical map

Physical maps display landforms and natural features.

Question 154: Read the passage and answer question <7>: The Spine [1] Good spine health is important for every person. The human spine support the weight of the head, protects the body’s organs, and receives <1>the gravitational pull that helps with posture. Comprised of 33 bones, each called vertebra, the spine is divided into five regions: cervical, <2>thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal. Vertebra are named according to the region where they are located along the spine and in numerical order. Discs serve as cushions between each vertebra. Nerves run along the spine, carrying signals between the spine and the rest of the body. [2] There are many reasons why people experience problems with their spine. Some people like us are born <3>with defects such as spina bifida, which stunts infant <4>brain and spine development. Trauma to the spine can also create problems, in addition <5>when the damage is irreversible. Paralysis happened <6>when the spine is injured beyond repair, and may result in loss of function in the arms or legs. Another reason for damage is the body’s natural deterioration. As a person ages, the spine wears out. The discs that separate each vertebra lose moisture, and nerves that run alongside the spine can become more narrow, which <7>decreases the spines <8>ability to absorb pressure, especially when walking, jogging, or jumping. [3] Prevention is the best way to maintain a healthy back. There are varieties of ways that people keep themselves pain free and functioning at optimum levels. Sleeping on your back with a pillow under the knees supports its <9>natural curve during the night. When sitting at a desk, keeping ears, shoulders, and hips in line while resting the back firmly against the chair helps with posture. Standing straight with relaxed shoulders, hips, and knees will eliminate undue pressure on the spine. Walking with your head held high, chin tucked, and toes pointed forward will prevent slouching. Plus, you will look fantastically confident. <10> [4] Diet and sunshine are also important for back health, well-balanced <11>foods build lean muscles that support the spine. Lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and plenty <12>of water to keep the body hydrated are best choices for a daily regimen. While Vitamin D is found in many foods such as salmon and green leaf lettuce. The <13>sunshine is a body’s best source. At least ten minutes of day <14>sunlight will strengthen bones and provide energy to the body’s systems, encouraging the body to stand straighter. <15>

• narrow which
• NO CHANGE (Correct answer)
• narrow, that
• narrow,

Correct answer: NO CHANGE

The phrase 'which decreases the spines ability to absorb pressure' is a non-restrictive clause, meaning it provides additional, non-essential information about the preceding part of the sentence (the nerves becoming more narrow). Non-restrictive clauses are correctly set off by a comma. The use of 'which' with a preceding comma is grammatically correct for this type of clause, so 'NO CHANGE' is the best option.

Question 155: What is the basic unit of life?

• Molecule
• Cell (Correct answer)
• Organ
• Atom

Correct answer: Cell

The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all living organisms. All life forms are composed of one or more cells.

Question 156: What does the word 'persuade' mean?

• to force someone to act against their will
• to reward someone for good behavior
• to cause someone to believe or do something through reasoning (Correct answer)
• to confuse someone intentionally

Correct answer: to cause someone to believe or do something through reasoning

'Persuade' means to convince someone through argument or evidence, not through force.

Question 157: What does the word 'obsolete' mean?

• no longer in use (Correct answer)
• difficult to find
• extremely popular
• brand new

Correct answer: no longer in use

'Obsolete' describes something that is outdated and no longer used or needed.

Question 158: Which document begins with the phrase 'We the People of the United States'?

• The U.S. Constitution (Correct answer)
• The Articles of Confederation
• The Bill of Rights
• The Declaration of Independence

Correct answer: The U.S. Constitution

The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution opens with 'We the People.'

Question 159: Energy stored in an object due to its position or height is called what?

• Sound energy
• Kinetic energy
• Thermal energy
• Potential energy (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Potential energy

Potential energy is stored energy based on an object's position, such as height.

Question 160: In a market economy, prices are primarily determined by what?

• Religious leaders
• International treaties
• Supply and demand (Correct answer)
• Government decree

Correct answer: Supply and demand

Market prices result from the interaction of supply and demand.

Question 161: Which war ended with the Treaty of Versailles in 1919?

• The Cold War
• The Civil War
• World War I (Correct answer)
• World War II

Correct answer: World War I

The Treaty of Versailles formally ended World War I.

Question 162: Read the following passage and answer the question: The following passage is from a discussion of various ways that living creatures have been classified over the years. The world can be classified in different ways, depending on one's interests and principles of clas- sification. The classifications (also known as Line taxonomies) in turn determine which comparisons 5 seem natural or unnatural, which literal or analog- ical. For example, it has been common to classify living creatures into three distinct groups—plants, animals, and humans. According to this classifica- tion, human beings are not a special kind of 10 animal, nor animals a special kind of plant. Thus any comparisons between the three groups are strictly analogical. Reasoning from inheritance in garden peas to inheritance in fruit flies, and from these two species to inheritance in human beings, 15 is sheer poetic metaphor. Another mode of classifying living creatures is commonly attributed to Aristotle. Instead of treat- ing plants, animals, and humans as distinct groups, they are nested. All living creatures 20 possess a vegetative soul that enables them to grow and metabolize. Of these, some also have a sensory soul that enables them to sense their envi- ronments and move. One species also has a rational soul that is capable of true understanding. 25 Thus, human beings are a special sort of animal, and animals are a special sort of plant. Given this classification, reasoning from human beings to all other species with respect to the attributes of the vegetative soul is legitimate, reasoning from 30 human beings to other animals with respect to the attributes of the sensory soul is also legitimate, but reasoning from the rational characteristics of the human species to any other species is merely analogical. According to both classifications, the 35 human species is unique. In the first, it has a king- dom all to itself; in the second, it stands at the pinnacle of the taxonomic hierarchy. Homo sapiens is unique. All species are. But this sort of uniqueness is not enough for many 40 (probably most) people, philosophers included. For some reason, it is very important that the species to which we belong be uniquely unique. It is of utmost importance that the human species be insulated from all other species with respect to 45 how we explain certain qualities. Human beings clearly are capable of developing and learning languages. For some reason, it is very important that the waggle dance performed by bees * not count as a genuine language. I have never been 50 able to understand why. I happen to think that the waggle dance differs from human languages to such a degree that little is gained by terming them both "languages," but even if "language" is so defined that the waggle dance slips in, bees still 55 remain bees. It is equally important to some that no other species use tools. No matter how inge- nious other species get in the manipulation of objects in their environment, it is absolutely essential that nothing they do count as "tool use." 60 I, however, fail to see what difference it makes whether any of these devices such as probes and anvils, etc. are really tools. All the species involved remain distinct biological species no matter what decisions are made. Similar observa- 65 tions hold for rationality and anything a computer might do. According to the author, what is most responsible for influencing our perception of a comparison between species?

• The behavior of the organisms in their natural environment
• The organizational scheme imposed on the living world by researchers and philosophers (Correct answer)
• The style of language used by scientists in presenting their research
• The sophistication of the communication between organisms
• The magnitude of hierarchical distance between a species and Homo sapiens

Correct answer: The organizational scheme imposed on the living world by researchers and philosophers

The first paragraph explicitly states that "The world can be classified in different ways, depending on one's interests and principles of classification. The classifications (also known as taxonomies) in turn determine which comparisons seem natural or unnatural, which literal or analogical." This directly indicates that the way we categorize or organize living creatures dictates how we perceive comparisons between them.

Question 163: A climate that is hot and receives very little rainfall best describes which biome?

• Tundra
• Desert (Correct answer)
• Rainforest
• Grassland

Correct answer: Desert

Deserts are characterized by high heat and low precipitation.

Question 164: A shirt costs $40 and is marked down 25%. What is the sale price?

• $35
• $32
• $30 (Correct answer)
• $28

Correct answer: $30

25% of $40 is $10, so $40 - $10 = $30.

Question 165: Read the following passage and answer the question: Disequilibrium at the interface of water and air is a factor on which the transfer of heat and water vapor from the ocean to the air depends. The air within about a millimeter of the water is almost saturated with water vapor and the temperature of the air is close to that of the surface water. Irrespective of how small these differences might be, they are crucial, and the disequilibrium is maintained by air near the surface mixing with air higher up, which is typically appreciably cooler and lower in water vapor content. The turbulence, which takes its energy from the wind mixes the air. As the speed of wind increases, so does the turbulence, and consequently the rate of heat and moisture transfer. We can arrive at a detailed understanding of this phenomenon after further study. The transfer of momentum from wind to water, which occurs when waves are formed is an interacting-and complicated phenomenon. When waves are made by the wind, it transfers important amounts of energy-energy, which is consequently not available for the production of turbulence. The wind over the ocean usually does which of the following according to the given passage? I. Leads to cool, dry air coming in proximity with the ocean surface. II. Maintains a steady rate of heat and moisture transfer between the ocean and the air. III. Results in frequent changes in the ocean surface temperature.

• I only (Correct answer)
• II only
• I, II, and III
• II and III only
• I and II only

Correct answer: I only

The passage explicitly states that 'the disequilibrium is maintained by air near the surface mixing with air higher up, which is typically appreciably cooler and lower in water vapor content. The turbulence, which takes its energy from the wind mixes the air.' This directly supports statement I, indicating that wind leads to cooler, drier air near the ocean surface. Statement II is contradicted by the passage, which notes that the rate of transfer *increases* with wind speed, implying variability, not steadiness. Statement III is not supported by the text, as the passage focuses on heat transfer rather than wind causing frequent changes in ocean surface temperature.

Question 166: Simplify: 4(2x + 3).

• 6x + 7
• 2x + 12
• 8x + 12 (Correct answer)
• 8x + 3

Correct answer: 8x + 12

Distribute 4 to each term: 4(2x) + 4(3) = 8x + 12.

Question 167: Which sentence correctly uses an apostrophe for possession?

• The children's toys (Correct answer)
• The childrens toys
• The childrens toy's
• The childrens' toys

Correct answer: The children's toys

'Children' is already plural, so add apostrophe-s for possession.

Question 168: Which word is closest in meaning to 'ambiguous'?

• certain
• unclear (Correct answer)
• obvious
• brief

Correct answer: unclear

'Ambiguous' means open to more than one interpretation, making 'unclear' the closest synonym.

Question 169: Read the following passage and answer the question: In this passage a Mexican American historian describes a technique she used as part of her research. Doña Teodora offered me yet another cup of strong, black coffee. The aroma of the big, paper-thin Sonoran tortillas filled the small, linoleum-covered kitchen, and I Line knew that with the coffee I would receive a buttered tortilla 5 straight from the round, homemade comal (a flat, earthen- ware cooking pan) balanced on the gas-burning stove. For three days, from ten in the morning until early evening, I had been sitting in the same comfortable wooden chair, taking cup after cup of black coffee and consuming hot 10 tortillas. Doña Teodora was ninety years old, and although she would take occasional breaks from patting, extending, and turning over tortillas to let her cat in or out, it appeared that I was the only one exhausted at the end of the day. But once out, as I went over the notes, filed and organized the 15 tape cassettes, exhilaration would set in. The intellectual and emotional excitement I had previously experienced when a pertinent document would suddenly appear now waned in comparison to the gestures and words, the joy and anger doña Teodora offered. 20 She had not written down her thoughts; but the ideas, recollections, and images evoked by her lively oral expres- sion were jewels for anyone who wanted to know about the life of Mexicanas * in booming mining towns on both sides of the Mexico-United States border in the early twentieth 25 century. She never kept a diary. The thought of writing a memoir would have been put aside as presumptuous. But all her life doña Teodora had lived amidst the telling and retelling of family stories. Genealogies of her own family as well as complete and up-to-date information of the 30 marriages, births, and deaths of numerous families that made up her community were all well-kept memories. These chains of generations were fleshed out with recollec- tions of the many events and tribulations of these families. Oral history had proven to be a fertile field for my research 35 on the history of Mexicanas. My search had begun in libraries and archives—reposi- tories of conventional history. The available sources were to be found in census reports, church records, directories, and other such statistical information. These, however, as 40 important as they are, cannot provide one of the essential dimensions of history, the full narrative of the human experience that defies quantification and classification. In certain social groups this gap can be filled with diaries, memoirs, letters, or even reports from others. In the case of 45 Mexicanas in the United States, one of the many devastating consequences of defeat and conquest has been that the traditional institutions that preserve and transfer culture (the documentation of the past) have ignored these personal written sources. The letters, writings, and documents of 50 Mexican people have rarely, if ever, been included in archives, special collections, or libraries. At best, some centers have attempted to collect newspapers published by Mexicans, but the effort was started late. The historian who tries to reconstruct the past from newspapers is constantly 55 frustrated because, although titles abound, collections are scarce and often incomplete. Although many hours of previous study and preparation had taken me to doña Teodora's kitchen, I was initially unsure of my place. Was I really an insider or were the 60 experiences that had made the lives of my interviewees such that, although I could speak Spanish and am Mexicana, I was still an outsider? I realized, nonetheless, that the richness and depth of the spoken word challenges the comforting theories and models 65 of the social sciences. Mexican history challenges social- science models derived solely from victorious imperialistic experiences. Our history cannot be written without new sources. These sources will determine which concepts are needed to 70 illuminate and interpret the past, and these concepts will emerge from the people themselves. This will permit the description of events and structures to assume a culturally relevant perspective, thus emphasizing the point of view of the Mexican people. The use of theoretical constructs must 75 follow the voices of the people who live the reality, con- sciously or not. For too long the experiences of women have been studied according to male-oriented sources and constructs. These must be questioned. For the history of Mexican people, the sources primarily exist in our own 80 worlds. And it is here where we must begin. I often found that as the memory awakened, other sources would emerge. Boxes of letters, photographs, and even manuscripts and diaries would appear. Long-standing assumptions of illiteracy were shattered and had to be reexamined. I saw 85 that constant reevaluation became the rule rather than the exception. I entered women's worlds created on the margin —not only of Anglo life, but of, and outside of, the lives of their own fathers, husbands, sons, brothers, or priests, bosses, and bureaucrats. The author indicates that the "concepts" mentioned in lines 69-70 originate in

• systematic categories devised by historians for various types of sources
• patterns of social behavior that have been exhibited by previously studied cultures
• informal records and information provided by ordinary people (Correct answer)
• personal experiences of historians who have interviewed many people
• comments of senior members of a community on the ways the community has functioned

Correct answer: informal records and information provided by ordinary people

The passage explicitly states that "These sources will determine which concepts are needed... and these concepts will emerge from the people themselves." The author's research method involves listening to Doña Teodora's oral history, which consists of "ideas, recollections, and images evoked by her lively oral expression" and "family stories," rather than formal written records. This directly links the origin of new concepts to the informal accounts and perspectives of ordinary individuals.

Question 170: What is the value of the expression 18 ÷ (3 + 6) × 2?

• 36
• 1
• 4 (Correct answer)
• 12

Correct answer: 4

Parentheses first: 3 + 6 = 9, then 18 ÷ 9 × 2 = 2 × 2 = 4.

Question 171: When two objects rub together, which force opposes their motion?

• Friction (Correct answer)
• Gravity
• Tension
• Magnetism

Correct answer: Friction

Friction is the force that resists motion between two surfaces in contact.

Question 172: Choose the correct word: 'Their going to bring ____ books.'

• They're going to bring their books. (Correct answer)
• they're / their
• There / they're
• Their / there

Correct answer: They're going to bring their books.

'They're' means 'they are' and 'their' shows possession.

Question 173: If f(x) = 2x + 3, what is f(4)?

• 11 (Correct answer)
• 14
• 8
• 7

Correct answer: 11

Substitute x = 4: f(4) = 2(4) + 3 = 8 + 3 = 11.

Question 174: Which inequality is true?

• -3 < 1 (Correct answer)
• 4 < -4
• 0 < -1
• -5 > -2

Correct answer: -3 < 1

-3 is to the left of 1 on the number line, so -3 < 1.

Question 175: Solve for x: 2x - 7 = 11.

• 18
• 2
• 9 (Correct answer)
• 7

Correct answer: 9

Add 7 to both sides to get 2x = 18, then divide by 2 to get x = 9.

Question 176: Read the following passage and answer the question: Passage 1 Because it is filled with contradictions, performance is also filled with risk. This is the domain of stage fright. The actor is aware that appearing in front of an audience is a Line scary proposition. Maintaining the reality of the character is, 5 in itself, a fragile affair; it demands of the actor a series of complex transformations. The actor has the unique problem of hiding and showing at the same time. The actor’s conscious fear is not about making a mistake, but about allowing the audience to see something that it is not supposed to see: 10 namely, the performer’s fear, or stage fright. Passage 2 The term “stage fright” has largely dropped out of use, because we know now that dwelling on something this malevolent gives it power. If I tell you not to be afraid, you may dwell on your fear. If I say, do not think of 15 fast-food burgers under any circumstances, a line of them will parade through your mind. The key to most fears is substitution. On the simplest level, you replace the ogre with something less menacing to fill your consciousness. If you will imagine yourself to be a 20 host rather than an actor, and think more about the comfort of your listeners than their verdicts, everything will fall into place. In the context of Passage 1, the phrase "Maintaining the reality of the character" (line 4) most directly refers to

• showing the audience how the character sees a situation
• believing oneself to be the character
• keeping the character from becoming purely imaginative
• presenting to the audience only behavior relevant to the characte (Correct answer)
• playing the character in a way that resembles real life

Correct answer: presenting to the audience only behavior relevant to the characte

The passage explains that the actor's fear is "about allowing the audience to see something that it is not supposed to see: namely, the performer’s fear, or stage fright." This implies that "maintaining the reality of the character" means preventing the audience from seeing the actor's personal anxieties and instead only showing actions and emotions consistent with the character. Therefore, it's about presenting only character-relevant behavior and concealing the actor's true self.

Question 177: Which word is an antonym of 'diligent'?

• careful
• hardworking
• lazy (Correct answer)
• thorough

Correct answer: lazy

'Diligent' means showing steady, earnest effort, so 'lazy' is its opposite.

Question 178: A bag has 4 red and 6 blue marbles. What is the probability of drawing a red marble?

• 1/2
• 3/5
• 2/5 (Correct answer)
• 1/4

Correct answer: 2/5

There are 4 red out of 10 total marbles, so 4/10 = 2/5.

Question 179: The Cold War was primarily a rivalry between the United States and which nation?

• Germany
• China
• The Soviet Union (Correct answer)
• Japan

Correct answer: The Soviet Union

The Cold War was a decades-long standoff between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

Question 180: What was the primary cause of the American Civil War?

• The issue of slavery and states' rights regarding its expansion (Correct answer)
• Tax disputes
• Foreign invasion
• Religious differences

Correct answer: The issue of slavery and states' rights regarding its expansion

While multiple factors contributed, the central issue was slavery — particularly whether it would expand to new territories and states — and the broader question of states' rights.

Question 181: Which sentence uses the word 'infer' correctly?

• She inferred from his frown that he was unhappy. (Correct answer)
• He inferred the instructions clearly.
• She inferred loudly during the speech.
• They inferred the book on the shelf.

Correct answer: She inferred from his frown that he was unhappy.

'Infer' means to draw a conclusion from evidence, so inferring unhappiness from a frown is correct usage.

Question 182: Which of the following is an example of a primary source?

• A textbook summary of a war
• An encyclopedia article
• A book review
• A diary written by a soldier during the war (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A diary written by a soldier during the war

A primary source is a firsthand account, such as a diary from the actual event.

Question 183: Convert 5/8 to a decimal.

• 0.8
• 0.625 (Correct answer)
• 0.875
• 0.58

Correct answer: 0.625

5 divided by 8 equals 0.625.

Question 184: Earth's seasons are primarily caused by what?

• The distance from the Moon
• The tilt of Earth's axis (Correct answer)
• Changes in the Sun's heat output
• Daily rotation

Correct answer: The tilt of Earth's axis

The tilt of Earth's axis causes different parts to receive more direct sunlight during the year.

Question 185: According to Newton's second law, if mass stays the same and force increases, acceleration will do what?

• Decrease
• Stay the same
• Become zero
• Increase (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Increase

Since F=ma, a greater force on the same mass produces greater acceleration.

Question 186: The word 'impartial' most nearly means:

• unsure about a decision
• strongly favoring one side
• acting with strong emotion
• treating all sides equally (Correct answer)

Correct answer: treating all sides equally

'Impartial' means not favoring one side over another, which is treating all sides equally and fairly.

Question 187: What does it mean to make an inference while reading?

• To draw a logical conclusion based on evidence and reasoning (Correct answer)
• To skip difficult words
• To read only the first sentence
• To copy text word for word

Correct answer: To draw a logical conclusion based on evidence and reasoning

An inference is a reasoned conclusion based on textual evidence and prior knowledge.

Question 188: What is the slope of the line passing through (1, 2) and (3, 8)?

• 4
• 3 (Correct answer)
• 2
• 6

Correct answer: 3

Slope = (8 - 2)/(3 - 1) = 6/2 = 3.

Question 189: Which of Newton's laws states that an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an outside force?

• Third law (action-reaction)
• First law (inertia) (Correct answer)
• Law of gravity
• Second law (F=ma)

Correct answer: First law (inertia)

Newton's first law, the law of inertia, describes objects resisting changes in motion.

Question 190: Simplify: 3(2x - 4) + 5x

• 11x - 12 (Correct answer)
• 11x + 12
• 11x - 4
• 6x - 12

Correct answer: 11x - 12

Distribute: 6x - 12 + 5x = 11x - 12.

Question 191: In informational text, a heading primarily helps the reader by:

• Increasing the word count
• Organizing and previewing content sections (Correct answer)
• Replacing the conclusion
• Hiding the main idea

Correct answer: Organizing and previewing content sections

Headings organize text and signal what each section will cover.

Question 192: What is the smallest unit of life capable of carrying out all life processes?

• Cell (Correct answer)
• Organ
• Tissue
• Atom

Correct answer: Cell

The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all living things.

Question 193: What is the value of 5^2 - 3^2?

• 10
• 16 (Correct answer)
• 34
• 4

Correct answer: 16

25 - 9 = 16.

Question 194: What is a primary source?

• An original document or firsthand account from the time period being studied (Correct answer)
• An encyclopedia entry
• A secondary reference book
• The most important book on a topic

Correct answer: An original document or firsthand account from the time period being studied

Primary sources are original materials from the time being studied, such as diaries, letters, photographs, speeches, and official documents.

Question 195: The word 'chronological' is best defined as:

• arranged alphabetically
• arranged by size
• arranged by importance
• arranged in order of time (Correct answer)

Correct answer: arranged in order of time

'Chronological' comes from the Greek word 'chronos' meaning time, so it means ordered by time.

Question 196: Which sentence correctly uses 'its' and 'it's'?

• Its raining outside today.
• Its' a good day.
• It's time to feed the dog its food. (Correct answer)
• The dog wagged it's tail.

Correct answer: It's time to feed the dog its food.

'It's' means 'it is' and 'its' shows possession.

Question 197: What is the absolute value of -12?

• 1/12
• 12 (Correct answer)
• 0
• -12

Correct answer: 12

Absolute value is the distance from zero, which is 12.

Question 198: What is the function of a topic sentence in a paragraph?

• To introduce a new character
• To state the main idea of that paragraph (Correct answer)
• To conclude the entire essay
• To list the references

Correct answer: To state the main idea of that paragraph

A topic sentence introduces the main idea that the paragraph develops.

Question 199: Which of the following is an example of a fixed cost for a business?

• Hourly wages tied to output
• Raw materials per unit
• Sales commissions
• Monthly rent for a building (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Monthly rent for a building

Rent stays the same regardless of how much is produced, making it a fixed cost.

Question 200: Which is the best example of cause-and-effect text structure?

• An explanation of how pollution leads to health problems (Correct answer)
• A recipe listing steps in order
• A definition of a term
• A comparison of two cars

Correct answer: An explanation of how pollution leads to health problems

Showing how pollution leads to health problems demonstrates cause and effect.