LITERARY TEXT
Short Story
Read this passage from “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe. Then, answer the following question(s).
(1) The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitely settled—but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish but punish with impunity.* A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.
(2) It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.**
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*impunity: freedom from consequences
**immolation: destruction
INFORMATIONAL TEXT
Expository Essay
Read this passage from an expository essay. Then, answer the following question(s).
A giant, dormant volcano silently looms at the eastern end of the Hawaiian island of Maui. The volcano was given the name Haleakala, meaning “house of the sun,” by the people of the island. According to their legends, the benevolent god Maui wanted to help the people of the island named for him. To accomplish this, he captured the sun and trapped it in the deep basin at the volcano’s summit. He promised to release the sun only if it would agree to move more slowly across the sky each day. The sun evidently agreed, for residents and visitors to the island of Maui have enjoyed the benefit of long, sunny days ever since.
In this passage, what is the author’s main purpose?
INFORMATIONAL TEXT
Short Story
Read the passage. Then, answer the following question(s).
(1) When I was little, Grandma always played with me. (2) She taught me how to dance, and she made beautiful clothes for my dolls. (3) She was my special friend, but I had no idea just how special until I was in ninth grade.
(4) Since my family did not have much money, I knew I would never be able to buy a great dress for the school dance. (5) That did not stop me from dreaming, however. (6) Many nights, after I had finished my homework, I would sketch the “perfect” dress. (7) I kept all the sketches on my bedside table. (8) I guess I figured that was a good place to store impossible dreams.
(9) One Monday, Mom and Grandma agreed that we should start shopping for my dress. (10) I dreaded shopping for it; I knew I would face a big disappointment when I found nothing close to my “perfect” dress. (11) Nevertheless, we decided that we would shop for my dress on Saturday.
(12) That Friday night at dinner, Grandma seemed unusually cheerful as she asked, “What’s cooking, Natalie?” (13) When I replied, “Not much,” she sang out, like a happy little bird, “Oh, Natalie! I have a surprise,” and reached under the table to pull out a huge, flat box. (14) When I opened it, I gasped and burst into tears. (15) Grandma had made my “perfect” dress! (16) When I looked over, I saw that she was crying, too. (17) "I'm sorry," she said, now laughing. (18) "I was so worried it wouldn't be what you hoped for," she said. (19) "I love it," I said and gave her a hug.
LITERARY TEXT
Poetry
Read this short poem by Robert Frost. Then, answer the question(s).
Fire and Ice
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice, 5
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.*
— Robert Frost
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*suffice: be enough
In line 1, what sound device do the phrases “some say” and “world will” illustrate?
INFORMATIONAL TEXT
Memoir
Read the passage. Then, answer the question(s).
(1) Hiking the Appalachian Trail is a difficult but memorable experience. (2) Everyone I know who has done it recalls the experience even if he or she did it decades ago. (3) Last summer, my brother, a few of my friends, and I decided to give it a try. (4) My credo is “If you think you can do it, then do it!”
(5) We congregated early on a Saturday morning. (6) We had decided to stay on the trail for seven days. (7) It wasn’t long before it began to rain. (8) My friend Rudy especially dislikes rain and cold. (9) We had brought portable camp stoves and tents to the trail with us, so we decided that our best option was to stop for the day.
(10) The next day, the rain continued to pour down. (11) The amount of water was simply incredible; it seemed to engulf the world. (12) Nevertheless, we continued with our hike. (13) Finally, on the fifth day, the clouds broke, and the sun began streaming through the trees.
(14) We enjoyed the last two days on the trail, but we were completely exhausted at the end.
(15) Rudy summed up our experience with his usual goofy humor: “Seven days of hiking the Appalachian Trail makes one weak!”
LITERARY TEXT
Drama
Read this passage from Act IV, Scene xv, of The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare. Then, answer the following question(s).
Scene xv. Alexandria, in Egypt. A monument.
[Enter CLEOPATRA and her maids, aloft,* with CHARMIAN and IRAS.**]
CLEOPATRA. O Charmian, I will never go from hence.
CHARMIAN. Be comforted, dear Madam.
CLEOPATRA. No, I will not.
All strange and terrible events are welcome,
But comforts we despise. Our size of sorrow,
5 Proportioned to our cause, must be as great
As that which makes it.
[Enter, below, DIOMEDES.]
How now! Is he dead?
DIOMEDES. His death’s upon him, but not dead.
Look out o’ the other side your monument.
His guards have brought him thither.
[Enter, below, ANTONY, borne by the GUARD.]
CLEOPATRA. O sun,
10 Burn the great sphere thou movest in! Darkling*** stand
The varying shore o’ the world. O Antony,
Antony, Antony! . . .
—from The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra,
from Act IV, Scene xv, William Shakespeare
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*aloft: on the upper stage
**CHARMIAN and IRAS: two ladies-in-waiting to Cleopatra
***darkling: in the dark
What do the stage directions in the passage tell about the characters?
INFORMATIONAL TEXT
from Federalist No. 10, James Madison
In The Federalist Papers, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay defended the new American Constitution. In Federalist No. 10, Madison argued that the new Constitution would help protect the country against problems of “factions,” or rival interest groups, it was experiencing. Read the two excerpts from Federalist No. 10. Then, answer the question(s).
Excerpt 1
Complaints are everywhere heard from our most considerate and virtuous citizens, equally the friends of public and private faith, and of public and personal liberty, that our governments are too unstable; that the public good is disregarded in the conflicts of rival parties; and that measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice, and the rights of the minor party, but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority. However anxiously we may wish that these complaints had no foundation, the evidence of known facts will not permit us to deny that they are in some degree true.
Excerpt 2
A republic, by which I mean a government in which a scheme of representation takes place, opens a different prospect, and promises the cure for which we are seeking. Let us examine the points in which it varies from pure democracy, and we shall comprehend both the nature of the cure, and the efficacy which it must derive from the union.
The two great points of difference between a democracy and a republic are first the delegation of the government, in the latter, to a small number of citizens elected by the rest; secondly, the greater number of citizens, and greater sphere of country, over which the latter may be extended.
The effect of the first difference is, on the one hand, to refine and enlarge the public views, by passing them through the medium of a chosen body of citizens, whose wisdom may best discern the true interest of their country, and whose patriotism and love of justice will be least likely to sacrifice it to temporary or partial considerations. Under such a regulation, it may well happen that the public voice pronounced by the representatives of the people will be more consonant to the public good, than if pronounced by the people themselves convened for the purpose.
INFORMATIONAL TEXT
Workplace Document
Read the following excerpt from an employee manual. Then, answer the question.
Performance: Employees of Wilson’s Market are expected to perform all required duties as described by their manager, shift supervisor, or as agreed to at the time of employment. Each employee is responsible for working to the best of his or her abilities at all times. Employees should also remember that they are representing the company and should conduct themselves professionally.
Dress: Employees are expected to wear Wilson’s Market uniforms while working. Those who are working directly with customers should also wear a clearly visible Wilson’s Market nametag. Excessive jewelry should not be worn, and hair should be kept short or tied back.
Hours: All full-time employees work 40 hours per week. At the beginning of a shift,
employees should punch in using an ID badge. At the end of the shift, they must remember to punch out.
Which of the following best describes the headings in this document?
How should this sentence be corrected to create parallelism?
Samantha and her sister Leah like traveling, shopping, and to read.
According to this dictionary entry, what is the origin of the word skeptic?
skep-tic (skep’tik) [Lat. skepticus < Gk. skeptikos, thoughtful, inquiring, going back to IndoEur. base spek-, to peer, to watch closely] n. 1. [S-] a member of a Greek school of philosophers that expressed doubt about generally accepted ideas 2. a person who typically doubts or questions matters that are generally accepted.
Which statement applies to a traditional epic hero?
The word escalate means “become greater.” Using this information and your knowledge of the suffix -tion, choose the best definition of escalation in this sentence.
The steady escalation of prices was studied by economists.
Which of these elements is always found in a tragedy?
In the following sentence, which group of words is a dependent clause?
A quick survey of the interior—the dirty shades, the rickety chairs, the threadbare rugs—revealed a sorry truth about Marc’s rise in the big city, a truth that he had too long concealed from the folks back home: “living the life,” at his salary, meant dinner out once a week, not much more.
Review the following examples. The first example features a direct quotation from O. Henry’s story “The Gift of the Magi.” The second features an indirect quotation from the story. What correction should be made to the punctuation of these quotations?
1 Direct Quotation “Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride” (54).
2 Indirect Quotation The wigmaker requests that “Della take off her hat.”
Which of these is the most accurate definition of epic simile?
To strengthen an argument, what does the author of a persuasive essay often introduce and then try to disprove?
Using your knowledge of the prefix trans-, choose the answer that explains where the Trans-Canada Highway goes.
The suffix -ous appears in familiar words such as famous, marvelous, and adventurous. Choose the most likely meaning of the word avaricious. Base your answer on the word pattern famous/marvelous/adventurous.
Read the following sentence and answer the question.
If you want to make an apple pie, you need the following ingredients; apples, flour, cinnamon, sugar, and salt.
To correct the error in punctuation, which of the following should replace the
boldface text?
Read the sentence and the dictionary definition of redeem. Then, answer the question that follows.
After failing to visit my grandmother for months, I hope to redeem myself by spending the summer with her.
redeem (ri DEEM) verb. 1. to get something back 2. to make up for a wrong or an error 3. to return in exchange for something of value 4. to make free of sin
Which of the dictionary definitions is the best match for the way redeem is used in the sentence?
Read the dictionary definition of elusive.
elusive (ee LOO siv) adj. 1. difficult to catch or locate 2. difficult to understand or remember.
According to the dictionary entry, which sentences use elusive correctly? Select all that apply.
Read the following sentence and answer the question.
The children sang loud songs that absorbed everyone on the train.
Which of the following words have a denotation similar to that of the underlined word, but a negative connotation? Select all that apply.
Read this excerpt from a style manual.
Geographical features: Capitalize the names of specific geographic features, such as mountain ranges, lakes, rivers, and oceans. In cases where the generic term is part of the name (such as river in “the Snake River”), capitalize the generic term. When using a generic term to describe a geographic feature, lowercase it, even if it is placed beside a proper name (“the Pennsylvania hills”).
According to this excerpt, which of these sentences is written correctly? Choose two options.
What is the purpose of the semicolon in the following sentence?
I decided to wear my favorite green sweater out to dinner with Jenna; after all, she had given it to me for my birthday.
An epic is an extended poem reflecting the values and identity of a people. Read this summary of a scene in the ancient Greek epic the Iliad.
In the Iliad, the Achaians have been fighting the Trojans for many years. At one point, the ghost of a slain warrior, Patroclus, appears in a dream to Achilles, his best friend and the greatest warrior of the Achaian army. Patroclus, whose body the Trojans plan to mutilate as a warning to the Achaians, begs Achilles to get his body back and hold his funeral so he can enter the realm of the dead.
Which conclusion about ancient Greek culture can you most logically draw based on this information?
Which theme, or lesson about life, would the character’s thoughts in this passage best support?
Part A What kind of mood, or main feeling, does this passage help establish for the story?
Which of the following excerpts from the passage best supports the
answer to Part A?
What does the speaker’s choice of words such as vowed, settled, avenged, and impunity show about his emotional state?
From the passage, readers know that the narrator plans Fortunato’s destruction. At the same time, the narrator says that when he smiles at Fortunato, Fortunato “did not perceive that my smile was now at the thought of his immolation.” What effect does the contrast between the reader’s knowledge and Fortunato’s reaction create?
From the details in this passage, what inference can you make about what will
happen later?
The word point, underlined in the passage, has several possible meanings. What is the meaning of point in the passage? Base your answer on context clues.
According to the legend, what was the long-term effect of Maui’s bargain with the sun?
Which sentence from the passage uses the passive voice?
From which point of view is this passage narrated?
Which of these best describes the main conflict that Natalie faces?
In sentence 12, Grandma uses the expression, “What’s cooking?” How does her use of this expression help characterize her?
Which type of figurative language appears in sentence 13?
Which statement best describes Grandma as the author presents her?
Which statement best expresses the main theme of this passage?
Part A Given the details in the passage and your own knowledge of human behavior, what inference can you make about why Grandma made Natalie’s “perfect” dress?
Part B What details from the passage help support the answer to Part A?
Which of these best describes the writer’s diction in the poem?
Part A Which sentence from the passage best states the main idea?
Part B Which sentences from the passage best support the main idea identified in Part A?
The words credo and incredible, which are underlined in the passage, feature the Latin root -cred-. Using your knowledge of the root -cred- and the context of the passage, choose the best definitions of the words.
As what part of speech does the infinitive phrase in sentence 9 function?
Which word from the passage contains a prefix meaning “not”?
Read sentence 11 from the passage.
The amount of water was simply incredible; it seemed to engulf the world.
Which answer choice correctly identifies the underlined figure of speech and best explains its meaning?
How does the quotation from Rudy in the final paragraph help develop the author’s main claim?
What does the dialogue between Cleopatra and Charmian reveal about their
relationship?
Antony was an ancient Roman leader. Cleopatra, ruler of Egypt, allied herself with Antony in his struggle against other Roman leaders. Given this historical background, what can you most reasonably conclude about Shakespeare’s viewpoint in this scene?
When Shakespeare wrote Antony and Cleopatra, he drew on Lives, the work of the Greek historian Plutarch.
In Plutarch’s account, the wounded Antony commands a secretary of his, Diomedes, to take him to Cleopatra’s tomb, where Cleopatra is hiding with two maids. Cleopatra will not open the gates, but she and her maids pull the wounded Antony up using chains. Cleopatra dries the blood from Antony’s face and calls him her lord and emperor.
Which of the following elements did Shakespeare adapt from Plutarch, and which did he invent?
I. the character Diomedes
II. Cleopatra’s decision to take refuge in her tomb or monument
V. Cleopatra’s utterance of the words, “All strange and terrible events are welcome, / But comforts we despise. . . .”
III. Cleopatra’s love for Antony
IV. Cleopatra’s deep despair over Antony’s death
Borrowed from Plutarch
Invented by Shakespeare
Part A What is the main claim Madison makes in the first excerpt?
Part B What solution does Madison offer to the problem identified in Part A?
Part A Read this sentence from the passage.
The effect of [delegating power to representatives] is . . . to refine and enlarge the public views, by passing them through the medium of a chosen body of citizens, whose wisdom may best discern the true interest of their country. . . .
Which of the following is the best restatement of the claim Madison is making in this sentence?
Part B Which of the following assumptions about government does Madison most clearly make in the sentence?
Which of the following best restates the analogy Madison makes in this sentence?
The effect of [delegating power to representatives] is . . . to refine and enlarge the public views, by passing them through the medium of a chosen body of citizens, whose wisdom may best discern the true interest of their country. . . .