Central Ideas
Excerpt (Hubble Telescope):
“Unlike ground-based telescopes, the Hubble floats above Earth’s atmosphere, capturing images with stunning clarity.”
What is the main idea?
A. It captures clearer images than ground telescopes
B. It was not built for space repairs
C. It cannot detect invisible light
D. It failed after its first mission
A. It captures clearer images than ground telescopes
What should a reader consider to find the author’s message?
A. Word choice
B. Background knowledge
C. Number of headings
D. Amount of information
A. Word choice
Excerpt (Hazlitt, “On Going a Journey”):
“I like solitude… I cannot see the wit of walking and talking at the same time.”
What is the tone?
A. Sarcastic
B. Reflective
C. Argumentative
D. Scholarly
B. Reflective
Which word introduces a counterclaim?
A. Furthermore
B. Additionally
C. Eventually
D. Although
D. Although
Which best defines theme?
A. Underlying message in a work
B. Setting details
C. Main character’s problem
D. Author’s grammar choices
A. Underlying message in a work
Excerpt (Mandela’s Inaugural Address):
“We must therefore act together as a united people, for national reconciliation, for nation building, for the birth of a new world.”
What idea is emphasized through repetition?
A. His wish for power
B. Urgency to heal and rebuild
C. A desire to leave politics
D. The need for revenge
B. Urgency to heal and rebuild
Excerpt (Mandela’s Inaugural Address): “Let freedom reign. God bless Africa!”
Why does Mandela close with this?
A. To ask for blessings from Europe
B. To call for unity
C. To remember nature
D. To demand hard work
B. To call for unity
Excerpt (Dunbar’s “Sympathy”):
“I know what the caged bird feels, alas! / When the sun is bright on the upland slopes…”
What is the mood?
A. Joyful
B. Alarmed
C. Melancholic
D. Regretful
C. Melancholic
Excerpt (Recess Argument):
“Government studies show that short breaks increase focus and improve performance.”
Which evidence best supports the claim?
A. Teacher anecdotes
B. Student blog posts
C. Government research
D. Guidance counselor opinion
C. Government research
Excerpt (Tolstoy):
“They lived in neighborly fashion, helping one another in their work.”
Which detail shows harmony?
A. “They suffered a feud.”
B. “They helped each other in neighborly fashion.”
C. “Iván had three sons.”
D. “The women made all the clothing.”
B. “They helped each other in neighborly fashion.”
Excerpt (California Proposition 26):
“The proposition aimed to lower the threshold for passing school bonds, allowing communities to build and repair schools.”
What problem is being addressed?
A. Lack of qualified teachers
B. Rising tuition at colleges
C. School overcrowding and construction funding
D. Students refusing to attend classes
C. School overcrowding and construction funding
What does “diction” mean?
A. Use of rhyme
B. Author’s word choice
C. Grammar of a text
D. Definition of new words
B. Author’s word choice
Excerpt (Dunbar’s “Sympathy”):
“I know what the caged bird feels…”
How does repetition impact meaning?
A. Builds humor
B. Distracts from meaning
C. Creates rhythm only
D. Emphasizes desperation
D. Emphasizes desperation
A claim says a place has great restaurants. What evidence helps?
A. Examples of restaurants
B. Climate reports
C. Statistics about crime
D. Facts about tourist visits
A. Examples of restaurants
Excerpt (Dunbar, “He Had His Dream”):
“He had his dream, and it was bright and fair…”
Which details show focus on dreams?
A. “The storm-cloud dark above his bark”
B. “The raging tempests tore away”
C. “It tinctured every passing beam / He had his dream.”
D. “The sails were too weak”
C. “It tinctured every passing beam / He had his dream.”
Excerpt (Mandela’s Speech):
“We feel fulfilled that humanity has taken us back into its bosom, that we, who were outlaws, are accepted as equals.”
Which line shows South Africa’s return to the world stage?
A. “We are moved by a sense of joy…”
B. “We feel fulfilled that humanity has taken us back…”
C. “Each one of us is attached to the soil…”
D. “The national mood changes as the seasons change.”
B. “We feel fulfilled that humanity has taken us back…”
Excerpt (Dunbar’s “Sympathy”):
“I know why the caged bird beats his wing / Till its blood is red on the cruel bars.”
How does syntax create voice here?
A. Simple syntax = tormented
B. Direct syntax = earnest
C. Repetitive syntax = bored
D. Unusual syntax = eccentric
B. Direct syntax = earnest
Excerpt (Dunbar’s “He Had His Dream”):
“It tinctured every passing beam, it fell upon his path.”
What theme is expressed?
A. Dreams give purpose despite hardship
B. Dreams are meaningless
C. Wealth is the only way to success
D. Hardships cannot be overcome
A. Dreams give purpose despite hardship
Excerpt (Reality TV):
“Producers edit the footage to increase drama…”
What supports the claim that networks profit from reality shows?
A. Shows teach competition
B. Producers change stories for drama
C. Actors gain popularity
D. Viewers love watching lives
B. Producers change stories for drama
How does repetition of “He had his dream” impact meaning?
A. Shows his anger
B. Reinforces dedication despite failure
C. Creates humor in hardships
D. Focuses only on sadness
B. Reinforces dedication despite failure
Excerpt (Dunbar’s “He Had His Dream”):
“He had his dream, and it was bright and fair; He clung to it through many a trying day…”
Which statement best expresses the central idea?
A. Hardships can destroy dreams completely
B. Wealth and fame are the only ways to achieve success
C. Dreams can guide people forward, even when life is difficult
D. Dreams only matter if they are fully achieved
C. Dreams can guide people forward, even when life is difficult
How does Mandela’s use of short repeated lines affect tone?
A. Creates urgency and hope
B. Shows political inexperience
C. Encourages forgetting the past
D. Establishes credibility
A. Creates urgency and hope
Which theme best fits Dunbar’s poetry overall?
A. Dreams keep hope alive
B. Education solves all problems
C. People must be wealthy to succeed
D. Anger is unavoidable
A. Dreams keep hope alive
How does diction contribute to tone in the reality TV passage?
A. Suggests viewers are always gullible
B. Highlights importance of reality TV
C. Shows networks only care about money
D. Explains producers are creative
C. Shows networks only care about money
Which statement about theme is most accurate?
A. Theme only explains setting details
B. Theme must always be happy
C. Theme is about life lessons authors reveal
D. Theme is only what happens in the plot
C. Theme is about life lessons authors reveal