Prose
Source: The Tell-Tale Heart – Edgar Allan Poe
"His eye resembled that of a vulture—cold and lifeless."
Question:
What does the simile comparing the eye to a vulture suggest?
A) The old man is gentle and kind.
B) The eye is predatory and unsettling.
C) The narrator admires the old man’s wisdom.
D) The eye is bright and cheerful.
Answer: B
Rationale: Comparing the eye to a vulture conveys menace and discomfort
Source: Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night – Dylan Thomas
Excerpt: “Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
How does the poet’s repetition of the phrase ‘Do not go gentle into that good night’ impact the meaning of the poem?
A) It emphasizes the inevitability of death.
B) It urges resistance and defiance against death.
C) It suggests that peace is preferable to struggle.
D) It creates a soothing, calm tone.
Answer: B
Rationale: The repeated imperative phrase reinforces the theme of fighting against death rather than accepting it quietly
Source: Farewell Address – Dwight D. Eisenhower
Excerpt: We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.
What is the author’s purpose in using the phrase ‘insolvent phantom of tomorrow’?
A ) To warn against the collapse of democratic values
B) To create a hopeful tone about democracy’s future
C) To suggest that democracy is already failing
D) To argue that democracy should be replaced
Answer: A
Rationale: The figurative phrase warns that democracy could vanish if not protected.
Source: The Tell-Tale Heart – Edgar Allan Poe
Excerpt:"His eye resembled that of a vulture—cold and lifeless."
Question:
What does the simile comparing the eye to a vulture suggest?
A) The old man is gentle and kind.
B) The narrator admires the old man’s wisdom.
C) The eye is predatory and unsettling.
D) The eye is bright and cheerful.
Answer: C
Rationale: Comparing the eye to a vulture conveys menace and discomfort.
Source: Farewell Address – Dwight D. Eisenhower
Excerpt: "We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow."
What does the word “insolvent” most likely mean in this context?
A) Wealthy
B) Invisible
C) Unable to pay debts
D) Powerful
Answer: C
Rationale: The phrase suggests collapse or failure, which aligns with “unable to pay debts.”
Source: An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge – Ambrose Bierce
Excerpt: “A man stood upon a railroad bridge in northern Alabama, looking down into the swift water twenty feet below. The man’s hands were behind his back, the wrists bound with a cord.”
How does this setting detail contribute to the development of the plot?
A) It suggests the man is preparing to swim across the river.
B) It reveals the man’s confidence in escaping.
C) It creates tension by showing the man’s dangerous position.
D) It indicates the man is waiting for someone to arrive.
Answer C:
Rationale: The description of the bridge and swift water emphasizes danger, building suspense.
Excerpt: Emma Lazarus- The New Colossus
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."
Question:
How does the repetition of “your” in these lines contribute to the tone of the poem?
A) It creates a harsh, demanding tone.
B) It suggests the speaker is uncertain about who is welcome.
C) It emphasizes inclusivity and compassion toward all people.
D) It conveys a sense of superiority over others.
Answer: C
Rationale: The repetition of “your” reinforces the welcoming and empathetic tone toward immigrants.
Source: Address Before a Joint Session of Congress – Lyndon B. Johnson
Excerpt: No memorial oration or eulogy could more eloquently honor President Kennedy’s memory than the earliest possible passage of the civil rights bill for which he fought so long. We have talked long enough in this country about equal rights. We have talked for one hundred years or more.
What is the author’s purpose in this sentence?
A) To criticize the civil rights bill
B) To argue that speeches are more powerful than laws
C) To suggest delaying civil rights legislation
D) To honor President Kennedy by urging legislative action
Answer: D
Rationale: Johnson uses this statement to persuade Congress to pass the civil rights bill as a tribute to Kennedy.
Source: Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death – Patrick Henry
Excerpt: "I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
What is the effect of the hyperbole in this statement?
A) It minimizes the importance of liberty.
B) It dramatizes the speaker’s commitment to freedom.
C) It suggests the speaker is indifferent to life.
D) It creates a humorous tone.
Answer: B
Rationale: The exaggerated choice between liberty and death emphasizes Henry’s passionate stance.
Source: The Tell-Tale Heart – Edgar Allan Poe
"The old man’s eye was pale blue, with a film over it."
Which word has a negative connotation in this excerpt?
A) Pale
B) Blue
C) Over
D) Eye
Answer:D
Rationale: “Pale” suggests sickness or lifelessness, creating a negative tone.
Source: The Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
Excerpt: “Patience and hope-these were the words Edmond repeated to himself as the years passed in the darkness of his cell.”
Which theme is best supported by the excerpt?
A) Isolation leads to despair.
B) Optimism can support a person through hardship.
C) Wealth is the key to freedom.
D) Revenge is the only path to justice.
Answer: B
Rationale: Edmond’s repetition of ‘patience and hope’ shows resilience as a central theme.
Source: Sonnet 18 – William Shakespeare
Excerpt: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate.”
What is the effect of the metaphor in the first line?
A) It elevates the subject by comparing them to something beautiful and pleasant.
B) It suggests the subject is unpredictable like summer weather.
C) It implies the subject is fleeting and temporary.
D) It shows the speaker dislikes summer.
Answer: A
Rationale: Comparing the person to a summer’s day highlights beauty and warmth, enhancing the tone of admiration.
Source: Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death – Patrick Henry
Excerpt: Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
What is the author’s purpose for using this rhetorical question?
A) To suggest that peace is more valuable than liberty
B) To argue that slavery is inevitable
C) To emphasize that freedom is worth any sacrifice
D) To create confusion about the value of life
Answer: C
Rationale: The rhetorical question forces readers to consider that liberty is more important than life or peace.
Source: Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night – Dylan Thomas
Excerpt: "Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
Question:
What does the phrase “dying of the light” symbolize?
A) Sunset
B) Loss of hope
C) Death
D) Ignorance
Answer :C
Rationale: The metaphor represents death, reinforcing the poem’s theme of resisting mortality.
Source: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass – Frederick Douglass
Excerpt: "Knowledge unfits a child to be a slave."
Question:
The word “unfits” contains the prefix un- meaning “not.” What does “unfits” mean in this sentence?
A) Makes suitable
B) Makes unsuitable
C) Makes stronger
D) Makes weaker
Answer: B
Rationale: The prefix un- reverses the meaning, so “unfits” means makes unsuitable.
Source: The Tell-Tale Heart – Edgar Allan Poe
Excerpt: “I think it was his eye! Yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture-a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees-very gradually-I made up my mind to take the life of the old man.”
How does the first-person point of view influence the reader’s understanding of the narrator?
A) It reveals the narrator’s obsession and unstable thoughts.
B) It shows the narrator’s actions without explaining feelings.
C) It creates distance between the narrator and the reader.
D) It limits the reader to only the old man’s perspective.
Answer: A
Rationale: The first-person narration exposes the narrator’s irrational fixation and mental state.
Excerpt: Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas
"Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
What does the phrase “dying of the light” symbolize in the poem?
A) The fading of hope in difficult times.
B) The approach of death and the end of life.
C) The loss of knowledge and wisdom.
D) The disappearance of sunlight at dusk.
Answer: B
Rationale: The “dying of the light” is a metaphor for death, reinforcing the poem’s theme of resisting mortality.
Source: On Women’s Right to Vote – Susan B. Anthony
Excerpt: It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union. And we formed it, not to give the blessings of liberty, but to secure them to every person equally.
What is the central idea of this excerpt?
A) Women should avoid political involvement
B) The Constitution was intended to secure liberty for all people
C) Only men were meant to have voting rights
D) Equality is impossible under the law
Answer: B
Rationale: Anthony argues that the Constitution guarantees liberty for all, not just men.
Source: An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge – Ambrose Bierce
Excerpt:"The water roared and clutched at the driftwood as if eager to claim its prize."
Question:
What is the effect of personifying the water in this excerpt?
A) It makes the river seem calm and peaceful.
B) It emphasizes the danger and urgency of the current.
C) It suggests the water is helping the man escape.
D) It creates a humorous tone.
Answer: B
Rationale: Giving the water human-like eagerness heightens the sense of peril.
Source: The New Colossus – Emma Lazarus
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."
Question:
Which word could replace “yearning” without changing the meaning?
A) Hoping
B) Demanding
C) Forgetting
D) Ignoring
Answer: A
Rationale: “Yearning” means longing or hoping for something.
Excerpt: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain:
"Tom was a glittering hero once more—the pet of the old ladies, the envy of the boys. He had discovered the treasure, and all the town knew it."
How does the third-person point of view affect the reader’s understanding of Tom compared to a first-person perspective?
A) It allows the reader to see how others in the town view Tom.
B) It makes Tom seem unreliable as a narrator.
C) It creates confusion about Tom’s feelings.
D) It limits the reader to Tom’s thoughts only.
Answer:A
Rationale: Third-person narration reveals community reactions, which first-person would not.
Excerpt:
For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
Which statement BEST explains how Poe’s use of sound devices in these lines contributes to the poem’s mood?
A. Alliteration
B. Allusion
C. Onomatopoeia
D. Personification
Correct Answer: A
Poe uses alliteration in the phrase “chilling and killing” by repeating the hard /k/ sound. This repeated consonant sound creates a sharp, harsh tone, which mirrors the violence and suddenness of Annabel Lee’s death.
Source: The Destructive Male – Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Excerpt: The male element is a destructive force, stern and selfish, loving war, violence, conquest, and aggression. Woman has been the great conservator of peace and order.
How does Stanton develop her argument in this excerpt?
A) By contrasting male aggression with female peacefulness
B) By describing the benefits of war
C) By suggesting men should avoid politics
D) By appealing to logic through statistics
Answer: A
Rationale: Stanton uses contrast to highlight differences between men and women
Source: The New Colossus – Emma Lazarus
Excerpt: "Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame."
Question:
What is the effect of the allusion to the “brazen giant of Greek fame”?
A) It suggests the Statue of Liberty is similar to the Colossus of Rhodes.
B) It shows that the Statue of Liberty was built in Greece.
C) It contrasts the welcoming nature of the Statue of Liberty with a symbol of conquest.
D) It implies the Statue of Liberty is made of bronze.
Answer: C
Rationale: The allusion contrasts the Statue’s message of refuge with the Colossus’s association with power.
Source: Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death – Patrick Henry
"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?"
Question:
Which definition of “dear” fits this context?
A) Beloved
B) Expensive
C) Precious
D) Close friend
Answer: C
Rationale: In this context, “dear” means precious or highly valued.