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100

With its distinctive red tint and its polar ice caps, the planet Mars has fascinate humans for thousands of years. There were ancient Babylonian astronomers who associated Mars with their war god Negral, to twentieth-century science fiction writers whose works became best-sellers, this planet has often been a symbol of ill will and danger.

A) no change

B) When

C) From

D) Those

With its distinctive red tint and its polar ice caps, the planet Mars has fascinate humans for thousands of years. From (c) ancient Babylonian astronomers who associated Mars with their war god Negral, to twentieth-century science fiction writers whose works became best-sellers, this planet has often been a symbol of ill will and danger.


100

By 2003, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) would of sent thirty spacecraft to the red planet. . .

F. NO CHANGE

G. had sent

H. send

I. have sent

By 2003, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had sent (G) thirty spacecraft to the red planet. . .

100

This is a startling number, especially in light of the fact that the International Space Station, the most ambitions NASA project yet, carried a projected price tag of "only" 17 billion dollars.

A. NO CHANGE

B. yet

C. yet:

D. yet-- 

A. NO CHANGE

100

One can only imagine if the final price of a human voyage to Mars would be.

A. NO CHANGE

B. what

C. how

D. Delete the underlined portion

One can only imagine what (b) the final price of a human voyage to Mars would be.

100

I thought the Nancy Drew mystery series had went out of  style.

F. NO CHANGE

G. gone out of

H. went from

J. gone from

I thought the Nancy Drew mystery series had gone out of (g) style.

200

With its distinctive red tint and its polar ice caps, the planet Mars has fascinate humans for thousands of years. From ancient Babylonian astronomers who associated Mars with their war god Negral, to twentieth-century science fiction writers whose works became best-sellers, this planet has often been a symbol of ill will and danger.

Given that all the choices are true, which one is most relevant to the statement that follows in this sentence?

F. No change

G. with their wild imaginations about outer space.

H. Who penned spine-tingling stories of "little green men from Mars,"

J. who created images of Mars in literature

With its distinctive red tint and its polar ice caps, the planet Mars has fascinate humans for thousands of years. From ancient Babylonian astronomers who associated Mars with their war god Negral, to twentieth-century science fiction writers  who penned spine-tingling stories of "little green men from Mars," (H) this planet has often been a symbol of ill will and danger.

200

By 2003, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had sent thirty spacecraft to the red planet, speculation has been prompted that a human voyage may no longer be the stuff of fiction.

A. NO CHANGE 

B. to which speculation has prompted

C. prompting speculation

D. which is speculation

By 2003, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had sent thirty spacecraft to the red planet, prompting speculation(C) that a human voyage may no longer be the stuff of fiction.

200

Few would deny that the idea of a human mission to Mars is exciting, who is ready to pay for such an expedition?

F. NO CHANGE

G. Maybe a few

H. Although few

J. Few, if any, 

Although few(H) would deny that the idea of a human mission to Mars is exciting, who is ready to pay for such an expedition?

200

Even so, we need to keep in mind that the right equipment can accomplish as much as any crew of scientists, if not more--such as a fraction of the cost.

F. NO CHANGE

G. at

H. but only

J. DELETE the underlined portion

Even so, we need to keep in mind that the right equipment can accomplish as much as any crew of scientists, if not more--at (g) a fraction of the cost.

200

I am sure that girls growing up today would have more up-to-date role models and my generation's favorite sleuth would of been  retired to the library's dusty, back rooms. I was wrong.

A. NO CHANGE

B. would have been

C. would of

D. DELETE the underlined portion

I am sure that girls growing up today would have more up-to-date role models and my generation's favorite sleuth would have been (b) retired to the library's dusty, back rooms. I was wrong.

300

With its distinctive red tint and its polar ice caps, the planet Mars has fascinate humans for thousands of years. From ancient Babylonian astronomers who associated Mars with their war god Negral, to twentieth-century science fiction writers  who penned spine-tingling stories of "little green men from Mars," this planet has often been a symbol of ill will and danger.

The United States has competed with other countries to explore space.

Given that all the choices are true, which one best leads from the preceding paragraph to the subject of this paragraph?

A. no change

B. Today, such negative associations seem to be dissipating.

C. In 1958, the United States founded an agency to run its space program.

D. Earth and Mars are both planets in the inner solar system.

With its distinctive red tint and its polar ice caps, the planet Mars has fascinate humans for thousands of years. From ancient Babylonian astronomers who associated Mars with their war god Negral, to twentieth-century science fiction writers  who penned spine-tingling stories of "little green men from Mars," this planet has often been a symbol of ill will and danger.

Today, such negative associations seem to be dissipating. (B)

300

In contrast, the two Mars Rovers--robotic spacecraft launched in 2003--carried a combined price tag of less than one billion dollars.

Given that all the choices are true, which one most effectively describes what the Mars Rovers are?

F. NO CHANGE

G. which captured the imagination of the general public--

H. the products described at length in the media--

J. familiar to many who watched the news coverage at the time--

F. NO CHANGE

300

These Rovers are sophisticated pieces of technology, with the capacity and ability to examine soil and rocks.

A. NO CHANGE

B. genuine capacity

C. potential capacity

D. capacity

These Rovers are sophisticated pieces of technology, with the capacity (d) to examine soil and rocks.

300

I am sure that girls growing up today would have more up-to-date role models and my generation's favorite sleuth would have been retired to the library's dusty, back rooms. I was wrong.

F. NO CHANGE

F. libraries dusty,

H. libraries dusty

J. library's dusty

I am sure that girls growing up today would have more up-to-date role models and my generation's favorite sleuth would have been retired to the library's dusty (d) back rooms. I was wrong.

300

Nancy Drew, the teenaged heroine of heaps  of young adult mystery novels, is alive and well and still on the job.

Which choice provides the most specific information?

A. NO CHANGE

B. a high number

C. hundreds

D. plenty

Nancy Drew, the teenaged heroine of hundreds (c) of young adult mystery novels, is alive and well and still on the job.

400

Nancy Drew, the teenaged heroine of heaps  of young adult mystery novels, is alive and well and still on the job. 

F. NO CHANGE

G. novels, is alive, 

H. novels is alive,

J. novels is alive

Nancy Drew, the teenaged heroine of heaps  of young adult mystery novels, is alive (f) and well and still on the job.

400

Sending machines unaccompanied by humans to space does drain some of the romance out of aging or older visions of space travel.

F. NO CHANGE

G. old age

H. aging old

J. age-old

Sending machines unaccompanied by humans to space does drain some of the romance out of age-old (J) visions of space travel.

400

Sending machines unaccompanied by humans to space does drain some of the romance out of age-old visions of space travel. In other words, we need to keep in mind that the right equipment can accomplish as much as any crew of scientists, if not more. . .

A. NO CHANGE

B. For that reason alone,

C. In that time frame,

D. Even so,

Even so (d), we need to keep in mind that the right equipment can accomplish as much as any crew of scientists, if not more. . .

400

I know because my niece, Liana, and her friends were reading that all summer long.

A. NO CHANGE

B. the mysteries

C. up on that

D. it over

I know because my niece, Liana, and her friends were reading the mysteries (b) all summer long.

400

We loved her loyal companions, her bravado, and there was a lover for her freedom to do what she wanted.

F. NO CHANGE

G. a lover for her freedom to do what she wanted.

H.her freedom to do what she wanted.

J. the freedom to do as one wants.

We loved her loyal companions, her bravado, and her freedom to do what she wanted. (h)

500

With Nancy's help, Liana had read about different places and various cultures all over the world.

Given that all the choices are true, which one best illustrates the variety of settings for the Nancy Drew mysteries and also expresses Liana's interest in those books?

F. NO CHANGE

G. Along with Nancy, Liana had many breathtaking adventures involving all sorts of colorful characters.

H. With Nancy in the lead, Liana had chased suspects from Arizona to Argentina, from Nairobi to New York.

J. Through her exposure to Nancy,  Liana learned about many new places around the world.

H. With Nancy in the lead, Liana had chased suspects from Arizona to Argentina, from Nairobi to New York.

500

This is a startling number, especially in light of the fact that the International Space Station, the most ambitions NASA project yet, carried a projected price tag of "only" 17 billion dollars. In the end, NASA overspent on the International Space Station. * One can only imagine what the final price of a human voyage to Mars would be.

The writer is considering adding the following true information to the end of the preceding sentence (placing a comma after the word Station): With the final construction cost of almost 30 billion dollars.

Should the writer make this addition? 

F. Yes, because it streengthens the assertion made in this sentence by adding explicit detail.

G. Yes, because it proves space flight will be more affordable in the future.

H. No, because it weakens the point made int he paragraph about the cost of human flight to Mars.

J. No, because it detracts from the essay's focus on the human experience in travel to Mars. 

F. Yes, because it streengthens the assertion made in this sentence by adding explicit detail.

500

Even so, we need to keep in mind that the right equipment can accomplish as much as any crew of scientists, if not more--such as a fraction of the cost. Before any astronaut boards a spacecraft for that distant planet, the staggering expense of such a mission should be carefully considered. 

The writer is considering ending the essay with the following statement: With the passage of time, humans will continue to gaze in awe toward the heavenly skies as a source of inspiration and mystery.

Should the writer add this sentence here?

A. Yes, because it captures the emotion that is the basis for the space exploration described in the essay.

B. YEst, because it invites the reader to reflect on the insignificance of money in relation to the mystery of space.

C. No, because it does no logically follow the essay's chronological history of people who have traveled in space.

D. No, because it strays too far from the essay's focus on Mars and the cost of sending humans there.

D. No, because it strays too far from the essay's focus on Mars and the cost of sending humans there.

500

When I was a girl in the 1960's, my friends and I loved Nancy Drew. 

At this point, the writer is thinking about adding the following true statement: One of a number of series that have featured the young female detective, the Nancy Drew Mystery Story series was begun in 2930 and now totals 173 books.

Should the writer make this addition here?

A. Yes, because it supports statements about the longevity and popularity of this series.

B. Yes, because it helps to explain why the narrator "loved Nancy Drew."

C. No, because it distracts the reader from the main focus of this paragraph.

D. No, because if fails to include relevant information about the author of the series.

C. No, because it distracts the reader from the main focus of this paragraph. 

500

We also loved how smart she was and how pretty, how confident and successful.

Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion would be LEAST acceptable?

A. furthermore

B. therefore

C. likewise

D. DELETE the underlined portion

We therefore loved how smart she was and how pretty, how confident and successful.

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