Rhetorical Situation
Which of the following best describes the author’s purpose in the passage?
(A) To encourage the audience to derive confidence from their talents
(B) To reveal the disheartening realities of pursuing a career in literature
(C) To convince aspiring writers of the importance of hard work
(D) To challenge a misconception about the value of studying grammar
(C) To convince aspiring writers of the importance of hard work
Which of the following statements best represents the thesis of the passage?
(A) Effective writing relies on grammar and vocabulary, not fancy technology.
(B) The most compelling stories come from observation, not inspiration.
(C) True writers understand that writing is a form of play, not work.
(D) The key to success as a writer is consistent effort, not inherent ability.
(D) The key to success as a writer is consistent effort, not inherent ability.
In the first paragraph, the author uses the phrase “rented readers” (sentence 6) in order to
(A) define writers’ workshops in terms of their value to aspiring writers
(B) express sympathy for writers who have no one to read their work for free
(C) contrast the academic goals of classes with the commercial aims of workshops
(D) highlight the financial sacrifices that writers must make in order to succeed
(A) define writers’ workshops in terms of their value to aspiring writers
In the fifth sentence of the second paragraph (“Perhaps . . . lunch hour”), the author strategically arranges clauses in a way that
(A) signals a gap between the sentence’s literal meaning and the author’s intended meaning
(B) establishes a hierarchy from the most to least effective times of day to practice writing
(C) suggests a distinction between reasonable and unreasonable sacrifices for the sake of art
(D) underlines the variety of opportunities for those who are dedicated to improving their craft
(D) underlines the variety of opportunities for those who are dedicated to improving their craft
Based on her discussion of the publication process (paragraph 4, sentences 1-11), the author most likely believes which of the following about her audience?
A. They aim to support themselves fully by selling their writing.
B. They have limited familiarity with publication and need a variety of advice
C. They probably overestimate the value of inspiration for writer
D. They already have some experience with submitting work to publishers
B. They have limited familiarity with publication and need a variety of advice
In the first paragraph, the author supports her claim that writers should “go to writers’ workshops” (sentence 1) by
(A) noting that workshops provide opportunities to write for diverse media, including television
(B) explaining how workshops can help writers learn unpleasant but valuable lessons
(C) highlighting the value of workshops for writers at different stages in their careers
(D) dispelling the misperception that workshops may stifle writers’ creativity
(B) explaining how workshops can help writers learn unpleasant but valuable lessons
The author’s decision to repeat the word “forget” in the sixth and seventh paragraphs primarily serves to
A. underscore the author's disapproval of those who neglet to improve their writing
B. indicate the order in which the author believes certain steps should be taken
C. suggest a parallel between two distinct ideas that the author challenges
D. convey the author's ambivalence about the advice she received early in her career
C. suggest a parallel between two distinct ideas that the author challenges
In the last sentence of the second paragraph (“Journal writing . . . projects”), the author connects two independent clauses with the conjunction “and” primarily to
(A) establish a connection between keeping a journal and writing every day
(B) indicate that journaling is just as important as careful revision for aspiring writers
(C) explain why keeping a journal usually helps writers come up with new story ideas
(D) emphasize that keeping a journal has multiple benefits for writers
(D) emphasize that keeping a journal has multiple benefits for writers
The seventh paragraph as a whole implicitly challenges which of the following ideas?
A. Talent is a valuable asset for aspiring writers.
B. Successful writers must be very talented
C. People should take pride in their talents
D. Talent is meaningless without persistence
B. Successful writers must be very talented
The author’s contrast between “persistence” and “stubbornness” (paragraph 7, sentences 7–8) advances her argument in which of the following ways?
A. It helps explain why habit is more valuable than persistence
B. It challenges the stereotype that talented writers are often stubborn
C. It concedes that persistence can have negative consequences.
D. It underscores the need for writers to continually improve their craft.
D. It underscores the need for writers to continually improve their craft.
The author’s shift in tone between the fourth and fifth paragraphs marks a transition between
A. offering practical advice and advocating broader principles
B. exemplifying simplicity and demonstrating complexity
C. identifying problems and proposing solutions
D. presenting absolute claims and qualifiying those claims
A. offering practical advice and advocating broader principles
In the seventh sentence of the seventh paragraph, the author uses a dash primarily to
A. separate a secondary idea from the main thrust of her argument
B. distinguish her own claim from a claim she aims to refute
C. contrast her definition of a term with the term's ordinary meaning
D. elaborate on a general claim by providing specific examples
D. elaborate on a general claim by providing specific examples