Information & Ideas
The ice melted on a Norwegian mountain during a particularly warm summer in 2019, revealing a 1,700-year-old sandal to a mountaineer looking for artifacts. The sandal would normally have degraded quickly, but it was instead well preserved for centuries by the surrounding ice. According to archaeologist Espen Finstad and his team, the sandal, like those worn by imperial Romans, wouldn’t have offered any protection from the cold in the mountains, so some kind of insulation, like fabric or animal skin, would have needed to be worn on the feet with the sandal.
What does the text indicate about the discovery of the sandal?
A) The discovery revealed that the Roman Empire had more influence on Norway than archaeologists previously assumed.
B) The sandal would have degraded if it hadn’t been removed from the ice.
C) Temperatures contributed to both protecting and revealing the sandal.
D) Archaeologists would have found the sandal eventually without help from the general public.
C) Temperatures contributed to both protecting and revealing the sandal.
Dance choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar aims to give people the opportunity to be ______ her creative process. For example, live performances of her dance HairStories, which debuted in 2001, featured videos of people across the United States talking about their hair and audience members sharing pictures of their interesting hairstyles.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) involved in
B) nervous about
C) delayed by
D) completed by
A) involved in
Alexander Lawrence Posey (1873–1908) varied his focus and tone depending on the genre in which he was writing. In his poetry, he used heartfelt language to evoke the beauty and peacefulness of his natural surroundings; in his journalism, ______ he employed humor and satire to comment on political issues affecting his Muskogee Creek community.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) by contrast,
B) granted,
C) that is,
D) similarly,
A) by contrast,
Mary Cassatts’ paintings were inspired by the Japanese color block style; The Child’s Bath is one example of Cassatt adopting this technique in her Impressionist work.
A) NO CHANGE
B) Cassatt's paintings
C) Cassatt's paintings'
D) Cassatt paintings'
As the name suggests, dramaturges originated in theater, where they continue to serve a variety of functions: conducting historical research for directors, compiling character biographies for actors, and perhaps most importantly, helping writers of plays and musicals to hone the works’ stories and characters. Performance scholar Susan Manning observes that many choreographers, like playwrights and musical theater writers, are concerned with storytelling and characterization. In fact, some choreographers describe the dances they create as expressions of narrative through movement; it is therefore unsurprising that ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
A) some directors and actors rely too heavily on dramaturges to complete certain research tasks.
B) choreographers developing dances with narrative elements frequently engage dramaturges to assist in refining those elements.
C) dramaturges can have a profound impact on the artistic direction of plays and musicals.
D) dances by choreographers who incorporate narrative elements are more accessible to audiences than dances by choreographers who do not.
Osage Nation citizen Randy Tinker-Smith produced and directed the ballet Wahzhazhe, which vividly chronicles Osage history and culture. Telling Osage stories through ballet is ______ choice because two of the foremost ballet dancers of the twentieth century were Osage: sisters Maria and Marjorie Tallchief.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) an unpredictable
B) an arbitrary
C) a determined
D) a suitable
Before the 1847 introduction of the US postage stamp, the cost of postage was usually paid by the recipient of a letter rather than the sender, and recipients were not always able or willing to pay promptly. ______ collecting this fee could be slow and arduous, and heaps of unpaid-for, undeliverable mail piled up in post offices.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) Regardless,
B) On the contrary,
C) Consequently,
D) For example,
C) Consequently,
Despite being raised in a time and place in which black students were prevented or discouraged from attaining higher education, Percy Julian went on to become a PhD and a successful chemist. His most famous invention were Aero-Foam, a soy protein fire extinguisher used in World War II.
A) NO CHANGE
B) was
C) will be
D) being
A researcher conducted an experiment inspired by studies suggesting that people may benefit from feeling frightened in certain circumstances, such as when watching scary movies or visiting haunted attractions. The researcher recruited several participants and had them walk through a local haunted house attraction. Immediately after exiting the attraction, each participant completed a survey about their experience. Based on the survey responses, the researcher claims that feeling frightened in controlled situations can boost a person’s mood and confidence.
Which quotation from a participant would best illustrate the researcher’s claim?
A) “My friends kept laughing as we were walking through the haunted house.”
B) “The haunted house was scary at first, but I knew everyone was just acting, so I felt less scared after a few minutes.”
C) “The sense of relief I felt at the end of the haunted house was similar to the feelings I have when I finish a scary movie.”
D) “After I came out of the haunted house, I felt very accomplished and less stressed.”
Michelene Pesantubbee, a historian and citizen of the Choctaw Nation, has identified a dilemma inherent to research on the status of women in her tribe during the 1600s and 1700s: the primary sources from that era, travel narratives and other accounts by male European colonizers, underestimate the degree of power conferred on Choctaw women by their traditional roles in political, civic, and ceremonial life. Pesantubbee argues that the Choctaw oral tradition and findings from archaeological sites in the tribe’s homeland supplement the written record by providing crucial insights into those roles.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
A) It details the shortcomings of certain historical sources, then argues that research should avoid those sources altogether.
B) It describes a problem that arises in research on a particular topic, then sketches a historian’s approach to addressing that problem.
C) It lists the advantages of a particular research method, then acknowledges a historian’s criticism of that method.
D) It characterizes a particular topic as especially challenging to research, then suggests a related topic for historians to pursue instead.
B) It describes a problem that arises in research on a particular topic, then sketches a historian’s approach to addressing that problem.
For years, biologists have experimented with using grime-eating bacteria rather than harsh chemicals to clean artworks, and results have been impressive overall. ______ these bacterial strains—which can metabolize centuries’ worth of oil, glue, dirt, and other surface impurities without creating harmful byproducts—have proven more effective than traditional chemical cleaning methods.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) Additionally,
B) In many cases,
C) As a result,
D) However,
B) In many cases,
Initially launched in 1930 as The Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, the book series has cultivated a following across generations.
A) NO CHANGE
B) fans have followed the book series across generations.
C) generations of fans have followed the book series.
D) the following of the book series has grown over the generations with a solid fan base.
A) NO CHANGE
Scent is tightly interwoven with our daily lives, often evoking significant memories and important social events. This connection is of growing interest to archaeologists who hope to use it to better understand ancient rituals, trade, social hierarchies, and medicine. Although the speed at which odor molecules dissipate makes identifying ancient scents challenging, advancements in biomolecular technologies show promise in unlocking ancient aromas from preserved artifacts. Archaeological studies making use of these advancements may provide new insights into past societies.
According to the text, what is one reason some archaeologists are interested in recovering scents from ancient artifacts?
A) They are investigating whether people’s sense of smell has declined in recent centuries.
B) They believe the scents could illuminate important aspects of ancient life.
C) They hope to develop new medicines using ancient scent molecules.
D) They think that ancient scents would be enjoyable to people today.
B) They believe the scents could illuminate important aspects of ancient life.
In 1973, poet Miguel Algarín started inviting other writers who, like him, were Nuyorican—a term for New Yorkers of Puerto Rican heritage—to gather in his apartment to present their work. The gatherings were so well attended that Algarín soon had to rent space in a cafe to accommodate them. Thus, the Nuyorican Poets Cafe was born. Moving to a permanent location in 1981, the Nuyorican Poets Cafe expanded its original scope beyond the written word, hosting art exhibitions and musical performances as well. Half a century since its inception, it continues to foster emerging Nuyorican talent.
Which choice best describes the overall purpose of the text?
A) To explain what motivated Algarín to found the Nuyorican Poets Cafe
B) To situate the Nuyorican Poets Cafe within the cultural life of New York as a whole
C) To discuss why the Nuyorican Poets Cafe expanded its scope to include art and music
D) To provide an overview of the founding and mission of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe
D) To provide an overview of the founding and mission of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
The student wants to explain an advantage of the new platinum catalyst developed by Jianbo Tang and his colleagues. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
A) Like other platinum catalysts, the new platinum catalyst requires a particular amount of the metal to be effective.
B) Platinum is a rare and expensive metal that is used as a catalyst for chemical reactions; however, platinum catalysts typically require a large amount of platinum to be effective.
C) While still highly effective, the new platinum catalyst requires far less of the rare and expensive metal than do other platinum catalysts.
D) Researcher Jianbo Tang and his colleagues created a platinum catalyst that combines platinum, a rare and expensive metal, with liquid gallium.
C) While still highly effective, the new platinum catalyst requires far less of the rare and expensive metal than do other platinum catalysts.
While they are fierce rivals when playing on opposite sides of the net Serena and Venus Williams together have won 13 Grand Slam titles in doubles tennis.
A) NO CHANGE
B) net, Serena
C) net. Serena
D) net; Serena