Show:
Summarize, Paraphrase, and Generalize
Genre
Roots & Affixes
Context Clues
Appropriate Language
100
For the past 30 years, researchers have been experimenting with hooking a human brain up to a computer. They call it a brain-computer interface (or BCI), and they have been making progress over the past 10 years. In 1999, doctors were able to place a BCI in the brain of a man who had suffered a stroke. The BCI interpreted his "thoughts" so that he could use a mouse to move a cursor around on a computer screen to type out his words. This device allowed the man to "speak" with his family and friends even after the stroke had damaged most of his brain function. In 2004, doctors placed a BCI in the brain of a paralyzed man, allowing him to use a mouse to move a cursor. He could also type on a keyboard and play video games. He could even operate a robotic arm. This leap in technology will allow future scientists combine their knowledge of the human body with technology. Which of the following is the best way to paraphrase this paragraph? A. In 10 years, everyone will have a brain-computer interface because researchers are making a lot of progress. B. Brain-computer interfaces work when they are connected to the brains of disabled people to allow the people to communicate. C. Scientists and doctors have been researching brain-computer interfaces for the past 10 years and experimented with them. D. Researchers have had success in connecting a human brain with a computer using a brain-computer interface.
D
100
The River Falls by R. Lee Walters The mountain rises. The cold, alpine river falls. Water into earth. How would this passage be different if it were written as a piece of fiction? A. It would contain headings and subheadings. B. It would involve pictures and captions. C. It would be written with directions for actors. D. It would contain a plot and characters.
D.
100
Use your knowledge of affixes to complete the sentence below. In a business, if a person is a subordinate, then he or she works A. under another person. B. without other people. C. against another person. D. before other people.
A
100
Arianna's behavior was cryptic to say the least. The momentary bursts of laughter between her tears completely baffled us. Arianna, the peer advocate, had never been so out of touch with herself. As her best friend, I tried hard to lift her spirit. However, the grimace in her face at my every attempt to do so discouraged me. Arianna did not want to watch a movie, enjoy ice cream, or go for a walk. I could not watch Arianna sit frozen on her couch anymore, and I needed help rolling her out from the inertia. So I convinced the school counselor to pay Arianna a visit. Which word or phrase in the paragraph helps the reader understand the meaning of the word grimace? A. momentary B. attempt C. advocate D. discouraged
D
100
Vaudeville was a live form of entertainment in North American theaters from the 1880s to the 1930s. These shows stemmed from circus acts, saloon acts, and theater acts. Tony Pastor, theater manager and performer, is credited for making these shows family-friendly. Other managers soon followed his lead. Because of its roots, vaudeville featured all kinds of performers. Comedians, singers, dancers, jugglers, animal trainers, and everything in between would put on a killer show that lasted for hours. However, vaudeville diminished after radios, movies, and TVs became popular. Nevertheless, vaudeville served as a training ground for movie stars like Charlie Chaplin and James Cagney. Which sentence from Tito's school assignment above contains inappropriate language? A. "Nevertheless, vaudeville served as a training ground for movie stars like Charlie Chaplin and James Cagney." B."Because of its roots, vaudeville featured all kinds of performers." C. "However, vaudeville diminished after radios, movies, and TVs became popular." D. "Comedians, singers, dancers, jugglers, animal trainers, and everything in between would put on a killer show that lasted for hours."
D
200
The idea of public education in America began with the Land Ordinance of 1785. This law split the Northwest Territory into townships. Among other things, it set aside land for the public to use. Taxes raised from this land went to pay for schools. In the late 1700s when America was young, the idea of a public education system was relatively new and radical. Other countries only provided for private schools. When Congress later passed the Northwest Ordinance to settle the lands of the Northwest Territory, the law stated that knowledge was "necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind." In addition, it specified that "schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." As America grew, this idea spread. This idea of public education allowed each state to educate its children. It also allowed each town to pay for a school. Which of the following sentences best paraphrases this paragraph? A. Early Americans viewed the idea of a public education as something too new and radical for their young country. B. The Northwest Ordinance was the law that settled the lands of the Northwest Territory as well as noted the importance of education. C. A public education system allowed each state in America to educate its children as they saw fit. D. The laws dividing the land of a then-young America provided the foundation of a public education system.
D.
200
Distrust I spare a little of my grains for swallows that live on my tree. My offering, untouched, remains— on the maple leaf in my balcony. As long as I can be seen, no birds approach the leaf. I am not a hunter mean, but my face is human, a thief. Which of these qualities best characterizes the selection above as a poem? A. It uses a simile. B. It is about nature. C. It rhymes. D. It describes something.
C
200
In the English language, some words can be pronounced in different ways. These words are called polyphones. One example of a polyphone is the word "a." Based on your knowledge of Greek and Latin roots, what is the meaning of the word polyphones in the passage above? A. small talk B. many sounds C. many writings D. fake sounds
B
200
Arianna's behavior was cryptic to say the least. The momentary bursts of laughter between her tears completely baffled us. Arianna, the peer advocate, had never been so out of touch with herself. As her best friend, I tried hard to lift her spirit. However, the grimace in her face at my every attempt to do so discouraged me. Arianna did not want to watch a movie, enjoy ice cream, or go for a walk. I could not watch Arianna sit frozen on her couch anymore, and I needed help rolling her out from the inertia. So I convinced the school counselor to pay Arianna a visit. In this paragraph, the narrator tries to roll Arianna out from the inertia. What does inertia most likely mean? A. assistance B. inactivity C. penalty D. sorrow
B
200
Edgar Degas, the oldest of five children, was born in 1834. Edgar attended a school for the wealthy children, and after graduating, he enrolled in law school. However, he spent much of his time in the Louvre, a famous art museum in Paris. At the age of 21, Edgar began studying art and developing his own painting style, which is super cool. Edgar Degas is perhaps most famous for his really awesome paintings of ballet dancers and horse jockeys. His career extended six decades, even after he became blind around the age of 40. Which part of this passage contains inappropriate language for a biographical report? A. "His career extended sixty years, even after he became blind around the age of 40." B. "Edgar Degas is perhaps most famous for his really awesome paintings of ballet dancers and horse jockeys." C. "Edgar Degas, the oldest of five children, was born in 1834." D. "At the age of 21, Edgar began studying art and developing his own painting style."
B
300
For the past 30 years, researchers have been experimenting with hooking a human brain up to a computer. They call it a brain-computer interface (or BCI), and they have been making progress over the past 10 years. In 1999, doctors were able to place a BCI in the brain of a man who had suffered a stroke. The BCI interpreted his "thoughts" so that he could use a mouse to move a cursor around on a computer screen to type out his words. This device allowed the man to "speak" with his family and friends even after the stroke had damaged most of his brain function. In 2004, doctors placed a BCI in the brain of a paralyzed man, allowing him to use a mouse to move a cursor. He could also type on a keyboard and play video games. He could even operate a robotic arm. This leap in technology will allow future scientists combine their knowledge of the human body with technology. Which is the best way to summarize this passage? W. For 30 years, research scientists have wanted to find a way to connect a human brain to a computer. They now can do it through a device called a BCI. Its development has taught researchers about the brain. X. A BCI was attached to a man who had suffered a stroke in 1999. It allowed the man to communicate with his family and friends. The BCI interpreted the man's thoughts so that he could use a mouse to move a cursor around on a computer screen to type out his words. Y. In the past 30 years, researchers have developed a BCI. It allows people with brain injuries to communicate their thoughts to a computer. The BCI will help scientists understand more about the brain. Z. For people with brain injuries, using a BCI is a great way to communicate through a computer. In one instance in 2004, a BCI was placed in the brain of a paralyzed man. With it, the man could type on a keyboard as well as play video games. A. Z B. W C. X D. Y
D.
300
As I sat and watched droplets of water descend from above, I missed home. I would always feel the loneliest at night, and the darkness here was uncomfortable. Everything around me was so different and confusing. Where I come from, water never moved. There was just one giant mass of water back home, and I had never seen waves or ripples in it. I had never seen anything fall from the sky except that black object which fell on my head and brought me to this strange place. Back home, we had one of everything. There was one tree with branches and leaves that never swayed. We had one mountain with snow on its top. I never tried to climb it because—well—I never left my hole very often. I wish I had seen what was beyond the mountain before I landed here. Here, everything was in motion, all the time. Well, maybe not everything moved here. Last night, I saw many tall objects with lights, and those tall objects did not move a bit. Creatures were coming in and out of the tall structures all the time. This creature with two eyes, hands, and legs even saw me climb a tree to watch the tall object. He had brought more creatures with flashy objects and had disappeared at night. Like the others, he resembled me except he seemed to have two of everything I had. I never knew I would come to such a place where nothing was unique. This writing can be best described as A. journal entry. B. historical fiction. C. narrative essay. D. science fiction.
D
300
Identify the meaning of the prefix underlined in the word imperfect. A. away B. not C. one D. same
B
300
Indira Gandhi was the first female prime minister of India. She was a symbol of power. Her political background was very promising as her father was the first prime minister of independent India. In fact, as a twelve-year-old girl, she had formulated the "Monkey Brigade." It was a group of about 1,000 children who assisted the members of the Congress. The children ran errands and provided refreshments. In addition, they also gathered secret information for the congress members. However, Gandhi's political career was a controversial one. Indira failed to fulfill her pledge to alleviate poverty. To make the matters worse, the people suffered from severe droughts, poor harvests, and food shortages. Also, political unrest further tainted Gandhi's reputation. The way she handled her opponents was extremely criticized. She was said to be ill-advised by her son. While she was a hero to her supporters, she was far from beloved to her critics. Read this sentence from the passage. Also, political unrest further tainted Gandhi's reputation. What does the word tainted mean in this context? A. complicated B. tarnished C. suffered D. transmitted
B
300
The puffer fish is one of the most unique looking sea animals in existence. These fish are also sometimes called blowfish. They can most often be found in ocean waters.The puffer fish is very helpless against predators. For protection, it can increase the size of its elastic stomach. It can also release a chemical called tetrodotoxin, which causes the puffer fish to taste bad to the predators. This sea creature's defense mechanism is crazy tight. Which part of this passage contains inappropriate language for a school report? A. "For protection, it can increase the size of its elastic stomach." B. "These fish are also sometimes called blowfish." C. "This sea creature's defense mechanism is crazy tight." D. "The puffer fish is very helpless against predators."
C
400
On July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig gave one of the most famous speeches in sports history. The occasion was “Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day” at Yankee Stadium in New York. Parts of the speech are well known to this day: “Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” The audio recording of his voice echoing throughout the stadium has been replayed countless times. The “bad break” Gehrig alluded to in his speech was his contraction of a fatal disease known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. ALS is a neuromuscular disease that attacks nerve cells in the central nervous system, causing paralysis and eventually death. No one knows what causes ALS, and nearly 30,000 people in the United States live with the disease. Because of Gehrig’s extreme celebrity and the tragedy of his death, ALS is commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Before the symptoms of ALS began causing problems for Gehrig, he was one of the greatest baseball players in history. Known as the “The Iron Horse” because of his durability, Gehrig played in 2,130 straight games without an absence. The streak was cut short by Gehrig’s retirement due to ALS. The streak of 2,130 consecutive games stood for 56 years until it was broken by Cal Ripken, Jr. in 1995. Sixty years after he retired, fans made him the leading vote-getter for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Over 70 years later, what many remember about Gehrig is his humbleness. He always recognized that he was, in his own words, “the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” He had been given extraordinary athletic ability and played on one of the greatest baseball teams in history. He had loving, supportive parents and a wife of tremendous bravery. He was able to do what he loved most, play baseball, for 16 seasons. Though he died only two short years after his disease was diagnosed, Gehrig will long be remembered. This article is mostly about A. Lou Gehrig's disease, what causes it, and how it affects people. B. Lou Gehrig's record of playing 2,130 consecutive games. C. Lou Gehrig and a speech he gave over 70 years ago. D. Lou Gehrig's spectacular baseball career with the Yankees.
C.
400
His advisors were hanging on the President's last words. In fact, everyone in the room has turned a shade of pale that resembles dead chicken skin. They stood there with all of their pale and yellow and sickly looking faces quiet for the first time since the President announced that he was in fact an impostor, and they, along with the entire country were the victims of a hoax. "I don't understand, are you telling us that you're going to resign the office of the President of the United States?" his Chief of National Security asked. "Actually no," JFK responded, "Because as I mentioned, I was never elected anyway. Look, I know many of you think I may have lost it, but allow me to prove to you that what I said is in fact true—I am not John F. Kennedy. . .I am not your President." With that, JFK walked to his desk and pushed a button near one of the massive legs that supported the President's bureau. Mere seconds later, a door near the west side of the Oval Office opened. As it did, the entire room lost what little color their faces had left as a man who looked identical to the Commander in Chief walked into the room. "I'd like for you all to meet Hank," JFK said. "He's the person the entire country voted for. I'm the phony." adapted from "Call Me Hank. . ." by c.safos This passage can best be described as A. drama. B. historical fiction. C. nonfiction. D. fantasy fiction.
B
400
Identify the meaning of the suffix underlined in the word amphibious. A. the study of B. having qualities of C. the process of D. capable of
B
400
Indira Gandhi was the first female prime minister of India. She was a symbol of power. Her political background was very promising as her father was the first prime minister of independent India. In fact, as a twelve-year-old girl, she had formulated the "Monkey Brigade." It was a group of about 1,000 children who assisted the members of the Congress. The children ran errands and provided refreshments. In addition, they also gathered secret information for the congress members. However, Gandhi's political career was a controversial one. Indira failed to fulfill her pledge to alleviate poverty. To make the matters worse, the people suffered from severe droughts, poor harvests, and food shortages. Also, political unrest further tainted Gandhi's reputation. The way she handled her opponents was extremely criticized. She was said to be ill-advised by her son. While she was a hero to her supporters, she was far from beloved to her critics. As used in the passage above, formulated means A. arranged. B. mixed. C. devised. D. advised.
C
400
Angela is writing a persuasive paper for her writing class about the importance of music in elementary and middle schools. Which of the following is an appropriate sentence for Angela's paper? Music totally helps me and my friends learn this cool stuff, like reading notes. I really want to go to music class because it is the easiest class that I take. Music class helps students understand the importance of individuality and art. Through the extensive use of the violin, my dexterity has significantly increased. A. Sentence 2 B. Sentence 3 C. Sentence 4 D. Sentence 1
B
500
The year 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City. The museum was built as a place to display abstract art, and the architect of the museum was Frank Lloyd Wright, America’s most famous architect. Fifty years later, the museum is still a singular icon in a city considered by most to be America’s most artistic city. Wright died at the age of 92, six months before the Guggenheim opened. He had spent the last 16 years of his life working on the spectacular museum. The Guggenheim Museum is one of Wright’s most recognizable works. It is shaped as the upper two-thirds of an ice cream cone with a spiral groove running downward from the top. The spiral is a part of the building’s construction. Inside the museum, the spiral takes the form of a ramp running from the top of the building to the bottom. Guests walk around and around, downward, looking at art hung along the walls all the while. Wright’s goal was for guests to view art and simultaneously see where they were going and where they’d come from. On the 50th anniversary of the Guggenheim Museum, art lovers can take a moment to pause and think about two icons: the museum itself and its creator. Rarely has a building been so controversial and so popular. The Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and modern art on view at the Guggenheim truly has one of the world's greatest homes for artwork. This passage is mostly about A. the importance of having a well-designed museum to display important works of modern art. B. the life of Frank Lloyd Wright, the most famous American architect in history. C. the reasons for the abstract design of the Guggenheim museum in New York City. D. the 50th anniversary of the Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
D.
500
Why the Vulture is Bald The vulture was originally a humble old bird, and rather stupid. His plumage was not exceptionally beautiful, but quite passable. One day, however, he noticed that his feathers were falling off. He consulted other birds, who told him that he was merely molting, and new feathers would grow later. But the vulture was pessimistic, and soon became thin and sickly with worry about his plumage. At last the other birds took pity on him, and each gave him a feather to stick on his body. When all the birds had given him their feathers, the vulture looked like a wonderful bird with a plumage of all colors. The vulture now became conceited. He strutted about in his borrowed feathers, and declared that he was the most beautiful of all the birds. He became more and more proud until he asked the birds to recognize him as their king. At this insolence, the birds pecked off, not only the feathers that they had given the vulture, but also the vulture's own feathers. So when the birds had finished with him, the vulture looked old and ugly and bald. That is why even at the present day the vulture is a sour and ugly old bird. adapted from "Why the Vulture is Bald" by Maung Htin Aung What type of passage is this? A. poetry B. myth C. drama D. nonfiction
B.
500
Devon is the oldest, and he knows what it's like to be the big brother. As the patriarch of his family, Devon's father would go out of town to work and provide for his family, so Devon decided to help out more around the house. Using your knowledge of Greek and Latin roots, what is the meaning of the word patriarch in the passage above? A. A family member B. Mother of the family C. An acquaintance D. Father of the family
D.
500
Indira Gandhi was the first female prime minister of India. She was a symbol of power. Her political background was very promising as her father was the first prime minister of independent India. In fact, as a twelve-year-old girl, she had formulated the "Monkey Brigade." It was a group of about 1,000 children who assisted the members of the Congress. The children ran errands and provided refreshments. In addition, they also gathered secret information for the congress members. However, Gandhi's political career was a controversial one. Indira failed to fulfill her pledge to alleviate poverty. To make the matters worse, the people suffered from severe droughts, poor harvests, and food shortages. Also, political unrest further tainted Gandhi's reputation. The way she handled her opponents was extremely criticized. She was said to be ill-advised by her son. While she was a hero to her supporters, she was far from beloved to her critics. The word alleviate most likely means to A. relieve. B. invade. C. infuriate. D. release.
A
500
Sasha is writing a paper for her science class. Which of the following is the most appropriate sentence for her paper? A. These monkeys are crazy smart and know how to trick us into doing whatever they want us to do. B. When you go to your zoo in your town, you can see lots of people looking at the funny monkeys. C. Monkeys are so like people because they always take really good care of their babies and stuff. D. Some primates, including gorillas, can learn sign language as a way to communicate with humans.
D