Grammar
PSAT Review
Excerpts
Literary Devices & Springboard Concepts
Romeo & Juliet
100
Fill in the blank:
A _______ is a form of verb that does not function as a verb.
Verbal
100
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
chaos
conflict
elegance
unpredictability
Ancient architects often relied on symmetry and precise measurements to create structures that appeared balanced and harmonious. This attention to detail resulted in buildings that conveyed a sense of _______ and stability.
3. elegance
100
Read the excerpt from "Lamb to the Slaughter" Part 2.
“Patrick’s decided he’s tired and doesn’t want to eat out tonight,” she told him. “We usually go out Thursdays, you know, and now he’s caught me without any vegetables in the house.”
“Then how about meat, Mrs Maloney?”
“No, I’ve got meat, thanks. I got a nice leg of lamb from the freezer.”
“Oh.”
How does the dramatic irony in this excerpt affect the reader?
The reader knows that the meat Mary has is already cooking in the oven, while the butcher does not.
The reader knows that the meat Mary has was used as a murder weapon, while the butcher does not.
The reader knows that the meat is frozen and no longer edible, while the butcher does not.
The reader knows that the meat will be eaten by the policemen later, while the butcher does not.
1. The reader knows that the meat Mary has is already cooking in the oven, while the butcher does not.
100
Which answer is a correct example of an allusion?
1. "Chocolate cake is my Achilles heel."
2. If you're watching a movie about the Titanic and a character leaning on the balcony right before the ship hits the iceberg says, "It's so beautiful I could just die,"
1. "Chocolate cake is my Achilles heel."
100
In Romeo and Juliet who is labeled as the "Prince of Cats?"
Tybalt
200
Fill in the blank:
Use a semicolon and a ______________ (conjunctive adverb) to create a compound sentence.
Transition
200
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
extinction
hesitation
survival
vulnerability
When scientists study animal behavior, they often observe how species interact with their environment. This research helps them understand how animals adapt to changes in their habitat, ensuring their _______ over time.
3. survival
200
Read the excerpt from the beginning of the short story "The First Day" by Edward P. Jones.
“On an otherwise unremarkable September morning, long before I learned to be ashamed of my mother, she takes my hand and we set off down New Jersey Avenue to begin my very first day of school.”
What effect does the author create by including the phrase "before I learned to be ashamed of my mother"?
The author creates tension by foreshadowing an important event that will change the way the narrator views her mother.
The author creates suspicion as a clue to the reader that the narrator's view of her mother is unreliable.
The author creates a sense of mystery by showing that the narrator has always had both positive and negative feelings toward her mother.
The author creates a sense of surprise by alluding to the narrator's future feelings for her mother.
1. The author creates tension by foreshadowing an important event that will change the way the narrator views her mother.
200
Which answer is a correct example of tone?
1. a narrative device in which suggestions or warnings about events to come are dropped or planted.
2. the attitude that a character or narrator or author takes towards a given subject.
2. the attitude that a character or narrator or author takes towards a given subject.
200
In Romeo and Juliet who is the Prince of Verona?
Escalus
300
Identify whether the italicized phrase is the subject, helping verb, main verb, or verb phrase.
Taking nature photos is my mother's favorite hobby.
Subject
300
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
The ancient city of Pompeii was buried under volcanic ash in AD 79 after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
Pompeii’s ruins provide insight into Roman life, including homes, streets, and public baths.
Wall paintings and graffiti found in Pompeii reveal details about Roman culture, art, and language.
Archaeologists discovered preserved bodies of people who lived during the time of the eruption.
Pompeii is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and a major tourist attraction.
The student wants to explain why Pompeii is significant for understanding Roman history. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Pompeii was destroyed in AD 79 when Mount Vesuvius erupted.
The ruins of Pompeii reveal Roman architecture, art, and everyday life.
Pompeii’s wall paintings and graffiti make it a popular tourist attraction.
Archaeologists found bodies preserved in volcanic ash in Pompeii.
2. The ruins of Pompeii reveal Roman architecture, art, and everyday life.
300
Read the excerpt from the short story "The Red Fox Fur Coat."
“It would be admired, as would she, people would turn to stare after her, but it was not this that provoked a secret smile; rather, she realized, it was an inner satisfaction, an obscure certainty, a sense of being in harmony with herself, that spilled over in all kinds of small ways. It was as if the rhythm of her breathing had changed, had grown calmer and deeper. She realized too, perhaps because she no longer felt tired, that she moved more quickly, that she could walk effortlessly now, at twice her usual speed. Her legs were agile, her feet nimble. Everything about her was lighter, quicker; her back, shoulders, and limbs all moved more easily.”
What inference can be drawn about the bank clerk's emotional state in this excerpt?
The bank clerk is happy with the change she is experiencing because it is bringing her closer to her true self.
The bank clerk is vain and most pleased that others will notice and appreciate the changes she is experiencing.
The bank clerk is secretive and worried about keeping her changes from others who might stare at her.
The bank clerk is relieved to feel better physically so that she can be more active and energetic in her daily life.
1. The bank clerk is happy with the change she is experiencing because it is bringing her closer to her true self.
300
Which of the following is a correct example of a metaphor?
1. “Life is a highway”
2. “As busy as a bee”
1. "Life is a highway"
300
In Romeo and Juliet who is labeled as the "Ghostly Confessor?"
Friar Laurence
400
Identify whether the sentence is punctuated correctly or incorrectly.
Buying groceries loading them into the van, and unloading them at home takes time.
incorrect
400
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
Global warming causes rising sea levels due to the melting of polar ice caps.
Changes in weather patterns, such as more frequent hurricanes, are linked to global warming.
The greenhouse effect, caused by gases like carbon dioxide, contributes to global warming.
Renewable energy sources like solar and wind can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Governments worldwide have started agreements to limit carbon emissions.
The student wants to focus on how global warming affects weather patterns. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Renewable energy can reduce global warming and its effects on the environment.
Rising sea levels occur because of melting polar ice caps caused by global warming.
Global warming leads to more frequent and severe hurricanes due to weather changes.
Agreements to limit carbon emissions are crucial for combating global warming.
3. Global warming leads to more frequent and severe hurricanes due to weather changes.
400
Analyze the photograph by Mitch Epstein and answer the questions that relate to the photo.
What details about this room and its contents reveal how this person works?
The artistic decor shows they care more about style than work.
The leather chair and ottoman show they prefer comfort over productivity.
The organized bookshelf shows they rely heavily on books and research.
The scattered objects show they are disorganized and chaotic.
3. The organized bookshelf shows they rely heavily on books and research.
400
Which of the following is a correct example of characterization?
1. “After the long run, he collapsed in the grass with tired and burning muscles. The grass tickled his skin and sweat cooled on his brow.”
2. “Bill was short and fat, and his bald spot was widening with every passing year.”
2. "Bill was short and fat, and his bald spot was widening with every passing year."
400
Why is William Shakespeare considered significant in literature?
He wrote the most novels in history.
He coined over 1,600 words or phrases, including "countless" and "majestic."
He was the wealthiest playwright in England.
His works were only popular during his lifetime.
3. He coined over 1,600 words or phrases, including "countless" and "majestic"
500
Identify which sentence is punctuated correctly:
a. John nervously shifted in his seat, his mind filled with regrets.
b. John nervously shifted in his seat his mind filled with regrets.
A
500
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
Acute stress tends to result in a loss of appetite.
Chronic stress tends to result in an increase in appetite.
Cumulative lifetime stress seems related to stress eating.
If one grows up watching family members or friends partake in stress eating, he or she might build a habit as a perceived norm.
Some scientists believe stress eating is a learned response that can be unlearned.
The effects of perpetual stress eating during chronic stress can be a vicious cycle.
The student wants to draw a contrast between the various types of stress and the effects one may experience from them. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
A Chronic stress increases one’s appetite and can be unlearned according to scientists while acute stress is a decline in one’s overall appetite.
B Acute stress eating is a learned habit formed from watching it in others at a young age while cumulative stress happens to those involved in many activities.
C Chronic stress can result in a vicious cycle with perpetual effects, but acute stress never leads to ongoing issues nor has any long-term effects.
D Perpetual stress eating in adults is not the same as chronic stress eating in children because different ages and weights determine the level of food consumption.
A. Chronic stress increases one's appetite and can be unlearned according to scientists while acute stress is a decline in one's overall appetite.
500
Analyze the photograph by Mitch Epstein and answer the questions that relate to the photo.
What else might the objects in the room and on the walls reveal about the person who works here?
The art and artifacts suggest they might be an artist or curator.
The bookshelves full of research materials suggest they could be a writer or scholar.
The eclectic decor indicates they are likely an interior designer.
2. The bookshelves full of research materials suggest they could be a writer or a scholar.
500
Which of the following is a correct example of comic relief?
1. a relief from the emotional tension especially of a drama that is provided by the interposition of a comic episode or element.
2. the time and place in which a story is told.
1. a relief from the emotional tension especially of a drama that is provided by the interposition of a comic episode or element.
500
In Shakespeare's plays, how could the audience identify important characters early on?
They were dressed in elaborate costumes.
They spoke in rhyming iambic pentameter.
They always appeared in the opening scene.
They interacted with the audience directly.
2. They spoke in rhyming iambic pentameter.