Passage 1: Lilith
Why has the narrator returned to his estate?
A.) He has agreed to help his aging grandfather manage the estate's affairs.
B.) He is taking a brief holiday from school and hoping to relax.
C.) He needs to oversee his parents' funerals after finishing his studies.
D.) He is preparing to take over management of the estate.
The Correct Answer is (D) -Easy
— At the beginning of the passage, the narrator has noted that he has just finished his studies at Oxford, and is taking a short vacation from work “before assuming definitely the management of the estate.” He goes on to say that his father and mother both died when he was young, and he is alone in the world. We can therefore eliminate (A), (B), and (C). Answer (D) correctly states that the narrator is about to take over the management of the estate.
The passage primarily focuses on which of the following?
A) The backgrounds and career paths of art managers
B) The incentives that art centers use to recruit and maintain talent
C) The decreasing salary and benefits of managers in the arts
D) The differences between jobs in theaters, museums, and orchestras
The Correct Answer is (A) - Easy
— The passage focuses on arts administrators, including their various backgrounds and career prospects. Answers (B) and (C) are inaccurate and too narrow, while answer (D) is not discussed at all in the passage. Answer (A) is the best choice.
Roosevelt asserts that some men in public office have
A) listened too much to the rule of the majority.
B) focused too much on social policy at the expense of economic policy.
C) exaggerated their accomplishments to the upper classes.
D) often favored the privileged portions of the population.
The Correct Answer is (D) - Easy
— In the passage, Roosevelt discusses how men in public office have often responded to the needs of the privileged few, as seen in answer choice (D). Answer (A) directly contradicts the passage, while (B) and (C) are not discussed.
As used in line 10, “favor” most nearly means
A) accommodate.
B) care for.
C) prefer.
D) like.
The Correct Answer is (C) - Easy
— In line 10, “favor” is used to suggest that the characteristics of the individuals that can best survive are more likely to be selected. This is best represented by “prefer” (C). Natural selection does not accommodate (A), care for (B), or like (D) certain individuals.
As used in line 1, “extreme” most nearly means
A) sensational.
B) drastic.
C) dangerous.
D) fanatical.
The Correct Answer is (B)- Easy
— “Extreme” here is used to describe unusual environments inhospitable to many types of life. From the given choices, answer (B) most nearly captures this meaning with “drastic” and is the correct answer. Answer (A) is too positive, (C) is too strong, and (D) does not make sense in context.
As used in line 23, "rectified" most nearly means...
A.) corrected.
B.) resolved.
C.) settled.
D.) repaired
The Correct Answer is (A)- Easy
— In line 23, “rectified” is used by the narrator to describe how his vision seemed corrected in the different lighting of the “comparative dusk,” as he no longer sees the old gentleman. When we look at the answer choices, we see that answer (A) contains this meaning. Answers (B), (C), and (D) would not work in the original sentence.
As used in line 55, “striking” most nearly means
A) magnificent.
B) surprising.
C) distinctive.
D) obvious.
The Correct Answer is (B) - Easy
— In line 55, “striking” is used to describe the surprising finding that a large number of arts administrators hold degrees from a specific American university. Thus, in context, answer (B) is the best choice. This finding warrants a stronger descriptor than “distinctive” (C), but is not positive enough to be considered “magnificent” (A). “Obvious” (D) is the opposite of the meaning of “striking” in the original sentence.
Which of the following does Roosevelt use to illustrate how leaders have served the interests of only a small minority?
A) A list of named offenders
B) A financial metaphor
C) A commissioned report
D) A recent trial
The Correct Answer is (B)- Easy
— Roosevelt describes the minority who acts as though it has “a first mortgage on the whole United States, while the rights of all the people were merely an unsecured debt.” With this discussion of mortgages and debts, we can thus see that answer choice (B), “a financial metaphor,” is most accurate. None of the items in answers (A), (C), or (D) appear in the passage.
Based on the passage, which choice best describes the relationship between brown anoles and green anoles in Florida?
A) Brown anoles are an invasive species, and green anoles are a native species.
B) Green anoles are an invasive species, and brown anoles are a native species.
C) Brown and green anoles are native species, and geckos are an invasive species.
D) Geckos are a native species, and brown and green anoles are invasive species.
The Correct Answer is (A) -Easy
— The passage notes that the brown anole lizards arrived in south Florida from Cuba, entering the territory of the green anole lizards. This makes the brown anole lizards the invasive species, and the green anole lizards the native species, as described in answer (A). Answer (B) incorrectly reverses this relationship, while (C) and (D) mention geckos which are not identified as native or invasive species in the passage.
Which of the following is NOT a reason the author of Passage 1 gives to support his statement that Lake Whillans is an extreme environment?
A) It receives no sunlight.
B) It has subzero temperatures.
C) It contains no oxygen.
D) It is under enormous pressure.
The Correct Answer is (C) - Easy
— The author discusses Lake Whillans in the third paragraph, noting that “it receives no light to support photosynthesis, has constantly low temperatures…and is under pressure eighty times atmospheric pressure.” Thus, the author mentions answer choices (A), (B), and (D), but does not state that this environment contains no oxygen, so answer choice (C) is correct.
When the narrator first sees the figure of the old gentleman, he thinks it is...
A.) his ancestor’s ghost coming back to haunt him.
B) a thief trying to steal from his family’s ancient library.
C) only a momentary misperception.
D) his butler tidying up the shelves.
The Correct Answer is (C) -Medium
— When the narrator first sees the old gentleman, he only sees the figure for a second before his vision is “apparently rectified by the comparative dusk,” and he concludes that no one was there. Therefore, answer (C), “only a momentary misperception,” is correct. Answers (A), (B), and (D) are not supported by the passage.
It can reasonably be inferred from the graphic that A) the salaries of art museum managers were the highest in the business.
B) budget ranges for theaters were, on average, lower than those for orchestras.
C) 25% of orchestras earned less than $320,000 per year.
D) theater and orchestra managers are often incentivized to transfer to art museums.
The Correct Answer is (B) — Medium
The graphic that accompanies the passage lists the budget ranges of various arts organizations. We can therefore immediately eliminate answers (A) and (C), since the graphic does not address salaries or earnings in these organizations. Answer (D) is also unsupported by the graphic. Answer (B) directly pulls from information in the table, which shows that budget ranges for theatres were typically lower than orchestras, when we compare their budgets in each quartile (Less than 260 vs. Less than 320; 260-500 vs. 320-700; 501-1200 vs. 701-1700; More than 1200 vs. More than 1700).
As used in line 46, “stay” most nearly means
A) halt.
B) visit.
C) remain.
D) delay.
The Correct Answer is (A)- Medium
— Here, “stay” is used to express the idea that, if the majority indeed exerted a tyranny, nothing could stand in the way of that tyranny. This is best captured by answer choice (A), “halt.” Answer choices (B) and (C) do not make sense in the original sentence, and answer (D) is too weak.
The author lists the brown and green anoles’ similarities in order to
A) explain why they expected to see adaptations in the green lizards.
B) show the compatibility of the species to coexist.
C) argue that previous distinctions between the species are arbitrary.
D) suggest that both species are uniquely suited to the environment in South Florida.
The Correct Answer is (A) -Easy
— In the passage, the author discusses how native species adapt in the face of pressure from invasive species, as shown in the example of the green and brown anoles. We can infer that the author thus listed the similarities of brown and green anoles in order to show why these two species would compete when in the same environment, leading to adaptations in the green anoles. This is best expressed by answer choice (A). The passage does not make the arguments listed in (B) and (C), and the focus of the comparison between the two species is related to their adaptations and not suitability for a certain habitat (D).
Passage 2 serves primarily to
A) argue that Antarctica is more diverse than once previously thought.
B) explain how many species were able to survive in Antarctica during glacial periods.
C) protest the intense drilling disrupting the life in Antarctica’s sheltered caves.
D) illustrate the author’s experiments with volcanic life in Antarctica.
The Correct Answer is (B) - Medium
— Passage 2 discusses how Antarctica’s many volcanoes have helped shelter diverse life over a long period, including during ice ages. Answer (B) best captures this meaning, as the passage discusses how the volcanoes’ warmth provided protection for many species during periods of deep freeze. The passage mentions but does not focus on the diversity of Antarctica (A) or the author’s experiments (D), and does not mention drilling (C).
The author’s use of the phrase “encroaching state” (line 14) is primarily meant to convey that the library
A) has been relegated to a smaller and smaller portion of the house.
B) was originally built to extend over almost the entire bottom half of the house.
C) is growing in unwelcome and worrisome ways.
D) is slowly expanding to encompass more of the downstairs.
The Correct Answer is (D)- Medium
— Here, the narrator is using “encroaching state” to describe how the library “absorbed one room after another until it occupied the greater part of the ground floor” (lines 14-16). Thus, we can see that answer (D) is most accurate, as the library is expanding into other areas of the house. Answer (A) is incorrect as the library is growing rather than getting smaller, and (C) is incorrect as there is nothing worrisome about this growth. (B) can be eliminated as the passage states the library now takes up much of the bottom floor, not that it was originally designed to do so.
The primary purpose of lines 73-79 is to
A) argue that only the entrepreneurial and strong-willed should undertake careers in the arts.
B) suggest that arts organizations need to provide better stress management techniques for employees.
C) reveal why arts organizations are rapidly losing top talent to environmental careers.
D) warn that talented candidates may choose different careers unless certain issues are remedied.
The Correct Answer is (D)- Medium
— Lines 73-79 discuss some of the difficulties of careers in arts administration, including limited promotion opportunities and difficult career trajectories. The author is not making an argument about who should pursue careers in the arts, so we can eliminate answer (A). Nor are stress management techniques or environmental careers mentioned, eliminating (B) and (C). Answer (D) is correct, as the author here is warning that unless these issues are remedied they may draw away top talent from the field.
In the context of the passage, Roosevelt’s use of the phrase “pay lip-loyalty” in lines 13-14 is meant to convey the idea that his opponents
A) agree that Americans are capable of self-control and self-improvement.
B) say they agree that Americans are capable of self-control while acting otherwise.
C) support the American people’s right to rule but make exceptions during wartime.
D) give many speeches in support of the doctrine that Americans are capable of self-control and learning.
The Correct Answer is (B)- Medium
— In line 14, Roosevelt uses the phrase “pay lip-loyalty” to discuss how his opponents expound the doctrine of the right of the people to rule, though they believe and act otherwise. Answer (B) best supports this meaning, while (C) is off-topic and (A) is incomplete. Answer (D) is too literal a reading.
Information from the graph best supports which of the following statements?
A) Toepad size of green anoles increased in environments shared with brown anoles.
B) Toepad size of both green and brown anoles increased in environments they shared.
C) Toepad size of green anoles was almost twice that of brown anoles.
D) Toepad size of green anoles decreased when they moved to isolated islands.
The Correct Answer is (A)- Medium
— From the graph’s title, we see that it shows the toepad area increase in green anoles specifically. It did not compare toepad size in green anoles to toepad size in brown anoles, so (B) and (C) can be eliminated. Since the graph showed an increase rather than decrease in toepad size, we can select answer (A) as the correct choice.
Based on the information in Passage 2, which of the following would the author likely agree with?
A) Once the volcanoes in Antarctica become active again, Antarctica will move out of its latest glacial age.
B) Species closest to the volcanoes occasionally suffer from heat exposure.
C) Both the heat of the volcanoes and the coldness of the glaciers are required to support life in Antarctica.
D) When temperatures in Antarctica rise, species can spread to larger parts of the continent.
The Correct Answer is (D)- Medium
— The author of the passage does not link volcanoes to the coming and going of ice ages, and so (A) can be eliminated. Nor does the author suggest anything about heat exposure, eliminating (B). Answer (C) is unsupported by the passage, which does not imply that glaciers are necessary for life in Antarctica. Only answer (D) can be inferred from the passage, as the author discusses how, when temperatures rise, species “disperse away, stepping-stone style, to new habitats.”
Why did the narrator’s grandfather insist that whoever alluded to the old gentleman should be dismissed without warning?
A) He was a religious man and disapproved of superstition.
B) He feared the wrath of the ghost if spoken of.
C) He worried servants would quit if they heard about the ghost.
D) He refused to entertain the possibility that there was an apparition.
The Correct Answer is (D) - Hard
— In the passage, the butler describes how the narrator’s grandfather “would never hear a word on the matter, declaring that whoever alluded to it should be dismissed without a moment’s warning, but old Sir Ralph believed in nothing he could not see or lay hold of” (lines 55-59). We can infer here that old Sir Ralph was the name of the narrator’s grandfather and see that answer (D) is the correct choice, since Sir Ralph would not even consider the possibility of a ghost. Answers (A) and (B) directly contradict this, while answer (C) incorrectly states that Sir Ralph feared the servants leaving, when it was he that threatened to dismiss them if they spoke of the apparition.
Information from the graphic and passage best supports which of the following statements?
A) Orchestra managers in organizations with budgets of $701,000-$1,700,000 have likely spent more years in their fields than orchestra managers in organizations with budgets of less than $320,000.
B) Theater managers in organizations with budgets of $701,000-$1,700,000 have likely spent more years in their fields than orchestra managers in organizations with budgets of less than $320,000.
C) Art museum managers in organizations with budgets of over $1,700,000 likely have the same amount of experience as theater managers in organizations with the same budgets.
D) Art museum managers in organizations with budgets of over $1,700,000 likely have less experience than theater managers in organizations with the same budgets.
The Correct Answer is (A) - Hard
— The passage discusses how managers in larger organizations typically have more years of experience. Since these are likely to be organizations with higher budgets, we can conclude that (A) is correct. Answers (B), (C), and (D) all compare managers in different arts organizations, drawing conclusions unsupported by the passage and graphic, since we cannot compare managers across various organizations. Only (A) makes a comparison of orchestra managers in different-sized organizations.
Which situation is most analogous to the problem Roosevelt presents in the passage?
A) A town assembly with an overfilled agenda
B) A sports team with an unpopular captain
C) A boss who only accepts feedback from managers
D) A club that has instituted a democratic voting process
The Correct Answer is (C)- Hard
— The problem that Roosevelt presents in the passage is that of the tyranny of the minority, as a minority is exerting its disproportionate power for self-serving goals. When we examine the choices, we see that only (C) provides an analogous situation, where a minority of people exercise their disproportionate influence. The tyranny of the minority is not related to an excess of issues to address (A) or popularity (B), and is by its nature not truly democratic (D).
Based on the passage, which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with?
A) Though native species adapt in the face of invasive species, they do so slowly over a long period of time.
B) Native species have the ability to adapt surprisingly quickly in the face of pressure from invasive species.
C) Invasive species adapt in unpredictable but surprisingly rapid ways when introduced into new environments.
D) Though invasive species adapt to their new environments, they do so slowly over many years.
The Correct Answer is (B) - Hard
— The author discusses the surprisingly fast evolution of the green anole lizards, mentioning that in just a short period of time, their toepads increased significantly in size. Thus, the author would not agree with either (A) or (D). Answer (C), while potentially true, is not addressed by the author. Only answer (B) is directly supported by the passage.
Which of the following best describes the relationship between the two passages?
A) Passage 1 focuses on life adapted to extreme environments, while Passage 2 focuses on environments that have sheltered life from extreme conditions.
B) Passage 1 argues that life can exist in extreme conditions, while Passage 2 argues that life requires warmth to survive.
C) Passage 1 states that most Antarctic species date back thousands of years, while Passage 2 states that most of Antarctica’s diversity is recent.
D) Passage 1 fears melting ice will destroy current species in Antarctica, while Passage 2 suggests warmth could boost survival.
The Correct Answer is (A) - Medium
— The first passage discusses one specific extreme environment in Antarctica, the subglacial lakes, while the second passages links Antarctica’s volcanoes to species diversity. Neither passage is putting forth a specific argument about these topics, so (B) can be eliminated. Nor do the passages discuss the various ages of different species, eliminating (C). Answer (D) suggests conclusions that neither author draws. Only answer (A) is correct, since Passage 1 focuses on the life adapted to the extreme environments of Antarctica’s subglacial lakes, and Passage 2 focuses on how volcanoes have sheltered life from extreme conditions.