Practice Worksheet - 8

Read each passage carefully and then answer the questions about it. For each question, decide on the basis of the passage which one of the choices best answers the question.

Passage 1

The following passage is adapted from a work of narrative fiction.

    The telegram arrived on a Thursday, slipped under the door of our apartment while Mother was at the factory and I was supposed to be at school. I had stayed home with what I claimed was a fever, though really I wanted to finish the novel I had hidden (5) beneath my mattress. The yellow envelope lay on the floorboards like a fallen leaf, and I knew before touching it that everything was about to change.     Father had been gone eight months, working the lumber camps near the Canadian border. His letters came sporadically, always cheerful, always promising he would return by Christmas with enough (10) money to move us out of the tenement. Mother read them aloud at dinner, her voice steady, though I noticed how her hands trembled when she folded the paper back into its envelope.     I opened the telegram with my thumbnail. The words swam before me: REGRET TO INFORM – ACCIDENT – (15) DEEPEST SYMPATHIES. I read it three times, each time hoping the letters would rearrange themselves into a different message. Outside, someone was playing a phonograph, and the tinny music drifted up through the window, absurdly cheerful. I thought of Mother, standing at her machine in the shirtwaist factory, not yet knowing that she was now a widow at thirty-two.

1. The narrator stayed home from school primarily because he or she

1. had a legitimate fever that required rest
2. needed to be present to receive the telegram
3. wanted to finish reading a hidden novel
4. was avoiding a difficult examination
5. had to take care of younger siblings

2. As used in line 8, the word “sporadically” most nearly means

1. irregularly
2. urgently
3. frequently
4. legibly
5. affectionately

3. The detail that Mother’s “hands trembled” (line 11) when folding Father’s letters suggests that she

1. suffered from a medical condition affecting her nerves
2. was angry at Father for leaving the family
3. felt anxious despite the cheerful tone of the letters
4. had difficulty reading Father’s handwriting
5. was cold from the factory working conditions

4. The narrator’s reaction to the telegram can best be described as

1. immediate acceptance of the news
2. confusion about the sender’s identity
3. disbelief and a desire for the words to be different
4. anger at the impersonal nature of the message
5. relief that the uncertainty had finally ended

5. The detail about the phonograph music (lines 17-18) primarily serves to

1. indicate the precise time of day the telegram arrived
2. establish the cultural background of the neighborhood
3. contrast sharply with the tragic news the narrator has received
4. suggest that the neighbors were celebrating a holiday
5. demonstrate the narrator’s appreciation for music

6. The passage suggests that the family’s financial situation is

1. comfortable, as evidenced by Father’s job in the lumber camps
2. difficult, as suggested by their tenement housing and Mother’s factory work
3. improving rapidly due to Father’s regular salary
4. stable enough to afford luxuries like phonographs
5. uncertain because Father sends money irregularly

7. The overall tone of the passage is best described as

1. bitterly resentful
2. quietly devastating
3. cautiously optimistic
4. emotionally detached
5. sentimentally nostalgic

Passage 2

The following passage is from an article about historical linguistics and language evolution.

    When linguists attempt to reconstruct ancient languages that left no written records, they employ a method known as comparative reconstruction. By examining systematic similarities among related modern languages, researchers can work backward to hypothesize the features of their common ancestor. (5) This process resembles biological cladistics, in which evolutionary biologists trace species back to shared ancestors by comparing anatomical and genetic traits.     Consider the Romance languages: Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian all descended from Latin, a language whose structure we know well from extensive documentation. When we compare the (10) word for “father” across these languages – Spanish padre, French père, Italian padre, Portuguese pai, Romanian tată – we observe both preservation and divergence. Yet because we possess Latin texts, we need not reconstruct; we know the ancestral form was pater.     The challenge intensifies when dealing with Proto-Indo-European, the hypothesized ancestor of languages spanning (15) from Iceland to India. No speaker of this language ever wrote it down, yet linguists have reconstructed thousands of its words by identifying sound correspondences across descendant languages. For instance, the letter p in Latin often corresponds to f in Germanic languages – Latin pater becomes English father and German Vater. These patterns, (20) first systematically described by Jacob Grimm in the nineteenth century, reveal not random variation but lawful sound changes that unfolded over millennia.

8. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. argue that comparative reconstruction is superior to other linguistic methods
2. explain how linguists reconstruct unwritten ancient languages
3. trace the complete history of the Romance languages
4. demonstrate that all modern languages descended from Proto-Indo-European
5. criticize the limitations of historical linguistic research

9. As used in line 4, the word “hypothesize” most nearly means

1. prove conclusively
2. reject entirely
3. theorize tentatively
4. document accurately
5. translate precisely

10. The passage compares comparative reconstruction to biological cladistics in order to

1. suggest that linguistics should be considered a branch of biology
2. illustrate a similar methodological approach used in a different field
3. prove that language evolution follows the same laws as biological evolution
4. argue that linguists borrowed their techniques from biologists
5. demonstrate that both fields produce equally reliable results

11. According to the passage, the Romance languages are useful as an example because

1. they demonstrate more diversity than other language families
2. they are the only languages descended from Latin
3. their ancestral language is well-documented, unlike Proto-Indo-European
4. they have not changed significantly since ancient times
5. they all use the same word for “father”

12. The passage indicates that Proto-Indo-European differs from Latin in that Proto-Indo-European

1. was spoken over a larger geographic area
2. has no surviving written records
3. cannot be reconstructed using comparative methods
4. is unrelated to modern European languages
5. was spoken more recently in history

13. The example of Latin pater and English father (line 19) primarily illustrates

1. that English is a Romance language descended from Latin
2. that some words remain unchanged across thousands of years
3. systematic sound correspondences between related languages
4. the superior preservation of consonants over vowels
5. that Germanic languages are easier to reconstruct than Romance languages

14. The passage suggests that the sound changes described by Jacob Grimm were

1. random variations with no discernible pattern
2. deliberate alterations made by language speakers
3. limited to a single generation of speakers
4. regular and rule-governed transformations
5. unique to the Germanic language family

Passage 3

The following is excerpted from Chief Seattle’s 1854 speech upon the signing of a treaty transferring Native American lands to the U.S. government.

    Yonder sky that has wept tears of compassion upon my people for centuries untold, and which to us appears changeless and eternal, may change. Today is fair. Tomorrow it may be overcast with clouds. My words are like the stars that never change. Whatever Seattle says, (5) the great chief at Washington can rely upon with as much certainty as he can upon the return of the sun or the seasons.     The White Chief says that Big Chief at Washington sends us greetings of friendship and goodwill. This is kind of him for we know he has little need of our friendship in return. His people are many. They are like the grass (10) that covers vast prairies. My people are few. They resemble the scattering trees of a storm-swept plain. I will not dwell on, nor mourn over, our untimely decay, nor reproach my paleface brothers with hastening it, as we too may have been somewhat to blame.     Your God is not our God! Your God loves your people and hates mine! He folds his strong protecting (15) arms lovingly about the paleface and leads him by the hand as a father leads an infant son. But He has forsaken His red children. We are orphans who can look nowhere for help. How then can we be brothers? We are two distinct races with separate origins and separate destinies. There is little in common between us.

15. The primary purpose of Chief Seattle’s speech is to

1. express gratitude for the treaty offered by Washington
2. request military assistance from the U.S. government
3. articulate the profound differences between his people and the white settlers
4. negotiate more favorable terms for the land transfer
5. encourage his people to adopt the ways of white civilization

16. As used in line 5, the phrase “rely upon” most nearly means

1. depend on
2. ignore completely
3. question critically
4. misinterpret deliberately
5. forget eventually

17. Chief Seattle’s comparison of white people to grass and his own people to scattered trees (lines 9-11) emphasizes

1. the agricultural skills of the two populations
2. the difference in population size and density
3. the moral superiority of Native Americans
4. the fertility of the prairies compared to plains
5. the permanence of Native American settlements

18. When Chief Seattle says his people “may have been somewhat to blame” (line 13), he is most likely

1. accepting full responsibility for the conflict between the races
2. acknowledging a shared, though minor, role in the situation
3. contradicting his earlier statements about white aggression
4. agreeing that Native Americans deserved their fate
5. requesting forgiveness from the U.S. government

19. The tone of the passage in lines 14-19 can best be described as

1. optimistic and cheerful
2. bitter and accusatory
3. uncertain and confused
4. indifferent and detached
5. celebratory and grateful

20. Chief Seattle’s statement that “we are two distinct races with separate origins and separate destinies” (lines 17-18) suggests that he believes

1. eventual reconciliation and unity are inevitable
2. the two peoples can never truly be integrated or equal
3. Native Americans will eventually outnumber white settlers
4. both races worship the same God in different ways
5. the treaty will benefit both peoples equally

■ ■ ■   STOP   ■ ■ ■

IF YOU FINISH BEFORE TIME IS CALLED, YOU MAY CHECK YOUR WORK ON THIS SECTION ONLY. DO NOT TURN TO ANY OTHER SECTION OF THE TEST.

Answer Key

1. Ans: (C) – wanted to finish reading a hidden novel
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that the narrator “wanted to finish the novel I had hidden beneath my mattress” (lines 4-5), making this the correct answer. Choice (A) is wrong because the narrator only “claimed” to have a fever, suggesting it was not genuine. Choice (B) is wrong because the narrator had no expectation of receiving the telegram and stayed home before it arrived.

2. Ans: (A) – irregularly
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The context indicates that Father’s letters “came sporadically” (line 8), and the overall passage suggests unpredictability in their arrival. Choice (C) is wrong because “frequently” is nearly opposite in meaning to sporadically. Choice (B) is wrong because “urgently” refers to the manner of sending, not the timing or frequency.

3. Ans: (C) – felt anxious despite the cheerful tone of the letters
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The trembling hands (line 11) contrast with Mother’s “steady” voice, suggesting underlying anxiety despite Father’s cheerful letters. Choice (A) is wrong because nothing in the passage suggests a medical condition. Choice (E) is wrong because the trembling occurs at dinner at home, not at the factory.

4. Ans: (C) – disbelief and a desire for the words to be different
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The narrator reads the telegram three times, “each time hoping the letters would rearrange themselves into a different message” (lines 15-16), clearly indicating disbelief. Choice (A) is wrong because the repeated reading shows the opposite of immediate acceptance. Choice (E) is wrong because nothing suggests relief; the narrator’s response indicates distress.

5. Ans: (C) – contrast sharply with the tragic news the narrator has received
Explanation: This is a Structure/Organization question. The narrator explicitly describes the music as “absurdly cheerful” (line 18), creating dramatic irony against the tragic telegram. Choice (A) is wrong because the music provides no information about what time of day it is. Choice (D) is wrong because there is no indication of a holiday celebration.

6. Ans: (B) – difficult, as suggested by their tenement housing and Mother’s factory work
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage mentions they live in a “tenement” (line 11) and that Father promised to earn “enough money to move us out” (lines 9-10), indicating financial hardship. Choice (A) is wrong because Father had to leave for distant work precisely because of financial need. Choice (D) is wrong because the phonograph belongs to someone else outside their apartment.

7. Ans: (B) – quietly devastating
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. The passage describes a tragic event – a father’s death – through restrained, controlled narration that makes the tragedy more powerful (lines 14-19). Choice (A) is wrong because the narrator expresses no bitterness or resentment toward anyone. Choice (C) is wrong because there is no optimism; the passage describes a family tragedy.

8. Ans: (B) – explain how linguists reconstruct unwritten ancient languages
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The passage focuses on the method of comparative reconstruction and how it allows linguists to hypothesize features of languages with no written records (lines 1-4). Choice (A) is wrong because the passage does not compare this method to other linguistic methods or claim superiority. Choice (C) is wrong because Romance languages serve only as an example, not the main focus.

9. Ans: (C) – theorize tentatively
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. The context indicates researchers “can work backward to hypothesize the features” (line 4) of ancient languages, suggesting educated guessing rather than proof. Choice (A) is wrong because “prove conclusively” contradicts the uncertain nature of reconstruction work. Choice (E) is wrong because “translate” refers to converting between known languages, not reconstructing unknown ones.

10. Ans: (B) – illustrate a similar methodological approach used in a different field
Explanation: This is an Author’s Purpose question. The passage states that comparative reconstruction “resembles biological cladistics” (line 5) in its approach of tracing back to common ancestors. Choice (A) is wrong because the passage draws an analogy, not a claim that linguistics is part of biology. Choice (C) is wrong because the passage compares methods, not the laws governing evolution.

11. Ans: (C) – their ancestral language is well-documented, unlike Proto-Indo-European
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage states that “we possess Latin texts” so “we need not reconstruct” (lines 12-13), contrasting with Proto-Indo-European which was never written down. Choice (E) is wrong because the passage shows variation in the word for “father” (Portuguese pai, Romanian tată). Choice (B) is wrong because the passage does not claim Romance languages are the only Latin descendants.

12. Ans: (B) – has no surviving written records
Explanation: This is a Detail/Fact question. The passage explicitly states that “No speaker of this language ever wrote it down” (line 16), distinguishing Proto-Indo-European from the well-documented Latin. Choice (C) is wrong because the passage explains that linguists have successfully reconstructed thousands of Proto-Indo-European words (lines 15-17). Choice (D) reverses the passage’s claim that Proto-Indo-European is the ancestor of languages “from Iceland to India” (line 15).

13. Ans: (C) – systematic sound correspondences between related languages
Explanation: This is an Extended Reasoning question. The example illustrates how “the letter p in Latin often corresponds to f in Germanic languages” (lines 17-18), demonstrating regular patterns. Choice (A) is wrong because English is a Germanic language, not a Romance language descended from Latin. Choice (B) is wrong because the example shows change (pater to father), not preservation.

14. Ans: (D) – regular and rule-governed transformations
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The passage states these patterns “reveal not random variation but lawful sound changes” (lines 19-20), indicating systematic rules. Choice (A) directly contradicts the passage’s statement that changes were “not random variation” (line 20). Choice (C) is wrong because the passage indicates these changes “unfolded over millennia” (line 20), not in a single generation.

15. Ans: (C) – articulate the profound differences between his people and the white settlers
Explanation: This is a Main Idea question. The speech emphasizes contrasts throughout, culminating in “We are two distinct races with separate origins and separate destinies” (lines 17-18). Choice (A) is wrong because the speech expresses no genuine gratitude; the tone is resigned and critical. Choice (B) is wrong because no military assistance is requested anywhere in the passage.

16. Ans: (A) – depend on
Explanation: This is a Vocabulary in Context question. Chief Seattle states his words are unchanging like stars, and the chief “can rely upon” them “with as much certainty as he can upon the return of the sun” (lines 5-6), meaning trust or depend on. Choice (B) is the opposite of the intended meaning. Choice (C) is wrong because the context emphasizes certainty and trustworthiness, not critical examination.

17. Ans: (B) – the difference in population size and density
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Chief Seattle states white people “are many” like grass covering “vast prairies,” while his people “are few” like “scattering trees” (lines 9-11). Choice (C) is wrong because the comparison addresses quantity, not moral qualities. Choice (E) contradicts the image of scattered trees, which suggests dispersion rather than permanence.

18. Ans: (B) – acknowledging a shared, though minor, role in the situation
Explanation: This is an Inference question. The phrase “somewhat to blame” (line 13) suggests limited responsibility while the passage primarily focuses on the decline caused by white settlers. Choice (A) is too broad; “somewhat” indicates partial, not full responsibility. Choice (D) is wrong because acknowledging minor blame does not mean deserving their fate.

19. Ans: (B) – bitter and accusatory
Explanation: This is a Tone/Mood question. Lines 14-19 declare “Your God is not our God!” and accuse that God of loving whites while having “forsaken His red children,” using sharp, accusatory language. Choice (A) is wrong because the passage section describes abandonment and orphanhood, which are decidedly not cheerful. Choice (E) is wrong because there is no celebration; the tone is one of grievance.

20. Ans: (B) – the two peoples can never truly be integrated or equal
Explanation: This is an Inference question. Chief Seattle emphasizes “separate origins and separate destinies” and states “There is little in common between us” (lines 17-19), suggesting fundamental incompatibility. Choice (A) directly contradicts the statement about separate destinies. Choice (E) is wrong because the speech’s tone throughout suggests the treaty benefits only the white settlers, not both peoples.