Practice Test - 9 Free MCQ Practice Test with Solutions

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 1

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from Amy Tan, The Bonesetter’s Daughter. ©2001 by Amy Tan.
At last, Old Widow Lau was done haggling with
the driver and we stepped inside Father’s shop. It was
north-facing, quite dim inside, and perhaps this was
Line why Father did not see us at first. He was busy with a
5 customer, a man who was distinguished-looking, like
the scholars of two decades before. The two men
were bent over a glass case, discussing the different
qualities of inksticks. Big Uncle welcomed us and
invited us to be seated. From his formal tone, I knew
10 he did not recognize who we were. So I called his
name in a shy voice. And he squinted at me, then
laughed and announced our arrival to Little Uncle,
who apologized many times for not rushing over
sooner to greet us. They rushed us to be seated at one
15 of two tea tables for customers. Old Widow Lau
refused their invitation three times, exclaiming that
my father and uncles must be too busy for visitors.
She made weak efforts to leave. On the fourth
insistence, we finally sat. Then Little Uncle brought
20 us hot tea and sweet oranges, as well as bamboo
latticework fans with which to cool ourselves.
I tried to notice everything so I could later tell
GaoLing what I had seen, and tease out her envy. The
floors of the shop were of dark wood, polished and
25 clean, no dirty footprints, even though this was
during the dustiest part of the summer. And along
the walls were display cases made of wood and glass.
The glass was very shiny and not one pane was
broken. Within those glass cases were our silk-
30 wrapped boxes, all our hard work. They looked so
much nicer than they had in the ink-making studio
at Immortal Heart village.
I saw that Father had opened several of the boxes.
He set sticks and cakes and other shapes on a silk
35 cloth covering a glass case that served as a table on
which he and the customer leaned. First he pointed
to a stick with a top shaped like a fairy boat and said
with graceful importance, “Your writing will flow as
smoothly as a keel cutting through a glassy lake.”
40 He picked up a bird shape: “Your mind will soar into
the clouds of higher thought.” He waved toward a
row of ink cakes embellished with designs of peonies
and bamboo: “Your ledgers will blossom into
abundance while bamboo surrounds your quiet
45 mind.”
As he said this, Precious Auntie came back into
mind. I was remembering how she taught me that
everything, even ink, had a purpose and a meaning:
Good ink cannot be the quick kind, ready to pour out
50 of a bottle. You can never be an artist if your work
comes without effort. That is the problem of modern
ink from a bottle. You do not have to think. You
simply write what is swimming on the top of your
brain. And the top is nothing but pond scum, dead
55 leaves, and mosquito spawn. But when you push an
inkstick along an inkstone, you take the first step to
cleansing your mind and your heart. You push and
you ask yourself, What are my intentions? What is in
my heart that matches my mind?
60 I remembered this, and yet that day in the ink
shop, I listened to what Father was saying, and his
words became far more important than anything
Precious Auntie had thought. “Look here,” Father
said to his customer, and I looked. He held up an
65 inkstick and rotated it in the light. “See? It’s the right
hue, purple-black, not brown or gray like the cheap
brands you might find down the street. And listen to
this.” And I heard a sound as clean and pure as a
small silver bell. “The high-pitched tone tells you that
70 the soot is very fine, as smooth as the sliding banks of
old rivers. And the scent—can you smell the balance
of strength and delicacy, the musical notes of the
ink’s perfume? Expensive, and everyone who sees
you using it will know that it was well worth the high
75 price.”
I was very proud to hear Father speak of our
family’s ink this way.

Q. Which choice best summarizes the passage?

A.
A character’s arrival at her family’s ink shopsparks fond memories of her favorite aunt.
B.
A character’s surprise visit leads to a happyreunion at her family’s ink shop.
C.
A character comes to understand her father’sambitions while visiting her family’s ink shop.
D.
A character’s visit to her family’s ink shopdeepens her appreciation of her family’s work.

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 1

Choice D is the best answer. Throughout the passage, the narrator describes a visit to her family’s ink shop. The narrator’s father and uncles are employed at the shop, and in the third and fifth paragraphs the narrator describes her father’s interactions with a customer. Her father praises the color, sound, and smell of an ink sample as indicators of the ink’s quality. This interaction leads the narrator to conclude in the last paragraph, “I was very proud to hear Father speak of our family’s ink this way.” Therefore, the passage is best summarized as a character’s visit to her family’s ink shop that deepens her appreciation of her family’s work. Choice A is incorrect. Although the narrator’s arrival at her family’s ink shop does spark memories of her Precious Auntie, these memories center on Precious Auntie’s beliefs about creativity, including the conviction that inferior ink produces inferior thought. The narrator’s thoughts on Precious Auntie occur in the fourth paragraph, so choice A isn’t the best summary of the overall passage. Choice B is incorrect. Although the passage describes the narrator’s surprise visit to the ink shop and a reunion with her uncles, these events occur in the first paragraph. Therefore, choice B doesn’t provide the best summary of the passage as a whole. Choice C is incorrect because the narrator doesn’t make any reference to her father’s ambitions.

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 2

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from Amy Tan, The Bonesetter’s Daughter. ©2001 by Amy Tan.
At last, Old Widow Lau was done haggling with
the driver and we stepped inside Father’s shop. It was
north-facing, quite dim inside, and perhaps this was
Line why Father did not see us at first. He was busy with a
5 customer, a man who was distinguished-looking, like
the scholars of two decades before. The two men
were bent over a glass case, discussing the different
qualities of inksticks. Big Uncle welcomed us and
invited us to be seated. From his formal tone, I knew
10 he did not recognize who we were. So I called his
name in a shy voice. And he squinted at me, then
laughed and announced our arrival to Little Uncle,
who apologized many times for not rushing over
sooner to greet us. They rushed us to be seated at one
15 of two tea tables for customers. Old Widow Lau
refused their invitation three times, exclaiming that
my father and uncles must be too busy for visitors.
She made weak efforts to leave. On the fourth
insistence, we finally sat. Then Little Uncle brought
20 us hot tea and sweet oranges, as well as bamboo
latticework fans with which to cool ourselves.
I tried to notice everything so I could later tell
GaoLing what I had seen, and tease out her envy. The
floors of the shop were of dark wood, polished and
25 clean, no dirty footprints, even though this was
during the dustiest part of the summer. And along
the walls were display cases made of wood and glass.
The glass was very shiny and not one pane was
broken. Within those glass cases were our silk-
30 wrapped boxes, all our hard work. They looked so
much nicer than they had in the ink-making studio
at Immortal Heart village.
I saw that Father had opened several of the boxes.
He set sticks and cakes and other shapes on a silk
35 cloth covering a glass case that served as a table on
which he and the customer leaned. First he pointed
to a stick with a top shaped like a fairy boat and said
with graceful importance, “Your writing will flow as
smoothly as a keel cutting through a glassy lake.”
40 He picked up a bird shape: “Your mind will soar into
the clouds of higher thought.” He waved toward a
row of ink cakes embellished with designs of peonies
and bamboo: “Your ledgers will blossom into
abundance while bamboo surrounds your quiet
45 mind.”
As he said this, Precious Auntie came back into
mind. I was remembering how she taught me that
everything, even ink, had a purpose and a meaning:
Good ink cannot be the quick kind, ready to pour out
50 of a bottle. You can never be an artist if your work
comes without effort. That is the problem of modern
ink from a bottle. You do not have to think. You
simply write what is swimming on the top of your
brain. And the top is nothing but pond scum, dead
55 leaves, and mosquito spawn. But when you push an
inkstick along an inkstone, you take the first step to
cleansing your mind and your heart. You push and
you ask yourself, What are my intentions? What is in
my heart that matches my mind?
60 I remembered this, and yet that day in the ink
shop, I listened to what Father was saying, and his
words became far more important than anything
Precious Auntie had thought. “Look here,” Father
said to his customer, and I looked. He held up an
65 inkstick and rotated it in the light. “See? It’s the right
hue, purple-black, not brown or gray like the cheap
brands you might find down the street. And listen to
this.” And I heard a sound as clean and pure as a
small silver bell. “The high-pitched tone tells you that
70 the soot is very fine, as smooth as the sliding banks of
old rivers. And the scent—can you smell the balance
of strength and delicacy, the musical notes of the
ink’s perfume? Expensive, and everyone who sees
you using it will know that it was well worth the high
75 price.”
I was very proud to hear Father speak of our
family’s ink this way.

Q. A main theme of the passage is that

A.
family relationships should be nurtured.
B.
quality is achieved through deliberate effort.
C.
hard work results in material compensation.
D.
creativity needs to be expressed concretely.

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 2

Choice B is the best answer. In the fourth paragraph, the narrator recounts her Precious Auntie’s belief that “you can never be an artist if your work comes without effort.” Her Precious Auntie states that when the physical act of writing is done with an “inkstick along an inkstone,” this process requires an artist to “take the first step to cleansing your mind and your heart. You push and you ask yourself, What are my intentions? What is in my heart that matches my mind?” In the following paragraphs, the narrator recalls the pride she felt while listening to her father describe the high quality of the ink that her family had worked hard to produce. Therefore, a main theme of the passage is that quality is achieved through deliberate effort. Choice A is incorrect. Although family relationships form a backdrop to the passage, the nurturing of these relationships isn’t a main theme. Choice C is incorrect. Although the passage does emphasize that hard work produces higher quality writing than that which is produced through minimal work, the passage doesn’t mention that hard work results in material compensation. Choice D is incorrect. Although the passage discusses the role of concentrated effort in creative expression, a main theme of the passage isn’t that creativity needs to be expressed concretely.

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 3

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from Amy Tan, The Bonesetter’s Daughter. ©2001 by Amy Tan.
At last, Old Widow Lau was done haggling with
the driver and we stepped inside Father’s shop. It was
north-facing, quite dim inside, and perhaps this was
Line why Father did not see us at first. He was busy with a
5 customer, a man who was distinguished-looking, like
the scholars of two decades before. The two men
were bent over a glass case, discussing the different
qualities of inksticks. Big Uncle welcomed us and
invited us to be seated. From his formal tone, I knew
10 he did not recognize who we were. So I called his
name in a shy voice. And he squinted at me, then
laughed and announced our arrival to Little Uncle,
who apologized many times for not rushing over
sooner to greet us. They rushed us to be seated at one
15 of two tea tables for customers. Old Widow Lau
refused their invitation three times, exclaiming that
my father and uncles must be too busy for visitors.
She made weak efforts to leave. On the fourth
insistence, we finally sat. Then Little Uncle brought
20 us hot tea and sweet oranges, as well as bamboo
latticework fans with which to cool ourselves.
I tried to notice everything so I could later tell
GaoLing what I had seen, and tease out her envy. The
floors of the shop were of dark wood, polished and
25 clean, no dirty footprints, even though this was
during the dustiest part of the summer. And along
the walls were display cases made of wood and glass.
The glass was very shiny and not one pane was
broken. Within those glass cases were our silk-
30 wrapped boxes, all our hard work. They looked so
much nicer than they had in the ink-making studio
at Immortal Heart village.
I saw that Father had opened several of the boxes.
He set sticks and cakes and other shapes on a silk
35 cloth covering a glass case that served as a table on
which he and the customer leaned. First he pointed
to a stick with a top shaped like a fairy boat and said
with graceful importance, “Your writing will flow as
smoothly as a keel cutting through a glassy lake.”
40 He picked up a bird shape: “Your mind will soar into
the clouds of higher thought.” He waved toward a
row of ink cakes embellished with designs of peonies
and bamboo: “Your ledgers will blossom into
abundance while bamboo surrounds your quiet
45 mind.”
As he said this, Precious Auntie came back into
mind. I was remembering how she taught me that
everything, even ink, had a purpose and a meaning:
Good ink cannot be the quick kind, ready to pour out
50 of a bottle. You can never be an artist if your work
comes without effort. That is the problem of modern
ink from a bottle. You do not have to think. You
simply write what is swimming on the top of your
brain. And the top is nothing but pond scum, dead
55 leaves, and mosquito spawn. But when you push an
inkstick along an inkstone, you take the first step to
cleansing your mind and your heart. You push and
you ask yourself, What are my intentions? What is in
my heart that matches my mind?
60 I remembered this, and yet that day in the ink
shop, I listened to what Father was saying, and his
words became far more important than anything
Precious Auntie had thought. “Look here,” Father
said to his customer, and I looked. He held up an
65 inkstick and rotated it in the light. “See? It’s the right
hue, purple-black, not brown or gray like the cheap
brands you might find down the street. And listen to
this.” And I heard a sound as clean and pure as a
small silver bell. “The high-pitched tone tells you that
70 the soot is very fine, as smooth as the sliding banks of
old rivers. And the scent—can you smell the balance
of strength and delicacy, the musical notes of the
ink’s perfume? Expensive, and everyone who sees
you using it will know that it was well worth the high
75 price.”
I was very proud to hear Father speak of our
family’s ink this way.

Q. Throughout the passage, the narrator is portrayed as someone who is

A.
reserved around unfamiliar people.
B.
attuned to her immediate surroundings.
C.
sympathetic to the needs of others.
D.
anxious about her responsibilities.

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 3

Choice B is the best answer. In the first sentence of the second paragraph, the narrator states: “I tried to notice everything so I could later tell GaoLing what I had seen.” She then proceeds to describe the floors of the family’s ink shop, the walls and display cases, and the various items for sale. According to the third paragraph, these include an inkstick “with a top shaped like a fairy boat,” another inkstick with “a bird shape,” and a collection of ink cakes “embellished with designs of peonies and bamboo.” Therefore, throughout the passage, the narrator is portrayed as someone who is attuned to her immediate surroundings. Choice A is incorrect. Although the narrator describes herself as shy, the people she interacts with aren’t unfamiliar to her because they are members of her family whom she has met before. Choices C and D are incorrect because the narrator isn’t portrayed as sympathetic to the needs of others (choice C) or anxious about her responsibilities (choice D).

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 4

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from Amy Tan, The Bonesetter’s Daughter. ©2001 by Amy Tan.
At last, Old Widow Lau was done haggling with
the driver and we stepped inside Father’s shop. It was
north-facing, quite dim inside, and perhaps this was
Line why Father did not see us at first. He was busy with a
5 customer, a man who was distinguished-looking, like
the scholars of two decades before. The two men
were bent over a glass case, discussing the different
qualities of inksticks. Big Uncle welcomed us and
invited us to be seated. From his formal tone, I knew
10 he did not recognize who we were. So I called his
name in a shy voice. And he squinted at me, then
laughed and announced our arrival to Little Uncle,
who apologized many times for not rushing over
sooner to greet us. They rushed us to be seated at one
15 of two tea tables for customers. Old Widow Lau
refused their invitation three times, exclaiming that
my father and uncles must be too busy for visitors.
She made weak efforts to leave. On the fourth
insistence, we finally sat. Then Little Uncle brought
20 us hot tea and sweet oranges, as well as bamboo
latticework fans with which to cool ourselves.
I tried to notice everything so I could later tell
GaoLing what I had seen, and tease out her envy. The
floors of the shop were of dark wood, polished and
25 clean, no dirty footprints, even though this was
during the dustiest part of the summer. And along
the walls were display cases made of wood and glass.
The glass was very shiny and not one pane was
broken. Within those glass cases were our silk-
30 wrapped boxes, all our hard work. They looked so
much nicer than they had in the ink-making studio
at Immortal Heart village.
I saw that Father had opened several of the boxes.
He set sticks and cakes and other shapes on a silk
35 cloth covering a glass case that served as a table on
which he and the customer leaned. First he pointed
to a stick with a top shaped like a fairy boat and said
with graceful importance, “Your writing will flow as
smoothly as a keel cutting through a glassy lake.”
40 He picked up a bird shape: “Your mind will soar into
the clouds of higher thought.” He waved toward a
row of ink cakes embellished with designs of peonies
and bamboo: “Your ledgers will blossom into
abundance while bamboo surrounds your quiet
45 mind.”
As he said this, Precious Auntie came back into
mind. I was remembering how she taught me that
everything, even ink, had a purpose and a meaning:
Good ink cannot be the quick kind, ready to pour out
50 of a bottle. You can never be an artist if your work
comes without effort. That is the problem of modern
ink from a bottle. You do not have to think. You
simply write what is swimming on the top of your
brain. And the top is nothing but pond scum, dead
55 leaves, and mosquito spawn. But when you push an
inkstick along an inkstone, you take the first step to
cleansing your mind and your heart. You push and
you ask yourself, What are my intentions? What is in
my heart that matches my mind?
60 I remembered this, and yet that day in the ink
shop, I listened to what Father was saying, and his
words became far more important than anything
Precious Auntie had thought. “Look here,” Father
said to his customer, and I looked. He held up an
65 inkstick and rotated it in the light. “See? It’s the right
hue, purple-black, not brown or gray like the cheap
brands you might find down the street. And listen to
this.” And I heard a sound as clean and pure as a
small silver bell. “The high-pitched tone tells you that
70 the soot is very fine, as smooth as the sliding banks of
old rivers. And the scent—can you smell the balance
of strength and delicacy, the musical notes of the
ink’s perfume? Expensive, and everyone who sees
you using it will know that it was well worth the high
75 price.”
I was very proud to hear Father speak of our
family’s ink this way.

Q. It can be most reasonably inferred from the passage that Old Widow Lau’s reluctance to stay for tea is

A.
feigned, because she is not genuinely firm in her resolve.
B.
inconsiderate, because the family has been planning her visit.
C.
appropriate, because the shop is unusually busy.
D.
ill-advised, because she is exhausted from the journey.

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 4

Choice A is the best answer. Big Uncle and Little Uncle offer Old Widow Lau and the narrator a seat at a table reserved for customers upon their arrival at the narrator’s family’s ink shop. According to the tenth sentence of the first paragraph, “Old Widow Lau refused their invitation three times, exclaiming that my father and uncles must be too busy for visitors.” Old Widow Lau’s rejection of the uncles’ offer is characterized as insincere, as the next sentence of that paragraph shows that she doesn’t actually want to leave the shop: “She made weak efforts to leave.” Instead, her gestures are intended to inspire exaggerated insistence from the uncles, such that it isn’t until the uncles’ “fourth insistence, [that Old Widow Lau and the narrator] finally sat.” Therefore, it can be most reasonably inferred from the passage that Old Widow Lau’s reluctance to stay for tea is feigned because she isn’t genuinely firm in her resolve. Choice B is incorrect because the passage doesn’t imply that Old Widow Lau’s reluctance is inconsiderate or that the family has been planning her visit. Choice C is incorrect because the shop isn’t unusually busy. Instead, only one customer is mentioned in the passage. Choice D is incorrect because the passage doesn’t state or imply that Old Widow Lau is exhausted from her journey.

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 5

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from Amy Tan, The Bonesetter’s Daughter. ©2001 by Amy Tan.
At last, Old Widow Lau was done haggling with
the driver and we stepped inside Father’s shop. It was
north-facing, quite dim inside, and perhaps this was
Line why Father did not see us at first. He was busy with a
5 customer, a man who was distinguished-looking, like
the scholars of two decades before. The two men
were bent over a glass case, discussing the different
qualities of inksticks. Big Uncle welcomed us and
invited us to be seated. From his formal tone, I knew
10 he did not recognize who we were. So I called his
name in a shy voice. And he squinted at me, then
laughed and announced our arrival to Little Uncle,
who apologized many times for not rushing over
sooner to greet us. They rushed us to be seated at one
15 of two tea tables for customers. Old Widow Lau
refused their invitation three times, exclaiming that
my father and uncles must be too busy for visitors.
She made weak efforts to leave. On the fourth
insistence, we finally sat. Then Little Uncle brought
20 us hot tea and sweet oranges, as well as bamboo
latticework fans with which to cool ourselves.
I tried to notice everything so I could later tell
GaoLing what I had seen, and tease out her envy. The
floors of the shop were of dark wood, polished and
25 clean, no dirty footprints, even though this was
during the dustiest part of the summer. And along
the walls were display cases made of wood and glass.
The glass was very shiny and not one pane was
broken. Within those glass cases were our silk-
30 wrapped boxes, all our hard work. They looked so
much nicer than they had in the ink-making studio
at Immortal Heart village.
I saw that Father had opened several of the boxes.
He set sticks and cakes and other shapes on a silk
35 cloth covering a glass case that served as a table on
which he and the customer leaned. First he pointed
to a stick with a top shaped like a fairy boat and said
with graceful importance, “Your writing will flow as
smoothly as a keel cutting through a glassy lake.”
40 He picked up a bird shape: “Your mind will soar into
the clouds of higher thought.” He waved toward a
row of ink cakes embellished with designs of peonies
and bamboo: “Your ledgers will blossom into
abundance while bamboo surrounds your quiet
45 mind.”
As he said this, Precious Auntie came back into
mind. I was remembering how she taught me that
everything, even ink, had a purpose and a meaning:
Good ink cannot be the quick kind, ready to pour out
50 of a bottle. You can never be an artist if your work
comes without effort. That is the problem of modern
ink from a bottle. You do not have to think. You
simply write what is swimming on the top of your
brain. And the top is nothing but pond scum, dead
55 leaves, and mosquito spawn. But when you push an
inkstick along an inkstone, you take the first step to
cleansing your mind and your heart. You push and
you ask yourself, What are my intentions? What is in
my heart that matches my mind?
60 I remembered this, and yet that day in the ink
shop, I listened to what Father was saying, and his
words became far more important than anything
Precious Auntie had thought. “Look here,” Father
said to his customer, and I looked. He held up an
65 inkstick and rotated it in the light. “See? It’s the right
hue, purple-black, not brown or gray like the cheap
brands you might find down the street. And listen to
this.” And I heard a sound as clean and pure as a
small silver bell. “The high-pitched tone tells you that
70 the soot is very fine, as smooth as the sliding banks of
old rivers. And the scent—can you smell the balance
of strength and delicacy, the musical notes of the
ink’s perfume? Expensive, and everyone who sees
you using it will know that it was well worth the high
75 price.”
I was very proud to hear Father speak of our
family’s ink this way.

Q. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?

A.
Lines 1-4 (“At last... first”)
B.
Lines 11-15 (“And he... customers”)
C.
Lines 15-18 (“Old... leave”)
D.
Lines 19-21 (“Then... ourselves”)

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 5

Choice C is the best answer. The previous question asks what can be most reasonably inferred from the passage about Old Widow Lau’s reluctance to stay for tea. The answer, that her reluctance is feigned because she isn’t genuinely firm in her resolve, is best supported by the tenth and eleventh sentences of the first paragraph: “Old Widow Lau refused their invitation three times, exclaiming that my father and uncles must be too busy for visitors. She made weak efforts to leave.” Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because the cited lines don’t support the answer to the previous question. Instead, they describe the narrator and Old Widow Lau’s arrival at the shop (choice A), their initial reception by the uncles (choice B), and the hospitality the uncles lavish on them once they are seated (choice D).

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 6

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from Amy Tan, The Bonesetter’s Daughter. ©2001 by Amy Tan.
At last, Old Widow Lau was done haggling with
the driver and we stepped inside Father’s shop. It was
north-facing, quite dim inside, and perhaps this was
Line why Father did not see us at first. He was busy with a
5 customer, a man who was distinguished-looking, like
the scholars of two decades before. The two men
were bent over a glass case, discussing the different
qualities of inksticks. Big Uncle welcomed us and
invited us to be seated. From his formal tone, I knew
10 he did not recognize who we were. So I called his
name in a shy voice. And he squinted at me, then
laughed and announced our arrival to Little Uncle,
who apologized many times for not rushing over
sooner to greet us. They rushed us to be seated at one
15 of two tea tables for customers. Old Widow Lau
refused their invitation three times, exclaiming that
my father and uncles must be too busy for visitors.
She made weak efforts to leave. On the fourth
insistence, we finally sat. Then Little Uncle brought
20 us hot tea and sweet oranges, as well as bamboo
latticework fans with which to cool ourselves.
I tried to notice everything so I could later tell
GaoLing what I had seen, and tease out her envy. The
floors of the shop were of dark wood, polished and
25 clean, no dirty footprints, even though this was
during the dustiest part of the summer. And along
the walls were display cases made of wood and glass.
The glass was very shiny and not one pane was
broken. Within those glass cases were our silk-
30 wrapped boxes, all our hard work. They looked so
much nicer than they had in the ink-making studio
at Immortal Heart village.
I saw that Father had opened several of the boxes.
He set sticks and cakes and other shapes on a silk
35 cloth covering a glass case that served as a table on
which he and the customer leaned. First he pointed
to a stick with a top shaped like a fairy boat and said
with graceful importance, “Your writing will flow as
smoothly as a keel cutting through a glassy lake.”
40 He picked up a bird shape: “Your mind will soar into
the clouds of higher thought.” He waved toward a
row of ink cakes embellished with designs of peonies
and bamboo: “Your ledgers will blossom into
abundance while bamboo surrounds your quiet
45 mind.”
As he said this, Precious Auntie came back into
mind. I was remembering how she taught me that
everything, even ink, had a purpose and a meaning:
Good ink cannot be the quick kind, ready to pour out
50 of a bottle. You can never be an artist if your work
comes without effort. That is the problem of modern
ink from a bottle. You do not have to think. You
simply write what is swimming on the top of your
brain. And the top is nothing but pond scum, dead
55 leaves, and mosquito spawn. But when you push an
inkstick along an inkstone, you take the first step to
cleansing your mind and your heart. You push and
you ask yourself, What are my intentions? What is in
my heart that matches my mind?
60 I remembered this, and yet that day in the ink
shop, I listened to what Father was saying, and his
words became far more important than anything
Precious Auntie had thought. “Look here,” Father
said to his customer, and I looked. He held up an
65 inkstick and rotated it in the light. “See? It’s the right
hue, purple-black, not brown or gray like the cheap
brands you might find down the street. And listen to
this.” And I heard a sound as clean and pure as a
small silver bell. “The high-pitched tone tells you that
70 the soot is very fine, as smooth as the sliding banks of
old rivers. And the scent—can you smell the balance
of strength and delicacy, the musical notes of the
ink’s perfume? Expensive, and everyone who sees
you using it will know that it was well worth the high
75 price.”
I was very proud to hear Father speak of our
family’s ink this way.

Q. The narrator indicates that the contrast between the ink-making studio at Immortal Heart village and her family’s ink shop is that the ink shop

A.
displays the family’s ink more impressively.
B.
is more conveniently located for the public.
C.
provides greater individual attention to customers.
D.
offers a larger space for presenting products.

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 6

Choice A is the best answer. In the second paragraph, the narrator describes the “shiny” glass display cases at her family’s ink shop and how the silk-wrapped boxes of ink inside these cases “looked so much nicer [in the shop] than they had in the ink-making studio at Immortal Heart village.” Therefore, the narrator indicates that the contrast between the ink-making studio at Immortal Heart village and her family’s ink shop is that the ink shop displays the family’s ink more impressively. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because the narrator doesn’t state or imply that her family’s ink shop, in comparison to the ink-making studio at Immortal Heart village, is more conveniently located for the public (choice B), provides greater individual attention to customers (choice C), or offers a larger space for presenting products (choice D)

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 7

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from Amy Tan, The Bonesetter’s Daughter. ©2001 by Amy Tan.
At last, Old Widow Lau was done haggling with
the driver and we stepped inside Father’s shop. It was
north-facing, quite dim inside, and perhaps this was
Line why Father did not see us at first. He was busy with a
5 customer, a man who was distinguished-looking, like
the scholars of two decades before. The two men
were bent over a glass case, discussing the different
qualities of inksticks. Big Uncle welcomed us and
invited us to be seated. From his formal tone, I knew
10 he did not recognize who we were. So I called his
name in a shy voice. And he squinted at me, then
laughed and announced our arrival to Little Uncle,
who apologized many times for not rushing over
sooner to greet us. They rushed us to be seated at one
15 of two tea tables for customers. Old Widow Lau
refused their invitation three times, exclaiming that
my father and uncles must be too busy for visitors.
She made weak efforts to leave. On the fourth
insistence, we finally sat. Then Little Uncle brought
20 us hot tea and sweet oranges, as well as bamboo
latticework fans with which to cool ourselves.
I tried to notice everything so I could later tell
GaoLing what I had seen, and tease out her envy. The
floors of the shop were of dark wood, polished and
25 clean, no dirty footprints, even though this was
during the dustiest part of the summer. And along
the walls were display cases made of wood and glass.
The glass was very shiny and not one pane was
broken. Within those glass cases were our silk-
30 wrapped boxes, all our hard work. They looked so
much nicer than they had in the ink-making studio
at Immortal Heart village.
I saw that Father had opened several of the boxes.
He set sticks and cakes and other shapes on a silk
35 cloth covering a glass case that served as a table on
which he and the customer leaned. First he pointed
to a stick with a top shaped like a fairy boat and said
with graceful importance, “Your writing will flow as
smoothly as a keel cutting through a glassy lake.”
40 He picked up a bird shape: “Your mind will soar into
the clouds of higher thought.” He waved toward a
row of ink cakes embellished with designs of peonies
and bamboo: “Your ledgers will blossom into
abundance while bamboo surrounds your quiet
45 mind.”
As he said this, Precious Auntie came back into
mind. I was remembering how she taught me that
everything, even ink, had a purpose and a meaning:
Good ink cannot be the quick kind, ready to pour out
50 of a bottle. You can never be an artist if your work
comes without effort. That is the problem of modern
ink from a bottle. You do not have to think. You
simply write what is swimming on the top of your
brain. And the top is nothing but pond scum, dead
55 leaves, and mosquito spawn. But when you push an
inkstick along an inkstone, you take the first step to
cleansing your mind and your heart. You push and
you ask yourself, What are my intentions? What is in
my heart that matches my mind?
60 I remembered this, and yet that day in the ink
shop, I listened to what Father was saying, and his
words became far more important than anything
Precious Auntie had thought. “Look here,” Father
said to his customer, and I looked. He held up an
65 inkstick and rotated it in the light. “See? It’s the right
hue, purple-black, not brown or gray like the cheap
brands you might find down the street. And listen to
this.” And I heard a sound as clean and pure as a
small silver bell. “The high-pitched tone tells you that
70 the soot is very fine, as smooth as the sliding banks of
old rivers. And the scent—can you smell the balance
of strength and delicacy, the musical notes of the
ink’s perfume? Expensive, and everyone who sees
you using it will know that it was well worth the high
75 price.”
I was very proud to hear Father speak of our
family’s ink this way.

Q. Based on the artistic philosophy expressed in the fourth paragraph (lines 46-59), it is reasonable to infer that Precious Auntie would consider a hastily written first draft of a story to be

A.
emotionally raw and powerful.
B.
creatively satisfying for the author.
C.
essentially worthless in and of itself.
D.
inappropriately analytical for a piece of art.

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 7

Choice C is the best answer. In the fourth paragraph, the narrator summarizes Precious Auntie’s artistic philosophy: when you write without effort, “you do not have to think. You simply write what is swimming on the top of your brain. And the top is nothing but pond scum, dead leaves, and mosquito spawn.” In other words, anything written too quickly, and therefore without concerted effort and thought, would be synonymous with the debris floating on top of a pool of water. Therefore, it is reasonable to infer that Precious Auntie would consider a hastily written first draft of a story to be essentially worthless in and of itself. Choice A is incorrect because Precious Auntie’s description of work made without effort is exclusively negative; therefore, it isn’t reasonable to infer that she would praise a hastily written story draft as emotionally raw and powerful. Choice B is incorrect because Precious Auntie’s artistic philosophy is concerned solely with the quality of the artist’s output rather than with the satisfaction the artist experiences. Choice D is incorrect because whether a hastily produced work would be inappropriately analytical isn’t discussed in the passage.

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 8

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from Amy Tan, The Bonesetter’s Daughter. ©2001 by Amy Tan.
At last, Old Widow Lau was done haggling with
the driver and we stepped inside Father’s shop. It was
north-facing, quite dim inside, and perhaps this was
Line why Father did not see us at first. He was busy with a
5 customer, a man who was distinguished-looking, like
the scholars of two decades before. The two men
were bent over a glass case, discussing the different
qualities of inksticks. Big Uncle welcomed us and
invited us to be seated. From his formal tone, I knew
10 he did not recognize who we were. So I called his
name in a shy voice. And he squinted at me, then
laughed and announced our arrival to Little Uncle,
who apologized many times for not rushing over
sooner to greet us. They rushed us to be seated at one
15 of two tea tables for customers. Old Widow Lau
refused their invitation three times, exclaiming that
my father and uncles must be too busy for visitors.
She made weak efforts to leave. On the fourth
insistence, we finally sat. Then Little Uncle brought
20 us hot tea and sweet oranges, as well as bamboo
latticework fans with which to cool ourselves.
I tried to notice everything so I could later tell
GaoLing what I had seen, and tease out her envy. The
floors of the shop were of dark wood, polished and
25 clean, no dirty footprints, even though this was
during the dustiest part of the summer. And along
the walls were display cases made of wood and glass.
The glass was very shiny and not one pane was
broken. Within those glass cases were our silk-
30 wrapped boxes, all our hard work. They looked so
much nicer than they had in the ink-making studio
at Immortal Heart village.
I saw that Father had opened several of the boxes.
He set sticks and cakes and other shapes on a silk
35 cloth covering a glass case that served as a table on
which he and the customer leaned. First he pointed
to a stick with a top shaped like a fairy boat and said
with graceful importance, “Your writing will flow as
smoothly as a keel cutting through a glassy lake.”
40 He picked up a bird shape: “Your mind will soar into
the clouds of higher thought.” He waved toward a
row of ink cakes embellished with designs of peonies
and bamboo: “Your ledgers will blossom into
abundance while bamboo surrounds your quiet
45 mind.”
As he said this, Precious Auntie came back into
mind. I was remembering how she taught me that
everything, even ink, had a purpose and a meaning:
Good ink cannot be the quick kind, ready to pour out
50 of a bottle. You can never be an artist if your work
comes without effort. That is the problem of modern
ink from a bottle. You do not have to think. You
simply write what is swimming on the top of your
brain. And the top is nothing but pond scum, dead
55 leaves, and mosquito spawn. But when you push an
inkstick along an inkstone, you take the first step to
cleansing your mind and your heart. You push and
you ask yourself, What are my intentions? What is in
my heart that matches my mind?
60 I remembered this, and yet that day in the ink
shop, I listened to what Father was saying, and his
words became far more important than anything
Precious Auntie had thought. “Look here,” Father
said to his customer, and I looked. He held up an
65 inkstick and rotated it in the light. “See? It’s the right
hue, purple-black, not brown or gray like the cheap
brands you might find down the street. And listen to
this.” And I heard a sound as clean and pure as a
small silver bell. “The high-pitched tone tells you that
70 the soot is very fine, as smooth as the sliding banks of
old rivers. And the scent—can you smell the balance
of strength and delicacy, the musical notes of the
ink’s perfume? Expensive, and everyone who sees
you using it will know that it was well worth the high
75 price.”
I was very proud to hear Father speak of our
family’s ink this way.

Q. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?

A.
Lines 46-48 (“As he... meaning”)
B.
Lines 49-50 (“Good... bottle”)
C.
Lines 52-55 (“You simply... spawn”)
D.
Lines 57-59 (“You push... mind”)

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 8

Choice C is the best answer. The previous question asks what can be reasonably inferred about Precious Auntie’s view of a hastily written first draft of a story, based on the artistic philosophy expressed in the fourth paragraph. The answer, that she would consider such a story to be essentially worthless in and of itself, is best supported by the sixth and seventh sentences of the fourth paragraph, which describe Precious Auntie’s view of writing produced without effort: “You simply write what is swimming on the top of your brain. And the top is nothing but pond scum, dead leaves, and mosquito spawn.” Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because the cited lines don’t support the answer to the previous question. Instead, they transition between the scene in the ink shop and the narrator’s memories of Precious Auntie (choice A), summarize Precious Auntie’s assessment of ink quality (choice B), and describe the process of creating good writing through concerted effort (choice D).

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 9

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from Amy Tan, The Bonesetter’s Daughter. ©2001 by Amy Tan.
At last, Old Widow Lau was done haggling with
the driver and we stepped inside Father’s shop. It was
north-facing, quite dim inside, and perhaps this was
Line why Father did not see us at first. He was busy with a
5 customer, a man who was distinguished-looking, like
the scholars of two decades before. The two men
were bent over a glass case, discussing the different
qualities of inksticks. Big Uncle welcomed us and
invited us to be seated. From his formal tone, I knew
10 he did not recognize who we were. So I called his
name in a shy voice. And he squinted at me, then
laughed and announced our arrival to Little Uncle,
who apologized many times for not rushing over
sooner to greet us. They rushed us to be seated at one
15 of two tea tables for customers. Old Widow Lau
refused their invitation three times, exclaiming that
my father and uncles must be too busy for visitors.
She made weak efforts to leave. On the fourth
insistence, we finally sat. Then Little Uncle brought
20 us hot tea and sweet oranges, as well as bamboo
latticework fans with which to cool ourselves.
I tried to notice everything so I could later tell
GaoLing what I had seen, and tease out her envy. The
floors of the shop were of dark wood, polished and
25 clean, no dirty footprints, even though this was
during the dustiest part of the summer. And along
the walls were display cases made of wood and glass.
The glass was very shiny and not one pane was
broken. Within those glass cases were our silk-
30 wrapped boxes, all our hard work. They looked so
much nicer than they had in the ink-making studio
at Immortal Heart village.
I saw that Father had opened several of the boxes.
He set sticks and cakes and other shapes on a silk
35 cloth covering a glass case that served as a table on
which he and the customer leaned. First he pointed
to a stick with a top shaped like a fairy boat and said
with graceful importance, “Your writing will flow as
smoothly as a keel cutting through a glassy lake.”
40 He picked up a bird shape: “Your mind will soar into
the clouds of higher thought.” He waved toward a
row of ink cakes embellished with designs of peonies
and bamboo: “Your ledgers will blossom into
abundance while bamboo surrounds your quiet
45 mind.”
As he said this, Precious Auntie came back into
mind. I was remembering how she taught me that
everything, even ink, had a purpose and a meaning:
Good ink cannot be the quick kind, ready to pour out
50 of a bottle. You can never be an artist if your work
comes without effort. That is the problem of modern
ink from a bottle. You do not have to think. You
simply write what is swimming on the top of your
brain. And the top is nothing but pond scum, dead
55 leaves, and mosquito spawn. But when you push an
inkstick along an inkstone, you take the first step to
cleansing your mind and your heart. You push and
you ask yourself, What are my intentions? What is in
my heart that matches my mind?
60 I remembered this, and yet that day in the ink
shop, I listened to what Father was saying, and his
words became far more important than anything
Precious Auntie had thought. “Look here,” Father
said to his customer, and I looked. He held up an
65 inkstick and rotated it in the light. “See? It’s the right
hue, purple-black, not brown or gray like the cheap
brands you might find down the street. And listen to
this.” And I heard a sound as clean and pure as a
small silver bell. “The high-pitched tone tells you that
70 the soot is very fine, as smooth as the sliding banks of
old rivers. And the scent—can you smell the balance
of strength and delicacy, the musical notes of the
ink’s perfume? Expensive, and everyone who sees
you using it will know that it was well worth the high
75 price.”
I was very proud to hear Father speak of our
family’s ink this way.

Q. As used in line 59, “matches” most nearly means

A.
competes against.
B.
corresponds with.
C.
runs counter to.
D.
treats equally.

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 9

Choice B is the best answer. In the last sentences of the fourth paragraph, the narrator describes Precious Auntie’s artistic philosophy, or, more specifically, the questions that an artist is forced to ask when working with concerted effort: “You push and you ask yourself, What are my intentions? What is in my heart that matches my mind?” With the second question, Precious Auntie highlights how an artist must strive to create work that resembles, or corresponds with, what is in both the artist’s heart and mind. Therefore, the word “matches,” as used in this sentence, most nearly means corresponds with. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because in the context of the passage, “matches” means corresponds with, not competes against (choice A), runs counter to (choice C), or treats equally (choice D)

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 10

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from Amy Tan, The Bonesetter’s Daughter. ©2001 by Amy Tan.
At last, Old Widow Lau was done haggling with
the driver and we stepped inside Father’s shop. It was
north-facing, quite dim inside, and perhaps this was
Line why Father did not see us at first. He was busy with a
5 customer, a man who was distinguished-looking, like
the scholars of two decades before. The two men
were bent over a glass case, discussing the different
qualities of inksticks. Big Uncle welcomed us and
invited us to be seated. From his formal tone, I knew
10 he did not recognize who we were. So I called his
name in a shy voice. And he squinted at me, then
laughed and announced our arrival to Little Uncle,
who apologized many times for not rushing over
sooner to greet us. They rushed us to be seated at one
15 of two tea tables for customers. Old Widow Lau
refused their invitation three times, exclaiming that
my father and uncles must be too busy for visitors.
She made weak efforts to leave. On the fourth
insistence, we finally sat. Then Little Uncle brought
20 us hot tea and sweet oranges, as well as bamboo
latticework fans with which to cool ourselves.
I tried to notice everything so I could later tell
GaoLing what I had seen, and tease out her envy. The
floors of the shop were of dark wood, polished and
25 clean, no dirty footprints, even though this was
during the dustiest part of the summer. And along
the walls were display cases made of wood and glass.
The glass was very shiny and not one pane was
broken. Within those glass cases were our silk-
30 wrapped boxes, all our hard work. They looked so
much nicer than they had in the ink-making studio
at Immortal Heart village.
I saw that Father had opened several of the boxes.
He set sticks and cakes and other shapes on a silk
35 cloth covering a glass case that served as a table on
which he and the customer leaned. First he pointed
to a stick with a top shaped like a fairy boat and said
with graceful importance, “Your writing will flow as
smoothly as a keel cutting through a glassy lake.”
40 He picked up a bird shape: “Your mind will soar into
the clouds of higher thought.” He waved toward a
row of ink cakes embellished with designs of peonies
and bamboo: “Your ledgers will blossom into
abundance while bamboo surrounds your quiet
45 mind.”
As he said this, Precious Auntie came back into
mind. I was remembering how she taught me that
everything, even ink, had a purpose and a meaning:
Good ink cannot be the quick kind, ready to pour out
50 of a bottle. You can never be an artist if your work
comes without effort. That is the problem of modern
ink from a bottle. You do not have to think. You
simply write what is swimming on the top of your
brain. And the top is nothing but pond scum, dead
55 leaves, and mosquito spawn. But when you push an
inkstick along an inkstone, you take the first step to
cleansing your mind and your heart. You push and
you ask yourself, What are my intentions? What is in
my heart that matches my mind?
60 I remembered this, and yet that day in the ink
shop, I listened to what Father was saying, and his
words became far more important than anything
Precious Auntie had thought. “Look here,” Father
said to his customer, and I looked. He held up an
65 inkstick and rotated it in the light. “See? It’s the right
hue, purple-black, not brown or gray like the cheap
brands you might find down the street. And listen to
this.” And I heard a sound as clean and pure as a
small silver bell. “The high-pitched tone tells you that
70 the soot is very fine, as smooth as the sliding banks of
old rivers. And the scent—can you smell the balance
of strength and delicacy, the musical notes of the
ink’s perfume? Expensive, and everyone who sees
you using it will know that it was well worth the high
75 price.”
I was very proud to hear Father speak of our
family’s ink this way.

Q. As used in line 68, “clean” most nearly means

A.
complete.
B.
skillful.
C.
distinct.
D.
upright

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 10

Choice C is the best answer. In the fifth paragraph, the narrator’s father demonstrates the quality of an inkstick to a customer. He strikes the inkstick, and the narrator describes “a sound as clean and pure as a small silver bell.” Therefore, the word “clean,” as used in this paragraph to describe a sound that the inkstick produced, most nearly means distinct, or clear. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because in the context of the passage, “clean” means distinct, not complete (choice A), skillful (choice B), or upright (choice D).

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 11

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from a speech delivered in 1838 by Sara T. Smith at the Second Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women.
We are told that it is not within the “province of
woman,” to discuss the subject of slavery; that it is a
“political question,” and we are “stepping out of our
Line sphere,” when we take part in its discussion. It is not
5 true that it is merely a political question, it is likewise
a question of justice, of humanity, of morality, of
religion; a question which, while it involves
considerations of immense importance to the welfare
and prosperity of our country, enters deeply into the
10 home-concerns, the every-day feelings of millions of
our fellow beings. Whether the laborer shall receive
the reward of his labor, or be driven daily to
unrequited toil—whether he shall walk erect in the
dignity of conscious manhood, or be reckoned
15 among the beasts which perish—whether his bones
and sinews shall be his own, or another’s—whether
his child shall receive the protection of its natural
guardian, or be ranked among the live-stock of the
estate, to be disposed of as the caprice or interest of
20 the master may dictate—. . . these considerations are
all involved in the question of liberty or slavery.
And is a subject comprehending interests of such
magnitude, merely a “political question,” and one in
which woman “can take no part without losing
25 something of the modesty and gentleness which are
her most appropriate ornaments”? May not the
“ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” exist with an
upright mind and enlightened intellect, and must
woman necessarily be less gentle because her heart is
30 open to the claims of humanity, or less modest
because she feels for the degradation of her enslaved
sisters, and would stretch forth her hand for their
rescue?
By the Constitution of the United States, the
35 whole physical power of the North is pledged for the
suppression of domestic insurrections, and should
the slaves, maddened by oppression, endeavor to
shake off the yoke of the taskmaster, the men of the
North are bound to make common cause with the
40 tyrant, and put down, at the point of the bayonet,
every effort on the part of the slave, for the
attainment of his freedom. And when the father,
husband, son, and brother shall have left their homes
to mingle in the unholy warfare, “to become the
45 executioners of their brethren, or to fall themselves
by their hands,”1 will the mother, wife, daughter, and
sister feel that they have no interest in this subject?
Will it be easy to convince them that it is no concern
of theirs, that their homes are rendered desolate, and
50 their habitations the abodes of wretchedness?
Surely this consideration is of itself sufficient to
arouse the slumbering energies of woman, for the
overthrow of a system which thus threatens to lay in
ruins the fabric of her domestic happiness; and she
55 will not be deterred from the performance of her
duty to herself, her family, and her country, by the
cry of political question.
But admitting it to be a political question, have we
no interest in the welfare of our country? May we not
60 permit a thought to stray beyond the narrow limits of
our own family circle, and of the present hour? May
we not breathe a sigh over the miseries of our
countrymen, nor utter a word of remonstrance
against the unjust laws that are crushing them to the
65 earth? Must we witness “the headlong rage or
heedless folly,” with which our nation is rushing
onward to destruction, and not seek to arrest its
downward course? Shall we silently behold the land
which we love with all the heart-warm affection of
70 children, rendered a hissing and a reproach
throughout the world, by this system which is already
tolling the death-bell of her decease among the
nations? No: the events of the last two years have cast
their dark shadows before, overclouding the bright
75 prospects of the future, and shrouding the destinies
of our country in more than midnight gloom, and we
cannot remain inactive. Our country is as dear to us
as to the proudest statesman, and the more closely
our hearts cling to “our altars and our homes,” the
80 more fervent are our aspirations that every
inhabitant of our land may be protected in his
fireside enjoyments by just and equal laws; that the
foot of the tyrant may no longer invade the domestic
sanctuary, nor his hand tear asunder those whom
85 God himself has united by the most holy ties. Let our
course, then, still be onward!
1 A quotation from the Declaration of Independence

Q. Smith’s main purpose in the passage is to

A.
accuse fellow abolitionists of overlooking thecontributions that women have made to themovement.
B.
argue that the causes of abolition and women’srights are continuations of the spirit of theAmerican Revolution.
C.
make the case that women’s rights aremeaningless while slavery exists.
D.
encourage women to see their participation inthe abolitionist cause as just and important.

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 11

Choice D is the best answer. In the passage, Sara T. Smith addresses the Second Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women. In the second sentence of the first paragraph, Smith states that confronting slavery is “a question of justice” and that it involves “considerations of immense importance to the welfare and prosperity of our country.” In the third paragraph, Smith argues that women shouldn’t be deterred from participating in the abolitionist cause. In the last paragraph, she argues that women “cannot remain inactive” in confronting slavery as “our country is as dear to us as to the proudest statesman. . . . Let our course, then, still be onward!” Therefore, Smith’s main purpose in the passage is to encourage women to see their participation in the abolitionist cause as just and important. Choices A and C are incorrect because Smith doesn’t accuse fellow abolitionists of overlooking the contributions that women have made to the movement (choice A) or make the case that women’s rights are meaningless while slavery exists (choice C). Choice B is incorrect. Although Smith quotes the Declaration of Independence in the third paragraph, the main purpose of the passage isn’t to argue that the causes of abolition and women’s rights are continuations of the spirit of the American Revolution.

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 12

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from a speech delivered in 1838 by Sara T. Smith at the Second Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women.
We are told that it is not within the “province of
woman,” to discuss the subject of slavery; that it is a
“political question,” and we are “stepping out of our
Line sphere,” when we take part in its discussion. It is not
5 true that it is merely a political question, it is likewise
a question of justice, of humanity, of morality, of
religion; a question which, while it involves
considerations of immense importance to the welfare
and prosperity of our country, enters deeply into the
10 home-concerns, the every-day feelings of millions of
our fellow beings. Whether the laborer shall receive
the reward of his labor, or be driven daily to
unrequited toil—whether he shall walk erect in the
dignity of conscious manhood, or be reckoned
15 among the beasts which perish—whether his bones
and sinews shall be his own, or another’s—whether
his child shall receive the protection of its natural
guardian, or be ranked among the live-stock of the
estate, to be disposed of as the caprice or interest of
20 the master may dictate—. . . these considerations are
all involved in the question of liberty or slavery.
And is a subject comprehending interests of such
magnitude, merely a “political question,” and one in
which woman “can take no part without losing
25 something of the modesty and gentleness which are
her most appropriate ornaments”? May not the
“ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” exist with an
upright mind and enlightened intellect, and must
woman necessarily be less gentle because her heart is
30 open to the claims of humanity, or less modest
because she feels for the degradation of her enslaved
sisters, and would stretch forth her hand for their
rescue?
By the Constitution of the United States, the
35 whole physical power of the North is pledged for the
suppression of domestic insurrections, and should
the slaves, maddened by oppression, endeavor to
shake off the yoke of the taskmaster, the men of the
North are bound to make common cause with the
40 tyrant, and put down, at the point of the bayonet,
every effort on the part of the slave, for the
attainment of his freedom. And when the father,
husband, son, and brother shall have left their homes
to mingle in the unholy warfare, “to become the
45 executioners of their brethren, or to fall themselves
by their hands,”1 will the mother, wife, daughter, and
sister feel that they have no interest in this subject?
Will it be easy to convince them that it is no concern
of theirs, that their homes are rendered desolate, and
50 their habitations the abodes of wretchedness?
Surely this consideration is of itself sufficient to
arouse the slumbering energies of woman, for the
overthrow of a system which thus threatens to lay in
ruins the fabric of her domestic happiness; and she
55 will not be deterred from the performance of her
duty to herself, her family, and her country, by the
cry of political question.
But admitting it to be a political question, have we
no interest in the welfare of our country? May we not
60 permit a thought to stray beyond the narrow limits of
our own family circle, and of the present hour? May
we not breathe a sigh over the miseries of our
countrymen, nor utter a word of remonstrance
against the unjust laws that are crushing them to the
65 earth? Must we witness “the headlong rage or
heedless folly,” with which our nation is rushing
onward to destruction, and not seek to arrest its
downward course? Shall we silently behold the land
which we love with all the heart-warm affection of
70 children, rendered a hissing and a reproach
throughout the world, by this system which is already
tolling the death-bell of her decease among the
nations? No: the events of the last two years have cast
their dark shadows before, overclouding the bright
75 prospects of the future, and shrouding the destinies
of our country in more than midnight gloom, and we
cannot remain inactive. Our country is as dear to us
as to the proudest statesman, and the more closely
our hearts cling to “our altars and our homes,” the
80 more fervent are our aspirations that every
inhabitant of our land may be protected in his
fireside enjoyments by just and equal laws; that the
foot of the tyrant may no longer invade the domestic
sanctuary, nor his hand tear asunder those whom
85 God himself has united by the most holy ties. Let our
course, then, still be onward!
1 A quotation from the Declaration of Independence

Q. Which statement provides the best description of a technique that Smith uses throughout the passage to advance her main point?

A.
She presents claims in the form of rhetorical questions that mostly have implicit negative answers.
B.
She criticizes her opponents by quoting self-contradictory remarks they have made.
C.
She illustrates each of her central ideas with an emotionally powerful anecdote.
D.
She emphasizes the reasonableness of her views by presenting them as though they are universally held.

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 12

Choice A is the best answer. Throughout the passage, Smith poses questions that aren’t answered explicitly until the last paragraph, but the leading tone of the speech makes it clear that the implied answer to these questions is “no.” In the second paragraph, Smith questions her critics’ claim that upholding humanitarian values undermines conventional feminine virtues. In the third paragraph, she wonders how women can “have no interest” in the subject of slavery when it could lead to the destruction of their families through war. In the last paragraph, she asks women numerous questions and then answers them with a “no.” Thus, a technique that Smith uses throughout the passage to advance her main point is to present her claims in the form of rhetorical questions that mostly have implicit negative answers. Choice B is incorrect. Although Smith questions the assertions that her opponents made, she doesn’t criticize her opponents themselves by quoting self-contradictory remarks they have made. Choice C is incorrect. Although Smith makes use of vivid language and imagery throughout the passage, she doesn’t illustrate each of her central ideas with an emotionally powerful anecdote. Choice D is incorrect. Although it is implied that Smith considers her views to be reasonable, she doesn’t present them as universally held.

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 13

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from a speech delivered in 1838 by Sara T. Smith at the Second Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women.
We are told that it is not within the “province of
woman,” to discuss the subject of slavery; that it is a
“political question,” and we are “stepping out of our
Line sphere,” when we take part in its discussion. It is not
5 true that it is merely a political question, it is likewise
a question of justice, of humanity, of morality, of
religion; a question which, while it involves
considerations of immense importance to the welfare
and prosperity of our country, enters deeply into the
10 home-concerns, the every-day feelings of millions of
our fellow beings. Whether the laborer shall receive
the reward of his labor, or be driven daily to
unrequited toil—whether he shall walk erect in the
dignity of conscious manhood, or be reckoned
15 among the beasts which perish—whether his bones
and sinews shall be his own, or another’s—whether
his child shall receive the protection of its natural
guardian, or be ranked among the live-stock of the
estate, to be disposed of as the caprice or interest of
20 the master may dictate—. . . these considerations are
all involved in the question of liberty or slavery.
And is a subject comprehending interests of such
magnitude, merely a “political question,” and one in
which woman “can take no part without losing
25 something of the modesty and gentleness which are
her most appropriate ornaments”? May not the
“ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” exist with an
upright mind and enlightened intellect, and must
woman necessarily be less gentle because her heart is
30 open to the claims of humanity, or less modest
because she feels for the degradation of her enslaved
sisters, and would stretch forth her hand for their
rescue?
By the Constitution of the United States, the
35 whole physical power of the North is pledged for the
suppression of domestic insurrections, and should
the slaves, maddened by oppression, endeavor to
shake off the yoke of the taskmaster, the men of the
North are bound to make common cause with the
40 tyrant, and put down, at the point of the bayonet,
every effort on the part of the slave, for the
attainment of his freedom. And when the father,
husband, son, and brother shall have left their homes
to mingle in the unholy warfare, “to become the
45 executioners of their brethren, or to fall themselves
by their hands,”1 will the mother, wife, daughter, and
sister feel that they have no interest in this subject?
Will it be easy to convince them that it is no concern
of theirs, that their homes are rendered desolate, and
50 their habitations the abodes of wretchedness?
Surely this consideration is of itself sufficient to
arouse the slumbering energies of woman, for the
overthrow of a system which thus threatens to lay in
ruins the fabric of her domestic happiness; and she
55 will not be deterred from the performance of her
duty to herself, her family, and her country, by the
cry of political question.
But admitting it to be a political question, have we
no interest in the welfare of our country? May we not
60 permit a thought to stray beyond the narrow limits of
our own family circle, and of the present hour? May
we not breathe a sigh over the miseries of our
countrymen, nor utter a word of remonstrance
against the unjust laws that are crushing them to the
65 earth? Must we witness “the headlong rage or
heedless folly,” with which our nation is rushing
onward to destruction, and not seek to arrest its
downward course? Shall we silently behold the land
which we love with all the heart-warm affection of
70 children, rendered a hissing and a reproach
throughout the world, by this system which is already
tolling the death-bell of her decease among the
nations? No: the events of the last two years have cast
their dark shadows before, overclouding the bright
75 prospects of the future, and shrouding the destinies
of our country in more than midnight gloom, and we
cannot remain inactive. Our country is as dear to us
as to the proudest statesman, and the more closely
our hearts cling to “our altars and our homes,” the
80 more fervent are our aspirations that every
inhabitant of our land may be protected in his
fireside enjoyments by just and equal laws; that the
foot of the tyrant may no longer invade the domestic
sanctuary, nor his hand tear asunder those whom
85 God himself has united by the most holy ties. Let our
course, then, still be onward!
1 A quotation from the Declaration of Independence

Q. How does Smith develop her argument about slavery as a “political question” (line 3) over the course of the passage?

A.
She claims the designation is an outdated one and then offers alternative definitions.
B.
She dismisses the designation as too narrow but then demonstrates its relevance to her audience.
C.
She contends that the designation has become trite and then invites her audience to revitalize it.
D.
She describes the meaning the designation has for men and then challenges women to embrace it.

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 13

Choice B is the best answer. In the first sentence of the passage, Smith introduces the argument that slavery is a “political question” and therefore not “within the ‘province of woman.’” In the second sentence, Smith voices her opposition to this argument: “It is not true that [slavery] is merely a political question, it is likewise a question of justice, of humanity, of morality, of religion.” In other words, slavery is too broad a problem to be classified solely as “political,” in Smith’s view. However, in the fourth paragraph, Smith returns to the political aspect of the argument at hand by addressing how women must engage in the subject of slavery on a political scale. She argues that “admitting [slavery] to be a political question” doesn’t mean that women have “no interest in the welfare of our country,” as women must criticize slavery and its “unjust laws” and seek to stop the nation’s “downward course” by choosing to not “remain inactive.” Therefore, Smith develops her argument about slavery as a “political question” over the course of the passage by dismissing the designation as too narrow but then demonstrates its relevance to her audience. Choice A is incorrect. Although Smith does offer alternative ways of defining the problem of slavery, she doesn’t claim that the designation of slavery as a “political question” is outdated, but rather that it is insufficient. Choice C is incorrect because Smith doesn’t contend that the designation of slavery as a “political question” has become trite, nor does she invite her audience to revitalize it. Choice D is incorrect. Although Smith’s argument is intertwined with questions of gender roles, she doesn’t describe the meaning the designation of a “political question” has for men and then challenge women to embrace it.

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 14

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from a speech delivered in 1838 by Sara T. Smith at the Second Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women.
We are told that it is not within the “province of
woman,” to discuss the subject of slavery; that it is a
“political question,” and we are “stepping out of our
Line sphere,” when we take part in its discussion. It is not
5 true that it is merely a political question, it is likewise
a question of justice, of humanity, of morality, of
religion; a question which, while it involves
considerations of immense importance to the welfare
and prosperity of our country, enters deeply into the
10 home-concerns, the every-day feelings of millions of
our fellow beings. Whether the laborer shall receive
the reward of his labor, or be driven daily to
unrequited toil—whether he shall walk erect in the
dignity of conscious manhood, or be reckoned
15 among the beasts which perish—whether his bones
and sinews shall be his own, or another’s—whether
his child shall receive the protection of its natural
guardian, or be ranked among the live-stock of the
estate, to be disposed of as the caprice or interest of
20 the master may dictate—. . . these considerations are
all involved in the question of liberty or slavery.
And is a subject comprehending interests of such
magnitude, merely a “political question,” and one in
which woman “can take no part without losing
25 something of the modesty and gentleness which are
her most appropriate ornaments”? May not the
“ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” exist with an
upright mind and enlightened intellect, and must
woman necessarily be less gentle because her heart is
30 open to the claims of humanity, or less modest
because she feels for the degradation of her enslaved
sisters, and would stretch forth her hand for their
rescue?
By the Constitution of the United States, the
35 whole physical power of the North is pledged for the
suppression of domestic insurrections, and should
the slaves, maddened by oppression, endeavor to
shake off the yoke of the taskmaster, the men of the
North are bound to make common cause with the
40 tyrant, and put down, at the point of the bayonet,
every effort on the part of the slave, for the
attainment of his freedom. And when the father,
husband, son, and brother shall have left their homes
to mingle in the unholy warfare, “to become the
45 executioners of their brethren, or to fall themselves
by their hands,”1 will the mother, wife, daughter, and
sister feel that they have no interest in this subject?
Will it be easy to convince them that it is no concern
of theirs, that their homes are rendered desolate, and
50 their habitations the abodes of wretchedness?
Surely this consideration is of itself sufficient to
arouse the slumbering energies of woman, for the
overthrow of a system which thus threatens to lay in
ruins the fabric of her domestic happiness; and she
55 will not be deterred from the performance of her
duty to herself, her family, and her country, by the
cry of political question.
But admitting it to be a political question, have we
no interest in the welfare of our country? May we not
60 permit a thought to stray beyond the narrow limits of
our own family circle, and of the present hour? May
we not breathe a sigh over the miseries of our
countrymen, nor utter a word of remonstrance
against the unjust laws that are crushing them to the
65 earth? Must we witness “the headlong rage or
heedless folly,” with which our nation is rushing
onward to destruction, and not seek to arrest its
downward course? Shall we silently behold the land
which we love with all the heart-warm affection of
70 children, rendered a hissing and a reproach
throughout the world, by this system which is already
tolling the death-bell of her decease among the
nations? No: the events of the last two years have cast
their dark shadows before, overclouding the bright
75 prospects of the future, and shrouding the destinies
of our country in more than midnight gloom, and we
cannot remain inactive. Our country is as dear to us
as to the proudest statesman, and the more closely
our hearts cling to “our altars and our homes,” the
80 more fervent are our aspirations that every
inhabitant of our land may be protected in his
fireside enjoyments by just and equal laws; that the
foot of the tyrant may no longer invade the domestic
sanctuary, nor his hand tear asunder those whom
85 God himself has united by the most holy ties. Let our
course, then, still be onward!
1 A quotation from the Declaration of Independence

Q. Which choice best summarizes the first paragraph?

A.
Smith explains a conventional viewpoint and presents evidence supporting it.
B.
Smith rejects a claim and elaborates on her reasons for doing so.
C.
Smith introduces her subject and provides historical background for understanding it.
D.
Smith identifies a problem and proposes steps to remedy it.

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 14

Choice B is the best answer. In the first sentence of the passage, Smith relays a claim: “We are told that it is not within the ‘province of woman,’ to discuss the subject of slavery; that it is a ‘political question,’ and we are ‘stepping out of our sphere,’ when we take part in its discussion.” In the next sentence, Smith rejects this claim: “It is not true that it is merely a political question, it is likewise a question of justice, of humanity, of morality, of religion.” She then argues that the subject of slavery “involves considerations of immense importance to the welfare and prosperity of our country, enters deeply into the home-concerns, the every-day feelings of millions of our fellow beings” and expands upon this point by providing an example of the difference, under slavery, between laborers who are enslaved and those who are within the “dignity of conscious manhood.” Therefore, the best summary of the first paragraph is that Smith rejects a claim and elaborates on her reasons for doing so. Choice A is incorrect. Although Smith may outline a conventional viewpoint in the first paragraph, she doesn’t present evidence to support it. Choice C is incorrect. Although Smith introduces her subject in the first paragraph, she doesn’t provide historical background for understanding it. Choice D is incorrect. Although Smith does identify a problem in the first paragraph, she doesn’t propose steps to remedy it.

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 15

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from a speech delivered in 1838 by Sara T. Smith at the Second Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women.
We are told that it is not within the “province of
woman,” to discuss the subject of slavery; that it is a
“political question,” and we are “stepping out of our
Line sphere,” when we take part in its discussion. It is not
5 true that it is merely a political question, it is likewise
a question of justice, of humanity, of morality, of
religion; a question which, while it involves
considerations of immense importance to the welfare
and prosperity of our country, enters deeply into the
10 home-concerns, the every-day feelings of millions of
our fellow beings. Whether the laborer shall receive
the reward of his labor, or be driven daily to
unrequited toil—whether he shall walk erect in the
dignity of conscious manhood, or be reckoned
15 among the beasts which perish—whether his bones
and sinews shall be his own, or another’s—whether
his child shall receive the protection of its natural
guardian, or be ranked among the live-stock of the
estate, to be disposed of as the caprice or interest of
20 the master may dictate—. . . these considerations are
all involved in the question of liberty or slavery.
And is a subject comprehending interests of such
magnitude, merely a “political question,” and one in
which woman “can take no part without losing
25 something of the modesty and gentleness which are
her most appropriate ornaments”? May not the
“ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” exist with an
upright mind and enlightened intellect, and must
woman necessarily be less gentle because her heart is
30 open to the claims of humanity, or less modest
because she feels for the degradation of her enslaved
sisters, and would stretch forth her hand for their
rescue?
By the Constitution of the United States, the
35 whole physical power of the North is pledged for the
suppression of domestic insurrections, and should
the slaves, maddened by oppression, endeavor to
shake off the yoke of the taskmaster, the men of the
North are bound to make common cause with the
40 tyrant, and put down, at the point of the bayonet,
every effort on the part of the slave, for the
attainment of his freedom. And when the father,
husband, son, and brother shall have left their homes
to mingle in the unholy warfare, “to become the
45 executioners of their brethren, or to fall themselves
by their hands,”1 will the mother, wife, daughter, and
sister feel that they have no interest in this subject?
Will it be easy to convince them that it is no concern
of theirs, that their homes are rendered desolate, and
50 their habitations the abodes of wretchedness?
Surely this consideration is of itself sufficient to
arouse the slumbering energies of woman, for the
overthrow of a system which thus threatens to lay in
ruins the fabric of her domestic happiness; and she
55 will not be deterred from the performance of her
duty to herself, her family, and her country, by the
cry of political question.
But admitting it to be a political question, have we
no interest in the welfare of our country? May we not
60 permit a thought to stray beyond the narrow limits of
our own family circle, and of the present hour? May
we not breathe a sigh over the miseries of our
countrymen, nor utter a word of remonstrance
against the unjust laws that are crushing them to the
65 earth? Must we witness “the headlong rage or
heedless folly,” with which our nation is rushing
onward to destruction, and not seek to arrest its
downward course? Shall we silently behold the land
which we love with all the heart-warm affection of
70 children, rendered a hissing and a reproach
throughout the world, by this system which is already
tolling the death-bell of her decease among the
nations? No: the events of the last two years have cast
their dark shadows before, overclouding the bright
75 prospects of the future, and shrouding the destinies
of our country in more than midnight gloom, and we
cannot remain inactive. Our country is as dear to us
as to the proudest statesman, and the more closely
our hearts cling to “our altars and our homes,” the
80 more fervent are our aspirations that every
inhabitant of our land may be protected in his
fireside enjoyments by just and equal laws; that the
foot of the tyrant may no longer invade the domestic
sanctuary, nor his hand tear asunder those whom
85 God himself has united by the most holy ties. Let our
course, then, still be onward!
1 A quotation from the Declaration of Independence

Q. In the passage, Smith argues that it is possible for women to engage in which activity?

A.
Acting according to humanitarian principles while preserving their femininity
B.
Adhering to personal morality while being politically neutral
C.
Contributing to their family’s financial security while meeting social expectations
D.
Resisting calls for war while still opposing slavery

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 15

Choice A is the best answer. In the first sentence of the second paragraph, Smith relays the sentiment, presumably voiced by those opposed to women abolitionists, that “woman ‘can take no part [in the debate over slavery] without losing something of the modesty and gentleness which are her most appropriate ornaments.’” Smith opposes this view in the following sentence: “must woman necessarily be less gentle because her heart is open to the claims of humanity, or less modest because she feels for the degradation of her enslaved sisters, and would stretch forth her hand for their rescue?” The leading tone of this rhetorical question makes it clear that Smith would answer it with a “no.” Thus, Smith argues that it is possible for women to act according to humanitarian principles while preserving their femininity. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because Smith doesn’t argue that it is possible for women to adhere to personal morality while being politically neutral (choice B), contribute to their family’s financial security while meeting social expectations (choice C), or resist calls for war while still opposing slavery (choice D).

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 16

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from a speech delivered in 1838 by Sara T. Smith at the Second Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women.
We are told that it is not within the “province of
woman,” to discuss the subject of slavery; that it is a
“political question,” and we are “stepping out of our
Line sphere,” when we take part in its discussion. It is not
5 true that it is merely a political question, it is likewise
a question of justice, of humanity, of morality, of
religion; a question which, while it involves
considerations of immense importance to the welfare
and prosperity of our country, enters deeply into the
10 home-concerns, the every-day feelings of millions of
our fellow beings. Whether the laborer shall receive
the reward of his labor, or be driven daily to
unrequited toil—whether he shall walk erect in the
dignity of conscious manhood, or be reckoned
15 among the beasts which perish—whether his bones
and sinews shall be his own, or another’s—whether
his child shall receive the protection of its natural
guardian, or be ranked among the live-stock of the
estate, to be disposed of as the caprice or interest of
20 the master may dictate—. . . these considerations are
all involved in the question of liberty or slavery.
And is a subject comprehending interests of such
magnitude, merely a “political question,” and one in
which woman “can take no part without losing
25 something of the modesty and gentleness which are
her most appropriate ornaments”? May not the
“ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” exist with an
upright mind and enlightened intellect, and must
woman necessarily be less gentle because her heart is
30 open to the claims of humanity, or less modest
because she feels for the degradation of her enslaved
sisters, and would stretch forth her hand for their
rescue?
By the Constitution of the United States, the
35 whole physical power of the North is pledged for the
suppression of domestic insurrections, and should
the slaves, maddened by oppression, endeavor to
shake off the yoke of the taskmaster, the men of the
North are bound to make common cause with the
40 tyrant, and put down, at the point of the bayonet,
every effort on the part of the slave, for the
attainment of his freedom. And when the father,
husband, son, and brother shall have left their homes
to mingle in the unholy warfare, “to become the
45 executioners of their brethren, or to fall themselves
by their hands,”1 will the mother, wife, daughter, and
sister feel that they have no interest in this subject?
Will it be easy to convince them that it is no concern
of theirs, that their homes are rendered desolate, and
50 their habitations the abodes of wretchedness?
Surely this consideration is of itself sufficient to
arouse the slumbering energies of woman, for the
overthrow of a system which thus threatens to lay in
ruins the fabric of her domestic happiness; and she
55 will not be deterred from the performance of her
duty to herself, her family, and her country, by the
cry of political question.
But admitting it to be a political question, have we
no interest in the welfare of our country? May we not
60 permit a thought to stray beyond the narrow limits of
our own family circle, and of the present hour? May
we not breathe a sigh over the miseries of our
countrymen, nor utter a word of remonstrance
against the unjust laws that are crushing them to the
65 earth? Must we witness “the headlong rage or
heedless folly,” with which our nation is rushing
onward to destruction, and not seek to arrest its
downward course? Shall we silently behold the land
which we love with all the heart-warm affection of
70 children, rendered a hissing and a reproach
throughout the world, by this system which is already
tolling the death-bell of her decease among the
nations? No: the events of the last two years have cast
their dark shadows before, overclouding the bright
75 prospects of the future, and shrouding the destinies
of our country in more than midnight gloom, and we
cannot remain inactive. Our country is as dear to us
as to the proudest statesman, and the more closely
our hearts cling to “our altars and our homes,” the
80 more fervent are our aspirations that every
inhabitant of our land may be protected in his
fireside enjoyments by just and equal laws; that the
foot of the tyrant may no longer invade the domestic
sanctuary, nor his hand tear asunder those whom
85 God himself has united by the most holy ties. Let our
course, then, still be onward!
1 A quotation from the Declaration of Independence

Q. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?

A.
Lines 26-33 (“May... rescue”)
B.
Lines 42-47 (“And when... subject”)
C.
Lines 51-54 (“Surely... happiness”)
D.
Lines 77-82 (“Our... laws”)

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 16

Choice A is the best answer. The previous question asks which activity Smith argues it is possible for women to engage in. The answer, that she argues that women can act according to humanitarian principles while preserving their femininity, is best supported in the last sentence of the second paragraph: “must woman necessarily be less gentle because her heart is open to the claims of humanity, or less modest because she feels for the degradation of her enslaved sisters, and would stretch forth her hand for their rescue?” The leading tone of this rhetorical question makes it clear that Smith would answer it with a “no.” In other words, Smith believes that women can uphold humanitarian principles while maintaining conventional feminine virtues. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because the cited lines don’t support the answer to the previous question. Instead, they link women’s conventional domestic concerns with the losses that would be incurred by a war over slavery (choice B), affirm that the potential horrors of war are enough to stir women out of a state of political inactivity (choice C), and equate women’s patriotism with that of male political leaders (choice D).

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 17

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from a speech delivered in 1838 by Sara T. Smith at the Second Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women.
We are told that it is not within the “province of
woman,” to discuss the subject of slavery; that it is a
“political question,” and we are “stepping out of our
Line sphere,” when we take part in its discussion. It is not
5 true that it is merely a political question, it is likewise
a question of justice, of humanity, of morality, of
religion; a question which, while it involves
considerations of immense importance to the welfare
and prosperity of our country, enters deeply into the
10 home-concerns, the every-day feelings of millions of
our fellow beings. Whether the laborer shall receive
the reward of his labor, or be driven daily to
unrequited toil—whether he shall walk erect in the
dignity of conscious manhood, or be reckoned
15 among the beasts which perish—whether his bones
and sinews shall be his own, or another’s—whether
his child shall receive the protection of its natural
guardian, or be ranked among the live-stock of the
estate, to be disposed of as the caprice or interest of
20 the master may dictate—. . . these considerations are
all involved in the question of liberty or slavery.
And is a subject comprehending interests of such
magnitude, merely a “political question,” and one in
which woman “can take no part without losing
25 something of the modesty and gentleness which are
her most appropriate ornaments”? May not the
“ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” exist with an
upright mind and enlightened intellect, and must
woman necessarily be less gentle because her heart is
30 open to the claims of humanity, or less modest
because she feels for the degradation of her enslaved
sisters, and would stretch forth her hand for their
rescue?
By the Constitution of the United States, the
35 whole physical power of the North is pledged for the
suppression of domestic insurrections, and should
the slaves, maddened by oppression, endeavor to
shake off the yoke of the taskmaster, the men of the
North are bound to make common cause with the
40 tyrant, and put down, at the point of the bayonet,
every effort on the part of the slave, for the
attainment of his freedom. And when the father,
husband, son, and brother shall have left their homes
to mingle in the unholy warfare, “to become the
45 executioners of their brethren, or to fall themselves
by their hands,”1 will the mother, wife, daughter, and
sister feel that they have no interest in this subject?
Will it be easy to convince them that it is no concern
of theirs, that their homes are rendered desolate, and
50 their habitations the abodes of wretchedness?
Surely this consideration is of itself sufficient to
arouse the slumbering energies of woman, for the
overthrow of a system which thus threatens to lay in
ruins the fabric of her domestic happiness; and she
55 will not be deterred from the performance of her
duty to herself, her family, and her country, by the
cry of political question.
But admitting it to be a political question, have we
no interest in the welfare of our country? May we not
60 permit a thought to stray beyond the narrow limits of
our own family circle, and of the present hour? May
we not breathe a sigh over the miseries of our
countrymen, nor utter a word of remonstrance
against the unjust laws that are crushing them to the
65 earth? Must we witness “the headlong rage or
heedless folly,” with which our nation is rushing
onward to destruction, and not seek to arrest its
downward course? Shall we silently behold the land
which we love with all the heart-warm affection of
70 children, rendered a hissing and a reproach
throughout the world, by this system which is already
tolling the death-bell of her decease among the
nations? No: the events of the last two years have cast
their dark shadows before, overclouding the bright
75 prospects of the future, and shrouding the destinies
of our country in more than midnight gloom, and we
cannot remain inactive. Our country is as dear to us
as to the proudest statesman, and the more closely
our hearts cling to “our altars and our homes,” the
80 more fervent are our aspirations that every
inhabitant of our land may be protected in his
fireside enjoyments by just and equal laws; that the
foot of the tyrant may no longer invade the domestic
sanctuary, nor his hand tear asunder those whom
85 God himself has united by the most holy ties. Let our
course, then, still be onward!
1 A quotation from the Declaration of Independence

Q. According to Smith, the US Constitution requires which action on the part of the Northern free states if slaves were to revolt?

A.
The Northern states would have to sever ties with the slave states.
B.
The Northern states would have to give shelter to refugees from the slave states.
C.
The Northern states would have to help the slave states fight the slaves’ rebellion.
D.
The Northern states would have to provide financial assistance to the rebelling slaves.

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 17

Choice C is the best answer. In the first sentence of the third paragraph, Smith states “by the Constitution of the United States, the whole physical power of the North is pledged for the suppression of domestic insurrections, and should the slaves, maddened by oppression, endeavor to shake off the yoke of the taskmaster, the men of the North are bound to make common cause with the tyrant, and put down, at the point of the bayonet, every effort on the part of the slave, for the attainment of his freedom.” In other words, according to Smith, if slaves were to revolt, the US Constitution would require that Northern states help the slave states fight the slaves’ rebellion. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because Smith doesn’t argue that if the slaves were to revolt the US Constitution would require the Northern states to sever ties with the slave states (choice A), give shelter to refugees from the slave states (choice B), or provide financial assistance to the rebelling slaves (choice D).

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 18

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from a speech delivered in 1838 by Sara T. Smith at the Second Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women.
We are told that it is not within the “province of
woman,” to discuss the subject of slavery; that it is a
“political question,” and we are “stepping out of our
Line sphere,” when we take part in its discussion. It is not
5 true that it is merely a political question, it is likewise
a question of justice, of humanity, of morality, of
religion; a question which, while it involves
considerations of immense importance to the welfare
and prosperity of our country, enters deeply into the
10 home-concerns, the every-day feelings of millions of
our fellow beings. Whether the laborer shall receive
the reward of his labor, or be driven daily to
unrequited toil—whether he shall walk erect in the
dignity of conscious manhood, or be reckoned
15 among the beasts which perish—whether his bones
and sinews shall be his own, or another’s—whether
his child shall receive the protection of its natural
guardian, or be ranked among the live-stock of the
estate, to be disposed of as the caprice or interest of
20 the master may dictate—. . . these considerations are
all involved in the question of liberty or slavery.
And is a subject comprehending interests of such
magnitude, merely a “political question,” and one in
which woman “can take no part without losing
25 something of the modesty and gentleness which are
her most appropriate ornaments”? May not the
“ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” exist with an
upright mind and enlightened intellect, and must
woman necessarily be less gentle because her heart is
30 open to the claims of humanity, or less modest
because she feels for the degradation of her enslaved
sisters, and would stretch forth her hand for their
rescue?
By the Constitution of the United States, the
35 whole physical power of the North is pledged for the
suppression of domestic insurrections, and should
the slaves, maddened by oppression, endeavor to
shake off the yoke of the taskmaster, the men of the
North are bound to make common cause with the
40 tyrant, and put down, at the point of the bayonet,
every effort on the part of the slave, for the
attainment of his freedom. And when the father,
husband, son, and brother shall have left their homes
to mingle in the unholy warfare, “to become the
45 executioners of their brethren, or to fall themselves
by their hands,”1 will the mother, wife, daughter, and
sister feel that they have no interest in this subject?
Will it be easy to convince them that it is no concern
of theirs, that their homes are rendered desolate, and
50 their habitations the abodes of wretchedness?
Surely this consideration is of itself sufficient to
arouse the slumbering energies of woman, for the
overthrow of a system which thus threatens to lay in
ruins the fabric of her domestic happiness; and she
55 will not be deterred from the performance of her
duty to herself, her family, and her country, by the
cry of political question.
But admitting it to be a political question, have we
no interest in the welfare of our country? May we not
60 permit a thought to stray beyond the narrow limits of
our own family circle, and of the present hour? May
we not breathe a sigh over the miseries of our
countrymen, nor utter a word of remonstrance
against the unjust laws that are crushing them to the
65 earth? Must we witness “the headlong rage or
heedless folly,” with which our nation is rushing
onward to destruction, and not seek to arrest its
downward course? Shall we silently behold the land
which we love with all the heart-warm affection of
70 children, rendered a hissing and a reproach
throughout the world, by this system which is already
tolling the death-bell of her decease among the
nations? No: the events of the last two years have cast
their dark shadows before, overclouding the bright
75 prospects of the future, and shrouding the destinies
of our country in more than midnight gloom, and we
cannot remain inactive. Our country is as dear to us
as to the proudest statesman, and the more closely
our hearts cling to “our altars and our homes,” the
80 more fervent are our aspirations that every
inhabitant of our land may be protected in his
fireside enjoyments by just and equal laws; that the
foot of the tyrant may no longer invade the domestic
sanctuary, nor his hand tear asunder those whom
85 God himself has united by the most holy ties. Let our
course, then, still be onward!
1 A quotation from the Declaration of Independence

Q. In context, what is the main effect of Smith’s use of the word “tyrant” in lines 40 and 83?

A.
It identifies a specific individual as oppressive.
B.
It highlights the threat of aggression from abroad.
C.
It critiques the limited roles for women in antislavery movements.
D.
It emphasizes the unjustness of slavery.

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 18

Choice D is the best answer. The word “tyrant” describes a cruel and unfair ruler. It is first used in the first sentence of the third paragraph, when Smith argues that in the event of a slave rebellion in the slave states, “the men of the North are bound to make common cause with the tyrant, and put down, at the point of the bayonet, every effort on the part of the slave, for the attainment of his freedom.” The word occurs again in the seventh sentence of the last paragraph, when Smith asserts the strength of women’s “aspirations that every inhabitant of our land may be protected . . . by just and equal laws” so that “the foot of the tyrant may no longer invade the domestic sanctuary.” In both instances, the word “tyrant” is used to represent slaveholders and their allies. Thus, Smith’s use of “tyrant” emphasizes the unjustness of slavery. Choice A is incorrect because Smith’s use of the word “tyrant” doesn’t identify a specific individual as oppressive. Instead, it refers to all those individuals who profit from and abet the unjust institution of slavery. Choice B is incorrect because Smith’s use of the word “tyrant” doesn’t highlight the threat of aggression from abroad. Instead, it highlights national injustice. Choice C is incorrect because Smith’s use of the word “tyrant” doesn’t critique the limited roles for women in antislavery movements. Smith’s use of the word “tyrant” refers to slaveholders and their allies, not those who would discourage women’s participation in the antislavery movement.

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 19

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from a speech delivered in 1838 by Sara T. Smith at the Second Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women.
We are told that it is not within the “province of
woman,” to discuss the subject of slavery; that it is a
“political question,” and we are “stepping out of our
Line sphere,” when we take part in its discussion. It is not
5 true that it is merely a political question, it is likewise
a question of justice, of humanity, of morality, of
religion; a question which, while it involves
considerations of immense importance to the welfare
and prosperity of our country, enters deeply into the
10 home-concerns, the every-day feelings of millions of
our fellow beings. Whether the laborer shall receive
the reward of his labor, or be driven daily to
unrequited toil—whether he shall walk erect in the
dignity of conscious manhood, or be reckoned
15 among the beasts which perish—whether his bones
and sinews shall be his own, or another’s—whether
his child shall receive the protection of its natural
guardian, or be ranked among the live-stock of the
estate, to be disposed of as the caprice or interest of
20 the master may dictate—. . . these considerations are
all involved in the question of liberty or slavery.
And is a subject comprehending interests of such
magnitude, merely a “political question,” and one in
which woman “can take no part without losing
25 something of the modesty and gentleness which are
her most appropriate ornaments”? May not the
“ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” exist with an
upright mind and enlightened intellect, and must
woman necessarily be less gentle because her heart is
30 open to the claims of humanity, or less modest
because she feels for the degradation of her enslaved
sisters, and would stretch forth her hand for their
rescue?
By the Constitution of the United States, the
35 whole physical power of the North is pledged for the
suppression of domestic insurrections, and should
the slaves, maddened by oppression, endeavor to
shake off the yoke of the taskmaster, the men of the
North are bound to make common cause with the
40 tyrant, and put down, at the point of the bayonet,
every effort on the part of the slave, for the
attainment of his freedom. And when the father,
husband, son, and brother shall have left their homes
to mingle in the unholy warfare, “to become the
45 executioners of their brethren, or to fall themselves
by their hands,”1 will the mother, wife, daughter, and
sister feel that they have no interest in this subject?
Will it be easy to convince them that it is no concern
of theirs, that their homes are rendered desolate, and
50 their habitations the abodes of wretchedness?
Surely this consideration is of itself sufficient to
arouse the slumbering energies of woman, for the
overthrow of a system which thus threatens to lay in
ruins the fabric of her domestic happiness; and she
55 will not be deterred from the performance of her
duty to herself, her family, and her country, by the
cry of political question.
But admitting it to be a political question, have we
no interest in the welfare of our country? May we not
60 permit a thought to stray beyond the narrow limits of
our own family circle, and of the present hour? May
we not breathe a sigh over the miseries of our
countrymen, nor utter a word of remonstrance
against the unjust laws that are crushing them to the
65 earth? Must we witness “the headlong rage or
heedless folly,” with which our nation is rushing
onward to destruction, and not seek to arrest its
downward course? Shall we silently behold the land
which we love with all the heart-warm affection of
70 children, rendered a hissing and a reproach
throughout the world, by this system which is already
tolling the death-bell of her decease among the
nations? No: the events of the last two years have cast
their dark shadows before, overclouding the bright
75 prospects of the future, and shrouding the destinies
of our country in more than midnight gloom, and we
cannot remain inactive. Our country is as dear to us
as to the proudest statesman, and the more closely
our hearts cling to “our altars and our homes,” the
80 more fervent are our aspirations that every
inhabitant of our land may be protected in his
fireside enjoyments by just and equal laws; that the
foot of the tyrant may no longer invade the domestic
sanctuary, nor his hand tear asunder those whom
85 God himself has united by the most holy ties. Let our
course, then, still be onward!
1 A quotation from the Declaration of Independence

Q. As used in line 52, “slumbering” most nearly means

A.
lethargic.
B.
drowsy.
C.
dormant.
D.
unconscious.

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 19

Choice C is the best answer. In the last sentence of the third paragraph, Smith argues that the threat of a war precipitated by slavery “is of itself sufficient to arouse the slumbering energies of woman” to speak out against slavery’s injustice. In other words, women have the potential to protest slavery, but they have been relatively inactive, or dormant, up until now. Therefore, the word “slumbering,” as used in this sentence, most nearly means dormant. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because in the context of the passage, “slumbering” means dormant, not lethargic (choice A), drowsy (choice B), or unconscious (choice D).

Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 20

Question is based on the following passage.

This passage is adapted from a speech delivered in 1838 by Sara T. Smith at the Second Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women.
We are told that it is not within the “province of
woman,” to discuss the subject of slavery; that it is a
“political question,” and we are “stepping out of our
Line sphere,” when we take part in its discussion. It is not
5 true that it is merely a political question, it is likewise
a question of justice, of humanity, of morality, of
religion; a question which, while it involves
considerations of immense importance to the welfare
and prosperity of our country, enters deeply into the
10 home-concerns, the every-day feelings of millions of
our fellow beings. Whether the laborer shall receive
the reward of his labor, or be driven daily to
unrequited toil—whether he shall walk erect in the
dignity of conscious manhood, or be reckoned
15 among the beasts which perish—whether his bones
and sinews shall be his own, or another’s—whether
his child shall receive the protection of its natural
guardian, or be ranked among the live-stock of the
estate, to be disposed of as the caprice or interest of
20 the master may dictate—. . . these considerations are
all involved in the question of liberty or slavery.
And is a subject comprehending interests of such
magnitude, merely a “political question,” and one in
which woman “can take no part without losing
25 something of the modesty and gentleness which are
her most appropriate ornaments”? May not the
“ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” exist with an
upright mind and enlightened intellect, and must
woman necessarily be less gentle because her heart is
30 open to the claims of humanity, or less modest
because she feels for the degradation of her enslaved
sisters, and would stretch forth her hand for their
rescue?
By the Constitution of the United States, the
35 whole physical power of the North is pledged for the
suppression of domestic insurrections, and should
the slaves, maddened by oppression, endeavor to
shake off the yoke of the taskmaster, the men of the
North are bound to make common cause with the
40 tyrant, and put down, at the point of the bayonet,
every effort on the part of the slave, for the
attainment of his freedom. And when the father,
husband, son, and brother shall have left their homes
to mingle in the unholy warfare, “to become the
45 executioners of their brethren, or to fall themselves
by their hands,”1 will the mother, wife, daughter, and
sister feel that they have no interest in this subject?
Will it be easy to convince them that it is no concern
of theirs, that their homes are rendered desolate, and
50 their habitations the abodes of wretchedness?
Surely this consideration is of itself sufficient to
arouse the slumbering energies of woman, for the
overthrow of a system which thus threatens to lay in
ruins the fabric of her domestic happiness; and she
55 will not be deterred from the performance of her
duty to herself, her family, and her country, by the
cry of political question.
But admitting it to be a political question, have we
no interest in the welfare of our country? May we not
60 permit a thought to stray beyond the narrow limits of
our own family circle, and of the present hour? May
we not breathe a sigh over the miseries of our
countrymen, nor utter a word of remonstrance
against the unjust laws that are crushing them to the
65 earth? Must we witness “the headlong rage or
heedless folly,” with which our nation is rushing
onward to destruction, and not seek to arrest its
downward course? Shall we silently behold the land
which we love with all the heart-warm affection of
70 children, rendered a hissing and a reproach
throughout the world, by this system which is already
tolling the death-bell of her decease among the
nations? No: the events of the last two years have cast
their dark shadows before, overclouding the bright
75 prospects of the future, and shrouding the destinies
of our country in more than midnight gloom, and we
cannot remain inactive. Our country is as dear to us
as to the proudest statesman, and the more closely
our hearts cling to “our altars and our homes,” the
80 more fervent are our aspirations that every
inhabitant of our land may be protected in his
fireside enjoyments by just and equal laws; that the
foot of the tyrant may no longer invade the domestic
sanctuary, nor his hand tear asunder those whom
85 God himself has united by the most holy ties. Let our
course, then, still be onward!
1 A quotation from the Declaration of Independence

Q. In the passage, Smith most strongly suggests that slavery affects the United States by

A.
lowering the country’s reputation in the international community.
B.
leading many women to disavow their allegiance to the country.
C.
causing violent conflicts in many areas of the country.
D.
weakening the authority of the country’s government.

Detailed Solution for Test: Practice Test - 9 - Question 20

Choice A is the best answer. The fifth sentence of the last paragraph poses the following question: “Shall we silently behold the land which we love with all the heart-warm affection of children, rendered a hissing and a reproach throughout the world, by this system which is already tolling the death-bell of her decease among the nations?” In other words, the continuation of slavery in the United States is being criticized “throughout the world,” such that the existence of slavery affects the United States by lowering the country’s reputation in the international community. Choice B is incorrect because Smith doesn’t suggest that slavery affects the United States by leading many women to disavow their allegiance to the country. Instead, she suggests that it is partly women’s patriotism that should stir them to protest slavery because it is lowering the reputation of the United States in the international community. Choice C is incorrect. Although Smith speaks ominously in the last paragraph of “the events of the last two years” that are “overclouding the bright prospects of the future,” she doesn’t cite any current violent conflicts in the country. Choice D is incorrect because Smith doesn’t suggest that slavery weakens the authority of the country’s government. Instead, she argues that it damages the country’s reputation abroad.

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