All practice questions

Passage

For over a century, the giant tortoises of the Galápagos Islands have fascinated biologists studying evolutionary adaptation. These massive reptiles, which can weigh up to 500 pounds, have developed distinct shell shapes depending on the environment of their specific island. On wetter islands with abundant low-growing plants, tortoises have dome-shaped shells that keep their necks closer to the ground. On drier islands where food grows higher up, they have 'saddleback' shells with a high arch that allows them to stretch their necks upward to reach tree cacti. *Charles Darwin visited the Galápagos Islands in 1835.* This physical variation directly illustrates how species adapt to their local habitats over generations.

Question

The writer is considering deleting the italicized sentence from the passage. Should the writer make this deletion?

In 1842, Italian mathematician Luigi Menabrea published a paper on Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine. Ada Lovelace undertook the task of translating this French document into English. The memoir, which she expanded with her own notes, became a landmark in computer science.

Which choice most effectively punctuates the underlined portion of the sentence?

Marie Tharp began transforming raw sonar data collected from the Atlantic Ocean into detailed topographic maps in the early 1950s. At the time, she was barred from research vessels due to her gender, so she relied on her colleague Bruce Heezen to gather the depth measurements. As Tharp meticulously plotted the points, she noticed a massive, V-shaped rift running down the center of the ocean floor. Heezen initially dismissed her findings as 'girl talk,' but Tharp persisted, convinced that this feature was a rift valley that proved the theory of continental drift.

Ultimately, Heezen was convinced after he mapped the epicenters of undersea earthquakes, which aligned perfectly with Tharp's rift valley. [1] Furthermore, they decided to publish a map of their findings in 1977.

Which choice most effectively concludes the passage by highlighting the ultimate success of Tharp's research and its impact on the scientific understanding of Earth's geology?

The writer wants to arrange the sentences to logically explain the progression of Mary Anderson's invention from identifying the problem to developing and ultimately establishing the solution. Arrange the sentences in the most logical order to achieve this goal.

The following paragraphs are from an essay about the historic discovery of a rare fish. To make the essay most logical and cohesive, in what order should the paragraphs be placed?

Passage Excerpt:

In the early nineteenth century, a Cherokee silversmith named Sequoyah became fascinated by the 'talking leaves'—the written language used by European settlers. Though he could neither read nor write English, Sequoyah spent years developing a writing system for his native Cherokee tongue. He began by drawing pictures to represent words, but this proved too cumbersome, so he ultimately created eighty-five symbols representing distinct syllables. By 1821, his syllabary was complete, allowing the Cherokee Nation to quickly establish its own newspaper, *The Cherokee Phoenix*.

Given that all the choices are factual, which choice best emphasizes the physical effort and determination Sequoyah demonstrated while developing his writing system?

The following paragraphs are from an essay about deep-sea hydrothermal vents.

Paragraph 1
In 1977, oceanographers exploring the Galapagos Rift made a discovery that fundamentally altered our understanding of biology. Using the research submersible *Alvin*, they descended more than 8,000 feet below the ocean surface, where water temperatures are near freezing and sunlight never penetrates. There, they found hydrothermal vents spewing mineral-rich, superheated water. Surprisingly, these vents were surrounded by thriving ecosystems of giant tube worms, clams, and crabs.

Paragraph 2
Prior to this expedition, it was widely accepted that all food webs relied on solar energy. [1] Near the vents, however, specialized bacteria generate energy by oxidizing toxic hydrogen sulfide, a process called chemosynthesis. These microbes form the base of a unique food chain, demonstrating that complex life can flourish without any sunlight at all.

Which choice provides the most logical and effective transition from the preceding paragraph?

Historically, archives stored early motion pictures on cellulose nitrate film. This material is notoriously unstable, deteriorating into a sticky, acidic powder over time. Worse, nitrate film is highly flammable and can burn rapidly even when submerged in water. [1] Consequently, film archivists must carefully control storage environments to prevent devastating losses.

The writer wants to add a sentence at Point [1] that describes the specific chemical properties or hazards of cellulose nitrate film to emphasize why it is so dangerous. Which choice most effectively accomplishes this goal?

A student is writing an essay about the invention of the Post-it Note.

[1] In 1968, Spencer Silver, a chemist at 3M, was attempting to develop a super-strong adhesive for the aerospace industry. [2] Instead, he accidentally created a 'low-tack' adhesive that could be easily peeled off surfaces without leaving any residue. [3] Years later, his co-worker Art Fry realized this weak adhesive could be used to keep bookmarks from falling out of his hymnal. [4] This simple concept led to the creation of the Post-it Note, which is now a staple in offices worldwide.

The writer is considering adding the following sentence after Sentence 2:

'Super-strong adhesives are also used in construction to bond heavy building materials together.'

Should the writer make this addition?

Paragraph 1

[1] In 1888, inventor George Eastman revolutionized photography by introducing the Kodak camera. [2] Before this landmark invention, taking photos required heavy, complex equipment and a mobile darkroom. [3] Eastman's new device was small, lightweight, and pre-loaded with a roll of flexible paper film. [4] To use it, customers simply took their photos and then mailed the entire camera back to the factory in Rochester, New York.

The writer wants to add the following sentence to the paragraph:

"Once the film was developed there, the company sent back the prints along with the camera, which was reloaded with a new roll of film."

To make the paragraph most logical, where should this sentence be placed?

In the mid-twentieth century, the design of workspaces underwent a dramatic transformation with the introduction of the "Action Office" system. Developed by Robert Propst in 1964, this layout aimed to increase productivity by providing workers with flexible, customizable components, such as standing desks and movable display shelves. [1] Propst believed that office workers were more creative when they had freedom of movement and visual privacy. Ironically, corporate employers stripped away the system's dynamic elements to maximize space, leading to the birth of the standardized, sterile office cubicles that dominate workspaces today.

The writer is considering adding the following sentence at Point [1]:

"Propst, who held over 120 patents during his career, also designed a timber-harvesting machine and a specialized hospital bed."

Should the writer make this addition here?

To reconstruct the culinary habits of prehistoric societies, archaeologists analyze ancient pottery shards for chemical residues: lipids, proteins, and complex carbohydrates left behind by long-ago meals.

Which of the following versions of the underlined portion is correct?

Tardigrades can survive in the most extreme environments on Earth, including volcanic vents and freezing glaciers. Consequently, they are most commonly found in ordinary, damp settings like mossy bricks and garden soil.

Which choice provides the most logical transition from the preceding sentence?

The following paragraph may or may not be in the most logical order.

[1] For centuries, scholars believed that Mayan hieroglyphs were purely ideographic, representing abstract concepts rather than specific spoken sounds. [2] This consensus began to crumble in the 1950s when Soviet linguist Yuri Knorozov proposed that the glyphs functioned primarily as a phonetic syllabary. [3] His Western peers, however, rejected this hypothesis, dismissing it as politically motivated propaganda. [4] Decades later, art historian Linda Schele built upon this phonetic foundation to reconstruct the dynastic histories inscribed on the ruins of Palenque. [5] Despite this skepticism, Knorozov established the phonetic system that would eventually allow researchers to read the texts aloud.

For the sake of logic and cohesion, Sentence 5 should be placed:

According to legend, the Chinese emperor Shennong discovered tea in 2737 BCE when wild leaves drifted into his pot of boiling water. He found the resulting brew refreshing and restorative. [1] Consequently, he immediately ordered his court to cultivate the plant throughout his empire.

Refer to the underlined portion marked [1] in the passage. Which of the following choices most effectively establishes the logical relationship between the two sentences?

The following passage is an excerpt from an essay about modern physics.

Although the standard model of particle physics has successfully predicted the existence of numerous subatomic particles, it fails to account for gravity or dark matter. In addition, physicists have proposed string theory—which conceptualizes particles as vibrating one-dimensional strings rather than zero-dimensional points—to bridge these theoretical gaps.

Which choice most effectively establishes a logical transition between the two sentences?

[1]
In 1903, during a winter visit to New York City, Mary Anderson observed a trolley driver struggling to see through the freezing sleet. The driver frequently opened the front window to wipe the wet snow off the windshield by hand, exposing the passengers to the cold and delaying the trip. To solve this problem, Anderson sketched a design for a rubber blade attached to a hand-operated lever inside the vehicle. She patented her invention, the windshield wiper, in 1903, but manufacturing companies initially rejected it, believing the device would distract drivers. However, as the automobile industry boomed in the following decades, Anderson's design proved indispensable. [2]

The writer wants to add a concluding sentence after sentence [2] that highlights the long-term impact of Anderson's invention on modern transportation. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?

Many cities are replacing traditional streetlights with light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs to save energy. These modern bulbs consume up to 80 percent less electricity than standard sodium vapor lamps. Although LEDs are highly efficient, some residents complain that the cool, blue-white light they emit is too harsh compared to the warm glow of older lights. Sodium vapor lamps were first developed in the 1930s and became popular for street lighting due to their long lifespan. Consequently, some municipalities are adjusting the color temperature of their new LED installations to address these concerns.

The writer is considering deleting the sentence 'Sodium vapor lamps were first developed in the 1930s and became popular for street lighting due to their long lifespan.' from the passage. Should this sentence be kept or deleted?

For the sake of the logic and cohesion of the paragraph, where should the following sentence be placed?

"This dance communicates both the distance and direction of the food source."

[1] When a honeybee finds a rich source of nectar, it returns to the hive to share this information with other bees. [2] It performs a series of movements known as the "waggle dance" on the honeycomb. [3] The orientation of the bee's body during the dance indicates the direction of the food relative to the sun. [4] In this way, the scout bee successfully recruits its hive mates to harvest the newly discovered flowers.

In the late nineteenth century, bicycle manufacturer Adeline Gray noticed that the heavy wool skirts women were expected to wear made riding both [1] cumbersome and dangerous. Nonetheless, she designed the 'safety skirt,' which used a system of pulleys to raise the fabric away from the wheels.

Which of the following choices best replaces the underlined portion to establish the most logical transition and maintain correct sentence structure?