Week 5

SECTION 7
Time
25 minutes
24 Questions
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Turn to Section 7 (page 6) ol your answer sheet to ansurer the questions in this section.
Directions: For each question in this section, select the best answer from among the choices given and frll in the corresponding
circle on the answer sheet.
Although the bystander's account of the car accident at
seemed the police officer was surprised, on
further investigation, to find that it was
Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank
first
jndicating fhat sometlring has been omitted- Beneath
the sentence are five words or sets of words labeled A
through E. Choose ttle word or set of words that, when
inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the
(A) dubious . . errorleous
(B) incongruous . . inconsistent
(C) implausible . . correct
(D) logical . . pertinent
(E) probable . . coherent
sentence as a whole.
Example:
Hoping to ------- the dispute, negotiators proposed
a compromise that they felt would be
- to both
labor and management.
(A) enforce..useful
(B) end..divisive
(C) overcome . . unattractive
(D) exfend - - safi.sfacforv
(E) rcsoive . . acceptabie
1. New
\;
(A) divisive (B) transparent (C)
(D) repetitive @) rhetorical
ri:
tii.i i':.;
r.iJ,;
I
(A) missives . . at1 illusory
(Bl themes..athorough
topography of the seafloor.
(A) rnodeis (B) contours (C) remnants
(D) populations (E) pigments
(A) inhibit..protect
(B) disguise . . supplant
tC) strtisfy..limit
(D) compel ..deride
(E) invite..provoke
3. In frigid
regions a layer of pennafrost under the soil
surface prevents water frorn sinking deep into the soil,
and so the water
the land, helping to create bog
and
conditions.
(A) freezes..tropical
(B) parches..marsh
(C) inundates..desert
(D) aerates. . jungle
(E) floods..swamp
concordant
i {i (inti's Chiitiren iverri 'i'ruveiing Shorrs, aurixrr'
Mayu Arrgelou u$es
brief descriptive skerches,
to provide ------ view of Ghana that clearly details the
land and its people.
the
Excessivc secrecy tends to
excessive curiosity
and thus sertes to ------- the tery impulses against
which it guards.
it
fl. In
data measuring
of land beneath the
oceans permit accurate generalizations about the
2.
The legislation facing Congress was so ------- that
threatened to shatter the governing body's fragile
bipartisanship.
(C) vigneftes..avivid
(D) treatises . . an authentic
(E) abstracts . . an ambiguous
1t-
Because an alder horse is more
one, it is safer for a novice rider.
than a )CIunger
(A) frolicsome (B) cantankerous
(C) gargantuan (D) tractable
tE) precipitafe
8. The library's collection is a
of Asian American
historical documents, including rare materials about
race relations.
(A) sumniary (B) fabrication
(D) trove (E) replication
(C)
consensus
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Unautfrcrized ccpvinc or reuse oi
any pai'i ci tnis pag€ is iilegai.
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The passages below are followed by questions based on their content; questions following a pair ofrelated passages may also
be based on the relationship between the paired passages. Answer the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied in the
passages and in any introductory material that may be provided.
Questions 9-10 are based on the following passage.
Questions L1--!2 are based on the following passage.
There you are, driving along the freeway, nobody in
sight, just you, daydreaming, when RIGHT BEHIND YOU
there's a blast of sound, as of some eighteen-wheeler out
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of control, howling in rage WHERE IS IT? t/ithout
thinking, you see all directio$s at once: the emply road
atread and behind, ftre lack of vehicles on all sides. . . .
Siowly, you come to understand that the sound is not
&om the road but from a lughb alling freight trarfr travelling
parallel to the freeway.
How long to go from fuIl alert to anticlimax? Less than
a minute. It was a chemicaLrcaction, pure and simple, and
it crippled time in your mind.
9.
The capital lefters in lines 2 and 4 primady serve to
evoke a sense of
(A) anger
(B) alarm
(C) impaHence
(D) disbelief
(E) embarrassment
(B)
(C)
(D)
G)
Line
5
role models or by roadblocks to women and minority
people^ "I had to learn very early not to limit myself
due to others' Iimited imagination," saj/s Dr. Jemison.
An advocate for science and technology, Jemison rnaint0 lains, "\il/e need to change the image of who does science.
That's important not on15i for folks who want to go into
science, but for the folks who fund science."
11. The primary purpose of the passage is to
(A) note obstacles facing women in science
(B) explain how Jemison fosters interest in science
(C) discuss how Jemison rose to fame
{Dt provide a sketch of Jemison and her goals
(El describe Jemison's introduction to science
10. If the passage were to continue, the nextpangraph
would most iikely discuss
(A) other qualities of frerght trains
When Dr. Mae C. Jernison blasted into orbit aboard the
space shuttie Endeavour on September L2, L992, she also
blasted into history as the first woman of color to go into
space. A chemical engineer, scientist" physician, teacher,
and astronaut, Jemison has been undaunted by a lack of
that often cause
anxiety in humans
rhe chemical reaction that occurs when drivers
rcpeatedly honk their horns in H'affic
the destination of the driver and the reason for
the driver's haste
the nature of the chemical reaction that occurs
when people become scared
imporrant differences betw€uoft the effects of truck
horns and trair whistles on humans
L2. In iines 9-L2, Jemison is represented
(A) a political ideologue
(B) an arbitrator of disputes
(C) a mentor to women
(D) a charismatic visionary
(E) a champion af reform
as
ry
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Questions L3-24 are based on the following pair of
passages.
Mar* Twain is tlze pseudon),m of Sarnuel Clelnens
{ I835-1910), who is best knownfor his stories about lfe
alorcg the Missrssrppi River. He also l,ectured and. read
from his writings in many countries aroand the world. The
following passages are adapted from two essar-s about
Clemens publishecl while Clemens was still alive.
Passage
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20
30
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Unailthorized clplriitg oi' reuse ol
an!' pa,'i oi tnis pa,g? is iiiegai,
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\ltrile Marlc Twain has declared that humor is a
"subject which has never had muph interest" for him, it is
a,s a hruncrri-sf thaf the world persisl-q fui regarding him. If i,s
certain that Mark Twain is the greatest genius evolved by
nanrral selection out of the ranks of American journalism.
Crude, rudimentarf, and often coarse as much of his writing
was, it bore upon it the fresh stamp of contemporary
aetuality. American humor, neifher unfathomablJ' absurd
like the kish, nor sharp and sensible and fulI of the realities
'
of life like rhe Scouish, is simply fhe humor of imagination.
It consists in piling towers on towers and mountains on
mountains; of heaping a jolce up to the stars and extending
it to the end of the world.
Humor, it must be remembered, is a function of
nationaliqy. The same joke, as related by an American,
a Scotsmaf, or an lrishman, carries with it a distinctive
ethnic flavor and individuality of approach. Indeed, it is
open to question whether most humor does not reguire
some specialized knowledge of some particular iocaliry.
The secre[ of Mark Twain's worldwide popularity as a
humorist is not to be attributed to any triclcs of style, to
any breadth of knowl edge, or even fo axy depth of inteilectrrality. His humor has international range because it is
constructed out of a deep comprehension of human nalure
and a profound sympathy for human relationships and
human failings; thus, it successfully surmounts the difficulties cf translatian inro aJien tongues. Above all, he has
sympathtzed with and admired rhe citizens of every nation,
seeking beneath the surface veneer the universal raits of
that nation's humanity. It is a matter of fact that he has
made far more damaging admissions concerning America
than concerning any other natron. 'My secre! if there is a
secret," Twain has said, "is to create humor independent of
local conditions. Thrcugh studying humanity as exhibited
in the people and localities I best knew and understood, I
have sougirt to winnow out the encumbrance of the local.
Humor, Like moraliry, has its eternal verities."
Passage 2
Humor as a solid quality and a lucrative trade is of
.modern jnvenijon. The great me^n wbo dared to laugfu in
an ezrrlier age than ours laughed in moderation and with
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a wise purpose. Aristophanes, Shakespeare, and Chaucer
are the ffue humorists of our world. They did not jest out
of season. Their humor is precious cln accclunt of its parsimony. They do not at every rurn slap their readers on the
back and assure them that there is nothing congruous in
the visible world. Of the i:reverence that nlrns whatever
is beautiful or noble into a snrpid jest they knew nothing.
They kept their humor in its proper place; they used it for a
wise pulpose; they did not degrade it to catch an easy round
of applause; anc.. fortunately for them, the;' are todaS'refused
the august title of humorist" which sits so aptly upon the
shoulders of Mark Twain.
The essence of humor is that it should be unexpected.
The modern humorist is never unexpected. He beats the
drunr from fire momefrtat which heappears upon the stage.
Mark Twain brings whatever tirne has honored down to
the level of a Yankee dmmmer. He finds evety custom
ridiculous that does not conform with the standard of the
United States. He holds his sides when he thinics of the
old masters. Nor does he undgr'stand that there are certain
manifestations of genius which shculd be sacred even for
the jester. In otherwords, Mark Twain the humorist is a
bull in the china shop of ideas. When, as in A Connecticut
Yankee in King Arthur's Court, he gave full rein to his
fancy, he achieved such a masterpiece of vulgarity as the
world has never seen. His book gives you the same sort
of impression which you might receive from a beautiful
picrure over which a poisonous slug had crawled. The hint
of magnjficence j-q flere, pitilessly deform od and defaced.
And it is the more pitiful because he has a talent which
stands in need of no folly for its embellishment. Had he
never cut a joke, had he refrained always from grinnin g at
grave and beautiful things, how brilliant a fame would have
been his
!
13. S&ich starement best describes how the authors of the
two passages differ in their views of Twain's humor?
(.{)
(B)
(C)
(D)
The author of Passage l critictzes its offensive
sfyle, whereas the author of Passage 2 deplores
its American bias.
The author of Passage 1 views it as mediocre,
whereas the author of Pass age 2 views it as
intolerabie.
The aufhor of Passage 1 concludes that it is trivial,
whereas the author of PassageZ concludes that it
is harmless.
The author of Passage 1 praises its universality,
whereas the author of Pass age 2 disparages its
lack of discrimination.
@)
The author of Passage 1 admires its vigor, vrhereas
the author of Passage 2 considers it understated.
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14. [n line 23, Passage
l,
"range" most nearly means
19. which of the following renns would the author of
(A) scope
(B) distance
(C) variation
(D) ranking
(E) value
Passage 2 most
15. In iines 23-77 ("His humor . . . tongues"), the author
of Pass age 1 attributes Twain's international popularity
tikely use to describe Twain?
(A) Aristocrat
(B) Reformer
(C) Apologist
(D) Yisionary
G) Chauvinist
20. In the last
to his
sentence of Passage2 (line,s 7'l-74),the
auihor indicates that Mark Twain
(A)
knowledge of comedic style
intellectual breadth
(A)
would have enjoyed fame despire his vulgariry
tC) understanding of people
{D) ffiaster}' of forei gn lang&ages
(E) reputation for appealing ro erhnic
(B)
would have been a better writer if he had not
aftemptaC humor
qiould have enjoyed a brilliant career if he had
perfected his comedic technique
was an amateur and a dilettante whose interest in
humor was superficial
was destined for faiiure as a result of his
insensitivlty to his audience
G)
and cnrdeness
(C)
humor
(D)
16. Which of the following most nearly capfures rhe
meaning of "winnow . . . local" (line 36, Passa-ee 1) ?
Gl
(A) lntermix local details with universal tmrhs
@) Take out that which prevenB one from recogpizing
(C)
the universal
Use the universal as a way to place the specific
in confext
Devise new ways ro express old tmfhs
(iE) Reap the benefits of local customs so as to
understand the universal
(D)
17. which of the following, if true, would most seriousiy
undermine the main argument presented in Passage 1 ?
(A)
(B)
(C)
Humor is intrinsicall5' connected to a sense of
morality.
Certatn culrural differences are so powerful rhar ir
is impossible for them to be transcended.
Humor is a function of imaginarion coupled with
exaggeration.
to be successful as a humorist, one must
have specialtzed knowledge of local customs.
Humor is based on perpefual tmths.
(D) In order
G)
18, Twain's sfle of humor is crtttctzed in Passage
2
2t.
Vt'hich of the following, if ftue, would best suppofi rhe
main argument presented in Pass age 2 ?
(A) Literary gFeatness
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
22. How would the aurhor of
Passage 1 most likely
respond to the assertion in Passage 2 ttrat Twain
ridicules everything "that does not conform with
the standard of the United Srares" (lines 58-59) ?
(A) Twain reseryes his harshest criticism for America.
G) Twain is a gifted American jcumalist.
(C)
mainl-v because the author believes that Twain
(A) lacks the subtlery of the literary masrers
(B) ignores local custorns
(C) confuses the standards of different nations
(D) attempts too hard to appear refined
G) is less annusing as a public speaker than as a writer
can sometimes be the subject of
offensive satireCertain subjects are not easily satinzed.
Intelligent men and women appreciate a good jolce
at their own expense every now and then.
Humorists are likely to be well received when they
underrake to ridicule respected writers of the past.
Contemporaty irumorists are never as insightful as
the great comic writers of the past.
(D)
@)
Twain achieved international success because he
is American.
Twain affempts to create a rrniquely American
sryle of humor.
Twain is captivated by Arnerican culture.
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23. Which of the following pairs best represents each
aufhor's attihrde toward the term 'humoristo" as used
in Passage 1 (line 3) and Passage 2 (line 62) ?
1
(A) Amusement
(B) Envy
(C) Pride
(D) Approval
{E) Respect
Passage
24. How would the author of Passage 2 mo$ likely respond
to fhe claim made by the author of Passage 1 that
Passage 2
Anger
Mockery
Twain "admired the citizens of every nation, seeking
beneath the surface veneer the universal traits of that
nation's humanity" (lines 28-30) ?
(A) Twain's humor
is so unexpected that he is able
to see startling aspects about the behavior of
people all over the world.
Embarrassment
Smugness
(B) Twain shares with
the humorists of the past the
tendency to attack foolishness whenever he
Dtsdain
sees
(C) Twain
(D)
it
is limited by his inability to see things from
anything other than an American perspective.
Twain always uses his humor for a wise purpose
and uses humor to emphasize the importance of
people respectrng each other,
(E)
STOP
The effect of Twain's probing beneath the surface
is limited by the fact ttrat he is not nearly as
funny ss, mzr;' people claim he is.
lf you finish before time is called, you may check your work on this section onlp
Do not turn to any other section in the test

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