Critical Reading Passages

Science Passages
This passage is excerpted from Joseph Mascaro, Gregory P Asner, Stuart Davies, Alex Dehgan, and
Sassan Saatchi, These Are the Days of Lasers in the Jungle, 2014 by Joseph Mascaro, et al.

Beginning of reading passage.

Just as the Moons history was disrobed by laser ranging 50 years ago, Earths
tropical forests are giving up their secrets to the light. Airborne light detection and
rangingcalled LiDARhas over the last ten years become a key tool that
ecologists use to understand physical variation in tropical forests across space and
time. Like an MRI of the human brain, LiDAR probes the intricate threedimensional architecture of the forest canopy, unveiling carbon that forests keep
out of the atmosphere, and also the mounting threats to that carbon storehouse:
drought, fire, clandestine logging and brash gold-mining operations. Even the
quintessential natural disturbance of the sun-filled light gaplong thought to
enhance the incredibly high species diversity of tropical forestshas been
deconstructed by laser technology.
Laser ranging in tropical forests is such a game-changing technology that
science results can scarcely get through peer-review before they are dwarfed by
still larger-scale studies. In a decade, laser power on commercial-grade LiDARs
has skyrocketed and costs have plummeted. These improvements in LiDAR
technology allow airplanes to fly faster, higher and farther, covering more forest
area in a single day than every ground-based survey that has ever been collected in
the history of tropical ecology. To estimate the amount of carbon stored in a 50hectare tropical forest monitoring plot on the groundthe largest field plot in the
worldtakes a team of 12 people about eight months: a slog of rain and mud and
snakes with tape measures and data log books. Todays airborne LiDARs can get
you to within about 10% of the same carbon estimate in eight seconds.
It is this staggering contrast in scale between LiDAR and fieldwork that led us
here: Before this decade is out, we could directly assess the carbon stock of every
single square hectare of tropical forest on Earth. We could do it just as well as if
we were standing there in the flesh with tape measures in hand. And we could do
it for far less than what we have already spent to offset carbon emissions from
forests. . . .
It is easy in principle, though logistically nightmarish, to measure carbon in
tropical forests. A strict constructionist would cut, dry and weigh the biomass of
the worlds forests. But this is a self-defeating enterprise. As a result, it is likely
that no one has measured carbon over a single hectare of tropical forest, even with
the most detailed field surveys. For a century ecologists and foresters have relied
on allometric1estimation in lieu of carbon measurements to translate field surveys

of tree diameters, heights and wood densities into whole-forest carbon estimates.
Given a volume with known dimensions and density, one would estimate its mass
in a similar fashion.
As the new kid on the block, LiDAR has been tacked onto the back end
initially thought of as kind of large-scale helper to field surveys. Carbon estimates
from the field have been treated as something inherently closer to the real thing
than measurements made by LiDARground Truth with a capital T. This is
perhaps understandable historically, but vis--vis actual carbon, there is no such
thing as ground truth: both field and LiDAR efforts rely on allometry to convert
measurements into carbon estimates. Prior to using these measurements for
carbon estimation, they exist as standardized, spatially explicit, archivable and
verifiable datathe needed substrate for a REDD2-type accounting program.
Due to the constancy of the underlying measurements, both field and LiDAR
data could provide the needed information if they covered every hectare on
Earth. But, in the case of field surveys, this is impossible. The surveys that do
exist measure a tiny amount of actual forest, and so what might be verified is
widely spaced. And to avoid fraud and protect landowners, many governments
keep their plot locations secret. Satellite LiDAR data remain sparse, providing
only extrapolated, coarse-resolution carbon estimates with very high uncertainties,
and there is no prospect of wall-to-wall coverage in the near future. By 2020,
airborne LiDAR could give us a direct measurement of 3-D forest structure for
every hectare in the tropics: a standardized database from which to build a carbon
economy.
Pertaining to the study of changing proportions in part of an organism or body resulting from growth.
Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation, a program implemented by the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
1
2

Passage 1 is excerpted from Linden Miles, "The Meandering Mind: Vection and Mental Time Travel,"
2010 by Linden Miles. Passage 2 is excerpted from Justin Gregg, "A New Frontier in Animal
Intelligence," 2013 by Scientific American.

Passage 1
The ability to travel mentally through time sets humans apart from many other
species, yet little is known about this core cognitive capacity. In particular, what
shapes the passage of the mind's journey through time?
A core facet of conscious experience is that one's mind periodically wanders
from the here-and-now. From memories of lost loves to expectations about
forthcoming vacations, mental time travel (MTT) makes it possible to revisit the

past and pre-experience the future. Present across cultures and emerging early in
childhood, MTT is believed to serve a pivotal function in human cognition. When
confronted with complex and challenging judgments, simulating future outcomes
(i.e., prospection) on the basis of prior experience (i.e., retrospection) is a tactic
that optimizes decision-making and behavioral selection. That the past informs the
future in this way (i.e., recollection-guides-simulation) is evidenced from research
demonstrating that retrospection and prospection rely on largely overlapping
neural structures and cognitive operations.
However, remarkably little is known about the actual process of MTT and how
it impacts people's behavior. In this respect, one emerging possibility is that MTT
may be represented in the sensory-motor systems that regulate human movement
(i.e., MTT is embodied). Put simply, traveling mentally in time may initiate
associated bodily movements through space. Initial evidence for such a thoughtaction coupling during MTT was reported in a study in which spontaneous
fluctuations in the direction and magnitude of postural sway were assessed while
participants engaged in either retrospective or prospective mental imagery. The
results revealed that the temporal locus of MTT did indeed influence the direction
of people's movements whereas retrospection was accompanied by significant
backwards sway, prospection yielded postural movement in an anterior direction.
End of reading passage.

Passage 2
Santino was a misanthrope with a habit of pelting tourists with rocks. As his
reputation for mischief grew, he had to devise increasingly clever ways to ambush
his wary victims. Santino learned to stash his rocks just out of sight and casually
stand just a few feet from them in order to throw off suspicion. At the very
moment that passersby were fooled into thinking that he meant them no harm, he
grabbed his hidden projectiles and launched his attack.
Santino, you see, is not human. Hes a chimpanzee at Furuvik Zoo in
Sweden. His crafty stone-throwing escapades have made him a global celebrity,
and also caught the attention of researchers studying how animals, much like
humans, might be able to plan their behavior.
Santino is one of a handful of animals that scientists believe are showing a
complex cognitive ability called episodic memory. Episodic memory is the ability
to recall past events that one has the sense of having personally
experienced. Unlike semantic memory, which involves recalling simple facts like
bee stings hurt, episodic memory involves putting yourself at the heart of the
memory; like remembering the time you swatted at a bee with a rolled up
newspaper and it got angry and stung your hand.
If an animal can imagine itself interacting with the world in the past via
episodic memory like Santino recalling a failed attack when a human spotted
him holding a rock, or you remembering swatting at a bee it stands to reason that

the animal might also be able to imagine itself in the future in a similar scenario,
and thus plan its behavior. Santino might opt to hide his rocks, and you might
decide to stop antagonizing bees. The ability to represent oneself and ones actions
in the minds eye both in the past [and] in the future is what scientists refer to
as mental time travel.
QUESTION 1 OF 11
Over the course of passage 1, the main focus shifts from
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

a scientific study about mental time travel to an example of how humans use mental time
travel in their daily lives.

(Choice B)B
a description of the evolution of mental time travel to an evaluation of its limitations in
humans.

(Choice C, Checked)C
an explanation of mental time travel to a description of a study about its neurological basis.

(Choice D)D

an argument in support of the existence of mental time travel to a counter-argument refuting

its existence in humans.
QUESTION 2 OF 11
It can reasonably be inferred from passage 1 that, in humans, the existence of mental time travel
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

begins before birth.

(Choice B)B

continues to develop throughout adulthood.

(Choice C, Checked)C

is universal.

(Choice D)D

is limited to certain populations around the world.

QUESTION 3 OF 11
Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A
lines 12 (The . . . species)
(The ability to travel mentally through time sets humans apart from many other species,)

(Choice B)B
lines 58 (From . . . future)
(From memories of lost loves to expectations about forthcoming vacations, mental time
travel (MTT) makes it possible to revisit the past and pre-experience the future.)

(Choice C, Checked)C
lines 89 (Present . . . childhood)
(Present across cultures and emerging early in childhood,)

(Choice D)D

lines 1013 (When . . . selection)

(When confronted with complex and challenging judgments, simulating future outcomes
(i.e.,prospection) on the basis of prior experience (i.e.,retrospection) is a tactic that optimizes
decision-making and behavioral selection.)
QUESTION 4 OF 11
As used in
line 10
(pivotal)
, pivotal most nearly means
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

critical

(Choice B, Checked)B

basic

(Choice C)C

overriding

(Choice D)D

Urgent
QUESTION 5 OF 11
In the first paragraph of passage 2, the use of the words mischief, clever, and fooled serves
mainly to
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A, Checked)A
suggest that Santino had a violent disposition.

(Choice B)B

call attention to Santinos advanced cognitive abilities.

(Choice C)C
imply that Santino was smarter than most chimpanzees.

(Choice D)D

illustrate Santinos reliance on semantic memory.

QUESTION 6 OF 11
The author of passage 2 indicates that Santinos use of episodic memory is most evidenced by his
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

ability to recall past experiences.

(Choice B)B

accuracy when throwing objects.

(Choice C)C

disinterest in other chimpanzees.

(Choice D)D

tendency to interact with humans.

QUESTION 7 OF 11
According to passage 2, which choice best summarizes the relationship between episodic and
semantic memory?
Please choose from one of the following options.


(Choice A)A

Episodic memory is a more advanced form of semantic memory.

(Choice B)B

Episodic memory relies on personal experiences while semantic memory relies on fact
recollection.

(Choice C)C
Episodic memory is an essential component of consciousness while semantic memory is not.

(Choice D)D

Some animals are capable of episodic memory, but all animals are capable of semantic
memory.
QUESTION 8 OF 11
Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A
lines 3941 (His . . . behavior)
(His crafty stone-throwing escapades have made him a global celebrity, and also caught the
attention of researchers studying how animals, much like humans, might be able to plan their
behavior.)

(Choice B)B

lines 4244 (Santino . . .memory)

(Santino is one of a handful of animals that scientists believe are showing a complex
cognitive ability called episodic memory.)

(Choice C)C

lines 4647 (Unlike . . . memory)

(Unlike semantic memory, which involves recalling simple facts like bee stings hurt,
episodic memory involves putting yourself at the heart of the memory;)

(Choice D)D

lines 5658 (The . . . travel)

(The ability to represent oneself and ones actions in the minds eye both in the past [and]
in the future is what scientists refer to as mental time travel.)
QUESTION 9 OF 11

The authors of passage 1 and passage 2 would likely agree about which of the following
characteristics of mental time travel?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

That it is similar to the concept of semantic memory

(Choice B)B

That it is a sophisticated cognitive ability

(Choice C)C

That it is present throughout the animal kingdom

(Choice D)D
That it can affect the positioning and movement of the body

QUESTION 10 OF 11
Which of the following types of evidence is relied upon in passage 1 but not in passage 2?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

Expert testimonies

(Choice B)B

Personal narratives

(Choice C, Checked)C

Scientific studies

(Choice D)D

Historical data
QUESTION 11 OF 11
The author of passage 1 would likely use which of the following terms to describe Santinos ability to
recall past events?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

Retrospection


(Choice B)B

Prospection

(Choice C)C

Simulation

(Choice D)D

Semantic memory

This passage is excerpted from David B. Wake and Vance T. Vredenburg, "Amphibians in Crisis."
2008 by The National Academy of Sciences of the USA.

Beginning of reading passage.

Amphibians have received much attention during the last two decades because
of a now-general understanding that a larger proportion of amphibian species are
at risk of extinction than those of any other taxon.* Why this should be has
perplexed amphibian specialists. A large number of factors have been implicated,
including most prominently habitat destruction and epidemics of infectious
diseases; global warming also has been invoked as a contributing factor. What
makes the amphibian case so compelling is the fact that amphibians are long-term
survivors that have persisted through the last four mass extinctions.
Paradoxically, although amphibians have proven themselves to be survivors in
the past, there are reasons for thinking that they might be vulnerable to current
environmental challenges and, hence, serve as multipurpose sentinels of
environmental health. The typical life cycle of a frog involves aquatic
development of eggs and larvae and terrestrial activity as adults, thus exposing
them to a wide range of environments.
Frog larvae are typically herbivores, whereas adults are carnivores, thus
exposing them to a wide diversity of food, predators, and parasites. Amphibians
have moist skin, and cutaneous respiration is more important than respiration by
lungs. The moist, well vascularized skin places them in intimate contact with their
environment. One might expect them to be vulnerable to changes in water or air
quality resulting from diverse pollutants. Amphibians are thermal-conformers, thus
making them sensitive to environmental temperature changes, which may be
especially important for tropical montane (e.g., cloud forest) species that have
experienced little temperature variation. Such species may have little acclimation
ability in rapidly changing thermal regimes. In general, amphibians have small
geographic ranges, but this is accentuated in most terrestrial species (the majority
of salamanders; a large proportion of frog species also fit this category) that

develop directly from terrestrial eggs that have no free-living larval stage. These
small ranges make them especially vulnerable to habitat changes that might result
from either direct or indirect human activities.
Living amphibians (Class Amphibia, Subclass Lissamphibia) include frogs
(~5,600 currently recognized species), salamanders (~570 species), and caecilians
(~175 species). Most information concerning declines and extinctions has come
from studies of frogs, which are the most numerous and by far the most widely
distributed of living amphibians. Salamanders facing extinctions are centered in
Middle America. Caecilians are the least well known; little information on their
status with respect to extinction exists.
The Global Amphibian Assessment completed its first round of evaluating the
status of all then-recognized species in 2004, finding 32.5% of the known species
of amphibians to be globally threatened by using the established top three
categories of threat of extinction (i.e. Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically
Endangered); 43% of species have declining populations. In general, greater
numbers as well as proportions of species are at risk in tropical countries. Updates
from the Global Amphibian Assessment are ongoing and show that, although new
species described since 2004 are mostly too poorly known to be assessed, >20% of
analyzed species are in the top three categories of threat. Species from montane
tropical regions, especially those associated with stream or streamside habitats, are
most likely to be severely threatened.
A group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit.

QUESTION 1 OF 11
The main idea of the first two paragraphs is that amphibians
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A, Checked)A

have traditionally been very persistent but are now disproportionately endangered.

(Choice B)B

face a risk of extinction greater than that of any other group of organisms.

(Choice C)C
have been praised by scientists for their ability to withstand the last four mass extinctions.

(Choice D)D

now face extinction across all species because of human activity.

QUESTION 2 OF 11
As used in

line 8
(compelling)
, compelling most nearly means
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

urgent.

(Choice B, Checked)B

captivating.

(Choice C)C

overwhelming.

(Choice D)D

forced.
QUESTION 3 OF 11
The author implies that the study of frogs and other amphibians is especially important because these
species
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

are sensitive to environmental changes that might affect other species in the future.

(Choice B)B

have less ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions than other species do.

(Choice C, Checked)C

are exposed to more predators and parasites than other species are.

(Choice D)D

embody the principles of evolution more clearly and linearly than other species do.
QUESTION 4 OF 11
Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

lines 1114

(Paradoxically, although amphibians have proven themselves to be survivors in the past,

there are reasons for thinking that they might be vulnerable to current environmental
challenges and, hence, serve as multipurpose sentinels of environmental health.)
(Paradoxically . . . health)

(Choice B)B
lines 1416
(The typical life cycle of a frog involves aquatic development of eggs and larvae and
terrestrial activity as adults, thus exposing them to a wide range of environments.)
(The typical . . . environments)

(Choice C, Checked)C

lines 1719
(Frog larvae are typically herbivores, whereas adults are carnivores, thus exposing them to a
wide diversity of food, predators, and parasites.)
(Frog . . . parasites)

(Choice D)D
lines 1921
(Amphibians have moist skin, and cutaneous respiration is more important than respiration
by lungs.)
(Amphibians . . . lungs)

QUESTION 5 OF 11
The author discusses the thermal conformity of amphibians in order to
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A, Checked)A

show why they are so susceptible to being harmed by changes in their environments.

(Choice B)B
contrast them with other types of animals that other scientists have studied in greater depth.

(Choice C)C

prove that amphibians are the most sensitive of all animals and therefore need to be treated
with greater care.

(Choice D)D
question why the geographic ranges of amphibians is so small compared to that of other
species.
QUESTION 6 OF 11

Frogs have been studied more than other amphibians because

Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A, Checked)A

members of other species are less common and not found in as many places.

(Choice B)B
they model human biology better than other amphibians.

(Choice C)C

so many other amphibian species have recently become extinct.

(Choice D)D

their sensitivity to environments makes them ideal for study.

QUESTION 7 OF 11
Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A, Checked)A
lines 3537
(Living amphibians (Class Amphibia, Subclass Lissamphibia) include frogs (~5,600
currently recognized species), salamanders (~570 species), and caecilians (~175 species).)
(Living . . . species.)

(Choice B)B

lines 3740
(Most information concerning declines and extinctions has come from studies of frogs, which
are the most numerous and by far the most widely distributed of living amphibians.)
(Most . . . amphibians)

(Choice C)C
lines 4041
(Salamanders facing extinctions are centered in Middle America.)
(Salamanders . . . America)

(Choice D)D
lines 4142
(Caecilians are the least well known; little information on their status with respect to
extinction exists.)
(Caecilians . . . exists)

QUESTION 8 OF 11
The phrase globally threatened (
line 46
(globally threatened)
) primarily serves to
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

show that scientists consider amphibians future perilous by the seriousness of the terms.

(Choice B)B
lend authority to the authors argument about amphibian extinction by using a well-recognized
phrase.

(Choice C)C
quote the scientists at The Global Amphibian Assessment so that readers understand the
limited nature of their statistics.

(Choice D)D

demonstrate that, though amphibians have been referred to as threatened, this term is
questionably applied.
QUESTION 9 OF 11
The graph supports the statement in the last paragraph about the evaluation completed in 2004 by
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

demonstrating that approximately of amphibian species are in the top three categories of
threat.

(Choice B)B
showing that only 1% of amphibians have gone extinct in the wild, despite predictions to the
contrary.

(Choice C)C

highlighting that scientists have not collected enough data on a significant number of
amphibian species.

(Choice D)D

proving that the remaining species of amphibians will become extinct in the future.
QUESTION 10 OF 11

Information from the graph and the passage suggests that the second-largest category includes most of
the worlds
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

caecilians.

(Choice B)B

salamanders.

(Choice C)C

frogs.

(Choice D)D
montane amphibians.
QUESTION 11 OF 11
The third-largest category represents amphibians that are classified as
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

endangered.

(Choice B)B

least concern.

(Choice C)C

extinct.

(Choice D)D

vulnerable.

Adapted from Abi Berger, "Magnetic Resonance Imaging," 2002 by Abi Berger.

Beginning of reading passage.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses the body's natural magnetic properties
to produce detailed images from any part of the body. For imaging purposes the

hydrogen nucleus (a single proton) is used because of its abundance in water and
fat.
The hydrogen proton can be likened to the planet earth,spinning on its axis,
with a north-south pole. In this respect it behaves like a small bar magnet. Under
normal circumstances, these hydrogen proton bar magnets spin in the body with
their axes randomly aligned. When the body is placed in a strong magnetic field,
such as an MRI scanner, the protons' axes all line up. This uniform alignment
creates a magnetic vector oriented along the axis of the MRI scanner. MRI
scanners come in different field strengths, usually between 0.5 and 1.5 tesla.
The strength of the magnetic field can be altered electronically from head to toe
using a series of gradient electric coils, and, by altering the local magnetic field by
these small increments, different slices of the body will resonate as different
frequencies are applied.
When the radiofrequency source is switched off the magnetic vector returns to
its resting state, and this causes a signal (also a radio wave) to be emitted. It is this
signal which is used to create the MR images. Receiver coils are used around the
body part in question to act as aerials to improve the detection of the emitted
signal. The intensity of the received signal is then plotted on a grey scale and cross
sectional images are built up.
Multiple transmitted radiofrequency pulses can be used in sequence to
emphasise particular tissues or abnormalities. A different emphasis occurs because
different tissues relax at different rates when the transmitted radiofrequency pulse
is switched off. The time taken for the protons to fully relax is measured in two
ways. The first is the time taken for the magnetic vector to return to its resting
state and the second is the time needed for the axial spin to return to its resting
state.The first is called T1 relaxation, the second is called T2 relaxation.
An MR examination is thus made up of a series of pulse sequences. Different
tissues (such as fat and water) have different relaxation times and can be identified
separately. By using a fat suppression pulse sequence, for example, the signal
from fat will be removed, leaving only the signal from any abnormalities lying
within it.
Most diseases manifest themselves by an increase in water content, so MRI is
a sensitive test for the detection of disease. The exact nature of the pathology can
be more difficult to ascertain: for example, infection and tumour can in some cases
look similar. A careful analysis of the images by a radiologist will often yield the
correct answer.
There are no known biological hazards of MRI because, unlike x ray and
computed tomography, MRI uses radiation in the radiofrequency range which is
found all around us and does not damage tissue as it passes through.
End of reading passage.

Magnetic Vector (T1) and Axial Spin (T2) Relaxation Times for Different Molecules/Tissues, in
Milliseconds.

Tissue

T1 (msec)

T2 (msec)

Water

4,000

2,000

Gray Matter

900

90

Muscle

900

50

Liver

500

40

Fat

250

70

Tendon

400

Source: Data from Bottomley PA, et al. "A Review of Normal Tissue Hydrogen NMR Relaxation
Times and Relaxation Mechanisms from 1-100 MHz: Dependence on Tissue Type, NMR Frequency,
Temperature, Species, Exision, and Age." Med Phys 1984;11:425-448

This passage is excerpted from Marcus Eriksens "Plastic Pollution in the Worlds Oceans: More Than
5 Trillion Plastic Pieces Weighing Over 250,000 Tons Afloat at Sea," 2014.

Beginning of reading passage.

Plastic pollution is globally distributed across all oceans due to its properties of
buoyancy and durability, and the absorption of toxicants by plastic while traveling
through the environment has led some researchers to claim that synthetic polymers
in the ocean should be regarded as hazardous waste. Through photodegradation
and other weathering processes, plastics fragment and disperse in the ocean,
converging in the subtropical gyres.* Accumulation of plastic pollution also occurs
in closed bays, gulfs and seas surrounded by densely populated coastlines and
watersheds.
Despite oceanographic model predictions of where debris might converge,
estimates of regional and global abundance and weight of floating plastics have
been limited to microplastics less than 5 mm. Using extensive published and new
data, particularly from the Southern Hemisphere subtropical gyres and marine
areas adjacent to populated regions corrected for wind-driven vertical mixing, we
populated an oceanographic model of debris distribution to estimate global
distribution and count and weight densities of plastic pollution in all sampled size
classes.
Plastics of all sizes were found in all ocean regions, converging in accumulation
zones in the subtropical gyres, including southern hemisphere gyres where coastal
population density is much lower than in the northern hemisphere. While this
shows that plastic pollution has spread throughout all the world's oceans, the

comparison of size classes and weight relationships suggests that during

fragmentation plastics are lost from the sea surface.
The observations that there is much less microplastic at the sea surface than
might be expected suggests that removal processes are at play. These include UV
degradation, biodegradation, ingestion by organisms, decreased buoyancy due to
fouling organisms, entrainment in settling detritus, and beaching. Fragmentation
rates of already brittle microplastics may be very high, rapidly breaking small
microplastics further down into ever smaller particles, making them unavailable
for our nets (0.33 mm mesh opening). Many recent studies also demonstrate that
many more organisms ingest small plastic particles than previously thought, either
directly or indirectly, i.e. via their prey organisms.
In oceanography, a gyre refers to a large system of rotating ocean currents.

QUESTION 6 OF 10: CORRECT

According to the passage, ocean plastics are found in greatest quantities in
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A, Checked, Correct)A

subtropical regions.
The choice is the best answer because, in the first paragraph, the author states that plastics converge in
subtropical gyres.

(Choice B)B
densely populated areas.
Although the author indicates in paragraph 1 that plastic convergence can occur in densely populated
areas, he also states in paragraph 3 that, in the southern hemisphere, convergence can occur in sparsely
populated areas.

(Choice C)C

areas that are not affected by UV radiation.

While the author does suggest that UV degradation is one possible mechanism by which plastics are
removed from the sea surface, he does not state that plastics are found in greater quantities in areas not
affected by UV radiation.

(Choice D)D

coastal regions.
Although the author does indicate in paragraph 1 that plastic convergence can occur near coastlines
and watersheds, he does not indicate that this accumulation is greater than in other parts of the ocean.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.

QUESTION 7 OF 10: INCORRECT

The main contrast that the author draws between this study and previous studies of plastic pollution is
that this study
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

used samples of plastic pollution from all over the world.

Although this study does track plastic convergence all over the world, the author does not indicate that
this factor is unique to this study.

(Choice B, Checked, Incorrect)B

explored the physical processes involved in plastic degradation.

Although the author does present possible mechanisms involved in plastic degradation, he does not
indicate that this is the first study to address such mechanisms

(Choice C, Correct Answer)C

estimated the distribution of larger classes of plastics.

This choice is the best answer because, in paragraph 2, the author indicates that previous estimates of
plastic distribution have been limited to microplastics less than 5 mm in length.

(Choice D)D
focused on plastic accumulation in subtropical regions of the globe.
In paragraph 3, the author indicates that this study looked at plastics in all ocean regions, not just
subtropical regions.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.
QUESTION 8 OF 10: CORRECT
Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A
lines 79
(Accumulation of plastic pollution also occurs in closed bays, gulfs and seas surrounded
by densely populated coastlines and watersheds.)
(Accumulation . . . watershed)
These lines indicate some of the regions where plastics accumulate, but they do not make any
reference to previous studies.

(Choice B, Checked, Correct)B

lines 1012

(Despite oceanographic model predictions of where debris might converge, estimates of

regional and global abundance and weight of floating plastics have been limited to
microplastics less than 5 mm.)
(Despite . . . 5 mm)
This choice is the best answer because these lines indicate that previous studies have been limited to
plastics less than 5 mm in length.

(Choice C)C
lines 2426
(The observations that there is much less microplastic at the sea surface than might be
expected suggests that removal processes are at play.)
(The . . . play)
These lines indicate that certain processes may have removed some microplastics from the sea surface,
but they do not make any reference to previous studies.

(Choice D)D
lines 3134
(Many recent studies also demonstrate that many more organisms ingest small plastic
particles than previously thought, either directly or indirectly, i.e. via their prey
organisms.)
(Many . . . organisms)
These lines refer to recent studies of the ingestion of microplastics by organisms, but they do not make
a contrast between those studies and the current study.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.
QUESTION 9 OF 10: INCORRECT
In describing the distribution of ocean plastics, the author relies primarily on what type of evidence?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

Personal narratives
The author does not tell any personal stories in order to support the findings of the study.

(Choice B)B

Historical trends
The author does not discuss how the accumulation of ocean plastics has changed throughout history.

(Choice C, Correct Answer)C

Data synthesis

In paragraph 2, the author indicates that he relied on published and new data in order to create a model
of global plastic distribution.

(Choice D, Checked, Incorrect)D

Expert opinions
The author does not include any expert opinions in order to support the findings of the study.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.
QUESTION 10 OF 10: CORRECT
Which of the following statements most weakens the authors conclusion that there are fewer
microplastics than expected on the sea surface?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

Plastics of all sizes were found on the oceans surface.

Although the author does indicate that plastics of all sizes were found on the oceans surface, this fact
does not weaken the conclusion that there were fewer microplastics than expected.

(Choice B)B

Large plastics tend to fragment due to natural processes such as biodegradation.

Although the author does indicate that large plastics fragment due to natural processes, this fact does
not weaken the conclusion that there were fewer microplastics than expected on the oceans surface. If
anything, the degradation of large plastics would actually increase the amount of microplastics on the
oceans surface.

(Choice C)C

Some plastics were likely ingested by organisms.

Although the author does indicate that some microplastics were likely ingested by organisms, this
finding would strengthen, rather than weaken, the conclusion that fewer microplastics were found than
expected.

(Choice D, Checked, Correct)D

The nets used in the study were unable to capture plastics smaller than 0.33 mm.
This choice is the best answer because the author indicates that some microplastics were not caught
due to the 0.33 mm openings in the nets. Therefore, the actual amount of microplastics on the oceans
surface is likely greater than the amount indicated in the study.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.

Passage 1 is excerpted from Tamara Davis, "If Galaxies are All Moving Apart, How Can They
Collide?" 2009 by Scientific American. Passage 2 is excerpted from David Biello, "More Often
Than Not, Massive Galaxies Form by Mergers" 2005 by Scientific American.

Passage 1
Dark energy, believed to be causing the acceleration of the expansion of the
universe, provides a constant outward force that does not dilute as the universe
expands. Pitted against this relentless push is the gravitational pull from the rest of
the matter and energy in the universe. Early on, the universe was much denser than
it is today, and the attractive force of gravity was winning the battle, on scales both
large and small. Clouds of gas condensed to form stars and galaxies, and galaxies
drew together to form clusters. If there had been more matter around, the universe
might have started to recollapse before it ever had the chance to accelerate. But
matter and energy do dilute as the volume of the universe increases, so dark
energy slowly came to dominate. Since about six billion years ago (about a billion
years before Earth formed), the expansion has, on average, been accelerating.
Nevertheless, the cosmic dance continues. Galaxies that had been pulled
together before the universe began accelerating still have the chance to
collide. Collectively they form overdense patches of the universe in which gravity
still reigns. In our neighborhood the Andromeda galaxy, our largest companion, is
actually falling toward us, and we will have our first close encounter with it in just
a few billion years' time.
Our local group comprises Andromeda, the Magellanic Clouds and about 35
other galaxies, all of which lie in an even larger cluster called Virgo. Together we
will travel through the expanding universe, and we had better learn to like the
company. [A]ny galaxies that have not yet won the gravity war have missed their
chance. The universe is now split into pockets of interaction that will drift alone
through the expanding cosmos.
Like revelers on a ship, the galaxies in our group will continue to collide and
interact in myriad interesting ways, but we will be forever separated from the
revelers on other ships sailing away from us in the vast universe.
Passage 2
New data seem to show that galaxies collide all the time. In fact, the oldest and
largest galaxies in the universe most likely formed from such intergalactic
combinations.

Astronomer Pieter van Dokkum of Yale University used some of the longest
and deepest sky surveys ever conducted to try to determine whether the oldest,
largest galaxies--called ellipticals because they lack the swirling arms of the spiral
type, like our own Milky Way--formed from the collapse of ancient clouds of gas
or the accretion of smaller galaxies bumping into each other. Of the 126 galaxies
of all varieties van Dokkum looked at, 67 showed telltale signs of impact, such as
trailing tails of stars, or a collision in progress.
"Our study found these common massive galaxies do form by mergers," Van
Dokkum explains. "It is just that the mergers happen quickly and the features that
reveal the mergers are very faint and therefore difficult to detect."
"Quickly" on a galactic scale means just a few hundred million years--a small
fraction of the 13.7 billion years the universe has been in existence--and, because
such collisions rarely involve head-to-head star crashes, they leave few traces
behind except in the shape of the resulting galaxy and a general slowing in its
formation of new stars.
None of the six spiral galaxies in the survey showed any after-crash
damage, but that doesn't mean that our own galaxy is free and clear. "The Milky
Way will indeed undergo a collision in the near future as we are heading toward
M31, the Andromeda Nebula," van Dokkum adds. "'Near future' in this case is
about four billion years from now though."

History Passages
The following is a speech given by Benjamin Franklin to the Constitutional Convention on September
17, 1787. The Convention was deciding whether to ratify the final version of the U.S. Constitution.

Beginning of reading passage.

Dear Mr. President,
I confess that there are several parts of this constitution which I do not at
present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them: For having lived
long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged by better information or
fuller consideration, to change opinions even on important subjects, which I once
thought right, but found to be otherwise. It is therefore that the older I grow, the
more apt I am to doubt my own judgment, and to pay more respect to the
judgment of others. Most men indeed as well as most sects in Religion, think
themselves in possession of all truth, and that wherever others differ from them it
is so far error. Steele, a Protestant in a Dedication tells the Pope, that the only
difference between our Churches in their opinions of the certainty of their
doctrines is, the Church of Rome is infallible and the Church of England is never

in the wrong. But though many private persons think almost as highly of their own
infallibility as of that of their sect, few express it so naturally as a certain french
lady, who in a dispute with her sister, said "I don't know how it happens, Sister but
I meet with no body but myself, that's always in the right". . .
In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are
such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form
of Government but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered, and
believe farther that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and
can only end in Despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people
shall become so corrupted as to need despotic Government, being incapable of any
other. I doubt too whether any other Convention we can obtain may be able to
make a better Constitution. For when you assemble a number of men to have the
advantage of their joint wisdom, you inevitably assemble with those men, all their
prejudices, their passions, their errors of opinion, their local interests, and their
selfish views.
From such an Assembly can a perfect production be expected? It therefore
astonishes me, Sir, to find this system approaching so near to perfection as it
does; and I think it will astonish our enemies, who are waiting with confidence to
hear that our councils are confounded like those of the Builders of Babel *; and that
our States are on the point of separation, only to meet hereafter for the purpose of
cutting one another's throats. Thus I consent, Sir, to this Constitution because I
expect no better, and because I am not sure, that it is not the best. The opinions I
have had of its errors, I sacrifice to the public goodI have never whispered a
syllable of them abroadWithin these walls they were born, and here they shall
dieIf every one of us in returning to our Constituents were to report the
objections he has had to it, and endeavor to gain partizans in support of them, we
might prevent its being generally received, and thereby lose all the salutary effects
& great advantages resulting naturally in our favor among foreign Nations as well
as among ourselves, from our real or apparent unanimity. Much of the strength &
efficiency of any Government in procuring and securing happiness to the people,
depends on opinion, on the generalopinion of the goodness of the Government, as
well as well as of the wisdom and integrity of its Governors. I hope therefore that
for our own sakes as a part of the people, and for the sake of posterity, we shall act
heartily and unanimously in recommending this Constitution (if approved by
Congress & confirmed by the Conventions) wherever our influence may extend,
and turn our future thoughts & endeavors to the means of having it well
administered.
On the whole, Sir, I cannot help expressing a wish that every member of the
Convention who may still have objections to it, would with me, on this occasion
doubt a little of his own infallibility--and to make manifest our unanimity, put his
name to this instrument.

In the Christian Bible, the people who built the Tower of Babel spoke multiple languages and could
not understand each other well enough to complete the towers construction.
*

Passage 1 is excerpted from John Lockes Second Treatise of Government, first published in 1689.
Passage 2 is excerpted from Pierre-Joseph Proudhons General Idea of the Revolution in the 19th
Century, originally published in 1851.

Passage 1
Beginning of reading passage.
Men being, as has been said, by nature, all free, equal, and independent, no
one can be put out of this estate, and subjected to the political power of another,
without his own consent. The only way whereby any one divests himself of his
natural liberty, and puts on the bonds of civil society, is by agreeing with other
men to join and unite into a community for their comfortable, safe, and peaceable
living one amongst another, in a secure enjoyment of their properties, and a greater
security against any, that are not of it. This any number of men may do, because it
injures not the freedom of the rest; they are left as they were in the liberty of the
state of nature. When any number of men have so consented to make one
community or government, they are thereby presently incorporated, and make one
body politic, wherein the majority have a right to act and conclude the rest.
For when any number of men have, by the consent of every individual,
made a community, they have thereby made that community one body, with a
power to act as one body, which is only by the will and determination of the
majority: for that which acts any community, being only the consent of the
individuals of it, and it being necessary to that which is one body to move one
way; it is necessary the body should move that way whither the greater force
carries it, which is the consent of the majority: or else it is impossible it should act
or continue one body, one community, which the consent of every individual that
united into it, agreed that it should; and so every one is bound by that consent to be
concluded by the majority.
End of reading passage.
Passage 2
Beginning of reading passage.
The Social Contract is the supreme act by which each citizen pledges to the
association his love, his intelligence, his work, his services, his goods, in return for
the affection, ideas, labor, products, services and goods of his fellows; the measure
of the right of each being determined by the importance of his contributions, and
the recovery that can be demanded in proportion to his deliveries.
Thus the social contract should include all citizens, with their interests and
relations. If a single man were excluded from the contract, if a single one of the
interests upon which the members of the nation, intelligent, industrious, and

sensible beings, are called upon to bargain, were omitted, the contract would be
more or less relative or special, it would not be social.
The social contract should increase the well-being and liberty of every citizen.
If any one-sided conditions should slip in; if one part of the citizens should find
themselves, by the contract, subordinated and exploited by the others, it would no
longer be a contract; it would be a fraud, against which annulment might at any
time be invoked justly.

QUESTION 1 OF 10: CORRECT

The main idea of Passage 1 is that
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

it is safer for people to live in a state of nature than to consent to live in a community.
The author does not indicate that people are safer when they live in a state of nature. Rather, he
explains that people are safer and enjoy more security when they join a community.

(Choice B, Checked, Correct)B

people who choose to become part of a community are subject to the will of the majority.
In paragraph 1 the author asserts that people are safer when they join a community and in paragraph 2
he argues that these communities should be governed by the consent of the majority.

(Choice C)C

minority opinions and majority opinions should be given equal consideration in

community affairs.
Rather than indicating that minority and majority opinions should be given equal consideration, the
author states that the will of the majority should determine the actions of a community or political
body.

(Choice D)D

it is unrealistic to expect people to surrender their natural liberties when joining a

community.
Rather than stating that it is unrealistic to expect people to surrender their natural liberties, the author
indicates that people may choose to do so in order to increase their safety and security.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.
QUESTION 2 OF 10: INCORRECT
In Passage 1, the reference to bonds (
line 4
(bonds)

) mainly serves to
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

insert a personal opinion into an otherwise objective discussion of social rights.

All of Passage 1 presents the authors opinion, not an objective or unbiased discussion of social rights.

(Choice B, Checked, Incorrect)B

suggest that all people must rely on one another in a state of nature.
Rather than suggesting that people must rely on one another in a state of nature, the author states in
the first sentence of the passage that, in a state of nature, people are independent of one another.

(Choice C, Correct Answer)C

emphasize the point that one has to relinquish some freedom in order to join a
community.
This choice is the best option because the author states that when a person chooses to join a
community, that person divests himself of his natural liberty.

(Choice D)D

call into question the idea that natural liberty exists.

Rather than questioning the existence of natural liberty, the author states that people must give up their
natural liberties when they choose to join a community, which suggests that natural liberties do exist
in a state of nature.

(Choice E)E
I would be guessing.
QUESTION 3 OF 10: CORRECT
Which statement best reflects the perspective of the author of Passage 2 on the dissolution of the
social contract?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A
The contract should never be dissolved under any circumstances.
In the last paragraph of Passage 2, the author suggests that social contracts should be annulled under
particular conditions.

(Choice B)B
The contract should only be dissolved if every person is in favor of it.
In the last paragraph of Passage 2, the author provides specific conditions under which annulment is
justified. He does not suggest that all citizens need to agree with this decision.

(Choice C, Checked, Correct)C

The contract should be dissolved if any people are being oppressed.
This choice is the best option because in the last paragraph of Passage 2 the author states that
annulment of the social contract is justified if any citizen or group of citizens is being subordinated
and exploited by others.

(Choice D)D

The contract should be dissolved if a majority of the population agrees that it is the best
course of action.
In the last paragraph of Passage 2, the author describes specific conditions under which annulment is
justified. He does not suggest that a majority of the population needs to agree with this decision.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.
QUESTION 4 OF 10: INCORRECT
How do the authors of the two passages view the relationship between society and personal liberty?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

They both acknowledge that participation in society increases the liberties of every
individual.
Although the author of Passage 2 suggests that the social contract should increase the liberty of every
citizen, the author of Passage 1 states that people must divest themselves of their natural liberties in
order to join a community.

(Choice B)B

They both agree that participation in society increases the liberties of a limited number
of citizens.
Rather than suggesting that participation in a society increases the liberties of some individuals, the
author of Passage 1 states that participation in a society decreases the liberties of every individual.

(Choice C, Checked, Incorrect)C

The author of Passage 1 believes that participation in society increases the liberties of
those in the majority, while the author of Passage 2 believes that it does not increase
liberties for anyone.
Rather than suggesting that participation in a society increases the liberties of those in the majority, the
author of Passage 1 states that participation in a society decreases the liberties of every individual.

(Choice D, Correct Answer)D

The author of Passage 1 believes that participation in society decreases individuals
liberties, while the author of Passage 2 believes that it increases them.

This choice is the best option because the author of Passage 1 states that joining a community
decreases the natural liberties of an individual, while the author of Passage 2 states that the social
contract should increase the well-being and liberty of every citizen.

(Choice E)E
I would be guessing.
QUESTION 5 OF 10: INCORRECT
The author of Passage 2 would most likely respond to the assertion in Passage 1 that it is necessary for
a community to follow the consent of the majority (
line 21
(consent of the majority)
) with
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A
agreement, because it is impossible for every member of a society to agree with one
another.
The author of Passage 2 states that the needs of all citizens must be addressed in the social contract.
Therefore, he likely would not agree with the assertion.

(Choice B, Checked, Incorrect)B

agreement, because some individuals in a society are more important than others.
The author of Passage 2 states that the needs of all citizens must be addressed in the social contract.
Therefore, he likely would not agree with the assertion.

(Choice C, Correct Answer)C

disagreement, because society must address the needs of every individual.

The author of Passage 2 states that the social contract should involve and increase the well-being of all
citizens, not just the majority of citizens. Therefore, he would likely disagree with the assertion.

(Choice D)D
disagreement, because some minority opinions may in fact be better than the majority
opinion.
Although the author of Passage 2 would likely disagree with the assertion, it would not be because he
believes some minority opinions are better than the majority opinion; the author of Passage 2 states
that the needs of all citizens must be addressed in the social contract.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.

Literature Passages
his passage is excerpted from Henry James, "Daisy Miller: A Study," originally published in 1879. The
following scene describes the meeting of two Americans in a Swiss village.

Beginning of reading passage.

"Our courier says they take you right up to the castle," the young girl continued.
"We were going last week, but my mother gave out. She suffers dreadfully from
dyspepsia. She said she couldn't go. Randolph wouldn't go either; he says he
doesn't think much of old castles. But I guess we'll go this week, if we can get
Randolph."
"Your brother is not interested in ancient monuments?" Winterbourne inquired,
smiling.
"He says he don't care much about old castles. He's only nine. He wants to stay
at the hotel. Mother's afraid to leave him alone, and the courier won't stay with

him; so we haven't been to many places. But it will be too bad if we don't go up
there." And Miss Miller pointed again at the Chateau de Chillon.
"I should think it might be arranged," said Winterbourne. "Couldn't you get
someone to stay for the afternoon with Randolph?"
Miss Miller looked at him a moment, and then, very placidly, "I wish YOU
would stay with him!" she said.
Winterbourne hesitated a moment. "I should much rather go to Chillon with
you."
"With me?" asked the young girl with the same placidity.
She didn't rise, blushing, as a young girl at Geneva would have done; and yet
Winterbourne, conscious that he had been very bold, thought it possible she was
offended. "With your mother," he answered very respectfully.
But it seemed that both his audacity and his respect were lost upon Miss Daisy
Miller. "I guess my mother won't go, after all," she said. "She don't like to ride
round in the afternoon. But did you really mean what you said just nowthat you
would like to go up there?"
"Most earnestly," Winterbourne declared.
"Then we may arrange it. If mother will stay with Randolph, I guess Eugenio
will."
"Eugenio?" the young man inquired.
"Eugenio's our courier. He doesn't like to stay with Randolph; he's the most
fastidious man I ever saw. But he's a splendid courier. I guess he'll stay at home
with Randolph if mother does, and then we can go to the castle."
Winterbourne reflected for an instant as lucidly as possible"we" could only
mean Miss Daisy Miller and himself. This program seemed almost too agreeable
for credence; he felt as if he ought to kiss the young lady's hand. Possibly he
would have done so and quite spoiled the project, but at this moment another
person, presumably Eugenio, appeared. A tall, handsome man, with superb
whiskers, wearing a velvet morning coat and a brilliant watch chain, approached
Miss Miller, looking sharply at her companion. "Oh, Eugenio!" said Miss Miller
with the friendliest accent.

QUESTION 1 OF 10: INCORRECT

Which choice best summarizes the passage?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A, Correct Answer)A

It captures a conversation between two tourists in Switzerland.

The majority of the passage involves dialogue between two American tourists in a Swiss village.

(Choice B, Checked, Incorrect)B

It describes the relationship between two friends.

The passage involves dialogue that presents, rather than describes, an interaction between two
American tourists who have only recently met.

(Choice C)C
It paints a picture of life in Switzerland.
The passage does not paint a picture of life in Switzerland. Instead, it conveys an interaction between
two people.

(Choice D)D

It highlights the unconscious thoughts of an American traveler.

Although the narrator does describe Winterbournes thoughts in the last paragraph, the majority of the
passage involves dialogue between Miss Miller and Winterbourne. In addition, narrator does not
indicate that Winterbournes thoughts are unconscious.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.
QUESTION 2 OF 10: INCORRECT
As used in
line 20
(conscious)
, conscious most nearly means
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A, Checked, Incorrect)A

responsive.
In this context, conscious does not mean responsive. It would be illogical to say that
Winterbourne was responsive that he had been very bold.

(Choice B)B

informed.
In this context, conscious does not mean informed. The narrator makes no indication that
someone else informed Winterbourne that he had been bold.

(Choice C, Correct Answer)C

aware.
In this context, conscious most nearly means aware.

(Choice D)D

watchful.

In this context, conscious does not mean watchful. It would be illogical to say that Winterbourne
was watchful that he had been very bold.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.
QUESTION 3 OF 10: CORRECT
Based on the interaction between Miss Miller and Winterbourne, it can reasonably be inferred that
Winterbourne
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

feels comfortable expressing his feelings for Miss Miller.

In the last paragraph of the passage, the narrator indicates that Winterbourne did not feel comfortable
fully expressing his feelings for Miss Miller.

(Choice B, Checked, Correct)B

is extremely excited go to the castle with Miss Miller.

In the last paragraph of the passage, the narrator indicates that Winterbourne is so excited that he
wants to kiss Miss Millers hand.

(Choice C)C
is engaging with Miss Miller only in order to be polite.
The narrator does not indicate that Winterbourne is engaging with Miss Miller only in order to be
polite. On the contrary, the narrator indicates that Winterbourne is engaging with Miss Miller, in part,
because he has feelings for her.

(Choice D)D

has reservations about joining Miss Miller to the castle.

The narrator does not suggest that Winterbourne has reservations about joining Miss Miller to the
castle. On the contrary, the narrator indicates that Winterbourne is very careful not to ruin their plans
to go to the castle.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.
QUESTION 4 OF 10: INCORRECT
Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

lines 2223

(But it seemed that both his audacity and his respect were lost upon Miss Daisy
Miller.)
(But . . . Miller)
These lines refer to Miss Millers lack of awareness of Winterbournes audacity and respect and
do not imply anything about Winterbournes actions.

(Choice B, Checked, Incorrect)B

line 27
("Most earnestly," Winterbourne declared.)
(Most . . . declared)
While these lines do indicate that Winterbourne was comfortable communicating his desire to go to
the castle, they do not suggest that he was comfortable expressing his feelings for Miss Miller.

(Choice C)C

line 34
(Winterbourne reflected for an instant as lucidly as possible"we" could only mean
Miss Daisy Miller and himself.)
(Winterbourne . . . himself)
While these lines do reference Winterbournes inner thoughts, they do not indicate that he was afraid
of ruining the plans to go to the castle.

(Choice D, Correct Answer)D

lines 3436
(This program seemed almost too agreeable for credence; he felt as if he ought to kiss
the young lady's hand.)
(This . . . hand)
This choice is the correct answer. These lines indicate that Winterbourne was extremely happy about
the plans.

(Choice E)E
I would be guessing.
QUESTION 5 OF 10: CORRECT
In the last paragraph, the words reflected, lucidly, and felt primarily serve to
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

highlight the narrators neutral and objective point of view.

These words highlight Winterbournes inner thoughts and do not reflect the narrators point of view.

(Choice B)B

foreshadow the future actions of a character.

While these words do highlight Winterbournes inner thoughts, they do not indicate anything about his
future actions.

(Choice C)C

introduce a new character into the passage.

These words help emphasize Winterbournes inner thoughts and do not help introduce Eugenio into
the scene.

(Choice D, Checked, Correct)D

shift the focus from a conversation to a characters subjective thoughts.
These words help shift the focus from the dialogue between Winterbourne and Miss Miller to
Winterbournes inner thoughts.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.

Social science passages

This passage is excerpted from John P. A. Ioannidis, Scientific Research Needs an Overhaul, 2014
by Scientific American.

Beginning of reading passage.

Earlier this year a series of papers in The Lancet reported that 85 percent of the
$265 billion spent each year on medical research is wasted. This is not because of

fraud, although it is true that retractions are on the rise. Instead, it is because too
often absolutely nothing happens after initial results of a study are published. No
follow-up investigations ensue to replicate or expand on a discovery. No one uses
the findings to build new technologies.
The problem is not just what happens after publicationscientists often have
trouble choosing the right questions and properly designing studies to answer
them. Too many neuroscience studies test too few subjects to arrive at firm
conclusions. Researchers publish reports on hundreds of treatments for diseases
that work in animal models but not in humans. Drug companies find themselves
unable to reproduce promising drug targets published by the best academic
institutions. The growing recognition that something has gone awry in the
laboratory has led to calls for, as one might guess, more research on research (aka,
meta-research)attempts to find protocols that ensure that peer-reviewed studies
are, in fact, valid.
It will take a concerted effort by scientists and other stakeholders to fix this
problem. We need to identify and correct system-level flaws that too often lead us
astray. This is exactly the goal of a new center at Stanford University (the MetaResearch Innovation Center at Stanford), which will seek to study research
practices and how these can be optimized. It will examine the best means of
designing research protocols and agendas to ensure that the results are not dead
ends but rather that they pave a path forward.
The center will do so by exploring what are the best ways to make scientific
investigation more reliable and efficient. For example, there is a lot of interest on
collaborative team science, study registration, stronger study designs and
statistical tools, and better peer review, along with making scientific data, analyses
and protocols widely available so that others can replicate experiments, thereby
fostering trust in the conclusions of those studies. Reproducing other scientists
analyses or replicating their results has too often in the past been looked down on
with a kind of me-too derision that would waste resourcesbut often they may
help avoid false leads that would have been even more wasteful.
The Priorities of Major Stakeholders in Scientific Research
Scientists

Publishable

Fundable

Translatable

+++

+++

Drug companies

Profitable

+++

Not-for-profit funders /
philanthropists

++

Journal editors

+++

Universities

+++
+
+++

Not-for-profit research institutions

Publishable

Fundable

Translatable

Profitable

+++

+++

This table highlights the priorities of major stakeholders in scientific research. One "+" is the lowest
non-zero score and three "+++" is the highest non-zero score.
Adapted from John P. A. Ioannidis, "Scientific Reseach Needs an Overhaul," 2014.

QUESTION 6 OF 10
The main purpose of the passage is to
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A, Checked)A

argue that scientific studies need to be more efficient.

(Choice B)B
describe the results of a scientific study.

(Choice C)C

explain the history of scientific inquiry.

(Choice D)D

highlight the fraudulent nature of many research studies.

(Choice E)E
I would be guessing.
QUESTION 7 OF 10
Over the course of the passage, the main focus shifts from
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

an explanation of a phenomenon to a narrative illustrating this phenomenon.

(Choice B)B
the identification of a problem to a proposal for solving this problem.

(Choice C)C

a prediction for the future to an explanation underlying this prediction.


(Choice D)D
the introduction of an argument to a counterclaim refuting this argument.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.
QUESTION 8 OF 10
Which of the following situations is most similar to the research problems described in paragraph 2?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A
A high school has to cut its music and arts programs due to a decrease in government funding.

(Choice B)B

A patient continues to get sicker because she does not abide by her physicians
recommendations.

(Choice C)C

A governmental body is unable to come to a consensus about the budget for the upcoming
year.

(Choice D)D

A marketing firm tests a website with participants that are not representative of the target
population.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.
QUESTION 9 OF 10
In the final paragraph, which of the following counterarguments regarding experiment replication does
the author anticipate?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

That it often results in contradictory outcomes

(Choice B)B
That it is unoriginal and therefore not worthwhile

(Choice C)C

That it is difficult to fund


(Choice D)D

That it is frequently unpublishable

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.
QUESTION 10 OF 10
According to the graph, what are the primary research priorities for drug companies and universities?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A
Drug companies prioritize profitability; universities prioritize publishability.

(Choice B)B

Drug companies prioritize fundability; universities prioritize translatability.

(Choice C, Checked)C

Drug companies prioritize profitability; universities prioritize fundability.

(Choice D)D
Both drug companies and universities prioritize profitability above fundability, publishability,
and translatability.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.

Writing and Language Tests

The symbol 1 indicates that question 1 references this portion of the passage.

Judithe Hernandez and the Chicana Artistic Voice

Beginning of reading passage.
Judithe Hernandezs art career began in Los Angeles during the socially and
politically turbulent 1960s. While enrolled as a graduate student at the Otis Art
Institute in Los Angeles, Hernandez met fellow student Carlos Almaraz, one of the
founding 1members of the Chicano artist collective known as Los Four. At
Almarezs request, Hernandez joined Los Four as its fifth, and only female,
member. Hernandez became well known for her work with this revolutionary
group of artists, who are credited with 2authorizing Chicano art as its own
distinctive school of (US) American art. 3Less known but equally important,
however, is the role Hernandez played in providing a female voice within what
was at that time a predominantly male Chicano art movement.
Chicano art began as an outgrowth of the more general Chicano Civil
Rights 4Movement; a sociopolitical initiative that began in the 1960s to promote
social progress and change for Mexican-Americans. 5Chicano artists sought to
mirror the challenges faced by Mexican-Americans, often by challenging the
xenophobic stereotypes of Mexican-Americans in American culture. However,
since the vast majority of Chicano artists were men, much of the Chicano artwork
of the 1960s and early 1970s represented the experiences of Mexican-American
men, failing to represent some of the unique struggles faced by their female
counterparts.
6During her time with Los Four, Hernandez developed a distinct visual style
as she incorporated indigenous images along with figurative portrayals of Hispanic
women, often restrained by elements such as vines or thorns. The significance of
her contributions to the Chicano art movement 7were recognized as early as 1981,
when Hernandez was commissioned by the Los Angeles Bicentennial Committee
to produce a mural in celebration of the citys 200th anniversary. 8The mural
portrays La Reina de Los Angeles (the patroness of the city) engaging with images
of the past and present. In it, Hernandez juxtaposes images of male and female
farmers with more opulent depictions of modern Los Angeles, 9but
underscoring the invaluable work of Mexican-American men and women in the
construction of the city.
Since the 1970s, Hernandez has exhibited additional forms of visual art beyond
the mural work that characterized much of her early career. In her recent pastel-onpaper series entitled Adam and Eve, Hernandez uses iconic religious images to
highlight the 10unequal, gender relations in Chicano culture. Through works such
as these, Hernandez continues to provide a voice for Chicano 11women.
Highlighting the unique challenges that they face in America everyday.
For these questions, you will consider how the passage might be revised to improve the expression of
ideas or to correct the errors in sentence structure, usage, or punctuation.

Some questions will direct you to an underlined portion of the passage or a location in the passage.
Others will ask you to think about the passage as a whole.
Many questions include a NO CHANGE option. Choose that option if you think the best choice is
to leave the relevant portion of the passage as it is.
QUESTION 1 OF 11
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A, Checked)A

NO CHANGE

(Choice B)B

artists who started

(Choice C)C
members who created and belonged to

(Choice D)D

creators who began

QUESTION 2 OF 11
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

NO CHANGE

(Choice B, Checked)B

establishing

(Choice C)C

permitting

(Choice D)D

approving
QUESTION 3 OF 11
Which choice most effectively establishes the central claim of the passage?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

NO CHANGE

(Choice B)B

The Chicano Movement, also known as El Movimiento, began in the 1940s with the explicit
goal of empowering Mexican-Americans.

(Choice C, Checked)C

Judithe Hernandez was born to a progressive Mexican-American family in Los Angeles that
encouraged her involvement in the arts from an early age.

(Choice D)D

In the 1960s, Chicano art was often displayed as public murals intended to create a dialogue
about the issues faced by Mexican-Americans.
QUESTION 4 OF 11
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

NO CHANGE

(Choice B)B

Movement, which was:

(Choice C)C

Movement

(Choice D)D
Movement
QUESTION 5 OF 11
The writer is considering deleting the underlined sentence. Should the writer make this deletion?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

Yes, because the topic of Chicano artists is irrelevant to the main idea of the paragraph.

(Choice B)B
Yes, because it provides information that is already present elsewhere in the passage.

(Choice C)C

No, because it helps to develop the main topic of the paragraph.

(Choice D)D

No, because it effectively transitions between the topics of male Chicano artists and female
Chicano artists.

QUESTION 6 OF 11
At this point, the writer wants to provide a transition that effectively links the topics of the second and
third paragraphs. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

As one of the first prominent US artists to depict the experiences of Mexican-American

women, Judithe Hernandez played a vital role in the Chicano art movement.

(Choice B)B

All of the members of Los Four were college-educated artists who served as activists and
educators within the Chicano movement.

(Choice C)C
Hernandez and Alvarez collaborated together on a number of public murals for the United
Nations Farm Workers and the Ramona Gardens Housing Project in East Los Angeles.

(Choice D)D
Chicano artists were heavily influenced by artists from the Mexican Mural Movement,
particularly Diego Rivera.
QUESTION 7 OF 11
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

NO CHANGE

(Choice B)B

is

(Choice C)C

was

(Choice D)D

have been
QUESTION 8 OF 11
The writer wants to smoothly incorporate the murals title, Remembrances of Yesterday, Dreams of
Tomorrow, into the underlined sentence. Which choice most effectively accomplishes this goal?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

The mural portrays La Reina de Los Angeles (the patroness of the city) engaged with images
of the past and present, and the mural is entitled Remembrances of Yesterday, Dreams of
Tomorrow.

(Choice B)B
The mural portrays La Reina de Los Angeles (the patroness of the city), and is entitled
Remembrances of Yesterday, Dreams of Tomorrow, while showing the patroness engaged
with images of the past and present.

(Choice C)C

The mural, entitled Remembrances of Yesterday, Dreams of Tomorrow, portrays La Reina

de Los Angeles (the patroness of the city) engaging with images of the past and present.

(Choice D)D
The mural being entitled Remembrances of Yesterday, Dreams of Tomorrow, it portrays La
Reina de Los Angeles (the patroness of the city) engaging with images of the past and present.
QUESTION 9 OF 11
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

NO CHANGE

(Choice B)B

also underscores

(Choice C)C

and still underscoring

(Choice D)D

underscoring
QUESTION 10 OF 11
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

NO CHANGE

(Choice B)B

unequal; gender

(Choice C)C

unequal gender

(Choice D)D

unequalgender
QUESTION 11 OF 11
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

NO CHANGE

(Choice B)B

women, highlighting

(Choice C)C

women, she highlights

(Choice D)D

women. And highlighting

The symbol 1[Marker for question1] indicates that question 1 references this portion of the passage.
The symbol [1][Sentence1] indicates that the following sentence is referenced in a question.

Toshio Fukuda: Medical Robotics Pioneer

Beginning of reading passage.
Imagine a world in which its 1[Marker for question1] casual for a doctor to
prepare for a difficult surgery by operating on a full-sized, electronically
responsive model of a patient. It may seem fantastical, but one engineer is working
to make this scenario possible. Dr. Toshio Fukuda is a pioneer in the field of
medical robotics. In designing his medical robotic equipment, Dr. Fukuda draws
upon a variety of disciplines and skill sets. His work serves as an example of how
collaboration across a variety of fields can drive innovation.
[1][Sentence1] Dr. Fukudas career is a case study in how the interaction of
vastly different fields can produce exciting results. [2][Sentence2] He did not
begin his career with the goal of developing medical robotics. [3]
[Sentence3] Rather, Dr. Fukuda earned his Ph.D. in mechanical 2[Marker for
question2] engineeringnot medicine; and his early work focused on finding new
ways for robots to move. [4][Sentence4] Together, they designed a micro-robot
that could be used for clearing blocked arteries and performing other delicate
operations. [5][Sentence5] Shortly thereafter, Dr. Fukuda was approached by a

doctor who asked if he could build a robot that could travel inside a humans blood
vessels. 3[Marker for question3]
Today, Dr. Fukuda has moved from the world of the micro-robot to 4[Marker
for question4] the macro-robot. He is busy developing full-sized medical models
of patients scheduled to undergo complex surgical procedures. These types of
surgeries are rarely performed by a single doctor. Rather, a team of specialists
works together in close coordination to complete an operation. Dr. Fukudas robots
help these teams to train for surgery by giving them the opportunity to rehearse an
entire surgical procedure on a full-scale robotic replica of the patient.
Working together, 5[Marker for question5] innovators in robotics and medicine
share their expertise to save lives. According to Fukuda, medical robotics is a
very interdisciplinary area. It draws upon the expertise of surgeons, medical
researchers, robotics engineers, and even computer programmers.

QUESTION 1 OF 10
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

NO CHANGE

(Choice B)B

common

(Choice C)C

shared

(Choice D)D

general

(Choice E)E
I would be guessing.
QUESTION 2 OF 10
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

NO CHANGE

(Choice B)B

engineeringnot medicine,


(Choice C)C

engineering not medicine

(Choice D)D

engineeringnot medicine

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.
QUESTION 3 OF 10
To make this paragraph most logical, sentence 4 should be placed
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

where it is now.

(Choice B)B

before sentence 1.

(Choice C)C

after sentence 2.

(Choice D)D

after sentence 5.

(Choice E)E
I would be guessing.
QUESTION 4 OF 10
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

NO CHANGE

(Choice B)B

that of the macro-robot.

(Choice C)C

those of the macro-robot.

(Choice D)D

macro-robots.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.
QUESTION 5 OF 10
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

NO CHANGE

(Choice B)B

the expertise of innovators in robotics and medicine is shared to save lives.

(Choice C)C
lives are saved by innovators in robotics and medicine sharing their expertise.

(Choice D)D

the sharing of expertise by innovators in robotics and medicine saves lives.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.

The Complex History of the Simple Chopstick

Beginning of reading passage.
The origin of chopsticks reaches back to the Shang Dynasty of ancient China.
At that time, chopstickswhich were then called Zhuwere used for cooking
rather than 6[Marker for question6] to eat. Because the people of ancient China
liked to steam or boil their food, chopsticks were originally used to reach deep into
boiling pots of water or oil. However, according to Chinese lore, chopsticks later
evolved into an eating utensil during the Han Dynasty due to the influence of the
Chinese philosopher, Confucius. Both a pacifist and vegetarian, Confucius
believed that knives and other sharp utensils were inappropriate for mealtime
because they reminded people of violence and warfare. Chopsticks, on the other
hand, allowed people to savor their meals in a more relaxed and enjoyable
setting. 7[Marker for question7]
Since then, the diversity of chopstick styles and uses 8[Marker for
question8] has quickly expanded. In China, for example, chopsticks are often
longer and taper to a blunt end, while in Japan, chopsticks are shorter and taper to

a sharp end. In addition to the length of chopsticks, the materials used to make
them also vary considerably between cultures. 9[Marker for question9] In Korea,
it is also customary to use spoons for rice and chopsticks for larger, more
manageable pieces of food.
As different chopstick styles have evolved over centuries, so have a number of
cultural traditions and taboos. In China, for example, it is customary to transfer
food between relatives as a sign of caring and respect. In Japan, on the other hand,
using chopsticks to transfer food and other materials is considered taboo and is
reserved solely for funeral rites. Given 10[Marker for question10] their importance
and prominence inAsian history, it is no surprise that chopsticks have become as
unique and nuanced as the cultures from which they arose.
For these questions, you will consider how the passage might be revised to improve the expression of
ideas or to correct the errors in sentence structure, usage, or punctuation.
Some questions will direct you to an underlined portion of the passage or a location in the passage.
Others will ask you to think about the passage as a whole.
Many questions include a NO CHANGE option. Choose that option if you think the best choice is
to leave the relevant portion of the passage as it is.
QUESTION 6 OF 10
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

NO CHANGE

(Choice B)B

the purpose of eating.

(Choice C)C

when one ate.

(Choice D, Checked)D

eating.

(Choice E)E
I would be guessing.
QUESTION 7 OF 10
At this point, the writer wants to add a sentence that will provide an effective transition from this
paragraph to the next one. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

Regardless of whether the nod to Confucius is accurate, chopsticks became ubiquitous

throughout China and much of Asia after his death.

(Choice B)B

Confucius is also famous for championing the doctrine, based on his philosophical teachings,
Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself.

(Choice C)C

Ironically, though, Confucius did support a number of rebellions.

(Choice D)D
It was during this period that people began holding chopsticks in their dominant hand and
handling them using their thumb, middle, and ring fingers.

(Choice E)E
I would be guessing.
QUESTION 8 OF 10
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

NO CHANGE

(Choice B)B

have

(Choice C)C

have been

(Choice D)D

were

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.
QUESTION 9 OF 10
Which choice provides an example that most effectively supports the claim made in the previous
sentence?
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

In both China and Japan, chopsticks are often made out of wood or bamboo.


(Choice B)B
Unlike the chopsticks found in traditional homes, the chopsticks found in Chinese restaurants
are often made out of melamine plastic.

(Choice C)C
While chopsticks in China are often made of wood, those from Korea are often made of
metals such as brass or silver.

(Choice D)D
The material chopsticks are made from, such as jade, ivory, or porcelain, can also signal ones
social status.

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.
QUESTION 10 OF 10
Please choose from one of the following options.

(Choice A)A

NO CHANGE

(Choice B)B

their prominence in

(Choice C)C

the high historical importance of chopsticks within

(Choice D)D

how important chopsticks prominence is within the past of

(Choice E)E

I would be guessing.