KEY FOR READING PASSAGE 3
28. Vocabulary I (B)
Q. The word in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? broad can replace comprehensive in this context. —See Clue 28(B)[lines 1-3, 6-8]
• comprehensive adj. so large in scope or content as to include much
• broad adj. covering and including wide range
29. Factual Information I (A)
Q. According to paragraph 2, why did London go to the Klondike?
Why? See Clue 29(A)[lines 19-20]
Why Not? (B), (C) Not supported / (D) Not mentioned
30. Vocabulary I (D)
Q. The word initiated in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? began can replace initiated in this context. —See Clue 30(D)[lines 35-38]
• initiate v. to cause something to start
• begin v. to start doing something
31. Inference I (A)
Q. What can be inferred from paragraph 3 about London’s writing?
Why? (A) can be inferred from the information in lines 34-35. —See Clue 31(A)
Why Not? (BHD) Not supported
32. Inference I (D)
Q.Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 4 about London’s philosophical beliefs?
Why? (D) can be inferred from the information in lines 43-47. —See Clue 32(D)
Why Not? (A)-(C) Not supported
33. Rhetorical Purpose I (A)
Q. In paragraph 4, why does the author mention
Why? Environmental determinism is mentioned as an example of theories that London applied to his writing. —See Clue 33(A)[lines 47-49]
34. Factual information I (B)
Q. According to the passage, what kind of writing did London originally become famous for?
Why? -See Clue 34(B)]lines 38-40, 42-43]
Why Not? (A) Not mentioned / (C), (D) Incorrect —See lines 38-39
35. Factual Information I (A)
Q. According to paragraph 5, London used the main character. Buck, to show that
Why? -See Clue 35(A)[lines 6&69I ► … London suggests that the environment—here, the climate of the Yukon – is the main force shaping our behavior.
Why Not? (BMD) Not mentioned
36. Reference I (A)
Q. The word its in the passage refers to
Why? … the environment- here, the climate of the Yukon – is the main force shaping our behavior. In fact, its influence is powerful… •■See Clue 36(A)[lines 67-69]
37. Vocabulary I (C)
Q. The word primitive in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? It can be inferred that primitive is opposite in meaning to social, instinctive can replace primitive in this context. See Clue 37<C)[lines 72-74]
• primitive adj. relating or belonging to forces of nature; elemental
• instinctive adj. based on instinct without logic, thought or reasoning
38. Sentence Simplification I (A)
Q. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
Why? Buck realizes that the “civilized” ethics of his former life no longer apply, // and he adopts a new code of behavior, which, // though cruel compared to the morals taught by society, // enables him to adjust to life in the Klondike, new life
Why Not? (B)-(D) Not mentioned
39. Insert Text | [C]
Q. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
Why? [B] When the Klondike Gold Rush began in 1897, thousands of people traveled to the Yukon Territory, a northern Canadian province near Alaska. [C] These people, like London, envisioned wealthy futures for themselves and were willing to endure the many hardships that would, they believed, bring them closer to their fortunes. Through the winter of that year, London searched for gold with little success. [D]
► “These people* in the given sentence refers to “thousands of people.”
40. Prose Summary
Q. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points. –
Why? Jack London’s work was influenced by ideas and experiences that the author was exposed to.
| Correct Answer Choices | Clues in the passage |
| (A) The Call of the Wild ‘is based on London’s time in the Klondike, where he worked as a gold prospector. | Clue 40(A)[lines 19-20] his expedition into the Klondike as a gold prospector [lines 42-43] The Call of the Wild draws upon London’s experiences in northern Canada |
| (D) London’s writing was influenced by the ideas of environmental determinism, a philosophy to which he subscribed. | Clue 40(D)[lines 47-491 One of the theories that London applied to his writing was the idea of environmental determinism |
| (F) Through the central character in The Call of the Wild, London shows that the environment is the main influence on our behavior. | Clue 40(F)[lines 64-691 Through his central character … London suggests that the environment—here, the climate of the Yukon—is the main force shaping our behavior. |
The whole passage focuses on London’s experiences in the Klondike and the philosophy that influenced his novel The Cali of the Wild. And it follows that «A) Experiences in the Klondike becoming the setting for the novel — (D) London’s experiences and philosophy that influenced his writing — (F) Environmental determinism that influenced The Call of the Wild > ~See (Graphic Organize/> on p.321 –
Why Not? (B) Mentioned in line 64, but minor / (C) Not supported / (E) Not mentioned
KEY for Reading Passage 1
1. Vocabulary I (B)
Q. The word ascertain in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? discover can replace ascertain in this context «■-See due 1(B)[lines 11-12]
• ascertain v. to learn something with certainty
• discover v. to find someone or something accidentally or with purpose
2. Sentence Simplification I (D)
Q. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
Why? Although radiocarbon dating cannot directly calculate the ages of inorganic materials, such as coins, // organic matter discovered on the same ground level, or stratum, can provide an accurate estimate based on the presumption that both objects once coexisted,
Why Not? (A) Minor
(B) Incorrect
(C) Information about the radiocarbon dating is left out.
3. Reference I (C)
Q. The word Its in the passage refers to
Why? Because of its broad applications, radiocarbon dating is utilized in various fields, such as archaeology, anthropology, and geology. **See Clue 3(C)[lines 19-22]
4. Factual Information I (A)
Q. Based on the information in paragraph 1 and paragraph 2, radiocarbon dating is used more often than other dating methods because it
Why? ~See Clue 4(A)[lines 5-7, 19-22]
Why Not? (B)-(D) Not supported
5. Factual Information I (C)
Q. According to paragraph 3, before radiocarbon dating scientists relied on the assumption that the artifacts that are the deepest underground
Why? See Clue 5(C)[lines 25-28]
Why Not? (A), (B), (D) Not mentioned
6. Vocabulary I (C)
Q. The word remnants in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? remains can replace remnants in this context. It is inferred that the word artifacts in line 32 is close in meaning to remnants. ^See Clue 6(C)[lines 28-29, 31-32]
• remnant n. (pi.) small portion that remains after the rest of it has been used or destroyed
• remain n. (pi.) parts left after the rest has been destroyed or has disappeared
7. Factual Information | (A)
Q. According to paragraph 3, how (fid scientists determine the ages of archaeological samples before radiocarbon dating?
Why? ~See Clue 7(A)[lines 32-34]
► Accurately determining the age of a sample required confirmation from written records,…
Why Not? (B) Incorrect “-See lines 25-28/ (C), (D) Not mentioned
8. Factual Information I (D)
Q. According to paragraph 4, how did Libby’s technique benefit the field of archaeology?
Why? ~See Clue 8(D) lines 59-61]
► Libby found that by measuring the amount of ,4C that was left in organic material, the age of the subject could be estimated,… archaeological samples
Why Not? (A), (C) Not mentioned / (B) Incorrect—See lines 59-60
9. Inference I (A)
Q. What can be inferred from paragraph 4 about the rates of decay of some radioactive substances?
Why? (A) can be inferred from the information in lines 63-65. —See Clue 9(A)
Why Not? (B)-(D) Not supported
10. Factual Information I (B)
Q. According to paragraph 5, radiocarbon dating cannot accurately date samples older than fifty thousand years because
Why? -See Clue 10(B)[lines 78-80]
► In objects older than that the quantity of ™C is too small for scientists to examine and render a reliable conclusion.
Why Not? (A), (C), (D) Not mentioned
11. Rhetorical Purpose I (D)
Q. Why does the author mention the Dead Sea Scrolls in paragraph 5?
Why? The Dead Sea Scrolls are mentioned as objects for testing the effectiveness of the radiocarbon dating method. —See Clue 11(D)[lines 82-86]
12. Insert Text | [C]
Q. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
Why? [B] Libby found that by measuring the amount of 14C that was left in organic material, the age of the subject could be estimated, as the rate of decay, or half-life of 14C, is gradual yet steady. [C] This slow rate of decay makes 14C ideal for use in determining the ages of ancient artifacts. Various radioactive substances have different rates of decay, ranging from seconds to thousands of years. [D]
► ‘This slow rate of decay” in the given sentence refers to “the rate of decay, or half-life of 14C, is gradual yet steady.”
13. Prose Summary
Q. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.
Why? The radiocarbon dating method is a procedure that measures the amount of 14C in organic remains and uses that information to accurately estimate the ages of old artifacts.
| Correct Answer Choices Clues in the passage | |
| (A) Because 14C is present in the atmosphere, it is constantly absorbed by living things and can be found in every organism. | Clue 13(A)[lines 44-46] When 14C, which is naturally present in very small quantities in the air, is absorbed by living organisms |
| (D) Although radiocarbon dating is limited to artifacts less than fifty thousand years old, it is a dependable and invaluable tool. | Clue 13(D)[lines 76-78] it can only estimate the ages of organic objects that are less than fifty thousand years old
[lines 81-82] the technique is still highly dependable [lines 91-92] radiocarbon dating is an invaluable tool |
| (E) Scientists have verified the preciseness of the radiocarbon dating method by testing it on artifacts whose ages are known. | Clue 13(E)[lines 83-85] the radiocarbon dating method has been tested on historically recorded artifacts whose ages are known [lines 87-90] the ages calculated by the radiocarbon dating technique closely match the ages of the artifacts as documented in historical records |
► The whole passage focuses on the principle and usefulness of radiocarbon dating. And it follows that ((A) The principle of radiocarbon dating — (D) Limitations of radiocarbon dating and its usefulness — (E) Test on the preciseness of radiocarbon dating)
KEY FOR READING PASSAGE 2
14. Reference I (A)
Q. The word it in the passage refers to
Why? If this fluid is water, the phenomenon is a whirlpool, as seen when water exits a tub through a drain. If it is a gas, such as air, the correct term for the vortex is a whirlwind. See Clue 14(A)[lines 2-6]
15. Factual Information I (A)
Q. According to paragraph 1, how are whirlwinds categorized?
Why? ~See Clue 15(A)[lines 8-13]
16. Rhetorical Purpose I (D)
Q.How does the author explain the movement of heated air in paragraph 2?
Why? The movement of heated air is explained in a comparison to water running down a drain. «-See Clue 16(D)(lines 20-23]
17. Vocabulary I (B)
Q.The word confined in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? limited can replace confined in this context. **See Clue 17(B)[lines 23-25]
• confined adj. existing in a limited place or group
• limited adj. not very great, large etc.; restricted
18. Sentence Simplification I (A)
Q. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
Why? When it first begins to develop, the devil is invisible, as only the air is moving, // but the spinning winds quickly pick up particles and other debris from the ground and carry them up the vortex, // giving it a discernable shape and size.
Why Not? (B) Not mentioned
(C) Information that the dust devil becomes visible as it picks up particles and other debris is left out.
(D) Incorrect
19. Factual Information I (B)
Q. According to paragraph 4, how does desert sand contribute to the formation of a dust devil?
Why? **See Clue 19(B)]lines 45-46] mi Why Not? (A), (C), (D) Not mentioned
20. Factual Information I (C)
Q. In paragraph 5, the author states that a vortex within a thunderstorm is made to spin faster when
Why? ~See Clue 20(C)[lines 62-64]
► … the rising air can be sculpted into a narrow column, increasing its rotational speed.
21. Vocabulary I (C)
Q. The word spawned in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? produced can replace spawned in this context. —See Clue 21(C)[lines 56-57]
• spawn v. to make a series of things occur
• produce v. to create something
22. Vocabulary I (D)
Q. The word detected in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? noticed can replace detected in this context. —See Clue 24(A)[lines 79-81]
• detect v. to discover something, especially something that is hard to notice
• notice v. to realize or pay particular attention to something
23. Factual Information I (D)
According to the passage, the vortexes of tornadoes and dust devils are invisible unless
Why? -See Clue 23(D) Lines 26-31, 74-76] mm Why Not? (B) Incorrect —See lines 94-96
24. Vocabulary I (A)
Q. The word pram in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? subject can replace prone in this context
• prone adj. having a natural inclination or tendency to something
• subject adj. likely to be affected by something (especially something unpleasant)
25. Inference I (C)
Q. From paragraph 7, it can be inferred that ‘tornado alley’ in America
Why? (C) can be inferred from the information in lines 82-85. —See Clue 25(C) b Why Not? (A), (B), (D) Not supported
26. Insert Text | [B]
Q. Look at the four squares [|] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
Why? [A] Perhaps the most famous is America’s “tornado alley/ an area that covers several midwestem states, where cold air from the Rocky Mountains or Canada often meets warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. [B] Some of the most frequent and violent tornado activity on Earth takes place here. The ability of these whirlwinds to exceed wind speeds of 480 km/h poses great risks to life and property, killing approximately sixty people each year in the United States. [C]
► “here” in the given sentence refers to “tornado alley.’
27. Schematic Table
Q. Directions: Complete the table by matching the phrases below.
Select the appropriate phrases from the answer choices and match them to the type of whirlwind to which they relate. TWO of the answer choices will NOT be used. This question is worth 4 points.
Why?
| Correct Answer Choices | Clues in the passage | |
| Dust Devils | (C) Require clear weather conditions | Clue 27(C)[lines 41-43] Sunny, clear, dry weather with little or no wind offers the prime conditions for the generation of a devil. |
| (D) Form from the rapid heating of air | Clue 27{D)[lines 17-19] A dust devil is created when a column of air suddenly heats up relative to the surrounding temperature. | |
| Tornadoes | (A) Arise due to the advancement of cold air | Clue 27(A)[lines 55-56] tornadoes form as a result of the movement of cold air |
| (E) Have the potential to be very destructive | Clue 27(E)[lines 86-88] The ability of these whirlwinds to exceed wind speeds of 480 km/h poses great risks to life and property | |
| (H) Are generated by preexisting storm systems | Clue 27(H)[lines 56-57] Most tornadoes are spawned by powerful thunderstorm systems. | |
| Both | (B) Can occur without being visible | Clue 27(B)[lines 26-27] When it first begins to develop, the devil is invisible [line 74] Sometimes, tornadoes are not detected |
| (G) Last for a relatively short period of time | Clue 27(G)[line 51] They are typically short-lived
[lines 94-96] Like dust devils, the average tornado is somewhat short-lived |