Try our free TASC Reading practice test. These practice questions are designed to help you prepare for the reading section of the TASC high school equivalency test. For this section you will be presented with passages of text that are followed by questions about the key ideas, the craft and structure of the passage, and word usage. There will be 50 questions which must be answered within 75 minutes.
Question 1 |
Recycling Programs
Whether it’s saving milk jugs, sorting newspapers neatly into a pile, or placing unnecessary office paper in a corner recycling bin, the American recycling experiment continues. Consider the set of recycling statistics, reflected in the bar chart. It compares American recycling rates for select materials (paper, glass, metals and plastics) over a fifty year time frame (1960–2010), using ten year intervals.
- Follow Sorting Guidelines
- Keep Recycled Material Clean
- Know Your Recycling Bins
- Know Your Recycling Day
- In Doubt, Leave it Out
According to the chart provided, which of the following materials was most commonly recycled in 2010?
Paper/Paperboard | |
Metals | |
Glass | |
Plastics |
Question 2 |
Recycling Programs
Whether it’s saving milk jugs, sorting newspapers neatly into a pile, or placing unnecessary office paper in a corner recycling bin, the American recycling experiment continues. Consider the set of recycling statistics, reflected in the bar chart. It compares American recycling rates for select materials (paper, glass, metals and plastics) over a fifty year time frame (1960–2010), using ten year intervals.
- Follow Sorting Guidelines
- Keep Recycled Material Clean
- Know Your Recycling Bins
- Know Your Recycling Day
- In Doubt, Leave it Out
According to the text, what are TWO factors that have made reverse vending machines a success?
state laws | |
customer payments | |
federal regulations | |
ease of use | |
habits | |
curbside recycling programs |
Question 3 |
Recycling Programs
Whether it’s saving milk jugs, sorting newspapers neatly into a pile, or placing unnecessary office paper in a corner recycling bin, the American recycling experiment continues. Consider the set of recycling statistics, reflected in the bar chart. It compares American recycling rates for select materials (paper, glass, metals and plastics) over a fifty year time frame (1960–2010), using ten year intervals.
- Follow Sorting Guidelines
- Keep Recycled Material Clean
- Know Your Recycling Bins
- Know Your Recycling Day
- In Doubt, Leave it Out
Read this excerpt from the text
As used in the excerpt, what is the meaning of the word aggregate?
community | |
plastic | |
total | |
official |
Question 4 |
Recycling Programs
Whether it’s saving milk jugs, sorting newspapers neatly into a pile, or placing unnecessary office paper in a corner recycling bin, the American recycling experiment continues. Consider the set of recycling statistics, reflected in the bar chart. It compares American recycling rates for select materials (paper, glass, metals and plastics) over a fifty year time frame (1960–2010), using ten year intervals.
- Follow Sorting Guidelines
- Keep Recycled Material Clean
- Know Your Recycling Bins
- Know Your Recycling Day
- In Doubt, Leave it Out
Read this excerpt from the text
How does the author use this statement to develop the argument that recycling is a relatively easy activity for the average person?
By providing the specific collection times for the recycling bins, and indicating what is picked up on which days. | |
By demonstrating how materials are cleaned, sorted, and placed into specific bins. | |
By outlining the various bins required for recycling and noting how simple it is to sort the recycled materials. | |
By showing there is minimal inconvenience to homeowners to recycle, since they already put out garbage bins once a week. |
Question 5 |
Recycling Programs
Whether it’s saving milk jugs, sorting newspapers neatly into a pile, or placing unnecessary office paper in a corner recycling bin, the American recycling experiment continues. Consider the set of recycling statistics, reflected in the bar chart. It compares American recycling rates for select materials (paper, glass, metals and plastics) over a fifty year time frame (1960–2010), using ten year intervals.
- Follow Sorting Guidelines
- Keep Recycled Material Clean
- Know Your Recycling Bins
- Know Your Recycling Day
- In Doubt, Leave it Out
In the first paragraph, the author uses the phrase American recycling experiment to show
that Americans will only recycle on an experimental basis | |
that America has not figured out exactly how recycling programs should be implemented | |
that recycling in America will only continue until the experiment is completed | |
that other countries are more committed to recycling than America |
Question 6 |
The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
(From The Poetry of Robert Frost by Robert Frost, edited by Edward Connery Lathem. Copyright © 1969 by Holt Rinehart and Winston, Inc.)
What is the meaning of the word diverged in the first stanza?
entwined | |
separated | |
removed | |
paved |
Question 7 |
The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
(From The Poetry of Robert Frost by Robert Frost, edited by Edward Connery Lathem. Copyright © 1969 by Holt Rinehart and Winston, Inc.)
Select TWO major themes of the poem.
Choices | |
Heaven | |
Passage of Time | |
Honor | |
Gratitude | |
Romantic Love |
Question 8 |
The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
(From The Poetry of Robert Frost by Robert Frost, edited by Edward Connery Lathem. Copyright © 1969 by Holt Rinehart and Winston, Inc.)
Why does the author state, “In leaves no step had trodden black?”
To show one path was paved and the other was not. | |
To indicate one path had been used more frequently by other travelers. | |
To illustrate the similarities between the paths. | |
To reveal the yellow woods are not traveled through very often. |
Question 9 |
The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
(From The Poetry of Robert Frost by Robert Frost, edited by Edward Connery Lathem. Copyright © 1969 by Holt Rinehart and Winston, Inc.)
Read the last stanza of the poem. What is ironic about the author’s tone in this final stanza?
The author believes he can see into the future, when that is not possible. | |
The author believes that he took the less-traveled road, even though he earlier claimed the roads to be the same. | |
The author believes he will remember his choice “ages and ages hence.” | |
The author believes his choice will interest others in the future, but it will not. |
Question 10 |
The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
(From The Poetry of Robert Frost by Robert Frost, edited by Edward Connery Lathem. Copyright © 1969 by Holt Rinehart and Winston, Inc.)
What two periods of time are discussed in the poem?
The past and the near future. | |
The present and the near future. | |
The past and the far future. | |
The present and the far future. |
Question 11 |
Inaugural Address of John F. Kennedy
So let us begin a new remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate. And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.
Now the trumpet summons us again; not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are; but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation"—a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself. Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility; I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.
And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.
Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on Earth God's work must truly be our own.
What is President Kennedy’s main purpose in this address?
to encourage Americans to be more civil with each other and with America’s foreign allies | |
to ask Congress to give the executive branch more power in military affairs | |
to illustrate the precarious position of America in foreign affairs | |
to rally Americans to serve their country |
Question 12 |
Inaugural Address of John F. Kennedy
So let us begin a new remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate. And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.
Now the trumpet summons us again; not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are; but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation"—a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself. Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility; I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.
And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.
Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on Earth God's work must truly be our own.
In the final paragraph, what hope does President Kennedy express about his government?
that it will be better than the preceding government | |
that it will be held accountable by the people | |
that it will make future generations proud | |
that it will be ruled by God’s will |
Question 13 |
Inaugural Address of John F. Kennedy
So let us begin a new remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate. And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.
Now the trumpet summons us again; not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are; but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation"—a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself. Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility; I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.
And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.
Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on Earth God's work must truly be our own.
What is “the trumpet” a metaphor for in the beginning of the fourth paragraph?
a call to bear arms and fight foreign dictatorships | |
a call to overcome domestic strife and petty differences | |
a call to build up the military and allocate more tax revenue to that purpose | |
a call to endure the challenges that come with fighting tyranny |
Question 14 |
Inaugural Address of John F. Kennedy
So let us begin a new remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate. And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.
Now the trumpet summons us again; not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are; but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation"—a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself. Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility; I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.
And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.
Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on Earth God's work must truly be our own.
How does Kennedy attempt to recruit Americans to join the fight against tyranny?
by placing it in a historical context | |
by boasting of his personal bravery and confidence, and encouraging American pride | |
by outlining a plan of action for future American conflicts | |
by criticizing the inaction of other countries |
Question 15 |
Inaugural Address of John F. Kennedy
So let us begin a new remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate. And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.
Now the trumpet summons us again; not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are; but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation"—a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself. Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility; I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.
And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.
Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on Earth God's work must truly be our own.
Which of these statements most strongly supports your response to the previous question?
(Use the left arrow below to go back and review the previous question.)In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. | |
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. | |
I do not shrink from this responsibility; I welcome it. | |
Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. |
Question 16 |
Inaugural Address of John F. Kennedy
So let us begin a new remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate. And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.
Now the trumpet summons us again; not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are; but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation"—a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself. Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility; I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.
And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.
Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on Earth God's work must truly be our own.
Read this excerpt from the text
What is the most likely meaning of twilight struggle?
hard-won victories | |
unwinnable struggle | |
ongoing battle | |
never-ending separation |
Question 17 |
The History of Girl Scout Cookies
For nearly 100 years, Girl Scouts and their enthusiastic supporters have helped ensure the success of the iconic annual cookie sale—and they’ve had fun, developed valuable life skills, and made their communities a better place every step of the way.Girl Scout Cookies had their earliest beginnings in the kitchens and ovens of our girl members, with moms volunteering as technical advisers. The sale of cookies as a way to finance troop activities began as early as 1917, five years after Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouts in the United States, when the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, baked cookies and sold them in its high school cafeteria as a service project.
In July 1922, The American Girl magazine, published by Girl Scouts of the USA, featured an article by Florence E. Neil, a local director in Chicago, Illinois. Miss Neil provided a cookie recipe that had been given to the council’s 2,000 Girl Scouts. She estimated the approximate cost of ingredients for six- to seven-dozen cookies to be 26 to 36 cents. The cookies, she suggested, could be sold by troops for 25 or 30 cents per dozen.
In 1933, Girl Scouts of Greater Philadelphia Council baked cookies and sold them in the city’s gas and electric company windows. The price was just 23 cents per box of 44 cookies, or six boxes for $1.24! Girls developed their marketing and business skills and raised funds for their local Girl Scout council. A year later, Greater Philadelphia took cookie sales to the next level, becoming the first council to sell commercially baked cookies.
In 1935, the Girl Scout Federation of Greater New York raised money through the sale of commercially baked cookies. Buying its own die in the shape of a trefoil, the group used the words “Girl Scout Cookies” on the box. In 1936, the national Girl Scout organization began the process of licensing the first commercial bakers to produce cookies that would be sold nationwide by girls in Girl Scout councils.
Enthusiasm for Girl Scout Cookies spread nationwide. By 1937, more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales. In 1951, Girl Scout Cookies came in three varieties: Sandwich, Shortbread, and Chocolate Mints (now known as Thin Mints). By 1966, a number of varieties were available. Among the best sellers were Chocolate Mint (now known as Thin Mints), Shortbread, and Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies. Girl Scout Cookies for sale during the 1970s included Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Sandwich/Do-si-dos®, and Shortbread/Trefoils® cookies, plus four additional choices.
Early in the twenty-first century, every Girl Scout Cookie had a mission. New cookie box designs, introduced in fall of 2000, were bold and bright, capturing the spirit of Girl Scouting. Two licensed bakers produced a maximum of eight varieties, and all cookies were kosher. And, much to the excitement of our youngest Girl Scouts, Daisies started selling cookies!
The details about the specific types of cookies sold (Trefoil, Thin Mints, etc.) serve to
highlight progress in the nutritional content of the cookies | |
show how the types of cookies sold have developed over time | |
explain why certain types of cookies are preferred over others | |
describe how the specific cookies are made and packaged |
Question 18 |
The History of Girl Scout Cookies
For nearly 100 years, Girl Scouts and their enthusiastic supporters have helped ensure the success of the iconic annual cookie sale—and they’ve had fun, developed valuable life skills, and made their communities a better place every step of the way.Girl Scout Cookies had their earliest beginnings in the kitchens and ovens of our girl members, with moms volunteering as technical advisers. The sale of cookies as a way to finance troop activities began as early as 1917, five years after Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouts in the United States, when the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, baked cookies and sold them in its high school cafeteria as a service project.
In July 1922, The American Girl magazine, published by Girl Scouts of the USA, featured an article by Florence E. Neil, a local director in Chicago, Illinois. Miss Neil provided a cookie recipe that had been given to the council’s 2,000 Girl Scouts. She estimated the approximate cost of ingredients for six- to seven-dozen cookies to be 26 to 36 cents. The cookies, she suggested, could be sold by troops for 25 or 30 cents per dozen.
In 1933, Girl Scouts of Greater Philadelphia Council baked cookies and sold them in the city’s gas and electric company windows. The price was just 23 cents per box of 44 cookies, or six boxes for $1.24! Girls developed their marketing and business skills and raised funds for their local Girl Scout council. A year later, Greater Philadelphia took cookie sales to the next level, becoming the first council to sell commercially baked cookies.
In 1935, the Girl Scout Federation of Greater New York raised money through the sale of commercially baked cookies. Buying its own die in the shape of a trefoil, the group used the words “Girl Scout Cookies” on the box. In 1936, the national Girl Scout organization began the process of licensing the first commercial bakers to produce cookies that would be sold nationwide by girls in Girl Scout councils.
Enthusiasm for Girl Scout Cookies spread nationwide. By 1937, more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales. In 1951, Girl Scout Cookies came in three varieties: Sandwich, Shortbread, and Chocolate Mints (now known as Thin Mints). By 1966, a number of varieties were available. Among the best sellers were Chocolate Mint (now known as Thin Mints), Shortbread, and Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies. Girl Scout Cookies for sale during the 1970s included Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Sandwich/Do-si-dos®, and Shortbread/Trefoils® cookies, plus four additional choices.
Early in the twenty-first century, every Girl Scout Cookie had a mission. New cookie box designs, introduced in fall of 2000, were bold and bright, capturing the spirit of Girl Scouting. Two licensed bakers produced a maximum of eight varieties, and all cookies were kosher. And, much to the excitement of our youngest Girl Scouts, Daisies started selling cookies!
What inference can be made about the history of Girl Scout cookies?
Girl Scout cookies were not popular during World War II. | |
Before the 21st century, no one wanted to buy cookies from Daisies. | |
Thin Mints are the most popular type of Girl Scout cookie. | |
Girl Scouts did not bake their own cookies after 1940. |
Question 19 |
The History of Girl Scout Cookies
For nearly 100 years, Girl Scouts and their enthusiastic supporters have helped ensure the success of the iconic annual cookie sale—and they’ve had fun, developed valuable life skills, and made their communities a better place every step of the way.Girl Scout Cookies had their earliest beginnings in the kitchens and ovens of our girl members, with moms volunteering as technical advisers. The sale of cookies as a way to finance troop activities began as early as 1917, five years after Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouts in the United States, when the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, baked cookies and sold them in its high school cafeteria as a service project.
In July 1922, The American Girl magazine, published by Girl Scouts of the USA, featured an article by Florence E. Neil, a local director in Chicago, Illinois. Miss Neil provided a cookie recipe that had been given to the council’s 2,000 Girl Scouts. She estimated the approximate cost of ingredients for six- to seven-dozen cookies to be 26 to 36 cents. The cookies, she suggested, could be sold by troops for 25 or 30 cents per dozen.
In 1933, Girl Scouts of Greater Philadelphia Council baked cookies and sold them in the city’s gas and electric company windows. The price was just 23 cents per box of 44 cookies, or six boxes for $1.24! Girls developed their marketing and business skills and raised funds for their local Girl Scout council. A year later, Greater Philadelphia took cookie sales to the next level, becoming the first council to sell commercially baked cookies.
In 1935, the Girl Scout Federation of Greater New York raised money through the sale of commercially baked cookies. Buying its own die in the shape of a trefoil, the group used the words “Girl Scout Cookies” on the box. In 1936, the national Girl Scout organization began the process of licensing the first commercial bakers to produce cookies that would be sold nationwide by girls in Girl Scout councils.
Enthusiasm for Girl Scout Cookies spread nationwide. By 1937, more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales. In 1951, Girl Scout Cookies came in three varieties: Sandwich, Shortbread, and Chocolate Mints (now known as Thin Mints). By 1966, a number of varieties were available. Among the best sellers were Chocolate Mint (now known as Thin Mints), Shortbread, and Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies. Girl Scout Cookies for sale during the 1970s included Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Sandwich/Do-si-dos®, and Shortbread/Trefoils® cookies, plus four additional choices.
Early in the twenty-first century, every Girl Scout Cookie had a mission. New cookie box designs, introduced in fall of 2000, were bold and bright, capturing the spirit of Girl Scouting. Two licensed bakers produced a maximum of eight varieties, and all cookies were kosher. And, much to the excitement of our youngest Girl Scouts, Daisies started selling cookies!
How does the first paragraph of the passage relate to the rest of the passage?
The first paragraph mentions a specific viewpoint on a topic, and the other paragraphs present background information on this topic. | |
The first paragraph gives a general overview, and the remaining paragraphs provide a sequential development of that idea. | |
The first paragraph provides a thesis statement, and the rest of the paragraphs attempt to persuade the reader to agree with that thesis. | |
The first paragraph describes a plan of action, and the rest of the paragraphs provide a chronological review of that plan. |
Question 20 |
The History of Girl Scout Cookies
For nearly 100 years, Girl Scouts and their enthusiastic supporters have helped ensure the success of the iconic annual cookie sale—and they’ve had fun, developed valuable life skills, and made their communities a better place every step of the way.Girl Scout Cookies had their earliest beginnings in the kitchens and ovens of our girl members, with moms volunteering as technical advisers. The sale of cookies as a way to finance troop activities began as early as 1917, five years after Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouts in the United States, when the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, baked cookies and sold them in its high school cafeteria as a service project.
In July 1922, The American Girl magazine, published by Girl Scouts of the USA, featured an article by Florence E. Neil, a local director in Chicago, Illinois. Miss Neil provided a cookie recipe that had been given to the council’s 2,000 Girl Scouts. She estimated the approximate cost of ingredients for six- to seven-dozen cookies to be 26 to 36 cents. The cookies, she suggested, could be sold by troops for 25 or 30 cents per dozen.
In 1933, Girl Scouts of Greater Philadelphia Council baked cookies and sold them in the city’s gas and electric company windows. The price was just 23 cents per box of 44 cookies, or six boxes for $1.24! Girls developed their marketing and business skills and raised funds for their local Girl Scout council. A year later, Greater Philadelphia took cookie sales to the next level, becoming the first council to sell commercially baked cookies.
In 1935, the Girl Scout Federation of Greater New York raised money through the sale of commercially baked cookies. Buying its own die in the shape of a trefoil, the group used the words “Girl Scout Cookies” on the box. In 1936, the national Girl Scout organization began the process of licensing the first commercial bakers to produce cookies that would be sold nationwide by girls in Girl Scout councils.
Enthusiasm for Girl Scout Cookies spread nationwide. By 1937, more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales. In 1951, Girl Scout Cookies came in three varieties: Sandwich, Shortbread, and Chocolate Mints (now known as Thin Mints). By 1966, a number of varieties were available. Among the best sellers were Chocolate Mint (now known as Thin Mints), Shortbread, and Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies. Girl Scout Cookies for sale during the 1970s included Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Sandwich/Do-si-dos®, and Shortbread/Trefoils® cookies, plus four additional choices.
Early in the twenty-first century, every Girl Scout Cookie had a mission. New cookie box designs, introduced in fall of 2000, were bold and bright, capturing the spirit of Girl Scouting. Two licensed bakers produced a maximum of eight varieties, and all cookies were kosher. And, much to the excitement of our youngest Girl Scouts, Daisies started selling cookies!
Based on details given in the passage, what could be a logical reason why the author wrote this passage?
to actively recruit new Girl Scouts | |
to thoroughly describe the types of cookies sold | |
to graciously boast about the success of the Girl Scout cookies | |
to comprehensively review the history of the Girl Scouts |
Question 21 |
The History of Girl Scout Cookies
For nearly 100 years, Girl Scouts and their enthusiastic supporters have helped ensure the success of the iconic annual cookie sale—and they’ve had fun, developed valuable life skills, and made their communities a better place every step of the way.Girl Scout Cookies had their earliest beginnings in the kitchens and ovens of our girl members, with moms volunteering as technical advisers. The sale of cookies as a way to finance troop activities began as early as 1917, five years after Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouts in the United States, when the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, baked cookies and sold them in its high school cafeteria as a service project.
In July 1922, The American Girl magazine, published by Girl Scouts of the USA, featured an article by Florence E. Neil, a local director in Chicago, Illinois. Miss Neil provided a cookie recipe that had been given to the council’s 2,000 Girl Scouts. She estimated the approximate cost of ingredients for six- to seven-dozen cookies to be 26 to 36 cents. The cookies, she suggested, could be sold by troops for 25 or 30 cents per dozen.
In 1933, Girl Scouts of Greater Philadelphia Council baked cookies and sold them in the city’s gas and electric company windows. The price was just 23 cents per box of 44 cookies, or six boxes for $1.24! Girls developed their marketing and business skills and raised funds for their local Girl Scout council. A year later, Greater Philadelphia took cookie sales to the next level, becoming the first council to sell commercially baked cookies.
In 1935, the Girl Scout Federation of Greater New York raised money through the sale of commercially baked cookies. Buying its own die in the shape of a trefoil, the group used the words “Girl Scout Cookies” on the box. In 1936, the national Girl Scout organization began the process of licensing the first commercial bakers to produce cookies that would be sold nationwide by girls in Girl Scout councils.
Enthusiasm for Girl Scout Cookies spread nationwide. By 1937, more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales. In 1951, Girl Scout Cookies came in three varieties: Sandwich, Shortbread, and Chocolate Mints (now known as Thin Mints). By 1966, a number of varieties were available. Among the best sellers were Chocolate Mint (now known as Thin Mints), Shortbread, and Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies. Girl Scout Cookies for sale during the 1970s included Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Sandwich/Do-si-dos®, and Shortbread/Trefoils® cookies, plus four additional choices.
Early in the twenty-first century, every Girl Scout Cookie had a mission. New cookie box designs, introduced in fall of 2000, were bold and bright, capturing the spirit of Girl Scouting. Two licensed bakers produced a maximum of eight varieties, and all cookies were kosher. And, much to the excitement of our youngest Girl Scouts, Daisies started selling cookies!
Select TWO details that can be learned from the passage?
the year in which the Girl Scouts was founded | |
the most profitable cookie type | |
the average number of boxes of cookies sold per Girl Scout | |
The name of the founder of the Girl Scouts | |
the year that Daisies started selling cookies | |
the reason for changing the name of Chocolate Mints |
Question 22 |
The History of Girl Scout Cookies
For nearly 100 years, Girl Scouts and their enthusiastic supporters have helped ensure the success of the iconic annual cookie sale—and they’ve had fun, developed valuable life skills, and made their communities a better place every step of the way.Girl Scout Cookies had their earliest beginnings in the kitchens and ovens of our girl members, with moms volunteering as technical advisers. The sale of cookies as a way to finance troop activities began as early as 1917, five years after Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouts in the United States, when the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, baked cookies and sold them in its high school cafeteria as a service project.
In July 1922, The American Girl magazine, published by Girl Scouts of the USA, featured an article by Florence E. Neil, a local director in Chicago, Illinois. Miss Neil provided a cookie recipe that had been given to the council’s 2,000 Girl Scouts. She estimated the approximate cost of ingredients for six- to seven-dozen cookies to be 26 to 36 cents. The cookies, she suggested, could be sold by troops for 25 or 30 cents per dozen.
In 1933, Girl Scouts of Greater Philadelphia Council baked cookies and sold them in the city’s gas and electric company windows. The price was just 23 cents per box of 44 cookies, or six boxes for $1.24! Girls developed their marketing and business skills and raised funds for their local Girl Scout council. A year later, Greater Philadelphia took cookie sales to the next level, becoming the first council to sell commercially baked cookies.
In 1935, the Girl Scout Federation of Greater New York raised money through the sale of commercially baked cookies. Buying its own die in the shape of a trefoil, the group used the words “Girl Scout Cookies” on the box. In 1936, the national Girl Scout organization began the process of licensing the first commercial bakers to produce cookies that would be sold nationwide by girls in Girl Scout councils.
Enthusiasm for Girl Scout Cookies spread nationwide. By 1937, more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales. In 1951, Girl Scout Cookies came in three varieties: Sandwich, Shortbread, and Chocolate Mints (now known as Thin Mints). By 1966, a number of varieties were available. Among the best sellers were Chocolate Mint (now known as Thin Mints), Shortbread, and Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies. Girl Scout Cookies for sale during the 1970s included Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Sandwich/Do-si-dos®, and Shortbread/Trefoils® cookies, plus four additional choices.
Early in the twenty-first century, every Girl Scout Cookie had a mission. New cookie box designs, introduced in fall of 2000, were bold and bright, capturing the spirit of Girl Scouting. Two licensed bakers produced a maximum of eight varieties, and all cookies were kosher. And, much to the excitement of our youngest Girl Scouts, Daisies started selling cookies!
Read this excerpt from the text
The most likely meaning of iconic is?
required by a rule | |
pertaining to charity | |
happening once a year | |
widely recognized and well-established |
Question 23 |
Camping with the Bears
Sometimes the world can surprise you. What you expect is not always what you get, as the mind is fickle, seduced by fancy. We people are fickle, too, more often than not agreeing blindly with our neighbors. It takes so much more to march an unknown course that none have tread before.In the summer of 1999, my friend Arika and I set out to camp in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. The staff were quick to warn us about the bears, and rightfully so because bears could be sighted any given evening in the area. As we drove into the campsite, we saw a handwritten sign warning us about bears again.
We moved at a good speed to establish our camp before nightfall, chatting back and forth. Arika quickly set up the tent under an aspen tree while I cooked an easy meal. After eating, we stuffed the tent full of our sleeping gear, and soon enough settled into silence.
I barely breathed the quiet mountain air. I was listening for bears.
It wasn’t long before I heard a rustling sound, and I held my breath to listen more carefully. A deep growling followed. It was the low guttural noise made only by a large animal. There was silence for a few moments, and then I heard it again.
“Arika,” I said in a panicky whisper. “Wake up! I hear something outside the tent. Do you?” We lay there side by side, and after a few moments, she whispered back that she didn’t hear anything. Arika rolled over on her side, but I stayed lying on my back, legs rigid and arms tense at my sides, ears tuned to the dark world lurking outside.
Sleeping was out of the question. Someone had to be awake to protect us in case of attack, so I volunteered myself. I heard it again, first the rustling sound of a big animal stumbling through fallen leaves, then the low growling that followed. I could see its shadow moving then, dancing lines across the walls of our tent.
“Arika! Wake up right now—I hear it again!"
“Huh? I don’t hear anything.”
“Listen,” I said, but I knew she had just rolled over and gone back to sleep.
The third time I heard the noises, the truth hit me like a clap of thunder. That low, guttural noise was Arika snoring as she slipped into a sound sleep. You’d think that I would have been able to put that together more quickly. But the mind is like a fertile field; plant it with an idea, and that idea will grow to fruition.
The author develops the narrative by:
using humor to soften the delivery of grim news. | |
explaining the events as a detached observer. | |
maintaining suspense that is eventually resolved. | |
creating unnecessary drama that distracts the reader from the passage's main idea. |
Question 24 |
Camping with the Bears
Sometimes the world can surprise you. What you expect is not always what you get, as the mind is fickle, seduced by fancy. We people are fickle, too, more often than not agreeing blindly with our neighbors. It takes so much more to march an unknown course that none have tread before.In the summer of 1999, my friend Arika and I set out to camp in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. The staff were quick to warn us about the bears, and rightfully so because bears could be sighted any given evening in the area. As we drove into the campsite, we saw a handwritten sign warning us about bears again.
We moved at a good speed to establish our camp before nightfall, chatting back and forth. Arika quickly set up the tent under an aspen tree while I cooked an easy meal. After eating, we stuffed the tent full of our sleeping gear, and soon enough settled into silence.
I barely breathed the quiet mountain air. I was listening for bears.
It wasn’t long before I heard a rustling sound, and I held my breath to listen more carefully. A deep growling followed. It was the low guttural noise made only by a large animal. There was silence for a few moments, and then I heard it again.
“Arika,” I said in a panicky whisper. “Wake up! I hear something outside the tent. Do you?” We lay there side by side, and after a few moments, she whispered back that she didn’t hear anything. Arika rolled over on her side, but I stayed lying on my back, legs rigid and arms tense at my sides, ears tuned to the dark world lurking outside.
Sleeping was out of the question. Someone had to be awake to protect us in case of attack, so I volunteered myself. I heard it again, first the rustling sound of a big animal stumbling through fallen leaves, then the low growling that followed. I could see its shadow moving then, dancing lines across the walls of our tent.
“Arika! Wake up right now—I hear it again!"
“Huh? I don’t hear anything.”
“Listen,” I said, but I knew she had just rolled over and gone back to sleep.
The third time I heard the noises, the truth hit me like a clap of thunder. That low, guttural noise was Arika snoring as she slipped into a sound sleep. You’d think that I would have been able to put that together more quickly. But the mind is like a fertile field; plant it with an idea, and that idea will grow to fruition.
What is the meaning of the word fickle in paragraph 1?
subject to sudden unpredictable change | |
easily offended | |
paranoid | |
steady and faithful |
Question 25 |
Camping with the Bears
Sometimes the world can surprise you. What you expect is not always what you get, as the mind is fickle, seduced by fancy. We people are fickle, too, more often than not agreeing blindly with our neighbors. It takes so much more to march an unknown course that none have tread before.In the summer of 1999, my friend Arika and I set out to camp in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. The staff were quick to warn us about the bears, and rightfully so because bears could be sighted any given evening in the area. As we drove into the campsite, we saw a handwritten sign warning us about bears again.
We moved at a good speed to establish our camp before nightfall, chatting back and forth. Arika quickly set up the tent under an aspen tree while I cooked an easy meal. After eating, we stuffed the tent full of our sleeping gear, and soon enough settled into silence.
I barely breathed the quiet mountain air. I was listening for bears.
It wasn’t long before I heard a rustling sound, and I held my breath to listen more carefully. A deep growling followed. It was the low guttural noise made only by a large animal. There was silence for a few moments, and then I heard it again.
“Arika,” I said in a panicky whisper. “Wake up! I hear something outside the tent. Do you?” We lay there side by side, and after a few moments, she whispered back that she didn’t hear anything. Arika rolled over on her side, but I stayed lying on my back, legs rigid and arms tense at my sides, ears tuned to the dark world lurking outside.
Sleeping was out of the question. Someone had to be awake to protect us in case of attack, so I volunteered myself. I heard it again, first the rustling sound of a big animal stumbling through fallen leaves, then the low growling that followed. I could see its shadow moving then, dancing lines across the walls of our tent.
“Arika! Wake up right now—I hear it again!"
“Huh? I don’t hear anything.”
“Listen,” I said, but I knew she had just rolled over and gone back to sleep.
The third time I heard the noises, the truth hit me like a clap of thunder. That low, guttural noise was Arika snoring as she slipped into a sound sleep. You’d think that I would have been able to put that together more quickly. But the mind is like a fertile field; plant it with an idea, and that idea will grow to fruition.
The author of this passage develops the second, third, and fourth paragraphs primarily through:
abstract psychological analysis that offers detailed information about the author's mind. | |
vivid details that appeal to the readers' senses of sight and sound. | |
a logically ordered explanation of events that establishes the source of the following tension. | |
defining a concept in increasingly complex terms. |
Question 26 |
Camping with the Bears
Sometimes the world can surprise you. What you expect is not always what you get, as the mind is fickle, seduced by fancy. We people are fickle, too, more often than not agreeing blindly with our neighbors. It takes so much more to march an unknown course that none have tread before.In the summer of 1999, my friend Arika and I set out to camp in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. The staff were quick to warn us about the bears, and rightfully so because bears could be sighted any given evening in the area. As we drove into the campsite, we saw a handwritten sign warning us about bears again.
We moved at a good speed to establish our camp before nightfall, chatting back and forth. Arika quickly set up the tent under an aspen tree while I cooked an easy meal. After eating, we stuffed the tent full of our sleeping gear, and soon enough settled into silence.
I barely breathed the quiet mountain air. I was listening for bears.
It wasn’t long before I heard a rustling sound, and I held my breath to listen more carefully. A deep growling followed. It was the low guttural noise made only by a large animal. There was silence for a few moments, and then I heard it again.
“Arika,” I said in a panicky whisper. “Wake up! I hear something outside the tent. Do you?” We lay there side by side, and after a few moments, she whispered back that she didn’t hear anything. Arika rolled over on her side, but I stayed lying on my back, legs rigid and arms tense at my sides, ears tuned to the dark world lurking outside.
Sleeping was out of the question. Someone had to be awake to protect us in case of attack, so I volunteered myself. I heard it again, first the rustling sound of a big animal stumbling through fallen leaves, then the low growling that followed. I could see its shadow moving then, dancing lines across the walls of our tent.
“Arika! Wake up right now—I hear it again!"
“Huh? I don’t hear anything.”
“Listen,” I said, but I knew she had just rolled over and gone back to sleep.
The third time I heard the noises, the truth hit me like a clap of thunder. That low, guttural noise was Arika snoring as she slipped into a sound sleep. You’d think that I would have been able to put that together more quickly. But the mind is like a fertile field; plant it with an idea, and that idea will grow to fruition.
Read this excerpt from the text
What is the author saying about people in this excerpt?
Courage is an essential part of marching onward with our neighbors. | |
Walking over unmapped territory is a brave thing to do alone. | |
It is often easier for people to embrace the unknown rather than agreeing with our neighbors. | |
It is often difficult for people to make choices that differ from those of others. |
Question 27 |
Camping with the Bears
Sometimes the world can surprise you. What you expect is not always what you get, as the mind is fickle, seduced by fancy. We people are fickle, too, more often than not agreeing blindly with our neighbors. It takes so much more to march an unknown course that none have tread before.In the summer of 1999, my friend Arika and I set out to camp in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. The staff were quick to warn us about the bears, and rightfully so because bears could be sighted any given evening in the area. As we drove into the campsite, we saw a handwritten sign warning us about bears again.
We moved at a good speed to establish our camp before nightfall, chatting back and forth. Arika quickly set up the tent under an aspen tree while I cooked an easy meal. After eating, we stuffed the tent full of our sleeping gear, and soon enough settled into silence.
I barely breathed the quiet mountain air. I was listening for bears.
It wasn’t long before I heard a rustling sound, and I held my breath to listen more carefully. A deep growling followed. It was the low guttural noise made only by a large animal. There was silence for a few moments, and then I heard it again.
“Arika,” I said in a panicky whisper. “Wake up! I hear something outside the tent. Do you?” We lay there side by side, and after a few moments, she whispered back that she didn’t hear anything. Arika rolled over on her side, but I stayed lying on my back, legs rigid and arms tense at my sides, ears tuned to the dark world lurking outside.
Sleeping was out of the question. Someone had to be awake to protect us in case of attack, so I volunteered myself. I heard it again, first the rustling sound of a big animal stumbling through fallen leaves, then the low growling that followed. I could see its shadow moving then, dancing lines across the walls of our tent.
“Arika! Wake up right now—I hear it again!"
“Huh? I don’t hear anything.”
“Listen,” I said, but I knew she had just rolled over and gone back to sleep.
The third time I heard the noises, the truth hit me like a clap of thunder. That low, guttural noise was Arika snoring as she slipped into a sound sleep. You’d think that I would have been able to put that together more quickly. But the mind is like a fertile field; plant it with an idea, and that idea will grow to fruition.
Which of these sentences best emphasizes the fear that the author is feeling?
The third time I heard the noises, the truth hit me like a clap of thunder. | |
But the mind is like a fertile field; plant it with an idea, and that idea will grow to fruition. | |
Arika rolled over on her side, but I stayed lying on my back, legs rigid and arms tense at my sides, ears tuned to the dark world lurking outside. | |
I could see its shadow moving then, dancing lines across the walls of our tent. |
Question 28 |
Camping with the Bears
Sometimes the world can surprise you. What you expect is not always what you get, as the mind is fickle, seduced by fancy. We people are fickle, too, more often than not agreeing blindly with our neighbors. It takes so much more to march an unknown course that none have tread before.In the summer of 1999, my friend Arika and I set out to camp in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. The staff were quick to warn us about the bears, and rightfully so because bears could be sighted any given evening in the area. As we drove into the campsite, we saw a handwritten sign warning us about bears again.
We moved at a good speed to establish our camp before nightfall, chatting back and forth. Arika quickly set up the tent under an aspen tree while I cooked an easy meal. After eating, we stuffed the tent full of our sleeping gear, and soon enough settled into silence.
I barely breathed the quiet mountain air. I was listening for bears.
It wasn’t long before I heard a rustling sound, and I held my breath to listen more carefully. A deep growling followed. It was the low guttural noise made only by a large animal. There was silence for a few moments, and then I heard it again.
“Arika,” I said in a panicky whisper. “Wake up! I hear something outside the tent. Do you?” We lay there side by side, and after a few moments, she whispered back that she didn’t hear anything. Arika rolled over on her side, but I stayed lying on my back, legs rigid and arms tense at my sides, ears tuned to the dark world lurking outside.
Sleeping was out of the question. Someone had to be awake to protect us in case of attack, so I volunteered myself. I heard it again, first the rustling sound of a big animal stumbling through fallen leaves, then the low growling that followed. I could see its shadow moving then, dancing lines across the walls of our tent.
“Arika! Wake up right now—I hear it again!"
“Huh? I don’t hear anything.”
“Listen,” I said, but I knew she had just rolled over and gone back to sleep.
The third time I heard the noises, the truth hit me like a clap of thunder. That low, guttural noise was Arika snoring as she slipped into a sound sleep. You’d think that I would have been able to put that together more quickly. But the mind is like a fertile field; plant it with an idea, and that idea will grow to fruition.
The author's comparison of the mind to a "fertile field" in the final paragraph is useful because it:
reveals the author’s interest in farming. | |
provides an image of something ripe for blossoming, depending on what is planted. | |
defines a concept that would make sense through no other comparison. | |
shows that the author's mind is unusual and prone to paranoia. |
Question 29 |
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a women’s rights activist and a leader in the movement that eventually secured American women the right to vote. Her early education, upbringing, and interest in social matters set her on a path of leadership, and she inspired other men and women to take up the cause as well.Unlike other activists such as Susan B. Anthony, who was clearly focused on the issue of voting rights for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wanted to promote the broader issue of women’s rights and address issues such as women’s custody and property rights, employment and income rights, divorce laws, birth control, and abortion. Even though Anthony and Stanton disagreed on the focus of the women’s rights movement, they remained friends and continued working together towards voting rights for women.
Stanton remained focused on her work, writing many important books, documents, and speeches for the women’s rights movement. She also traveled and lectured widely, earning money to pay for her sons to attend college. Stanton promoted voting rights for women in several states, and she made an unsuccessful attempt to secure a U.S. Congressional seat from New York.
As Stanton grew older, she became more active internationally, and in 1888, she worked to found the International Council of Women. In the U.S., it took until 1890 for the divided supporters of the women’s rights movement to eventually reunite as the National American Woman Suffrage Association, and Stanton became the organization’s first president. After spending over five decades working towards equal rights for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton died in 1902, still some twenty years before women gained the right to vote.
Because of her controversial ideas, Elizabeth Cady Stanton was initially overshadowed by Susan B. Anthony, who was more often recognized as the founder of the women’s rights movement. Over time, however, formal recognition of Stanton’s work has increased. Today, Elizabeth Cady Stanton is rightly acknowledged for taking a founding role in the movement that secured voting rights for women and for shaping the broader movement towards more equal rights for women in society at large.
Based on how she is described in the passage, Elizabeth Cady Stanton can best be characterized as:
politically concerned and socially moderate | |
socially active and somewhat controversial | |
hard-working and personally compliant | |
intelligent, but mildly frustrating |
Question 30 |
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a women’s rights activist and a leader in the movement that eventually secured American women the right to vote. Her early education, upbringing, and interest in social matters set her on a path of leadership, and she inspired other men and women to take up the cause as well.Unlike other activists such as Susan B. Anthony, who was clearly focused on the issue of voting rights for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wanted to promote the broader issue of women’s rights and address issues such as women’s custody and property rights, employment and income rights, divorce laws, birth control, and abortion. Even though Anthony and Stanton disagreed on the focus of the women’s rights movement, they remained friends and continued working together towards voting rights for women.
Stanton remained focused on her work, writing many important books, documents, and speeches for the women’s rights movement. She also traveled and lectured widely, earning money to pay for her sons to attend college. Stanton promoted voting rights for women in several states, and she made an unsuccessful attempt to secure a U.S. Congressional seat from New York.
As Stanton grew older, she became more active internationally, and in 1888, she worked to found the International Council of Women. In the U.S., it took until 1890 for the divided supporters of the women’s rights movement to eventually reunite as the National American Woman Suffrage Association, and Stanton became the organization’s first president. After spending over five decades working towards equal rights for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton died in 1902, still some twenty years before women gained the right to vote.
Because of her controversial ideas, Elizabeth Cady Stanton was initially overshadowed by Susan B. Anthony, who was more often recognized as the founder of the women’s rights movement. Over time, however, formal recognition of Stanton’s work has increased. Today, Elizabeth Cady Stanton is rightly acknowledged for taking a founding role in the movement that secured voting rights for women and for shaping the broader movement towards more equal rights for women in society at large.
The author of this passage presents Stanton’s views as controversial because Stanton:
remained focused on broader reform for women, while others focused only on voting rights | |
worked for the abolition of slavery before she began to work for women's rights | |
stayed at home and wrote speeches while Susan B. Anthony traveled to conferences | |
modeled her Declaration of Sentiments after the U.S. Declaration of Independence |
Question 31 |
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a women’s rights activist and a leader in the movement that eventually secured American women the right to vote. Her early education, upbringing, and interest in social matters set her on a path of leadership, and she inspired other men and women to take up the cause as well.Unlike other activists such as Susan B. Anthony, who was clearly focused on the issue of voting rights for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wanted to promote the broader issue of women’s rights and address issues such as women’s custody and property rights, employment and income rights, divorce laws, birth control, and abortion. Even though Anthony and Stanton disagreed on the focus of the women’s rights movement, they remained friends and continued working together towards voting rights for women.
Stanton remained focused on her work, writing many important books, documents, and speeches for the women’s rights movement. She also traveled and lectured widely, earning money to pay for her sons to attend college. Stanton promoted voting rights for women in several states, and she made an unsuccessful attempt to secure a U.S. Congressional seat from New York.
As Stanton grew older, she became more active internationally, and in 1888, she worked to found the International Council of Women. In the U.S., it took until 1890 for the divided supporters of the women’s rights movement to eventually reunite as the National American Woman Suffrage Association, and Stanton became the organization’s first president. After spending over five decades working towards equal rights for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton died in 1902, still some twenty years before women gained the right to vote.
Because of her controversial ideas, Elizabeth Cady Stanton was initially overshadowed by Susan B. Anthony, who was more often recognized as the founder of the women’s rights movement. Over time, however, formal recognition of Stanton’s work has increased. Today, Elizabeth Cady Stanton is rightly acknowledged for taking a founding role in the movement that secured voting rights for women and for shaping the broader movement towards more equal rights for women in society at large.
Based on the passage, Elizabeth Cady Stanton worked towards all of the following EXCEPT:
voting rights for women | |
marriage and divorce rights for women | |
custody and property rights for women | |
relaxing women's dress code standards |
Question 32 |
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a women’s rights activist and a leader in the movement that eventually secured American women the right to vote. Her early education, upbringing, and interest in social matters set her on a path of leadership, and she inspired other men and women to take up the cause as well.Unlike other activists such as Susan B. Anthony, who was clearly focused on the issue of voting rights for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wanted to promote the broader issue of women’s rights and address issues such as women’s custody and property rights, employment and income rights, divorce laws, birth control, and abortion. Even though Anthony and Stanton disagreed on the focus of the women’s rights movement, they remained friends and continued working together towards voting rights for women.
Stanton remained focused on her work, writing many important books, documents, and speeches for the women’s rights movement. She also traveled and lectured widely, earning money to pay for her sons to attend college. Stanton promoted voting rights for women in several states, and she made an unsuccessful attempt to secure a U.S. Congressional seat from New York.
As Stanton grew older, she became more active internationally, and in 1888, she worked to found the International Council of Women. In the U.S., it took until 1890 for the divided supporters of the women’s rights movement to eventually reunite as the National American Woman Suffrage Association, and Stanton became the organization’s first president. After spending over five decades working towards equal rights for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton died in 1902, still some twenty years before women gained the right to vote.
Because of her controversial ideas, Elizabeth Cady Stanton was initially overshadowed by Susan B. Anthony, who was more often recognized as the founder of the women’s rights movement. Over time, however, formal recognition of Stanton’s work has increased. Today, Elizabeth Cady Stanton is rightly acknowledged for taking a founding role in the movement that secured voting rights for women and for shaping the broader movement towards more equal rights for women in society at large.
According to the passage, Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s work with the women’s rights movement can best be described as:
narrow-minded and ultimately unsuccessful | |
valuable yet forgotten | |
ambitious and overly idealistic | |
broadly focused and socially significant |
Question 33 |
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a women’s rights activist and a leader in the movement that eventually secured American women the right to vote. Her early education, upbringing, and interest in social matters set her on a path of leadership, and she inspired other men and women to take up the cause as well.Unlike other activists such as Susan B. Anthony, who was clearly focused on the issue of voting rights for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wanted to promote the broader issue of women’s rights and address issues such as women’s custody and property rights, employment and income rights, divorce laws, birth control, and abortion. Even though Anthony and Stanton disagreed on the focus of the women’s rights movement, they remained friends and continued working together towards voting rights for women.
Stanton remained focused on her work, writing many important books, documents, and speeches for the women’s rights movement. She also traveled and lectured widely, earning money to pay for her sons to attend college. Stanton promoted voting rights for women in several states, and she made an unsuccessful attempt to secure a U.S. Congressional seat from New York.
As Stanton grew older, she became more active internationally, and in 1888, she worked to found the International Council of Women. In the U.S., it took until 1890 for the divided supporters of the women’s rights movement to eventually reunite as the National American Woman Suffrage Association, and Stanton became the organization’s first president. After spending over five decades working towards equal rights for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton died in 1902, still some twenty years before women gained the right to vote.
Because of her controversial ideas, Elizabeth Cady Stanton was initially overshadowed by Susan B. Anthony, who was more often recognized as the founder of the women’s rights movement. Over time, however, formal recognition of Stanton’s work has increased. Today, Elizabeth Cady Stanton is rightly acknowledged for taking a founding role in the movement that secured voting rights for women and for shaping the broader movement towards more equal rights for women in society at large.
Which of the following statements can be inferred from the passage?
The supporters of the women’s rights movement remained divided even after the formation of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. | |
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was recognized as a founding member of the women’s rights movement before her death in 1902. | |
Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s support for the broader issue of women’s rights was not restricted to the United States. | |
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was never married because she devoted her entire life to promoting equal rights for women. |
Question 34 |
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a women’s rights activist and a leader in the movement that eventually secured American women the right to vote. Her early education, upbringing, and interest in social matters set her on a path of leadership, and she inspired other men and women to take up the cause as well.Unlike other activists such as Susan B. Anthony, who was clearly focused on the issue of voting rights for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wanted to promote the broader issue of women’s rights and address issues such as women’s custody and property rights, employment and income rights, divorce laws, birth control, and abortion. Even though Anthony and Stanton disagreed on the focus of the women’s rights movement, they remained friends and continued working together towards voting rights for women.
Stanton remained focused on her work, writing many important books, documents, and speeches for the women’s rights movement. She also traveled and lectured widely, earning money to pay for her sons to attend college. Stanton promoted voting rights for women in several states, and she made an unsuccessful attempt to secure a U.S. Congressional seat from New York.
As Stanton grew older, she became more active internationally, and in 1888, she worked to found the International Council of Women. In the U.S., it took until 1890 for the divided supporters of the women’s rights movement to eventually reunite as the National American Woman Suffrage Association, and Stanton became the organization’s first president. After spending over five decades working towards equal rights for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton died in 1902, still some twenty years before women gained the right to vote.
Because of her controversial ideas, Elizabeth Cady Stanton was initially overshadowed by Susan B. Anthony, who was more often recognized as the founder of the women’s rights movement. Over time, however, formal recognition of Stanton’s work has increased. Today, Elizabeth Cady Stanton is rightly acknowledged for taking a founding role in the movement that secured voting rights for women and for shaping the broader movement towards more equal rights for women in society at large.
Based on the description in the final paragraph, which of the following statements would the author most likely make with regard to Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s place in history?
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was forgotten over time because other female activists did more important work. | |
Elizabeth Cady Stanton's controversial ideas kept her from being immediately recognized for her work, but she now receives the credit she deserves. | |
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was too controversial to have a lasting effect on the women's rights movement. | |
Elizabeth Cady Stanton does not deserve to receive more recognition than she already does because her ideas caused divisions among supporters of the women's rights movement. |
Question 35 |
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a women’s rights activist and a leader in the movement that eventually secured American women the right to vote. Her early education, upbringing, and interest in social matters set her on a path of leadership, and she inspired other men and women to take up the cause as well.Unlike other activists such as Susan B. Anthony, who was clearly focused on the issue of voting rights for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wanted to promote the broader issue of women’s rights and address issues such as women’s custody and property rights, employment and income rights, divorce laws, birth control, and abortion. Even though Anthony and Stanton disagreed on the focus of the women’s rights movement, they remained friends and continued working together towards voting rights for women.
Stanton remained focused on her work, writing many important books, documents, and speeches for the women’s rights movement. She also traveled and lectured widely, earning money to pay for her sons to attend college. Stanton promoted voting rights for women in several states, and she made an unsuccessful attempt to secure a U.S. Congressional seat from New York.
As Stanton grew older, she became more active internationally, and in 1888, she worked to found the International Council of Women. In the U.S., it took until 1890 for the divided supporters of the women’s rights movement to eventually reunite as the National American Woman Suffrage Association, and Stanton became the organization’s first president. After spending over five decades working towards equal rights for women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton died in 1902, still some twenty years before women gained the right to vote.
Because of her controversial ideas, Elizabeth Cady Stanton was initially overshadowed by Susan B. Anthony, who was more often recognized as the founder of the women’s rights movement. Over time, however, formal recognition of Stanton’s work has increased. Today, Elizabeth Cady Stanton is rightly acknowledged for taking a founding role in the movement that secured voting rights for women and for shaping the broader movement towards more equal rights for women in society at large.
How does the word unlike in paragraph 2 function in this passage?
It suggests that Stanton was unlike any other feminist that had come before her. | |
It introduces the idea that Stanton was somehow distinct in her philosophy. | |
It implies that there was a personal and professional rivalry between Anthony and Stanton. | |
It reveals that Stanton was not like her male counterparts in terms of the political and social philosophies she held. |
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