1. The buying of orchids always has in it a certain speculative flavor. You have before you the brown shriveled lump of tissue, and for the rest you must trust your judgment, or the auctioneer, or your good-luck, as your taste may incline. The plant may be moribund or dead, or it may be just a respectable purchase, fair value for your money, or perhaps—for the thing has happened again and again—there slowly unfolds before the delighted eyes of the happy purchaser, day after day, some new variety, some novel richness, a strange twist of the labellum, or some subtler coloration or unexpected mimicry. Pride, beauty, and profit blossom together on one delicate green spike, and, it may be, even immortality. For the new miracle of Nature may stand in need of a new specific name, and what so convenient as that of its discoverer? “Johnsmithia”! There have been worse names.
What choice best states the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
A. It explains the idea of economic investment that is later described in depth.
B. It describes the purchasing of flowers as a common hobby which is then explained in the rest of the paragraph.
C. It introduces the gamble an orchid buyer must make which is further described in the following paragraphs.
D. It foreshadows the amazing purchase that the buyer makes later on in the passage.
2. Never were there seven more honest-seeming witnesses; never was there a more undeniable fact than the inversion of Gottfried Plattner’s anatomical structure, and—never was there a more preposterous story than the one they have to tell! The most preposterous part of the story is the worthy Gottfried’s contribution (for I count him as one of the seven). Heaven forbid that I should be led into giving countenance to superstition by a passion for impartiality, and so come to share the fate of Eusapia’s patrons! Frankly, I believe there is something crooked about this business of Gottfried Plattner; but what that crooked factor is, I will admit as frankly, I do not know.
What choice best states the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
A. It establishes Gottfried as one of the witnesses mentioned earlier in the passage.
B. It helps to explain why the author feels that Gottfried is crooked.
C. It clarifies the author’s position about Gottried’s anatomical structure.
D. It explains why the author counts the witnesses.
3. The instantaneous adjustments of the wings, the quick response to a passing breeze, the swift recovery of equilibrium, the giddy, eddying movements that require such absolute precision—all that he must learn, learn with infinite labor and infinite danger, if ever he is to conquer flying. The flying-machine that will start off some fine day, driven by neat “little levers,” with a nice open deck like a liner, and all loaded up with bomb-shells and guns, is the easy dreaming of a literary man. In lives and in treasure the cost of the conquest of the empire of the air may even exceed all that has been spent in man’s great conquest of the sea. Certainly it will be costlier than the greatest war that has ever devastated the world.
What choice best states the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
A. To help the reader understand the class of literature being discussed.
B. To explain that flying is currently only in the realm of fantasy.
C. To establish the contrast to the difficulty of actual flight.
D. To discuss the dreams of the author.
4. But great disaster was in store for these fine ships. The Arctic, while on her voyage out, was struck by the French steamer Vesta, in a fog off Cape Race, and but 46 out of the 268 persons on board were saved. The Pacific left Liverpool and was never heard of after. The Adriatic, a much finer ship than any of her predecessors, was put afloat, but the line was doomed. Extravagance in construction and management, combined with the losses of two of their ships and a refusal of further aid from the Government, were too much for the line to bear, and in 1858 the end came. Ever since, the European companies, with the exception of the time during which the line from Philadelphia has been running and the time during which some desultory efforts have been put forth, have had to compete among themselves.
What choice best states the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
A. To help the reader understand the context of the sinkings of the previously mentioned ships.
B. To set up the rational for the failure of the line being discussed.
C. To explain the mistakes that were made that led to the crashes discussed earlier in the passage.
D. To rationalize the lack of governmental support discussed later in the passage.
5. Observations are worked out independently by the chief and second officers, and the former submits his results to the captain. Of course, these calculations cannot have the exactness of astronomical work ashore, and luckily on the high sea this is not needed. On the contrary, over-precision often multiplies the error, and it is good navigation if you can say with assurance that the ship is anywhere within an enclosing circle five miles in diameter. Of course it is widely different when a vessel is running in for the land or coasting, for then the soundings, the cross-bearings of well-known marks, and the contour lines, enable the position to be marked with very great accuracy.
What choice best states the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
A. To explain why inaccuracy is so common in astronomical calculations.
B. To help the reader understand the current location of the ship being discussed.
C. To clarify the earlier statement about exactness in calculations ashore.
D. To explain why inaccuracy is common and not concerning when making navigational calculations while at sea.
6. As I have not used up so much of my time as I had supposed, I will dwell a little longer upon one or two of these minor topics upon which the Judge has spoken. He has read from my speech in Springfield in which I say that “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” Does the Judge say it can stand? I don’t know whether he does or not. The Judge does not seem to be attending to me just now, but I would like to know if it is his opinion that a house divided against itself can stand. If he does, then there is a question of veracity, not between him and me, but between the Judge and an authority of a somewhat higher character.
What choice best states the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
A. It explains a change in opinion.
B. It asks a rhetorical question.
C. It asks a question to clarify the opinion of a person other than the speaker.
D. It builds evidence for the quote in the previous sentence.
7. We went up to the Monument, which was of more particular interest to us, due to the relics within, but admission was denied to all. Many persons were collected around the gate, some of whom, having come from a great distance, were anxious to see it; but the keeper only said such were the orders and he could not disobey them. Among the crowd, a grandson of the original Tam O’Shanter was shown to us. He was a raw-looking boy of nineteen or twenty, wearing a shepherd’s cap and jacket, and muttered his disapprobation very decidedly, at not being able to visit the Monument.
What choice best states the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
A. It explains the actions of the keeper of the monument.
B. It helps the reader understand the disapprobation of Tam O’Shanter
C. It clarifies why the crowd had gathered at the gate.
D. It sets the precedent for the concluding information.
8. Stopping for dinner at the town of Rheinheim, we met an old man, who, on learning we were Americans, walked with us as far as the next village. He had a daughter in America and was highly gratified to meet any one from the country of her adoption. He made me promise to visit her, if I ever should go to St. Louis, and say that I had walked with her father from Rheinheim to Zwangenburg. To satisfy his fears that I might forget it, I took down his name and that of his daughter. He shook me warmly by the hand at parting, and was evidently made happier for that day.
What choice best states the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
A. To establish the paternity of the young woman the speaker will later meet.
B. To explain why the speaker walked to the next village.
C. To clarify why the old man was so eager to walk with the speaker.
D. To rationalize the actions of the speaker.
9. It is a delicate task to convey anything approaching a truthful account of the storm and stress of opinions and emotions which accompanied the organization of Kansas as one of the great American commonwealths, and the part played by the citizens of Atchison county in that tremendous work, but sixty years have served to mellow the animosity and bitterness of the past, and it is easier now to comprehend the strife of that distant day and pass unbiased judgment upon it.
What choice best states the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
A. It introduces the context of Atchison county at the time of the organization of Kansas.
B. It establishes the timeline for the events previously discussed.
C. It explains why the author has chosen to talk about the topic now.
D. It clarifies for the reader why there was so much animosity surrounding Kansas’s organization.
10. One day the steamboat Duncan S. Carter landed at Sumner. On its hurricane deck was John J. Ingalls, then only twenty-four years old. As his eye swept the horizon his prophetic soul uttered these words: ‘Behold the home of the future senator from Kansas.’ Here the young college graduate, who since that day became the senator from Kansas, lived and dreamed until Sumner’s star had set and Atchison’s sun had risen, and then he moved to Atchison, bringing with him Sumner’s official seal and the key to his hotel.
What choice best states the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
A. To establish the fulfillment of the prediction earlier in the passage.
B. To explain the ambitions of John J. Ingalls.
C. To explain the relationship between Sumner and Atchison
D. To clarify his reason for moving to Atchison.
- C. Throughout the passage, we learn that buying an orchid bulb is a gamble. Perhaps it is dead, or maybe it is just “a respectable purchase”, but it might also be something new and unique which will be named after its discoverer. “Speculation” could also be called gambling, and so the first sentence is introducing this gamble before it is further described. The author does not describe purchasing orchids as an investment or common hobby, making options A and B incorrect and the passage does not say that the buyer has made an amazing purchase, only that it is possible, making option D incorrect.
- A. In the first sentence of the passage, the author established that there are seven witnesses. Later, when he says that he “counts him as one of the seven” he is referring to these witnesses. This means that he considers Gottfried to be one of the witnesses, making answer A correct. Answer B is incorrect as the witnesses (and therefore Gottfried) are “honest-seeming” and therefore this would not establish his crookedness. Answer C is incorrect as the author is not referring to the anatomical structure at this time. Answer D is incorrect as there is no explanation as to why the witnesses are counted.
- B. In the first part of this passage, the author explains how difficult manned flight would actually be, describing the labor and danger involved. The underlined part contrasts this difficulty with how easy it is to dream of flight for a man who merely wants to read or write about it (a literary man). While flying is currently only a dream, the underlined part does not establish that, which makes option A incorrect. The author is not speaking of his dream or of literal literature, making options C and D incorrect.
- A. The underlined portion of the passage is a list of things that “were too much for the line to bear” which lead to the end of the line n 1858. The shipping line, because of the underlined issues, had to close down. This makes option A the best answer. Answers B and D are incorrect because these issues lead to the line closing, not to the crashes. Answer C is incorrect as there is no evidence that these issues did not cause the government to withhold support.
- D. The previous sentence tells the reader that exactness “is not needed” when on the sea. This is further clarified in the underlined part which explains that exactness (precision) will often make the error worse and that being within five miles of a spot is “good navigation”. This helps the reader understand the commonness and non-concerning nature of less than exact navigation on the sea. Answer option D is the best answer. A is incorrect as it does not explain why it is common, only that it is. B is incorrect as there is no specific ship being discussed and the underlined part does not give a specific location. Option C is incorrect as the discussion is about calculations on the sea, not ashore.
- C. The speaker has just quoted another person, “the Judge” and now is asking for a clarification of his statement that “a house divided against itself cannot stand. The speaker wants to know if the Judge therefore believes that it can stand. This makes option C the best answer. Option A is incorrect as the speaker is not changing his opinion. Option B is incorrect as the question is not rhetorical (the answer is not obvious). Answer D is incorrect as it is not giving evidence for the quote, but rather asking for a clarification of the quote
- A. We know that the keeper is not letting the crowd into the monument. This is explained by the underlined portion: the keeper has orders to keep people out. This makes answer A the best option. Answer B is incorrect as the “he” in the underlined part is the keeper, not Tam O’Shanter. Option C is incorrect as the crowd had not been ordered to gather at the gate. Answer D is incorrect as the underlined part does not set a precedent.
- C. The underlined part explains the old man’s affinity for the narrator. We learn that the old man liked to meet Americans because his daughter lived in America. This best fits with answer option C. Answer option A is incorrect as the speaker never meets the young woman that we know of. Answer option B is incorrect as the underlined part explains why the old man walks to the village, not the speaker. Answer option D is incorrect as it rationalizes the actions of the old man, not the speaker.
- C. We learn in the underlined part that the animosity and bitterness of the past are mellowed which, later on means that the speaker can now “pass unbiased judgement”. Thus, the underlined part explains why he can now speak and judge the situation. Answer option A is incorrect as the underlined part speaks to the fading feelings now, not the context then. Answer option B is incorrect as “sixty years” is not a timeline. Answer option D is incorrect as there is no explanation as to why there was so much animosity early in Kansas’s history.
- A. Earlier in the passage, Ingalls predicts that he will eventually be the senator from Kansas. The underlined part gives evidence as to the fulfillment of this prediction. Answer option B is incorrect as the underlined part is about what Ingalls accomplished, not his ambitions. Answer option C is incorrect as Atchison and Sumner are both towns and can’t be senators. Answer option D is incorrect as his becoming a senator later on did not give him reason to move to Atchison.