Question Stems
- The shift in point of view has the effect of . . .
- The syntax of lines _____ to _____ serves to . . .
- The second sentence is unified by metaphorical references to . . .
- As lines _____ and _____ are constructed, "_____" is parallel to which of the following?
- The antecedent for "_____" is . . .
- Which of the following best identifies the meaning of "_____"?
- Which of the following best describes the author's purpose in the last sentence?
- The author emphasizes "_____" in order to . . .
- The sympathy referred to in line _____ is called "_____" because it . . .
- What is the function of _____ ?
- The theme of the second paragraph is . . .
- The speaker's attitude is best described as one of . . .
- In context, the sentence "_____" is best interpreted as which of the following?
- The atmosphere is one of . . .
- Which of the following would the author be LEAST likely to encourage?
- The quotation "_____" signals a shift from . . .
- The speaker's mention of "_____" is appropriate to the development of her argument by . . .
- The type of argument employed by the author is most similar to which of the following?
- The relationship between _____ and _____ is explained primarily by the use of which of the following?
- The pattern of exposition exemplified in the passage can best be described as . . .
- The author's use of description is appropriate because . . .
- Which of the following best describes the author's method?
- Because the author uses expository format, he is able to . . .
- The speaker's rhetorical strategy is to . .
Types of Included Passages
The passages will include mostly American literature from the time periods of when America was first being built and expanding, these time periods include:
- Native American literature
- Puritan/Colonial literature
- The Age of Reason and Nationalism
- Romanticism
- Transcendentalism
- Realism/Regionalism/ Naturalism
- Modernism
Rules
- The multiple choice section is worth 45%
- The multiple choice question consists of 52-55 questions and is 1 hour long.
- guessing does not count against you
Advice for Tackling This Section
- Always start with the easiest passage
- Decide well in advance whether to read the questions or the passages first
- Use context clues from the passages to help you with more difficult questions
- Use the process of elimination to guestimate the correct answer when you don't know it
- Be mindful of your time
- Stay calm and don't get nervous. Stay focused!
Annotation Advice
- If you have four passages to read in 60 minutes, allot 15 minutes to each, moving steadily
- Answer first the questions that limit you to a particular paragraph or line.
- When the question refers to a part of the sentence and asks for the meaning of a word or phrase in context, what a word refers to, or how a word functions, go back to the beginning of that sentence—or even to the previous sentence—and read completely to the end of that sentence. Some questions ask what the antecedent of a word is, and the answer is found in the preceding sentence. You may also want to read the sentence that follows—the answer could be there
- Quickly scan the passages before you begin to get a sense of what each is about. Decide which one is the least comprehensible (usually a pre-1900 passage). That’s the passage to skip at first
- When annotating the passage try to reword every paragraph to what you understood
- Make side notes of questions you have then try to answer them as you go along with the passage
Sample Passages
Questions 1–11. Read the following passage carefully before you choose your answers.
This passage is excerpted from an essay written in nineteenth-century England. It has been well said that the highest aim in education is analogous to the highest aim in mathematics, namely, to obtain not results but powers, not particular solutions, but the means by 5 which endless solutions may be wrought. He is the most effective educator who aims less at perfecting specific acquirements than at producing that mental condition which renders acquirements easy, and leads to their useful application; who does not seek to make 10 his pupils moral by enjoining particular courses of action, but by bringing into activity the feelings and sympathies that must issue in noble action. On the same ground it may be said that the most effective writer is not he who announces a particular discovery, 15 who convinces men of a particular conclusion, who demonstrates that this measure is right and that measure wrong; but he who rouses in others the activities that must issue in discovery, who awakes men from their indifference to the right and the 20 wrong, who nerves their energies to seek for the truth and live up to it at whatever cost. The influence of such a writer is dynamic. He does not teach men how to use sword and musket, but he inspires their souls with courage and sends a strong will into their 25 muscles. He does not, perhaps, enrich your stock of data, but he clears away the film from your eyes that you may search for data to some purpose. He does not, perhaps, convince you, but he strikes you, undeceives you, animates you. You are not directly 30 fed by his books, but you are braced as by a walk up to an alpine summit, and yet subdued to calm and reverence as by the sublime things to be seen from that summit. Such a writer is Thomas Carlyle. It is an idle 35 question to ask whether his books will be read a century hence: if they were all burnt as the grandest of Suttees1 on his funeral pile, it would be only like cutting down an oak after its acorns have sown a forest. For there is hardly a superior or active mind 40 of this generation that has not been modified by Carlyle’s writings; there has hardly been an English book written for the last ten or twelve years that would not have been different if Carlyle had not lived. The character of his influence is best seen in the fact 45 that many of the men who have the least agreement with his opinions are those to whom the reading of Sartor Resartus was an epoch in the history of their minds. The extent of his influence may be best seen in the fact that ideas which were startling novelties when 50 he first wrote them are now become common-places. And we think few men will be found to say that this influence on the whole has not been for good. There are plenty who question the justice of Carlyle’s estimates of past men and past times, plenty who 55 quarrel with the exaggerations of the Latter-Day Pamphlets, and who are as far as possible from looking for an amendment of things from a Carlylian theocracy with the ‘greatest man’, as a Joshua who is to smite the wicked (and the stupid) till the going 60 down of the sun.2 But for any large nature, those points of difference are quite incidental. It is not as a theorist, but as a great and beautiful human nature, that Carlyle influences us. You may meet a man whose wisdom seems unimpeachable, since you find 65 him entirely in agreement with yourself; but this oracular man of unexceptionable opinions has a green eye, a wiry hand, and altogether a Wesen, or demeanour, that makes the world look blank to you, and whose unexceptionable opinions become a bore; 70 while another man who deals in what you cannot but think ‘dangerous paradoxes’, warms your heart by the pressure of his hand, and looks out on the world with so clear and loving an eye, that nature seems to reflect the light of his glance upon your own feeling. So it is 75 with Carlyle. When he is saying the very opposite of what we think, he says it so finely, with so hearty conviction—he makes the object about which we differ stand out in such grand relief under the clear light of his strong and honest intellect—he appeals 80 so constantly to our sense of the manly and the truthful—that we are obliged to say ‘Hear! hear!’ to the writer before we can give the decorous ‘Oh! oh!’ to his opinions. Sample Questions 1. What is the relationship between the two paragraphs in the passage? (A) The first paragraph describes strengths of a writer that Carlyle exhibits, and the second discusses his legacy. (B) The first paragraph surveys various types of writers, and the second focuses on Carlyle. (C) The first paragraph describes Carlyle’s critics, and the second depicts his supporters. (D) The first paragraph considers who influenced Carlyle, and the second lists those he influenced. (E) The first paragraph explains Carlyle’s major ideas, and the second evaluates his predictions. Questions 12–24. Read the following passage carefully before you choose your answers. This passage consists of excerpts from an essay published in the 1940s. It is the fate of actors to leave only picture postcards behind them. Every night when the curtain goes down the beautiful coloured canvas is rubbed out. What remains is at best only a wavering, insubstantial 5 phantom—a verbal life on the lips of the living. Ellen Terry was well aware of it. She tried herself, overcome by the greatness of Irving as Hamlet and indignant at the caricatures of his detractors, to describe what she remembered. It was in vain. She 10 dropped her pen in despair. “Oh God, that I were a writer!” she cried. “Surely a writer could not string words together about Henry Irving’s Hamlet and say nothing, nothing.” It never struck her, humble as she was, and obsessed by her lack of book learning, that 15 she was, among other things, a writer. It never occurred to her when she wrote her autobiography, or scribbled page after page to Bernard Shaw late at night, dead tired after a rehearsal, that she was “writing.” The words in her beautiful rapid hand bubbled off her pen. 20 With dashes and notes of exclamation she tried to give them the very tone and stress of the spoken word. It is true, she could not build a house with words, one room opening out of another, and a staircase connecting the whole. But whatever she took up became in her warm, 25 sensitive grasp a tool. If it was a rolling-pin, she made perfect pastry. If it was a carving knife, perfect slices fell from the leg of mutton. If it were a pen, words peeled off, some broken, some suspended in mid-air, but all far more expressive than the tappings of the 30 professional typewriter. With her pen then at odds and ends of time she has painted a self-portrait. It is not an Academy portrait, glazed, framed, complete. It is rather a bundle of loose leaves upon each of which she has dashed off a sketch 35 for a portrait—here a nose, here an arm, here a foot, and there a mere scribble in the margin. The sketches done in different moods, from different angles, some times contradict each other... . Which, then, of all these women is the real Ellen 40 Terry? How are we to put the scattered sketches together? Is she mother, wife, cook, critic, actress, or should she have been, after all, a painter? Each part seems the right part until she throws it aside and plays another. Something of Ellen Terry it seems overflowed 45 every part and remained unacted. Shakespeare could not fit her; not Ibsen; nor Shaw. The stage could not hold her; nor the nursery. But there is, after all, a greater dramatist than Shakespeare, Ibsen, or Shaw. There is Nature. Hers is so vast a stage, and so 50 innumerable a company of actors, that for the most part she fobs them off with a tag or two. They come on and they go off without breaking the ranks. But now and again Nature creates a new part, an original part. The actors who act that part always defy our 55 attempts to name them. They will not act the stock parts—they forget the words, they improvise others of their own. But when they come on the stage falls like a pack of cards and the limelights are extinguished. That was Ellen Terry’s fate—to act a new part. And 60 thus while other actors are remembered because they were Hamlet, Phèdre, or Cleopatra, Ellen Terry is remembered because she was Ellen Terry. Sample Questions 1. Which of the following statements is best supported by information given in the passage? (A) Terry never focused on one career; she was skilled at so many things that she did not excel in any one thing (B) Terry was so clever an actress that her portrayal of a role seemed to change every night. (C) Shaw encouraged Terry to become a play-wright by carefully tutoring her in creating plots and characters. (D) Because Terry lacked confidence in certain of her skills, she never fully realized she was a person of rare talents and gifts. (E) Because Terry did not have natural talent for either writing or acting, she struggled to learn her crafts and became great through sheer willpower. 2.The author’s attitude toward Terry can best be described as (A) superior and condescending (B) unbiased and dispassionate (C) sympathetic and admiring (D) curious and skeptical (E) conciliatory and forgiving 3. In line 1, “picture postcards” functions as a metaphor for the (A) published text of a play (B) audience’s impressions of the actors’ performances (C) critical reviews of plays (D) plays in which the actors in the company have previously performed (E) stage designer’s sketches of sets and scenes |
2. Which of the following best represents the author’s intended audience?
(A) Individuals who are fairly well acquainted with Carlyle’s writing (B) Readers who are having trouble understanding Carlyle’s prose (C) Writers who hope to produce books that are like Carlyle’s (D) Instructors looking for different ways to teach Carlyle (E) Scholars seeking information about Carlyle’s personal life 3. Lines 5–12 (“He is ... noble action”) contrast (A) the acquisition of skills and the possession of aptitude (B) the labor of reasoning and the exhilaration of acting (C) the dissemination of knowledge and the cultivation of intellectual and moral powers (D) the traits of practical students and those of creative thinkers (E) the benefits of learning and the rewards of teaching 4. The author uses the phrase “On the same ground” (lines 12–13) to set up a comparison between (A) the aims of mathematics and those of education (B) conceptually powerful writers and exemplary educators (C) intellectual challenges faced by writers and those faced by readers (D) the formulation of solutions and the identification of problems (E) scientific writing and inspirational writing 5. On the basis of the first paragraph, Thomas Carlyle is best characterized as a writer who is (A) ambitious, seeking to increase the number of people buying his books (B) revolutionary, agitating his readers to adopt a radically new worldview (C) charismatic, enticing his readers to support his views and beliefs (D) provocative, compelling his readers to reach their own conclusions (E) masterful, overpowering his readers with a sense of awe and veneration 6. The “acorns” (line 38) represent (A) Carlyle’s young children (B) Carlyle’s less prominent contemporaries (C) ideas in Carlyle’s books (D) books written about Carlyle (E) those who are critical of Carlyle 7. In lines 47–48, the author refers to “an epoch in the history of their minds” to (A) illustrate the ways in which other intellectuals disagreed with Carlyle (B) define the meaning of the title Sartor Resartus (C) question the continued relevance of Carlyle’s ideas (D) describe the major impact that Carlyle had on other people (E) characterize the arduous process of reading Sartor Resartus 8. The author mentions the Latter-Day Pamphlets (lines 55–56) primarily to (A) provide an example of what is indisputably “good” (line 52) (B) identify the book that discusses “past men and past times” (line 54) (C) acknowledge some of the concerns held by the “plenty” (line 54) (D) justify Carlyle’s desire for “an amendment of things” (line 57) (E) explain Carlyle’s inspiration for the theory of the “‘greatest man’” (line 58) 9. Which rhetorical strategy does the author adopt in lines 44–63 (“The character ... influences us”)? (A) She goes on the offensive, berating opponents of Carlyle for their absence of wisdom, judgment, and foresight. (B) She acknowledges but discredits other arguments, accusing Carlyle’s critics of misunderstanding the originality of Carlyle’s ideas. (C) She claims that most people do not recognize Carlyle’s genius, suggesting that only a discerning few are capable of doing so. (D) She cites facts to counter opposition to Carlyle’s eminence, claiming that all of Carlyle’s judgments are unassailable. (E) She gives examples of Carlyle’s far-reaching influence, noting that even criticism of Carlyle implies praise. 10. What purpose do lines 63–74 (“You may ... own feeling”) serve? (A) They contrast the appeal of a writer who merely confirms his readers’ views with that of a writer who boldly challenges them. (B) They develop an analogy between the kinds of individuals people are attracted to and the kinds of writing they prefer. (C) They challenge the idea that writers modify their ideas to appeal to a wide range of readers. (D) They examine whether relationships based on shared ideas and interests are rewarding to both parties. (E) They provide examples from various writers in which the appearance of good and evil is deceptive. 11. In lines 75–83 (“When he ... his opinions”), the author develops her rhetorical purpose by (A) contrasting “he” and “we” to set Carlyle apart and show how he is critical of everyone else (B) inserting dashes to highlight Carlyle’s most influential ideas and opinions (C) employing dramatically urgent adverbs to create a surprising conclusion for the reader (D) delaying the conclusion of the independent clause to build up the reader’s sense of anticipation (E) utilizing the parallel “Hear! hear!” and “Oh! oh!” to imitate a chorus of approval for Carlyle 4. The passage implies that the primary enemy of the “beautiful coloured canvas” and the “wavering, insubstantial phantom” (lines 3 and 4–5) is the
(A) cost of producing plays (B) whims of critics (C) passage of time (D) incredulity of audiences (E) shortcomings of dramatists 5. The phrase “a verbal life on the lips of the living” (line 5) suggests that (A) performances live only in the memories of those who witness and speak of them (B) actors do not take the trouble to explain their art to the public (C) the reviews of critics have a powerful influence on the popularity of a production (D) dramatists try to write dialogue that imitates ordinary spoken language (E) audiences respond to the realism of the theater 6. What is the relationship of the second and third sentences (lines 2–5) to the first sentence (lines 1–2)? (A) They are structurally less complex than the first. (B) They are expressed in less conditional terms than the first. (C) They introduce new ideas not mentioned in the first. (D) They clarify and expand on the first. (E) They question the generalization made in the first. 7. The pronoun “it” (line 6) refers to which of the following? (A) “fate” (line 1) (B) “curtain” (line 2) (C) “canvas” (line 3) (D) “phantom” (line 5) (E) “life” (line 5) 8. The effect of italicizing the words “nothing, nothing” (line 13) is to (A) emphasize Terry’s sense of frustration (B) indicate a sarcastic tone (C) suggest the difficulty of writing great parts for actors (D) link a clear sense of purpose to success in writing (E) imply that Terry’s weakness in writing is her tendency to exaggerate 9. The words “bubbled off ” (line 19) and “peeled off ” (line 28), used to describe the way Terry wrote, emphasize (A) polish and sophistication (B) thoughtfulness and application (C) bluntness and indiscretion (D) mystery and imagination (E) ease and spontaneity 10. Which of the following stylistic features is used most extensively in lines 25-30 ? (A) Inversion of normal subject/verb/object order (B) Repetition of sentence structure (C) Periodic sentence structure (D) Sentence fragments for emphasis (E) Use of connotative meanings that add complexity 11. The effect of mentioning an “Academy portrait” (line 32) is to (A) imply that Terry deserved to have her portrait painted by a great artist (B) suggest that Terry was adept at self-expression both in writing and in painting (C) clarify the informal nature of Terry’s self-portrait through contrast (D) hint that Terry’s self-absorption prevented her from writing about herself dispassionately (E) blame Terry for her rebellion against the conventions of art form 12. The “sketches” (line 36) are most probably (A) responses to reviewers who have criticized Terry’s acting (B) paintings by Terry of other actors (C) stage directions from playwrights (D) self-revelatory remarks (E) descriptions of characters Terry has portrayed 13. The author suggests that Shakespeare, Shaw, and Ibsen could not “fit” (line 46) Terry chiefly because (A) the parts they created did not allow Terry to make use of every aspect of her talents (B) their dramatic talents were focused on plot rather than on character (C) Terry was better at conveying certain kinds of characters and emotions than she was at conveying others (D) their plays were set in historical periods different from the one in which Terry lived (E) the speeches they wrote for their female characters were written in accents and dialects different from Terry’s |