SAT Reading Information and Ideas

In her 2021 article “Throwaway History: Towards a Historiography of Ephemera,” scholar Anne Garner discusses

John Johnson (1882–1956), a devoted collector of items intended to be discarded, including bus tickets and

campaign pamphlets. Johnson recognized that scholarly institutions considered his expansive collection of

ephemera to be worthless—indeed, it wasn’t until 1968, after Johnson’s death, that Oxford University’s Bodleian Library acquired the collection, having grasped the items’ potential value to historians and other researchers. Hence, the example of Johnson serves to ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. demonstrate the difficulties faced by contemporary historians in conducting research at the Bodleian Library

without access to ephemera.

B. represent the challenge of incorporating examples of ephemera into the collections of libraries and other scholarly institutions.

C. lend support to arguments by historians and other researchers who continue to assert that ephemera holds no value for scholars.

D. illustrate both the relatively low scholarly regard in which ephemera was once held and the later recognition of ephemera’s possible utility.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. Johnson collected “ephemera,” or things that are meant to be thrown away. Scholars thought his collection was worthless to them, then later realized that it was potentially valuable. This suggests that scholars went from disregarding ephemera to recognizing their usefulness.

Choice A is incorrect. This inference isn’t supported. The text tells us that the Bodleian Library acquired Johnson’s large collection of ephemera back in 1968, so we can assume that contemporary historians conducting research there do have access to that collection. Choice B is incorrect. This inference isn’t supported. The text tells us that “Oxford University’s Bodleian Library acquired the collection,” but it never suggests that it was a challenge to do so. Choice C is incorrect. This inference isn’t supported. The text actually suggests the opposite: the example of Johnson’s collection lends support to arguments that ephemera does hold value for scholars.

Some businesses believe that when employees are interrupted while doing their work, they experience a decrease in energy and productivity. However, a team led by Harshad Puranik, who studies management, has found that interruptions by colleagues can have a social component that increases employees’ sense of belonging, resulting in greater job satisfaction that benefits employees and employers. Therefore, businesses should recognize that ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. the interpersonal benefits of some interruptions in the workplace may offset the perceived negative effects.

B. in order to maximize productivity, employers should be willing to interrupt employees frequently throughout the day.

C. most employees avoid interrupting colleagues because they don’t appreciate being interrupted themselves.

D. in order to cultivate an ideal workplace environment, interruptions of work should be discouraged.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of potential benefits of interruptions in the workplace. The text indicates that a common belief in business is that interruptions to working employees decrease energy and productivity levels. However, the text goes on to explain that a research team led by Harshad Puranik has found that there could be a social benefit to these interruptions. Since the team found that workplace interruptions can increase employees’ sense of belonging and job satisfaction, it follows that the interpersonal benefits of some interruptions can offset the perceived negative effects.

Choice B is incorrect. Although the text presents research findings that suggest some workplace interruptions can have a positive effect on employee job satisfaction, no further information is presented to suggest at what frequency these interruptions are ideal. Furthermore, the text doesn’t tie workplace interruptions to increased productivity, but rather links it to social benefits such as sense of belonging. Choice C is incorrect because the text doesn’t address employees’ motives for choosing not to interrupt their colleagues. The text presents research findings that suggest that there are some positive interpersonal effects of workplace interruptions that can increase employee job satisfaction. Choice D is incorrect because asking businesses to discourage workplace interruptions doesn’t follow from the team’s research about the benefits of workplace interruptions, nor does the text describe an ideal work environment. Instead, the text presents research suggesting that there may be positive aspects to workplace interruptions that haven’t previously been considered.

Songbirds learn to respond to and imitate their species’ songs from an early age. With each generation, small differences are introduced that result in distinct variations—called dialects—among geographically isolated populations of the same species. A research study examined whether twelve-day-old Ficedula hypoleuca (pied flycatcher) nestlings prefer local dialects over the unfamiliar dialects of nonlocal F. hypoleuca populations: the more begging calls the nestlings made in response to a song, the stronger their preference. The researchers found that nestlings produced more begging calls in response to their own dialect than to nonlocal dialects. Since song preference plays a role in songbird mate selection, the finding suggests that ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. F. hypoleuca nestlings’ preference for their own dialect likely disappears as they mature to promote socialization between different F. hypoleuca populations.

B. F. hypoleuca nestlings who show an early preference for their own dialect are likely to receive more food from their caretakers than nestlings who show no preferences among any F. hypoleuca dialects.

C. F. hypoleuca nestlings’ preference for their own dialect likely drives them when they mature to reproduce with other F. hypoleuca from local rather than nonlocal populations.

D. F. hypoleuca nestlings show a preference for both local F. hypoleuca dialects and the songs of other local songbirds over the songs of nonlocal birds of any species.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. Because “song preference plays a role in songbird mate selection,” and because F. hypoleuca nestlings display a preference for local dialects, we can infer that they will be more likely to choose mates from local populations.

Choice A is incorrect. We don’t have any information suggesting that this preference disappears, so there’s no basis for this inference. Choice B is incorrect. Although the passage discusses the number of begging calls made in response to various F. hypoleuca dialects, no mention is made about the amount of food received based on dialect preference. Therefore, there’s no basis for this inference. Choice D is incorrect. There’s no mention in the passage of methods of other types of local songbirds, so there’s no basis for this inference.

Dutch painters in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries often showed tables filled with large wheels of cheese or carved shards of butter. Some art historians, noting that dairy products were a major component of the Dutch diet, interpret these depictions as reflections of everyday Dutch eating habits. However, a group of researchers recently reviewed hundreds of food-related paintings and found that lemons—which could only be acquired in the Netherlands at great cost, since they had to be imported from warmer climates—feature in Dutch paintings of the period more than three times as frequently as dairy products do, thereby casting doubt on the idea that ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. dairy products were a more significant component of the Dutch diet of the period than lemons were.

B. food was a more popular subject among Dutch painters than it was among painters from other countries at the time.

C. depictions of food in Dutch paintings of the period should be taken as realistic representations of Dutch eating habits.

D. Dutch painters of the period may have depicted foods for symbolic reasons rather than to show what Dutch people typically ate.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The text tells us that lemons—an expensive imported product—feature in Dutch paintings of the period more frequently than dairy products do. Since it’s unlikely lemons were eaten more often than dairy, this fact casts doubt on the theory that these paintings realistically depicted Dutch diets.

Choice A is incorrect. In fact, the text suggests the opposite: it says that dairy products were a "major component of the Dutch diet," while lemons were an expensive import item, so we can infer that lemons were eaten much more rarely than dairy products. Choice B is incorrect. The passage doesn’t mention painters from other countries, so there’s no basis to make this inference. Choice D is incorrect. In fact, the text suggests that Dutch painters do have reasons for depicting foods other than to show what Dutch people typically ate. For example, lemons in a painting could indicate wealth or prosperity.

When the Vinland Map, a map of the world purported to date to the mid-1400s, surfaced in 1957, some scholars believed it demonstrated that European knowledge of the eastern coast of present-day North America predated Christopher Columbus’s 1492 arrival. In 2021, a team including conservators Marie-France Lemay and Paula Zyats and materials scientist Anikó Bezur performed an extensive analysis of the map and the ink used. They found that the ink contains titanium dioxide, a compound that was first introduced in ink manufacturing in the early 1900s. Therefore, the team concluded that ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. mid-1400s Europeans could not have known about the eastern coast of present-day North America.

B. the Vinland Map could not have been drawn by mid-1400s mapmakers.

C. mapmakers must have used titanium compounds in their ink in the 1400s.

D. there isn’t enough information to determine when the ink was created.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of Lemay, Zyats, and Bezur’s 2021 analysis of the Vinland Map. The text indicates that while some scholars have believed that the map was drawn in the mid-1400s, the 2021 analysis showed the presence of the compound titanium dioxide in the ink used to draw the map. The text goes on to say that titanium dioxide wasn’t used to manufacture ink until the early 1900s, which means that ink containing this compound couldn’t have been available to mapmakers in the 1400s. Since mapmakers in the mid-1400s couldn’t have used ink with titanium dioxide, it follows that the Vinland Map couldn’t have been drawn by mid-1400s mapmakers.

Choice A is incorrect because the 2021 finding that the ink used to draw the Vinland Map wasn’t available until the early 1900s doesn’t imply that Europeans in the mid-1400s couldn’t have known about the eastern coast of North America. While this finding suggests that the map couldn’t have been created in the mid-1400s, it doesn’t preclude the possibility that Europeans nevertheless had knowledge—and perhaps even drew other maps that are no longer in existence or are yet to be discovered by researchers—of the eastern coast of present-day North America as early as the mid-1400s. Choice C is incorrect because there’s nothing in the text that suggests that the 2021 discovery of the presence of titanium dioxide in the ink used to draw the Vinland Map caused Lemay, Zyats, and Bezur to question or reach a new conclusion about when mapmakers began using ink containing titanium compounds. Instead, the text indicates that titanium dioxide wasn’t used in ink before the early 1900s. This knowledge led the team to conclude that the map, which was drawn with ink containing titanium dioxide, couldn’t have been created in the mid-1400s. Choice D is incorrect because although the text doesn’t indicate that Lemay, Zyats, and Bezur established an exact date for the creation of the ink that was used to draw the Vinland Map, the text does say that titanium dioxide was introduced in ink manufacturing in the early 1900s. This fact provides enough information to determine that the ink that was used to draw the map was created no earlier than the early 1900s. This finding, in turn, led the team to conclude that the Vinland Map couldn’t have been drawn in the mid-1400s.

It’s common for jazz musicians and fans to refer to certain songs as having “swing,” indicating that the songs provoke a strong feeling, like the impulse to tap one’s foot or dance. The exact acoustic properties that give a song swing, however, have long been thought to be undefinable. To investigate swing, a team led by physicist Corentin Nelias delayed the downbeats and synchronized the offbeats in jazz piano solos and asked jazz musicians to compare the intensity of swing in each modified piece with the intensity of swing in the original piece. They found that participants were more than seven times likelier to characterize the modified songs as having swing than to characterize the original versions as having swing, suggesting that ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. synchronized offbeats tend to give a song swing regardless of whether downbeats are delayed.

B. the acoustic properties that give a song swing are not easy for jazz musicians to manipulate.

C. jazz songs that feature the piano are more likely to have swing than are jazz songs that do not feature the piano.

D. the timing of downbeats and offbeats may play a crucial role in giving a song swing.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The passage tells us that participants were “more than seven times likelier to characterize the modified songs as having swing than to characterize the original versions as having swing.” Because the modified songs had been changed by altering the timing of the downbeats and offbeats, this suggests that the timing of downbeats and offbeats may play a crucial role in giving a song swing.

Choice A is incorrect. Although the passage mentions that the researchers “synchronized the offbeats” in the modified songs, they also “delayed the downbeats” in those songs. Because we can’t disentangle whether it was the synchronized offbeats, the delayed downbeats, or the combination of both that increased the song’s swing, we don’t have enough information to make this inference. Choice B is incorrect. The passage doesn’t mention whether or not it’s difficult for a jazz musician to give a song swing, so there’s no basis for this inference. Choice C is incorrect. The passage doesn’t compare jazz songs that feature piano to those that don’t, so there’s no basis for this inference.

The Indus River valley civilization flourished in South Asia from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE. Many examples of the civilization’s writing system exist, but researchers haven’t yet deciphered it or identified which ancient language it represents. Nevertheless, archaeologists have found historical artifacts, such as clay figures and jewelry, that provide information about the civilization’s customs and how its communities were organized. The archaeologists’ findings therefore suggest that ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. investigating an ancient civilization is easier without knowledge of the civilization’s language.

B. knowing an ancient civilization’s language isn’t necessary in order to learn details about the civilization.

C. archaeological research should focus on finding additional artifacts rather than deciphering ancient languages.

D. examining the civilization’s historical artifacts has resolved the debate about this civilization’s language.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the Indus River valley civilization. The text establishes that archaeologists haven’t been able to interpret the Indus River valley civilization’s writing system but have nevertheless acquired information about the civilization through historical artifacts. The fact that archaeologists have been able to learn about the Indus River valley civilization’s customs and community organization from historical artifacts suggests that it isn’t necessary to understand an ancient civilization’s language to learn about the civilization.

Choice A is incorrect because the text doesn’t discuss how easy it is to investigate ancient civilizations with or without knowledge of the civilization’s language; rather, it states that even though researchers have not yet deciphered the language of the Indus River valley civilization, they are still able to learn about it through historical artifacts. Choice C is incorrect because the text doesn’t make any claims as to what the focus of archaeological research should be. Rather, the text discusses how archaeologists have been able to learn about an ancient civilization through historical artifacts despite not understanding the civilization’s language. Choice D is incorrect because the text states that the civilization’s language has not yet been interpreted; it makes no mention of a debate about the language. Instead, the text suggests that examination of the historical artifacts has allowed archaeologists to learn about the civilization but has not aided thus far in deciphering its language.

To investigate the history of plate subduction—when one of Earth’s tectonic plates slides beneath another—Sarah M. Aarons and colleagues compared ancient rocks from the Acasta Gneiss Complex in Canada to modern rocks. Using isotope analysis, the researchers found that Acasta rocks dating to about 4.02 billion years ago (bya) most strongly resemble modern rocks formed in a plume setting (an area in which hot rocks from Earth’s mantle flow upward into the crust). By contrast, they found that Acasta rocks dating to about 3.75 bya and 3.6 bya have an isotope composition that is similar to that of modern rocks formed in a subduction setting. Aarons’s team therefore concluded that ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. subduction-like processes began occurring in some locations no later than 3.75 bya.

B. subduction replaced mantle plume formation as the most common geological process by about 4.02 bya.

C. the majority of the rocks in the Acasta Gneiss Complex formed through subduction.

D. the rocks in the Acasta Gneiss Complex are of a more recent origin than scientists previously thought.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. Because researchers found “Acasta rocks dating to about 3.75 bya” were similar to “modern rocks formed in a subduction setting,” we can infer that subduction-like processes must have begun occurring in the Acasta Gneiss Complex by this time.

Choice B is incorrect. We only know about geological processes at the Acasta Gneiss Complex, so we do not have information to make inferences about geological processes in general. Also, notice that the rocks dated to 4.02 bya were found to still be formed in a plume setting, so the transition must have happened after this time. Choice C is incorrect. There’s no mention in the passage of what proportion of the rocks within Acasta Gneiss Complex were formed through subduction, so there’s no basis for this inference. Choice D is incorrect. The passage discusses various rocks in the Acasta Gneiss Complex that are dated to different periods of time, but nothing in the passage suggests that these dates are or were wrong.

The Haitian Declaration of Independence was issued in 1804, bringing to an end the revolution against colonial France that began in 1791. Written in French, which was not the first language of most Haitians but which was used throughout Europe as the language of international diplomacy, the declaration notes that Haiti will not bring rebellion to other Caribbean nations, promises to respect the sovereignty of its neighbors—widely understood as a reassurance to the United States—and sets up Haiti as an example for future struggles against colonizers (an implicit reference to the many colonies then found in the Americas). So even though the declaration is explicitly addressed to the Haitian people, it’s reasonable to conclude that ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. aspects of the declaration were modeled on similar documents from other countries.

B. the French government may have been surprised by the declaration.

C. many Haitian people opposed the revolution and the declaration.

D. the declaration actually had several intended audiences.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The passage tells us that the declaration was written in a language important to European diplomacy but not most Haitians, states that the declaration included "a reassurance to the United States," and made implicit references to colonies in the Americas. Because of the messages within the declaration that were largely irrelevant to the Haitian people, we can assume that the Haitian people were not the only audience for this document.

Choice A is incorrect. There’s no mention in the passage of similar documents in other countries, so there’s no basis for this inference. Choice B is incorrect. Although there’s an implicit reference to European governments when the passage discusses how the declaration was written in French, "which was used throughout Europe as the language of international diplomacy," there is no discussion of the French government’s response to the declaration. Therefore, there’s no basis for this inference. Choice C is incorrect. The passage doesn’t mention the popularity of the revolution and declaration among the Haitian people, so there’s no basis for this inference.

By running computer simulations of the development of our solar system, André Izidoro, Rajdeep Dasgupta, and colleagues concluded that the Sun may have been surrounded by three giant dust rings before the planets started to form. The researchers suggest that the materials in the innermost ring became the four planets closest to the Sun, the materials in the middle ring produced the rest of the planets, and the materials in the outermost ring created the asteroids and other small bodies in the region beyond Neptune. In one simulation, the researchers delayed the initial formation of the middle ring, causing oversized super-Earths to begin developing from the innermost ring. The researchers therefore hypothesize that ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. the middle ring formed earlier in the solar system’s development than the initial simulations suggested.

B. the timing of the initial formation of the middle ring played an important role in determining the eventual size of Earth.

C. if the formation of the outermost ring had occurred earlier in a simulation, all the planets would have become super-Earths.

D. the innermost ring actually formed into all the planets in our solar system, not just the four closest to the Sun.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer because it most logically follows from the text’s discussion of André Izidoro, Rajdeep Dasgupta, and colleagues’ computer simulations of our solar system’s development. The text begins by stating that the simulations led the researchers to conclude that the solar system likely formed from three giant dust rings that encircled the Sun. The text explains that the four inner planets, including Earth, formed from the innermost ring and that the remaining planets formed from the middle ring. It then explains that in one simulation, the researchers delayed the formation of the middle ring—that is, they tested to see what would happen if the middle ring had formed later than it actually did. They found that doing so affected the size of the innermost planets, resulting in oversized super-Earths, planets that are much larger than Earth. Since the delayed timing had the effect of changing the size of Earth in the simulation relative to Earth’s real size, it’s reasonable to conclude that the timing of the middle ring’s formation was important in determining Earth’s eventual size.

Choice A is incorrect. Although the text explains that when the researchers delayed the formation of the middle ring in one simulation, the size of the innermost planets was affected (which suggests that the middle ring likely formed earlier than it did in this simulation), the text doesn’t indicate that this was an initial simulation—that is, a simulation that was conducted before other simulations. Moreover, the text makes no reference to the specific results of any other simulations; therefore, there is no basis for comparing any conclusions based on the simulation in which the middle ring’s formation was delayed with conclusions based on other simulations. Choice C is incorrect because the text discusses how altering the timing of the formation of the middle ring, not the outermost ring, affected the four innermost planets’ eventual size in the researchers’ simulation; therefore, the simulation offers no basis for a conclusion about how the outermost ring’s formation affected the size of the planets. Choice D is incorrect because there is nothing in the text to suggest that the innermost ring produced all the solar system’s planets. Rather, the text states that the simulations showed that the innermost planets formed from the innermost ring and that the remaining planets formed from the middle ring.

Astronomers investigated the Arabia Terra region of Mars because it appears to contain irregularly shaped craters that may have been caused by massive volcanic explosions. In their investigations of Arabia Terra, the researchers found remnants of ash deposits in an amount and thickness that would result from a massive volcanic eruption. However, erosion and past resurfacing events could have modified the surface of the planet. Therefore, ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. the current makeup of the Arabia Terra region might not accurately reflect the volcanic activity of Mars’s past.

B. eruptions from Mars’s volcanoes were likely not as massive as astronomers previously believed.

C. ash was most likely expelled from multiple different volcanoes on Mars’s surface.

D. the craters found in the Arabia Terra region were necessarily created by events other than volcanic eruptions.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer because it presents the conclusion that most logically follows from the text’s discussion of the Arabia Terra region of Mars. According to the text, there are craters in Arabia Terra that could be the result of volcanic activity, and researchers have found evidence of ash deposits consistent with a large eruption. The text goes on to note, however, that erosion and other events could have altered the surface of Mars. This observation suggests that current conditions on Mars’s surface are not necessarily a reliable guide to past events—some signs of past events could have been transformed or erased entirely—and thus the current makeup of Arabia Terra may not accurately reflect past volcanic activity.

Choice B is incorrect because the text suggests only that past events could have changed Mars’s surface such that its current appearance isn’t a reliable guide to past activity, not that it’s likely that past eruptions were not as massive as astronomers previously believed. Nothing in the text supports a conclusion about the likely size of past eruptions. Choice C is incorrect because the observation that resurfacing events could have changed the appearance of Mars doesn’t imply that the ash discussed in the text likely came from multiple volcanoes. Although it’s possible that the ash came from different volcanoes, there’s no information in the text supporting a conclusion about how likely that possibility is. Choice D is incorrect because nothing in the text suggests that the Arabia Terra craters had to have been created by something other than volcanic eruptions. Although the text does suggest that the evidence consistent with volcanic eruptions shouldn’t be taken as definitive proof of past eruptions, that doesn’t mean that the craters couldn’t have been created by eruptions, only that we can’t be certain they were.

As the name suggests, dramaturges originated in theater, where they continue to serve a variety of functions: conducting historical research for directors, compiling character biographies for actors, and perhaps most importantly, helping writers of plays and musicals to hone the works’ stories and characters. Performance scholar Susan Manning observes that many choreographers, like playwrights and musical theater writers, are concerned with storytelling and characterization. In fact, some choreographers describe the dances they create as expressions of narrative through movement; it is therefore unsurprising that ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. dramaturges can have a profound impact on the artistic direction of plays and musicals.

B. choreographers developing dances with narrative elements frequently engage dramaturges to assist in refining those elements.

C. dances by choreographers who incorporate narrative elements are more accessible to audiences than dances by choreographers who do not.

D. some directors and actors rely too heavily on dramaturges to complete certain research tasks.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. Dramaturges help playwrights with storytelling and characterization. Choreographers often tell stories through dance, so they are also concerned with storytelling and characterization. This suggests that the fact that choreographers seek the help of dramaturges with the storytelling aspects of their dances should be “unsurprising.”

Choice A is incorrect. This inference isn’t supported. The beginning of the text does imply that this is true, but the end is leading to a conclusion about how choreographers use dramaturges. Choice C is incorrect. This inference isn’t supported. The text never mentions dances by choreographers who don’t incorporate narrative elements. Choice D is incorrect. This inference isn’t supported. The text mentions in passing that directors use dramaturges to conduct research, but it never suggests that directors and actors are too reliant on them. Also, the text is leading to a conclusion about how choreographers use dramaturges.

Ana Castillo’s 1986 novel The Mixquiahuala Letters is a story told entirely through expressive letters from the narrator to her friend—letters that Castillo suggests could be read in several different orders. As they began reading it in class, some students remarked that they found the novel’s letter format daunting and its treatment of gender relations old-fashioned. The professor, however, pointed out that the novel is written in modern-sounding language and addresses issues that still matter today, suggesting that The Mixquiahuala Letters ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. has more to say about gender relations than other novels from the same period.

B. is more relevant to contemporary audiences than it may seem at first.

C. is easier to read than many contemporary novels that focus on friendship.

D. is best understood after multiple readings in different orders.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of Ana Castillo’s 1986 novel The Mixquiahuala Letters. The text states that the novel consists entirely of letters from the narrator to her friend—a format that some students reading the novel in a class found intimidating. According to the text, those students also found the novel’s treatment of gender to be old-fashioned. In response to the students’ concerns, their professor emphasized the novel’s relevance: it’s written in modern-sounding language and addresses issues that still matter. This, in turn, suggests that The Mixquiahuala Letters is more relevant to contemporary audiences than it may initially seem.

Choice A is incorrect because the professor’s response to the students only mentions The Mixquiahuala Letters: it doesn’t compare the novel to others from the same period. Choice C is incorrect because nothing in the professor’s response to the students compares The Mixquiahuala Letters to contemporary novels about friendship. Choice D is incorrect because the professor’s response to the students doesn’t address the idea of reading the novel’s letters multiple times and in different orders.

Biologist Natacha Bodenhausen and colleagues analyzed the naturally occurring bacterial communities associated with leaves and roots of wild Arabidopsis thaliana, a small flowering plant. The researchers found many of the same bacterial genera in both the plants’ leaves and roots. To explain this, the researchers pointed to the general proximity of A. thaliana leaves to the ground and noted that rain splashing off soil could bring soil-based bacteria into contact with the leaves. Alternatively, the researchers noted that wind, which may be a source of bacteria in the aboveground portion of plants, could also bring bacteria to the soil and roots. Either explanation suggests that ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. bacteria carried by wind are typically less beneficial to A. thaliana than soil-based bacteria are.

B. some bacteria in A. thaliana leaves and roots may share a common source.

C. many bacteria in A. thaliana leaves may have been deposited by means other than rain.

D. A. thaliana leaves and roots are especially vulnerable to harmful bacteria.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. Both explanations suggest that the bacteria come from the same place: either they come from the ground and make their way to the leaves, or they come from above the ground and make their way to the roots.

Choice A is incorrect. This inference isn’t supported. The text never discusses any benefits of any kind of bacteria. Choice C is incorrect. This conflicts with the text. One of the theories is that the bacteria in the leaves were deposited by rain splashing off soil. Choice D is incorrect. This inference isn’t supported. The text only discusses “naturally occurring” bacteria. It never mentions either the harms or benefits of these bacteria.

Although many transposons, DNA sequences that move within an organism’s genome through shuffling or duplication, have become corrupted and inactive over time, those from the long interspersed nuclear elements (LINE) family appear to remain active in the genomes of some species. In humans, they are functionally important within the hippocampus, a brain structure that supports complex cognitive processes. When the results of molecular analysis of two species of octopus—an animal known for its intelligence—were announced in 2022, the confirmation of a LINE transposon in Octopus vulgaris and Octopus bimaculoides genomes prompted researchers to hypothesize that that transposon family is tied to a species’ capacity for advanced cognition.

Which finding, if true, would most directly support the researchers’ hypothesis?

A. The LINE transposon in O. vulgaris and O. bimaculoides genomes is active in an octopus brain structure that functions similarly to the human hippocampus.

B. The human genome contains multiple transposons from the LINE family that are all primarily active in the hippocampus.

C. A consistent number of copies of LINE transposons is present across the genomes of most octopus species, with few known corruptions.

D. O. vulgaris and O. bimaculoides have smaller brains than humans do relative to body size, but their genomes contain sequences from a wider variety of transposon families.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The text says that LINE transposons are important in the human hippocampus, which supports complex cognition. If the LINE transposon found in octopuses is active in a similar part of their brain, that would suggest that LINE transposons support complex cognition in octopuses too, which in turn supports the hypothesis that LINE transposons are linked to advanced cognition in general.

Choice B is incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the hypothesis. It doesn’t include anything about how LINE transposons function in species other than humans. Choice C is incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the hypothesis. It doesn’t include anything about how the LINE transposon in octopuses might support advanced cognition. Choice D is incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the hypothesis. It doesn’t include anything about how the LINE transposon in octopuses might support advanced cognition.

The Jordanelle Dam was built on the Provo River in Utah in 1992. Earth scientist Adriana E. Martinez and colleagues tracked changes to the environment on the banks of the river downstream of the dam, including how much grass and forest cover were present. They concluded that the dam changed the flow of the river in ways that benefited grass plants but didn’t benefit trees.

Which choice best describes data from the graph that support Martinez and colleagues’ conclusion?

A. The lowest amount of grass cover was approximately 58,000 square meters, and the highest amount of forest cover was approximately 75,000 square meters.

B. There was more grass cover than forest cover in 1987, and this difference increased dramatically in 1993 and again in 2006.

C. There was less grass cover than bare soil in 1987 but more grass cover than bare soil in 1993 and 2006, whereas there was more forest cover than bare soil in all three years.

D. Grass cover increased from 1987 to 1993 and from 1993 to 2006, whereas forest cover decreased in those periods.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer because it describes data from the graph that support Martinez and colleagues’ conclusion that the Jordanelle Dam led to changes that benefited grass plants but not trees. The graph shows characteristics of the banks of the Provo River downstream of the Jordanelle Dam in three different years— 1987, 1993, and 2006. Specifically, the graph shows the amount of grass cover, bare soil, and forest cover in those years. The text indicates that the Jordanelle Dam was built in 1992, meaning that the data from the graph for 1987 reflect conditions before the dam was built, whereas the data for 1993 and 2006 reflect conditions after the dam was built. The data show that grass cover increased substantially from 1987 to 1993 and again from 1993 to 2006. The data also show that forest cover declined over those periods. Together, these data support Martinez and colleagues’ conclusion that the dam was beneficial for grass plants but not for trees —grass cover increased significantly after the dam was built, while forest cover declined.

Choice A is incorrect. Although it is true that, in the graph, the lowest value for grass cover is approximately 58,000 square meters and the highest value for forest cover is approximately 75,000 square meters, both values are from 1987, before the Jordanelle Dam was built in 1992. Therefore, this information alone cannot support Martinez and colleagues’ conclusion about changes in grass and tree cover following the construction of the dam. Choice B is incorrect because it presents an inaccurate description of data from the graph. The graph shows that there was more forest cover than grass cover in 1987, not that there was more grass cover than forest cover that year. Choice C is incorrect because, while it accurately reflects data from the graph when it compares grass cover and forest cover to bare soil, these data alone cannot support Martinez and colleagues’ conclusion that the dam led to changes that benefited grass plants but not trees. An increase in grass cover relative to bare soil following the construction of the dam might indicate that the dam benefited grass plants, but the fact that there was more forest cover than bare soil in all three years doesn’t indicate that the dam failed to benefit trees.

To understand how expressions of anger in reviews of products affect readers of those reviews, business scholar Dezhi Yin and colleagues measured study participants’ responses to three versions of the same negative review— a control review expressing no anger, a review expressing a high degree of anger, and a review expressing a low degree of anger. Reviewing the data, a student concludes that the mere presence of anger in a review may not negatively affect readers’ perceptions of the review, but a high degree of anger in a review does worsen readers’ perceptions of the review.

Which choice best describes data from the graph that support the students’ conclusion?

A. On average, participants’ ratings of the helpfulness of the review were substantially higher than were participants’ ratings of the reviewed product regardless of which type of review participants had seen.

B. Compared with participants who saw the control review, participants who saw the low-anger review rated the review as slightly more helpful, whereas participants who saw the high-anger review rated the review as less helpful.

C. Participants who saw the low-anger review rated the review as slightly more helpful than participants who saw the control review did, but participants’ attitude toward the reviewed product was slightly worse when participants saw the low-anger review than when they saw the no-anger review.

D. Compared with participants who saw the low-anger review, participants who saw the high-anger review rated the review as less helpful and had a less positive attitude toward the reviewed product.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The claim is that low anger does not negatively affect readers’ perceptions of the review, while high anger does negatively affect readers’ perceptions of the review. This choice accurately expresses the supporting data from the “helpfulness of review” part of the graph: that low-anger reviews were rated as slightly more helpful than no-anger reviews, while high-anger reviews were rated as less helpful than no-anger reviews.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice does not support the conclusion. The conclusion is only about how participants feel about the review itself—the participants’ ratings of the reviewed product are not relevant. Choice C is incorrect. This choice does not support the conclusion. The conclusion is only about how participants feel about the review itself—the participants’ attitude towards the reviewed product is not relevant. Choice D is incorrect. This choice does not support the conclusion. The conclusion is only about how participants feel about the review itself—the participants’ attitude towards the reviewed product is not relevant.

Sandra Cisneros’s 1984 novella The House on Mango Street made a lasting impact on US literature. Its depiction of Mexican American culture inspired later authors to examine their own heritage within their fictional works. Also influential was the book’s portrayal of the main character, Esperanza, during a pivotal year of her youth. This insightful depiction of a preteen girl encouraged authors who, like Cisneros herself, are Latina to use fictional works to examine experiences from their own youth.

Which statement, if true, would most strongly support the claim in the underlined sentence?

A. In interviews, a number of Latina authors say that The House on Mango Street inspired them to write about their own adolescence in their novels.

B. In published writings, several prominent authors who are not Latina say that reading The House on Mango Street influenced their approach to writing fiction.

C. The House on Mango Street has sold over six million copies and is one of the most commonly read booksamong high school and university students in the US.

D. Since 1984, new novels about young Latina characters by Latina authors have often been compared to The House on Mango Street.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer because it presents a finding that, if true, would most strongly support the claim in the underlined sentence. The text begins by explaining that the portrayal of Mexican American culture in Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street inspired later authors to explore their own heritage. Noting that Cisneros’s novella was also influential for its depiction of a formative year in a female character’s youth, the text then claims that this depiction inspired other Latina authors to use fiction to explore their own experiences of youth. Since this claim addresses how Cisneros encouraged Latina authors specifically to portray their youthful experiences, it would be directly supported by such authors stating that her novella influenced them to write about their own adolescence, or the transitional period between childhood and adulthood.

Choice B is incorrect. The text states that with its portrayal of Mexican American culture, The House on Mango Street inspired later authors to explore their own heritage, and since this statement isn’t limited to only Latina authors, it can be inferred that authors who aren’t Latina were also likely influenced by the novella. But because the claim in the underlined sentence concerns the novella’s influence on Latina authors specifically, the finding that the book also influenced authors who weren’t Latina would fail to provide support for the claim. Choice C is incorrect because the finding that The House on Mango Street has sold millions of copies and is widely read among students in the US doesn’t relate directly to the text’s claim that the novella has influenced Latina authors specifically. Choice D is incorrect. While comparisons of new novels about young Latina characters by Latina authors to Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street would likely be founded on similarities between those novels and Cisneros’s novella, such similarities wouldn’t necessarily be evidence of the novella’s influence; such similarities might arise if Cisneros and younger Latina authors alike depicted certain basic cultural and historical features of their communities. Testimony from younger Latina authors about how The House on Mango Street had inspired them would be far more persuasive evidence of the novella’s influence.

In high concentrations, hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is typically toxic to many plants. Frederick D. Dooley and colleagues wanted to understand what effects low doses of H₂S might have on plant growth. They treated bean, corn, wheat, and pea seeds with various concentrations (measured in micromoles per liter) of H₂S and tracked the germination of those seeds along with the germination of untreated seeds. Treatment with particular concentrations of H₂S was associated with accelerated germination: for example, ______

Which choice most effectively uses data from the graph to complete the statement?

A. at 24 hours, less than 10% of seeds treated with H₂S at a concentration of 10 micromoles per liter had germinated, whereas more than 90% of those seeds had germinated at 168 hours.

B. at 48 hours, more than 70% of seeds treated with H₂S at a concentration of 10 micromoles per liter had germinated, whereas only approximately 50% of untreated seeds had germinated.

C. at 168 hours, more than 90% of seeds treated with H₂S at concentrations of 10 or 500 micromoles per liter had germinated, whereas less than 70% of untreated seeds had germinated.

D. at 48 hours, approximately 50% of seeds treated with H₂S at a concentration of 10 micromoles per liter had germinated, whereas only approximately 30% of untreated seeds had germinated.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The claim is that some concentrations of H₂S led to increased germination rates, and this choice accurately shows that seeds treated with 10 micromoles per liter of H₂S tended to germinate faster than untreated seeds.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice doesn’t justify the claim. The claim compares the germination rates of seeds exposed to certain concentrations of H₂S to untreated seeds, but this choice only discusses one concentration of H₂S, so it can’t support any comparison between treated and untreated groups. Choice C is incorrect. This choice misreads the graph. At 168 hours, only about 85% of seeds treated with H₂S at 500 micromoles per liter and well over 70% of untreated seeds had germinated (about 80%). Choice D is incorrect. This choice misreads the graph. At 48 hours, about 70% of seeds treated with H₂S at 10 micromoles per liter and about 50% of untreated seeds had germinated.

Rivers rich in sediment appear yellow, while increases in red algae make rivers appear red. To track things like the sediment or algae content of large US rivers, John R. Gardner and colleagues used satellite data to determine the dominant visible wavelengths of light measured for various segments of these rivers. The researchers classified wavelengths of 495 nanometers (nm) and below as red, wavelengths between 495 and 560 nm as blue, and wavelengths of 560 nm and above as yellow. The researchers concluded that for the Missouri River, segment flowing into lakes tend to carry more sediment than those flowing out of lakes.

Which finding, if true, would most directly support the researchers’ conclusion?

A. The segments of the Missouri River that had higher levels of chlorophyll-a, which contributes to the green color of photosynthetic organisms, have dominant wavelengths of light between 490 and 560 nm.

B. In lakes through which segments of the Missouri River pass, the dominant wavelength of light tended to be above 560 nm near the lakes’ shores and below 560 nm in the lakes’ centers.

C. The majority of the segments of the Missouri River were found to have dominant wavelengths of light significantly higher than 560 nm.

D. Segments of the Missouri River flowing into lakes typically had dominant wavelengths of light above 560 nm, while segments flowing out of lakes typically had dominant wavelengths below 560 nm.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer because it presents a finding that, if true, would support Gardner and colleagues’ conclusion that segments of the Missouri River flowing into lakes tend to carry more sediment than do segments of the river flowing out of lakes. The text says that rivers appear yellow when they contain a lot of sediment and appear red when they contain a lot of algae. It goes on to explain that Gardner and colleagues measured the wavelengths of light for different segments of rivers in the United States and classified those wavelength measurements into colors: red for wavelengths of 495 nanometers and below, blue for wavelengths between 495 and 560 nanometers, and yellow for wavelengths of 560 nanometers and above. Combined with the earlier information about river colors, this suggests that rivers rich in sediment will have wavelengths of 560 nanometers and above (since such rivers appear yellow). If researchers found that Missouri River segments flowing into lakes tend to have wavelengths above 560 nanometers and segments flowing out of lakes tend to have wavelengths below 560 nanometers, this finding would support Gardner and colleagues’ conclusion, since it would suggest that the river tends to carry more sediment when it flows into lakes than when it flows out of lakes.

Choice A is incorrect because finding that sections of the Missouri River with high chlorophyll-a levels have wavelengths between 490 and 560 nanometers would be irrelevant to the researchers’ conclusion that segments of the river flowing into lakes are richer in sediment than are segments of the river flowing out of lakes. This finding would not indicate anything about segments flowing into or out of lakes. Choice B is incorrect because finding that lakes through which the Missouri River passes have higher wavelengths near their shores than in the center would not support the researchers’ conclusion that segments of the river flowing into lakes have more sediment than segments flowing out of lakes. This finding would suggest only that there is more sediment around the edges of lakes than in their centers, which does not have any direct bearing on the researchers’ conclusion about river segments flowing into and out of lakes. Choice C is incorrect because finding that most segments of the Missouri River have wavelengths significantly higher than 560 nanometers would suggest that most segments of the river are high in sediment, not that segments flowing into lakes are higher in sediment than segments flowing out of lakes. Only a comparison of river segments flowing into lakes with segments flowing out of lakes can support the researchers’ conclusion.

Plants like potatoes, tomatoes, and soybeans are susceptible to bacterial wilt disease caused by the bacteria Ralstonia solanacearum. A multinational team of scientists led by Zhong Wei studied whether other microbes in the soil might influence the degree to which plants are affected by the disease. The team sampled soil surrounding individual tomato plants over time and compared the results of plants that became diseased with those that remained healthy. They concluded that the presence of certain microbes in the soil might explain the difference between healthy and diseased plants.

Which finding, if true, would most directly support the team’s conclusion?

A. The soil surrounding healthy plants contained significantly higher concentrations of microbes known to inhibit Ralstonia solanacearum than the soil surrounding diseased plants did.

B. The soil surrounding the plants contained high concentrations of Ralstonia solanacearum regardless of whether the plants were affected by wilt disease.

C. The soil surrounding healthy plants tended to have significantly higher moisture levels than the soil surrounding diseased plants did.

D. By the end of the experiment, over half the plants had been affected by wilt disease regardless of differences in the types and concentrations of microbes in the surrounding soil.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. This choice provides evidence that directly links the presence of R. solanacearum-inhibiting microbes in the soil to the health of tomato plants.

Choice B is incorrect. This choice would weaken the team’s conclusion. It suggests that the presence of the disease-causing bacteria had no effect on the health of the tomato plants. Choice C is incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the team’s conclusion. The conclusion is about microbes, not soil moisture. Choice D is incorrect. This choice would weaken the team’s conclusion. It suggests that the presence of the bacteriainhibiting microbe in soil had no effect on the health of the tomato plants.

Flint artifacts dating to 800,000 to 1,000,000 years ago have been recovered from the Evron Quarry in Israel. Likely created by the hominin Homo erectus, the artifacts have no visual features suggesting that they were exposed to fire, leading some scholars to conclude that these hominins had not acquired control of fire. But Zane Stepka and colleagues recently used a new method to determine whether these artifacts had been exposed to temperatures above 400°C (the typical temperature campfires reach) and concluded that the hominins who inhabited the site may have had control of fire.

Which choice best describes data in the graph that support the team’s conclusion?

A. Artifacts K5_106 and K3_9 were exposed to temperatures above 400°C.

B. Artifacts L5_239 and K3_18 were exposed to temperatures of approximately 550°C and 650°C, respectively.

C. All of the artifacts were exposed to temperatures above 100°C.

D. Artifact K3_9 was exposed to a higher temperature than was artifact K5_106.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. Campfires typically reach over 400°C, so human artifacts that were exposed to temperatures higher than this may indicate some human control over fire.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice misreads the graph. Neither artifact K3_9 nor K5_106 was exposed to temperatures above even 200°C. Choice C is incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the claim. Campfires typically reach over 400°C, so exposure to temperatures of 100°C wouldn’t demonstrate exposure to fire. Choice D is incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the claim. Both artifacts K3_9 and K5_106 were exposed to temperatures of less than 200°C. Since campfires typically reach over 400°C, this wouldn’t demonstrate exposure to fire.

Although it’s clear that Mars once had liquid water on its surface, astronomers have debated whether the evidence of ancient water reflects a prolonged phase of warm, wet conditions—the so-called wet and warm scenario—or a brief period of melting in an otherwise consistently frozen environment. Researchers Benjamin T. Cardenas and Michael P. Lamb recently added to this debate by using data from NASA and the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter to map the topography of what is now a large basin in Mars’s northern hemisphere. Cardenas and Lamb concluded that the wet and warm scenario is likely correct.

Which finding about the basin, if true, would most directly support Cardenas and Lamb’s conclusion?

A. Its dimensions and shape indicate that it is unlikely to have formed as the result of an asteroid or comet impact.

B. It has features suggesting that it once held an ocean that underwent gradual sea-level changes over an extended time.

C. Its physical characteristics are most consistent with it having formed as a result of a massive but short-lived influx of liquid water.

D. It is surrounded by channels that could have been formed either by running water or by flowing lava.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. This choice provides direct support for the researchers’ conclusion. If the basin once held an ocean of liquid water for "an extended time," that supports the "wet and warm scenario" on Mars, which involved a "prolonged" period of temperate conditions (and not just a "brief period of melting").

Choice A is incorrect. This choice doesn’t provide support for the researchers’ conclusions. The dimensions of the basin have little bearing on whether or not it was filled with liquid water, and for how long, and that’s the evidence that would support the "wet and warm" theory. Similarly, whether or not the basin was formed by an asteroid or a comet is irrelevant to the question of whether or not there was water in the basin for a long period. Choice C is incorrect. This choice does not provide support for the researchers’ conclusions, but rather the opposite. A "massive but short lived influx" of liquid water is not the same as a "prolonged phase of warm, wet conditions." It more reflects the opposing theory, a "brief period of melting." Choice D is incorrect. This choice does not support Cardenas and Lamb’s conclusion. Both theories about liquid water on Mars ("wet and warm" and "brief period of melting") involve flowing water, but lava isn’t mentioned at all in the text. Therefore, this choice doesn’t provide exclusive support for either theory.

The Land of Enchantment is a 1906 travel book by Lilian Whiting. In the book, which describes the experience of traveling through the southwestern United States by train, Whiting reflects on the escape from everyday life that such a journey provides: ______

Which quotation from The Land of Enchantment most effectively illustrates the claim?

A. “The opportunities and advantages already offered and constantly increasing are greater than would at first be considered possible.”

B. “The social and the picturesque charm of the long journey is singularly enhanced by the leisurely stops made for refreshment.”

C. “The real journey begins, of course, at Chicago, and as these trains leave in the evening the traveller fares forth in the seclusion of his berth.”

D. “One experiences a certain sense of detachment from ordinary day and daylight duties that is exhilarating.”

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer because. This quotation specifically describes a "sense of detachment from ordinary day," which matches the claim’s focus on "escape from everyday life."

Choice A is incorrect. While this quotation describes new opportunities associated with Whiting’s experience, it doesn’t frame these opportunities as "an escape," and it doesn’t directly compare Whiting’s journey with "everyday life." Choice B is incorrect. While this quotation includes a positive characterization of Whiting’s journey, it doesn’t specifically address the idea of an "escape from everyday life," which is the focus of the claim. Choice C is incorrect. This quotation focuses on where the journey begins, not on how it feels like an "escape from everyday life."

Sense and Sensibility is an 1811 novel by Jane Austen. In the novel, Austen describes Marianne Dashwood’s ability to persuade others of the rightness of her artistic judgments, as is evident when Marianne visits with John Willoughby, a potential suitor: ______

Which quotation from Sense and Sensibility most effectively illustrates the claim?

A. “Above all, when she heard him declare, that of music and dancing he was passionately fond, she gave him such a look of approbation as secured the largest share of his discourse to herself for the rest of his stay.”

B. “Their taste was strikingly alike. The same books, the same passages were idolized by each—or if any difference appeared, any objection arose, it lasted no longer than till the force of her arguments and the brightness of her eyes could be displayed.”

C. “It was only necessary to mention any favourite amusement to engage her to talk. She could not be silent when such points were introduced, and she had neither shyness nor reserve in their discussion.”

D. “They speedily discovered that their enjoyment of dancing and music was mutual, and that it arose from a general conformity of judgment in all that related to either. Encouraged by this to a further examination of his opinions, she proceeded to question him on the subject of books.”

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. By showing that "any difference" in taste was quickly overcome by "the force of [Marianne’s] arguments," this choice effectively demonstrates Marianne’s "ability to persuade others."

Choice A is incorrect. This choice doesn’t effectively illustrate the claim. This choice shows that Marianne and John share an interest in music and dancing, but it doesn’t provide evidence of Marianne’s "ability to persuade others." Choice C is incorrect. This choice doesn’t effectively illustrate the claim. This choice shows that Marianne enjoys talking about her interests, but it doesn’t provide evidence of Marianne’s "ability to persuade others." Choice D is incorrect. This choice doesn’t effectively illustrate the claim. This choice shows that Marianne and John share many interests and generally agree on music and dancing, but it doesn’t provide evidence of Marianne’s "ability to persuade others."

A student is researching monthly hours of sunshine in different cities in Alaska. When comparing trends in Anchorage and Fairbanks, the student concludes that the two cities show a similar pattern in the monthly hours of sunshine from April to September.

Which choice best describes data from the graph that support the student’s conclusion?

A. The monthly hours of sunshine in both Anchorage and Fairbanks hold steady in June and July before beginning to decline in August.

B. The monthly hours of sunshine in both Anchorage and Fairbanks increase from April to June and then decrease from June to September.

C. Anchorage and Fairbanks both have less than 200 monthly hours of sunshine from April to September.

D. Anchorage and Fairbanks both have more than 300 monthly hours of sunshine from April to June and less than 200 hours from July to September.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer because it best describes data from the graph that support the student’s conclusion about weather patterns in Anchorage and Fairbanks. According to the graph, the amount of sunshine increases in both cities from April to June: in Anchorage, the number of monthly hours increases from about 250 to just under 300, and in Fairbanks the number of monthly hours increases from about 300 to just under 350. Also according to the graph, the amount of sunshine decreases in both cities from June to September: in Anchorage the number of monthly hours decreases from just under 300 to about 125, and in Fairbanks the number of monthly hours decreases from just under 350 to about 125. Thus, the monthly hours of sunshine in both cities follow a similar pattern, increasing from April to June and then decreasing from June to September.

Choice A is incorrect because, according to the graph, the monthly hours of sunshine in both Anchorage and Fairbanks decrease from June to July. They don’t hold steady. In June there are slightly less than 300 hours of sunshine in Anchorage and slightly less than 350 hours in Fairbanks. Then, in July there are approximately 250 hours of sunshine in both cities. Choice C is incorrect because the graph shows that Anchorage and Fairbanks have less than 200 monthly hours of sunshine only in August and September. For the rest of the months represented in the graph, both cities have more than 200 monthly hours of sunshine. Choice D is incorrect because, according to the graph, Anchorage doesn’t have more than 300 monthly hours of sunshine from April to June. In addition, both cities have more than 200 hours of sunshine in July, although the amount of sunshine does decrease to less than 200 monthly hours in August and September.

“Mr. Cornelius Johnson, Office-Seeker” is a 1900 short story by Paul Laurence Dunbar. In the story, the narrator describes Mr. Cornelius Johnson’s appearance as conveying his exaggerated sense of his importance: ______

Which quotation from “Mr. Cornelius Johnson, Office-Seeker” most effectively illustrates the claim?

A. “He carried himself always as if he were passing under his own triumphal arch.”

B. “The grey Prince Albert was scrupulously buttoned about his form, and a shiny top hat replaced the felt of the afternoon.”

C. “It was a beautiful day in balmy May and the sun shone pleasantly on Mr. Cornelius Johnson’s very spruce Prince Albert suit of grey as he alighted from the train in Washington.”

D. “Mr. Cornelius Johnson always spoke in a large and important tone.”

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. This quote most effectively illustrates the claim. The claim is that the narrator describes Mr. Johnson as arrogant and self-important. This basically says that Mr. Johnson always looks like he’s congratulating himself for something, which definitely supports the idea that Mr. Johnson is arrogant! .

Choice B is incorrect. This quote doesn’t illustrate the claim. The claim is that the narrator describes Mr. Johnson’s appearance as conveying his arrogance. This describes his appearance, but the description doesn’t suggest a sense of arrogance. Choice C is incorrect. This quote doesn’t illustrate the claim. The claim is that the narrator describes Mr. Johnson’s appearance as conveying his arrogance. This doesn’t describe Mr. Johnson’s appearance very much, and it doesn’t suggest a sense of arrogance. Choice D is incorrect. This quote doesn’t effectively illustrate the claim. It describes Mr. Johnson’s tone of voice as “large and important,” but it doesn’t describe his appearance as conveying a sense of self-importance.

After a volcanic eruption spilled lava into North Pacific Ocean waters, a dramatic increase of diatoms (a kind of phytoplankton) near the surface occurred. Scientists assumed the diatoms were thriving on nutrients such as phosphate from the lava, but analysis showed these nutrients weren’t present near the surface in forms diatoms can consume. However, there was an abundance of usable nitrate, a nutrient usually found in much deeper water and almost never found in lava. Microbial oceanographer Sonya Dyhrman and colleagues believe that as the lava plunged nearly 300 meters below the surface it dislodged pockets of this nutrient, releasing it to float upward, given that ______

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?

A. at 5–45 meters below the surface, the average concentration of phosphate was about the same in the seawater in the lava-affected area as in the seawater outside of the lava-affected area.

B. for both depth ranges measured, the average concentrations of nitrate were substantially higher in the seawater in the lava-affected area than in the seawater outside of the lava-affected area.

C. for both depth ranges measured in the seawater in the lava-affected area, the average concentrations of nitrate were substantially higher than the average concentrations of phosphate.

D. in the seawater outside of the lava-affected area, there was little change in the average concentration of nitrate from 75–125 meters below the surface to 5–45 meters below the surface.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The claim is that the lava freed the deep nitrate, allowing it to float upward. The table supports this by showing that there was more nitrate in the lava-affected seawater at various depths above 300 meters (the depth to which the lava plunged) than in unaffected seawater.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice doesn’t complete the statement in a way that supports the claim. The claim is about nitrate, not phosphate. Choice C is incorrect. This choice doesn’t complete the statement in a way that supports the claim. The claim is only about nitrate—the concentrations of phosphate aren’t relevant. Choice D is incorrect. This choice doesn’t complete the statement in a way that supports the claim. It doesn’t say anything about the seawater inside the lava-affected area.

The share of the world’s population living in cities has increased dramatically since 1970, but this change has not been uniform. France and Japan, for example, were already heavily urbanized in 1970, with 70% or more of the population living in cities. The main contributors to the world’s urbanization since 1970 have been countries like Algeria, whose population went from ______

Which choice most effectively uses data from the graph to complete the assertion?

A. around 50% urban in 1970 to around 90% urban in 2020.

B. less than 40% urban in 1970 to around 90% urban in 2020.

C. less than 20% urban in 1970 to more than 50% urban in 2020.

D. around 40% urban in 1970 to more than 70% urban in 2020.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. This choice effectively uses data from the graph to complete the example. The line representing the percent of Algeria’s population living in cities is the black triangle line. According to the graph, it started at 40% in 1970 and reached 70% in 2020.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice misreads the graph. The line representing the percent of Algeria’s population living in cities is the black triangle line. According to the graph, it started at 40% in 1970 and reached 70% in 2020. Choice B is incorrect. This choice misreads the graph. The line representing the percent of Algeria’s population living in cities is the black triangle line. According to the graph, it started at 40% in 1970 and reached 70% in 2020. Choice C is incorrect. This choice misreads the graph. The line representing the percent of Algeria’s population living in cities is the black triangle line. According to the graph, it started at 40% in 1970 and reached 70% in 2020.

Matthew D. Rocklage and team examined whether consumer ratings of movies can predict box office success. The team considered both numeric star ratings and written reviews in their research. To analyze the written reviews, the team measured the emotionality—the degree to which a written review expresses an emotional reaction—of user reviews on a movie rating website, assigning each review an emotionality score. After reviewing this research, a student argues that the emotionality of movie reviews is unrelated to a movie’s success at the box office.

Which finding, if true, would most directly weaken the student’s conclusion?

A. Movies that had the highest average emotionality scores received the lowest average star ratings on the movie rating website.

B. The average emotionality score of a movie’s reviews was a positive predictor of that movie’s box office earnings.

C. More than half of the movies that the team examined received an average star rating of 3 out of 5 stars.

D. The movies that were most successful at the box office tended to have high average star ratings.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. This choice weakens the student’s conclusion by suggesting that the emotionality of movie reviews is related to box office success: the higher the emotionality score, the better the movie performs at the box office.

Choice A is incorrect. While this choice does mention emotionality scores, it only connects them to star ratings, not to box office success. Choice C is incorrect. The fact that many movies received an average star rating doesn’t tell us anything about the relationship between emotionality and box office success. Choice D is incorrect. While this choice suggests that star ratings can predict box office success, it doesn’t address the issue of emotionality in written reviews, which is the focus of the student’s conclusion.

“On Virtue” is a 1766 poem by Phillis Wheatley. Wheatley addresses the poem directly to the quality of virtue, imploring it to assist her in reaching a future goal: ______

Which quotation from “On Virtue” most effectively illustrates the claim?

A. “Attend me, Virtue, thro’ my youthful years! / O leave me not to the false joys of time! / But guide my steps to endless life and bliss.”

B. “I cease to wonder, and no more attempt / Thine height t’explore, or fathom thy profound.”

C. “O thou bright jewel in my aim I strive / To comprehend thee. Thine own words declare / Wisdom is higher than a fool can reach.”

D. “But, O my soul, sink not into despair, / Virtue is near thee, and with gentle hand / Would now embrace thee, hovers o’er thine head.”

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer because it most effectively illustrates the claim that Wheatley addresses her poem "On Virtue" to the quality of virtue, imploring it to assist her in reaching a future goal. In the quotation, Wheatley begs virtue to accompany her, or "attend [her]," through her youth and to "guide [her] steps to" the future goal of "endless life and bliss."

Choice B is incorrect because this quotation suggests the difficulty of fully comprehending virtue. Rather than asking virtue for help, Wheatley presents it as a quality that is impossible to entirely understand because it is so grand and deep. Choice C is incorrect because this quotation describes Wheatley’s effort to comprehend virtue despite virtue itself declaring that such wisdom is beyond her grasp, or "higher than a fool can reach." Choice D is incorrect because rather than asking virtue for help in this quotation, Wheatley urges herself to "sink not into despair" because virtue is always nearby.

Some whale species practice lunge feeding, in which they lunge toward prey with their mouths open at wide angles, collect the prey and the surrounding water, and then filter out the water through baleen plates in their mouths. Although the volume of water engulfed increases with whales’ body length, the surface area of whales’ baleen plates, which influences the rate at which water can be filtered, does not increase with body length to the same degree, which helps explain why ______

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?

A. minke whales and humpback whales show similar average filter times.

B. humpback whales show an average of 6.28 lunges per dive.

C. fin whales show a longer average filter time than minke whales do.

D. blue whales show the longest average filter time and the highest average number of lunges per dive.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. To support the claim, we need to show that longer whales take more time to filter all the water they engulf than shorter whales do. This choice accurately reflects that a longer whale (the fin whale) takes more time to filter engulfed water (31.30 seconds on average) compared to a shorter whale (the minke whale, which only took 8.88 seconds on average).

Choice A is incorrect. The table shows that minke whales take an average of 8.88 seconds to filter engulfed water, while humpback whales take an average of 17.12 seconds to complete the same task. Choice B is incorrect. This choice doesn’t reflect the claim about baleen plates. The claim explains why whales of differing lengths take different amounts of time to filter engulfed water. This choice doesn’t compare whales of different lengths, and it focuses on the number of lunges, which isn’t shown to be relevant to filter time. Choice D is incorrect. The table shows that blue whales average 4.02 lunges per dive, which is not the highest average among the whales in the table.

To investigate the influence of certain estrogen-responsive neurons on energy expenditure, biologist Stephanie Correa et al. treated female and male mice with either saline solution or clozapine-N4-oxide (CNO), which activates the neurons. Monitoring the activity levels of the mice by measuring how frequently the animals broke infrared beams crossing their enclosures, Correa et al. found that the mice in their study showed sex-specific differences in response to neuron activation: ______

Which choice most effectively uses data from the graph to complete the assertion?

A. the four groups of mice differed greatly in their activity levels before treatment but showed identical activity levels at the end of the monitoring period.

B. saline-treated females showed substantially more activity at certain points in the monitoring period than saline-treated males did.

C. CNO-treated females showed more activity relative to saline-treated females than CNO-treated males showed relative to saline-treated males.

D. CNO-treated females showed a substantial increase and then decline in activity over the monitoring period, whereas CNO-treated males showed a substantial decline in activity followed by a steep increase.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The graph shows that the CNO-treated females were way more active than the CNO-treated males, while the saline-treated males and females (the control groups) had very similar activity levels. This supports the claim that there were sex-specific differences in the mice’s response to neuron activation.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice misreads the graph. All four groups of mice started at nearly the same activity level before treatment (see how all four points are very close together at -4 minutes, meaning four minutes before treatment). Choice B is incorrect. This choice doesn’t complete the assertion. The assertion is about the mice’s response to neuron activation, so we need to include the data about the CNO-treated females and males. Choice D is incorrect. This choice misreads the graph. The line for the CNO-treated males does not show a “substantial decline” until around 122 minutes, and there is no “steep increase” afterward.

“Odalie” is an 1899 short story by Alice Dunbar-Nelson. In the story, a young woman named Odalie attends the annual Mardi Gras carnival in New Orleans, where she lives with her guardian Tante Louise. Dunbar-Nelson portrays Odalie as eager to escape the monotony of her everyday life: ______

Which quotation from “Odalie” most effectively illustrates the claim?

A. “Mardi Gras was a tiresome day, after all, she sighed, and Tante Louise agreed with her for once.”

B. “In the old French house on Royal Street, with its quaint windows and Spanish courtyard green and cool, and made musical by the plashing of the fountain and the trill of caged birds, lived Odalie in convent-like seclusion.”

C. “When one is shut up in a great French house with a grim sleepy tante and no companions of one’s own age, life becomes a dull thing, and one is ready for any new sensation.”

D. “It was Mardi Gras day at last, and early through her window Odalie could hear the jingle of folly bells on the [participants’] costumes, the tinkle of music, and the echoing strains of songs.”

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer because it most effectively uses a quotation from “Odalie” to illustrate the claim that Odalie is eager to escape the monotony, or tedious lack of variety, of her everyday life. In the quotation, Odalie describes feeling “shut up” and complains that she has “no companions” except for her “sleepy tante.” Odalie goes on to say that, as a result, her life is “dull” and she is “ready for any new sensation,” meaning she wants a change. This suggests that Odalie wishes to get away from her monotonous everyday life.

Choice A is incorrect. Although this quotation includes the word “tiresome,” which means dull, it does so to suggest Odalie’s negative feelings about Mardi Gras, which is a once-a-year celebration, not her feelings about her everyday life. This quotation therefore doesn’t express that Odalie’s everyday life is monotonous or that she wishes to escape. Choice B is incorrect. Although this quotation ends by saying that Odalie lives in seclusion, or isolation, it doesn’t express that Odalie’s everyday life is monotonous or that she wishes to escape. Instead, it describes the pleasant qualities of the house Odalie lives in, saying that it has “quaint windows” and a “green and cool” courtyard that is “made musical” by the sounds of a fountain and pet birds. Choice D is incorrect because this quotation describes the lively sounds of a Mardi Gras celebration that Odalie hears through her window, not the monotony of Odalie’s everyday life or her wish to escape.

Jan Gimsa, Robert Sleigh, and Ulrike Gimsa have hypothesized that the sail-like structure running down the back of the dinosaur Spinosaurus aegyptiacus improved the animal’s success in underwater pursuits of prey species capable of making quick, evasive movements. To evaluate their hypothesis, a second team of researchers constructed two battery-powered mechanical models of S. aegyptiacus, one with a sail and one without, and subjected the models to a series of identical tests in a water-filled tank.

Which finding from the model tests, if true, would most strongly support Gimsa and colleagues’ hypothesis?

A. The model with a sail took significantly less time to complete a sharp turn while submerged than the model without a sail did.

B. The model with a sail displaced significantly more water while submerged than the model without a sail did.

C. The model with a sail had significantly less battery power remaining after completing the tests than the model without a sail did.

D. The model with a sail took significantly longer to travel a specified distance while submerged than the model without a sail did.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. This finding would most strongly support the hypothesis. The hypothesis is that the sail improved the dinosaur’s ability to chase quick, evasive prey. This finding suggests that the sail helped the dinosaur make sharp turns more quickly, which supports that hypothesis.

Choice B is incorrect. This finding wouldn’t necessarily support the hypothesis. The hypothesis is that the sail improved the dinosaur’s ability to chase quick, evasive prey. It’s unclear how the sail displacing more water would relate to that hypothesis—it doesn’t seem to be relevant. Choice C is incorrect. This finding wouldn’t necessarily support the hypothesis. The hypothesis is that the sail improved the dinosaur’s ability to chase quick, evasive prey. It’s unclear how the difference in battery power between the models would relate to that hypothesis—it doesn’t seem to be relevant. Choice D is incorrect. This finding would actually weaken the hypothesis. The hypothesis is that the sail improved the dinosaur’s ability to chase quick, evasive prey. This finding suggests that the sail slowed the dinosaur down—which would probably make it worse at catching quick, evasive prey.

All other things being equal, the larger a wind turbine’s rotor diameter (the diameter of the imaginary circle swept by the turbine’s rotating blades), the greater amount of energy the turbine can generate. In a research paper on wind power, a student claims that in the United States, the amount of energy generated per newly installed turbine increased substantially between 2011 and 2021.

Which choice best describes data in the graph that support the student’s claim?

A. The percentage of newly installed turbines with rotor diameters greater than 130 meters increased every year between 2011 and 2021.

B. In 2011, nearly 80% of turbines installed had rotor diameters of less than 100 meters, whereas only a little more than 20% of turbines installed that year had rotor diameters of 100–115 meters.

C. No turbines installed in 2011 had rotor diameters greater than 115 meters, whereas the majority of turbines installed in 2021 had rotor diameters greater than 130 meters.

D. Most turbines installed in 2011 had rotor diameters of less than 100 meters, whereas most turbines installed in 2021 had rotor diameters of at least 115 meters.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The text tells us that turbines with larger rotor diameters produce more energy, so if rotor diameters have generally gotten larger between 2011 and 2021, then turbines created in 2021 should produce more energy than those created in 2011.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice misreads the graph. The percentage of newly installed turbines with rotor diameters greater than 130 meters didn’t show any visible increase until 2018. Choice B is incorrect. This choice doesn’t justify the claim. The claim is about increasing energy output from 2011 to 2021, but this choice only discusses 2011, so it can’t show evidence of change over time. Choice C is incorrect. This choice misreads the graph. In 2021, only about 25% of turbines installed in 2021 had rotor diameters greater than 130 meters.

Pulitzer Prize–winning writer Héctor Tobar has built a multifaceted career as both a journalist and an author of short stories and novels. In an essay about Tobar’s work, a student claims that Tobar blends his areas of expertise by applying journalism techniques to his creation of works of fiction.

Which quotation from a literary critic best supports the student’s claim?

A. “For one novel, an imagined account of a real person’s global travels, Tobar approached his subject like a reporter, interviewing people the man had met along the way and researching the man’s own writings.”

B. “Tobar got his start as a volunteer for El Tecolote, a community newspaper in San Francisco, and wrote for newspapers for years before earning a degree in creative writing and starting to publish works of fiction.”

C. “Many of Tobar’s notable nonfiction articles are marked by the writer’s use of techniques usually associated with fiction, such as complex narrative structures and the incorporation of symbolism.”

D. “The protagonist of Tobar’s third novel is a man who wants to be a novelist and keeps notes about interesting people he encounters so he can use them when developing characters for his stories.”

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The example of Tobar approaching his subject “like a reporter,” including conducting “interviews” and “research,” shows Tobar applying journalism techniques to his fiction-writing.

Choice B is incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the claim. It tells us about Tobar’s initial career as a journalist, but it doesn’t say anything about him “applying journalism techniques” to his fiction-writing. Choice C is incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the claim. It tells us that Tobar applied fiction techniques to his nonfiction writing, but we’re looking for evidence of the other way around: that Tobar applied journalism techniques to his fiction-writing. Choice D is incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the claim. It tells us that a character in one of Tobar’s novels applied a journalism technique to his fiction-writing, but it doesn’t tell us that Tobar did that himself.

Georgia Tech roboticists De’Aira Bryant and Ayanna Howard, along with ethicist Jason Borenstein, were interested in people’s perceptions of robots’ competence. They recruited participants and asked them how likely they think it is that a robot could do the work required in various occupations. Participants’ evaluations varied widely depending on which occupation was being considered; for example, ______

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the example?

A. 47% of participants believe that it is somewhat or very likely that a robot could work effectively as a teacher, but 37% of respondents believe that it is somewhat or very unlikely that a robot could do so.

B. 9% of participants were neutral about whether a robot could work effectively as a television news anchor, which is the same percent of participants who were neutral when asked about a robot working as a surgeon.

C. 82% of participants believe that it is somewhat or very likely that a robot could work effectively as a tour guide, but only 16% believe that it is somewhat or very likely that a robot could work as a surgeon.

D. 62% of participants believe that it is somewhat or very unlikely that a robot could work effectively as a firefighter.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer because it effectively uses data from the table to complete the example of variations in participants’ evaluations. The table shows participants’ evaluations of the likelihood that robots could work effectively in different occupations. The text asserts that participants’ evaluations varied widely depending on the occupation being considered and introduces an example supporting that assertion. The data from the table showing that 82% of participants believe that it is somewhat or very likely that a robot could work effectively as a tour guide but only 16% of participants believe that it is somewhat or very likely that a robot could work effectively as a surgeon illustrate this assertion: those data show participants’ views changing substantially with the occupation being considered.

Choice A is incorrect because it does not describe data that illustrate the assertion that participants’ evaluations varied widely depending on which occupation was being considered. Although this choice accurately describes data in the table, data about participants’ responses when considering a single occupation—teaching—could not be an example of people’s views changing substantially depending on the occupation being considered. Choice B is incorrect because it identifies a similarity in participants’ responses when considering two different occupations, but the assertion that the example is intended to illustrate is that participants’ evaluations varied widely depending on the occupation being considered. Although this choice accurately describes data in the table, those data do not illustrate the assertion in the text. Choice D is incorrect because it does not describe data that illustrate the assertion that participants’ evaluations varied widely depending on which occupation was being considered. Although this choice accurately describes data in the table, data showing participants’ evaluation of just one occupation could not be an example of participants’ evaluations changing depending on the occupation under evaluation.

To test the effects of a nitrogen fertilizer on cantaloupe production, researchers grew cantaloupe plants and harvested their fruit over three years. In each year, half the plants were grown using a nitrogen fertilizer, and the other half were grown using a control fertilizer that contained no nitrogen. The researchers concluded that the nitrogen fertilizer increases cantaloupe yield.

Which choice best describes data in the graph that support the researchers’ conclusion?

A. In every year of the experiment, plants treated with the nitrogen fertilizer had a yield of at least 30 pounds per acre.

B. In every year of the experiment, plants treated with the nitrogen fertilizer had a greater yield than did plants treated with the control fertilizer.

C. The 2018 yield for plants treated with the control fertilizer was greater than was the 2019 yield for plants treated with the nitrogen fertilizer.

D. The yield for plants treated with the nitrogen fertilizer increased from 2017 to 2018.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer because it describes data from the graph that support the researchers’ conclusion that using nitrogen fertilizer increases cantaloupe production. The bar graph shows the cantaloupe yield for plants grown with nitrogen fertilizer and for those grown with a control fertilizer (without nitrogen) for three consecutive years (2017–2019). For each year in the graph, the yield for the nitrogen group is greater than the yield for the control group. In pounds per acre, the value in 2017 for the nitrogen-group yield is greater than 30 while the control-group yield is less than 25; in 2018 the nitrogen-group yield is greater than 40 while the control-group yield is less than 35; and in 2019 the nitrogen-group yield is greater than 25 while the controlgroup yield is less than 20. Thus, these data from the graph strongly support the conclusion that using nitrogen fertilizer increases cantaloupe yield.

Choice A is incorrect because the bar graph shows that in 2019 the nitrogen group had a yield below 30 pounds per acre. Choice C is incorrect. Although this choice accurately describes data in the bar graph—in 2018, the control-group yield is greater than 30 pounds per acre, and in 2019 the nitrogen-group yield is less than 30 pounds per acre—a claim that the control-group yield exceeds that of the nitrogen group strongly conflicts with the researchers’ conclusion that nitrogen fertilizer produces larger yields. Choice D is incorrect. Although it is true that the bar graph shows a higher yield for the nitrogen group in 2018 than in 2017, without the control to compare against, it is impossible to know whether the increase is due to the fertilizer and not, for example, more favorable weather in 2018 than in 2017.

An Ideal Husband is an 1895 play by Oscar Wilde. In the play, which is a satire, Wilde suggests that a character named Lady Gertrude Chiltern is perceived as both extremely virtuous and unforgiving, as is evident when another character says ______

Which quotation from An Ideal Husband most effectively illustrates the claim?

A. “Lady Chiltern is a woman of the very highest principles, I am glad to say. I am a little too old now, myself, to trouble about setting a good example, but I always admire people who do.”

B. “Do you know, [Lady Chiltern], I don’t mind your talking morality a bit. Morality is simply the attitude we adopt towards people whom we personally dislike.”

C. “[Lady Chiltern] does not know what weakness or temptation is. I am of clay like other men. She stands apart as good women do—pitiless in her perfection—cold and stern and without mercy.”

D. “Lady Chiltern, you are a sensible woman, the most sensible woman in London, the most sensible woman I know.”

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer because it most effectively uses a quotation to illustrate the claim that Lady Gertrude Chiltern is perceived as “both extremely virtuous and unforgiving.” In the quotation, a man describes Lady Chiltern as someone who “does not know what weakness or temptation is.” In other words, the man regards her as someone who is strong and adheres to a strict definition of moral perfection. However, he ironically suggests that this definition excludes mercy and forgiveness—qualities that are also thought of as virtues; according to him, Lady Chiltern is “pitiless in her perfection—cold and stern and without mercy.” This description supports the idea that Lady Chiltern is perceived by others as virtuous as well as unforgiving.

Choice A is incorrect. The quotation supports the claim that Lady Chiltern is perceived as virtuous, in that it describes her as “a woman of the very highest principles.” However, it doesn’t characterize her as unforgiving or being perceived as such. Choice B is incorrect. The quotation suggests that Lady Chiltern is concerned with morality, but it suggests that her interest in discussing it is fundamentally hypocritical and functions as a means by which to judge others. However, the quotation doesn’t address the question of whether Lady Chiltern is unmerciful to those who seek forgiveness for harm they have caused. Choice D is incorrect because it doesn’t address either Lady Chiltern’s perceived virtuousness or her perceived lack of forgiveness; instead, it expresses the belief that she is sensible.

In a survey of public perceptions of energy use, researcher Shahzeen Attari and her team asked respondents to name the most effective action ordinary people can take to conserve energy. The team categorized each action as either an efficiency or a curtailment and found that respondents tended to name curtailments more often than they did efficiencies. For example, 19.6% of respondents stated that the most effective way to conserve energy is to turn off the lights, while only ______

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

A. 6.3% of respondents said it was most effective to use efficient cars or hybrids.

B. 2.8% of respondents said it was most effective to change the thermostat setting.

C. 12.9% of respondents said it was most effective to use a bike or public transportation.

D. 3.6% of respondents said it was most effective to use efficient light bulbs.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer because it most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text’s discussion of Attari and her team’s survey results. The text states that the team asked respondents to identify the most effective action people can take to save energy, with the team classifying each action as either an efficiency or a curtailment. According to the text, respondents named curtailments more often than they did efficiencies. The text then offers an example that begins by citing a curtailment, turning off the lights, that was selected by a relatively high percentage of respondents (19.6%). Given that the example is presented in support of the idea that more respondents selected curtailments than efficiencies, the most effective way to complete the example is by citing an efficiency, using efficient light bulbs, that was selected by a relatively low percentage of respondents (only 3.6%).

Choice A is incorrect because it inaccurately describes data in the table. The data indicate that 6.3% of respondents said the most effective action was to change the thermostat setting, not to use efficient cars or hybrids. Choice B is incorrect because it inaccurately describes data in the table. The data indicate that 2.8% of respondents said the most effective action was to use efficient cars/hybrids, not to change the thermostat setting. Choice C is incorrect because it mentions a curtailment (using a bike or public transportation) and not an efficiency. The text states that a research team asked respondents to identify the most effective action people can take to save energy, with the team classifying each action as either an efficiency or a curtailment. According to the text, respondents named curtailments more often than they did efficiencies. The text then offers an example that begins by citing a curtailment, turning off the lights, that was selected by a relatively high percentage of respondents (19.6%). Given that the example is presented in support of the idea that more people selected curtailments than efficiencies, the most effective way to complete the example is not by referring to another curtailment but rather by referring to an efficiency that was selected by a relatively low percentage of respondents.

Gabrielle Adams and colleagues reviewed suggestions for improving a university that had been submitted to the university’s president. They coded each suggestion as additive (the idea suggested adding something new to the university), subtractive (the idea suggested removing something from the university), neither additive nor subtractive, or invalid (the idea was not comprehensible). The data illustrated people’s tendency to overlook the possibility of removing things to achieve improvements: ______

Which choice most effectively uses data in the graph to complete the statement?

A. around 175 suggestions were coded as neither additive nor subtractive, whereas around 575 suggestions were coded as additive.

B. more than 350 suggestions were coded as invalid, whereas fewer than 100 suggestions were coded as subtractive.

C. fewer than 100 suggestions were coded as subtractive, whereas more than 550 suggestions were coded as additive.

D. around 575 suggestions were coded as additive, whereas around 175 suggestions were coded as subtractive.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. This choice shows that people suggested removing things to achieve improvements a lot less often than they suggested adding things, which supports the claim that people tend not to think of removing things as a likely way to improve the university.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the claim. We are looking to prove that people suggested subtractive means of achieving improvements less often than other means, but this choice doesn’t address how often people made subtractive suggestions. Choice B is incorrect. This choice doesn’t support the claim. Invalid responses were incomprehensible, so we can’t compare what they were suggesting to what was being suggested in subtractive responses. Choice D is incorrect. This choice misreads the graph. Fewer than 100 suggestions were coded as subtractive. 175 is the approximate number of suggestions coded as “neither additive or subtractive.”

In 1967 the US Congress created the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which in turn created National Public Radio (NPR). NPR began producing and distributing high-quality news and cultural programming to affiliate stations across the United States in 1971. In a research paper, a student claims that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and NPR were inspired by the British Broadcasting System (BBC), which had been established in the 1920s.

Which quotation from a work by a historian would be the most effective evidence for the student to include in support of this claim?

A. “Although the BBC had begun as a private corporation, politicians successfully argued to make it a public company because they believed a public broadcaster could help build national unity in the aftermath of World War I.”

B. “For many decades, the BBC had no competition since it held Britain’s only broadcasting license, whereas in the United States, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting launched NPR in a broadcasting market already filled with competitors.”

C. “Congress’s embrace of publicly funded broadcasting reflected a common belief among US politicians that the role of government was not only to ensure people’s safety and liberty but also to enrich people’s lives in other ways.”

D. “The goal of the BBC was to support British democracy by promoting an informed citizenry, and US legislators believed that ensuring access to high-quality programming could do the same for democracy in the United States.”

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer because this quotation would be the most effective evidence to include in support of the claim that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and NPR were inspired by the British Broadcasting System (BBC). The quotation states that the goal of the BBC was to support British democracy and that US legislators believed high-quality programming could accomplish the same goal for democracy in the United States. In other words, US legislators looked to the BBC as a model, taking direct inspiration from it when they created the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which in turn created NPR.

Choice A is incorrect because this quotation provides historical information about the BBC, not information about the inspiration for the creation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and NPR. This quotation, therefore, is irrelevant to the student’s claim that the BBC inspired the creation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which in turn created NPR. Choice B is incorrect because this quotation contrasts the lack of competition faced by the BBC with the substantial competition faced by NPR, which has no bearing on the student’s claim that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and NPR were inspired by the BBC. Choice C is incorrect because this quotation focuses on a common belief among US politicians that inspired Congress’s embrace of publicly funded broadcasting. The quotation doesn’t say anything about the BBC and therefore doesn’t support the claim that the BBC inspired Congress to create the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which in turn created NPR.

In the 1970s, a roughly 60,000-year-old piece of hyena bone marked with nine notches was discovered at a site in western France once inhabited by Neanderthals. Although many believe that only modern humans developed systems for notating numbers, one archaeologist asserts that this artifact may be a sign that Neanderthals also recorded numerical information. The notches on the bone are unevenly spaced but approximately parallel, and microscopic analysis reveals that they were made with a single stone tool; according to the archaeologist, this suggests that the notches were all made at one time by one individual as a means of counting something.

Which finding, if true, would most directly weaken the underlined claim?

A. Parallel lines are a common feature in modern humans’ early systems for recording numerical information.

B. More than nine approximately parallel notches made with a different stone tool are present on another artifact found at a site in western France.

C. It would have taken careful effort to make evenly spaced lines on bone with the stone tools typically used by Neanderthals.

D. Decorative art discovered at another Neanderthal site in western France primarily features patterns of unevenly spaced parallel lines.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The archeologist bases their claim on the fact that the hyena bone features unevenly spaced parallel notches. But if unevenly spaced parallel lines were found on "decorative art" at another Neanderthal site, it would suggest that the hyena bone is probably decorative art as well—not a counting tool.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice doesn’t weaken the underlined claim. If anything, it might actually strengthen the claim: assuming we can make an inference about Neanderthals using a fact about early humans, it provides more support for the idea that the person who made the notches was counting something.

Choice B is incorrect. This choice doesn’t weaken the underlined claim. The fact that another artifact had parallel notches made with a different stone tool doesn’t tell us anything about the use of either artifact. For all we know, they could both have been used for counting. Choice C is incorrect. This choice doesn’t weaken the underlined claim. The fact that it took effort to make the lines doesn’t tell us anything about what the lines were for.

“Ghosts of the Old Year” is an early 1900s poem by James Weldon Johnson. In the poem, the speaker describes experiencing an ongoing cycle of anticipation followed by regretful reflection: ______

Which quotation from “Ghosts of the Old Year” most effectively illustrates the claim?

A. “What does this brazen tongue declare, / That falling on the midnight air / Brings to my heart a sense of care / Akin to fright?”

B. “The snow has ceased its fluttering flight, / The wind sunk to a whisper light, / An ominous stillness fills the night, / A pause—a hush.”

C. “It tells of many a squandered day, / Of slighted gems and treasured clay, / Of precious stores not laid away, / Of fields unreaped.”

D. “And so the years go swiftly by, / Each, coming, brings ambitions high, / And each, departing, leaves a sigh / Linked to the past.”

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer because it presents the quotation that most effectively illustrates the claim that the speaker of the poem describes experiencing an ongoing cycle of anticipation followed by regretful reflection. In this quotation, the speaker notes that as years go by, “Each, coming”—that is, each new year as it comes—“brings ambitions high.” In other words, the speaker begins each new year with large goals. But the speaker goes on to say that as each year ends (“each, departing”), it “leaves a sigh / Linked to the past.” A sigh is an expression of longing or regret, so in the context of the whole quotation, this portion suggests that at the end of each year, the speaker regretfully reflects on not having achieved the ambitions formed at the beginning of the year. The phrases “the years go swiftly by,” “Each, coming,” and “each, departing” indicate that this experience happens over and over again: the speaker experiences a cycle of anticipation followed by regretful reflection.

Choice A is incorrect because this quotation does not describe an ongoing cycle of anticipation followed by regretful reflection. Instead, the speaker describes experiencing a sensation similar to fright as a result of something that has occurred at midnight. Specifically, the speaker has heard a “brazen tongue,” a figurative way of saying that the speaker has heard the clang of a bronze bell being rung. Choice B is incorrect because although this quotation does convey a sense of anticipation through its reference to “ominous stillness,” there is no suggestion of regretful reflection or any indication that the speaker is describing an ongoing cycle of anticipation followed by such reflection. Instead, the speaker is describing a particular moment when a winter storm appears to have momentarily calmed. Choice C is incorrect because although this quotation does convey a sense of regret (“many a squandered day”), nothing in the quotation suggests an ongoing cycle of anticipation followed by regret. Instead, the speaker is simply lamenting wasted time and opportunities.

A common assumption among art historians is that the invention of photography in the mid-nineteenth century displaced the painted portrait in the public consciousness. The diminishing popularity of the portrait miniature, which coincided with the rise of photography, seems to support this claim. However, photographyʼs impact on the portrait miniature may be overstated. Although records from art exhibitions in the Netherlands from 1820 to 1892 show a decrease in the number of both full-sized and miniature portraits submitted, this trend was established before the invention of photography.

Based on the text, what can be concluded about the diminishing popularity of the portrait miniature in the nineteenth century?

A. Factors other than the rise of photography may be more directly responsible for the portrait miniatureʼs decline.

B. Although portrait miniatures became less common than photographs, they were widely regarded as having more artistic merit.

C. The popularity of the portrait miniature likely persisted for longer than art historians have assumed.

D. As demand for portrait miniatures decreased, portrait artists likely shifted their creative focus to photography.

Correct Answer: A Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The text says that the impact of photography on the portrait miniature might be "overstated," as some records show a decrease in the number of portrait miniatures before the invention of photography. From this, we can conclude that factors other than the rise of photography may be more directly responsible for the portrait miniature’s decline.

Choice B is incorrect. The text never discusses the "artistic merit" of either art form. Choice C is incorrect. The text never suggests that the portrait miniature was popular for longer than historians thought—if anything, it suggests that the portrait miniature started losing its popularity earlier than historians thought. Choice D is incorrect. The text never suggests that portrait painters shifted to become photographers.

Biologists have predicted that birdsʼ feather structures vary with habitat temperature, but this hadnʼt been tested in mountain environments. Ornithologist Sahas Barve studied feathers from 249 songbird species inhabiting different elevations—and thus experiencing different temperatures—in the Himalaya Mountains. He found that feathers of high-elevation species not only have a greater proportion of warming downy sections to flat and smooth sections than do feathers of low-elevation species, but high-elevation speciesʼ feathers also tend to be longer, providing a thicker layer of insulation.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. Barveʼs investigation shows that some species of Himalayan songbirds have evolved feathers that better regulate body temperature than do the feathers of other species, contradicting previous predictions.

B. Barve found an association between habitat temperature and feather structure among Himalayan songbirds, lending new support to a general prediction.

C. Barve discovered that songbirds have adapted to their environment by growing feathers without flat and smooth sections, complicating an earlier hypothesis.

D. The results of Barveʼs study suggest that the ability of birds to withstand cold temperatures is determined more strongly by feather length than feather structure, challenging an established belief.

Correct Answer: B Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The text describes how Barve found an association between habitat temperature and feather structure among Himalayan songbirds, which supports the general prediction that birds’ feather structures vary with habitat temperature.

Choice A is incorrect. Barve’s study isn’t said to contradict previous predictions. In fact, the study supports the prediction described in the first sentence, which is that birds’ feather structures vary with habitat temperature. Choice C is incorrect. Barve’s study isn’t said to “complicate an earlier hypothesis.” In fact, the study supports the earlier prediction described in the first sentence, which is that birds’ feather structures vary with habitat temperature. Choice D is incorrect. The text doesn’t compare the importance of feather length and feather structure, and it doesn’t say that Barve’s study challenges any established beliefs. In fact, the study supports the prediction described in the first sentence, which is that birds’ feather structures vary with habitat temperature.

Paleontologists searching for signs of ancient life have found many fossilized specimens of prehistoric human ancestors, including several from the Pleistocene era discovered in a geological formation in the Minatogawa quarry in Japan. However, to study the emergence of the earliest multicellular organisms to appear on Earth, researchers must turn elsewhere, such as to the Ediacaran geological formation at Mistaken Point in Canada. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the 146-hectare reserve contains more than 10,000 fossils that together document a critical moment in evolutionary history.

What does the text indicate about the geological formation at Mistaken Point?

A. It holds a greater number of fossils but from a smaller variety of species than the formation in the Minatogawa quarry does.

B. It has provided evidence that the earliest human species may have emerged before the Pleistocene era.

C. It is widely considered by paleontologists to be the most valuable source of information about prehistoric life forms.

D. It contains specimens from an older time period than those found in the formation in the Minatogawa quarry.

Correct Answer: D Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The text says that the formation at Mistaken Point contains fossils of “the earliest multicellular organisms,” which implies that these fossils are from an older time period than the fossils of “prehistoric human ancestors” found in the Minatogawa quarry.

Choice A is incorrect. The text says that the formation at Mistake Point contains “more than 10,000 fossils,” but it doesn’t compare this number to the number of fossils in the Minatogawa quarry. It also doesn’t say anything about the variety of species in either formation. Choice B is incorrect. The text says that the formation at Mistaken Point contains fossils of “the earliest multicellular organisms,” but it never says that the site contains early human fossils too. Rather, the early human fossils mentioned in the text were found in the formation at Minatogawa quarry. Choice C is incorrect. The text says that the fossils at Mistaken Point “document a critical moment in evolutionary history,” but it never says that Mistaken Point is the most valuable source of information about prehistoric life forms.

The following text is adapted from Edgar Allan Poeʼs 1849 story “Landorʼs Cottage.”

During a pedestrian trip last summer, through one or two of the river counties of New York, I found myself, as the day declined, somewhat embarrassed about the road I was pursuing. The land undulated very remarkably; and my path, for the last hour, had wound about and about so confusedly, in its effort to keep in the valleys, that I no longer knew in what direction lay the sweet village of B⸺, where I had determined to stop for the night.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. The narrator remembers a trip he took and admits to getting lost.

B. The narrator recalls fond memories of a journey that he took through some beautiful river counties.

C. The narrator describes what he saw during a long trip through a frequently visited location.

D. The narrator explains the difficulties he encountered on a trip and how he overcame them.

Correct Answer: A Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The narrator is “embarrassed” about the route he took, which ends up leaving him lost and confused about how to get to his destination for the evening.

Choice B is incorrect. This choice doesn’t match the passage. The narrator is embarrassed, rather than fond, and he doesn’t describe the beauty of the place. Choice C is incorrect. This choice doesn’t match the passage. We don’t know from this excerpt whether or not the narrator has visited this part of New York multiple times. Choice D is incorrect. This choice doesn’t match the passage. The narrator doesn’t explain how he overcame being lost in this excerpt.

Philadelphiaʼs Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, founded by Jeri Lynne Johnson, performs classical music, from well-known compositions by Beethoven to contemporary works by Jessie Montgomery. For the orchestraʼs iConduct! program, Johnson invites community members to learn some basic elements of conducting and then experience conducting the Black Pearl orchestra themselves.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. The Black Pearl orchestra performs music from all over the world but mostly performs music composed by Philadelphians.

B. Johnson founded the Black Pearl orchestra to perform classical music by contemporary artist Jessie Montgomery.

C. The Black Pearl orchestra gives community members the chance to both listen to and participate in classical music performance.

D. Johnson has community members conduct an orchestra to demonstrate how difficult the task is.

Correct Answer: C Rationale

Choice C is the best answer because it most accurately states the main idea of the text. The text begins by stating that the Black Pearl orchestra performs classical music, and then goes on to explain that the orchestra offers an iConduct! program. According to the text, this program offers community members the opportunity to learn some basics about conducting and then apply what they learn by conducting the orchestra themselves. Thus, the main idea of the text is that community members can both listen to and participate in a classical music performance.

Choice A is incorrect. Although the text states that the Black Pearl orchestra is based in Philadelphia, it doesn’t indicate that most of the music it plays was composed by Philadelphians. Choice B is incorrect. Although the text does state that Johnson founded the Black Pearl orchestra, this is just a detail and not the main focus of the text. Moreover, while the text does say that the orchestra sometimes plays music by Montgomery, it doesn’t assert that the orchestra was founded solely for the purpose of performing Montgomery’s work. Choice D is incorrect. Although the text explains that community members are invited to conduct the Black Pearl orchestra after participating in the iConduct! program, the text doesn’t indicate that Johnson allows community members to do this for the specific purpose of showing how difficult the task is.

To dye wool, Navajo (Diné) weaver Lillie Taylor uses plants and vegetables from Arizona, where she lives. For example, she achieved the deep reds and browns featured in her 2003 rug In the Path of the Four Seasons by using Arizona dock roots, drying and grinding them before mixing the powder with water to create a dye bath. To intensify the appearance of certain colors, Taylor also sometimes mixes in clay obtained from nearby soil.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. Reds and browns are not commonly featured in most of Taylorʼs rugs.

B. Taylor draws on local resources in the approach she uses to dye wool.

C. Taylor finds it difficult to locate Arizona dock root in the desert.

D. In the Path of the Four Seasons is widely acclaimed for its many colors and innovative weaving techniques.

Correct Answer: B Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. It best states the main idea of the text. The text opens with the statement that Taylor uses local plants and vegetables to dye wool. The rest of the text describes how she does this.

Choice A is incorrect. This doesn’t state the main idea of the text. The text only mentions one rug: In the Path of the Four Seasons, in which reds and browns are featured. It never mentions whether or not these colors are featured in her other rugs. Choice C is incorrect. This doesn’t state the main idea of the text. The text never says that Taylor finds it difficult to locate Arizona dock roots. Choice D is incorrect. This doesn’t state the main idea of the text. The text never says that In the Path of the Four Seasons is widely acclaimed. Rather, it discusses the rug to illustrate the point made earlier in the passage: that Taylor uses local plants and vegetables to dye wool.

The painter María Izquierdo played an important role in the development of twentieth-century Mexican art, but her work has never been well-known in the United States except among art historians. One reason for Izquierdoʼs relative obscurity is the enormous popularity of some of her peers. In particular, the painters Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera have so captivated the interest of US audiences that Izquierdo and other Mexican artists from the period often get overlooked, despite the high quality of their work.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. Izquierdoʼs work is not as well-known in the United States as it should be because Kahlo and Rivera draw so much of the publicʼs attention.

B. During Izquierdoʼs lifetime, her paintings were displayed in galleries in the United States much more frequently than paintings by Kahlo and Rivera were.

C. Izquierdo painted some of the same subjects that Kahlo and Rivera painted but used different techniques than they used.

D. Few of Izquierdoʼs works are in galleries today because she produced only a small number of paintings.

Correct Answer: A Rationale

Choice A is the best answer because it most accurately states the main idea of the text. The text begins by stating that María Izquierdo was an important figure in the history of twentieth-century Mexican art, but despite her importance, her work hasn’t received widespread recognition in the United States. According to the text, one reason for this is that Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera are so famous in the US that they overshadow other important Mexican artists, including Izquierdo. Thus, the main idea of the text is that Izquierdo’s work is less well known in the US than it should be because Kahlo and Rivera draw most of the public’s attention.

Choice B is incorrect because the text doesn’t discuss the appearance of Izquierdo’s paintings in galleries in the US during her lifetime, nor does it suggest that her paintings were displayed more frequently than paintings by Kahlo or Rivera were. Instead, the text focuses on the fact that Izquierdo has been overlooked in the US because of Kahlo’s and Rivera’s greater popularity. Choice C is incorrect because the text doesn’t discuss either the subject matter of Izquierdo’s paintings or the techniques she used, nor does it compare these aspects of her paintings with those of Kahlo’s and Rivera’s paintings. Choice D is incorrect because the text doesn’t mention how many of Izquierdo’s paintings appear in galleries today, nor does it state that she produced only a small number of paintings.

Many intellectual histories of the Black Power movement of the 1960s and 1970s rely heavily on essays and other explicitly ideological works as primary sources, a tendency that can overrepresent the perspectives of a small number of thinkers, most of whom were male. Historian Ashley D. Farmer has shown that expanding the array of primary sources to encompass more types of print material—including political cartoons, advertisements, and artwork—leads to a much better understanding of the movement and the crucial and diverse roles that Black women played in shaping it.

Which choice best describes the main idea of the text?

A. Farmerʼs methods and research have enriched the historical understanding of the Black Power movement and Black womenʼs contributions to it.

B. Before Farmerʼs research, historians had largely ignored the intellectual dimensions of the Black Power movement.

C. Other historians of the Black Power movement have criticized Farmerʼs use of unconventional primary sources.

D. The figures in the Black Power movement whom historians tend to cite would have agreed with Farmerʼs conclusions about womenʼs roles in the movement.

Correct Answer: A Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. It best describes the main idea of the text. The text starts by saying that historians of the Black Power movement are too reliant on openly ideological works, which were written mostly by men, as sources. The text then describes Farmer’s research: she has shown that including other kinds of sources leads to a better understanding of the Black Power movement and the role Black women played in it.

Choice B is incorrect. This doesn’t describe the main idea of the text. In fact, it conflicts with the text. The text says that historians have relied on "essays and other explicitly ideological works," which suggests that they have studied at least some of the intellectual dimensions of the Black Power movement. Choice C is incorrect. This doesn’t describe the main idea of the text. The text never mentions how other historians of the Black Power movement view Farmer’s use of unconventional sources. In fact, the text itself argues in favor of Farmer’s research, claiming that it has led to a "much better understanding of the movement." Choice D is incorrect. This doesn’t describe the main idea of the text. The text never mentions what any figures in the Black Power movement thought about women’s roles in the movement.

In many of his sculptures, artist Richard Hunt uses broad forms rather than extreme accuracy to hint at specific people or ideas. In his first major work, Arachne (1956), Hunt constructed the mythical character Arachne, a weaver who was changed into a spider, by welding bits of steel together into something that, although vaguely human, is strange and machine-like. And his large bronze sculpture The Light of Truth (2021) commemorates activist and journalist Ida B. Wells using mainly flowing, curved pieces of metal that create stylized flame.

Which choice best states the textʼs main idea about Hunt?

A. He often depicts the subjects of his sculptures using an unrealistic style.

B. He uses different kinds of materials depending on what kind of sculpture he plans to create.

C. He tends to base his art on important historical figures rather than on fictional characters.

D. He has altered his approach to sculpture over time, and his works have become increasingly abstract.

Correct Answer: A Rationale

Choice A is the best answer because it most accurately states the main idea of the text. According to the text, many of Richard Hunt’s sculptures “use broad forms rather than extreme accuracy”—in other words, they are more abstract than realistic. To illustrate Hunt’s abstract approach, the text characterizes his sculpture of Arachne as “vaguely human” and his work in honor of Ida B. Wells as “using mainly flowing, curved pieces of metal that create stylized flame.” Thus, the main idea is that Hunt often depicts the subjects of his sculptures using an unrealistic style.

Choice B is incorrect. Although the text indicates that one of Hunt’s sculptures is made of steel and another of bronze, there is no mention of why he chose these materials. Choice C is incorrect because the text says nothing about how Hunt chose the subjects for his sculptures. Furthermore, of the two examples provided in the text, only Ida B. Wells is an important historical figure; Arachne is a “mythical character.” Choice D is incorrect because the text says nothing about how Hunt’s style changed over time. In fact, although the two examples of Hunt’s work discussed in the text were created 65 years apart, they are both described as heavily stylized rather than realistic, which may suggest that some aspects of Hunt’s style haven’t changed over that time.

The following text is adapted from Robert Louis Stevensonʼs 1883 novel Treasure Island. Bill is a sailor staying at the Admiral Benbow, an inn run by the narratorʼs parents.

Every day when [Bill] came back from his stroll he would ask if any seafaring men had gone by along the road. At first we thought it was the want of company of his own kind that made him ask this question, but at last we began to see he was desirous to avoid them. When a seaman did [stay] at the Admiral Benbow (as now and then some did) he would look in at him through the curtained door before he entered the parlour; and he was always sure to be as silent as a mouse when any such was present.

According to the text, why does Bill regularly ask about “seafaring men”?

A. Heʼs hoping to find an old friend and fellow sailor.

B. Heʼs trying to secure a job as part of the crew on a new ship.

C. He isnʼt sure that other guests at the inn will be welcoming of sailors.

D. He doesnʼt want to encounter any other sailor unexpectedly.

Correct Answer: D Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The narrator says that, at first, they thought Bill asked regularly about other seafarers because he wanted their company, but eventually they realized that Bill actually wanted to avoid them.

Choice A is incorrect. This isn’t the reason the text gives for why Bill regularly asks about “seafaring men.” The narrator says that, at first, they thought Bill asked regularly about other seafarers because he wanted their company, but eventually they realized that Bill wanted to avoid them. Choice B is incorrect. This isn’t the reason the text gives for why Bill regularly asks about “seafaring men.” The narrator says that, at first, they thought Bill asked regularly about other seafarers because he wanted their company, but eventually they realized that Bill wanted to avoid them. Choice C is incorrect. This isn’t the reason the text gives for why Bill regularly asks about “seafaring men.” The narrator says that, at first, they thought Bill asked regularly about other seafarers because he wanted their company, but eventually they realized that Bill wanted to avoid them.

The following text is adapted from Guy de Maupassantʼs nineteenth-century short story “The Trip of Le Horla” (translated by Albert M. C. McMaster, A. E. Henderson, Mme. Quesada, et al.). The narrator is part of a group traveling in a hot-air balloon at night.

The earth no longer seems to exist, it is buried in milky vapors that resemble a sea. We are now alone in space with the moon, which looks like another balloon travelling opposite us; and our balloon, which shines in the air, appears like another, larger moon, a world wandering in the sky amid the stars, through infinity. We no longer speak, think nor live; we float along through space in delicious inertia. The air which is bearing us up has made of us all beings which resemble itself, silent, joyous, irresponsible beings, peculiarly alert, although motionless.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. The narrator feels a growing sense of isolation even though his companions are nearby during the balloon ride.

B. The narrator and his companions are completely absorbed in the change in perspective they gain while riding in the balloon.

C. The narrator and his companions are troubled by the disorienting effects of the altitude while riding in the balloon.

D. The narrator is pleasantly surprised by his companionsʼ unrestrained enthusiasm about the sensation of riding in the balloon.

Correct Answer: B Rationale

Choice B is the best answer because it most accurately states the main idea of the text. The narrator describes the view he and his companions have from the balloon: the earth lies beneath "milky vapors," and the balloon itself looks like another moon. The narrator goes on to explain how the people riding in the balloon are affected by the ride, explaining that they are immersed in the experience: floating along in "delicious inertia," or inactivity, like "silent, joyous, irresponsible beings." Thus, the main idea is that the narrator and his companions are completely absorbed in the change in perspective they gain while riding in the balloon.

Choice A is incorrect because the narrator never describes himself as feeling isolated from his companions; instead, he characterizes riding in the balloon as an experience he is sharing with them. And although he does imply a sense of isolation, it is isolation from those on the ground, as when he says of himself and his companions, "We are now alone." Choice C is incorrect because the narrator doesn’t suggest that he or his companions are troubled by the effects of the balloon ride. Instead, he describes himself and his companions as "joyous" and the experience of floating in the balloon as "delicious." Choice D is incorrect because nothing in the text suggests that the narrator is surprised by his companions’ response to the balloon ride. In fact, the text indicates that the narrator and his companions are having the same experience: they’re described as "silent" and "motionless," rather than as having unrestrained enthusiasm.

The recovery of a 1,000-year-old Chinese shipwreck in the Java Sea near present-day Indonesia has yielded a treasure trove of artifacts, including thousands of small ceramic bowls. Using a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer tool, Lisa Niziolek and her team were able to detect the chemical composition of these bowls without damaging them. By comparing the chemical signatures of the bowls with those of the materials still at old Chinese kiln sites, Niziolek and her team can pinpoint which Chinese kilns likely produced the ceramic bowls.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. Because of a new technology, researchers can locate and recover more shipwrecks than they could in the past.

B. Researchers have been able to identify the location of a number of Chinese kilns in operation 1,000 years ago.

C. With the help of a special tool, researchers have determined the likely origin of bowls recovered from a shipwreck.

D. Before the invention of portable X-ray fluorescence, researchers needed to take a small piece out of an artifact to analyze its components.

Correct Answer: C Rationale

Choice C is the best answer because it most accurately states the main idea of the text. According to the text, thousands of ceramic bowls were found in a recovered Chinese shipwreck. The text goes on to say that Niziolek and her team used a special tool, a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer, to determine the bowls’ chemical signatures. Comparing these chemical signatures with the chemical signatures of materials they had collected from old Chinese kiln sites, the text says, allowed the researchers to identify which kilns had produced the bowls. In other words, the researchers determined the bowls’ origin.

Choice A is incorrect. Although the text indicates that the researchers used technology in the form of a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer, it doesn’t specifically state that this technology is new. In addition, the text says that Niziolek and her team used the tool to determine the chemical composition of bowls that were found in a Chinese shipwreck, not to locate and recover the shipwreck itself. There’s no indication in the text that a new technology can help researchers locate and recover shipwrecks. Choice B is incorrect because the text indicates that the researchers collected materials from old kiln sites for chemical comparison with the ceramic bowls, which means that the researchers must have already known the location of those kiln sites. Rather than identifying the location of the kilns, the researchers determined which kilns in operation 1,000 years ago had likely produced the bowls that were found in the shipwreck. Choice D is incorrect. Although the text says that using a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer tool enabled Niziolek and her team to analyze artifacts in the form of ceramic bowls without damaging them, the text doesn’t discuss how researchers analyzed artifacts before this tool was invented. Moreover, the point that the bowls were left undamaged isn’t the text’s main idea. Rather, it’s a detail that’s provided to develop the main idea, which is that the researchers used a special tool to determine where the bowls had been produced.

The following text is adapted from Christina Rossettiʼs 1881 poem “Monna Innominata 2.”

I wish I could remember that first day,

First hour, first moment of your meeting me, If bright or dim the season, it might be Summer or Winter for [all] I can say;

So unrecorded did it slip away,

So blind was I to see and to foresee, So dull to mark the budding of my tree

That would not blossom yet for many a May.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. The speaker celebrates how the passage of time has strengthened a relationship that once seemed unimportant.

B. Because the speaker did not anticipate how important a relationship would become, she cannot recall how the relationship began, which she regrets.

C. As the anniversary of the beginning of an important relationship approaches, the speaker feels conflicted about how best to commemorate it.

D. After years of neglecting a once valuable relationship, the speaker worries it may be too late for her to salvage the relationship.

Correct Answer: B Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The speaker says that they wish they could remember when they first met someone, but they can’t remember the meeting at all, because they didn’t know at the time that the relationship would "blossom" later on.

Choice A is incorrect. The speaker does say that the relationship has "blossomed" over time, but only briefly at the end—and they don’t really "celebrate" that fact. Rather, the text has a more regretful tone: it’s about how the speaker can’t remember first meeting this person, and they wish they could. Choice C is incorrect. The speaker doesn’t mention an anniversary—in fact, the speaker can’t remember when they met the person they’re talking about. Choice D is incorrect. The speaker doesn’t say that they neglected the relationship. In fact, the speaker suggests that the relationship has become very important to them—that’s why the speaker wishes that they could remember their first meeting.

The ice melted on a Norwegian mountain during a particularly warm summer in 2019, revealing a 1,700-year-old sandal to a mountaineer looking for artifacts. The sandal would normally have degraded quickly, but it was instead well preserved for centuries by the surrounding ice. According to archaeologist Espen Finstad and his team, the sandal, like those worn by imperial Romans, wouldnʼt have offered any protection from the cold in the mountains, so some kind of insulation, like fabric or animal skin, would have needed to be worn on the feet with the sandal.

What does the text indicate about the discovery of the sandal?

A. Temperatures contributed to both protecting and revealing the sandal.

B. The discovery revealed that the Roman Empire had more influence on Norway than archaeologists previously assumed.

C. Archaeologists would have found the sandal eventually without help from the general public.

D. The sandal would have degraded if it hadnʼt been removed from the ice.

Correct Answer: A Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. A "particularly warm summer" revealed the sandal, and centuries of ice kept it "well preserved."

Choice B is incorrect. This choice doesn’t reflect the information in the text. The sandal is similar to Roman sandals, but there is no indication that it was a result of Roman influence. Choice C is incorrect. The text doesn’t support this choice. We don’t have enough information to know whether or not archaeologists would have found the sandal without people like the treasure-hunting mountaineer. Choice D is incorrect. The text says the opposite of this choice. The sandal was preserved by the ice for centuries.

To protect themselves when being attacked, hagfish—jawless marine animals that resemble eels—will release large quantities of slimy, mucus-like threads. Because these threads are unusually strong and elastic, scientist Atsuko Negishi and her colleagues have been trying to recreate them in a lab as an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based fibers that are often used in fabrics. The researchers want to reproduce the threads in the lab because farming hagfish for their slime would be expensive and potentially harmful to the hagfish.

Which choice best states the textʼs main idea?

A. The slimy threads that hagfish release might help researchers create a new kind of fabric.

B. Hagfish have inspired researchers to develop a new petroleum-based fabric.

C. Hagfish are not well suited to being raised in captivity.

D. The ability of hagfish to slime their attackers compensates for their being jawless.

Correct Answer: A Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The text first describes hagfish slime and its properties, then it transitions to talking about the possibilities of using lab-made equivalents to use in eco-friendly fabrics.

Choice B is incorrect. The text says the opposite of this choice. The researchers are developing an alternative to petroleum-based fabric. Choice C is incorrect. This choice is too narrow to be the main point of the text. Only one line describes how farming would be “potentially harmful” to the hagfish. Choice D is incorrect. This choice isn’t supported by the text. We don’t know from the text whether being jawless makes the hagfish more vulnerable.