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Questions 1-10 are based on the following "If you are going tomorrow, I shall order
passage. horses." "Nonsense, John. One would think you
were made of money."
This passage is from Elizabeth Gaskell, North and South. "Not quite, yet. But about the horses I’m
30
Originally published in 1854-55. John Thornton would
determined. The last time you were out in a cab,
like his mother and his sister Fanny to pay a social visit to
his friends the Hales in Crampton.
you came home with a headache from the jolting."
"I never complained of it, I’m sure."
"No. My mother is not giving to complaints,"
Mr. "Thornton had had some difficulty in
35 said he, a little proudly. "But so much the more I
working up his mother to the desired point of
have to watch over you. Now as for Fanny there, a
civility. She did not often make calls; and when
little hardship would do her good."
Line she did, it was in heavy state that she went through
"She is not made of the same stuff as you are,
5 her duties. Her son had given her a carriage; but
John. She could not bear it." Mrs. Thornton was
she refused to let him keep horses for it; they were
40 silent after this; for her last words bore relation
hired for the solemn occasions, when she paid
to a subject which mortified her. She had an
morning or evening visits. She had had horses
unconscious contempt for a weak character; and
for three days, not a fortnight before, and had
Fanny was weak in the very points in which her
10 comfortably "killed off all her acquaintances, who
mother and brother were strong. Mrs. Thornton
might now put themselves to trouble and expense
45 was not a woman much given to reasoning; her
in their turn. Yet Crampton was too far off for her
quick judgment and firm resolution served her in
to walk; and she had repeatedly questioned her
good stead of any long arguments and discussions
son as to whether his wish that she should call on
with herself; she felt instinctively that nothing
15 the Hales was strong enough to bear the expense
could strengthen Fanny to endure hardships
of cab-hire. She would have been thankful if it had
50 patiently, or face difficulties bravely; and though
not; for, as she said, "she saw no use in making up
she winced as she made this acknowledgment to
friendships and intimacies with all the teachers
herself about her daughter, it only gave her a kind
and masters in Milton; why, he would be wanting
of pitying tenderness of manner towards her;
20 her to call on Fanny’s dancing-master’s wife, the
much of the same description of demeanour with
next thing!"
55 which mothers are wont to treat their weak and
"And so I would, mother, if Mr. Mason and
sickly children. A stranger, a careless observer
his wife were friendless in a strange place, like
might have considered that Mrs. Thornton’s
the Hales." "Oh! you need not speak so hastily. I
manner to her children betokened far more love
25 am going tomorrow. I only wanted you exactly to
to Fanny than to John. But such a one would have
understand about it."

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60 been deeply mistaken. The very daringness with 3
which mother and son spoke out unpalatable Based on the passage, it is most likely that Mrs.
truths, the one to the other, showed a reliance on Thornton resists hiring horses because she
the firm centre of each other’s souls, which the
uneasy tenderness of Mrs. Thornton’s manner A) prefers to walk when making social visits.
65 to her daughter, the shame with which she B) objects to the costs that are involved.
thought to hide the poverty of her child in all
the grand qualities which she herself possessed C) is ill at ease around carriage horses.
unconsciously, and which she set so high a value D) is worried about what other people will think
upon in others — this shame, I say, betrayed the of her.
70 want of a secure resting-place for her affection.
She never called her son by any name but John;
"love," and "dear," and such like terms, were
reserved for Fanny. 4
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
answer to the previous question?
A) Lines 5-8 ("Her son ... visits")
1 B) Lines 12-13 ("Yet Crampton . . . walk")
Over the course of the passage, the main focus C) Lines 16-19 ("She would ... Milton")
shifts from D) Lines 27-29 ("If you ... money")
A) Mrs. Thornton's social visits to her feelings
about her children.
B) Mrs. Thornton's distrust of her neighbors to 5
her love of her family. As used in line 45, "given" most nearly means
C) Fanny Thornton's personal shortcomings to A) bestowed.
her mother's unconditional love.
B) devoted.
D) John Thornton's concerns about his family to
Mrs. Thornton's concerns about John. C) conveyed.
D) inclined.

2
In context, the statement in lines 8-12 ("She had 6
… turn") is best interpreted to mean that Mrs. The author's discussion of a "stranger" (line 56)
Thornton had serves mainly to
A) angered nearly all of her acquaintances. A) criticize a regrettable mistake.
B) returned the horses without ever using them. B) correct a possible misinterpretation.
C) insisted that her friends come to her house. C) make a sinister observation.
D) visited everyone that she felt obliged to visit. D) challenge an emotional shortcoming.

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7 9
The main idea of lines 56-73 is that According to the passage, the conversations
between John Thornton and his mother could
A) John can endure hardship and difficulty in life
generally be described as
but lacks the tenderness and kindness of his
sister Fanny. A) lighthearted.
B) Mrs. Thornton overcompensates for the fact B) candid.
that she feels closer to her son than she does
C) restrained.
to her daughter.
D) impassioned.
C) John is known for his inner fortitude but
resents the affection his mother expresses for
his sister Fanny.
D) Mrs. Thornton is unsure which of her two very 10
different children she loves and values more. Which choice provides the best evidence for the
answer to the previous question?
A) Lines 1-3 ("Mr. Thornton . . . civility”)
8
B) Lines 56-59 ("A stranger . . . john”)
As used in line 60, “deeply” most nearly means
C) Lines 60-63 ("The very . . . souls")
A) obscurely. D) Lines 69-73 ("this shame . . . Fanny")
B) distantly.
C) profoundly.
D) sufficiently.

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Questions 11-21 are based on the following conflicts between four of our sister Republics as a
passages. backward step...
We all of us have peculiar problems, and,
Passage 1 is adapted from a speech delivered to 45 to speak frankly, the interest of our own citizens
the Governing Board of the Pan-American Union in must, in each instance, come first. But it is
1933 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Passage 2 is equally true that it is of vital importance to every
adapted from Carleton Beals, The Coming Struggle for Nation of this Continent that the American
Latin America. ©1938 by Carleton Beals. In his speech, Governments, individually, take, without further
Roosevelt formally announced the Good Neighbor 50 delay, such action as may be possible to abolish all
Policy.
unnecessary and artificial barriers and restrictions
which now hamper the healthy flow of trade
Passage 1
between the peoples of the American Republics.
In my Inaugural Address I stated that I
would "dedicate this Nation to the policy of the 1
An 1823 US policy stating that efforts by European
good neighbor—the neighbor who resolutely powers to interfere with North or South American nations
Line respects himself and, because he does so, respects would be viewed as acts of aggression, requiring US
5 the rights of others—the neighbor who respects intervention
his obligations and respects the sanctity of his
agreements in and with a world of neighbors." Passage 2
Never before has the significance of the words Our good-neighbor policy rests in great part
"good neighbor" been so manifest in international 55 upon certain falsehoods, misconceptions, and
10 relations. Never have the need and benefit of non-existent conditions. Some of these are:
neighborly cooperation in every form of human 1. The belief that the Western Hemisphere
activity been so evident as they are today... is a unity, that all countries in it have identical
T h e e s s e nt i a l qu a l it i e s of a t r u e p an interests, merely because they are in the same part
Americanism must be the same as those which 60 of the world.
15 constitute a good neighbor, namely, mutual D o e s Fr anc e have t he s ame p ol ic y as
understanding, and, through such understanding, Germany? They have different policies, in part,
a sympathetic appreciation of the other's point of precisely because they are neighbors...
view... In this spirit the people of every Republic on 2. The belief that the Western Hemisphere is a
our continent are coming to a deep understanding 65 brotherhood of democracies in contrast to the evil
20 of the fact that the Monroe Doctrine,1 of which so dictatorships of Europe.
much has been written and spoken for more than Governments to the south have rarely
a century, was and is directed at the maintenance represented the people less than at present. Some
of independence by the peoples of the continent. It are worse tyrannies than any in Europe, their
was aimed and is aimed against the acquisition in 70 danger limited merely by their relative weakness
25 any manner of the control of additional territory in the world scene... The complexion of the
in this hemisphere by any non-American power. various governments differs widely. But it is pure
Hand in hand with this pan-American [foolishness] to argue that democracy exists in the
doctrine of continental self-defense, the peoples of Western Hemisphere or even the larger part of it.
the American Republics understand more clearly, 75 Few of its governments have the slightest basis in
30 with the passing years, that the independence of democracy...
each Republic must recognize the independence 3. The belief that the Western nations are
of every other Republic. Each one of us must grow peace-so loving as opposed to the war-thirsty
by an advancement of civilization and social well- nations of Europe.
being and not by the acquisition of territory at the 80 R e cent wars and re cent inter nat iona l
35 expense of any neighbor. injustices have shaken the southern continent time
In this spirit of mutual understanding and of and again... Even while Roosevelt was uttering
cooperation on this continent you and I cannot these wrong platitudes... Nicaragua and Honduras
fail to be disturbed by any armed strife between almost went to war over a postage stamp. Other
neighbors. I do not hesitate to say to you, the 85 troubles were brewing and are still brewing along
40 distinguished members of the Governing Board with new ones. Never before have the southern
of the Pan-American Union, that I regard existing countries put out so much on armaments.

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11 15
Which choice best supports the idea that Roosevelt According to Beals in Passage 2, being geographically
believes every nation has a primary responsibility near each other contributes to nations having
to the needs of its people?
A) overlapping interests.
A) Lines 1-7 ("In my... neighbor”)
B) shared economic concerns.
B) Lines 18-23 ("In this... the continent")
C) variations in cultural traditions.
C) Lines 36-39 ("In this... neighbors")
D) dissimilar policies.
D) Lines 44-46 ("We... first”)

16
12
Based on Passage 2, what can reasonably be
Based on Passage 1, which choice best describes
inferred about Beals's estimation of European
Roosevelt's perspective on the Monroe Doctrine?
dictatorships?
A) He fully supp or ts it, considering it a
component of his Good Neighbor Policy. A) He fears they are dangerous role models to
American governments.
B) He endorses its application in the United States
but not in other parts of the world. B) He considers them no more tyrannical than
many governments in the Americas.
C) He acknowledges that it was once useful but
considers it outdated. C) He believes them to be too corrupt to be
considered civilized.
D) He rejects many of its provisions, especially
those that curtail the power of the United D) He feels they are net concerned about their
States. neighbors' practices.

13 17
As used in line 44, “peculiar" most nearly means Which choice provides the best evidence for the
A) specific. answer to the previous question?

B) bizarre. A) Lines 64-66 ("The belief... Europe”)


C) eccentric. B) Lines 67-68 ("Governments... present")
D) rare. C) Lines 68-71 ("Some... scene”)
D) Lines 75-76 ("Few... democracy”)

14
Which choice best describes the overall structure 18
of Passage 2?
As used in line 70, "limited" most nearly means
A) Beals asks and answers a series of rhetorical
questions. A) restrained.

B) Various policies are stated and then supported B) defined.


with historical detail. C) terminated.
C) Beals presents and responds to a series of D) fixed.
notions he considers mistaken.
D) Various steps to improve a situation are listed
in order of importance.

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19 21
Which choice states a main difference in the Based on Passage 2, which contention in Passage 1
approaches of the two passages? would Beals most likely view as one of Roosevelt's
"wrong platitudes" (line 83)?
A) Passage 1 analyzes historical data about nations
in the Americas, while Passage 2 primarily A) That hostilities exist between American nations
expresses opinions about those nations. B) That American nations increasingly value one
B) Passage 1 advocates for extensive changes in another's independence
political activity, while Passage 2 defends the C) That the Monroe Doctrine is meant to dissuade
existing state of affairs. international aggression
C) Passage 1 presents goals Western nations D) That a "good neighbor" nation shows respect
should strive for, while Passage 2 focuses on for itself
past actions of those nations.
D) Passage 1 discusses international relations
mainly in general terms, while Passage 2
addresses specific situations.

20
Compared to Beals's view of international relations
in the Americas in Passage 2, the view Roosevelt
expresses in Passage 1 is more
A) idealistic.
B) critical.
C) impartial.
D) urgent.

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Questions 22-32 are based on the following predator's presence but not give away the location
passage and supplementary material. of the signaler to the predator.
Carolina chickadees produce more calls,
This passage is adapted from Todd M. Freeberg, Jeffrey 45 and often more D notes in those calls, when
R. Lucas, and lndrikis Krams, "The Complex Call of the they detect a perched avian predator model than
Carolina Chickadee." ©2012 by Sigma Xi, The Scientific when no model is present. For example, in a
Research Honor Society. Chickadees are a species of
2009 study, Chad Soard and Gary Ritchison of
parid, small birds that eat insects and seeds. The labels
assigned to chick-a-dee notes do not correspond to
Eastern Kentucky University placed six perched
human musical notation. 50 avian-predator models in the habitat of Carolina
chickadees. The models, all of which represented
hawk and owl species, ranged in so size and type
Individual parids are often out of sight of from small, agile predators like Eastern screech
flockmates as they move through the environment, owls (Megascops asio) and sharp-shinned hawks
so a vocal signaling system that can convey 55 to large, relatively slow-moving predators like
Line messages related to predators, food, or group great horned owls (Bubo virginianus) and red-
5 movement seems crucial to obtaining the benefits tailed hawaks ( Buteo jamaicensis ). The former
of group living. Recent studies indicate that predators represent real threats to small songbird
variation in Carolina chickadee chick-a-dee calls species, whereas the latter do not. Chickadees
is associated with these social and environmental 60 produced more D notes in their calls when smaller,
contexts. more threatening avian predators were present.
10 Most studies of these calls in the context of Later the researchers played back chick-a-dee
avian predators have used perched predators or calls recorded in these different threat contexts to
models. Christopher Zachau and Todd Freeberg chickadees in their habitat. The authors found that
presented predator and control stimuli that 65 chickadees were more likely to mob the playback
"flew" in the area of Carolina chickadees visiting speaker—to approach it closely in large numbers—
15 feeders. Zachau and Freeberg used wooden when it was playing calls recorded when a small
models shaped like flying birds and painted to predator model was present than when the speaker
resemble either sharp-shinned hawks (Accipiter was playing calls recorded when a large predator
striatus, a threatening avian predator) or blue 70 model was present.
jays (Cyanocitta cristata, a nonthreatening avian This work suggests that easy-to-localize D
20 control). The chickadees' calls were recorded before notes are used more often in calls when those
and after the release and "flight" of the models calls might serve a mobbing function—bringing
down a zipline near the feeders. The calls produced flockmates to a particular location to drive a
varied with the presence of each model type, but 75 predator away. These findings make it clear that
the biggest effect we measured resulted from the Carolina chickadees vary the note composition of
25 flight of any model, irrespective of the species it their chick-a-dee calls in the high arousal contexts
mimicked. Calls produced after the model was of predator detection and mobbing.
released contained more A notes compared to
calls produced prior to the release of the model.
Greater production of A notes in the calls would
30 seem to represent a message of alarm, as opposed
to one of mobbing—behavior that is frequently
linked to approaching and harassing predators—or
of assembly. Tonal sounds that slowly increase in
intensity and that are high frequency (such as the
35 A note) are generally difficult for avian predators,
and many other animals, to locate. In contrast,
noisy sounds with rapid increases in intensity, like
the D note, are easier to locate.
Thus, the production of more A notes in these
40 calls when a flying predator is detected in the area
seems adaptive, as it could alert flockmates to the

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24
One function of the parenthetical information in
lines 17-20 is to
A) provide the definition of some scientific terms
relevant to Zachau and Freeberg's experiment
design.
B) describe the physical characteristics that
distinguish sharp- shinned hawks and blue
jays from Carolina chickadees.
C) emphasize that vocal signaling systems are
found in both predatory and nonpredatory
bird species.
D) clarify the significance of the different species
chosen as models for Zachau and Freeberg's
experiment.
22
The primary purpose of the passage is to
A) describe studies that function of particular 25
note identified the patterns in chick-a-dee As used in line 42, "give away" most nearly means
calls.
A) award.
B) summarize competing hypotheses intended to B) reveal.
account for the variety of note types in chick-
a-dee calls. C) donate.
C) account for a discrepancy between the results D) assign.
obtained by two teams of scientists studying
notes in chick-a-dee calls.
D) compare the note patterns detected in chick- 26
a-dee calls with those detected in the calls of Which choice best supports the idea that the
other bird species. difference in size between chickadees and potential
avian predators influences whether those potential
predators are likely to hunt chickadees?
23 A) Lines 44-47 ("Carolina ... present")
According to the passage, a vocal signaling system B) Lines 47-51 ("For example ... chickadees")
is useful to Carolina chickadees because it enables C) Lines 51-57 ("The models ... jamaicensis")
individual chickadees to
D) Lines 57-69 ("The former ... not")
A) establish signals that are understood by both
chickadee and nonchickadee parids.
B) attract chickadees from other flocks during the 27
mating season.
As used in line 51, "represented" most nearly
C) produce sounds that are intimidating to means
potential predators.
A) performed.
D) indicate the nature of a situation that may not B) depicted.
be visible to other flock members.
C) enacted.
D) described.

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28 31
It can reasonably be inferred from the passage Which choice provides the best evidence for the
that Soard and Ritchison included the playback- answer to the previous question?
speaker experiment in their study in order to
A) Lines 59-61 ("Chickadees ... present")
A) determine whether the absence of immediate
threats would alter the makeup of notes B) Lines 62-64 ("Later ... habitat")
produced during the perched-predator C) Lines 64-70 ("The authors ... present")
experiment.
D) Lines 75-78 ("These ... mobbing")
B) clarify whether the size of models in the
perched-predator experiment affects the
pattern of notes in chick-a-dee calls.
32
C) resolve contradictory results produced during
the perched-predator experiment. According to figure 2, the mean number of chick-
a-dee calls per flock during the Cooper's hawk
D) confirm the significance of one of the findings
treatment was
of the perched-predator experiment.
A) 40.
B) 50.
29 C) 60.
According to figure 1, the lowest mean number of D) 70.
D notes per call was recorded in response to which
model?
A) The American kestrel
B) The Cooper's hawk
C) The ruffed grouse
D) The red-tailed hawk

30
Which conclusion about chickadee behavior is
supported by both the data in figure 1 and the
passage?
A) Chickadees would likely approach the
American kestrel model more closely than
they would the red-tailed hawk model.
B) Chickadees would be more likely to mob the
great horned owl model than they would the
Cooper's hawk model.
C) Chickadees would be more likely to signal a
flight response in the presence of the red-
tailed hawk model than in the presence of any
other model.
D) Chickadees would likely ignore the presence of
larger birds of prey like the great horned owl
and red-tailed hawk.

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Questions 33-42 are based on the following counterparts. People who held the cold cup were
passage and supplementary material. far more likely to see Person A as ungenerous,
irritable, and selfish. Yet they all felt pretty much
This passage is adapted from Thalma Lobel, Sensation: the same about adjectives unrelated to the warm-
The New Science of Physical Intelligence, ©2014 by 50 cold aspect, no matter which coffee the subjects
Thalma Lobel. held before they sat down.
Could the insignificant act of holding a warm
In 2008, at Yale University, a student named Cup of coffee in an elevator really make you see
Lawrence Williams and his professor John Bargh the people around you as nicer? What was going
recruited forty-one students for a psychology 55 on here psychologically speaking?
Line study. This finding that physical warmth promotes
5 One by one, the students were led into interpersonal warmth was so surprising that
a lobby, where they were greeted by a young many scientists raised their eyebrows and asked
research assistant who guided them to an elevator if it could be true. Yet temperature influences
that would take them to a laboratory on the fourth 60 our reactions to real people just as it affected
floor. As part of the experiment, the assistant participants’ initial judgments of anonymous
10 had her hands full, carrying a stack of books people they only read about.
a clipboard, and a cup of coffee. While in the In 2009, two Dutch researchers explored
elevator, she asked the participant to hold her whether temperature could affect how close people
coffee for a second, so she could write his or her 65 thought they were to others. As in the coffee
name and other information on her clipboard. experiment, the researchers had participants
15 This casual request was actually the most hold warm or cold beverages. The experimenter
important part of the experimental procedure. asked each participant to hold a beverage for a
Half of the participants were handed a hot cup of- few minutes while he was pretending to install a
coffee and the other half an iced coffee. This subtly 70 questionnaire on the computer.
exposed them to different tactile experiences of The experimenter then took the beverages
20 temperature. Yet they had no idea that what they from the participants and asked them to think of
were being asked to do was significant. a real person they knew and rate how close they
When the participants stepped out of the were to that person. Participants who were holding
elevator and into the lab, they were met by another 75 a warm beverage perceived the person in mind
experimenter, who sat them down and asked as closer emotionally to them than did those who
25 them to read a description of someone called were holding a cold beverage. This is surprising
only Person A, who was characterized as skillful, because most of us believe that our most intimate
intelligent, determined, practical, industrious, connections are stable on a day-to-day basis —
and cautious. Unbeknownst to the participants, 80 we don't expect them to be influenced by the
Person A was a fictitious composite character. temperature of the drink we hold.
30 They were then asked to rate Person A from a Yet our minds do not exist in a vacuum,
list of ten additional traits not included in the so our feelings and values can be affected by
written description. Half of the traits were on subtle influences around us. Seemingly irrelevant
the "warm-cold" spectrum traits that we might 85 things that we process through our bodies and
associate with "warm" or "cold" personalities— our physical senses do affect our states of mind,
35 and were identified by words such as generous or mostly without our awareness. The core theory
ungenerous, good-natured or irritable, sociable of embodied cognition, an emergent field of
or antisocial, and caring or selfish. The remaining psychology, states that there is an indissoluble link
traits were unrelated to the warm-cold aspect and 90 between our decision making and our sensory-
included descriptions such as talkative or quiet, motor experiences, such as touching a warm or
40 strong or weak, honest or dishonest. cold object, and our behaviors, judgments, and
Behold the power of a warm cup of coffee. emotions.
Participants who held the hot cup for a few
moments in the elevator rated Person A as
significantly more generous, good-natured,
45 and caring than did their iced coffee-holding

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35
The main purpose of the discussion in the passage
the 2009 experiment by two Dutch researchers is
to
A) reinforce the conclusions of the 2008
experiment.
B) illustrate a shift in thinking among scientists
after the 2008 experiment.
C) question an idea underlying the 2008
experiment.
D) note the influence of the design of the 2008
experiment.

36
33 Which of the following statements, if true, would
most clearly serve to weaken the conclusion drawn
Which choice best supports the idea that some
in the passage from the 2009 study?
experts may be skeptical of the view endorsed by
the passage? A) Many participants who were holding a warm
beverage were thinking of a person they had
A) Lines 37-40 ("The remaining ... dishonest") known for a relatively short time.
B) Lines 46-48 ("People ... selfish) B) Many participants who were holding a cold
C) Lines 48-51 ("Yet ... down") beverage were thinking of a person they were
not particularly close to.
D) Lines 56-59 ("This ... true'')
C) Many participants who were holding a
cold beverage did not typically drink cold
beverages.
34 D) Many participants who were holding a cold
As used throughout lines 31-38, "traits" most beverage had consumed another beverage
nearly means before the study.
A) virtues.
B) oddities.
C) attributes. 37

D) patterns. By referring to influences as "subtle" (line 84), the


author most likely means that they are
A) unlikely to provoke conscious recognition.
B) difficult to fully comprehend.
C) predictive of ambiguous outcomes.
D) somewhat mysterious in origin.

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38 41
Based on the passage, it can be reasonably inferred The figure suggests that on average, as compared
that the author regards the experiments she with subjects who held a cold beverage, subjects
discusses as important partly because they who held a warm beverage experienced a stronger
A) support a hypothesis from a new area of study sense of which feeling in relation to the people
about why people think and act as they do. they were rating?
B) serve as reminders of scientists' inability to A) Collegiality
fully anticipate the outcomes of their research. B) Respect
C) demonstrate the fundamental unpredictability C) Tolerance
of how individuals perceive each other. D) Intimacy
D) offer useful examples for discussing and
evaluating contemporary research methods.
42
W h i c h q u o t at i o n f r o m t h e p a s s a g e b e s t
39 summarizes the data presented in the figure?
Which choice provides the best evidence for the A) Lines 16-20 ("Half ... temperature")
answer to the previous question?
B) Line 41 ("Behold ... coffee")
A) Lines 20-21 ("Yet ... significant")
C) Lines 74-77 ("Participants ... beverage")
B) Lines 32-37 ("Half ... selfish")
D) Lines 84-87 ("Seemingly ... awareness")
C) Lines 82-84 ("Yet ... around us")
D) Lines 87-93 ("The core ... emotions")

40
According to the figure, the mean rating of
closeness by subjects who held a cold beverage
differed from that by subjects who held a warm
beverage by approximately how many points on
the 7-point scale?
A) 1 point
B) 3 points
C) 4 points
D) 5 points

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Questions 43-52 are based on the following different ratios of legumes, herbs, and grasses.
passage. 50 They extracted DNA from the soil samples and
used probes to identify two P. fluorescens genes
This passage is adapted from Amy Coombs, "Down and — phlD and prnD, which code for enzymes
Dirty." ©2012 by The Scientist. that regulate the production of the antifungal
compounds 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG)
Plant diversity was the foundation upon 55 and pyrrolnitrin (PRN), respectively.
which the ancient Mayan civilization was built. The results were a surprise: a soil's genetic
Growing beans, maize, and squash together profile depended on the relative abundance of
Line created healthier crops and dark, fertile earth, and herbs, grasses, and other plant groups, and this, in
5 enabled successive generations to rotate crops turn, impacted the rate of plant disease. A diverse
through the same plots without depleting the soil. 60 mix of plants increased the abundance of bacteria
“I always wondered about the underlying producing the antifungal compound DAPG. A
mechanisms,” says Alexandre Jousset, from blend of herbs and grasses, however, increased
the Georg August University in Göttingen, the abundance of the PRN gene and presumably
10 Germany.“These agricultural practices weren't its producers. Despite their ability to fix nitrogen,
used in Europe, and I always wondered about the 65 soil-friendly legumes diminished the prevalence of
comparative outcomes.” both antifungal genes, a somewhat counterintuitive
This is why Jousset was captivated with the finding that suggests a “best mixture” of plants for
Jena Experiment — a series of biodiverse grassland promoting soil health.
15 plots in Germany that have been continuously “ This could be crucial for establishing
maintained since 2002, allowing researchers to 70 environmentally friendly plant-protection
study the impacts of species richness and diversity strategies,” says Latz.
on soil fertility. Next, the researchers grew sugar beets from
Thanks to Jena data, we know that plant seeds in containers of dirt collected from the Jena
20 diversity increases microbial activity, and that grasslands. They first inoculated the soil with the
beneficial bacteria like Pseudomonas fluorescens 75 fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia solani, which plagues
fight soil-borne plant diseases. a long list of crops, including tomatoes, eggplants,
Yet despite these findings, soil cultivation and peppers. After seedlings became established,
is still more of an art than a science. Research the scientists compared the rate of disease between
25 says little about the best mixtures of plants or containers, which featured differing ratios of the
the abundance of each species needed to nurture 80 two different disease-fighting genes.
beneficial microbes. The problem is that bacteria It turns out that a cocktail of both DAPG and
are elusive; to compare microbes between two PRN provided the best defense against R. solani,
sites, samples must be taken to a lab where although it appears the ratio of the two genes
30 species are cultured in growth media. Some soil was particularly important to plant health. The
bacteria don't grow well in culture, and because 85 disease rate was lowest when the genes for both
two different species can secrete the same defense these compounds were present in similarly high
chemicals, “screening for bacteria says little about amounts. When the DAPG-producing gene was
their actual contributions to the soil,” says Ellen more abundant, plants became sick. When one
35 Latz, who collaborated with Jousset on a study of gene was only slightly more abundant than the
the Jena plots. 90 other, disease- fighting benefits were reduced but
This is why Jousset and Latz turned to some improvement in plant health was seen.
genes found in the soil—instead of screening “Should the mechanism described here
Jena soils for beneficial bacteria, the researchers prove generally true, there could be more reasons
40 used genes that produce anti-fungal compounds to invest in developing polyculture and diverse
as biomarkers. Comparing the disease-fighting 95 planting mixtures in agricultural systems,” says
genes harbored in the soils beneath diverse plant Indiana University soil biologist Jim Bever, who
communities reflects the microbial makeup was not involved with the study.
fostered by plant group interactions, and focuses While monoculture has been shown to
45 on the bacteria that suppress soil pathogens, say decrease the relative number of beneficial soil
Jousset and Latz. 100 microbes over time, Jousset’s study suggests that
In the first set of experiments, the team some forms of diversity are better than others.
collected dirt from 78 Jena plots containing

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43 47
The second paragraph (lines 7-12) mainly serves to The passage credits Jousset and Latz for which
A) ident ity ke y dif ferences b etwe en two innovation in their study of soil bacteria?
agricultural approaches explored in the A) They were able to identify a new type bacteria
passage. that affects soil health.
B) point to the scientific considerations motivating B) They devised a way to discern a specific type
the research discussed in the passage. bacterial activity.
C) provide biographical details about a researcher C) They focused on soil pathogens rather than on
discussed in the passage. beneficial bacteria.
D) qualify a historical claim about agriculture D) They developed a new test to differentiate
presented earlier in the passage. between harmful and beneficial bacteria.

44 48
As used in line 16, “maintained” most nearly Which choice provides the best evidence for the
means answer to the previous question?
A) assisted. A) Lines 27-30 (“The problem ... media”)
B) protected, B) Lines 30-36 (“Some ...plots”)
C) tended. C) Lines 41-46 (“Comparing ... Latz”)
D) repaired. D) Lines 47-49 ("In the ... grasses")

45 49
In the context of the passage, lines 23-24 ("Yet ... According to the passage, the Jena Experiment was
science") primarily serve to useful to Jousset and Latz in executing their study
A) emphasize a problem that Jousset and Latz's because it provided
research attempted to address. A) a variety of soil samples with different
B) expose a design flaw in the experiments Jousset microbial makeups.
and Latz conducted. B) historical data about the composition of
C) introduce a discussion of how soil cultivation ancient soils.
methods have changed over time. C) laboratory facilities for cultivating bacteria.
D) explain how Jena data could be applied to D) tools for extracting DNA from soil samples.
improve soil cultivation.

46
When the author describes soil bacteria as "elusive"
(line 28), she most nearly means that they are
A) absent from certain soil types.
B) less well studied than are other microbes.
C) more short-lived than are other bacteria.
D) difficult for scientists to identify.

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50 52
What evidence considered by Jousset and Latz Lines 92-97 (“Should ... study”) mainly serve to
allowed them to draw conclusions about the best
A) introduce another biologist's critique of the
way to prevent soil pathogens from damaging
methods used by Jousset and Latz.
crops?
B) summarize the similarities between the
A) One experiment showed that grasses produce
research discussed in the passage and another
DAPG and PRN in high amounts, and
study.
another experiment confirmed that grasses
produce an ideal ratio of DAPG to PRN. C) raise an additional question that a researcher
at an ot h e r i ns t itut i on i s c ons i d e r i ng
B) One experiment confirmed a relationship
investigating.
between soil health and legumes, and another
experiment demonstrated that sugar beets can D) point to the potential practical applications of
counteract legumes' effects on the soil. the research discussed in the passage.
C) One experiment showed that certain plant
combinations yield different amounts of
DAPG and PRN, and another experiment
provided more specific information regarding
the optimal balance of DAPG and PRN.
D) One experiment showed that PRN is crucial
to soil health, and another experiment
demonstrated that DAPG is more harmful to
plants than previous tests had indicated.

51
Which choice best supports the idea that Jousset
and Latz's results challenged certain reasonable
assumptions about soil health?
A) Lines 59-61 ("A diverse ... DAPG")
B) Lines 61-64 ("A blend ... Producers")
C) Lines 64-68 ("Despite ... health")
D) Lines 69-71 ("This ... Latz")

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2 2

Questions 1-11 are based on the following 1


passage. Which choice most effectively combines the
sentences at the underlined portion?
The Legacy of the Dark Room Collective A) 1987; on the date just mentioned,
B) 1987, and
Founded in 1988 by Harvard students and
C) 1987, when
aspiring poets Sharan Strange and Thomas Sayers
D) 1987, because of the fact that
Ellis, the Dark Room Collective (DRC) was an
organization that built and nurtured a community
of African American artists in the Boston area.
The DRC established itself as a space for both
emerging and established writers, visual artists,
and musicians to engage with and support one
another.
The idea for the DRC came to strange and
Ellis on December 8, 1 1987. This was the day
that they and their friends attended the funeral
of acclaimed writer James Baldwin. As Strange

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2 2
recalled, “The funeral was a literary event... .All 2
our literary icons were there [and] our sorrow A) NO CHANGE
was suffused with a kind of energy, a desire to B) learn
make something positive out of loss." Rather C) to learn
than simply admiring their idols from afar, the D) they learned
group's founders resolved to reach out to them,
acknowledge their influence, and 2 learning 3
from them. Which choice best introduces the information that
3 The DRC would eventually sponsor follows in the paragraph?
workshops and readings in several East Coast A) NO CHANGE
cities. Strange and Ellis held public events on B) Those who attended Baldwin's funeral
recovered in the long run from their profound
Sunday afternoons at their house, featuring art loss.
shows, discussions, readings, and performances. C ) T he DRC ' s m iss i on w as to prov i d e a
4 The events became so popular, which community for local writers and artists.

attendees could not all fit into the living room, D) The founders of the DRC realized how crucial
it was for them to reach out to the writers
and many had to listen from the front porch. they admired the most.
Informally, the DRC also provided a space for
its members to experiment in their creative
4
pursuits and to inspire and 5 critique each other.
A) NO CHANGE
Participants have provided varying accounts
B) popular, whose
of the process of gaining membership in the
C) popular that
DRC. Poet Patrick Sylvain recalls how Yusef
D) popular in which
Komunyakaa (who would later win a Pulitzer
Prize for poetry) sat with him to review drafts
of his poems, advising him to cut unnecessary 5

words. Which choice best sets up the sentence that follows


in the paragraph?
A) NO CHANGE
B) Visiting writers would lead workshops and
mentor younger writers.
C) Even prize-winning authors mentioned the
DRC in their writings.
D) Aspiring writers—no matter how talented—
often received little to no financial
compensation for their work.

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2 2
Many j oi n e d t h e DRC a s s tu d e nt s t o 6
experience what 6 would it be like to pursue A) No CHANGE
w r i t i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l l y. Me m b e r s d e s i r e d B) would it be like to pursue writing professionally:
the 7 chance connecting with like-minded C) it would be like to pursue writing professionally.
individuals (including journalists, editors, and D) it would be like to pursue writing professionally,
academics) rather than reading and writing
in isolation. Strange remembers that many
7
emerging artists did not know one another,
A) NO CHANGE
since their work was not yet widely available B) chance to connect
in bookstores or featured at many events. "We C) connection chance
wanted them to know that their work was D) chance for the connection
appreciated, was inspiring, was changing lives,"
Strange said. Even before it began organizing
8
events, the group had started to amass a library
Which choice follows most logically from the first
of works by African American writers; 8 the part of the sentence?
DRC thus became a place to exchange out-of- A) NO CHANGE
print books and to acquire works by newer writers. B) the Library of Congress in Washington, DC
meanwhile, has long served as the nation
library of the United States.
C) it is therefore not surprising that the DRC
has been described as a "haven for [its] early
members" in a Harvard Magazine article
about the organization.
D) in fact, generous donations from patrons such
as the Lannan Foundation helped Writers
cover the cost of their travel to the Boston
area.

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2 2
Although the DRC, officially 9 disbanded 9
after only a decade (once its core members had A) NO CHANGE
moved away), it had hosted over one hundred B) disbanded after only a ten-year decade
award-winning artists and inspired many C) disbanded, consequently losing its core
members, after a duration of only one decade
more who passed through 10 these doors.
D) broke up and disbanded after only a ten- year
Most importantly, the DRC brought attention
period
to the work of African American literary 11
forebears, and the organization's alumni have
10
won many awards.
A) NO CHANGE
B) their
C) its
D) whose

11
Which choice provides the best conclusion to the
passage?
A) NO CHANGE
B) forebears as well as a new generation of poets,
writers, and performers.
C) forebears so that great writers like James
Balawi would never be forgotten.
D) forebears, though the audience for literary
writing, especially poetry, remains small
throughout the United States.

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2 2
Questions 12-22 are based on the following 12
Passage and supplementary material.
A) NO CHANGE
B) by utilizing commonplace, ordinary materials
MacGyvers of the Deep C) and problems with materials.
For Mandy Buchmeier, it was the daily D) with commonplace materials.
challenge of on-the-fly problem solving that
attracted her to commercial diving. "It's like being 13
an underwater MacGyver," she once said, referring A) NO CHANGE
to the famously resourceful TV show character B) categories; onshore
known for solving complex conundrums 12 with C) categories onshore—
the use of the common materials of everyday life. D) categories onshore
In her career as a commercial diver, Buchmeier
has seemingly done it all— from hazmat to
14
inspection work to salvage to construction. Now
A) NO CHANGE
she instructs the next generation of divers and
B) water that
encourages others to consider careers in this
C) water, there,
dynamic and in- demand field. Commercial diving
D) water where
offers job seekers a career path in a variety of
industries, with options for both inland and deep-
sea environments. 15
Within the broad field of commercial diving, A) NO CHANGE

jobs fall into two main 13 categories: onshore and B) similarly,

offshore. Onshore divers, such as Buchmeier, work C) on the other hand,


D) as a result,
in inland bodies of 14 water, which they may,
for example, salvage sunken objects from rivers
and lakes or perform repairs on harbor piers and
bridges. Offshore divers, 15 regardless, work on
ships and maritime structures in oceans across the
world. On these projects, divers may be at sea for
weeks or months at a time, welding underwater
pipelines or repairing oil rigs.

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To gain employment, a 16 perspective 16
commercial diver must first obtain the proper A) NO CHANGE
certification through an accredited commercial B) prospective
diving 17 school a military dive school, or C) prescriptive
a college offering an associate's degree in D) proscriptive
commercial diving technology. 18 In fact, the
17
offshore commercial divine Industry is facing a
A) NO CHANGE
shortage e of skilled professionals. Because of the
B) school:
often-unpredictable nature of a day on the job,
C) school,
divers must be prepared to tackle any number of
D) school—
different tasks.

18
Which choice provides the most effective
transition from the previous sentence to the
information that follows in the paragraph?
A) NO CHANGE
B) A typical training program covers a wide
range of subjects, including diving physics
and procedures, operations planning, and
mechanical skills.
C) The work commercial divers perform is not
always glamorous; some tasks, for example,
involve working with sewer pipes.
D) Recreational scuba divers also undergo
rigorous training so they can gain confidence
with the underwater environment and the
equipment they use.

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2 2
A high demand for certified commercial 19
divers coupled with a projected 37 percent job Which choice offers accurate information from
the table?
growth rate for 2014 through 2024 translates
A) NO CHANGE
to a correspondingly rosy employment picture.
B) $49,460;
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics,
C) $52,820;
in 2016 divers who worked in construction
D) $53,490;
made an average yearly salary of 19 $32,150;
those who worked in support activities for water
transportation averaged $64,850 annually; and 20 20
each diver in scientific research and development Which choice offers an accurate interpretation of
the data in the table?
services earned the only annual salary outside of
A) NO CHANGE
the $50,000- $60,000 range in the diving field.
B) divers who worked in manufacturing earned
Average Annual Salaries of Divers by Industry an average yearly income of $36,400, just
Average annual above the lowest average compensation
Industry
salary C) each diver in arts, entertainment, and
Engineering services $71,660 recreation also earned $52,820, an average
annual salary higher than that earned by
Support activities for water
$64,850 manufacturing workers
transportation
D) divers in engineering services earned an
Administrative, support, average yearly income of $71,660, the highest
waste management, and $53,490 average compensation
remediation services
Construction $52,820
Manufacturing $49,460 21
S cientific research and A) NO CHANGE
development services $36,400
B) knock a person out both physically and
Arts, entertainment, and mentally,
recreation $32,150 C) exact an onerous toll on a human's physical
and mental well-being,
Adapted from US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Published in 2016.
Commercial diving is no easy job, though, D) totally do in both the mind and the body,
Long hours spent submerged in sometimes inky
black water can 21 be physically and mentally 22
taxing, but as diver Marco polo Manubes says, A) NO CHANGE
"You never get bored doing same thing daily." B) one's
Whether far out at sea or in a reservoir close to C) his or her
home, commercial diving offers rewarding and D) your
engaging career options to job seekers who are up
for a challenge and willing to get 22 their feet wet.

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2 2
Questions 23-33 are based on the following 23
passage.
A) NO CHANGE
B) determines
Revolutionizing Archaeology through C) will determine
Radiocarbon Dating
D) determined
Radiocarbon dating, a powerful technique
that allows archaeologists to determine the age of
24
artifacts, was originally developed in the 1940s
A) NO CHANGE
by the chemist Willard Libby. Libby 23 has
B) chemist-archaeologist, Marvin Rowe,
determined that organic (carbon-containing)
C) chemist-archaeologist Marvin Rowe,
material could be dated based on the ratio of
D) chemist-archaeologist, Marvin Rowe
the radioactive carbon isotope carbon-14 to
ordinary, nonradioactive carbon-12. He found that
carbon-14 atoms slowly decay into nonradioactive 25
nitrogen-14 atoms at a predictable rate. Using this A) NO CHANGE
finding, he developed methods to extract carbon B) comprehend
from an object and measure the ratio of carbon-14 C) fathom
to carbon-12 to accurately determine the object's D) ascertain
age.
Unfortunately, these methods required
large amounts of the sample to be cleansed with
acids and bases to remove impurities and then
combusted, making the technique useless for
dating small, precious artifacts.
In 1992, 24 chemist- archaeologist Marvin
Rowe wished to 25 theorize the age of fragile cave
art in southwestern Texas.

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2 2
Believing that organic binders such as animal 26
fat may have been used in the 26 paintings and Which choice best sets up the information that
eager to test this hypothesis regarding organic follows in the sentence?

materials, Rowe and his team attempted to develop A) NO CHANGE


B) paintings, which show ancient artisans' skill in
a nondestructive dating technique. They scraped
working with natural rock surfaces,
samples of pigments from the cave 27 wall. Next,
C) paintings but concerned that the traditional
they placed them in a small glass chamber; then, radiocarbon-dating process would damage
these materials,
they passed a thin layer of electrically charged
D) paintings, which depict hunting scenes and
oxygen gas over them. The gas gently oxidized the
other representations of ancient tribal life,
surface of the samples, extracting carbon to form
carbon dioxide. The team could then analyze the
27
carbon dioxide to determine the ratio of carbon-14
Which choice most effectively combines the
to carbon-12
sentences at the underlined portion?
A) wall, placed them in a small glass chamber, and
B) wall, and then did the following: first, they
placed them in a small glass chamber; second,
they
C) wall: then, while placing them in a small glass
chamber, they
D) wall; the samples were then placed in a small
glass chamber, and Rowe and his team

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[1] After this initial success, Rowe’s team 28
continued to refine the new technique. [2] To A) NO CHANGE
date items at a sacred burial 28 site, the team B) sight,
constructed a larger testing chamber consisting of C) cite,
a glass tube outfitted with electrodes. [3] Whole D) citation,
artifacts could be placed inside this chamber,
eliminating the need to damage artifacts by cutting
29
off sample for testing. [4] The team later developed A) NO CHANGE
a solvent capable of removing oils and soil-based B) contaminants;
29 contaminants, both of which skew the results C) contaminants—
of radiocarbon dating—without harming delicate D) contaminants
specimens. 30

30
To improve the cohesion and f low of this
paragraph the writer wants to add the following
sentence.

This innovation allowed the team to test a


wide variety of materials, including wood, leather,
hair, and bone, that could not withstand a more
abrasive cleansing method.

The sentence would most logically be placed


A) after sentence 1.
B) after sentence 2.
C) after sentence 3.
D) after sentence 4.

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2 2
Advancements in nondestructive radiocarbon 31
31 dating yield results that match those the Which choice most effectively sets up the example
in the paragraph's next sentence?
conventional radiocarbon – dating technique.
A) NO CHANGE
Artifacts such as the Venus of Brassempouy, a tiny
B) dating promise to transform the study of
Stone Age figurine that features one of the earliest
unique and significant objects.
known depictions of a human face, had not been
C) dating build on the discoveries of Willard
dated for fear that they might be damaged. 32 Libby in the mid-twentieth century.
Regardless of their fears, researchers will learn D) dating, like the conventional method, can
determine the age of objects as far back as
more about the artifacts 33 themselves. And 50,000 years.
about the societies that created them.

32
Which choice provides the most effective
transition from the previous sentence to the
remainder of the paragraph?
A) NO CHANGE
B) Using a multidisciplinary approach,
C) Now that these artifacts can be tested,
D) To the delight of art enthusiasts,

33
A) NO CHANGE
B) themselves; not to mention
C) themselves, they will also learn about
D) themselves and

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2 2
Questions 34-44 are based on the following 34
passage.
A) NO CHANGE
B) devices strapped
The Limits of Quantifying the Self C) devices—strapped

I recently purchased an activity tracker—a D) devices strapped,

small, pellet-shaped device, clipped to my pocket,


that counts my footsteps, measures my altitude, 35
and tracks my location. More sophisticated 34 A) NO CHANGE
devices, strapped to one's Wrist, can do even more, B) he or she becomes,
including monitoring the wearer’s heart rate and C) I become,
sleep cycles. Marketers offer many reasons that D) we become,
consumers would want to buy one of these devices,
but most of the reasons involve the empowering
36
nature of the data collected: the more informed
A) NO CHANGE
about our bodies 35 you become, the more
B) and summarily encapsulated
control we will gain over our physical well-being.
C) encapsulated in sum
This is the aspirational view one that is also
D) encapsulated
promulgated by members of the global movement
known as the Quantified Self, The movement's
mission—and the mission's optimism— is nicely
36 summarized and encapsulated by the slogan of
the movement's main organization, Quantified Self
labs: “self knowledge through numbers.” However,
while data about oneself might ideally yield useful
insight, the reality is somewhat less encouraging.

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2 2
One problem with consumer data-gathering 37
devices like my activity tracker 37 are that in A) NO CHANGE
many countries they are exempt from formal 38 B) is
oversight. It would help ensure the accuracy of C) were
the data they collect. In the United Kingdom, for D) have been
example, the Medicines and Healthcare Products
Regulatory Agency does regulate certain devices,
38
but only those that claim to diagnose or prevent Which choice most effectively combines the
disease and injury (a claim that most companies sentences at the underlined portion?
selling consumer activity-tracking devices do not A) oversight that
make). In the United States, the Food and Drug B) oversight, because it
Administration has taken a similar approach. As C) oversight and also
a result, most devices available on store shelves in D) oversight, as it
these countries 39 are not subsidized by medical
insurance providers, and while some metrics 39
(such as number of steps) are represented fairly Which choice most clearly reinforces the main
accurately across different 40 manufacturers' focus of the paragraph?
devices, the lack of oversight allows for other A) NO CHANGE
metrics (such as heart rate) to be reported with B) cannot prevent physical injury,

significant error. C) carry no official assurances,


D) must be evaluated independently by journalist
and consumers,

40
A) NO CHANGE
B) manufacturer's devices,
C) manufacturer's device's,
D) manufacturers' devices’,

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2 2
And then the question arises: 41 How useful 41
can any data-collection device be if most users stop Which question provides the best transition from
wearing such devices regularly once the novelty the previous paragraph to this one?

has worn off? Journalist David Pierce echoes this A) NO CHANGE

question in his review of one of many wearable B) Because some activity-tracking devices
provide little (if any) visible feedback to users,
devices that 42 have flooded the market in recent how can users be sure that the devices are
years. Learning from the device that he rarely gets functioning properly and continuously over
the course of a day?
a full cycle of REM sleep, 43 pierce’s observation
C) Can makers of activity-tracking devices be
is as follows: “That’s great —the more you know trusted to safeguard the data that their devices
and all that—but I have no idea why... So far the collect?
D) Even if the data were guaranteed to be highly
only thing I can figure out is that I should go to
accurate, what exactly does one do with it?
bed earlier.”

42
Which choice best introduces the specific
information about the device provided in the next
sentence?
A) NO CHANGE
B) could easily be mistaken for each other based
on their uniformly utilitarian designs.
C) track nonwaking activities as well as waking
ones.
D) are meant to help users achieve their fitness
goals.

43
A) NO CHANGE
B) Pierce observes:
C) this observation is made by Pierce:
D) the device elicits this observation from Pierce:

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44 Some data collected by activity- tracking 44
devices does have obvious applications for At this point, the writer is considering deleting the
improving physical well- being, but much of the underlined portion, adjusting the capitalization as
needed. Should the underlined portion be kept or
data currently lacks purpose. This issue as well deleted?
as that of the data's reliability will need to be A) Kept, because it acknowledges an important
addressed if the ambitious vision of the Quantified exception to the writer’s argument.

Self is truly to be achieved. B) Kept, because it contributes to the writer's


analysis of why activity-tracking devices are
so popular.
C) Deleted, because it undermines the previous
paragraph's main idea.
D) Deleted, because it presents information that
is irrelevant to the passage's discussion of the
usefulness of the data.

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