PASSAGE: How did one village bring disaster on itself? On a morning in early spring, 1873, the people of Oberfest left their houses and took refuge in the town hall. No one knows why precisely. A number of rumors had raced through the town during recent weeks, were passed on and converted to news; predictions became certainties. On this particular morning, fear turned into terror, and people rushed through the narrow streets, carrying their most precious possessions, pulling their children and dashing into the great hall. The doors were nailed shut, and men took their turns watching out the window. Two days passed. When no disaster came, the fear grew worse, because the people began to suspect that the danger was already in the hall, locked inside. No one spoke to anybody else; people watched each other, looking for signs. It was the children who rang the great bell in the first bell tower-a small band of bored children found the bell rope and swung on it-set the bell clanging. This was the traditional signal of alarm, and in a moment the elders were dashing in panic to all the other bell towers and ringing the bells. For nearly an hour, the valley reverberated with the wild clangor-and then, a thousand feet above, the snow began to crack, and the avalanche began; a massive cataract of ice and snow thundered down and buried the town, silencing the bells. There is no trace of Oberfest today, not even a spire, because the snow is so deep; and, in the shadow of the mountains, it is very cold.

Which word best expresses the main idea of the passage?

PASSAGE: How did one village bring disaster on itself? On a morning in early spring, 1873, the people of Oberfest left their houses and took refuge in the town hall. No one knows why precisely. A number of rumors had raced through the town during recent weeks, were passed on and converted to news; predictions became certainties. On this particular morning, fear turned into terror, and people rushed through the narrow streets, carrying their most precious possessions, pulling their children and dashing into the great hall. The doors were nailed shut, and men took their turns watching out the window. Two days passed. When no disaster came, the fear grew worse, because the people began to suspect that the danger was already in the hall, locked inside. No one spoke to anybody else; people watched each other, looking for signs. It was the children who rang the great bell in the first bell tower-a small band of bored children found the bell rope and swung on it-set the bell clanging. This was the traditional signal of alarm, and in a moment the elders were dashing in panic to all the other bell towers and ringing the bells. For nearly an hour, the valley reverberated with the wild clangor-and then, a thousand feet above, the snow began to crack, and the avalanche began; a massive cataract of ice and snow thundered down and buried the town, silencing the bells. There is no trace of Oberfest today, not even a spire, because the snow is so deep; and, in the shadow of the mountains, it is very cold.

Which is the most valid conclusion regarding the theme of the passage above?

PASSAGE: How did one village bring disaster on itself? On a morning in early spring, 1873, the people of Oberfest left their houses and took refuge in the town hall. No one knows why precisely. A number of rumors had raced through the town during recent weeks, were passed on and converted to news; predictions became certainties. On this particular morning, fear turned into terror, and people rushed through the narrow streets, carrying their most precious possessions, pulling their children and dashing into the great hall. The doors were nailed shut, and men took their turns watching out the window. Two days passed. When no disaster came, the fear grew worse, because the people began to suspect that the danger was already in the hall, locked inside. No one spoke to anybody else; people watched each other, looking for signs. It was the children who rang the great bell in the first bell tower-a small band of bored children found the bell rope and swung on it-set the bell clanging. This was the traditional signal of alarm, and in a moment the elders were dashing in panic to all the other bell towers and ringing the bells. For nearly an hour, the valley reverberated with the wild clangor-and then, a thousand feet above, the snow began to crack, and the avalanche began; a massive cataract of ice and snow thundered down and buried the town, silencing the bells. There is no trace of Oberfest today, not even a spire, because the snow is so deep; and, in the shadow of the mountains, it is very cold.

The effect of the last phrase of the passage, “it is very cold,” depends mainly on _____?

PASSAGE: How did one village bring disaster on itself? On a morning in early spring, 1873, the people of Oberfest left their houses and took refuge in the town hall. No one knows why precisely. A number of rumors had raced through the town during recent weeks, were passed on and converted to news; predictions became certainties. On this particular morning, fear turned into terror, and people rushed through the narrow streets, carrying their most precious possessions, pulling their children and dashing into the great hall. The doors were nailed shut, and men took their turns watching out the window. Two days passed. When no disaster came, the fear grew worse, because the people began to suspect that the danger was already in the hall, locked inside. No one spoke to anybody else; people watched each other, looking for signs. It was the children who rang the great bell in the first bell tower-a small band of bored children found the bell rope and swung on it-set the bell clanging. This was the traditional signal of alarm, and in a moment the elders were dashing in panic to all the other bell towers and ringing the bells. For nearly an hour, the valley reverberated with the wild clangor-and then, a thousand feet above, the snow began to crack, and the avalanche began; a massive cataract of ice and snow thundered down and buried the town, silencing the bells. There is no trace of Oberfest today, not even a spire, because the snow is so deep; and, in the shadow of the mountains, it is very cold.

Which word best expresses the main idea of the passage above?

PASSAGE: How did one village bring disaster on itself? On a morning in early spring, 1873, the people of Oberfest left their houses and took refuge in the town hall. No one knows why precisely. A number of rumors had raced through the town during recent weeks, were passed on and converted to news; predictions became certainties. On this particular morning, fear turned into terror, and people rushed through the narrow streets, carrying their most precious possessions, pulling their children and dashing into the great hall. The doors were nailed shut, and men took their turns watching out the window. Two days passed. When no disaster came, the fear grew worse, because the people began to suspect that the danger was already in the hall, locked inside. No one spoke to anybody else; people watched each other, looking for signs. It was the children who rang the great bell in the first bell tower-a small band of bored children found the bell rope and swung on it-set the bell clanging. This was the traditional signal of alarm, and in a moment the elders were dashing in panic to all the other bell towers and ringing the bells. For nearly an hour, the valley reverberated with the wild clangor-and then, a thousand feet above, the snow began to crack, and the avalanche began; a massive cataract of ice and snow thundered down and buried the town, silencing the bells. There is no trace of Oberfest today, not even a spire, because the snow is so deep; and, in the shadow of the mountains, it is very cold.

The alarm, traditionally sounded to avert danger, became the apparent cause of the avalanche is an example of _________?

Passage 1

Charles Ives, the iconoclastic American composer who mixed everything from religious hymns to bradd band marches to classical music into his symphonies, would have been right at home in the musical culture of contemporary America.  Our musical tastes prove us to be robust explorers, unconstained by tradition.  We mix and match musical styles rather than preserve the preferences of our parents and grandparents.  America has no single dominant musical culture.  What characterizes our musical taste is how we listen, not what we listen to.  As listeners, we commonly amalgamate a wide range of musical styles into our own personal soundtracks.  The whole world’s music is our music.

Passage 2

Music is often viewed as one of the most salient indicators of cultural identity.  As a little boy, my entire musical universe consisted of Chinese classical music.  I thought all kids grew up learning to play instruments such as the Erhu (a two-stringed fiddle) and the Xindi (a bamboo flute).  After we immigrated to America, my ideas about music were turned upside down.  In school my classmates seemed to be conversant in every conceivable musical genre.  Their tastes rubbed off on me, and I became interested in a broad range of different styles.  By the time I graduated from high school, I was as likely to listen to hip-hop or rock as to traditional Chinese music.

Which of the following best describes how the two above passages differ in their discussions of music?

Passage 1

Charles Ives, the iconoclastic American composer who mixed everything from religious hymns to bradd band marches to classical music into his symphonies, would have been right at home in the musical culture of contemporary America.  Our musical tastes prove us to be robust explorers, unconstained by tradition.  We mix and match musical styles rather than preserve the preferences of our parents and grandparents.  America has no single dominant musical culture.  What characterizes our musical taste is how we listen, not what we listen to.  As listeners, we commonly amalgamate a wide range of musical styles into our own personal soundtracks.  The whole world’s music is our music.

Passage 2

Music is often viewed as one of the most salient indicators of cultural identity.  As a little boy, my entire musical universe consisted of Chinese classical music.  I thought all kids grew up learning to play instruments such as the Erhu (a two-stringed fiddle) and the Xindi (a bamboo flute).  After we immigrated to America, my ideas about music were turned upside down.  In school my classmates seemed to be conversant in every conceivable musical genre.  Their tastes rubbed off on me, and I became interested in a broad range of different styles.  By the time I graduated from high school, I was as likely to listen to hip-hop or rock as to traditional Chinese music.

The author of Passage 1 would most likely describe the listening habits discussed in the last sentence of Passage 2 as

Passage 1

Charles Ives, the iconoclastic American composer who mixed everything from religious hymns to bradd band marches to classical music into his symphonies, would have been right at home in the musical culture of contemporary America.  Our musical tastes prove us to be robust explorers, unconstained by tradition.  We mix and match musical styles rather than preserve the preferences of our parents and grandparents.  America has no single dominant musical culture.  What characterizes our musical taste is how we listen, not what we listen to.  As listeners, we commonly amalgamate a wide range of musical styles into our own personal soundtracks.  The whole world’s music is our music.

Passage 2

Music is often viewed as one of the most salient indicators of cultural identity.  As a little boy, my entire musical universe consisted of Chinese classical music.  I thought all kids grew up learning to play instruments such as the Erhu (a two-stringed fiddle) and the Xindi (a bamboo flute).  After we immigrated to America, my ideas about music were turned upside down.  In school my classmates seemed to be conversant in every conceivable musical genre.  Their tastes rubbed off on me, and I became interested in a broad range of different styles.  By the time I graduated from high school, I was as likely to listen to hip-hop or rock as to traditional Chinese music.

Unlike the author of Passage 1, the author of Passage 2 makes significant use of _____

Passage 1

Charles Ives, the iconoclastic American composer who mixed everything from religious hymns to bradd band marches to classical music into his symphonies, would have been right at home in the musical culture of contemporary America.  Our musical tastes prove us to be robust explorers, unconstained by tradition.  We mix and match musical styles rather than preserve the preferences of our parents and grandparents.  America has no single dominant musical culture.  What characterizes our musical taste is how we listen, not what we listen to.  As listeners, we commonly amalgamate a wide range of musical styles into our own personal soundtracks.  The whole world’s music is our music.

Passage 2

Music is often viewed as one of the most salient indicators of cultural identity.  As a little boy, my entire musical universe consisted of Chinese classical music.  I thought all kids grew up learning to play instruments such as the Erhu (a two-stringed fiddle) and the Xindi (a bamboo flute).  After we immigrated to America, my ideas about music were turned upside down.  In school my classmates seemed to be conversant in every conceivable musical genre.  Their tastes rubbed off on me, and I became interested in a broad range of different styles.  By the time I graduated from high school, I was as likely to listen to hip-hop or rock as to traditional Chinese music.

Which of the following best describes the relationship between the two passages?

Since 1970, national parks have had to double the number of signs warning visitors of possible hazards.  The new signs have a dual purpose in that they also protect the parks from unnecessary litigation.  In 1972, the National Parks Service in Yellowstone was forced to pay more than $87,000 to the victim of a bear attack.  This ruling prompted Yellowstone historian Lee Whittlesley to write, "Analogously I could ask, should New York’s Central Park have signs every ten feet saying, ‘Danger! Muggers!’ just because a non-streetwise, non-New Yorker might go walking there?"

The reference to "the victim" in the above passage serves primarily to

Since 1970, national parks have had to double the number of signs warning visitors of possible hazards.  The new signs have a dual purpose in that they also protect the parks from unnecessary litigation.  In 1972, the National Parks Service in Yellowstone was forced to pay more than $87,000 to the victim of a bear attack.  This ruling prompted Yellowstone historian Lee Whittlesley to write, "Analogously I could ask, should New York’s Central Park have signs every ten feet saying, ‘Danger! Muggers!’ just because a non-streetwise, non-New Yorker might go walking there?"

Lee Whittlesley’s attitude toward the "ruling" in line 6 could best be described as

The notation that journalists should strive to remain objective has been challenged in recent years as new reporting styles have come into vogue.  For instance, a novel style of journalism, know as "gonzo journalism," emerged in the 1970s.  This form, which remains popular today, is characterized by a punchy style, rough and occasionally sarcastic language, and an apparent disregard for conventional journalistic writing customs.  Unlike traditional journalists, gonzo journalists use the power of both emotions and personal experience to convey their messages.  Rather than adhering to the objectivity prized in standard journalistic writing, they believe in presenting an unedited perspective on a story in "true gonzo" form.

The above passage suggests that the writing of "traditional journalists" is typically

Passage 1

The Taj Mahal, located in Agra, India, is one of the most magnificent examples of Islamic architecture.  Shah Jahan, a Muslim ruler, built it in the seventeenth century as a tribute to his late wife.  The style of the building seems to reflect that it was built for a beloved woman.  Delicate white marble walls, accented by lofty arches and lacy scrollwork, support a series of domes.  Four slender towers stand guard near the corners of the building.  Overall, the style of the structure gives a striking impression of lightness, despite the heavy stone material.  All of these characteristics lead to an almost otherworldly beauty, worth of any queen.

Passage 2

Although the Taj Mahal has long been recognized for is architectural beauty, it is often overlooked that Shah Jahan commissioned the building in 1632 as a tomb for his most beloved wife.  The tomb is flanked on the west by a mosque, a Muslim place of worship.  Arabic script is inlaid along the walls of the Taj Mahal, and it is rumored that the entire Muslim holy book, the Koran, is written along the structure’s walls and supports.  The architectural wonder of the Taj Mahal cannot be denied; however, it is vital to recognize the spiritual aspects that pervade one of the world’s most recognizable buildings.

The authors of both passages would most likely agree that the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal, located in Agra, India, is one of the most magnificent examples of Islamic architecture.  Shah Jahan, a Muslim ruler, built it in the seventeenth century as a tribute to his late wife.  The style of the building seems to reflect that it was built for a beloved woman.  Delicate white marble walls, accented by lofty arches and lacy scrollwork, support a series of domes.  Four slender towers stand guard near the corners of the building.  Overall, the style of the structure gives a striking impression of lightness, despite the heavy stone material.  All of these characteristics lead to an almost otherworldly beauty, worth of any queen.

Passage 2

Although the Taj Mahal has long been recognized for is architectural beauty, it is often overlooked that Shah Jahan commissioned the building in 1632 as a tomb for his most beloved wife.  The tomb is flanked on the west by a mosque, a Muslim place of worship.  Arabic script is inlaid along the walls of the Taj Mahal, and it is rumored that the entire Muslim holy book, the Koran, is written along the structure’s walls and supports.  The architectural wonder of the Taj Mahal cannot be denied; however, it is vital to recognize the spiritual aspects that pervade one of the world’s most recognizable buildings.

Compared to Passage 2, Passage 1 is more concerned with the Taj Mahal’s

Passage 1

The Taj Mahal, located in Agra, India, is one of the most magnificent examples of Islamic architecture.  Shah Jahan, a Muslim ruler, built it in the seventeenth century as a tribute to his late wife.  The style of the building seems to reflect that it was built for a beloved woman.  Delicate white marble walls, accented by lofty arches and lacy scrollwork, support a series of domes.  Four slender towers stand guard near the corners of the building.  Overall, the style of the structure gives a striking impression of lightness, despite the heavy stone material.  All of these characteristics lead to an almost otherworldly beauty, worth of any queen.

Passage 2

Although the Taj Mahal has long been recognized for is architectural beauty, it is often overlooked that Shah Jahan commissioned the building in 1632 as a tomb for his most beloved wife.  The tomb is flanked on the west by a mosque, a Muslim place of worship.  Arabic script is inlaid along the walls of the Taj Mahal, and it is rumored that the entire Muslim holy book, the Koran, is written along the structure’s walls and supports.  The architectural wonder of the Taj Mahal cannot be denied; however, it is vital to recognize the spiritual aspects that pervade one of the world’s most recognizable buildings.

The primary purpose of Passage 2 is to