to provide an outlet for critiques of her work
as a way to present Chinese myths in her stories
as a method of engaging children who are not yet reading on their own
Questions 1-2 refer to the following passage.
Some readers categorize Maxine Hong Kingston as a great Asian-American writer, a classification that is ultimately too narrow for her body of work. However, the subject matter of Kingston’s novels and autobiographies espouses the Asian immigrant experience, as the following characters suggest: immigrant laborers in California and Hawaii, railroad laborers, and Chinese doctors. In natural harmony with her choice of subject matter are the personal sensibilities of a first-generation American writer who endeavors to explain her mother’s alien sensibility and her relationship with her silent, angry father.
Kingston’s Asian influences are present in another type of work, Chinese myths in the guise of “talk stories.” A character in her novel Tripmaster Monkey is based on Sun Wu Kong, a mythical Chinese figure. In response to this work, Herbert Gold notes that the author “invigorates her novel with an avid personal perspective, doing what the novel is supposed to do—she brings us the news of the world and makes magic of it.”
Question 1
Consider each of the following answer choices separately and select all that apply.
It can be inferred that Kingston uses “talk stories”
to provide an outlet for critiques of her work
as a way to present Chinese myths in her stories
as a method of engaging children who are not yet reading on their own
Question 2
The author focuses on the content of Kingston’s work primarily to
illustrate why one might be tempted to call Kingston an Asian-American author
assert why Kingston’s work is difficult to categorize
explain why Kingston’s work is thought by many to have universal appeal
illustrate how Kingston’s work is affected by her parental influences
show what makes Kingston unique among Asian-American writers
Questions 3-6 refer to the following passage.
Préciosité, “preciousness,” or the manifestation of the baroque in literature, is often dismissed as a “feminine concoction,” mocked by Molière and thought to be ridiculous by modern standards. Preferring appearance to substance and excess to moderation, baroque expression is given to wild exaggeration and purple description. However, when one considers its historical context, the movement can be seen as a subtle rebellion by an otherwise powerless sex against its restrictive society.
Crippled and stunned from a series of religious wars, seventeenth-century France under Louis XIII was characterized by political intrigue and violence. Escaping the crude court, a group of cultured and educated ladies met to discuss—in a fantastically embellished and witty manner—literature, art, and philosophy. They rejected the predominant emphasis on vulgarity and sought the elevation of l’éducation, or “manners” they considered essential to society. More salons followed, and these précieuses (literally, “precious ones”) produced works of literature that are still widely read, such as novels, essays, and poems that elevated the ideal of courtly, or Platonic, love with an emphasis on sensuality and scrupulous rules of behavior.
Though men scoffed at their wives’ pretensions, baroque literature as a reaction to political instability reawakened French proclivities for cultural expression. When Louis XIV ascended to the throne in 1661, French society was primed for the reestablishment of the arts. Baroque ideals served important roles regarding the criticism of the political situation and the influence of cultural trends. Louis XIV’s peace provoked the cultural pendulum to swing to the other direction, ushering in a neo-classical movement that elevated simplicity and minimalism. It is surely no coincidence that it was the performance of “Les Précieuses Ridicules” (“The Conceited Ladies”), Moliere’s play mocking préciosité, that first gained him wide acclaim and established him as the preeminent father of French theater.
Question 3
Consider each of the following answer choices separately and select all that apply.
The author suggests which of the following about how the préciosité was viewed during the seventeenth century?
Literature can be a weapon of protest.
Before the seventeenth century, the French expressed themselves through the arts.
Literature was the only means of protest available to women in the seventeenth century.
Question 4
The primary purpose of the passage is to
demonstrate the importance of the role of a specific artistic movement to a culture
show that women had a greater influence on history than was previously thought
define and explain the origins of an obscure art form
correct a commonly held historical misconception about the origins of a literary movement
emphasize the influence of a nation’s ruler on its arts and culture
Question 5
Consider each of the following answer choices separately and select all that apply.
The author suggests which of the following about how préciosité was viewed during the seventeenth century?
It became the preferred method of communication for all members of French society.
It was tolerated until Molière’s popular play mocked it.
Its importance as a cultural force was not understood.
Question 6
Select the sentence that most concisely describes the contrast between préciosité and the neo-classicism that followed it.
Questions 7-8 refer to the following passage.
The mid-nineteenth century witnessed two major wars on U.S. soil: the Mexican-American War and the Civil War. That Abraham Lincoln would commit the country to civil war appears to require little explanation, since he endorsed the abolition of slavery and the preservation of the young nation. However, Lincoln’s disdain for the Mexican-American War, which was ostensibly fought to keep Texas in the Union, requires some examination. After all, Lincoln’s swift military response to the Southern secessionists at the beginning of the Civil War illustrates that Lincoln would not shrink from battle if the war could ensure a united country. Perhaps Lincoln’s resistance to the Mexican-American War can best be seen in light of his sincere belief that President Polk had overstepped his constitutional boundaries in declaring war against Mexico, a sovereign nation. In this light, it is perhaps ironic that Lincoln’s own presidential legacy includes a greater centralization of federal government power.
Question 7
Consider each of the following answer choices separately and select all that apply.
According to the passage, which of the following is true of the Mexican-American War?
Lincoln did not initiate the war.
Lincoln would have disagreed with President Polk about its legality.
It was fought ostensibly to abolish slavery.
Question 8
Which of the following best describes the function of the sentence about Lincoln’s swift military response in the passage?
It provides evidence that Lincoln generally did not oppose wars.
It explains that Lincoln, despite his pacifist tendencies, was not convinced that the Mexican-American War effort was wrong.
It confirms that Lincoln’s belief in the wisdom of entering a war was formulated on the basis of what is good for a united country.
It suggests that Lincoln’s opinions on the Mexican-American War were not based solely on a belief in unification.
It illustrates that opponents of United States foreign policy within the federal government convinced Lincoln to enter the Civil War.
Questions 9-11 refer to the following passage.
The increasing pressure on American businesses to pursue cost-cutting measures will eventually lead to an increase in the outsourcing of business processes to venues with lower overhead, such as India. However, this shift may not provide the dramatic gains for American business that might have been expected by an enterprise with an ethos for change that is oriented to preserving bottom-line profits. The difficulty is that a significant portion of American society remains uncomfortable with shifting business tasks overseas. Therefore, American businesses will predominantly opt for outsourcing opportunities for repetitive tasks that can easily be brought back to the United States if necessary. Nevertheless, opportunities for Indian firms to get a larger piece of the pie seem certain to arise. The growing emphasis on bringing down the cost of back-office operations is bound to offer increasing scope for Indian firms to become involved in novel types of ever more complex business processes.
Question 9
Select the sentence in which the author specifies a characteristic of jobs likely to be outsourced.
Question 10
The primary purpose of the passage is to
present an overview of the different types of business opportunities available to Indian firms
present a reasoned prognosis of the business opportunities that may become available to Indian firms
present the trend toward outsourcing business operations as a model case of business operations in action
analyze how opportunities available to Indian firms were necessitated by an increasing number of American firms
analyze the use of cost-cutting measures as a substitute for outsourcing in the new American business climate
Question 11
Consider each of the following answer choices separately and select all that apply.
According the passage, despite the increasing pressure on American businesses to pursue cost-cutting measures, certain other factors preclude
Indian firms’ performing all of the business processes currently being performed onshore by American businesses.
American businesses committing to outsourcing jobs overseas.
Indian firms’ outsourcing more complex tasks to American firms in order to create an interconnected hierarchy of business needs.
Questions 12-15 refer to the following passage.
Scientists are growing increasingly concerned that coral, which grows abundantly in the circumtropical shallow waters near bodies of land, is evincing a paling, or bleaching effect. Though experts are still at odds over what has precipitated this event, most agree that it is a stress response to changes in habitat and water quality, including temperature variations and salination percentage, and predict a loss of 95 percent of existing coral populations.
An exemplary symbiotic entity, scleractinian coral lives harmoniously with vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants. Corals receive nutrients in two ways: by capturing planktonic organisms with nematocyst-capped tentacles and by resource-sharing and recycling with single-celled algae called zooxanthellae. These algae live within the polyps of the coral, using photosynthesis to increase (and thereby strengthen) coral calcification, and providing energy for coral growth. The zooxanthellae benefit from the relationship through protection from predators and a steady supply of necessary carbon dioxide. Interestingly, it is the zooxanthellae that provide coral with its brilliant coloration.
When coral loses its color, it is a sign that the single-celled algae are not able to thrive. Though not necessarily a sign of mortality, a pale, wan color indicates imminent danger and is considered a stress response. The zooxanthellate invertebrates lose their concentration of pigmentation or die altogether when stressed, turning translucent and allowing the slightly darker coral skeleton to show through the decaying tissue. Whether this response stems from anthropogenic pollutions such as overharvesting coral for the exotic travel market, overfishing coral waters, and increased water temperatures due to global warming, or from natural disturbances (storms, temperature extremes, and diseases), scientists fear for the future of the radiant corals. If zooxanthellate populations continue to decrease without recovery, their host corals will eventually follow suit, triggering a cascade of unanticipated biological events.
Question 12
It can be inferred from the passage that zooxanthellae are
able to use camouflage to blend into their surroundings
dependent on carbon dioxide
unable to live without coral hosts
considered parasitical to coral
unnecessary for the continued survival of coral
Question 13
The author attributes the pollution cited as being detrimental to coral to
overpopulation by large sea mammals, such as dolphins
activities of humans
purely accidental causes which cannot be influenced
overpopulation by photosynthetic archaebacteria
natural phenomena, such as changes in weather
Question 14
Select the sentence from the third paragraph that explains why zooxanthellae lose their coloration.
Question 15
It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following situations is a possible contributing factor to coral bleaching?
The proliferation of large-scale freight ships in circumtropical regions
Modern civilization’s dependence on fossil fuels
Tourists’ demand for coral souvenirs
Governmental apathy due to more pressing problems
Coral’s unusual sensitivity to the vagaries of natural climate changes