ACT English Homework English 1, Set 2 15 Minutes 25 Questions

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Susan Underwood
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1 DIRECTIONS: In the two passages that follow, certain words and phrases are underlined and numbered. In the right-hand column, you will find alternatives for each underlined part. You are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole. If you think the original version is best, choose NO CHANGE. You will also find questions about a section of the passage, or the passage as a whole. These questions do not refer to an underlined ACT English Homework English 1, Set 2 15 Minutes 25 Questions portion of the passage, but rather are identified by a number or numbers in a box. For each question, choose the alternative you consider best and blacken the corresponding oval on your answer sheet. Read each passage through once before you begin to answer the questions that accompany it. You cannot determine most answers without first reading several sentences beyond the question. Be sure that you have read far enough ahead each time you choose an alternative. PASSAGE I [1] [1] One of the most fascinating mysteries of the natural world are the lifecycle of the periodical cicada. [2] Magicicada adults are recognizable by their black bodies, red eyes, orange wing veins, 2 and the black W near the tips of the forewings. [3] These insects spend the first 17 years of their lives buried underground sucking the sap out of tree roots. [4] In a strange, and still unexplained, phenomenon these cicadas came out of the earth exactly 17 years after entering it A. NO CHANGE B. are the lifecycles C. is the lifecycles D. is the lifecycle 2. G. black body, H. black bodies J. black body- 3. A. NO CHANGE B. lives buried, C. live buried D. lives, buried Question 4 asks about the paragraph as a whole. 4. The writer would like to add the following sentence to paragraph 1: Periodical cicadas, also known as magicicadas, have a lifecycle that continues to fascinate biologists. For the sake of logic and coherence, that sentence should be placed: F. before sentence 4 G. before sentence 3 H. before sentence 2 J. before sentence 1 5. A. NO CHANGE B. coming out of the earth C. emerge from the earth D. emerged from the earth 1

2 6 [2] [1] In mid to late spring, depending on the geographic region, the nymphs begin their journey to the surface. [2] The cicada will emerge from its burrow by night, and will climb a nearby tree or bush to shed its skin and molt into an adult cicada. [3] Many 7 experts believe that their activation occurs when the soil temperature first reaches 64 F. [4] Then, the sight of numerous cicada skins on and under trees and the noisy, black-and-red adult cicadas are common for about four to six weeks. [5] A few weeks 8 6. Assuming all are true, which of the following would be an effective transition sentence at the beginning of paragraph 2? F. The cicada molting season begins in mid to late spring and can last until early July. G. Temperature plays an important role in the lifecycles of the mysterious cicada. H. A burrowing cicada can make a chimney spout of almost 8 cm in height. J. Cicadas enter the earth as nymphs and remain there for almost two decades until they are ready to molt. 7. A. NO CHANGE B. skin and begin its molting C. skin, and begin to start its molting D. skin, and beginning its molting 8. G. is common H. are becoming common J. have become common before emerging, exit tunnels to the surface appear, constructed by the nymphs A. NO CHANGE B. the nymphs construct exit tunnels to the surface. C. the surface becomes littered with nymph constructed exit tunnels. D. nymph constructed exit tunnels appear on the surface. 10. Which of the following provides the most logical ordering of sentences in paragraph 2? G. 1, 2, 4, 5, 3 H. 1, 3, 5, 2, 4 J. 2, 4, 5, 1, 3 [3] On the night of emergence, after leaving their burrows around sunset, the nymphs locate a suitable spot on nearby vegetation, and complete their final A. NO CHANGE B. after they are leaving C. after leaves D. OMIT the underlined portion molt to adulthood. Shortly after molting, 2

3 the female cicadas attach themselves to a nearby tree 12 to begin laying their eggs. What makes the magicicada notable is not only their obscure development, 12. Given that all are true, which of the following sentences would most effectively describe the physical changes in the insect. G. the cicadas fly around frantically, often crashing into humans, pets, houses, and trees. H. the adult cicadas begin their mating ritual that is marked by three distinct songs called out by the males. J. the new adults appear mostly white, but they darken quickly as the exoskeleton hardens. but also by the sheer volume in which they appear. 13 When cicadas finally emerge from the ground they do so in swarms of thousands, often over a small 13. A. NO CHANGE B. but it also has C. and also by the D. but also the geographic area. Facts on magicicadas collected from: PASSAGE II [1] George Orwell, born Eric Blair wrote the classic novel Animal Farm in 1943, at the height of World War II. The extended allegory was immediately unpopular with publishers for it s blatantly negative portrayal of the communist Soviet Union. During World War II, Russia was seen by the west as an important ally, nonetheless publishers in Blair s 16 native Britain bristled at the thought of publishing a work so critical of the regime G. Blair; wrote H. Blair, wrote J. Blair. Wrote 15. A. NO CHANGE B. its blatantly C. its blatant D. it s blatant 16. G. although H. however J. thus 3

4 17 [2] The winds of change blew fierce, however, in the years immediately following World War II. By the end of the decade, Animal Farm was one of the top selling novels in Britain and the U.S. It had been translated into 35 different languages and was being hailed as a prototypical political satire The writer wants to introduce paragraph 2 with a sentence that will indicate that the end of the war affected people s perception of the novel. Assuming all are true, which of the following choices best does that? A. NO CHANGE B. After the war, Orwell also found himself struggling to find a publisher for his next novel C. Perceptions of World War II began to change after the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in D. The end of the War signaled to the American people that it was okay to purchase in large quantity formerly rationed items. 18. G. has been H. having been J. OMIT the underlined portion [3] [1] Upon careful perusal, it is evident that each element of the book mirrors a figure or incident of communist Russia. [2] Even minor characters like Mollie, the vain and careless show horse, correlate to the Russian middle class who resisted the revolution. [3] From the squabbling protagonist pigs, Napoleon and Snowball, who clearly represent Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky, to the diligent work horses, Boxer and Clover, who are obvious representations of the proletariat labor class, every character is meaningful. [4] And not only the characters are metaphorical; even the ill-fated windmill represents Soviet industry. [5] The plot of the book is not complex, yet the symbolism is rich A. NO CHANGE B. carefully C. taking care in D. OMIT the underlined portion Question 20 asks about the paragraph as a whole. 20. Which of the following provides the most logical ordering of sentences in paragraph 3? G. 1, 5, 2, 3, 4 H. 5, 1, 3, 2, 4 J. 5, 1, 4, 3, A. NO CHANGE B. whom C. that are D. whoever 4

5 [4] Although Orwell s book strongly critiques the communist Russia, Orwell himself was a supporter 22 of the socialist cause. The son of a customs service official, Orwell attended the prestigious Eton preparatory school entirely on a scholarship. The disconnect he felt from his more privileged classmates, sowed the seeds of class consciousness in the young writer. 22. The writer is considering omitting the underlined sentence. Should the writer omit the sentence? F. Yes, because the passage focuses on Orwell s adult life, not his childhood. G. Yes, because the sentence does not contribute to the discussion of the elements of the novel. H. No, because the sentence demonstrates that Orwell had a rigorous educational background. J. No, because the sentence reveals the root of Orwell s concern over class issues. [5] In 1937 Orwell traveled to Spain to fight for the socialist cause in the Spanish Civil War. He and other members of a Marxist militia group were targeted by Stalins force s that feared their association with Trotsky. As Orwell fled Spain fearing for his life, as he did that he came to know that he realized the true nature of Stalin and his hold over Soviet Russia. Deeply scarred by this encounter, and further enraged that Stalin was conducting massacres in the name of socialism, Orwell was inspired to write Animal Farm A. NO CHANGE B. Stalin s forces C. Stalins forces D. Stalin s forces 24. G. and as he did H. and then J. OMIT the underlined portion Question 25 asks about the preceding passage as a whole. 25. For the sake of logic and coherence, which of the following provides the best ordering of the paragraphs in the passage? A. NO CHANGE B. 1, 3, 4, 5, 2 C. 1, 5, 2, 3, 4 D. 5, 1, 4, 3, 2 5

What makes this text specific to its genre by describing the context which surrounds it.

Assignment brief Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria 2017-18 Overview of assessment task Animal Farm Essay Discuss the genre of Animal Farm by addressing: What makes this text specific to its genre