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Paris is the culinary center of the world. All the great missionaries of good cookery have gone forth from it, and its cuisine was, is, and ever will be the supreme expression of one of the greatest arts in the world. Most of the good cooks come from the south of France, most of the good food comes from the north. They meet at Paris, and thus the Paris cuisine, which is that of the nation and that of the civilized world, is created.
Adapted from The Gourmet's Guide to Europe, by Lieut.-Col. Newnham-Davis and Agernon Bastard (1903)
With which of the following statements would the author most likely agree?
The best answer is "Parisian cuisine has spread around the world. " This is because of the line that says "All the great missionaries of good cookery have gone forth from it," the word "missionary" meaning that people have started in Paris and taken the food elsewhere, including foreign countries. All of the other statements are at odds with things the author claims in the passage.
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Six years before Vasco da Gama made his famous voyage to India around Africa and opened a new trade route for the Portuguese merchants, another seaman had formed and carried out a much bolder plan. This was Christopher Columbus, and his plan was to sail directly west from Europe into the unknown ocean in search of new islands and the coast of Asia. Columbus, who was a native of Genoa in Italy, had followed his younger brother to Portugal. Both were probably led there by the fame of Prince Henry's explorations.
The brothers became very skillful in making maps and charts for the Portuguese. They also frequently sailed with them on their expeditions along the coast of Africa. All the early associations of Columbus were with men interested in voyages of discovery, and particularly with those engaged in the daring search for a sea route to India.
Adapted from Introductory American History, by Henry Eldridge Bourne and Elbert Jay Benton (1912)
Based on this passage, we can infer that the authors thought Christopher Columbus was ________________.
The best answer choice is "adventurous." We can guess this from the use of words like "bold" and "daring," which convey a lack of fear and a love of adventure. The authors seem impressed by him rather than unimpressed. There are no suggestions that Columbus was conceited. For these reasons, the best choice is "adventurous."
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The Egyptian writing was certainly the quaintest, and perhaps the prettiest, that has ever been known. It is called "hieroglyphic," which means "sacred carving," and it is nothing but little pictures from beginning to end. The Egyptians began by putting down a picture of the thing which was represented by the word they wanted to use, and, though by-and-by they formed a sort of alphabet to spell words with, and had, besides, signs that represented the different syllables of a word, still, these signs were all little pictures. For instance, one of their signs for a was the figure of an eagle; their sign for m was a lion, and for u a little chicken; so that when you look at an Egyptian book written in the hieroglyphic character, you see column after column of birds and beasts and creeping things, of men and women and boats, and all sorts of other things, marching across the page.
Adapted from Peeps at Many Lands: Ancient Egypt, by Rev. James Baikie (1912)
What is the author's attitude towards Egyptian writing?
The best answer is "positive." Readers can infer from words like "quaintest" and "prettiest" that the author appreciates the ancient Egyptian writing. The author seems impressed with the beauty of the writing when he states, "when you look at an Egyptian book written in the hieroglyphic character, you see column after column of birds and beasts and creeping things, of men and women and boats, and all sorts of other things, marching across the page." For that reason, the best choice is "positive."
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Bees live in a house that is called a hive. They are of three kinds,—workers, drones, and queens. Only one queen can live in each hive. If she is lost or dead, the other bees will stop their work. They are very wise and busy little creatures. They all join together to build cells of wax for their honey. Each bee takes its proper place, and does its own work. Some go out and gather honey from the flowers; others stay at home and work inside the hive. The cells which they build, are all of one shape and size, and no room is left between them. The cells are not round, but have six sides. Did you ever look into a glass hive to see the bees while at work? It is pleasant to see how busy they always are. But the drones do not work. Before winter comes, all the drones are driven from the hive or killed, that they may not eat the honey which they did not gather. It is not quite safe for children to handle bees. They have sharp stings that they know well how to use in their defense.
From McGuffey's Second Eclectic Reader by William Holmes McGuffey (1879)
Based on the passage, what inference can be made about the author?
The correct answer is "the author likes bees." We can infer this from several of the words and phrases in the passage, including "they are very wise and busy little creatures," and "it is pleasant to see how busy they always are." These lines have a positive connotation and thus we can infer that the author likes bees rather than dislikes them or is indifferent to them. He certainly seems knowledgeable about them. Therefore, the best choice is "the author likes bees."
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At the little town of Vevey, in Switzerland, there is a particularly comfortable hotel. There are, indeed, many hotels, for the entertainment of tourists is the business of the place, which, as many travelers will remember, is seated upon the edge of a remarkably blue lake—a lake that it behooves every tourist to visit. The shore of the lake presents an unbroken array of establishments of this order, of every category, from the "grand hotel" of the newest fashion, with a chalk-white front, a hundred balconies, and a dozen flags flying from its roof, to the little Swiss pension of an elder day, with its name inscribed in German-looking lettering upon a pink or yellow wall and an awkward summerhouse in the angle of the garden. One of the hotels at Vevey, however, is famous, even classical, being distinguished from many of its upstart neighbors by an air both of luxury and of maturity. In this region, in the month of June, American travelers are extremely numerous; it may be said, indeed, that Vevey assumes at this period some of the characteristics of an American watering place. There are sights and sounds which evoke a vision, an echo, of Newport and Saratoga. There is a flitting hither and thither of "stylish" young girls, a rustling of muslin flounces, a rattle of dance music in the morning hours, a sound of high-pitched voices at all times. You receive an impression of these things at the excellent inn of the "Trois Couronnes" and are transported in fancy to the Ocean House or to Congress Hall. But at the "Trois Couronnes," it must be added, there are other features that are much at variance with these suggestions: neat German waiters, who look like secretaries of legation; Russian princesses sitting in the garden; little Polish boys walking about held by the hand, with their governors; a view of the sunny crest of the Dent du Midi and the picturesque towers of the Castle of Chillon.
Adapted from "Daisy Miller: A Study" by Henry James, 1879.
What can readers infer about the tourists who come to Vevey, Switzerland?
The best choice is "they are wealthy." We can infer this based on the passage because the town is described as having comfortable, grand and famous hotels. It is also compared to American resorts (Newport and Saratoga) which are primarily havens for wealthy people. The passage also describes the tourists as "stylish" which implies that they have some money. There is no mention of the tourists being unsophisticated--in fact, they are implied to be the opposite. The passage specifically mentions that many of them are American, so the Canadian choice is incorrect. The passage also specifically mentions young tourists, so the retired choice is also incorrect.
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If you wanted to build a house, of what should you build it? In a new country, people generally use wood; but after a time wood grows expensive. Moreover, wood catches fire easily; therefore, as a country becomes more thickly settled and people live close together in cities, stone and brick are used. Large cities do not allow the building of wooden houses within a certain distance from the center, and sometimes even the use of wooden shingles is forbidden. Of late years large numbers of "concrete" or "cement" houses have been built. Our grandfathers would have opened their eyes wide at the suggestion of a house built of sand, and would have felt anxious at every rainfall lest their homes should suddenly melt away. Even after thousands of concrete buildings were in use, many people still feared that they would not stand the cold winters and hot summers of the United States; but it has been proved that concrete is a success provided it is properly made.
From Diggers in the Earth by Eva March Tappan (1919)
What can we infer about concrete, based on this passage?
The answer is "Sand is one of the ingredients of concrete." We know this because the passage states "Of late years large numbers of "concrete" or "cement" houses have been built. Our grandfathers would have opened their eyes wide at the suggestion of a house built of sand, and would have felt anxious at every rainfall lest their homes should suddenly melt away." These lines gives us the clue that cement is composed at least partially of sand, which causes anxiety in older generations. We cannot infer that concrete is weaker than wood, and these lines disprove that answer choice: "but it has been proved that concrete is a success provided it is properly made." There is no mention that concrete is more expensive than wood or that concrete can last longer than wood.
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The history of Greece goes back to the time when people did not know how to write, and kept no record of what was happening around them. For a long while the stories told by parents to their children were the only information which could be had about the country and its former inhabitants; and these stories, slightly changed by every new teller, grew more and more extraordinary as time passed. At last they were so changed that no one could tell where the truth ended and fancy began.
The beginning of Greek history is therefore like a fairy tale; and while much of it cannot, of course, be true, it is the only information we have about the early Greeks.
-Adapted from The Story of the Greeks by H.A. Guerber (1896)
Based on this passage, what can readers infer about fairy tales?
The best answer is "They contain unbelievable events." The author compares the stories of early Greek history to fairy tales, saying that the truth was changed slightly from generation to generation until the real history has changed so much that it is untrue. Thus, we can infer that the events in fairy tales are similarly unbelievable, making the answer choice "They are realistic" incorrect. The other answer choices, "They are commonly told at bedtime" and "They are only written in Greek" have no basis in this passage.
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The history of Greece goes back to the time when people did not know how to write, and kept no record of what was happening around them. For a long while the stories told by parents to their children were the only information which could be had about the country and its former inhabitants; and these stories, slightly changed by every new teller, grew more and more extraordinary as time passed. At last they were so changed that no one could tell where the truth ended and fancy began.
The beginning of Greek history is therefore like a fairy tale; and while much of it cannot, of course, be true, it is the only information we have about the early Greeks.
-Adapted from The Story of the Greeks by H.A. Guerber (1896)
All of the following is true about the earliest history of Greece EXCEPT ___________________.
The correct answer is "it was lost in a volcanic explosion." This is the correct answer because the passage states all of the other choices as facts about the earliest history of Greece, but there is no mention of a volcanic explosion erasing history. Since the question is asking for the one false statement, the best choice is "it was lost in a volcanic explosion."
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Pauline looked through the picket fence and scowled.
"Oh, those poor little rabbits!" she whispered to herself. "I don't believe that boy has fed them this morning. And now he's gone off to play ball. It is a shame!" She glanced under the grape arbor, where some chickweed was growing luxuriantly, and for a minute she hesitated. The next, she was down among the chickweed, pulling it up by the handful.
She approached the fence again, looked cautiously around, to make sure nobody was in sight, and then thrust the green stuff between the pickets.
That first time of Pauline's feeding the rabbits was followed by a second and a third, and finally it came to be a common thing for her to peer through the fence to see if they were supplied with food, and if not to carry them a good meal.
Adapted from Dew Drops by Emma C. Dowd (1914)
Based on the passage, what inference can be made about Pauline?
The correct answer is "She is caring." From the passage, the reader can infer that Pauline is caring. We can come to this conclusion from her words ("Oh, those poor little rabbits!" she whispered to herself. "I don't believe that boy has fed them this morning. And now he's gone off to play ball. It is a shame!") and her actions (feeding the rabbits). None of the clues in the passage point to her being greedy, unhelpful, or smart.
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An ant, walking by the river one day, said to himself, “How nice and cool this water looks! I must drink some of it.” But as he began to drink, his foot slipped, and he fell in.
“Oh, somebody please help me, or I shall drown!” cried he.
A Dove, sitting in a tree that overhung the river, heard him, and threw him a leaf. “Climb up on that leaf,” said she, “and you will float ashore.”
The Ant climbed up onto the leaf, which the wind blew to the shore, and he stepped upon dry land again.
“Good-by, kind Dove,” said he, as he ran home. “You have saved my life, and I wish I could do something for you.”
“Good-by,” said the Dove; “be careful not to fall in again.”
A few days after this, when the Dove was busy building her nest, the Ant saw a man just raising his gun to shoot her.
He ran quickly, and bit the man’s leg so hard that he cried “Oh! oh!” and dropped his gun.
This startled the Dove, and she flew away. The man picked up his gun, and walked on.
When he was gone, the Dove came back to her nest.
“Thank you, my little friend,” she said. “You have saved my life.”
And the little Ant was overjoyed to think he had been able to do for the Dove what the Dove had so lately done for him.
Aesop's Fables: A Version for Young Readers by J.H. Stickney (1915)
Which of the following inferences can be made based on the passage?
The correct answer is "the ant cannot swim." We can infer this based on the events in the story: the ant tries to drink from the water, but slips and falls in, then calls out, “Oh, somebody please help me, or I shall drown!” If the ant could swim, he wouldn't worry about drowning in the water. None of the other statements have any support from the story, and so the best choice is "the ant cannot swim."
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John Scott and Philip Lannes walked together down a great boulevard of Paris. The young American's heart was filled with grief and anger. The Frenchman felt the same grief, but mingled with it was a fierce, burning passion, so deep and bitter that it took a much stronger word than anger to describe it.
Both had heard that morning the mutter of cannon on the horizon, and they knew the German conquerors were advancing. They were always advancing. Nothing had stopped them. The metal and masonry of the defenses at Liège had crumbled before their huge guns like china breaking under stone. The giant shells had scooped out the forts at Maubeuge, Maubeuge the untakable, as if they had been mere eggshells, and the mighty Teutonic host came on, almost without a check.
The Forest of the Swords: A Story of Paris and the Marne, by Joseph A. Altshelter (1915)
What can we infer about the setting of the story?
The correct answer is "The story takes place during a war." We can infer this based on the details in the passage, including words like "cannons," "German conquerors," "guns," "shells," and "forts." There are no details that this story would take place in the future. There is strong support that the story is taking place during a war, and not after it or during peace time. We know this because of the line "Both had heard that morning the mutter of cannon on the horizon." For those reasons, the best choice is "The story takes place during a war."
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John Scott and Philip Lannes walked together down a great boulevard of Paris. The young American's heart was filled with grief and anger. The Frenchman felt the same grief, but mingled with it was a fierce, burning passion, so deep and bitter that it took a much stronger word than anger to describe it.
Both had heard that morning the mutter of cannon on the horizon, and they knew the German conquerors were advancing. They were always advancing. Nothing had stopped them. The metal and masonry of the defenses at Liège had crumbled before their huge guns like china breaking under stone. The giant shells had scooped out the forts at Maubeuge, Maubeuge the untakable, as if they had been mere eggshells, and the mighty Teutonic host came on, almost without a check.
The Forest of the Swords: A Story of Paris and the Marne, by Joseph A. Altshelter (1915)
Based on the passage, we can conclude that the main characters think the Germans are ______________.
The best choice is "powerful and dangerous." This is the best choice because of the details found in the second paragraph: the characters state that the Germans "were always advancing" and that "nothing had stopped them." They also mention the defenses "had crumbled before their huge guns like china breaking under stone." These details give support for the idea that they are powerful and dangerous. These details go against the idea that they are "ineffective and weak." There is a strong negative connotation used to describe the Germans, so the responses "practical and wise," and "brilliant and gifted" are not the best choices since those descriptions have a more positive connotation.
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The natives of Australia were always few in number. Australia produced no grain of any sort naturally; neither wheat, oats, barley nor maize. It produced practically no edible fruit, excepting a few berries, and one or two nuts, the outer rind of which was eatable. There were no useful roots such as the potato, the turnip, or the yam, or the taro. The native animals were few and just barely eatable, the kangaroo, and the koala being the principal ones. In birds alone was the country well supplied, and they were more beautiful of plumage than useful as food. Even the fisheries were infrequent, for the coast line is unbroken by any great bays, and there is thus less sea frontage to Australia than to any other of the continents, and the rivers are few in number.
Adapted from Peeps at Many Lands: Australia by Frank Fox (1911)
Which of the following can you infer from this passage?
The correct answer is "survival was difficult for most native Australians." We can tell from the details in the passage that there was little food and few resources which would help a population survive. We also know that natives were few in number. From these clues, we are able to infer that survival was difficult. The answer choice suggesting that the natives had a lot of leisure time contradicts the idea that survival was difficult, so it is incorrect. The other answer choices have no support from the passage, and so the best choice is "survival was difficult for most native Australians."
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One fine day in winter some Ants were busy drying their store of corn, which had got rather damp during a long spell of rain. Presently up came a Grasshopper and begged them to spare her a few grains, "For," she said, "I'm simply starving." The Ants stopped work for a moment, though this was against their principles. "May we ask," said they, "what you were doing with yourself all last summer? Why didn't you collect a store of food for the winter?" "The fact is," replied the Grasshopper, "I was so busy singing that I hadn't the time." "If you spent the summer singing," replied the Ants, "you can't do better than spend the winter dancing." And they chuckled and went on with their work.
Adapted from Aesop's Fables, translated by V.S. Vernon Jones (1912)
Based on the passage, which of the following activities would the ants recommend?
The correct answer is "saving some money each year for retirement." Based on the events in the story, the message of the ants is that you must delay pleasure and work hard in order to have security in the future. Of the choices, one of them is irresponsible (Putting off difficult homework assignments until later), one is frivolous (Enjoying the summer weather by taking long vacations) and one goes against the ants' message of personal responsibility ("Asking for help when you need it"). Based on the words and actions of the ants, we can infer that instead of spending their money, they would save some for retirement and have it when they needed it.
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"What am I going to do without you, Marjorie?" Mary Raymond's blue eyes looked suspiciously misty as she solemnly regarded her chum.
"What am I going to do without you, you mean," corrected Marjorie Dean, with a wistful smile. "Please, please don't let's talk of it. I simply can't bear it."
"One, two—only two more weeks now," sighed Mary. "You'll surely write to me, Marjorie?"
"Of course, silly girl," returned Marjorie, patting her friend's arm affectionately. "I'll write at least once a week."
Adapted from Marjorie Dean: High School Freshman, by Pauline Lester (1917)
Based on the passage, what inference can be made about Marjorie?
The correct answer is "she is moving far away from her friend Mary." Readers can tell that she is moving far away because of the lines, "You'll surely write to me, Marjorie?" If Marjorie were being transferred to another class or if she were moving down the street from Mary, she would not need to write letters to keep in touch. Therefore, the best choice is "she is moving far away from her friend Mary."
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I was a wild little girl of seven. Loosely clad in a slip of brown buckskin, and light-footed with a pair of soft moccasins on my feet, I was as free as the wind that blew my hair, and no less spirited than a bounding deer. These were my mother's pride,--my wild freedom and overflowing spirits. She taught me no fear save that of intruding myself upon others.
Having gone many paces ahead I stopped, panting for breath, and laughing with glee as my mother watched my every movement. I was not wholly conscious of myself, but was more keenly alive to the fire within. It was as if I were the activity, and my hands and feet were only experiments for my spirit to work upon.
Returning from the river, I tugged beside my mother, with my hand upon the bucket I believed I was carrying. One time, on such a return, I remember a bit of conversation we had. My grown-up cousin, Warca-Ziwin (Sunflower) always went to the river alone for water for her mother. Their wigwam was not far from ours; and I saw her daily going to and from the river. I admired my cousin greatly. So I said: "Mother, when I am tall as my cousin Warca-Ziwin, you shall not have to come for water. I will do it for you."
Adapted from Zitkala Sa's "Impressions of an Indian Childhood" (1900)
What is most likely the author's purpose for writing this passage?
The best answer is "To describe important personal memories." The title of the passage as well as the content lead us to choose this answer. The author does not use any persuasive techniques, and also does not present factual information about a set of customs, but rather conveys a personal experience. The anecdote is light-hearted, but not necessarily meant to amuse--it does not contain any jokes and in fact, it turns more serious at the end.
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A really fine waterfall is a most fascinating thing. Long before you reach it you hear the roar of the water, and see the spray ascending like steam from a boiling caldron. Then when you stand before it, you gaze in wonder on the never-ending rush of water, hurtling in one great mass from top to bottom of the lofty cliff, or leaping in mighty bounds from ledge to ledge.
Adapted from Peeps at Many Lands: Norway by A. F. Mockler-Ferryman (1911)
What is the purpose of this passage?
The correct answer is to describe. The paragraph mostly focuses on sensory details about a waterfall, including auditory and visual imagery. There is a lack of factual information, so informative is not the best choice. The author doesn't spend any time trying to convince the readers about anything in particular, so "to persuade" is not the best choice. Finally, the passage does not tell an entertaining story or have humorous anecdotes, so the best choice is not "to entertain," but rather "to describe."
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Science tells us that all objects are made visible to us by means of light; and that white light, by which we see things in what may be called their normal aspect, is composed of all the colors of the solar spectrum, as may be seen in a rainbow; a phenomenon caused, as everybody knows, by the sun's rays being split up into their component parts.
This light travels in straight lines and, striking objects before us, is reflected in all directions. Some of these rays passing through a point situated behind the lenses of the eye, strike the retina. The multiplication of these rays on the retina produces a picture of whatever is before the eye, such as can be seen on the ground glass at the back of a photographer's camera, or on the table of a camera obscura, both of which instruments are constructed roughly on the same principle as the human eye.
These rays of light when reflected from an object, and again when passing through the atmosphere, undergo certain modifications. Should the object be a red one, the yellow, green, and blue rays, all, in fact, except the red rays, are absorbed by the object, while the red is allowed to escape. These red rays striking the retina produce certain effects which convey to our consciousness the sensation of red, and we say "That is a red object."
-From The Practice & Science of Drawing by Harold Speed (1913)
What is the main purpose of this passage?
The best answer is "to inform." This passage is primarily concerned with telling straightforward facts. It does not attempt to change our minds or make us do something, so it is not a persuasive text. Also, it does not contain amusing anecdotes of stories, so it is not an entertaining text either. The best choice is "to inform."
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The Egyptian writing was certainly the quaintest, and perhaps the prettiest, that has ever been known. It is called "hieroglyphic," which means "sacred carving," and it is nothing but little pictures from beginning to end. The Egyptians began by putting down a picture of the thing which was represented by the word they wanted to use, and, though by-and-by they formed a sort of alphabet to spell words with, and had, besides, signs that represented the different syllables of a word, still, these signs were all little pictures. For instance, one of their signs for a was the figure of an eagle; their sign for m was a lion, and for u a little chicken; so that when you look at an Egyptian book written in the hieroglyphic character, you see column after column of birds and beasts and creeping things, of men and women and boats, and all sorts of other things, marching across the page.
Adapted from Peeps at Many Lands: Ancient Egypt, by Rev. James Baikie (1912)
What is the purpose of this passage?
The correct answer is "to describe how Egyptian writing was unique." This is the best choice because the author spends most of the paragraph talking about the distinctive features of Egyptian writing. First, the authors states that their writing was probably "the prettiest that has ever been known," and also "when you look at an Egyptian book written in the hieroglyphic character, you see column after column of birds and beasts and creeping things, of men and women and boats, and all sorts of other things, marching across the page." This language is very descriptive rather than persuasive, entertaining or informative. For those reasons, the best choice is "to describe how Egyptian writing was unique."
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One fine day in winter some Ants were busy drying their store of corn, which had got rather damp during a long spell of rain. Presently up came a Grasshopper and begged them to spare her a few grains, "For," she said, "I'm simply starving." The Ants stopped work for a moment, though this was against their principles. "May we ask," said they, "what you were doing with yourself all last summer? Why didn't you collect a store of food for the winter?" "The fact is," replied the Grasshopper, "I was so busy singing that I hadn't the time." "If you spent the summer singing," replied the Ants, "you can't do better than spend the winter dancing." And they chuckled and went on with their work.
Adapted from Aesop's Fables, translated by V.S. Vernon Jones (1912)
What is the purpose of this passage?
The correct answer is "to teach a lesson through a fictional scene." The story is fictional, as we know from the talking insects. The purpose of the passage is to instruct readers on a life lesson rather than to persuade readers to store grain in a literal sense; the lesson can be applied to many situations. Because the passage is not factual, The purpose is not to inform about insects or to describe the diets of insects. For these reasons, the best choice is "to teach a lesson through a fictional scene."
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