Practice Test C
Answers and Explanations
1.
To answer this question, you must know the meaning of the terms presented as answer choices.
Extended definitions are, as the term suggests, long definitions that provide details, examples, or
amplification. Since the first paragraph defines homologous similarities, and the second defines
analogous similarities, and since both definitions elaborate on the everyday meaning of these
words, choice (C) is the correct answer. There are no elaborate metaphors in either paragraph,
nor are there any series of parallel structures, so choices (A) and (B) are incorrect. There are no
opposing viewpoints presented in the passage, so option (D) is not the answer. And no causeand-effect relationships are described, so choice (E) is not correct.
The correct answer (C) was chosen by 73% of test takers.
2.
To answer this straightforward question, you need to review the section of the passage where
homologous similarities are discussed and find a synonym for "homologous." In line 6, the words
"or genealogical" are set off in commas just after the word "homologous," signifying that
"genealogical" is a synonym. Choice (B) is therefore correct. The other four answer choices are
words that appear in the passage, but when you read them in the context of the sentences in
which they appear, you can see that they are not synonyms for the word "homologous."
The correct answer (B) was chosen by 91% of test takers.
3.
To answer this question, first locate the quotation in the passage; note that the paragraph in
which the quotation appears is about analogous similarities. Also note that the quoted phrase
describes the examples offered for hexagonal shapes--soap bubbles, a turtle's shell, basalt pillar-and so is part of the example. Therefore, choice (C) is the correct choice. Option (A) is incorrect
because it deals with homologous, not analogous, relationships, and choice (B) is wrong because
false perceptions are not discussed in this part of the passage. Similarly, the author offers no
bridge between homologous and analogous similarities, making option (D) incorrect. Finally,
choice (E) may seem plausible, since the example in lines 33-34 is an example of formal or
morphological resemblance; but this relationship is one of similarity rather than contrast, so option
(E) is not correct.
The correct answer (C) was chosen by 73% of test takers.
4.
This question requires you to evaluate the author's tone in this part of the passage. Note that by
choosing the pronouns "our" (line 37) and "we" (lines 40 and 42), Gould includes himself among
those who "make such mistakes all the time," which suggests he thinks making this sort of
mistake is a reasonable thing to do. Choice (A), which captures the author's empathetic tone, is
therefore the correct answer. Options (B) and (C) are incorrect because the author's tone is
neither cautioning nor skeptical. Rather, he is impressed with the significance and complexity of
the natural historian's task. Option (D) may be attractive because Gould does discuss the need to
distinguish "the meaningful from the meaningless," but public opinion about classification is not
discussed at all. Finally, choice (E) is incorrect because no opposing points of view, either direct
or implied, are discussed in the passage.
The correct answer (A) was chosen by 53% of test takers.
5. This question requires you to select a suitable paraphrase of the quoted text. In lines 44-45,
the speaker says that people with good judgment do not see significance in superficial similarities
because their intuitions have been sharpened by training and experience. Choice (D), which
captures this idea, is the correct answer. Option (A) is an inference that misreads the speaker's
meaning. Choice (B) may be attractive because it is a generally true statement and Gould does
discuss the complexity of the world in the previous sentence, but it is not a paraphrase of the
quoted text. Similarly, the author does not discuss personal taste in lines 44-45, so option (C) is
incorrect. Finally, the author has not proposed any standards of meaning, nor has he suggested
who should create such standards, so choice (E) is also not the best answer.
The correct answer (D) was chosen by 61% of test takers.
6.
This question requires you to understand the author's attitude toward people who make a
particular type of mistake. You can answer this question using process of elimination. Since the
author includes himself among people who make such mistakes, he cannot be said to be
suspicious of them--choice (A); rather, he is certain of them. Similarly, since Gould points out that
making such mistakes can lead to even larger errors of judgement, he is not indifferent--option
(B). And he is not surprised at all at such "foolishness"--choice (C); rather, he accepts that it
occurs. Neither is he uncertain--option (E); he is clear about the negative consequences of
reasoning incorrectly. As a scientist, Gould is critical of those who make unwarranted
connections, so option (D) is the correct answer.
The correct answer (D) was chosen by 68% of test takers.
7.
This is an EXCEPT question, which means that four of the five answer choices are correct
statements, but wrong answers; the one statement that is incorrect is the answer you should
choose. Notice that that the one word among the answer choices that does not appear in the
passage is "imagination," choice (E). The pairs of words that make up options (A), (B), (C), and
(D) not only appear in the passage, they are also accurately contrasted in the passage.
Therefore, choice (E) is in fact the correct answer. Imagination is not discussed in the passage.
The correct answer (E) was chosen by 57% of test takers.
8.
This question tests your understanding of elements that can affect tone. Because Gould offers
the mistake of making comparisons between the assassinations of presidents Kennedy and
Lincoln as an example of "foolishness," a negative tone would indeed have been set if the
example had been used to begin the passage. Therefore choice (A) is the correct answer.
Options (B), (C), and (D) incorrectly suggest that a derogatory tone arises from detailed
definitions, analysis, specifications, or explanation. None of these things contributes to a
derogatory, or belittling, tone. The speaker could have ended the passage with the note of
caution mentioned in choice (E), but such an ending would have made the passage cautionary
rather than derogatory.
The correct answer (A) was chosen by 67% of test takers.
9.
To answer this question, you must quickly analyze the structure of Gould's paragraphs, looking
for similarities. When you do, you will see that each paragraph begins with a concept statement
and is followed by illustrations or examples. In fact, the phrase "for example" is used in each of
the three paragraphs. Therefore, option (C) is the correct answer. Since the tone of the speaker is
authoritative, not tentative, choice (A) is not your answer. Option (B) is incorrect because the
passage does not include a discussion of exceptions. Similarly, choice (D) is incorrect because
the speaker makes no concessions to opponents. Choice (E) is incorrect because, while Gould
does present a potential problem and resolve it in the third paragraph, he does not do this in the
first or second paragraphs.
The correct answer (C) was chosen by 79% of test takers.
10.
This question asks you to identify a key metaphor used in the passage: the metaphor of the king
as the likeness of the human heart. This metaphor is revealed in line 26-27 of the passage, where
Donne states that "the heart alone is in the prinicpality and in the throne as king." Therefore,
choice (B) is the correct answer. Option (A) suggests the king is a metaphor for the law, and
option (B) suggests that the king is compared to the plague, but neither the law nor the plague is
examined by the speaker. Similarly, the king is not compared to a medicine or to a philosopher,
so choices (D) and (E) are incorrect.
The correct answer (B) was chosen by 92% of test takers.
11.
To answer this question, you must be able to trace a pronoun back to its antecedent. Moving
backward from line 11, you see that the word "it" is not identified for several lines. It is repeated in
lines 9 and 5 before it is finally identified. Then, looking at line 5, the referent appears: "the heart
of man." The noun "heart" in line 5 is the antecedent for the pronoun "it" in line 11. One way to
test your answer is to substitute each answer choice, (A) through (E), for "it." The only
substitution that makes sense is option (C), heart.
The correct answer (C) was chosen by 85% of test takers.
12.
To answer this question, you must understand the meaning of the word paradox. In lines 1-14,
Donne presents the paradox that the heart is the power center or chief organ of the human being,
and yet it is the most vulnerable and defenseless organ. Choice (B), which captures this idea, is
the correct answer. The word "rebellious" is used in lines 1-14, but Donne writes of a rebellion
against the heart. He does not he characterize the heart itself as rebellious, so option (A) cannot
be correct. In lines 10-11, Donne states that the brain and liver survive longer than the heart, so
option (C) is incorrect as well. Choice (D) may be tempting because Donne states that the heart
is "always in action and motion" and that the heart is not necessarily the strongest organ, but the
passage does not compare how much the heart accomplishes with how much the brain and liver
achieve. Finally, choice (E) can be eliminated because it is logical rather than paradoxical.
The correct answer (B) was chosen by 76% of test takers.
13.
This question asks you to find something that each of the quoted phrases has in common. The
best way to proceed is to go back and reread the phrases; when you do, you will see that each
phrase is set off by commas. Grammatically, this structure signifies that each phrase rewords or
adds explanation to ideas that directly precede them. Therefore option (D) is the correct answer.
Choice (A) is incorrect because the phrases are not more or less personal than any others. Since
the phrases fortify rather than undercut the meaning of the sentences in which they appear,
option (B) is also incorrect. Choice (C) simply offers a general statement that is not particular to
the quoted phrases. Finally, option (E) is incorrect because the quoted phrases amplify, rather
than raise objections to, ideas stated earlier.
The correct answer (D) was chosen by 71% of test takers.
14.
This questions asks you to identify the extended analogy that helps to shape the development of
the passage. Since lower animals are not mentioned in the passage, option (A) cannot be correct.
And while the brain is discussed in the passage, the mind is not mentioned, and no comparison is
made to the universe, so choice (B) is not correct. Option (C) can be eliminated because the
heart is compared to a king, not to God. And choice (D) is incorrect because, while both the liver
and a physician are mentioned in the passage, the two are not compared. Option (E) is the
correct answer; the human body (particularly the brain, heart, and liver) is compared to a
kingdom, and the heart is compared to the king.
The correct answer (E) was chosen by 75% of test takers.
15.
To answer this question, you must reread lines 22-27. Note that "a sovereignty equally shed upon
them all" is a kind of definition or explanation of the phrase "a triumvirate in man;" its function is
similar to that of the phrases asked about in question 26. Therefore choice (A), which captures
the idea that the quoted phrase explains what is meant by the triumvirate, is the correct answer.
Option (B) may be attractive because it mentions the three main parts of the body discussed in
the passage, but Donne does NOT explain their relative importance in this phrase, but rather
explains that in a triumvirate three things share power equally (which is not Donne's view of these
organs in general). The idea stated in choice (C) is incorrect; the phrase describes a power held
equally by three, which means no one organ can predominate. Option (D) does not make sense:
since the word "sovereignty" appears within the quoted phrase, it cannot explain itself. And finally,
since no mention is made of any connection between a family and a triumvirate, choice (E) is also
incorrect.
The correct answer (A) was chosen by 42% of test takers.
16.
This kind of question tests your ability to identify more than one correct statement about the "four
elements" noted in line 25 of the passage. When you reread the phrase "four elements" in
context, you can see that Donne says each element holds equal power and is essential to the
body's "very being." Statements I and II are true, therefore. We already saw that the heart, liver
and brain are NOT equal in power in power according to Donne, so statement III cannot be true.
Therefore, statements I and II are true and statement III is false, making option (C) the correct
answer.
The correct answer (C) was chosen by 44% of test takers.
17.
This is an EXCEPT question, which means that four of the five choices are correct statements,
but wrong answers to the question; the one statement that is incorrect is the answer you should
choose. When you study each of the five choices in the contexts in which they appear, you can
see that options (A), (B), (C), and (D) are all subject to a higher authority. The brain and liver,
option (A), are ruled by the heart, as is the rest of the body--choice (B). Children, option (C),
answer to the authority of their parents, and all persons, option (D), answer to their superiors.
Choice (E) is the correct answer; "them that are weaker" may be in control even though their
subjects are in some way stronger.
The correct answer (E) was chosen by 70% of test takers.
18.
This question asks you to identify the basis of Donne's argument. Since this passage is built upon
a long conceit--the metaphor of the heart as the king of a kingdom--option (A) is the correct
answer. Choice (B) may be tempting, but it is not your answer. Donne does make a few abstract
generalizations, but he does not base his argument on these; rather, he bases his argument on a
careful comparison. No syllogisms are presented in the passage, so option (C) is wrong. And a
careful reading of the passage shows no understatement and very little irony, so choice (D) is
also incorrect. Finally, since the speaker makes no appeals to authority (no authorities are even
cited), option (E) is wrong.
The correct answer (A) was chosen by 76% of test takers.
19.
This question tests your understanding of one of Donne's main ideas. The best way to answer
this kind of question is to reread the part of the passage in which the idea is discussed, making
sure you understand the argument. In this case, reread lines 37-42 and lines 55-57. According to
Donne, when we submit to a "sovereign," we are looking out for "our own preservation" and those
who obey authority "do it for their own sakes." Therefore, option (D) is the correct answer. Choice
(A), altruism, is not discussed in the passage, and is a concept that is opposite Donne's meaning.
Similarly, neither jealousy nor the need for recognition are discussed in the passage, so options
(B) and (C) are unsupported. Nor is any mention made of self-sacrifice, so choice (E) is also
wrong.
The correct answer (D) was chosen by 76% of test takers.
20.
The phrase "According to the passage" suggests that you are likely to find the answer to this
question stated directly in the passage. The idea presented in this question appears in lines 7376, where Donne discusses "patience." Notice that choice (B) is another way of expressing
Donne's idea that "the more we suffer, the more we are insulted upon." Therefore, it is the correct
answer. No mention is made of converting or exhausting the heart's enemies, either internal or
external; the speaker implies that the heart's enemies are inexhaustible. Options (A) and (C) are
therefore wrong. Kings, not God, are mentioned in the passage, so choice (D) is incorrect. And
while the idea expressed in option (E) may be humorous, it is not stated in the passage, and so is
not the correct answer.
The correct answer (B) was chosen by 50% of test takers.
21.
To answer this question, you must understand the speaker's attitude, as it is reflected in lines 7696. There, the speaker emphasizes the near worthlessness of the "earth" and, by extension, its
inhabitants. Therefore, choice (E), which captures the speaker's scorn of the earth, is the correct
answer. Options (A) and (B) misread the speaker's tone. Rather than revering the earth, Donne
states that "nothing can be nearer nothing than this earth," and rather than showing satisfaction
with human greatness, he states "how little of this earth is the greatest man." Choice (C) might
seem attractive because Donne does seem to be disgusted, but the speaker is not disgusted with
evil; rather, he is incredulous that mortals hold themselves in high regard. Finally, since the
speaker expresses dismay at man's self-importance, not awe at earth's diversity, option (D) is
incorrect.
The correct answer (E) was chosen by 41% of test takers.
22.
This question tests your ability to follow one of Donne's metaphors. Reread the whole sentence,
lines 81-87, to get the sense of the metaphor and its several parts. In this metaphor, Donne does
two things: 1) he describes the ascending body parts of man, and 2) he asserts that these parts
of humans are actually part of the earth. This questions asks you to trace Donne's metaphor of
the human body; if you do so, you will see that "the top of that [the scalp]" is a "bush," an earthy
metaphor for hair. Therefore, the correct answer is option (D). The other choices, (A), (B), (C),
and (E), are all plausible to varying degrees, because each involves some sort of high placement.
But none of them fits the terms of Donne's metaphor. Choice (A), a mountain, misinterprets
Donne's description as ascending to higher reaches of earth, when in fact his description ascends
the human body. Option (B) misreads the "bush" as a literal representation, which it is not, and
option (C) confuses the more abstract mind with Donne's very physical "brain." Finally, choice (E)
confuses Donne's reference to the body as that of a particular person, when in fact he is talking
about any and everyone.
The correct answer (D) was chosen by 54% of test takers.
23.
This type of question tests your understanding of the structure of the passage. To answer it,
examine each of the options and eliminate the choices that follow from or are part of previous
statements. The correct answer is the one that introduces a new topic. Choice (A) is part of the
discussion of the brain, heart, and liver, and choice (B) follows and draws conclusions from that
discussion. Similarly, options (D) and (E) are part of the discussion of greatness. Only choice (C)
begins a new argument. Up to line 57, the discussion is presented in terms of the analogy
between the human body and a kingdom. But beginning with the words, "O how little a thing,"
Donne introduces a new idea that focuses on the false pride and the vanity of human beings.
Therefore choice (C) is the correct answer.
The correct answer (C) was chosen by 55% of test takers.
24.
In this question, the critical word EXCEPT tells you that four of the five answer choices are
correct statements, but the right answer is the one statement that is INCORRECT. Note that the
question asks you to consider only lines 1-10. In these lines, the speaker presents herself as
reasonably confident ("It was thus that I became a journalist."), young and inexperienced (she
calls herself "a girl"), and also unchallenged (her success story "is a simple one"), so choices (A),
(B), (C), and (D) are all correct statements. However, she does not present herself as "fearful;"
the tone of the first paragraph is confident and matter-of-fact. Only later does her conflict with the
Angel in the House complicate her story. Therefore, option (E), the one incorrect statement, is the
correct answer.
The correct answer (E) was chosen by 62% of test takers.
25.
This question asks you to consider the effect of shifts in point of view that occur in the first
paragraph. Suspense, choice (A), is not used anywhere in the first paragraph, so it is not your
answer. The tone of the speaker does not become sentimental anywhere in the passage, so
option (B) is incorrect, too. Choice (C) may be tempting, because the speaker does use her own
story to attempt to relate to her audience, but, it is not the shifting use of pronouns mentioned in
the question that helps her to accomplish that connection. And option (E) presents an idea for
which there is no evidence; the speaker remains focused and intelligent throughout the passage.
Choice (D) is the correct answer. With the sentence, "It was thus that I became a journalist," the
speaker establishes a connection between her past and her present.
The correct answer (D) was chosen by 70% of test takers.
26.
Notice that the question asks you to find evidence of two elements--humor and understatement.
Choice (A)--a witty understatement of an important idea--is the correct answer. A serious writer
does not simply "move that pen" for a few hours a day; rather, a professional writer labors for
hours and sometimes struggles with ideas and language. The degree of understatement and the
fact that her audience appreciates hard work as a factor in success contributes to the humor.
Option (B) is incorrect because it lacks humor. Choices (C) and (D) lack both qualities asked for
in the question; (C) is a direct statement, focused and stated with disdain, and (D) is a conditional
statement ("as if") that merely advances the narrative. Option (E) is stated with conviction and
with a certain wry irony, but as it is not an example of understatement, it is incorrect.
The correct answer (A) was chosen by 31% of test takers.
27.
This question asks you to identify a rhetorical device or strategy that controls the main idea of the
second paragraph. Because the second paragraph presents a vivid extended metaphor of the
Angel in the House, which the speaker uses to express her theme, choice (C) is the correct
answer. The speaker's battle with the Angel in the House is not a false dilemma, so option (A)
cannot be correct. As for choice (B), the speaker does not point to any logical insufficiency, thus
begging the reader to question something. And because the reasoning in the second paragraph
is sequential and narrative, not circular, option (D) is also incorrect. Finally, while the speaker
may make generalizations, there is no suggestion that her evidence is insufficient, so choice (E)
does not fulfill the terms of the question.
The correct answer (C) was chosen by 41% of test takers.
28.
This question asks you to identify the significance of an important shift that occurs between the
first and second paragraphs of the passage. While the young, inexperienced "girl" of the first
paragraph may have thought that becoming a journalist would be "simple," the now-experienced
writer of the second paragraph knows that it was not--there was the problem of the Angel in the
House. Choice (B), then, is the correct answer. Option (A) might be tempting because it captures
some qualities of Woolf's shift, such as the speaker's youthful sincerity and later maturity, but the
tone of the passage is ironic, not cynical. As the passage does not attempt to distinguish a
Victorian view of journalism from a modern one, option (C) is also incorrect. The speaker's
struggle with the Angel in the House, introduced in the second paragraph, is the primary subject
of the passage, not a secondary one, so choice (D) cannot be the answer. And because there is
no evidence that the speaker's appraisal of the audience changes during the passage, option (E)
is wrong, too.
The correct answer (B) was chosen by 39% of test takers.
29.
This question asks you to characterize one of the speaker's statements. The statement is a selfevident remark, delivered as a humorous revelation. Therefore option (C), which captures these
qualities, is the correct answer. Because the statement does not present a paradox, choice (A)
cannot be correct. And there is nothing challenging about this simply stated line, so, option (B) is
not the correct answer. Choice (D) may be tempting, as the statement may appear to be an
afterthought, but it is not irrelevant; it is the core of the paragraph, so this choice is incorrect.
Finally, nothing in the speaker's tone suggests that the statement is intended as an insult to any
reader, so option (E) is not your answer.
The correct answer (C) was chosen by 52% of test takers.
30.
This question asks you to determine why the Angel is considered a "phantom" by the speaker.
For the speaker, the Angel is an intangible presence, an unrealistic concept of acceptable female
behavior, which troubles her and threatens her ability to write with a mind of her own. Therefore,
choice (C), which captures this idea, is the correct answer. Option (A) is a correct statement
because the Angel is a heroine in a poem, but this is not what makes her a phantom, so this is
not your answer. There is no suggestion in the passage that the Angel wishes the speaker harm-option (B); indeed, it is the other way around as Woolf presents it. Because the speaker is clear
throughout the passage that she believes she has performed a service in killing the phantom,
option (D) is incorrect as well. And option (E) is contradicted by the detailed knowledge the
speaker exhibits about the phantom's origin, strengths, and falseness.
The correct answer (C) was chosen by 80% of test takers.
31.
This question asks you to identify the rhetorical effect of the writer's syntax. To answer the
question, reread lines 27-31. The lines present a series of short declarative sentences, intensified
with adverbs and adjectives that exaggerate the Angel's good qualities and make her
"accomplishments" seem both normal and simple. For this reason, choice (D) is the correct
answer; in these lines, Woolf wants her audience to question both the value and the price of the
angel's choices. Options (A) and (B) are misreadings of the lines; the speaker is ironic, not at all
positive, about the Angel, nor does she praise the culture that created and upheld her. As the
passage makes no comment on the speaker's early writing style, choice (C) is incorrect. And
option (E) is wrong because the speaker's satirical mockery is aimed at the Angel, not at Victorian
woman writers.
The correct answer (D) was chosen by 44% of test takers.
32.
This question asks you to recognize how the Angel functions as a symbol. The speaker implies
that the Angel existed because women believed that men expected them to behave this way, and
also because they believed that it was necessary to please men. Therefore, choice (A) is the
correct answer. Option (B) is incorrect because it is too narrow--the Angel symbolizes male
attitudes toward women in general, not just toward women writers. Choice (C) is nearly opposite
Woolf's view of the angel: the angel's determination to be accepted by men actually makes her
unable to speak the truth demanded by good writing. Option (D) is wrong because the Angel
symbolizes a particular view of human relationships, not ignorance of them. And choice (E), like
(B), is too narrow; the Angel symbolizes a model of conduct for all Victorian women, not just
aspiring writers.
The correct answer (A) was chosen by 53% of test takers.
33.
This question asks you to make an inference based on what you read in the passage. The
speaker bases her ideas on her own experience and knowledge; she grew up in Victorian
England and was exposed to Victorian ethics and values. Therefore option (B) is the correct
answer. Since the speaker mentions that she "came to know" the influence of the "phantom"
before she chose the name "Angel" from the poem, choice (A) cannot be correct. And if the
speaker was only motivated by her own impulses, the self-effacing Angel would not have
threatened to inhibit her, so option (C) is wrong, too. While the speaker is probably well-read, she
mentions only one poem, and though this poem provided her with a name for her "phantom," her
experience--not the poem--is her chief source of knowledge about the Angel; choice (D) is not a
good answer. Finally, there is little or no evidence in the passage that the speaker values purity;
in fact, her mockery of the Angel suggests that she questions what "purity" is. Option (E) is
therefore wrong.
The correct answer (B) was chosen by 33% of test takers.
34.
By the time you get to this question, you will likely have a good understanding of the speaker's
attitude toward the Angel. The ironic tone expressed in lines 26-38 and the fact that the speaker
wishes to "kill" the Angel all point to choice (E) as the correct answer. The speaker, far from
enthusiastic about the Angel's presence, wishes the Angel harm, so choice (A) cannot be correct.
Neither does the speaker express any regret over the Angel's demise, as option (B) suggests.
And the speaker is neither objective about the Angel, choice (C), nor jealous of her, choice (D);
she has felt her influence and is angry about the threat she poses to women.
The correct answer (E) was chosen by 43% of test takers.
35.
This question asks you to identify the significance of the strangling of the Angel--which is a
symbolic event, not an actual murder. The speaker knows she must act based on her own view of
the world, not based on a desire to please others. By destroying the voice of the angel within her,
the speaker becomes free to express her own views. Therefore choice (A) is the correct answer.
She is neither lawless, as option (B) suggests, nor impure, as option (C) states. And while the
speaker is confident, she is not arrogant, as choice (D) indicates. Finally, the speaker's
confidence also contradicts option (E); the speaker does not seem anxious, even though she is
troubled by the Angel in the House.
The correct answer (A) was chosen by 71% of test takers.
36.
This question asks you to trace a particular metaphor back to its root. The speaker is determined
to speak her own mind regardless of the limitations imposed on her by the Angel (that is, by
Victorian society). The heart of the speaker's writing, then--the part that the Angel endangers--is
her candor; choice (A) is the correct answer. While the speaker does wish for a kind of freedom,
there is no suggestion that she wishes to be whimsical; indeed, Woolf wants to be free delve into
truths that are anything but light-hearted. Option (B), then, is a misreading of the passage. The
speaker does not wish to restrain herself--choice (C); on the contrary, she desires freedom of
expression. And while the Angel may be delicate by nature, option (D), the speaker is not; she
asserts herself against the norms of Victorian society, an act characterized by courage and
daring. Lastly, while the speaker is independent, there is no evidence in the passage that she is
arrogant, so choice (E) is not your answer.
The correct answer (A) was chosen by 24% of test takers.
37.
This question asks you to characterize Burke's rhetorical position. Look at the first words in each
of the choices. First, decide who the speaker is--a conservative, ideologue, philosopher,
authoritarian, or believer. Next, consider whether the passage is best described as an argument,
longing, prescription, or justification. If you review the passage carefully, you can see that the
speaker is critical of those who would "rashly" oppose the state, and that he urges "caution."
Thus, the passage is best characterized as a conservative's argument for moderation--choice (A).
The four other choices offer erroneous descriptions of the passage. Burke neither longs for
perfection (B), suggests ways to achieve justice (C), justifies any unfairness (D), nor defends a
particular religion (E). This is not an easy first question. By answering it correctly, you show that
you have understood many important aspects of the speaker's views. Remember, you can
always skip a question like this and return to it as your understanding of the passage develops.
The correct answer (A) was chosen by 30% of test takers.
38.
This question tests your understanding of vocabulary in context. When you review the sentence
in which the word appears, you can see that the word "versatility" is characterized as an "evil."
Right away then, you can eliminate options (B) and (D) because they do not have this "evil"
connotation. Even if you are unsure of the actual meaning of the word "versatility," you can rule
out choice (C) because this meaning does not fit with the context; Burke is not concerned here
with the broad topic of ethics. Similarly, since no implication of opportunism is present in the
sentence--or even the first paragraph--choice (A) can be ruled out, too. Option (E) is the correct
answer. An older meaning of the term "versatility" is "fickle" or "inconstant," which is captured by
the phrase political instability--an "evil" to the "consecrated" state.
The correct answer (E) was chosen by 37% of test takers.
39.
In this question, you are asked to understand a metaphor used in the passage. In line 9, Burke
begins the metaphor by comparing the "faults of the state" with "the wounds of a father." Thus,
you already know that the father represents the state, and by extension, the children are its
citizens. Also, you know that the children are engaged in a ritual designed to "regenerate," or
recreate, the state. Now look at the choices and see which of these fits with what you know. The
children are not simply visionaries, choice (A); they are actively engaged in producing change.
Since the children want to recreate government, they cannot be described as anarchists (people
who are opposed to all forms of government), so option (B) is also incorrect. Similarly, we cannot
say that the children are demagogues, because we are given no information about their politics;
we are told only that they want change. So choice (C) is wrong. And option (E) incorrectly
describes the children as self-seekers, when we can see that they have a larger goal, which is the
restoration of the state. Choice (D) is the correct answer. The children want to transform the basic
structure of government--its constitution--by violence if necessary and without regard to the past.
The correct answer (D) was chosen by 47% of test takers.
40.
This question asks you to identify a rhetorical device used in the first paragraph to describe
government. You may have identified this device for yourself when you answered question 39.
The description is based on a metaphor; in this metaphor, the state is compared to a father and
its citizens to children. Therefore, choice (A) is the correct answer. Option (B) might be attractive
to you because of the scene depicted at the end of the first paragraph, but this is more a demonic
image conjured by the author to support the metaphor than it is a dramatic incident. Similarly,
options (C) and (D) might be tempting because the passage does present a contrast between the
way Burke feels citizens should and should not behave, and he does recommend moderation.
But neither the contrast nor the recommendation is used to describe the nature of the state, as
the question asks, so neither is your answer. Finally, you can eliminate choice (E) because
neither the paragraph nor the passage as a whole satirizes any people or events.
The correct answer (A) was chosen by 50% of test takers.
41.
This question asks you to find a common link between two sentences. To answer it, you should
reread the two sentences and think about the relationship between them. When you do, you can
see that the first sentence is an emphatic assertion, and the second sentence expands the
definition of the contract mentioned in the first. Therefore, choice (A) is the correct answer. You
can eliminate option (B) because there is no suggestion of a question in the first sentence.
Choice (C) may be tempting because the first sentence does suggest authoritarianism. But the
second sentence is just as authoritarian and expands, rather than moderates, the idea presented
in the first. Option (D) is incorrect because the first and second sentences offer the same
justification (the speaker's experience). And choice (E) is wrong because there is nothing
ambivalent about the second sentence; the author expresses his ideas with confidence.
The correct answer (A) was chosen by 57% of test takers.
42.
This question tests your understanding of a distinction made by the speaker. To answer it, reread
lines 18-32. Here, the speaker distinguishes between kinds of contracts. In lines 18-26, he says
what the social contract is not--a simple business agreement that can be dismissed at "the fancy
of the parties." In lines 26-32, he uses terms with spiritual connotations ("reverence," "virtue") to
describe what the contract is. Therefore, option (B) is the correct answer. The speaker does not
speculate about the origin of the contract, so choice (A) cannot be right. Similarly, whether or not
the contract is equitable--choice (C)--is not an issue in the passage, and we are told nothing
about the formulation of the contract, so option (D) is wrong, too. Choice (E) may be attractive
because the speaker uses words with religious connotations in the passage; however, the
speaker never claims that the social contract is inspired by God.
The correct answer (B) was chosen by 35% of test takers.
43.
This question asks you to make an inference about the speaker based on what you have read in
the passage. The speaker's central argument is that the state is to be regarded with almost
sacred respect. Option (C) captures this idea and is therefore the correct answer. The passage
does not support choice (A). The speaker has a special regard for the government as an
institution, but mentions no special regard for government officials, so option (B) is not a good
choice. Nothing in the passage suggests that the speaker supports universal equality, choice (D).
Option (E) may be attractive because of the speaker's strong disapproval of those who use
disproportionate violence against the state, but there is nothing in the passage that supports (E)
directly. Since you are asked to find the best answer, option (C), which is clearly supported by the
passage, is what you want to choose.
The correct answer (C) was chosen by 68% of test takers.
44.
This is a straightforward question that tests your understanding of the speaker's concluding
sentence. Reread it to determine what is emphasized in the sentence, then examine the choices.
Choice (A) may be attractive because the speaker does suggest a sort of responsiveness in the
last sentence. But rather than proposing that government should be more responsive, he asks
citizens to attend to the past and future implications of the social contract. The idea expressed in
option (B) is not discussed or implied in the last sentence or in the passage, so it cannot be
correct. Similarly, choices (C) and (E) are irrelevant to the concluding sentence. Even though
some of his terms have religious associations, the author does not distinguish between church
and state in the passage, and neither selfishness nor its renunciation are discussed at all. Option
(D) is the correct answer. According to the speaker, a nation's citizens must responsibly look to
the past and to the future when considering a change in the social contract.
The correct answer (D) was chosen by 62% of test takers.
45.
To answer this question, you must assess the speaker's tone. Since nothing about the speaker is
melancholy, and he does not reproach anyone, choice (A) does not describe his tone. The
speaker feels very strongly about his subject--he is not disinterested--so option (B) is incorrect.
Choices (C) and (D) reflect some of the strong disapproval the speaker expresses in the first
paragraph, but are not correct because the question asks about the tone the speaker maintains,
and Burke is neither "outraged" nor "embittered" throughout the passage. Option (E), then, is the
correct answer; the speaker is assured and serious, and his language is elevated.
The correct answer (E) was chosen by 66% of test takers.