ACT English Practice #1

DIRECTIONS:

In the passages that follow, some words and phrases are underlined and numbered. In the answer column, you will find alternatives for the words and phrases that are underlined. Choose the alternative that you think is best, and fill in the corresponding bubble on your answer sheet. If you think that the original version is best, choose “NO CHANGE,” which will always be either answer choice A or F. You will also find questions about a particular section of the passage, or about the entire passage. These questions will be identified either by an underlined portion or by a number in a box. Look for the answer that clearly expresses the idea, is consistent with the style and tone of the passage, and makes the correct use of standard written English. Read the passage through once before answering the questions. For some questions, you should read beyond the indicated portion before you answer.

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QUESTION 1:

Why is it that we are so completely obsessive with the hair on our heads? Millions of dollars are spent each year on cutting hair, lengthening hair, bleaching hair, straightening hair, curling hair, highlighting hair, and even growing hair; whatever you can do to hair, someone is willing to pay the money to do it.

• NO CHANGE

• obsessing

• obsessed

• had been obsessive

QUESTION 2:

Why is it that we are so completely obsessed with the hair on our heads? Millions of dollars are spent each year on cutting hair, lengthening hair, bleaching hair, straightening hair, curling hair, highlighting hair, and even growing hair; whatever you can do to hair, someone is willing to pay the money to do it.

• NO CHANGE

• have paid

• pay

• paying money

Natural redheads long for to be brunettes and dishwater blondes dream of shiny golden tresses. Both men and women cringe at the sight of each gray hair, so teenagers enjoy weekly experiments with magenta dyes, spikes, and tangerine streaks

• to have

• to be

• becoming for

• NO CHANGE

Natural redheads long to be brunettes and dishwater blondes dream of shiny golden tresses. Both men and women cringe at the sight of each gray hair, so teenagers enjoy weekly experiments with magenta dyes, spikes, and tangerine streaks

• for

• and

• however

• NO CHANGE

All of these thoughts cross my mind as I examine the result of my most recent hair adventure. As a mature woman watching the gray hairs mixing in rapidly with my natural brunette tones, I decided over a year ago, to approach my stylist with the idea of highlights.

• result for

• result by

• result with

• No change

As my sister begins by telling me about the scorpion in her bed that stung her as she slumbered, I could feel my eyes popping out of my head and my jaw dropping to the floor. She seemed so calm telling me this story, and all I could think about was...

• "began" and "No change"

• "had begun" and "slumbered I could"

• "began" and "slumbered I could,"

• No change for both underlined words

She seemed so calm telling me this story, and all I could think about was how that she’s lucky to be alive. Diana’s terrifying story continued, detailing how her husband threw back the bed covers, began beating the dreaded thing with a broom, and then quickly flushed it down the toilet.

• "had thought", "she is", and "flushes"

• "could have thought", " because she is" and "flush"

• No change, "how she is" and no change.

• No change to all 3 underlined words

Only later did they learn that the corpse should have been kept for identification purposes. Some Arizonan scorpions are deadlier than others , and it is important to know which species is responsible for a given attack

• are more deadlier than others

• being more deadly than others

• No change

• more deadly than others

Who would have thought that there was any connection between a cup of coffee and a bird, butterfly, or even a bat? Such seems to be the case, however, as methods for cultivating coffee plants have gradually changed over the past 30 to 40 years.

• however, as

• however. As

• however; as

• No change