TSI ELA

Read the passage(s) below and then choose the best answer to each question. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage(s).

In this passage from a novel, two young women visit a bookshop in the fictional town of Brahmpur, India.

(1) The Imperial Book Depot was one of the two best bookshops in town, and was located on Nabiganj, the fashionable street that was the last bulwark of modernity before the labyrinthine alleys and ancient, cluttered neighbourhoods of

Old Brahmpur. (2) Though it was a couple of miles away from the university proper it had a greater following among students and teachers than the University and Allied Bookshop, which was just a few minutes away from campus. (3) The Imperial Book Depot was run by two brothers, Yashwant and Balwant, both almost illiterate in English,

but both (despite their prosperous roundness) so energetic and entrepreneurial that it apparently made no difference. (4) They had the best stock in town, and were extremely helpful to their customers. (5) If a book was not available in the shop, they asked the customer himself to write down its name on the appropriate order form.

(6) Twice a week an impoverished university student was paid to sort new arrivals onto the designated shelves. (7) And since the bookshop prided itself on its academic as well as general stock, the proprietors unashamedly collared university teachers who wandered in to browse, sat them down with a cup of tea and a couple of publishers’ lists, and made them tick off titles that they thought the bookshop should consider

ordering. (8) These teachers were happy to ensure that books they needed for their courses would be readily available to their students. (9) Many of

them resented the University and Allied Bookshop for its entrenched, lethargic, unresponsive and high-handed ways.

(10) After classes, Lata and Malati, both dressed casually in their usual salwaar-kameez1, went to Nabiganj to wander around and have a cup of coffee at the Blue Danube coffee house. (11) This activity, known to university students as “ganjing,” they could afford to indulge in about once a week.

(12) As they passed the Imperial Book Depot, they were drawn magnetically in. (13) Each wandered off to her favourite shelves and subjects. (14) Malati headed straight for the novels, Lata went for poetry. (15) On the way, however, she pausedby the science shelves, not because she understood much science, but, rather, because she did not.

(16) Whenever she opened a scientific book and saw whole paragraphs of incomprehensible words and symbols, she felt a sense of wonder at the great territories of learning that lay beyond her—the sum of so many noble and purposive attempts

to make objective sense of the world. (17) She enjoyed the feeling; it suited her serious moods; and this afternoon she was feeling serious.

¹A salwaar-kameez is a traditional Indian garment.

Adapted from Vikram Seth, A Suitable Boy.

©1993 by Vikram Seth.

The first paragraph (sentences 1–5) suggests which of the following about the relationship between university students and teachers and the Imperial Book Depot?

• University people avoid Yashwant and Balwant because the two do not speak English well.

• Students will soon start buying their books from a newer and more modern bookshop

• Both students and teachers prefer the Imperial Book Depot to the bookshop closer to campus.

• Teachers dislike using complicated handwritten forms to order books for their classes

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.W.8.9A

Read the passage(s) below and then choose the best answer to each question. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage(s).

In this passage from a novel, two young women visit a bookshop in the fictional town of Brahmpur, India.

(1) The Imperial Book Depot was one of the two best bookshops in town, and was located on Nabiganj, the fashionable street that was the last bulwark of modernity before the labyrinthine alleys and ancient, cluttered neighbourhoods of

Old Brahmpur. (2) Though it was a couple of miles away from the university proper it had a greater following among students and teachers than the University and Allied Bookshop, which was just a few minutes away from campus. (3) The Imperial Book Depot was run by two brothers, Yashwant and Balwant, both almost illiterate in English,

but both (despite their prosperous roundness) so energetic and entrepreneurial that it apparently made no difference. (4) They had the best stock in town, and were extremely helpful to their customers. (5) If a book was not available in the shop, they asked the customer himself to write down its name on the appropriate order form.

(6) Twice a week an impoverished university student was paid to sort new arrivals onto the designated shelves. (7) And since the bookshop prided itself on its academic as well as general stock, the proprietors unashamedly collared university teachers who wandered in to browse, sat them down with a cup of tea and a couple of publishers’ lists, and made them tick off titles that they thought the bookshop should consider

ordering. (8) These teachers were happy to ensure that books they needed for their courses would be readily available to their students. (9) Many of

them resented the University and Allied Bookshop for its entrenched, lethargic, unresponsive and high-handed ways.

(10) After classes, Lata and Malati, both dressed casually in their usual salwaar-kameez1, went to Nabiganj to wander around and have a cup of coffee at the Blue Danube coffee house. (11) This activity, known to university students as “ganjing,” they could afford to indulge in about once a week.

(12) As they passed the Imperial Book Depot, they were drawn magnetically in. (13) Each wandered off to her favourite shelves and subjects. (14) Malati headed straight for the novels, Lata went for poetry. (15) On the way, however, she pausedby the science shelves, not because she understood much science, but, rather, because she did not.

(16) Whenever she opened a scientific book and saw whole paragraphs of incomprehensible words and symbols, she felt a sense of wonder at the great territories of learning that lay beyond her—the sum of so many noble and purposive attempts

to make objective sense of the world. (17) She enjoyed the feeling; it suited her serious moods; and this afternoon she was feeling serious.

¹A salwaar-kameez is a traditional Indian garment.

Adapted from Vikram Seth, A Suitable Boy.

©1993 by Vikram Seth.

In the second paragraph (sentences 6–9), the narrator indicates which of the following about Imperial Book Depot business practices?

• The staff acquire only those books that are most in demand.

• The clerks prefer to help people find nonacademic books and magazines.

• The owners employ students and rely on teachers for information.

• Staff members are generally lazy and take too many breaks for tea.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.W.8.9A

Read the passage(s) below and then choose the best answer to each question. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage(s).

In this passage from a novel, two young women visit a bookshop in the fictional town of Brahmpur, India.

(1) The Imperial Book Depot was one of the two best bookshops in town, and was located on Nabiganj, the fashionable street that was the last bulwark of modernity before the labyrinthine alleys and ancient, cluttered neighbourhoods of

Old Brahmpur. (2) Though it was a couple of miles away from the university proper it had a greater following among students and teachers than the University and Allied Bookshop, which was just a few minutes away from campus. (3) The Imperial Book Depot was run by two brothers, Yashwant and Balwant, both almost illiterate in English,

but both (despite their prosperous roundness) so energetic and entrepreneurial that it apparently made no difference. (4) They had the best stock in town, and were extremely helpful to their customers. (5) If a book was not available in the shop, they asked the customer himself to write down its name on the appropriate order form.

(6) Twice a week an impoverished university student was paid to sort new arrivals onto the designated shelves. (7) And since the bookshop prided itself on its academic as well as general stock, the proprietors unashamedly collared university teachers who wandered in to browse, sat them down with a cup of tea and a couple of publishers’ lists, and made them tick off titles that they thought the bookshop should consider

ordering. (8) These teachers were happy to ensure that books they needed for their courses would be readily available to their students. (9) Many of

them resented the University and Allied Bookshop for its entrenched, lethargic, unresponsive and high-handed ways.

(10) After classes, Lata and Malati, both dressed casually in their usual salwaar-kameez1, went to Nabiganj to wander around and have a cup of coffee at the Blue Danube coffee house. (11) This activity, known to university students as “ganjing,” they could afford to indulge in about once a week.

(12) As they passed the Imperial Book Depot, they were drawn magnetically in. (13) Each wandered off to her favourite shelves and subjects. (14) Malati headed straight for the novels, Lata went for poetry. (15) On the way, however, she pausedby the science shelves, not because she understood much science, but, rather, because she did not.

(16) Whenever she opened a scientific book and saw whole paragraphs of incomprehensible words and symbols, she felt a sense of wonder at the great territories of learning that lay beyond her—the sum of so many noble and purposive attempts

to make objective sense of the world. (17) She enjoyed the feeling; it suited her serious moods; and this afternoon she was feeling serious.

¹A salwaar-kameez is a traditional Indian garment.

Adapted from Vikram Seth, A Suitable Boy.

©1993 by Vikram Seth.

As used in sentence 8, “readily” most nearly means

• easily

• gladly

• willingly

• voluntarily

Tags

CCSS.L.8.4A

CCSS.L.8.4B

CCSS.RL.8.4

Read the passage(s) below and then choose the best answer to each question. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage(s).

In this passage from a novel, two young women visit a bookshop in the fictional town of Brahmpur, India.

(1) The Imperial Book Depot was one of the two best bookshops in town, and was located on Nabiganj, the fashionable street that was the last bulwark of modernity before the labyrinthine alleys and ancient, cluttered neighbourhoods of

Old Brahmpur. (2) Though it was a couple of miles away from the university proper it had a greater following among students and teachers than the University and Allied Bookshop, which was just a few minutes away from campus. (3) The Imperial Book Depot was run by two brothers, Yashwant and Balwant, both almost illiterate in English,

but both (despite their prosperous roundness) so energetic and entrepreneurial that it apparently made no difference. (4) They had the best stock in town, and were extremely helpful to their customers. (5) If a book was not available in the shop, they asked the customer himself to write down its name on the appropriate order form.

(6) Twice a week an impoverished university student was paid to sort new arrivals onto the designated shelves. (7) And since the bookshop prided itself on its academic as well as general stock, the proprietors unashamedly collared university teachers who wandered in to browse, sat them down with a cup of tea and a couple of publishers’ lists, and made them tick off titles that they thought the bookshop should consider

ordering. (8) These teachers were happy to ensure that books they needed for their courses would be readily available to their students. (9) Many of

them resented the University and Allied Bookshop for its entrenched, lethargic, unresponsive and high-handed ways.

(10) After classes, Lata and Malati, both dressed casually in their usual salwaar-kameez1, went to Nabiganj to wander around and have a cup of coffee at the Blue Danube coffee house. (11) This activity, known to university students as “ganjing,” they could afford to indulge in about once a week.

(12) As they passed the Imperial Book Depot, they were drawn magnetically in. (13) Each wandered off to her favourite shelves and subjects. (14) Malati headed straight for the novels, Lata went for poetry. (15) On the way, however, she pausedby the science shelves, not because she understood much science, but, rather, because she did not.

(16) Whenever she opened a scientific book and saw whole paragraphs of incomprehensible words and symbols, she felt a sense of wonder at the great territories of learning that lay beyond her—the sum of so many noble and purposive attempts

to make objective sense of the world. (17) She enjoyed the feeling; it suited her serious moods; and this afternoon she was feeling serious.

¹A salwaar-kameez is a traditional Indian garment.

Adapted from Vikram Seth, A Suitable Boy.

©1993 by Vikram Seth.

The third paragraph (sentences 10–17) suggests that Lata regards science as

• a topic that is less engaging than fiction

• an interest that is not worth pursuing

• a simple but appealing field of study

• an unfamiliar but intriguing subject

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.W.8.9A

Passage 1

As computer programs and online services continue to advance, paperless offices are growing in popularity. Going paperless is certainly a

more environmentally friendly option than using reams of paper. A paperless office may also save on various overhead expenses. However, it may be expensive in the long run to go paperless,

depending on the size and needs of your company. Another option might be using less paper instead of attempting a completely paperless office. This way, your company can enjoy some advantages

of a paperless system while avoiding some of the disadvantages.

Passage 2

Many companies today are choosing not to go paperless because of the high costs of doing so. Despite the “green” advantages, going paperless requires companies to maintain up-to-date hardware and software, and upgrades often come at a steep cost. Businesses may need to hire an IT person to monitor their systems, train new users, and perform regular backups of information.

Ensuring online security is also vital, and the more people a company has using a system, the closer the system must be monitored for privacy issues and viruses. It takes a lot of time and money to go paperless, and for many small businesses, it’s just not worth the expense.

The author of Passage 1 would most likely criticize the author of Passage 2 for

• overemphasizing the significance of a company’s size

• overlooking the environmental benefits of going paperless

• failing to consider an alternative to eliminating all paper

• underestimating the consequences of technological issues

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.6

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.W.8.1B

Passage 1

Are people who work from home slackers? Recent research suggests just the opposite. One study examined the habits and concerns of both in-office and off-site employees over the course of two years.

The researchers learned that those who worked at home were 13% more productive and worked longer hours on average than those who worked

in the office. Interestingly, the telecommuters took far less time off than their in-office counterparts. The researchers also found that the rate of at-home workers who quit their jobs was far lower than

it was for employees who worked in the office. Without stressful commutes, worries about having to take sick days, and various distractions in the office, the telecommuters reported being much happier with their positions.

Passage 2

After working from home for the past year, I was relieved to get back into the office. The office

environment has provided me with a much-needed, set schedule—I work for eight hours, and then I

go home to a relaxed and work-free environment. When I worked at home, my “office” was always accessible, and my work hours bled into my leisure time so that I was never fully free of my job. Even when spending time with my family after dinner, I’d be checking emails and thinking about projects. Today, my former home office is a family room, and when I spend time relaxing there, work never crosses my mind. Well, almost never.

The authors of both passages probably would characterize telecommuters as being generally

• unproductive

• stressed

• hardworking

• satisfied

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RI.8.3

CCSS.W.8.9A

The first known dentures, worn as early as 700 BCE by the Etruscans of central Italy, were composed mainly of animal teeth held together by gold bands. Later, in the 16th century, a denture made of wooden teeth held in place by suctions became popular in Japan. A “natural” look emerged with the dentures of the 18th and 19th centuries, which featured teeth made of ivory or porcelain and mounted on plates of gold or vulcanite, a type of rubber. While some modern dentures still feature porcelain teeth, most dentures today contain teeth made from plastic and mounted on a metal base.

The author uses the term “natural” to indicate that the dentures of the 18th and 19th centuries

• resembled real human teeth

• included some real human teeth

• contained animal teeth rather than artificial substances

• were made of materials found in nature

Tags

CCSS.L.8.4A

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.1

American copyright laws, laws that prohibit the use, distribution, or adaptation of another’s

product without permission, first applied only to the copying of books, but now cover such diverse products as sound recordings, motion pictures, and computer programs. The federal Copyright Act of 1790 allowed copyright protection for 14 years with one 14-year extension allowed (if the author survived the first 14-year term). The Copyright Act of 1909 extended copyright protection to 28 years with a 28-year renewal, and the Copyright Act of 1976 extended it further, to 75 years.

What is the main purpose of this passage?

• To explain the need for copyright laws

• To show how copyright laws have been applied

• To indicate how copyright laws have changed

• To argue that copyright laws need to be expanded

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RI.8.6

CCSS.RL.8.2

If you are committed to healthy, green living and want to reduce your environmental footprint, you might consider expanding your daily diet

to include bugs. Supporters of the edible insect initiative rightfully argue that farming insects has a much lower environmental impact than does raising livestock since bugs are easier to harvest and require a fraction of the water and land space that cattle need. Indeed, the high-protein, low- fat health benefits of bug-eating have long been

known. For hundreds of years, crickets, silkworms and even tarantulas have been served roasted, stewed, and fried at the dinner tables of many cultures.

In the first sentence, “expanding” most nearly means

• intensifying

• broadening

• developing

• exaggerating

Tags

CCSS.L.8.4A

CCSS.RI.8.4

The 1922 German Expressionist film Nosferatu, directed by F. W. Murnau, is considered one of the most influential films in cinematic history—while also being a classic vampire movie. The film is closely based on Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel, Dracula; however, the villain in the film is called “Count Orlok” rather than “Count Dracula.” The reason is that the small studio that produced the film, Prana Film, was unable to secure the rights to Stoker’s novel. In fact, shortly after finishing Nosferatu, its one and only film, Prana went bankrupt in order to dodge copyright lawsuits from Stoker’s widow.

In context, “secure” (sentence 3) most nearly means

• shelter

• fasten

• obtain

• guarantee

Tags

CCSS.L.8.4A

CCSS.L.8.4B

CCSS.RI.8.4