WORD CHOICE

Read the passage and then answer the question.

Soong Mei-ling, also known as Madame Chiang Kai-shek, was a Chinese political figure and a first lady of the Republic of China. Born in Shanghai, China, on March 5, 1898, Soong Mei-ling split her education between schools in the United States and China. Some might say that this worldly upbringing was a key factor contributing to her achievements later in life.

While the political feats of her husband, President Chiang Kai-shek, may be more widely recognized, Soong Mei-ling's accomplishments are just as notable. As first lady, Soong Mei-ling introduced her husband to Western culture and ideas. Likewise, she served as her husband's emissary, or spokesperson, to the West. During a visit to the United States in 1943, Soong Mei-ling became the second woman to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress. The trip earned her the esteem of the American public, who praised her passion and determination, and she raised billions of dollars in aid for her country.

What is the meaning of feats as used in the passage?

• APTITUDES

• OPINIONS OR SKILLS

• ACCOMPLISHMENTS

ead the passage and then answer the question.

Soong Mei-ling, also known as Madame Chiang Kai-shek, was a Chinese political figure and a first lady of the Republic of China. Born in Shanghai, China, on March 5, 1898, Soong Mei-ling split her education between schools in the United States and China. Some might say that this worldly upbringing was a key factor contributing to her achievements later in life.

While the political feats of her husband, President Chiang Kai-shek, may be more widely recognized, Soong Mei-ling's accomplishments are just as notable. As first lady, Soong Mei-ling introduced her husband to Western culture and ideas. Likewise, she served as her husband's emissary, or spokesperson, to the West. During a visit to the United States in 1943, Soong Mei-ling became the second woman to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress. The trip earned her the esteem of the American public, who praised her passion and determination, and she raised billions of dollars in aid for her country.

What is the meaning of esteem as used in the passage?

• RESPECT AND ADMIRATION

• AN OFFICIAL ORDER TO DO SOMETHING

• MONEY PROVIDED BY AN ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT

Select the text from the paragraph that best helps you understand that esteem means respect and admiration. There may be more than one correct choice.

While the political feats of her husband, President Chiang Kai-shek, may be more widely recognized, Soong Mei-ling's accomplishments are just as notable. As first lady, Soong Mei-ling introduced her husband to Western culture and ideas. Likewise, she served as her husband's emissary, or spokesperson, to the West. During a visit to the United States in 1943, Soong Mei-ling became the second woman to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress. The trip earned her the esteem of the American public, who praised her passion and determination, and she raised billions of dollars in aid for her country.

Read the passage and then answer the question.

Pablo Picasso is often considered one of the greatest and most influential artists of the twentieth century. As a young child, Picasso displayed an exceptional talent for drawing and painting. His extraordinary skill allowed him to enter Barcelona's prestigious School of Fine Arts when he was only fourteen years old—several years younger than the typical students at this well-regarded school. Although Picasso left Barcelona before graduating, the city still inspired him. His experiences there would lead him to break away from traditional ideas about art and create a new style that would change the world of art forever.

Picasso's rise to prominence began in 1907. While living in Paris, he produced a painting that featured five Barcelonian women represented by sharply contrasting geometric shapes. Instead of a realistic representation of the women, the painting presented an abstract scene showing the women's forms from multiple viewpoints at once. That the art world had never seen such a painting before only added to Picasso's growing popularity. This painting, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, would serve as the inspiration for the artistic movement that came to be known as Cubism.

What is the meaning of prestigious as used in the passage?

• LARGE

• HIGHLY RESPECTED

• EXPENSIVE

• LONG ESTABLISHED

Select the text from the paragraph that best helps you understand that prestigious means highly respected. There may be more than one correct choice.

Pablo Picasso is often considered one of the greatest and most influential artists of the twentieth century. As a young child, Picasso displayed an exceptional talent for drawing and painting. His extraordinary skill allowed him to enter Barcelona's prestigious School of Fine Arts when he was only fourteen years old—several years younger than the typical students at this well-regarded school. Although Picasso left Barcelona before graduating, the city still inspired him. His experiences there would lead him to break away from traditional ideas about art and create a new style that would change the world of art forever.

Read the passage and then answer the question.

Pablo Picasso is often considered one of the greatest and most influential artists of the twentieth century. As a young child, Picasso displayed an exceptional talent for drawing and painting. His extraordinary skill allowed him to enter Barcelona's prestigious School of Fine Arts when he was only fourteen years old—several years younger than the typical students at this well-regarded school. Although Picasso left Barcelona before graduating, the city still inspired him. His experiences there would lead him to break away from traditional ideas about art and create a new style that would change the world of art forever.

Picasso's rise to prominence began in 1907. While living in Paris, he produced a painting that featured five Barcelonian women represented by sharply contrasting geometric shapes. Instead of a realistic representation of the women, the painting presented an abstract scene showing the women's forms from multiple viewpoints at once. That the art world had never seen such a painting before only added to Picasso's growing popularity. This painting, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, would serve as the inspiration for the artistic movement that came to be known as Cubism.

What is the meaning of abstract as used in the passage?

• not true to life

• heavily decorated

• minimal

• COLORFUL

Picasso's rise to prominence began in 1907. While living in Paris, he produced a painting that featured five Barcelonian women represented by sharply contrasting geometric shapes. Instead of a realistic representation of the women, the painting presented an abstract scene showing the women's forms from multiple viewpoints at once. That the art world had never seen such a painting before only added to Picasso's growing popularity. This painting, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, would serve as the inspiration for the artistic movement that came to be known as Cubism.

Read the passage and then answer the question.

A typical human baby is born with around 300 bones, but by the time that baby reaches adulthood, it will have only 206. Initially, such a notable diminution in the number of bones may seem counterintuitive—shouldn't a skeleton need more bones, not fewer, as it grows? The explanation lies in the way bones grow and develop.

With age, the human skeleton undergoes a process of bone fusion. Newborns' bones are spongy and give way to pressure because they are made primarily of cartilage. These malleable bones make it easier for a newborn to pass through the narrow birth canal. Over time, however, the bones gain more calcium and join together, forming the 206 bones that make up an adult's skeletal structure.

What is the meaning of counterintuitive as used in the passage?

• DIFFERENT FROM WHAT'S EXPECTED

• LOGICAL OR UNEMOTIONAL

• UNDERSTANDABLE

• AGAINST YOUR WISHES

WHICH LINE HELPED YOU GET THAT ANSWER?

A typical human baby is born with around 300 bones, but by the time that baby reaches adulthood, it will have only 206. Initially, such a notable diminution in the number of bones may seem counterintuitive—shouldn't a skeleton need more bones, not fewer, as it grows? The explanation lies in the way bones grow and develop.

Read the passage and then answer the question.

A typical human baby is born with around 300 bones, but by the time that baby reaches adulthood, it will have only 206. Initially, such a notable diminution in the number of bones may seem counterintuitive—shouldn't a skeleton need more bones, not fewer, as it grows? The explanation lies in the way bones grow and develop.

With age, the human skeleton undergoes a process of bone fusion. Newborns' bones are spongy and give way to pressure because they are made primarily of cartilage. These malleable bones make it easier for a newborn to pass through the narrow birth canal. Over time, however, the bones gain more calcium and join together, forming the 206 bones that make up an adult's skeletal structure.

What is the meaning of malleable as used in the passage?

• poorly made

• able to be bent or reshaped

• easily broken

• thin or narrow