ACT Reading Practice - Archives of Life

31. 31. In terms of its overall structure, the passage can best be described as:

• A. a description of the types of specimens found at the Natural History Museum in London, followed by a discussion of the importance of the museum.

• B. an overview of the geological discoveries made in Solnhofen, followed by a discussion of one particular discovery.

• C. a list of the types of fossils Darwin used to research his theory, followed by a description of a particular fossil he discovered.

• D. a general explanation of the process of making lithographic stones, followed by an example of how the stones are used.

Answer explanation

The article first describes the many Solnhofen fossils collected by the Natural History Museum in London (paragraph 1, paragraph 2), and then starts from the third paragraph to focus on one of the most important species-early bird Archaeopteryx, B is correct.

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

32. 32. The passage most strongly suggests that in the history of biology, the discovery of the Archaeopteryx fossil was significant mainly because it:

• F. made the Natural History Museum of London the most visited museum in the world.

• G. was the first bird fossil ever discovered.

• H. helped scientists accurately reconstruct the late Jurassic scene.

• J. helped fill a critical gap in Darwin's evolutionary theory.

Answer explanation

The article explains in the third paragraph that the discovery of Archaeopteryx is very important, and then explains the reasons in the fourth paragraph. The first reason is that the discovery of this species happened to be two years after Darwin published the origin of species. In the origin of species, the most difficult and most vulnerable part is caused by the absence/rareness of "intermediate form". That is to say, the discovery of Archaeopteryx just fills up this missing part in the origin of species. Choose J; G is more confusing, students may choose G based on the first sentence of the third paragraph, but this sentence means "this is the first time this species has been discovered", not that this species is the first bird fossil to be discovered.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

33. 33. The passage author's characterization of Owen as a "Museum man" (lines 81-82) can best be described as:

• A. a compliment; the author respects Owen as both a Darwinian and an anatomist.

• B. a compliment; the author appreciates Owen's understanding of the importance of safely curating a fossil.

• C. an insult; the author resents Owen's lack of interest in the Archaeopteryx fossil.

• D. an insult; the author believes the Archaeopteryx fossil should have been curated by a more capable anatomist than Owen.

Answer explanation

First of all, it must be a positive attitude, because the meaning of this sentence is: Owen is a very qualified "museum man", and he kept the fossil safely. There is no negative attitude in it, so remove C and D. B is a suitable answer.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.6

CCSS.RI.11-12.6

CCSS.RI.8.6

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.6

34. 34. In the passage, the main point the author makes about museums is that they primarily:

• F. exist to educate tourists about the areas they are visiting.

• G. function to protect and preserve specimens for future study.

• H. preserve only the specimens excavated from nearby sites.

• J. display only the specimens that are currently considered to be important.

Answer explanation

Located in the dashed part of the last paragraph, the author believes that the mission of the museum is to protect these materials, whether they are important or not, so choose G.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

35. 35. The detail about the Archaeopteryx fossil being "a mere 35 cm at its longest"(line 48) helps establish a contrast between the fossil's small size and the:

• A. considerable time it took to curate the fossil.

• B. substantial impact the fossil had on the scientific community.

• C. overall complexity of Archaeopteryx's bone structure.

• D. ferocity associated with the Archaeopteryx species.

Answer explanation

The context is to compare the small size of this fossil with its great importance, so choose B.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

36. 36. Which of the following events mentioned in the passage occurred first chronologically?

• F. An Archaeopteryx fossil was discovered in Solnhofen

• G. The Archaeopteryx fossil known as the Berlin specimen was discovered.

• H. Darwin's book The Origin of Species was published.

• J. Owen became the first director of the Natural History Museum.

Answer explanation

Darwin published the origin of species first; Solnhofen specimen Archaeopteryx was discovered two years later, and Berlin specimen was discovered 16 years later; Owen became the curator only after describing Archaeopteryx in detail in 1863 (the exact time is unknown), so the first thing to happen must be Darwin's publication of the origin of species, so choose H.

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

37. 37. The passage author characterizes the timing of the Archaeopteryx fossil discovery as ideal. Which of the following people mentioned in the passage would be most likely to support this characterization?

• A. Darwin

• B. Owen

• C. Critics of Darwin's theory.

• D. Visitors of the Eichstatt and Solnhofen museums.

Answer explanation

The discovery of Archaeopteryx came just 2 years after the publication of On the Origin of Species. Originally, one of the weaknesses of the Origin of Species was the absence/rareness of "intermediate form". The discovery of Archaeopteryx just made up for this shortcoming. Therefore, Darwin, the author of the Origin of Species, must be the happiest, and he would most agree with the statement in the title. As for Owen, he should not be very happy, because the penultimate paragraph of the article says that he is not a Darwinist, and that Archaeopteryx's just discovery is an "anathema curse" for him, so he should have a negative attitude.

38. 38. It can reasonably be inferred that one reason the Archaeopteryx fossil qualifies as an example of an "intermediate form" is that:

• F. its mixture of reptilian and bird features demonstrates the notion of descent with modification.

• G. its significance was not fully realized until long after it had been curated.

• H. it was discovered in the time between the excavations of the Mesolimulus and Compsognathus fossils.

• J. it convinced critics that animals were not yet capable of transitioning from earth to the skies.

Answer explanation

Located in the last sentence of the penultimate paragraph:....its amalgam (mixed) of reptilian and bird features was a striking vindication of the notion of descent with modification..corresponding to F.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

39. 39. Based on the passage, compared to the "delicate little" sea lily fossils found at Solnhofen, the fossils of certain species of fish found at Solnhofen are more:

• A. well-preserved

• B. indistinct

• C. rare

• D. fragile

Answer explanation

Located in the first paragraph of the article: there are a great variety of fish species known nowhere else, that is to say, only here, not elsewhere, so it is very rare, so choose C.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

40. 40. As it is used in line 40, the word interrogate most nearly means:

• F. request.

• G. demand.

• H. signal.

• J. examine.

Answer explanation

The meaning of a verb is judged by its object. In the context of "interrogate the past", the phrase interrogate is replaced by examine and is still valid, so choose J.

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4