Not Quite SATurday: Command of textual evidence: foundations

“The New Colossus” is an 1883 poem by Emma Lazarus. The poem contrasts the ancient Colossus of Rhodes with the Statue of Liberty, presenting the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of a new America that rejects old-fashioned European ideals: ______

Which quotation from “The New Colossus” most effectively illustrates the claim?

• "Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, / With conquering limbs astride from land to land;"

• “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she / With silent lips."

• "A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame / Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name / Mother of Exiles.

• "Give me your tired, your poor, / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free

Answer explanation

Option B is the best choice. The Statue of Liberty’s silent cry to the “ancient lands” (Europe) to “keep your storied pomp” directly illustrates the Statue of Liberty's symbolic rejection of old-world European ideals.

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A researcher conducted an experiment inspired by studies suggesting that people may benefit from feeling frightened in certain circumstances, such as when watching scary movies or visiting haunted attractions. The researcher recruited several participants and had them walk through a local haunted house attraction. Immediately after exiting the attraction, each participant completed a survey about their experience. Based on the survey responses, the researcher claims that feeling frightened in controlled situations can boost a person’s mood and confidence.

Which quotation from a participant would best illustrate the researcher’s claim?

• “My friends kept laughing as we were walking through the haunted house.”

• “The haunted house was scary at first, but I knew everyone was just acting, so I felt less scared after a few minutes.”

• “The sense of relief I felt at the end of the haunted house was similar to the feelings I have when I finish a scary movie.”

• “After I came out of the haunted house, I felt very accomplished and less stressed.”

Answer explanation

Option D is the best choice. This choice illustrates both "feeling frightened in controlled situations" (the haunted house) and the benefit of a boosted mood ("less stressed") and confidence ("very accomplished").

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“The Rock and the Sea” is an 1893 poem by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. In the poem, a rock is portrayed as intending to confront and restrain the sea: ______

Which quotation from “The Rock and the Sea” most effectively illustrates the claim?

• “I am the Rock. Black midnight falls; / The terrible breakers rise like walls; / With curling lips

  and gleaming teeth / They plunge and tear at my bones beneath.”

• “I am the Sea. The earth I sway; / Granite to me is potter’s clay; / Under the touch of my careless

  waves / It rises in turrets and sinks in caves.”

• “I am the Sea. I hold the land / As one holds an apple in his hand, / Hold it fast with sleepless

  eyes, / Watching the continents sink and rise.”

• “I am the Rock, presumptuous Sea! / I am set to encounter thee. / Angry and loud or gentle and

  still, / I am set here to limit thy power, and I will!”

Answer explanation

Option D is the best choice. This quotation focuses on the rock, which yells at the sea and announces its intent to “limit [the sea’s] power”. This matches the idea of confrontation and restraint in the claim we’re trying to support.

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American fashion designer Patrick Kelly was known for his love of colorful buttons. Many of his signature dresses feature bold assortments of buttons throughout the garment. In a paper, a fashion design student claims that Kelly’s use of buttons as decoration was inspired by his childhood observations of the styles and actions of the women in his family.

Which quotation from a work by a historian would be the most effective evidence for the student to include in support of this claim?

• “Kelly’s grandmother, who would repair clothing when he was a child, frequently added mismatched buttons to the clothes to draw attention away from any flaws in the garments.”

• “Kelly was destined to be a designer from a young age: he learned how to sew clothing from his aunt Bertha, and his love of drawing was developed by his mother.”

• “Although some of the assortments of buttons appear to be mismatched pieces scattered randomly throughout Kelly’s dresses, his most famous designs feature carefully crafted patterns of matching buttons.”

• "Many of Kelly’s contemporaries were inspired by his designs to incorporate buttons, as well as zippers and snaps, as decorative items in their work."

Answer explanation

Option A is the best choice. This quotation draws a direct connection between the use of buttons and Kelly's stylish female relatives.

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A 2019 study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution looked at data from more than 1,500 species of birds, mammals, and fish in order to determine whether their rate of evolutionary change was linked to species survival. The study found that while some species did evolve faster than others, there was no clear relationship between evolutionary rate and survival. Instead, the study suggests that previous species success predicts species survival much more accurately than speed of adaptation does.

Which finding, if true, would most directly support the underlined claim?

• Endangered and extinct species displayed a significantly slower evolutionary rate than other species.

• Evolutionary rate only impacted species survival when adaptations were linked to environmental pressures.

• Successful species tended to remain more successful than more quickly-evolving competitors.

• Invasive species that overtook competitors tended to exhibit a higher evolutionary rate than other

  species.

Answer explanation

Option C is the best choice. By comparing the success of previously-successful species to the success of competitor species who are evolving quickly, we can see that it isn’t speed of adaptation, but rather a previous history of success, that best predicts future success.

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