ACT Practice: Renaissance fair

#16 At first glance a Renaissance fair, looks a lot like a theme park.

• NO CHANGE

• glance, a Renaissance fair,

• glance, a Renaissance fair

• glance a Renaissance fair

Answer explanation

The best answer is "glance, a Renaissance fair" because it correctly inserts a comma only after the prepositional phrase that begins the sentence.

#17: Crowds of people mill about, moseying

they're way past costumed characters and colorful

booths..

• NO CHANGE

• they’re way passed

• their way passed

• their way past

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'their way past' because 'past' is the appropriate preposition indicating movement by something. 'Passed' is the past tense of 'pass' and does not fit the context.

#18: Being that roller coasters and Ferris wheels,

the fair's attractions are the sights, sounds, and tastes

inspired by sixteenth-century England. Musicians,

magicians, and archers demonstrate their talents

to curious fairgoers.

• NO CHANGE

• Yet instead of

• Because of

• Given that

Answer explanation

The best answer is "Yet instead of" because it creates a logical sentence that contrasts theme

parks and Renaissance fairs. This comparison makes sense in the paragraph, which has been

describing how theme parks and Renaissance fairs are similar up to this point.

#19 Horses carrying knights to a jousting match walk along the streets.

• NO CHANGE

• Horses, carrying knights,

• Horses carrying knights,

• Horses, carrying knights

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'NO CHANGE' because the phrase 'Horses carrying knights' is a non-restrictive appositive that does not require commas. The sentence flows well without additional punctuation, maintaining clarity.

#20 Which choice best conveys the horses’ movement in a way that adds a sensory detail to the description of the fair?

• NO CHANGE

• clip-clop

• move

• travel

Answer explanation

The choice 'clip-clop' best conveys the horses' movement by providing an auditory sensory detail, enhancing the description of the fair. In contrast, 'move' and 'travel' are too vague and lack the vivid imagery that 'clip-clop' offers.

#21 Vendors, ranging from king-sized turkey legs to suits of armor, peddle wares.

• NO CHANGE

• Peddling wares, ranging from king-sized turkey legs to suits of armor are vendors.

• Ranging from king-sized turkey legs to suits of armor, vendors peddle wares.

• Vendors peddle wares ranging from king-sized turkey legs to suits of armor.

Answer explanation

The best answer is "Vendors peddle wares ranging from king-sized

turkey legs to suits of armor" because it correctly positions the phrase "ranging from

king-sized turkey legs to suits of armor" so that it modifies wares. The wares are the things

that vary in this way.

#22 "I've always enjoyed attending Renaissance fairs,

and I found out just how interesting they are."

Which choice best introduces the subject of the paragraph and the rest of the essay?

• NO CHANGE

• but it wasn’t until I spent a summer working at one that I understood how much effort went into re-creating the past.

• and I knew that getting a job at one would be the easiest way to experience one and have fun at the same time.

• so one summer’s day, some friends and I decided to attend a nearby fair.

Answer explanation

The clause "but it wasn't until I spent a summer working at one that I understood how much effort went into re-creating the past" introduces the subject by highlighting a personal experience that led to a deeper understanding of the effort involved in re-creating the past, setting the stage for the essay's exploration of this theme.

#23 We also incorporated sixteenth-century English vocabulary

into our speech. Substituting good morrow for "good morning" and gramercy for "thank you."

• NO CHANGE

• speech, we substituted

• speech, substituting

• speech; substituting

Answer explanation

The best answer is "speech, substituting" because it results in a complete sentence with a comma separating the main clause from the participial phrase that begins with "substituting."

#24 In my role as a lady-in-waiting, I often used the sixteenth-century expressions while I served the queen's meals or introduced her to guests.

• NO CHANGE

• to introduce

• introducing

• introduce

Answer explanation

The best answer is NO CHANGE because it uses the past tense verb introduced which is

parallel with the verb served (the other verb in the sentence's compound predicate). The past

tense is used in most of the essay.

#25 It was exhausting to spend every day in the hot

summer temperatures while pretending to be a person

whom had lived in a different country and century.

• NO CHANGE

• who were to live

• whom lived

• who lived

Answer explanation

The best answer is "who lived" because it correctly uses the pronoun who to introduce

the clause that describes the person the narrator was pretending to be. In this sentence, who is required because it functions as the subject of the clause.