Animals use many objects as tools to achieve goals more easily. Such goals include grooming, finding food, and protecting themselves. For a long time, people thought tool use was unique to primates. Elephants and other animals, though, have busted the myth that tool use requires hands. Inventively, elephants use branches to scratch themselves. Woodpecker finches also get creative. They use cactus spines to pry insects from hiding places. Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

D. To argue that a variety of animals use tools

A. To establish that tool use doesn't indicate intelligence

B. To compare tool use in humans with tool use in woodpecker finches

C. To question the belief that birds are intelligent

Pteropods are small swimming snails with thin, delicate calcium carbonate shells. These animals are thought to be especially vulnerable to ocean acidification due to calcium carbonate's susceptibility to dissolution at lower pH values. Victoria L. Peck and colleagues recently found that the periostracum (a protective coating on pteropods' outer shells) prevents this dissolution when intact. Moreover, the team was surprised to discover that even when the periostracum is breached, pteropods can still mitigate damage by rebuilding the inner shell wall. Which choice best describes the main purpose of the text?

A. To present findings that suggest that a concern about the effects of ocean acidification on pteropod shells may be unwarranted

B. To address some of the ways ocean acidification has altered pteropod behavior over time

C. To call for additional research on biological mechanisms that improve pteropod survival rates

D. To discuss a conclusion drawn in a study of calcium carbonate's role in protecting the periostracum of pteropods

Can field mustard plants grow on Mars? Can pea plants? You might think the answer to these questions is obviously no, but researchers in the Netherlands recently showed that the seeds of many common plant species can germinate in soil designed to simulate Martian conditions, as long as water is supplied. In fact, some species actually did better in Martian soil than in Earth soil: 30 percent of field mustard seeds sprouted when planted in simulated Martian soil, compared with 4 percent that did when planted in soil from their home planet. Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

B. To present a surprising finding about plants grown in soil intended to be similar to Martian soil

A. To explain an important study of differences in the composition of Martian soil and the composition of Earth soil

C. To answer long-standing questions about how Martian soil conditions can be simulated on Earth

D. To discuss an unexpected result about the role of water in plants grown in simulated Martian soil

Though John Crowley, author of Engine Summer, is perhaps not as well known as the most commercially successful American writers of the past fifty years, influential figures have championed his work, including the poet James Merrill and the literary critic Harold Bloom. In his afterword to Crowley's book Little, Big, Bloom praises the novel's adroit blend of what playwright Friedrich Schiller termed the naive and sentimental modes—while Schiller thought works could be classified as either naive (seeking to describe reality) or sentimental (seeking to develop ideas), Little, Big demonstrates that a work can be both. Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

D. To present a reason why a literary critic is impressed by a certain novel

A. To argue that all writing must be classified as belonging to one of two categories

B. To compare the work of a writer with the work of a poet who admired him

C. To explain what inspired an author to write a particular work

"Tomato" is an example of a loanword—that is, a word that originated in one language and was later adopted by another. The word came to English indirectly from tomate, the Spanish word for the widely cultivated plant. Spanish had borrowed it from Nahuatl, an Indigenous language of Central Mexico, in which the word's original form is tomatl. "Maize" also has an Indigenous origin and entered English through Spanish. But in this case, the original source was Taino, a language of the Caribbean islands, in which the word for the corn plant is mahis. Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

D. The English words “tomato” and “maize” are both examples of loanwords from Indigenous languages.

A. Many Spanish words with Indigenous origins first passed through English before entering Spanish.

B. When borrowing from Indigenous languages, Spanish adopted roughly as many words from Nahuatl as from Taino.

C. When non-Indigenous languages borrowed from Indigenous languages, the words often underwent a significant change in meaning.

According to historical documents, Marietta Strozzi—a young woman who was prominent in fifteenth-century Florentine culture—inspired several artworks, including a portrait bust sculpted by Desiderio da Settignano. Multiple sculptures dating to the period have been alleged to be the reported bust, but none have been authenticated as Desiderio's depiction of Surozzi. Given the historical importance of both Strozzi and Desiderio's sculpture of her, positively identifying the bust would be a notable accomplishment for art historians. Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

B. Although successfully finding and authenticating Desiderio's portrait bust of Strozzi remains a challenge, the historical importance of the work justifies the continued pursuit of this goal.

A. Although there is documentation that Desiderio was commissioned to sculpt the portrait bust of Strozzi, numerous instances of false identification have made art historians skeptical that the sculpture will be uncovered.

C. Although numerous fifteenth-century Florentine portrait busts have been recovered over time, evidence has led art historians to conclude that Desiderio's bust of Strozzi is likely no longer extant.

D. Although historians strongly suspect that a particular sculpture is Desiderio's portrait bust of Strozzi, they do not currently have a method for conclusively verifying the artist or subject.

Businesses selling clothing and other fashion items face obstacles in trying to forecast how much product to order: tastes and styles change quickly, while manufacturing clothing takes a significant amount of time. Researchers Youran Fu and Marshall Fisher have found that combining sellers' own data with information gathered from social media can dramatically improve the accuracy of such forecasts—by 24 to 57 percent in the cases they directly studied. Better predictions mean demand is easier to meet without retailers becoming overstocked. Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. Using multiple data sources can enhance the ability of sellers in the fashion industry to anticipate demand.

B. Retailers can use their own data to accurately predict how tastes and styles are evolving.

C. Social media is revolutionizing how both sellers and researchers view the fashion industry.

D. Becoming overstocked is the main preoccupation of sellers trying to forecast demand for fashion items.

Businesses selling clothing and other fashion items face obstacles in trying to forecast how much product to order: tastes and styles change quickly, while manufacturing clothing takes a significant amount of time. Researchers Youran Fu and Marshall Fisher have found that combining sellers' own data with information gathered from social media can dramatically improve the accuracy of such forecasts—by 24 to 57 percent in the cases they directly studied. Better predictions mean demand is easier to meet without retailers becoming overstocked. Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. Using multiple data sources can enhance the ability of sellers in the fashion industry to anticipate demand.

B. Retailers can use their own data to accurately predict how tastes and styles are evolving.

C. Social media is revolutionizing how both sellers and researchers view the fashion industry.

D. Becoming overstocked is the main preoccupation of sellers trying to forecast demand for fashion items.

The following text is from George Eliot's 1857 short story "The Sad Fortunes of the Rev. Amos Barton." In the text, the narrator addresses the reader directly and alludes to a discussion among Rev. Amos Barton's neighbors. It was happy for the Rev. Amos Barton that he did not, like us, overhear the conversation recorded in the last chapter. Indeed, what mortal is there of us, who would find his satisfaction enhanced by an opportunity of comparing the picture he presents to himself of his own doings, with the picture they make on the mental retina of his neighbours? We are poor plants buoyed up by the air-vessels of our own conceit: alas for us, if we get a few pinches that empty us of that windy self-subsistence! The very capacity for good would go out of us. Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. People are better off not knowing about the discrepancy between their own self-image and what others think of them.

B. Although people understand why truthfulness is important, they are usually reluctant to criticize others for their faults.

C. Although people wish to be seen as considerate, the slightest setbacks will often discourage them from being so.

D. People tend to fixate more often than they should on whether their acquaintances think highly of them.

Can rye plants grow on Mars? Can pea plants? You might think the answer to these questions is obviously no, but researchers at Wageningen University recently showed that many common plant species can thrive in soil designed to simulate Martian conditions, as long as water is supplied. In fact, some species actually did better in Martian soil than in Earth soil: 83 percent of rye plants grown in simulated Martian soil developed leaves, compared with 71 percent that did when planted in soil from their home planet. Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

C. To present a surprising finding about plants grown in soil intended to be similar to Martian soil

A. To discuss an unexpected result about the role of water in plants grown in simulated Martian soil

B. To explain an important study of differences in the composition of Martian soil and the composition of Earth soil

D. To answer long-standing question about how Martian soil conditions can be simulated on Earth

The following text is adapted from Daniel Defoe's 1704 nonfiction book The Storm. The sermon is a sound of words spoken to the ear, and prepared only for present meditation, and extends no farther than the strength of memory can convey it; a book printed is a record; remaining in every man's possession, always ready to renew its acquaintance with his memory, and always ready to be produced as an authority or voucher to any reports he makes out of it, and conveys its contents for ages to come, to the eternity of mortal time, when the author is forgotten in his grave. Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. It describes differences in the characteristics of two kinds of communication.

B. It details why some artists are still remembered after their deaths while others are not.

C. It analyzes the contributions to society of two different groups of scholars.

D. It illustrates that one form of communication is easier to understand than another.

Known for the albums E.S.P. and 'Round About Midnight, jazz trumpeter Miles Davis collaborated several times with pianist Gil Evans. Their 1958 adaptation of George Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess bears little resemblance to the 1935 original. Davis and Evans felt no desire to please listeners expecting an exact duplication of the opera. They omitted parts, such as the aria "I Got Plenty of Nuthin'," and sometimes made only brief gestures toward Gershwin?s melodies. But Davis and Evans?s willingness to recompose Gershwin?s work led to one of the most enduring albums in Davis?s catalog. Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

B. To describe how two artists transformed another artist's work

A. To summarize the history of a long collaboration between two artists

C. To explain why works of art most likely to be praised by critics are those that defy tradition

D. To present reasons why one work of art should be considered superior to another

The following text is adapted from George Eliot's 1857 short story "The Sad Fortunes of the Rev. Amos Barton." The Countess Czerlaski is a newcomer to the town of Milby. I am by no means sure that if the good people of Milby had known the truth about the Countess Czerlaski, they would not have been considerably disappointed to find that it was very far from being as bad as they imagined. Nice distinctions are troublesome. It is so much easier to make up your mind that your neighbour is good for nothing, than to enter into all the circumstances that would oblige you to modify that opinion. Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To offer commentary on a human foible that may account for why the people of Milby view the Countess Czerlaski as they do

B. To speculate on the circumstances under which the unfavorable opinion of the Countess Czerlaski that is held by the people of Milby could be improved

C. To explain why the people of Milby are somewhat correct to reproach the Countess Czerlaski for her misdeeds

D. To engage the reader's compassion for both the Countess Czerlaski and the people of Milby by detailing their different viewpoints

The following text is adapted from Frances Hodgson Burnett's 1911 novel The Secret Garden. Mary, a young girl, recently found an overgrown hidden garden. Mary was an odd, determined little person, and now she had something interesting to be determined about, she was very much absorbed, indeed. She worked and dug and pulled up weeds steadily, only becoming more pleased with her work every hour instead of tiring of it. It seemed to her like a fascinating sort of play. Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

D. Mary feels very satisfied when she's taking care of the garden.

A. Mary hides in the garden to avoid doing her chores.

B. Mary is getting bored with pulling up so many weeds in the garden.

C. Mary is clearing out the garden to create a space to play.

In West Africa, jalis have traditionally been keepers of information about family histories and records of important events. They have often served as teachers and advisers, too. New technologies may have changed some aspects of the role today, but jalis continue to be valued for knowing and protecting their peoples' stories. Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

C. Even though there have been some changes in their role, jalis continue to preserve their communities' histories.

A. Jalis have been entertaining the people within their communities for centuries.

B. Although jalis have many roles, many of them like teaching best.

D. Technology can now do some of the things jalis used to be responsible for.

The following text is adapted from Susan Glaspell's 1912 short story "'Out There.'" An elderly shop owner is looking at a picture that he recently acquired and hopes to sell. It did seem that the picture failed to fit in with the rest of the shop. A persuasive young fellow who claimed he was closing out his stock let the old man have it for what he called a song. It was only a little out-of-the- way store which subsisted chiefly on the framing of pictures. The old man looked around at his views of the city, his pictures of cats and dogs, his flaming bits of landscape. "Don't belong in here," he fumed. And yet the old man was secretly proud of his acquisition. There was a hidden dignity in his scowling as he shuffled about pondering the least ridiculous place for the picture. Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

C. To reveal the shop owner's conflicted feelings about the new picture

A. To describe the items that the shop owner most highly prizes.

B. To convey the shop owner's resentment of the person he got the new picture from

D. To explain differences between the new picture and other pictures in the shop

I had grown up in the United States virtually without relatives, which, in my intense desire to assimilate, was quite all right with me. But this attitude dissolved when I walked into that apartment in Beijing. I realized then that my extended family is not just a collection of accidental alliances but a living body, an entity that will welcome me for being simply who I am: the daughter of my mother, the niece of my aunts and uncles. We had never before seen each other but, in that moment, we shared a sense of connection and loyalty unlike anything I had previously experienced. The primary purpose of the passage is to

C. convey the author's sudden awareness of the importance of family

A. describe the author's travels to Beijing

B. reveal how lonely the author often felt

D. illustrate the closeness that existed among the author's mother, aunts, and uncles

For people with synesthesia, a condition in which the senses get mixed up, the number five may be red. One explanation for this sensory crossover is that synesthetes, people with synesthesia, are simply experiencing childhood memories and associations. Maybe the person played with refrigerator magnets as a child and the number five was red. Another explanation is that synesthetes are experiencing the result of some kind of cross wiring between regions of the brain. In fact, we have now identified where in the brain such cross wiring might occur. We have also determined that synesthesia can occur if the wiring is fine but the balance of chemicals that control brain activity is skewed. The primary purpose of the passage is to

A. explore possible explanations for a phenomenon

B. compare two somewhat related phenomena

C. trace the evolution of an intriguing phenomenon

D. discuss an experiment that illustrates an uncommon phenomenon

My first day observing a community of forest chimpanzees showed me a richer and more satisfying world than I had imagined. I suddenly recognized why I, a non-scientist, or anyone should care about what happens to them: not, ultimately, because they use tools and solve problems and are intellectual beings, but because they are emotional beings, as we are, and because their emotions are so obviously similar to ours. I was moved by the play, the adult male chasing a toddler round and round a tree, the mother nibbling her baby's toes and looking blissful, the three females playing with and adoring a single infant They feel! That was my discovery. The primary purpose of the passage is to.

D. convey an unexpected and memorable insight

A. describe a typical day's work on a scientific project

B. report details about an attempt to train wild chimpanzees

C. propose an alternative method of studying animal behavior

The Second World War was a watershed event for all Americans. It brought the Great Depression to an end and marked the beginning of significant socioeconomic and political changes for women and racial minorities. Chinese American women played an important role in these long-term changes. Galvanized by motives ranging from Chinese nationalism to American patriotism and feminism, Chinese American women initiated an outpouring of highly organized activities in such areas as fund-raising, propaganda, civil defense, and Red Cross work. While some women in San Francisco's Chinatown enlisted in the armed services, many others went to work in businesses outside their neighborhood and in defense industries for the first time. The primary purpose of the passage is to

C. discuss the impact of the Second World War on Chinese American women

A. highlight the contributions of San Francisco's Chinatown to the war effort

B. explain how the Second World War helped to end the Great Depression

D. highlight the influence of feminism on Chinese American women

Many people who hate spam assume that it is protected as free speech. Not necessarily so. The United States Supreme Court has previously ruled that individuals may preserve a threshold of privacy. "Nothing in the Constitution compels us to listen to or view any unwanted communication, whatever its merit," wrote Chief Justice Warren Burger in a 1970 decision. "We therefore categorically reject the argument that a vendor has a right to send unwanted material into the home of another." With regard to a seemingly similar problem, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 made it illegal in the United States to send unsolicited faxes; why not extend the act to include unsolicited bulk e-mail? Which choice best states the primary purpose of the text?

D. to lay the foundation for a course so action

A. to confirm a widely held belief

B. to discuss the inadequacies of a ruling

C. to defend a controversial technology

The initial exhibition of quilts by the women of Gee's Bend exploded into the world of modern art with great fanfare, rocking critics who generally dismiss cloth art. The quilts are made by descendants of slaves, who live in the small rural community in Alabama called Gee's Bend, once the site of cotton plantations. These women spend their spare time splicing scraps of old cloth to make robust objects of refined, abstract designs. The best of them, unusually minimalist and spare, are so gorgeous that it is hard to know how to begin to account for them. But then good art can never be fully accounted for, just described. The primary purpose of the passage is to

B. explain the technique of quilt making to beginners

A. describe the accomplishments of a famous artist

C. call attention to a set of impressive works of art

D. argue for a greater appreciation of cloth art

Around 320 B.C. the ancient Greek geographer Pytheas made a remarkable sea journey around the distant Atlantic fringe of northern Europe. Afterward, some of his contemporaries regarded him as a brilliant scientist; others, as an outright liar. Scholars who have more recently examined the evidence compare him to explorers like Captain Cook and Columbus. Few now doubt the truth of his claims to have journeyed to the very limits of the ancient European world, but how he traveled, where exactly he went, and what he saw are issues still as shrouded in mystery as the frightening North Atlantic shore was in the minds of his fellow Greeks. The primary purpose of the passage is to

D. present a brief biography of an important ancient mariner and geographer

A. describe the extent of ancient Greek knowledge of the geography of northern Europe

B. discuss the views of ancient Greeks and modern scholars regarding Pytheas' journey

C. recount a key event that happened to Pytheas on his journey around ancient Europe

African American publishing entrepreneur John H. Johnson had a significant impact on American business practices. By successfully disproving a common assumption about marketing and media in the early twentieth century, Johnson helped make possible everything from Telemundo to Ms. magazine. The very nature of contemporary media hinges on the concept demonstrated by Johnson. Johnson devised techniques and concepts whose effectiveness now benefits many American businesses and even multinational corporations. The passage as a whole primarily serves to

B. describe the impact made by an influential individual

A. discuss an important event in media history

C. offer a theory about the motives of a media pioneer

D. elaborate on the challenges of marketing to diverse groups

Stylistic evidence and laboratory evidence force fully support the claim that the grand painting Garden of Eden is a work of the Flemish master van Eyck. However, the painting must have been the work of someone else, as anyone with a little historical and zoological knowledge can tell just by looking at the painting. The animals in the painting are all vivid representations of actual animals, including armadillos. Even armadillos are native only to the Americas, and van Eyck died decades before Europeans reached the Americas. Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

B. The text presents a claim that the painting Garden of Eden is not the work of van Eyck, and provides evidence to support this claim.

A. The text argues that van Eyck painted the Garden of Eden and provides evidence to support this claim

C. The text suggests that van Eyck may have painted the Garden of Eden, but raises the issue of the presence of armadillos.

D. The text presents evidence that the Garden of Eden was painted by someone else, but also acknowledges the possibility that van Eyck may have had some involvement in the work

In 2007, computer scientist Luis von Ahn was working on converting printed books into a digital format He found that some words were distorted enough that digital scanners couldn't recognize them, but most humans could easily read them. Based on that finding, von Ahn invented a simple security test to keep automated "bots" out of websites. The first version of the reCAPTCHA test asked users to type one known word and one of the many words scanners couldn't recognize. Correct answers proved the users were humans and added data to the book-digitizing project. Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To discuss von Ahn's invention of reCAPTCHA

B. To explain how digital scanners work

C. To call attention to von Ahn's book- digitizing project

D. To indicate how popular reCAPTCHA is

The following text is adapted from Edgar Allan Poe's 1849 story "Landor's Cottage." During a pedestrian trip last summer, through one or two of the river counties of New York, I found myself, as the day declined, somewhat embarrassed about the road I was pursuing. The land undulated very remarkably; and my path, for the last hour, had wound about and about so confusedly, in its effort to keep in the valleys, that I no longer knew in what direction lay the sweet village of B——, where I had determined to stop for the night. Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

D. The narrator remembers a trip he took and admits to getting lost.

A. The narrator explains the difficulties he encountered on a trip and how he overcame them.

B. The narrator describes what he saw during a long trip through a frequently visited location.

C. The narrator recalls fond memories of a journey that he took through some beautiful river counties.

The following text is from Jerome K. Jerome's 1889 novel Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog). The narrator and two friends are taking a boat down the River Thames in England. In a boat, I have always noticed that it is the fixed idea of each member of the crew that he is doing everything. Harris's notion was, that it was he alone who had been working, and that both George and I had been imposing upon him. George, on the other hand, ridiculed the idea of Harris's having done anything more than eat and sleep, and had a cast-iron opinion that it was he—George himself—who had done all the labour worth speaking of. Which choice best describes the main purpose of the text?

C. To present the narrator's generalization along with supporting examples from a specific situation

A. To give an overview of a particular situation that the narrator finds puzzling

B. To explain how the narrator and his friends each contributed to solving a problem

D. To convey the narrator's confidence that he understands the role expected of him in a group

The following text is adapted from Adib Khorram's 2018 novel Darius the Great Is Not Okay. The narrator, Darius, is a teenager visiting family in Iran. He and his friend Sohrab are at the entrance of the ruins of the ancient city of Persepolis. "The Gate of All Nations," Sohrab said. He gestured to the lamassus [sculptures] and pillars surrounding us. "That's the name in English." It wasn't much of a gate anymore, since anyone of any nation could have easily stepped around it instead of walking through. But it was still amazing. Behind the lamassu, more columns sprouted from the ground like ancient trees in a petrified forest, forty feet tall, spindly but still miraculously upright. Giant stone slabs formed the remains of what must once have been a breathtaking structure. ?2018 by Adib khorram Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

D. Darius is impressed by the overall sight of the ruins.

A. Darius has seen the columns before.

B. Darius is surprised that Sohrab knows so much about the ruins.

C. Darius wants to learn about the people who built Persepolis.

The following text is from Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1830 short story "Sir William Phips." The knowledge, communicated by the historian and biographer, is analogous to that which we acquire of a country by the map,—minute, perhaps, and accurate, and available for all necessary purposes, but cold and naked, and wholly destitute of the mimic charm produced by landscape painting. These defects are partly remediable, and even without an absolute violation of literal truth, although by methods rightfully interdicted to professors of biographical exactness. Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. Historians' fidelity to the truth often results in work that is less engaging than it could be.

B. Maps are more practical to own than paintings.

C. Writers of fiction possess storytelling skills that historians do not.

D. The more famous a person is, the more likely that person is to attract the attention of a historian

In West Africa, jalis have traditionally been keepers of information about family histories and records of important events. They have often served as teachers and advisers, too. New technologies may have changed some aspects of the role today, but jalis continue to be valued for knowing and protecting their peoples' stories. Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

B. Even though there have been some changes in their role, jalis continue to preserve their communities' histories.

ِA. Although jalis have many roles, many of them like teaching best.

C. Jalis have been entertaining the people within their communities for centuries.

D. Technology can now do some of the things jalis used to be responsible for.

The following text is adapted from Susan Glaspell's 1912 short story "'Out There.'" An elderly shop owner is looking at a picture that he recently acquired and hopes to sell. It did seem that the picture failed to fit in with the rest of the shop. A persuasive young fellow who claimed he was closing out his stock let the old man have it for what he called a song. It was only a little out-of-the- way store which subsisted chiefly on the framing of pictures. The old man looked around at his views of the city, his pictures of cats and dogs, his flaming bits of landscape. "Don't belong in here," he fumed. And yet the old man was secretly proud of his acquisition. There was a hidden dignity in his scowling as he shuffled about pondering the least ridiculous place for the picture. Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

B. To reveal the shop owner's conflicted feelings about the new picture

A. To convey the shop owner's resentment of the person he got the new picture from

D. To explain differences between the new picture and other pictures in the shop

C. To describe the items that the shop owner most highly prizes

I had grown up in the United States virtually without relatives, which, in my intense desire to assimilate, was quite all right with me. But this attitude dissolved when I walked into that apartment in Beijing. I realized then that my extended family is not just a collection of accidental alliances but a living body, an entity that will welcome me for being simply who I am: the daughter of my mother, the niece of my aunts and uncles. We had never before seen each other but, in that moment, we shared a sense of connection and loyalty unlike anything I had previously experienced. The primary purpose of the passage is to

C. convey the author's sudden awareness of the importance of family

A. describe the author's travels to Beijing

B. reveal how lonely the author often felt

D. illustrate the closeness that existed among the author's mother, aunts, and uncles

My first day observing a community of forest chimpanzees showed me a richer and more satisfying world than I had imagined. I suddenly recognized why I, a non-scientist, or anyone should care about what happens to them: not, ultimately, because they use tools and solve problems and are intellectual beings, but because they are emotional beings, as we are, and because their emotions are so obviously similar to ours. I was moved by the play, the adult male chasing a toddler round and round a tree, the mother nibbling her baby's toes and looking blissful, the three females playing with and adoring a single infant They feel! That was my discovery. The primary purpose of the passage is to

C. describe a typical day's work on a scientific project

A. propose an alternative method of studying animal behavior

B. report details about an attempt to train wild chimpanzees

D. convey an unexpected and memorable insight

The Second World War was a watershed event for all Americans. It brought the Great Depression to an end and marked the beginning of significant socioeconomic and political changes for women and racial minorities. Chinese American women played an important role in these long-term changes. Galvanized by motives ranging from Chinese nationalism to American patriotism and feminism, Chinese American women initiated an outpouring of highly organized activities in such areas as fund-raising, propaganda, civil defense, and Red Cross work. While some women in San Francisco's Chinatown enlisted in the armed services, many others went to work in businesses outside their neighborhood and in defense industries for the first time. The primary purpose of the passage is to

C. discuss the impact of the Second World War on Chinese American women

A. highlight the contributions of San Francisco's Chinatown to the war effort

B. explain how the Second World War helped to end the Great Depression

D. highlight the influence of feminism on Chinese American women

As a slang word "cool" has stayed cool far longer than most such words. One of the main characteristics of slang is the continual renewal of its vocabulary: in order for slang to feel slangy, it has to have a feeling of novelty. Slang expressions meaning the same thing as "cool," like "groovy," "hep," "far-out," "rad," and "tubular," have for the most part not had the staying power of "cool." In general, there is no intrinsic reason why one word stays alive and others get consigned to the scrap heap of linguistic history, but slang terms, like fashion designs, are rarely "in" for long. The jury is still out on how long "def" and "phat" will survive. The primary purpose of the passage is to

C. note the durability of a term

B. define an unusual expression

D. oppose a particular use of language

Many people who hate spam assume that it is protected as free speech. Not necessarily so. The United States Supreme Court has previously ruled that individuals may preserve a threshold of privacy. "Nothing in the Constitution compels us to listen to or view any unwanted communication, whatever its merit," wrote Chief Justice Warren Burger in a 1970 decision. "We therefore categorically reject the argument that a vendor has a right to send unwanted material into the home of another." With regard to a seemingly similar problem, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 made it illegal in the United States to send unsolicited faxes; why not extend the act to include unsolicited bulk e-mail? Which choice best states the primary purpose of the text?

D. to lay the foundation for a course so action

A. to confirm a widely held belief

B. to discuss the inadequacies of a ruling

C. to defend a controversial technology

The initial exhibition of quilts by the women of Gee's Bend exploded into the world of modern art with great fanfare, rocking critics who generally dismiss cloth art. The quilts are made by descendants of slaves, who live in the small rural community in Alabama called Gee's Bend, once the site of cotton plantations. These women spend their spare time splicing scraps of old cloth to make robust objects of refined, abstract designs. The best of them, unusually minimalist and spare, are so gorgeous that it is hard to know how to begin to account for them. But then good art can never be fully accounted for, just described. The primary purpose of the passage is to

B. explain the technique of quilt making to beginners

A. describe the accomplishments of a famous artist

C. call attention to a set of impressive works of art

D. argue for a greater appreciation of cloth art

Around 320 B.C. the ancient Greek geographer Pytheas made a remarkable sea journey around the distant Atlantic fringe of northern Europe. Afterward, some of his contemporaries regarded him as a brilliant scientist; others, as an outright liar. Scholars who have more recently examined the evidence compare him to explorers like Captain Cook and Columbus. Few now doubt the truth of his claims to have journeyed to the very limits of the ancient European world, but how he traveled, where exactly he went, and what he saw are issues still as shrouded in mystery as the frightening North Atlantic shore was in the minds of his fellow Greeks. The primary purpose of the passage is to

D. present a brief biography of an important ancient mariner and geographer

A. describe the extent of ancient Greek knowledge of the geography of northern Europe

B. discuss the views of ancient Greeks and modern scholars regarding Pytheas' journey

C. recount a key event that happened to Pytheas on his journey around ancient Europe

African American publishing entrepreneur John H. Johnson had a significant impact on American business practices. By successfully disproving a common assumption about marketing and media in the early twentieth century, Johnson helped make possible everything from Telemundo to Ms. magazine. The very nature of contemporary media hinges on the concept demonstrated by Johnson. Johnson devised techniques and concepts whose effectiveness now benefits many American businesses and even multinational corporations. The passage as a whole primarily serves to

B. describe the impact made by an influential individual

A. discuss an important event in media history

C. offer a theory about the motives of a media pioneer

D. elaborate on the challenges of marketing to diverse groups

Stylistic evidence and laboratory evidence force fully support the claim that the grand painting Garden of Eden is a work of the Flemish master van Eyck. However, the painting must have been the work of someone else, as anyone with a little historical and zoological knowledge can tell just by looking at the painting. The animals in the painting are all vivid representations of actual animals, including armadillos. Even armadillos are native only to the Americas, and van Eyck died decades before Europeans reached the Americas. Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

B. The text presents a claim that the painting Garden of Eden is not the work of van Eyck, and provides evidence to support this claim.

A. The text argues that van Eyck painted the Garden of Eden and provides evidence to support this claim

C. The text suggests that van Eyck may have painted the Garden of Eden, but raises the issue of the presence of armadillos.

D. The text presents evidence that the Garden of Eden was painted by someone else, but also acknowledges the possibility that van Eyck may have had some involvement in the work

The following text is adapted from Edgar Allan Poe's 1849 story "Landor's Cottage." During a pedestrian trip last summer, through one or two of the river counties of New York, I found myself, as the day declined, somewhat embarrassed about the road I was pursuing. The land undulated very remarkably; and my path, for the last hour, had wound about and about so confusedly, in its effort to keep in the valleys, that I no longer knew in what direction lay the sweet village of B——, where I had determined to stop for the night. Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

D. The narrator remembers a trip he took and admits to getting lost.

A. The narrator explains the difficulties he encountered on a trip and how he overcame them.

B. The narrator describes what he saw during a long trip through a frequently visited location.

C. The narrator recalls fond memories of a journey that he took through some beautiful river counties.

Main Idea. (1)

12th Grade

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Main Idea. (1)

Quiz

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English

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12th Grade

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Practice Problem

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Hard

Ahmed Ali

FREE Resource

70 questions

Show all answers

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

Archaeologists studying the ancient city of Pompeii in Italy recently discovered a well-preserved food shop known as a thermopolium. The site contains food remains, artworks, and decorations, These items give researchers a better understanding of what daily life in Pompeii may have been like. For example, the archaeologists found a ceramic jar that they believe likely contained a meat and seafood stew.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. To discuss the political system of Italy

B. To present a recent archaeological discovery

C. To describe a region's climate

D. To compare ancient artworks with modern ones

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

The following text is adapted from Jane Austen's 1814 novel Mansfield Park. The speaker, Tom, is considering staging a play at home with a group of his friends and family.

We mean nothing but a little amusement among ourselves, just to vary the scene, and exercise our powers in something new. We want no audience, no publicity. We may be trusted, I think, in choosing some play most perfectly unexceptionable; and I can conceive no greater harm or danger to any of us in conversing in the elegant written language of some respectable author than in chattering in words of our own.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To offer Tom's assurance that the play will be inoffensive and involve only a small number of people

B. To clarify that the play will not be performed in the manner Tom had originally intended

C. To elaborate on the idea that the people around Tom lack the skills to successfully stage a play

D. To assert that Tom believes the group performing the play will be able to successfully promote it

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

In 1934 physicist Eugene Wigner posited the existence of a crystal consisting entirely of electrons in a honeycomb-like structure. The so- called Wigner crystal remained largely conjecture, however, until Feng Wang and colleagues announced in 2021 that they had captured an image of one' The researchers trapped electrons between two semiconductors and then cooled the apparatus, causing the electrons to settle into a crystalline structure. By inserting an ultrathin sheet of graphene above the crystal, the researchers obtained an impression—the first visual confirmation of the Wigner crystal.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. Researchers have obtained the most definitive evidence to date of the existence of the Wigner crystal.

B. Researchers have identified an innovative new method for working with unusual crystalline structures.

C. Graphene is the most important of the components required to capture an image of a Wigner crystal.

D. It's difficult to acquire an image of a Wigner crystal because of the crystal's honeycomb structure.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

The following text is adapted from Jane Austen's 1814 novel Mansfield Park. The speaker, Tom, is considering staging a play at home with a group of his friends and family.

We mean nothing but a little amusement among ourselves, just to vary the scene, and exercise our powers in something new. We want no audience, no publicity. We may be trusted, I think, in choosing some play most perfectly unexceptionable; and I can conceive no greater harm or danger to any of us in conversing in the elegant written language of some respectable author than in chattering in words of our own.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To offer Tom's assurance that the play will be inoffensive and involve only a small number of people

B. To clarify that the play will not be performed in the manner Tom had originally intended

C. To elaborate on the idea that the people around Tom lack the skills to successfully stage a play

D. To assert that Tom believes the group performing the play will be able to successfully promote it

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

The following text is from Charlotte Bront?'s 1847 novel Jane Eyre. Jane, the narrator, works as a governess at Thornfield Hall.

I went on with my day's business tranquilly; but ever and anon vague suggestions kept wandering across my brain of reasons why I should quit Thornfield; and I kept involuntarily framing advertisements and pondering conjectures about new situations: these thoughts I did not think to check; they might germinate and bear fruit if they could.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To convey a contrast between Jane's outward calmness and internal restlessness

B. To emphasize Jane's loyalty to the people she works for at Thornfield Hall

C. To demonstrate that Jane finds her situation both challenging and deeply fulfilling

D. To describe Jane's determination to secure employment outside of Thornfield Hall

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

The following text is adapted from Herman Melville's 1857 novel The Confidence-Man. Humphry Davy was a prominent British chemist and inventor.

Years ago, a grave American savant, being in London, observed at an evening party there, a certain coxcombical fellow, as he thought, an absurd ribbon in his lapel, and full of smart [banter], whisking about to the admiration of as many as were disposed to admire. Great was the savant's disdain; but, chancing ere long to find himself in a corner with the jackanapes, got into conversation with him, when he was somewhat ill-prepared for the good sense of the jackanapes, but was altogether thrown aback, upon subsequently being [informed that he was] no less a personage than Sir Humphry Davy.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. It explains why one character dislikes another.

B. It portrays the thoughts of a character who is embarrassed about his own behavior.

C. It offers a short history of how a person came to be famous.

D. It presents an account of a misunderstanding.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

The following text is adapted from Louise Erdrich's 2020 novel The Night Watchman. Louis Pipestone is collecting signatures for a petition from fellow members of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa on the tribe's reservation in North Dakota.

Louis Pipestone tended the petition like a garden. He kept it with him at all times. In town, his eyes sharpened when he noticed a tribal member who hadn't yet signed. Wherever they were—at the gas pump, mercantile [general store], at Henry's [Café], on the road, or outside the clinic and hospital—Louis cornered them. If they were waiting for a baby to be born, he'd have them sign. If they were laughing, if they were arguing. If they were taking a child home from school, they signed. @2020 by Louise Erdrich

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To suggest that some tribal members refuse to sign the petition because they dislike Louis Pipestone

B. To portray Louis Pipestone's strong commitment to collecting signatures for the petition

C. To show that attitudes toward the petition within the tribal community change over time

D. To demonstrate that most tribal members are enthusiastic about signing the petition

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