For Questions 1-12, please mark the letter of the correct definition of the given vocabulary word.
This space contains reference material beginning next
to Question 13.
For Questions 13-18, please read the following
passage from Chapter 2 of Haruki Murakami’s After Dark.
Choose the best responses to the prompts next to the passage. There
is one and only one correct answer to each prompt.
Chapter 2, pages 35-36
“The
sleeping woman appears to be totally unaware of these events
occurring in her room. She evidences no response to the outpouring
of light and sound from the TV set but goes on sleeping soundly amid
an established completeness. For now, nothing can disturb her deep
sleep. The television is a new intruder into the room. We, too, are
intruders, of course, but unlike us, the new intruder is neither
quiet nor transparent. Nor is it neutral. It is undoubtedly trying
to intervene. We sense its intention intuitively.”
For Questions 19-24, please read the following
passage from Chapter 3 of Haruki Murakami’s After Dark.
Choose the best responses to the prompts next to the passage. There
is one and only one correct answer to each prompt.
Chapter 3, Page 58
“The man stares at Kaoru with expressionless eyes. He
looks up at the neon sign: Alphaville. He takes off a glove again,
pulls a leather billfold from his jacket pocket, counts out seven
thousand-yen bills, and lets them drop to his feet. There is no
wind: the bills lie flat on the ground. The man puts his glove back
on. He raises his arm and looks at his watch. He performs each
movement with unnatural slowness. He is clearly in no hurry. He
seems to be trying to impress the three women with the sheer weight
of his presence. He can take as much time as he likes for anything.
All the while, the motorcycle engine keeps up its deep rumbling,
like a skittish animal.”
For Questions 25-27, please read the following
passage from enotes.com regarding the characters of Haruki
Murakami’s After Dark. Choose the best responses to the
prompts located next to the passage. There is one and only one
correct answer to each prompt.
“Takahashi is similar to Mari in many ways except that, whereas Mari
is quiet, Takahashi cannot seem to stop talking. Mari keeps her
thoughts to herself for the most part, but Takahashi appears to have
to vocalize his thoughts to better understand them. Takahashi often
talks around his topics when they become too personal. For example,
he keeps referencing Eri’s beauty and attractiveness to keep Mari’s
interest. Strangely enough, this doesn’t seem to bother Mari, as she
exhibits no signs of jealousy. Finally Takahashi admits that his
real interest is in Mari, which comes as a surprise to Mari. She is
a bit self-deprecating and asks Takahashi why he would want to see
more of her.”
"After Dark - List of Characters" eNotes Publishing Ed. Scott
Locklear. eNotes.com, Inc. eNotes.com 30 Dec, 2016
<http://www.enotes.com/topics/after-dark-murakami/characters#characters-character-list>
For Questions 30-32, please read the following
passage from "India: High-Tech and Thirsty." Choose the best responses to the
prompts located next to the passage. There is one and only one
correct answer to each prompt.
India: High-Tech and Thirsty
by Alice Andre-Clarke
When an American computer scientist wanted to develop the best
handwriting recognition software in the world, he packed his bags
for Bangalore, known as the Silicon Valley of India. India’s large
pool of highly skilled scientists will earn the country about $100
billion in technology revenue this year.
Yet all of India’s science and management talent has been unable to
bring its citizens one of the basic comforts of modern life: a
steady supply of running water. Fewer than half of Indian households
have tap water. Tens of millions don’t have clean drinking water.
No major city in India delivers water 24 hours a day to all its
customers. While the fortunate ones buy pumps and storage tanks to
capture as much water as possible, those less fortunate rely on
tanker trucks to deliver the precious resource.
Those dependent on the trucks must leave school or work to meet
them. Because parents place importance on boys’ education, that
someone is often a preteen girl. Armed with paint cans and cooking
pots, residents toss a hose—not always clean —into the tanker. Kids
transport 50- to 100-pound containers on bicycles, or walk with cans
balanced on their heads.
In most rural villages, where there is an absence of pipes and
tanker trucks, girls might walk a few miles twice a day to a
neighboring village’s well. After hoisting heavy buckets from 20
feet below ground level, they then carry the full containers home.
Finding safe water is even more difficult. Rivers are
blackened by untreated sewage and fertilizers from farms’ run offs.
Clothing factories in the city of Tirupur dump dyed wastewater into
the local reservoir.
India can’t deliver water 24/7 because its pipes are often laced
with tiny cracks. If forced to hold water pressure all day every
day, water would pour from those growing fissures, losing as much as
half of the water. While replacing pipes would save water in the
long run, doing so would require money that water authorities don’t
have.
More than anywhere else, India’s water is lost on its farms. In the
1960s, a drought drastically reduced the country’s grain production.
To prevent mass starvation, the government began offering free
electricity to farmers to use to dig wells and pump up groundwater.
The number of wells rose from 800,000 in 1975 to 22 million in 2000.
While the farmers’ hard work held back the famine, their success
came at an alarming cost.
Finding a better way to manage India’s water is urgent for two
reasons. First, India’s population is growing. Fifty years ago,
India’s population was under 500 million, but by 2040, the number
will have passed 1.5 billion.
Second, India is experiencing climate change. The mountain glaciers
that feed India’s major rivers are rapidly melting away. “Rising
temperatures mean that water will evaporate more quickly from
rivers, reservoirs, and soil”, explains Veena Srinivasan, a senior
research affiliate at the Pacific Institute’s International
Communities and Water Initiative.
Experts have many good ideas for making the water supply safe and
accessible. Srinivasan argues that rates should be raised, and
meters should measure water use in wealthy homes. If people pay
for the water they use, they will make wiser choices. Further,
Rajendra K. Pachauri, director of New Delhi’s The Energy and
Resources Institute, has called for the government to begin charging
farmers more for electricity.
Experts want to educate people on how to protect the water supply.
While Srinivasan favors programs to teach how to use less water at
home, Sanmugam Prathapar of Delhi’s International Water Institute
believes families should learn to boil and filter water to make it
safe to drink. Farmers can be taught irrigation methods to plant
grains that require less water.
Water storage must improve. Srinivasan says that India should expand
reservoirs so it can capture heavy rainfalls to be used during
droughts.
Fourth, polluters must act more responsibly. Leading
conservationist Rajendra Singh has urged that factories be required
to treat wastewater so that it’s clean before released into the
water supply. He also believes in tougher penalties for polluters.
The World Health Organization estimates that over 700,000 Indians a
year die because of poor water and sanitation. Unfortunately, the
shortage of clean water is just one crisis facing India. Hundreds of
millions of people can’t read or write, and one one-third have no
electricity. Many in India are hoping that the fast-growing
technology industry will bring in enough money so that people won’t
have to choose which problem to solve.
deftness
(adj.) natural
(n.) skill
(adj.) regular
(n.) sleepiness
dialect
(n.) jargon
(adj.) even
(adj.) intense
(adj.) jumpy
furrow
(v.) to flow
(v.) to fluctuate
(v.) to wrinkle
(v.) to vibrate
skittish
(adj.) even
(adj.) intense
(n.) jargon
(adj.) jumpy
reverberate
(v.) to flow
(v.) to fluctuate
(v.) to vibrate
(v.) to wrinkle
cascade
(v.) to flow
(v.) to fluctuate
(v.) to vibrate
(v.) to wrinkle
orthodox
(adj.) natural
(adj.) regular
(n.) skill
(n.) sleepiness
profound
(adj.) even
(adj.) intense
(n.) jargon
(adj.) jumpy
somnolence
(adj.) natural
(adj.) regular
(n.) skill
(n.) sleepiness
innate
(adj.) natural
(adj.) regular
(n.) skill
(n.) sleepiness
symmetrical
(adj.) even
(adj.) intense
(n.) jargon
(adj.) jumpy
undulate
(v.) to flow
(v.) to fluctuate
(v.) to vibrate
(v.) to wrinkle
(RL2) Which of the following is NOT one of the primary motifs of this particular passage?
sleep
television
intruder
hospital
(RL2) What would be the best passage-related thematic statement to draw from the primary motifs above?
Sleep in a hospital is impossible because of televisions in every room
Television acts as an intruder to the natural restful state of humans.
Intruders in hospitals are often missed by sleeping guards.
Hospitals use televisions to guard against unwelcome intruders.
(RL4) What is the meaning of the phrase “established completeness” in the fourth line of the passage?
routine state
utter confusion
lawful union
rigor mortis
(RL1) What can be inferred to be the “it” in the following line?
“It is undoubtedly trying to intervene.”
sleep
television
light
room
(RL4) What type of figurative language is being utilized in the following line?
“It is undoubtedly trying to intervene.”
simile
irony
personification
hyperbole
(RL5) Why does Murakami choose to utilize the phrase, “We sense its intention intuitively”?
He wants to alienate readers and make them feel like their opinions are worthless.
He wants to make readers feel like they have superhuman powers of perception.
He wants to joke sarcastically about the lack of knowledge that readers possess.
He wants readers to recognize their knowledge of television as an intruding force.
(RL4) What is the best metaphorical interpretation for the motorcycle that rumbles “like a skittish animal”?
The motorcycle needs a tune-up, like everything else about the rider.
Even a non-living machine is jumpy around the imposing gang member.
The bike is a wild, spirited being and needs to be set free to roam.
Angry beyond the point of comprehension, the vehicle is ready to attack.
(RL3) Which of the following is NOT indicative of the motorcycle rider’s character and attitude?
“He performs each movement with unnatural slowness.”
“He is clearly in no hurry.”
“He looks up at the neon sign: Alphaville.”
“He can take as much time as he likes for anything.”
(RL3) Which of the following character descriptions best sums up the biker?
arrogant
friendly
bashful
depressed
(RL1) What’s a rational inference about the piece of text that follows?
“He seems to be trying to impress the three women with the sheer weight of his presence.”
The biker wants a date with one of the women but is too shy to get up the courage to ask.
The biker is sad about what happened to the prostitute and is trying to come to terms with his emotions.
The biker is insecure and is trying to mask his insecurities by acting like he’s better than everyone.
The biker is used to intimidating people with feigned superiority because of his line of work.
(RL2) What is the central idea that is expressed in this particular passage?
The biker is rich and can throw money around like it’s nothing.
The biker has trouble moving quickly because of a physical impairment.
The biker has a lack of feeling for the situation and the women involved.
The needs to be somewhere else and the women are impeding his progress.
(RL4) What word from the passage best reflects the central idea?
“expressionless"
“billfold”
“hurry”
“rumbling”
(RL2) Which of the following would provide the best objective summary of the central idea of this paragraph?
Takahashi and Mari are different in many ways, except for their communication styles.
Takahashi’s loquaciousness allows his interest in quiet Mari to take her by surprise.
Mari and Takahashi are different in every way, so it’s strange that he wants to see more of her.
Mari’s sister, Eri, is whom Takahashi is truly attracted to, which makes Mari jealous.
(RL1) Which of the following is the best inference that a reader could draw from this passage?
Takahashi frequently dominates conversations while Mari typically says very little.
Mari usually talks a lot more but she is overly shy around Takahashi.
Takahashi is only talking to Mari so he can get a date with her attractive sister, Eri.
Mari thinks a lot of herself and, therefore, thinks that she is too good for Takahashi.
(RL6) What’s the author’s purpose in this particular passage?
study the obsession that Takahashi seems to have with Mari’s sister, Eri
relate specific theories about why Takahashi and Mari hate each other so much
contradict the obvious notion that Takahashi and Mari are completely different
examine the interplay between Takahashi and Mari as a way of figuring out their budding relationship
Pick the best possessive pronouns to fill in the blanks.
As the story reaches ______ ending, the characters get ______ desires.
it’s; there
his/her; his/her
its; their
our; they’re
Which sentence is written correctly?
One of the 121 applicants was most capable of handling the job and its responsibilities.
One of the hundred and twenty-one applicants were more capable of handling the job and it'sresponsibilities.
One of the 121 applicants were more capable of handling the job and their responsibilities.
One of the hundred and twenty one applicants were more capable of handling the job and their responsibilities.
Which sentence from “India: High-Tech and Thirsty”
best supports the claim that climate change will affect the water supply in India?
“Rising temperatures mean that water will evaporate more quickly from
rivers, reservoirs, and soil," explains Veena Srinivasan, a senior research affiliate at the Pacific Institute’s International Communities and Water Initiative.
Srinivasan says that India should expand reservoirs so it can capture heavy rainfalls to be used during droughts.
Leading conservationist Rajendra Singh has urged that factories be required to treat wastewater so that it’s clean before released into the water supply.
The World Health Organization estimates that over 700,000 Indians a year die because of poor water and sanitation.
Read the sentence from “India: High-Tech and Thirsty.”
India’s large pool of highly skilled scientists will earn the country about $100 billion in technology revenue this year.
In this excerpt, the word “revenue” most nearly means
money produced from a business.
assets sold by a company.
sales made by a business.
awards given to employees.
Complete, by selecting the answer choice with three accurate endings, the statement provided below about “India: High-Tech and Thirsty."
The author explains that education can help to protect India’s water supply by teaching
people how to filter the water they drink.
the public how to minimize water use at home.
farmers about agricultural techniques that conserve water.
people how to filter the water they drink.
the government how to manage local reservoirs.
underprivileged people how to get water from tanker trucks.
the government how to manage local reservoirs.
underprivileged people how to get water from tanker trucks.
activists how to mobilize communities to defend water sources.
the government how to manage local reservoirs.
underprivileged people how to get water from tanker trucks.
farmers about agricultural techniques that conserve water.