5 Literal Comprehension:

Same Idea, Different Words

Literal comprehension questions ask you to identify what a passage states or indicates.

They can be phrased in the following ways:

• The author's discussion of antibiotics indicates that. ..

• The author states that which of the following is a longstanding tradition?

• According to the passage, Wang's experiment produced what result?

These most straightforward and common Reading questions essentially require you to
understand ideas well enough to recognize accurate summaries of them. When you read my
example of the typical, long-winded response many students give when asked to summarize
the main point of a passage (p. 84), you might have laughed, but the truth is that the ability
to pick out the most important ideas in a piece of writing and condense them into a concise,
direct statement is a crucial skill both for the SAT and school.

Because this is the SAT, however, those summaries will rarely use the exact same wording as
that found in the passage. That would just be too easy. The test is whether you understand
the ideas well enough to recognize when they're stated using different, often more
general, language. Correct answers thus require you to recognize paraphrased versions of
ideas, ones that contain synonyms for key words in the passage. If you understand the idea,
you'll probably be fine; if you're too focused on the details, you might miss it completely.

Most literal comprehension questions will be followed by supporting evidence questions,

and will not contain line references. In general, you should use the line references in the
supporting evidence question to narrow down the location of the answer to the preceding,
literal comprehension question.

Although these questions are asked in a very straightforward way, they can also be
challenging. In addition to having to check multiple locations in the passage for the answer,
you must sometimes navigate very challenging syntax and vocabulary. Furthermore, you
must com1ect the specific words of the correct set of lines to the more abstract language of
the answers.

We're going to start by looking at some examples of literal comprehension questions. The
first one is quite a bit shorter than what you'll encounter on the SAT, but it's useful to
illustrate a point.

131
 Experimental scientists occupy themselves with II
observing and measuring the cosmos, finding out
This passage indicates that theoretical physicists'
what stuff exists, no matter how strange that stuff
primary goal is to
may be. Theoretical physicists, on the other hand, are
5 not satisfied with observing the universe. They want to
A) identify all of the objects that exist in the
know why. They want lo explain all the properties of
universe.
the universe in terms of a few fundamental principles
and parameters. These fundamental principles, in turn, B) learn to control the laws of nature.
lead to the "laws of nature," which govern the behavior C) understand the universe at its most basic level.
10 of all matter and energy. D) observe the cosmos in great detail.

The first thing that you probably notice when you look at the answer choices is that pretty
much all of them contain bits and pieces of ideas mentioned in the passage. The question,
however, is asking you not to identify words or phrases from the passage but rather to make
a small leap from the specific words used in the passage to the rephrased idea.

In this case, the author begins to discuss theoretical physicists in line 4. What do we learn
about these people? That they want to know why. They want to explain all the properties of the
universe in terms of a few fu11da111ental principles and parameters. The key here is to understand
that fundamental means something like "basic" or "essential." The sentence is saying that
theoretical physicists want to explain how the universe works at its deepest underlying level.

And that is exactly what C) says. Same idea, different words.

Let's look at another example. It's from a speech by Daniel Webster, delivered shortly before
the Civil War.

I wish to speak to-day, not as a Massachusetts II

man, nor as a Northern man, but as an American, and
According to Webster, which statement about the
a member of the Senate of the United States. It is
Senate is true?
fortunate that there is a Senate of the United States; a
5 body not yet moved from its propriety, not lost to a just
A) Its role has begun to shift in recent years.
sense of its own dignity and its own high responsibilities,
and a body to which the country looks, with confidence, B) It may not survive the threat to its existence.
for wise, moderate, patriotic, and healing counsels. C) It remains fully aware of of its obligations.
It is not to be denied that we live in the midst of strong D) It underestimates the challenges faced by the
10 agitations, and are surrounded by very considerable United States.
dangers to our institutions and government.

In this case, the key phrase is found in lines 5-6, where Webster describes the Senate as a
body (organization) not yet moved from its propriety, not lost to a just sense of its own dignity and
its own high responsibilities. In other words, despite all of the conflicts swirling around, the
Senate retains a full understanding of its position and duties, i.e., it remains fully aware of its
obligations. C) is thus correct.

On the next page, we're going look at a literal comprehension question paired with a
supporting evidence question. We'll start with a set in which the first question contains a
line reference since that setup is a bit more straightforward.

132
 This passage is adapted from from Kristin Sainani, "What, When Dhabhar was starting his graduate work in
Me Worry?"© 2014, Stanford Magazine. McEwen's lab in the early 1990s, "the absolutely
According to a 2013 national survey by the 50 overwhelming dogma was that stress suppresses
American Psychological Association, the average immunity." But this didn't make sense to him from an
stress level among adults is 5 .1 on a scale of 10; evolutionary perspective. If a lion is chasing you, he
that's one and a half points above what the reasoned, your immune system should be ramping up,
5 respondents judged to be healthy. Two-thirds of people readying itself to heal torn flesh. It occurred to Dhabhar
say managing stress is important, and nearly that 55 that the effects of acute stress, which lasts minutes to
proportion had attempted to reduce their stress in the hours, might differ from the effects of chronic stress,
previous five years. Yet only a little over a third say which lasts days to years.
they succeeded at doing so. More discouraging, teens Dhabhar likens the body's immune cells to soldiers.
10 and young adults are experiencing higher levels of Because their levels in the blood plummet during acute
stress, and also are struggling to manage it. 60 stress, "people used to say: 'See, stress is bad for you;
"Stress has a very bad reputation. It's in pretty bad your immune system's depressed,"' he says. "But most
shape, PR-wise," acknowledges Firdaus Dhabhar, an immune battles are not going to be fought in the blood."
associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral science He suspected that the immune cells were instead
15 at Stanford. "And justifiably so," he adds. traveling to the body's "battlefields"-sites most likely
Much of what we know about the physical and 65 to be wounded in an attack, like the skin, gut and lungs.
mental toll of chronic stress stems from seminal work In studies where rats were briefly confined (a short-term
by Robert Sapolsky beginning in the late 1970s. stressor), he showed that after an initial surge of immune
Sapolsky, a neuroendocrinologist, was among the first cells into the bloodstream, they quickly exited the blood
20 to make the connection that the hormones released and took up positions precisely where he predicted they
during the fight-or-flight response-the ones that 70 would.
helped our ancestors avoid becoming dinner-have "His work was a pioneering demonstration of how
deleterious effects when the stress is severe and important the difference is between acute and chronic
sustained. Especially insidious, chronic exposure to stress," says Sapolsky, a professor of biology,
25 one of these hormones, cortisol, causes brain changes neurology, and neurological sciences and neurosurgery.
that make it increasingly difficult to shut the stress 75 "Overwhelmingly, the bad health effects of stress are
response down. those of chronic stress."
But take heart: Recent research paints a different This strategic deployment of immune cells can speed
portrait of stress, one in which it indeed has a positive wound healing, enhance vaccine effectiveness and
30 side. "There's good stress, there's tolerable stress, potentially fight cancer. In 2009, Dhabhar's team
and there's toxic stress," says Bruce McEwen of 80 showed that knee surgery patients with robust immune
Rockefeller University, an expert on stress and the redistribution following the stress of surgery recovered
brain who trained both Sapolsky and Dhabhar. significantly faster and had better knee function a year
Situations we typically perceive as stressful-a later than those with a more sluggish mobilization. In
35 confrontation with a co-worker, the pressure to other studies, volunteers who exercised or took a math
perform, a to-do list that's too long-are not the toxic 85 test (both acute stressors) immediately prior to being
type of stress that's been linked to serious health vaccinated had a heightened antibody response relative
issues such as cardiovascular disease, autoimmune to volunteers who sat quietly. And in 2010, the
disorders, severe depression and cognitive impairment. researchers curbed the development of skin cancer in
40 Short bouts of this sort of everyday stress can actually UV-exposed mice by stressing them before their
be a good thing: Just think of the exhilaration of 90 sunlamp sessions. Dhabhar speculates that giving
the deadline met or the presentation crushed, the cancer patients low-dose injections of stress
triumph of holding it all together. And, perhaps not hormones might help prime their immune systems to
surprisingly, it turns out that beating yourself up about fight the cancer. "It may not work out, but if it did,
45 being stressed is counterproductive, as worrying about the benefits could be tremendous," he says.
the negative consequences can in itself exacerbate any
i II effects.

133
I.I
Based on the passage, research indicates that
long-term stress (line 17)

A) inhibits the production of cortisol.

B) can create a sense of excitement.
C) becomes progressively harder to reduce.
D) produces a heightened antibody response.

n
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
answer to the previous question?

A) Lines 9-11 ("teens ... manage it")

B) Lines 24-27 ("Especially ... down")
C) Lines 41-42 ("Just ... crushed")
D) Lines 52-53 ("If. .. ramping up")

We're going to start by thinking about what the passage tells us about chronic stress. Before
we even reread anything, we can make some assumptions.

First, we know that the passage is about the benefits of acute stress ("new idea"), and that the
author's attitude toward that phenomenon is positive.

We also know that long-term stress (i.e., chronic stress, on which "old ideas" about stress are
based) is the opposite of acute stress, and that the author's attitude toward long-term stress is
therefore negative. As a result, we can assume that the correct answer to Question #1 will be
negative as well.

B) is clearly positive: creating a "sense of excitement" is something that acute stress can do,
not chronic stress. Don't get fooled by this choice.

If you know something about biology, you might also be able to eliminate D). The body
produces antibodies to help it fight infection - that's a good thing. So D) doesn't make sense
either. This is a good example of an instance in which outside knowledge is helpful.

Now, having narrowed the possible answers to A) and C), we're going to shift gears a bit and
approach this pair of questions from a slightly different angle. Let's start by thinking about
where in the passage the correct lines are most likely located. The reference to line 17 in
Question #1 suggests that the answer to that question is probably found relatively close to the
beginning of the passage. In addition, chronic stress = old idea, and "old ideas" are typically
discussed first. Because the lines referenced in A) and B) of Question #2 are closest to the
beginning, they're our top contenders for the right answer.

With that in mind, we're going to check each set of line references in Question #2, paying
particular attention to those cited in A) and B), and keeping in mind that the correct answer
must support the idea that chronic stress= bad.

134
Lines referenced in Question #2:

A) teens and young adults are experiencing higher levels of stress, and also are struggling
to manage it. (lines 9-11)

No. This answer is negative, but it is completely unrelated to either A) or C) in Question #1.

B) Especially insidious, chronic exposure to one of these hormones, cortisol, causes brain
changes that make it increasingly difficult to shut the stress response down. (lines 24-27)

Yes, this makes sense. Chronic is a synonym for long-term, and if you need confirmation, the
beginning of the paragraph uses the phrase chronic stress. This, however, is where you need
to be careful. If you spot the word cortisol and jump to pick A) in Question #1, you'll get in
trouble. The lines above indicate that chronic stress leads to the production of cortisol
(cortisol causes brain changes), whereas A) in Question #1 states that chronic stress inhibits
(shuts down) cortisol production. Right hormone, wrong idea.

That leaves C) in Question #1. Why is that answer correct? The passage states that cortisol
make[s] it increasingly difficult (=progressively harder) to stop the body from responding to
stress. In other words, the more chronically stressed you are, the more cortisol you produce,
which in turn makes it even harder for your body to calm down, i.e., to reduce stress.

If you want to stop there, you can, but if you feel compelled to check the other answers, you
can do so as well. Just don't spend too much time on them.

C) Just think of the exhilaration of the deadline met or the presentation crushed. (lines 41-42)

The "trick" answer. If you hadn't thought through the question upfront and determined that
the correct answer had to be negative, you could easily - and incorrectly - assume that these
lines supported B) in Question #1.

D) If a lion is chasing you ... your immune system should be ramping up. (lines 52-53)

Again, careful. These lines refer to acute stress, not chronic stress. If you didn't make that
distinction, however, you could potentially try to sh·etch this answer into a justification for
B) in Question #1 as well.

So that leaves us with B), the correct answer to Question #2.

Important: If you're a very strong reader able to keep track of things easily, you can start
with the answers closest to the original line reference, but otherwise you should work in
order. If, however, the lines that you used to determine the answer to the first question
appear as an answer to the second question, you can simply select that answer and move on.
If you answer the first question as you read, you should also mark the lines you used to
answer it so that you don't have to spend time finding them again.

At this point, we're going to use the same passage and look at a question pair without a line
reference in the first question.

135
II
Based on information in the passage, acute stress
has which physical effect?

A) It stimulates an immune response in vulnerable

areas of the body.
B) It forces cortisol to collect in the bloodstream.
C) It produces an antibody response more powerful
than that produced by exercise.
D) It cause the body's natural defenses to weaken.

ID
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
answer to the previous question?

A) Lines 24-27 ("chronic ... down")

B) Lines 45-47 ("worrying ... effects")
C) Lines 63-65 ("immune ... lungs")
D) Lines 84-87 ("volunteers ... quietly")

The first thing we're going to do is plug the second set of answer choices into the first
question so that we get this:

II
Based on information in the passage, acute stress
has which physical effect?

A) Lines 24-27 ("chronic ... down")

B) Lines 45-47 ("worrying ... effects")
C) Lines 63-65 ("immune ... lungs")
D) Lines 84-87 ("volunteers ... quietly")

Now we have something concrete to work with. Instead of just randomly skimming the
passage looking for bits that seem as if they might be relevant, we've narrowed our focus to
four specific places to look for the answer.

The next step is to check each answer. The key phrase in the question is "acute stress," so the
correct answer must be related to that phenomenon.

If you find that doing so helps you, you can bracket off each line reference in the text, either
before you start working through the answers or as you come to each one. Just remember
that you may need to skim the surrounding lines for context.

136
 A) chronic exposure to one of these hormones, cortisol, causes brain changes that make it
increasingly difficult to shut the stress response down.

Be very, very careful here. This statement might seem to support B) in Question #1, but the
end of the previous statement indicates that cortisol is a result of stress that is sustained, i.e.,
chronic, whereas the question asks about acute stress. So these lines are actually off-topic.

B) worrying about the negative consequences can in itself exacerbate any ill effects.

These lines are essentially saying that worrying about stress can make people more stressed
out. This answer is also off-topic because the lines don't specifically discuss acute stress.

C) immune cells were instead traveling to the body's "battlefields" - sites most likely to be
wounded in an attack, like the skin, gut, and lungs.

In order to determine whether this statement answers the question, you need to back up and
obtain some context. In some cases you will only need to back up a sentence or two, but here
you need to go all the way back to the end of the previous paragraph. Lines 54-57 indicate
that Dhabhar made this hypothesis in the context of a study designed to determine whether
acute stress could have positive effects. So this section is talking about the right type of
stress. In addition, lines 66-70 indicate that Dhabhar's experiment confirmed his hypothesis,
so the statement in question does in fact describe an effect of acute stress.

D) volunteers who exercised or took a math test (both acute stressors) immediately prior to
being vaccinated had a heightened antibody response relative to volunteers who sat quietly.

Clearly, this answer discusses the effects of acute stress as well, so it's also a contender.

Now we're going to backtrack and see which of the statements in the previous question is
directly supported by either C) or D).

-
Based on information in the passage, acute stress
has which physical effect?

A) It stimulates an immune response in vulnerable

areas of the body.
B) It forces cortisol to collect in the bloodstream.
C) It produces an antibody response more
powe1ful than that produced by exercise.
D) It cause the body's natural defenses to weaken.

C) in Question #2 is consistent with A) in Question #1 above): sites most likely to be wounded

in at attack= vulnerable areas of the body. A) also rephrases the passage - a good sign.

D) in Question #2 is a little trickier. Although lines 84-87 do indicate that acute stress
produced a heightened antibody response, they do not indicate that the response was "more
powerful" than it was after exercise. It could be true, but we don't have enough information.

A) is thus the correct answer to Question #1, and C) is the correct answer to Question #2.

137
 Other Approaches

If you're a strong reader and/ or excel at playing process of elimination, you'll probably find
that you don't always need - or want - to look back at the passage for the first question in a
supporting evidence pair.

You might also find the strategy discussed above too complicated, preferring to look back at
the passage and then answer the questions in order. I do not generally advocate this strategy
since line references constitute such an important source of information. But that said, it may
make sense to approach certain individual questions this way. You should, however, be
aware that a major pitfall of ignoring line references initially is that the information you need
to answer the first question might not appear until close to the end of a (long) passage. If you
begin to panic halfway through because you haven't found the answer yet, you can easily
fall into a loop of skimming randomly and guessing.

Otherwise, when you either remember the answer to the first question or are able to figure it
out logically by using the main point or eliminating answers, you may also find yourself a
bit irritated by the supporting evidence question. You understand the gist of the passage and
just know what the right answer is. Why should you have to go and find support for
something that seems so obvious?

As far as problems go, this is a pretty good one to have. If you're a sh·ong enough reader to
figure out the point on your own and identify the correct answer based on it, you' re
probably a sh·ong enough reader to figure out what sort of information is consistent with it.
All you have to do is look through the line references and pick out the one that fits.

In other cases, however, working by process of elimination might allow you to eliminate an
option or two but not identify the correct answer with certainty. For instance, let's reconsider
the question we just looked at on the previous page. If you work from the understanding
that acute sh·ess = good, you might be able to cross out D) because that answer is clearly
negative. And if you happen to remember that cortisol is associated with chronic rather than
acute stress, you might also be able to eliminate B). But then you're left with A) and C). What
do you do?

At that point, you want to think logically about where the necessary information is most
likely to be located. Benefits of acute stress = new idea. "New ideas" tend to be discussed
after "old ideas", so you can make an educated guess that the correct lines will appear
somewhere in the second half of the passage. As a result, you can check C) and D) in
Question #2 first. If you read carefully and establish the context for those lines, you
shouldn't have too much trouble connecting C) in Question #2 to A) in Question #1. Even if
you're uncertain about A), you can still play process of elimination: lines 84-87 do not
indicate that the antibody response produced by acute stress is more powerful than that
produced by exercise.

Starting on the next page, we' re going to look at some additional examples.

138
 Citrus greening, the plague that could wipe out The citrus industry, slow to prevent the greening
Florida's $9 billion orange industry, begins with the disease, has partially redirected its advertising budget
touch of a jumpy brown bug on a sun-kissed leaf. and invested heavily in research-reportedly $90
From there, the bacterial disease incubates in the 35 million so far. Southern Gardens Citrus, one of the
5 tree's roots, then moves back up the trunk in full force, largest growers, supports Mirkov's work. The federal
causing nutrient flows to seize up. Leaves turn yellow, government, too, has contributed, with this year's farm
and the oranges, deprived of sugars from the leaves, bill directing $125 million toward the fight against
remain green, sour, and hard. Many fall before harvest, citrus greening.

-
brown necrotic flesh ringing failed stems.
10 For the past decade, Florida's oranges have been
literally starving. Since it first appeared in 2005,
citrus greening, also known by its Chinese name,
The passage indicates that citrus greening affects
huanglongbing, has swept across Florida's groves
trees by
like a flood. With no hills to block it, the Asian citrus
15 psyllid-the invasive aphid relative that carries the
A) flooding them with particles of virus.
disease-has infected nearly every orchard in the
state. By one estimate, 80 percent of Florida's citrus B) depriving them of key nutrients.
trees are infected and declining. C) destroying the groves where they are planted.
The disease has spread beyond Florida to nearly D) altering their genetic structure.
20 every orange-growing region in the United States.
Despite many generations of breeding by humanity,
no citrus plant resists greening; it afflicts lemons,
grapefruits, and other citrus species as well. Once a
1111
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
tree is infected, it will die. Yet in a few select Floridian
answer to the previous question?
25 orchards, there are now trees that, thanks to innovative
technology, can fight the greening tide.
A) Lines 6-9 ("Leaves ... stems")
The pressure to find solutions keeps growing. Even
without disease, the orange industry is under stress. B) Lines 14-17 ("With ... state")
It's losing land to housing developments; it's losing C) Lines 21-22 ("Despite ... greening")
30 customers to the spreading notion that orange juice is a D) Lines 29-31 ("It's losing ... drink")
sugary, not healthy, drink.

When you work this way, you should start by identifying/underlining the key word or
phrase that indicates the specific focus of the question. Here, the key phrase is affects trees.

Then, go back to the passage to skim for that idea, remembering to pull your index finger
down the page as you skim and to pay close attention to the introduction, the conclusion,
and the first and last sentences of paragraphs. Even in shorter passages, key information is
most likely to be located in those places.

To reiterate: if you decide to skim the passage for the key information and do not have a
clear idea of where that information is, it is crucial that you cover the entire passage. One
very common mistake students make is to assume that the necessary information must be
buried somewhere in the middle of the passage. Consequently, they skip the beginning and
start searching from the second or third paragraph, with the result that they never find what
they're looking for - and that's a shame since the answer is often quite straightforward.

That is precisely the case here: the information you need is located in the introduction. The
phrase begins with the touch of a jumpy brown bug on a sun-kissed leaf indicates that the author is
about to launch into a description of citrus greening's effects on trees. The statement that
[citrus greening causes] nutrient flows to seize up points you directly to B) in Question #1.

139
 Notice, however, that that phrase does not appear in any of the sets of line references in
Question #2. Instead, the correct answer to Question #2, A), cites lines that support or
expand on the point by describing how leaves dry up when they are deprived of sugar. In
this case, that is not a major issue because A) includes the only set of lines to appear in the
inh·oduction - a placement that immediately suggests that it is the answer.

In general, though, if you choose to answer paired supporting evidence questions in order,
it is a good idea to bracket off the lines you used to determine the answer to the first
question. If they happen to be cited in one of the answers to the second question, you have
the answers to both questions. And even if the exact lines on which you based your answer
aren't cited, there's a good chance that the correct set of lines will appear right nearby.

The answer to the questions we just looked at were based on an easily overlooked detail.
Without a truly exceptional memory, most readers would have to return to the passage to
answer them. In other cases, however, you may be able to use a big-picture understanding of
the passage to answer the first question quickly. You can then check each set of lines against
the idea you know it must contain.

Let's look at an example based on the same passage:

II
According lo the author's description, citrus
greening could best be described as

A) mysterious.
B) benign.
C) ancient.
D) devastating.

Ill
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
answer to the previous question?

A) Lines 17-18 ("By ... declining")

B) Lines 24-26 ("Yet ... tide")
C) Lines 29-31 ("It's ... drink")
D) Lines 32-35 ("The citrus ... far")

Question #1 could achially be considered a vocabulary question in reverse. Instead of

identifying the meaning of a specific word in the passage, you must use the wording of the
passage to identify the correct definition from among the answer choices.

Although the question does not provide a line reference, there is no need to go searching
through the passage for the answer. If you're gotten the gist of the passage, you can pretty
much answer it on your own. What's the point? CG= AWFUL (cih·us greening is awful).
Assuming you know the definition of devastating, you can jump to D) right away. Note that
it's irrelevant whether you know the definitions of the incorrect answers (especially benign)
as long as you know the definition of the correct answer.

140
 Note that it's irrelevant whether you know the definitions of the other words (especially
benign) as long as you do know what devastating means.

Now all you have to do is find the lines that say as much. Since a good part of the passage is
devoted to making the point that citrus greening is devastating, you probably shouldn't try
to figure out the lines on your own. There are just too many places where they could be
located. Even so, it shouldn't be too hard to work from the answers provided.

A) By one estimate, 80 percent of Florida's citrus trees are infected and declining.

Yes, this is consistent with the idea that citrus greening is devastating. 80 percent is an
enormous loss. Because this answer fits, you can stop reading right there. If you really
wanted to make sure, you could check the remaining answers, but especially in this case, it's
not really necessary.

Why? Think about how the passage is organized. Everything up until line 24 is basically
focused on emphasizing how awful the effects of citrus greening are. After line 24, the focus
switches to stopping the disease. Logically, the correct set of lines must appear before line 24.
A) contains the only set of lines to meet that criterion, so it must be correct.

Using Line References to Make Educated Guesses

If you want to get really ambitious, you can occasionally use a word in a line reference to
identify the likely answer to Question #2. This strategy does require close attention to detail
as well as some very logical thinking, but it can also get you to the answer much more
quickly. For example, take another look at this combined question from p. 139.

-
The passage indicates that citrus greening affects
trees by

A) Lines 7-9 ("Leaves ... planet")

B) Lines 14-17 ("With ... state")
C) Lines 21-22 ("Despite ... greening")
D) Lines 29-31 ("It's losing ... drink")

Notice that Question #1 asks about the effect on trees. If you start with that information and
very, very carefully consider the words at the begilmings and ends of line references in
Question #2, you can make an educated guess.

Which answer includes a word related to the trees? Choice A), which contains the word
leaves. That one, tiny clue is enough to suggest that it is worth checking first. And when you
plug this answer in, you can see that it does in fact answer the question.

But to reiterate: you should never choose an answer this way without going back to the
passage and getting the full context. This strategy is only useful insofar as it can occasionally
get you to the correct answer faster. Leaping to conclusions can get you into a lot of trouble
on the SAT - it's much safer not to risk it.

141
 Literal Comprehension Exercises

1.

5
The world is complex and interconnected, and the
evolution of our communications system from a
broadcast model to a networked one has added a new
dimension to the mix. The Internet has made us all less
dependent on professional journalists and editors for
- The passage indicates that internet users tend to
seek information in a manner that is

A) impulsive.
information about the wider world, allowing us to seek
out information directly via online search or to receive B) unadventurous.
it from friends through social media. But this enhanced C) creative.
convenience comes with a considerable risk: that we D) reckless.
10 will be exposed to what we want to know at the expense
of what we need to know. While we can find virtual
communities that correspond to our every curiosity, 1111
there's little pushing us beyond our comfort zones
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
to or into the unknown, even if the unknown may have
answer to the previous question?
15 serious implications for our lives. There are things we
should probably know more about-like political and
A) Lines 1-4 ("The world ... mix")
religious conflicts in Russia or basic geography. But even
if we knew more than we do, there's no guarantee that B) Lines 4-6 ("The Internet ... world")
the knowledge gained would prompt us to act in a C) Line 13 ("there's ... zones")
20 particularly admirable fashion. D) Lines 17-20 ("But...fashion")

2.

5
Chimps do it, birds do it, even you and I do it.
Once you see someone yawn, you are compelled to
do the same. Now it seems that wolves can be added
to the list of animals known to spread yawns like a
contagion.
- The passage indicates that the people most likely to
catch yawns are

A) detail oriented.
Among humans, even thinking about yawning can
trigger the reflex, leading some to suspect that catching B) easily persuaded.
a yawn is linked to our ability to empathize with other C) attuned to others.
humans. For instance, contagious yawning activates the D) chronically fatigued.
10 same parts of the brain that govern empathy and social
know-how. And some studies have shown that humans
with more fine-tuned social skills are more likely to catch
a yawn. 1111
Similarly, chimpanzees, baboons and bonobos
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
15 often yawn when they see other members of their species
answer to the previous question?
yawning. Chimps (Pan troglodytes) can catch yawns
from humans, even virtual ones. At least in primates,
A) Lines 3-5 ("Now ... contagion")
contagious yawning seems to require an emotional
connection and may function as a demonstration of B) Lines 9-11 ("For ... know-how")
20 empathy. Beyond primates, though, the trends are less C) Lines 21-22 ("One ... empathy")
clear-cut. One study found evidence of contagious D) Lines 26-28 ("But ... luck")
yawning in birds but didn't connect it to empathy.
A 2008 study showed that dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)
could catch yawns from humans, and another showed
25 that dogs were more likely to catch the yawn of a familiar
human rather than a stranger. But efforts to see if dogs
catch yawns from each other and to replicate the results
have so far had no luck.

142
..The passage indicates that the connection between
empathy and yawning in birds and dogs, in
comparison to humans, is

A) more uncertain.
B) less uncertain.
C) impossible to establish.
D) a controversial topic.

Ill
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
answer to the previous question?

A) Lines 3-4 ("Now ... yawns")

B) Lines 14-16 ("Similarly ... yawning")
C) Lines 20-21 ("Beyond ... clear-cut")
D) Lines 23-26 ("A 2008 ... stranger")

143
3. The following passage is adapted from George Orwell, was hard to say. She was one of those malignant
"Keep the Aspidistra Flying," first published in 1936. respectable women who keep lodging-houses. Age
Gordon, the protagonist, is a poet. about forty-five, stout but active, with a pink, fine-
featured, horribly observant face, beautifully grey hair,
Gordon walked homeward against the rattling wind, 50 and a permanent grievance.
which blew his hair backward and gave him more of a In the familiar darkness of his room, Gordon felt for
'good' forehead than ever. His manner conveyed to the the gas-jet and lighted it. The room was medium-sized,
passers-by- at least, he hoped it did-that if he wore not big enough to be curtained into two, but too big to
5 no overcoat it was from pure caprice. be sufficiently warmed by one defective oil lamp. It had
Willowbed Road, NW, was dingy and depressing, 55 the sort of furniture you expect in a top floor back.
although it contrived to keep up a kind of mingy White-quilted single-bed; brown lino floor-covering;
decency. There was even a dentist's brass plate on one wash-hand-stand with jug and basin of that cheap white
of the houses. In quite two-thirds of them, amid the ware which you can never see without thinking of
10 lace curtains of the parlor window, there was a green chamberpots. On the window-sill there was a sickly
card with 'Apartments' on it in silver lettering, above 60 aspidistra in a green-glazed pot.
the peeping foliage of an aspidistra.* Up against this, under the window, there was a
Mrs. Wisbeach, Gordon's landlady, specialized in kitchen table with an inkstained green cloth. This was
'single gentlemen.' Bed-sitting-rooms, with gaslight laid Gordon's 'writing' table. It was only after a bitter
15 on and find your own heating, baths extra (there was a struggle that he had induced Mrs. Wisbeach to give him
geyser), and meals in the tomb-dark dining-room with 65 a kitchen table instead of the bamboo 'occasional'
the phalanx of clotted sauce-bottles in the middle of table - a mere stand for the aspidistra - which she
the table. Gordon, who came home for his midday dinner, considered proper for a top floor back. And even now
paid twenty-seven and six a week. there was endless nagging because Gordon would never
20 The gaslight shone yellow through the frosted transom allow his table to be 'tidied up.' The table was in a
above the door of Number 31. Gordon took out his key 70 permanent mess. It was almost covered with a muddle
and fished about in the keyhole - in that kind of house of papers, perhaps two hundred sheets, grimy and
the key never quite fits the lock. The darkish little dog-eared, and all written on and crossed out and written
hallway - in reality it was only a passage - smelt of on again - a sort of sordid labyrinth of papers to which
25 dishwater and cabbage. Gordon glanced at the japanned only Gordon possessed the key. There was a film of
tray on the hall-stand. No letters, of course. He had 75 dust over everything. Except for a few books on the
told himself not to hope for a letter, and nevertheless mantelpiece, this table, with its mess of papers, was the
had continued to hope. A stale feeling, not quite a pain, sole mark Gordon's personality had left on the room.
settled upon his breast. Rosemary might have written!
30 It was four clays now since she had written. Moreover,
he had sent out to magazines and had not yet had returned *a bulbous plant with broad leaves, often used as a
to him. The one thing that made the evening bearable houseplant.
was to find a letter waiting for him when he got home.
But he received very few letters - four or five in a week
35 at the very most.
On the left of the hall was the never-used parlor,
then came the staircase, and beyond that the passage ran
II
Based on the passage, "that kind of house" (line 22)
down to the kitchen and to the unapproachable lair
is one that is
inhabited by Mrs. Wisbeach herself. As Gordon came in,
40 the door at the end of the passage opened a foot or so.
A) large and rambling.
Mrs. Wisbeach's face emerged, inspected him briefly
but suspiciously, and disappeared again. It was quite B) gloomy and rundown.
impossible to get in or out of the house, at any time C) tidy and chee1ful.
before eleven at night, without being scrutinized in this D) utterly neglected.
45 manner. Just what Mrs. Wisbeach suspected you of it

144
n
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
answer to the previous question?
-
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
answer to the previous question?

A) Lines 6-8 ("Willowbed ... decency") A) Lines 52-55 ("The room ... back")
B) Lines 9-12 ("In ... apidastra") B) Lines 63-65 ("It was ... table")
C) Lines 18-19 ("Gordon ... week") C) Lines 73-74 ("a sort. .. key")
D) Lines 26-28 ("He ... hope") D) Lines 75-77 ("Except. .. room")

Ill
The passage indicates that the encounter between
Gordon and Mrs. Wisbeach was

A) inevitable.
B) drawn out.
C) cordial.
D) unexpected.

Ill
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
answer to the previous question?

A) Lines 32-33 ("The one ... home")

B) Lines 36-39 ("On ... herself")
C) Lines 42-45 ("It was ... manner")
D) Lines 46-50 ("She ... grievance")

- The narrator indicates that the papers in Gordon's

room were

A) an unrecognized masterpiece.
B) hidden from view.
C) a source of embarrassment.
D) comprehensible to Gordon alone.

145
4. The following passage is adapted from Wiebke 50 to read a street like a book. If you insist on
Brauer, "The Miracle of Space,"© 2014 by Smart constantly guiding people and treating them like
Magazine. idiots, you shouldn't be surprised if they act like
idiots after a while."
Imagine a world where you share the available At the same time, the threat of looming idiocy
space with others: without signs, sidewalks, or bicycle 55 is not the most pressing reason for a future traffic
lanes. A vision otherwise known as shared space - management rethink. Recent city planning, for
and one that becomes more and more relevant with example, has evolved along the same lines around
5 the crowding of our cities. While this might sound like the world: think highways and flyovers dissecting the
urban science fiction or, possibly, impending chaos city's natural fabric, dedicated pedestrian zones, and
mixed with survival of the fittest, this particular 60 large shopping malls. Clear-cut boundaries between
concept is the declared dream of many traffic planners. driving, work, life, and shopping are emphasized by
Shared space means streets freed of signs and a thicket of signs. The result: ultimate, well-ordered
10 signals; streets solely governed by right of way, leaving bleakness. At night, you might find yourself in an
road users to their own devices. In order to restructure empty, soulless pedestrian zone. A lot of the time,
public space, it removes all supe1fluous interventions 65 urbanization simply translates as uniformity.
and contradictory guidelines. Many countries are In recent years, however, city and traffic planners
currently in the process of installing - or at least have decided to tackle this issue with "road space
15 discussing - such 'lawless' areas: Germany and the attractiveness" measures to breathe new spirit into
Netherlands, Denmark and the UK, Switzerland and lifeless satellite towns. Their goal: a new definition
the USA, but also Australia and New Zealand. 70 of space and mobility against the background that
One could argue that shared spaces have been the notion of "might is right" - and only if those in
around for a long time, simply under different terms power stick to the rules - is more than outdated.
20 and titles. Back in the I 970s, for example, residents The unregulated and unorthodox approach of shared
enjoyed mixed traffic areas, traffic calming, and play space makes it obvious to each and every individual
streets. And yet, these were not quite the same: 75 that this concept requires cooperation, that sharing
Shared space involves a new and radical push for equal is the new having.
rights of all road users, pedestrian and otherwise. And Critics of Monderman and Hamilton-Baillie
25 while it was British urban designer Ben Hamilton- have voiced that no rules implies the inevitable
Baillie who coined the actual term, the concept itself return of "might is right." Yet who says that chaos
was developed in the mid- I 990s under former Dutch 80 reigns in the absence of order? That's a questionable
traffic manager Hans Monderman. Shortly before his statement. Shared space certainly requires a new
death in 2006, Monderman explained the basic tenets mindset and we can't expect a swift shift away from
30 of shared space as such: "The problem with traffic traditional traffic planning - bigger, further, faster.
engineers is that when there's a problem with a road, But the vision of no more set traffic cycles, fewer
they always try to add something. To my mind, it's 85 linear and predefined patterns, of freely flowing and
much better to remove things." intermingling participants in an open and boundless
Indeed, studies have shown that in many places - space, is equally unfettered and fascinating. A vision
35 where signs and traffic lights have been removed and in the spirit of Pericles who wrote around 450 BC
where each and every one is responsible for their own that "you need freedom for happiness and courage
actions in ungoverned space - the rate of accidents 90 for freedom."
goes down. The reason: the traditional strict separation
between cars, cyclists, and pedestrians encourages
40 clashes at crossings. And although shared space
requires cars to lower their speed, it also cuts down
D
The passage indicates that in areas where traffic
on journey times since it encourages a continuous
signals are removed, traveling becomes
flow of traffic instead of bringing it to a halt through
traffic signals.
A) safer and less time consuming.
45 Monderman was utterly convinced that shared space
would work anywhere in the world because, underneath B) safer and more time consuming.
it all, people are basically the same, despite any cultural C) more dangerous and less time consuming.
differences. In an interview, he stated that "emotions D) more dangerous and more time consuming.
and issues are the same everywhere. You should be able

146
ID
According to the author, recent city planning has
primarily resulted in

A) isolated neighborhoods.
B) a lack of variety.
C) stylistic incoherence.
D) urban revitalization.

Ill
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
answer to the previous question?

A) Lines 13-15 ("Many ... areas")

B) Lines 30-32 ("The problem ... things")
C) Lines 48-49 ("emotions ... everywhere")
D) Lines 64-65 ("A ... uniformity")

147
5. This passage is adapted from a 1950 speech by Dean 45 In this connection, we do not insist that these
Acheson, who served as Secretary of State from 1949 governments have any particular political or social
to 1953 and strongly influenced United States foreign complexion. What concerns us is that they should be
policy during the Cold War, truly independent national regimes, with a will of their
own and with a decent foundation in popular feeling.
However much we may sympathize with the 50 The Soviet leaders could cooperate with us to the
Soviet citizens who for reasons bedded deep in history end that the official representatives of all countries are
are obliged to live under it, we are not attempting to treated everywhere with decency and respect and that
change the governmental or social structure of the Soviet an atmosphere is created in which these representatives
5 Union. The Soviet regime, however, has devoted a major could function in a normal and helpful manner,
portion of its energies and resources to the attempt to 55 conforming to the accepted codes of diplomacy.
impose its system on other peoples. In this attempt it These are some of the things which we feel
has shown itself prepared to resort to any method or that Soviet leaders could do which would permit the
stratagem, including subversion, threats, and even rational and peaceful development of the coexistence
10 military force. of their system and ours. They are not things that go to
Therefore, if the two systems are to coexist, some 60 the depths of the moral conflict. They have been
acceptable means must be found to free the world from formulated by us, not as moralists but as servants of
the destructive tensions and anxieties of which it has government, anxious to get on with the practical
been the victim in these past years and the continuance problems that lie before us and to get on with them in
15 of which can hardly be in the interests of any people. a manner consistent with mankind's deep longing for a
I wish, therefore, to speak to you about those points 65 respite from fear and uncertainty.
of greatest difference which must be identified and Nor have they been formulated as a one-sided
sooner or later reconciled if the two systems are to live bargain. A will to achieve binding, peaceful settlements
together, if not with mutual respect, at least in would be required of all participants. All would have
20 reasonable security. to produce unmistakable evidence of their good faith.
It is now nearly five years since the end of hostilities, 70 All would have to accept agreements in the observance
and the victorious Allies have been unable to define the of which all nations could have real confidence.
terms of peace with the defeated countries. This is a The United States is ready, as it has been and always
grave, a deeply disturbing fact. For our part, we do not will be, to cooperate in genuine efforts to find peaceful
25 intend nor wish, in fact we do not know how, to create settlements. Our attitude is not inflexible, our opinions
satellites. Nor can we accept a settlement which would 75 are not frozen, our positions are not and will not be
make Germany, Japan, or liberated Austria satellites of obstacles to peace. But it takes more than one to
the Soviet Union. The experience in Hungary, Rumania, cooperate. If the Soviet Union could join in doing these
and Bulgaria has been one of bitter disappointment and things I have outlined, we could all face the future with
30 shocking betrayal of the solemn pledges by the wartime greater security. We could look forward to more than
Allies. The Soviet leaders joined in the pledge at Tehran 80 the eventual reduction of some of the present tensions.
that they looked forward "with confidence to the day We could anticipate a return to a more normal and
when all peoples of the world may live free lives, relaxed diplomatic atmosphere and to progress in the
untouched by tyranny, and according to their varying transaction of some of the international business which
35 desires and their own consciences." We can accept needs so urgently to be done.
treaties of peace which would give reality to this pledge
and to the interests of all in security.
With regard to the whole group of countries which
we are accustomed to thinking of as the satellite area, the
40 Soviet leaders could withdraw their military and police
force and refrain from using the shadow of that force to
keep in power persons or regimes which do not command
the confidence of the respective peoples, freely expressed
through orderly representative processes.

148
- What is the author's main point about regimes
in the satellite area?
Ill
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
answer to the previous question?

A) Their leaders are susceptible to outside A) Lines 7-10 ("ln ... force")
influences because they lack confidence. B) Lines 16-19 ("I.. . together")
B) The United States would not dictate their C) Lines 21-23 ("It is ... countries")
policies as long as they were elected freely.
D) Lines 31-34 ("The Soviet. .. tyranny")
C) They should model themselves directly on
successful democracies.
D) They should refrain from behaving
aggressively toward neighboring countries.

- Which choice provides the best evidence for the

answer to the previous question?

A) Lines 38-41 ("With ... force")

B) Lines 45-48 ("ln ... regimes")
C) Lines 50-52 ("The Soviet. .. respect")
D) Lines 67-68 ("A will. .. participants")

Ill
The author uses Hungary, Rumania, and Bulgaria
(lines 28-29) as examples of

A) Soviet leaders' betrayal of their pledge at

Tehran.
B) newly liberated satellites of the Soviet Union.
C) countries that the United States want to
transform into satellites.
D) nations that have expressed the desire to accept
peace treaties.

Ill
The author describes the Soviet Union as a regime
characterized by

A) flexibility.
B) corruption.
C) ruthlessness.
D) loyalty.

149
6. The following passage is adapted from "Scientists 50 the assumption that parts of the ice sheets below the
Discover Salty Aquifer, Previously Unknown Microbial pressure melting point are devoid of liquid water.
Habitat Under Antarctica,"© 2015 by Dartmouth College. In addition to providing answers about the biological
adaptations of previously unknown ecosystems that
Using an airborne imaging system for the first time persist in the extreme cold and dark of the Antarctic
in Antarctica, scientists have discovered a vast nelwork 55 winter, the new study could help scientists to
of unfrozen salty groundwater that may support previously understand whether similar conditions might exist
unknown microbial life deep under the coldest, driest elsewhere in the solar system, specifically beneath the
5 deserl on our planet. The findings shed new light on surface of Mars, which has many similarities to the Dry
ancient climate change on Earth and provide strong Valleys. Overall, the Dry Valleys ecosystem - cold,
evidence that a similar briny aquifer could support 60 vegetation-free and home only to microscopic animal
microscopic life on Mars. The scientists used SkyTEM, and plant life - resembles, during the Antarctic summer,
an airborne electromagnetic sensor, to detect and map conditions on the smface on Mars.
10 otherwise inaccessible subterranean features. SkyTEM produced images of Taylor Valley along
The system uses an antennae suspended beneath the Ross Sea that suggest briny sediments exisl al
a helicopter to create a magnetic field that reveals the 65 subsurface temperatures down to perhaps -68°F, which
subsurface to a depth of about I ,000 feet. Because a is considered suitable for microbial life. One of the
helicopter was used, large areas of rugged terrain could studied areas was lower Taylor Glacier, where the data
15 be surveyed. The SkyTEM team was funded by the suggest ancient brine still exists beneath the glacier.
National Science Foundation and led by researchers That conclusion is supported by the presence of Blood
from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), 70 Falls, an iron-rich brine that seeps out of the glacier and
and Dartmouth College, which oversees the NSF's hosts an active microbial ecosystem.
SkyTEM project. Scientists' understanding of Antarctica's
20 "These unfrozen materials appear to be relics of underground environment is changing dramatically as
past surface ecosystems and our findings provide research reveals that subglacial lakes are widespread
compelling evidence that they now provide deep 75 and that at least half of the areas covered by the ice
subsurface habitats for microbial life despite extreme sheet are akin to wetlands on other continents. But
environmental conditions," says lead author Jill Mikucki, groundwater in the ice-free regions and along the
25 an assistant professor at UTK. "These new below- coastal margins remains poorly understood.

-
ground visualization technologies can also provide insight
on glacial dynamics and how Antarctica responds to
responds to climate change."
Co-author Dartmouth Professor Ross Virginia is
30 SkyTEM's co-principal investigator and director of The passage indicates that the "unfrozen salty
Dartmouth's Institute of Arctic Studies. "This project is groundwater" (line 3) was once
studying the past and present climate to, in part,
understand how climate change in the future will affect A) contained in isolated lakes.
biodiversity and ecosystem processes," Virginia says. B) locked in glaciers.
35 "This fantastic new view beneath the smface will help C) devoid of any life.
us sort out competing ideas about how the McMurdo D) found at the earth's surface.
Dry Valleys have changed with time and how this history
influences what we see today."
The researchers found that the unfrozen brines form
40 extensive, interconnected aquifers deep beneath glaciers
and lakes and within permanently frozen soils. The
D
brines extend from the coast to at least 7.5 miles inland Which choice provides the best evidence for the
in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, the largest ice-free region answer to the previous question?
in Antarctica. The brines could be due to freezing and/or
45 deposits. The findings show for the first time that the A) Lines 5-6 ('The findings ... Earth")
Dry Valleys' lakes are interconnected rather than isolated; B) Lines 20-21 ("These ... ecosystems")
connectivity between lakes and aquifers is important in C) Lines 31-34 ("This ... processes")
sustaining ecosystems through drastic climate change, D) Lines 47-48 ("connectivity ... change")
such as lake dry-down events. The findings also challenge

150
Ill
Based on the passage, a novel finding of the
SkyTEM project was that

A) shifting plates below the Antarctic surface can

create major earthquakes.
B) certain regions of Antarctica bear a similarity
to the surface of Mars.
C) interconnected lakes and aquifers create hardy
ecosystems.
D) biodiversity in Antarctica is decreasing rapidly
as a result of climate change.

Ill
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
answer to the previous question?

A) Lines 8-10 (''The scientists ... features")

B) Lines 25-28 ("These ... change")
C) Lines 45-49 ("The findings ... events")
D) Lines 75-76 ("at least. .. continents")

151
7. The following passage is adapted from Jane Austen, in spite of incapacity or distaste, allowed her lo leave
Northanger Abbey, originally published in 1817. 50 off. The day which dismissed the music-master was
one of the happiest of Catherine's life. Her taste for
No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in drawing was not superior; though whenever she could
her infancy would have supposed her born to be an obtain the outside of a letter from her mother or seize
heroine. Her situation in life, the character of her father upon any other odd piece of paper, she did what she
and mother, her own person and disposition, were all 55 could in that way, by drawing houses and trees, hens
5 equally against her. Her father was a clergyman, without and chickens, all very much like one another. Writing
being neglected, or poor, and a very respectable man, and accounts she was taught by her father; French
though his name was Richard-and he had never been by her mother: her proficiency in either was not
handsome. He had a considerable independence besides remarkable, and she shirked her lessons in both
two good livings-and he was not in the least addicted 60 whenever she could. What a strange, unaccountable
10 to locking up his daughters. Her mother was a woman character! -for with all these symptoms of profligacy
of useful plain sense, with a good temper, and, what is at ten years old, she had neither a bad heart nor a bad
more remarkable, with a good constitution. She had temper, was seldom stubborn, scarcely ever
three sons before Catherine was born; and instead of quarrelsome, and very kind to the little ones, with
dying in bringing the latter into the world, as anybody 65 few interruptions of tyranny; she was moreover noisy
15 might expect, she still lived on-lived to have six and wild, hated confinement and cleanliness, and
children more-to see them growing up around her, loved nothing so well in the world as rolling down the
and to enjoy excellent health herself. A family of ten green slope at the back of the house.
children will be always called a fine family, where there
are heads and arms and legs enough for the number;
20 but the Morlands had little other right to the word, for
they were in general very plain, and Catherine, for
many years of her life, as plain as any. She had a thin
awkward figure, a sallow skin without colour, dark lank
hair, and strong features-so much for her person; and
II
The narrator indicates that on the whole, the
25 not less unpropitious for heroism seemed her mind.
Morlands' appearance was
She was fond of all boy's plays, and greatly preferred
cricket not merely to dolls, but to the more heroic
A) unremarkable.
enjoyments of infancy, nursing a dormouse, feeding a
canary-bird, or watering a rose-bush. Indeed she had B) intimidating.
30 no taste for a garden; and if she gathered flowers at all, C) uncommonly attractive.
it was chiefly for the pleasure of mischief-at least so D) somewhat peculiar.
it was conjectured from her always preferring those
which she was forbidden to take. Such were her
propensities-her abilities were quite as extraordinary.
35 She never could learn or understand anything before
she was taught; and sometimes not even then, for
1111
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
she was often inattentive, and occasionally stupid.
answer to the previous question?
Her mother was three months in teaching her only
to repeat the "Beggar's Petition"; and after all, her
A) Lines 5-8 ("Her ... handsome")
40 next sister, Sally, could say it better than she did.
Not that Catherine was always stupid-by no means; B) Lines 10-12 ("Her ... constitution")
she learnt the fable of "The Hare and Many Friends" as C) Lines 17-18 ("A family ... family")
quickly as any girl in England. Her mother wished her D) Lines 20-21 ("but ... plain")
to learn music; and Catherine was sure she should like it,
45 for she was very fond of tinkling the keys of the old
forlorn spinner; so, at eight years old she began. She
learnt a year, and could not bear it; and Mrs. Morland,
who did not insist on her daughters being accomplished

152
Ill
As presented in the passage, Catherine could best
be described as

A) charming.
B) heroic.
C) rambunctious.
D) gifted.

D
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
answer to the previous question?

A) Lines 30-31 ("and ... mischief")

B) Lines 33-34 ("Such ... extraordinary")
C) Line 41 ("Not...means")
D) Lines 65-66 ("she ... cleanliness")

Ill
The narrator indicates that Mrs. Morland was

A) weak and sickly.

B) sturdy and practical.
C) short-tempered and irritable.
D) creative and enthusiastic.

- The passage indicates that Catherine responded

to her parents' lessons by

A) participating eagerly.
B) turning them into games.
C) avoiding them if possible.
D) refusing to pay attention.

153