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My Kingdom for mtDNA

The University of Leicester, working with the Richard III Society and the Leicester City

Council, undertook an ambitious archaeological project in August 2012. The group, in as

short a time as seven months, 1 were able to announce to the world that it had done

something 2 remarkable: it had found a lost king.

The group had uncovered the lost grave of King Richard III, the last English king to die

in battle. He died at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 at the age of 32, and his grave “went

missing” 3 sometime, around 1538 when the church under which he was buried was

destroyed, and with it, all the records of burial.

4 Some time passed, and the king stayed missing. When human remains were found

under a parking lot in Leicester at the site that many historians believed had housed that

long-destroyed church, scientists and historians alike paid attention. The evidence pointed

to the fact that these were the remains of 5 a human. Many thought that it was possible

that this corpse could be the one that had been 6 wondered about for centuries. But

historians needed help.

Scientists used a special type of DNA test to explore the possibility that the remains

were those of Richard III. They analyzed mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA), which is the DNA

that exists within mitochondria, the organelles that convert chemical energy into a form

that bodies can use. 7 Transmitted exclusively from mother to child, mtDNA is incredibly

useful when tracing female lines of descent. A mother will pass on the mtDNA to all of her

children, regardless of gender, but the mtDNA will only continue to be transmitted 8

through the generations if female descendants of a family have female descendants.

Therefore, if a female line of descent remains 9 not broken, then the mtDNA is passed on.

Richard III shared mtDNA with his sister Anne of York because they had the same

mother, Cecily Neville. Historians were able to meticulously trace an all-female lineage from

Anne of York through more than five hundred years, ending at a man named Michael Ibsen,

born in 1957. Ibsen is Neville’s seventeenth-generation grandson and would have the same

mtDNA as Richard III and Anne of York.

10 Scientists needed to find mtDNA in order to analyze it. In each lab, mtDNA samples

from the teeth and femur were analyzed and found to be an exact match with Ibsen’s

mtDNA. 11 The mystery was solved. The lost king had been found.

Writing and Language: Question 1

Questions 1-11 are based on the following passage.

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A. NO CHANGEB. wasC. areD. will be

Choice B is the best answer. The singular verb “was” agrees in number with the singular noun“group.” The past tense verb is consistent with the other past tense verbs in the passage.

Choices A and C are incorrect because they are plural verbs and don’t agree in number with thesingular noun “group.” Choice C is also incorrect and choice D is incorrect because the presentand future tense verbs “are” and “will be” aren’t consistent with the past tense verbs in thepassage.

Question Difficulty: Medium

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My Kingdom for mtDNA

The University of Leicester, working with the Richard III Society and the Leicester City

Council, undertook an ambitious archaeological project in August 2012. The group, in as

short a time as seven months, 1 were able to announce to the world that it had done

something 2 remarkable: it had found a lost king.

The group had uncovered the lost grave of King Richard III, the last English king to die

in battle. He died at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 at the age of 32, and his grave “went

missing” 3 sometime, around 1538 when the church under which he was buried was

destroyed, and with it, all the records of burial.

4 Some time passed, and the king stayed missing. When human remains were found

under a parking lot in Leicester at the site that many historians believed had housed that

long-destroyed church, scientists and historians alike paid attention. The evidence pointed

to the fact that these were the remains of 5 a human. Many thought that it was possible

that this corpse could be the one that had been 6 wondered about for centuries. But

historians needed help.

Scientists used a special type of DNA test to explore the possibility that the remains

were those of Richard III. They analyzed mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA), which is the DNA

that exists within mitochondria, the organelles that convert chemical energy into a form

that bodies can use. 7 Transmitted exclusively from mother to child, mtDNA is incredibly

useful when tracing female lines of descent. A mother will pass on the mtDNA to all of her

children, regardless of gender, but the mtDNA will only continue to be transmitted 8

through the generations if female descendants of a family have female descendants.

Therefore, if a female line of descent remains 9 not broken, then the mtDNA is passed on.

Richard III shared mtDNA with his sister Anne of York because they had the same

mother, Cecily Neville. Historians were able to meticulously trace an all-female lineage from

Anne of York through more than five hundred years, ending at a man named Michael Ibsen,

born in 1957. Ibsen is Neville’s seventeenth-generation grandson and would have the same

mtDNA as Richard III and Anne of York.

10 Scientists needed to find mtDNA in order to analyze it. In each lab, mtDNA samples

from the teeth and femur were analyzed and found to be an exact match with Ibsen’s

mtDNA. 11 The mystery was solved. The lost king had been found.

Writing and Language: Question 2

Questions 1-11 are based on the following passage.

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A. NO CHANGEB. remarkable,C. remarkable—because—D. remarkable; because

Choice A is the best answer. The colon is used correctly to introduce and emphasize theremarkable accomplishment of finding the lost grave of Richard III.

Choice B is incorrect because a comma can’t be used to introduce information that is beingemphasized. Furthermore, a comma would create a comma splice. Choice C is incorrect becausesetting off the word “because” with dashes doesn’t make grammatical sense. A pair of dashescan be used to set off nonessential information, but not to set off a conjunction. Choice D isincorrect because a semicolon needs to be followed by an independent clause, but the word“because” introduces a dependent clause.

Question Difficulty: Hard

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My Kingdom for mtDNA

The University of Leicester, working with the Richard III Society and the Leicester City

Council, undertook an ambitious archaeological project in August 2012. The group, in as

short a time as seven months, 1 were able to announce to the world that it had done

something 2 remarkable: it had found a lost king.

The group had uncovered the lost grave of King Richard III, the last English king to die

in battle. He died at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 at the age of 32, and his grave “went

missing” 3 sometime, around 1538 when the church under which he was buried was

destroyed, and with it, all the records of burial.

4 Some time passed, and the king stayed missing. When human remains were found

under a parking lot in Leicester at the site that many historians believed had housed that

long-destroyed church, scientists and historians alike paid attention. The evidence pointed

to the fact that these were the remains of 5 a human. Many thought that it was possible

that this corpse could be the one that had been 6 wondered about for centuries. But

historians needed help.

Scientists used a special type of DNA test to explore the possibility that the remains

were those of Richard III. They analyzed mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA), which is the DNA

that exists within mitochondria, the organelles that convert chemical energy into a form

that bodies can use. 7 Transmitted exclusively from mother to child, mtDNA is incredibly

useful when tracing female lines of descent. A mother will pass on the mtDNA to all of her

children, regardless of gender, but the mtDNA will only continue to be transmitted 8

through the generations if female descendants of a family have female descendants.

Therefore, if a female line of descent remains 9 not broken, then the mtDNA is passed on.

Richard III shared mtDNA with his sister Anne of York because they had the same

mother, Cecily Neville. Historians were able to meticulously trace an all-female lineage from

Anne of York through more than five hundred years, ending at a man named Michael Ibsen,

born in 1957. Ibsen is Neville’s seventeenth-generation grandson and would have the same

mtDNA as Richard III and Anne of York.

10 Scientists needed to find mtDNA in order to analyze it. In each lab, mtDNA samples

from the teeth and femur were analyzed and found to be an exact match with Ibsen’s

mtDNA. 11 The mystery was solved. The lost king had been found.

Writing and Language: Question 3

Questions 1-11 are based on the following passage.

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A. NO CHANGEB. sometime around 1538,C. sometime—around 1538,D. sometime, around 1538:

Choice B is the best answer. The comma is placed correctly after “1538” to separate theindependent clause that begins “his grave ‘went missing’” from the nonessential dependentclause that adds detail about what happened in 1538.

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because no punctuation is needed within the phrase “sometimearound 1538.” Choice D is further incorrect because a colon after “1538” incorrectly indicates thatthe information that follows it is introducing or emphasizing something about the fact that RichardIII’s grave went missing around that year.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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My Kingdom for mtDNA

The University of Leicester, working with the Richard III Society and the Leicester City

Council, undertook an ambitious archaeological project in August 2012. The group, in as

short a time as seven months, 1 were able to announce to the world that it had done

something 2 remarkable: it had found a lost king.

The group had uncovered the lost grave of King Richard III, the last English king to die

in battle. He died at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 at the age of 32, and his grave “went

missing” 3 sometime, around 1538 when the church under which he was buried was

destroyed, and with it, all the records of burial.

4 Some time passed, and the king stayed missing. When human remains were found

under a parking lot in Leicester at the site that many historians believed had housed that

long-destroyed church, scientists and historians alike paid attention. The evidence pointed

to the fact that these were the remains of 5 a human. Many thought that it was possible

that this corpse could be the one that had been 6 wondered about for centuries. But

historians needed help.

Scientists used a special type of DNA test to explore the possibility that the remains

were those of Richard III. They analyzed mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA), which is the DNA

that exists within mitochondria, the organelles that convert chemical energy into a form

that bodies can use. 7 Transmitted exclusively from mother to child, mtDNA is incredibly

useful when tracing female lines of descent. A mother will pass on the mtDNA to all of her

children, regardless of gender, but the mtDNA will only continue to be transmitted 8

through the generations if female descendants of a family have female descendants.

Therefore, if a female line of descent remains 9 not broken, then the mtDNA is passed on.

Richard III shared mtDNA with his sister Anne of York because they had the same

mother, Cecily Neville. Historians were able to meticulously trace an all-female lineage from

Anne of York through more than five hundred years, ending at a man named Michael Ibsen,

born in 1957. Ibsen is Neville’s seventeenth-generation grandson and would have the same

mtDNA as Richard III and Anne of York.

10 Scientists needed to find mtDNA in order to analyze it. In each lab, mtDNA samples

from the teeth and femur were analyzed and found to be an exact match with Ibsen’s

mtDNA. 11 The mystery was solved. The lost king had been found.

Writing and Language: Question 4

Questions 1-11 are based on the following passage.

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The writer wants to begin this paragraph with a sentence that emphasizes the amount of time theking had been missing. Which choice most effectively accomplishes this goal?

A. NO CHANGEB.

For many years, historians had thought about the different places the king could beburied.

C.Over five hundred years after his death, historians finally began the physical search forthe long-lost king’s burial site.

D. The mystery of the king’s burial place had been around for a while.

Choice C is the best answer. “Over five hundred years after his death” clearly indicates theamount of time the king was missing.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. “Some time,” “many years,” and “a while” all refer to a periodof time, but the phrases are vague.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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My Kingdom for mtDNA

The University of Leicester, working with the Richard III Society and the Leicester City

Council, undertook an ambitious archaeological project in August 2012. The group, in as

short a time as seven months, 1 were able to announce to the world that it had done

something 2 remarkable: it had found a lost king.

The group had uncovered the lost grave of King Richard III, the last English king to die

in battle. He died at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 at the age of 32, and his grave “went

missing” 3 sometime, around 1538 when the church under which he was buried was

destroyed, and with it, all the records of burial.

4 Some time passed, and the king stayed missing. When human remains were found

under a parking lot in Leicester at the site that many historians believed had housed that

long-destroyed church, scientists and historians alike paid attention. The evidence pointed

to the fact that these were the remains of 5 a human. Many thought that it was possible

that this corpse could be the one that had been 6 wondered about for centuries. But

historians needed help.

Scientists used a special type of DNA test to explore the possibility that the remains

were those of Richard III. They analyzed mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA), which is the DNA

that exists within mitochondria, the organelles that convert chemical energy into a form

that bodies can use. 7 Transmitted exclusively from mother to child, mtDNA is incredibly

useful when tracing female lines of descent. A mother will pass on the mtDNA to all of her

children, regardless of gender, but the mtDNA will only continue to be transmitted 8

through the generations if female descendants of a family have female descendants.

Therefore, if a female line of descent remains 9 not broken, then the mtDNA is passed on.

Richard III shared mtDNA with his sister Anne of York because they had the same

mother, Cecily Neville. Historians were able to meticulously trace an all-female lineage from

Anne of York through more than five hundred years, ending at a man named Michael Ibsen,

born in 1957. Ibsen is Neville’s seventeenth-generation grandson and would have the same

mtDNA as Richard III and Anne of York.

10 Scientists needed to find mtDNA in order to analyze it. In each lab, mtDNA samples

from the teeth and femur were analyzed and found to be an exact match with Ibsen’s

mtDNA. 11 The mystery was solved. The lost king had been found.

Writing and Language: Question 5

Questions 1-11 are based on the following passage.

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The writer wants to provide additional specific details that show why many thought that theremains might be those of Richard III. Given how Richard III was described earlier in the passage,which choice best accomplishes this goal?

A. NO CHANGEB. a male human being.C. an individual who lived in the 1400s.D. a man who died in his early thirties, likely from battlefield wounds.

Choice D is the best answer. Given the information that Richard III died in battle at the age of 32,this choice most specifically supports the idea that the remains found could be his.

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because they don’t provide specific details that show whymany thought that the remains could belong to Richard III.

Question Difficulty: Medium

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My Kingdom for mtDNA

The University of Leicester, working with the Richard III Society and the Leicester City

Council, undertook an ambitious archaeological project in August 2012. The group, in as

short a time as seven months, 1 were able to announce to the world that it had done

something 2 remarkable: it had found a lost king.

The group had uncovered the lost grave of King Richard III, the last English king to die

in battle. He died at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 at the age of 32, and his grave “went

missing” 3 sometime, around 1538 when the church under which he was buried was

destroyed, and with it, all the records of burial.

4 Some time passed, and the king stayed missing. When human remains were found

under a parking lot in Leicester at the site that many historians believed had housed that

long-destroyed church, scientists and historians alike paid attention. The evidence pointed

to the fact that these were the remains of 5 a human. Many thought that it was possible

that this corpse could be the one that had been 6 wondered about for centuries. But

historians needed help.

Scientists used a special type of DNA test to explore the possibility that the remains

were those of Richard III. They analyzed mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA), which is the DNA

that exists within mitochondria, the organelles that convert chemical energy into a form

that bodies can use. 7 Transmitted exclusively from mother to child, mtDNA is incredibly

useful when tracing female lines of descent. A mother will pass on the mtDNA to all of her

children, regardless of gender, but the mtDNA will only continue to be transmitted 8

through the generations if female descendants of a family have female descendants.

Therefore, if a female line of descent remains 9 not broken, then the mtDNA is passed on.

Richard III shared mtDNA with his sister Anne of York because they had the same

mother, Cecily Neville. Historians were able to meticulously trace an all-female lineage from

Anne of York through more than five hundred years, ending at a man named Michael Ibsen,

born in 1957. Ibsen is Neville’s seventeenth-generation grandson and would have the same

mtDNA as Richard III and Anne of York.

10 Scientists needed to find mtDNA in order to analyze it. In each lab, mtDNA samples

from the teeth and femur were analyzed and found to be an exact match with Ibsen’s

mtDNA. 11 The mystery was solved. The lost king had been found.

Writing and Language: Question 6

Questions 1-11 are based on the following passage.

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A. NO CHANGEB. wondered overC. guessed onD. thought on

Choice A is the best answer. “Wondered about” is an idiomatic expression that, in this context,clearly indicates that many had previously given some thought to the whereabouts of Richard III’sremains.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because the verb and preposition combinations that they offeraren’t idiomatic. “Wondered” and “thought” are usually followed by the preposition “about.” Also,“thought” and “guessed” are themselves not idiomatic verbs in the context of the sentence.

Question Difficulty: Medium

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My Kingdom for mtDNA

The University of Leicester, working with the Richard III Society and the Leicester City

Council, undertook an ambitious archaeological project in August 2012. The group, in as

short a time as seven months, 1 were able to announce to the world that it had done

something 2 remarkable: it had found a lost king.

The group had uncovered the lost grave of King Richard III, the last English king to die

in battle. He died at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 at the age of 32, and his grave “went

missing” 3 sometime, around 1538 when the church under which he was buried was

destroyed, and with it, all the records of burial.

4 Some time passed, and the king stayed missing. When human remains were found

under a parking lot in Leicester at the site that many historians believed had housed that

long-destroyed church, scientists and historians alike paid attention. The evidence pointed

to the fact that these were the remains of 5 a human. Many thought that it was possible

that this corpse could be the one that had been 6 wondered about for centuries. But

historians needed help.

Scientists used a special type of DNA test to explore the possibility that the remains

were those of Richard III. They analyzed mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA), which is the DNA

that exists within mitochondria, the organelles that convert chemical energy into a form

that bodies can use. 7 Transmitted exclusively from mother to child, mtDNA is incredibly

useful when tracing female lines of descent. A mother will pass on the mtDNA to all of her

children, regardless of gender, but the mtDNA will only continue to be transmitted 8

through the generations if female descendants of a family have female descendants.

Therefore, if a female line of descent remains 9 not broken, then the mtDNA is passed on.

Richard III shared mtDNA with his sister Anne of York because they had the same

mother, Cecily Neville. Historians were able to meticulously trace an all-female lineage from

Anne of York through more than five hundred years, ending at a man named Michael Ibsen,

born in 1957. Ibsen is Neville’s seventeenth-generation grandson and would have the same

mtDNA as Richard III and Anne of York.

10 Scientists needed to find mtDNA in order to analyze it. In each lab, mtDNA samples

from the teeth and femur were analyzed and found to be an exact match with Ibsen’s

mtDNA. 11 The mystery was solved. The lost king had been found.

Writing and Language: Question 7

Questions 1-11 are based on the following passage.

At this point, the writer is considering adding the following sentence.

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The word “mitochondria” comes from the Greek words for “thread” and “granule.”

Should the writer make this addition here?

A.Yes, because it provides additional detail for the definition of the word “mitochondria.”

B. Yes, because it illustrates the relationship between mitochondria and mtDNA.C.

No, because it interrupts the paragraph’s explanation of mtDNA with a loosely relateddetail.

D.No, because it repeats information about word origins provided elsewhere in thepassage.

Choice C is the best answer. The sentence shouldn’t be added because the information isn’tessential for clarification and digresses too far from the main idea of the paragraph.

Choices A and B are incorrect because the sentence shouldn’t be added. Additional detail for thedefinition of mitochondria isn’t necessary, and the suggested sentence doesn’t illustrate therelationship between mitochondria and mtDNA. Choice D is incorrect because it isn’t true. Thereis no information about word origins elsewhere in the passage.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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My Kingdom for mtDNA

The University of Leicester, working with the Richard III Society and the Leicester City

Council, undertook an ambitious archaeological project in August 2012. The group, in as

short a time as seven months, 1 were able to announce to the world that it had done

something 2 remarkable: it had found a lost king.

The group had uncovered the lost grave of King Richard III, the last English king to die

in battle. He died at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 at the age of 32, and his grave “went

missing” 3 sometime, around 1538 when the church under which he was buried was

destroyed, and with it, all the records of burial.

4 Some time passed, and the king stayed missing. When human remains were found

under a parking lot in Leicester at the site that many historians believed had housed that

long-destroyed church, scientists and historians alike paid attention. The evidence pointed

to the fact that these were the remains of 5 a human. Many thought that it was possible

that this corpse could be the one that had been 6 wondered about for centuries. But

historians needed help.

Scientists used a special type of DNA test to explore the possibility that the remains

were those of Richard III. They analyzed mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA), which is the DNA

that exists within mitochondria, the organelles that convert chemical energy into a form

that bodies can use. 7 Transmitted exclusively from mother to child, mtDNA is incredibly

useful when tracing female lines of descent. A mother will pass on the mtDNA to all of her

children, regardless of gender, but the mtDNA will only continue to be transmitted 8

through the generations if female descendants of a family have female descendants.

Therefore, if a female line of descent remains 9 not broken, then the mtDNA is passed on.

Richard III shared mtDNA with his sister Anne of York because they had the same

mother, Cecily Neville. Historians were able to meticulously trace an all-female lineage from

Anne of York through more than five hundred years, ending at a man named Michael Ibsen,

born in 1957. Ibsen is Neville’s seventeenth-generation grandson and would have the same

mtDNA as Richard III and Anne of York.

10 Scientists needed to find mtDNA in order to analyze it. In each lab, mtDNA samples

from the teeth and femur were analyzed and found to be an exact match with Ibsen’s

mtDNA. 11 The mystery was solved. The lost king had been found.

Writing and Language: Question 8

Questions 1-11 are based on the following passage.

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A. NO CHANGEB. and passed down from generation to generationC. through generations of future descendantsD. in female descendants

Choice A is the best answer. “Through the generations” is clear, concise, and idiomatic.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because they each repeat some part of the idea that mtDNA istransmitted through generations of female descendants.

Question Difficulty: Hard

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My Kingdom for mtDNA

The University of Leicester, working with the Richard III Society and the Leicester City

Council, undertook an ambitious archaeological project in August 2012. The group, in as

short a time as seven months, 1 were able to announce to the world that it had done

something 2 remarkable: it had found a lost king.

The group had uncovered the lost grave of King Richard III, the last English king to die

in battle. He died at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 at the age of 32, and his grave “went

missing” 3 sometime, around 1538 when the church under which he was buried was

destroyed, and with it, all the records of burial.

4 Some time passed, and the king stayed missing. When human remains were found

under a parking lot in Leicester at the site that many historians believed had housed that

long-destroyed church, scientists and historians alike paid attention. The evidence pointed

to the fact that these were the remains of 5 a human. Many thought that it was possible

that this corpse could be the one that had been 6 wondered about for centuries. But

historians needed help.

Scientists used a special type of DNA test to explore the possibility that the remains

were those of Richard III. They analyzed mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA), which is the DNA

that exists within mitochondria, the organelles that convert chemical energy into a form

that bodies can use. 7 Transmitted exclusively from mother to child, mtDNA is incredibly

useful when tracing female lines of descent. A mother will pass on the mtDNA to all of her

children, regardless of gender, but the mtDNA will only continue to be transmitted 8

through the generations if female descendants of a family have female descendants.

Therefore, if a female line of descent remains 9 not broken, then the mtDNA is passed on.

Richard III shared mtDNA with his sister Anne of York because they had the same

mother, Cecily Neville. Historians were able to meticulously trace an all-female lineage from

Anne of York through more than five hundred years, ending at a man named Michael Ibsen,

born in 1957. Ibsen is Neville’s seventeenth-generation grandson and would have the same

mtDNA as Richard III and Anne of York.

10 Scientists needed to find mtDNA in order to analyze it. In each lab, mtDNA samples

from the teeth and femur were analyzed and found to be an exact match with Ibsen’s

mtDNA. 11 The mystery was solved. The lost king had been found.

Writing and Language: Question 9

Questions 1-11 are based on the following passage.

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A. NO CHANGEB. not broken up,C. unbroke,D. unbroken,

Choice D is the best answer. The word “unbroken” implies that something is continuous oruninterrupted. This word is appropriate to use when discussing lineage.

Choices A and B are incorrect because they aren’t idiomatic. Choice C is incorrect because“unbroke” isn’t a word.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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about:blank 1/2

My Kingdom for mtDNA

The University of Leicester, working with the Richard III Society and the Leicester City

Council, undertook an ambitious archaeological project in August 2012. The group, in as

short a time as seven months, 1 were able to announce to the world that it had done

something 2 remarkable: it had found a lost king.

The group had uncovered the lost grave of King Richard III, the last English king to die

in battle. He died at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 at the age of 32, and his grave “went

missing” 3 sometime, around 1538 when the church under which he was buried was

destroyed, and with it, all the records of burial.

4 Some time passed, and the king stayed missing. When human remains were found

under a parking lot in Leicester at the site that many historians believed had housed that

long-destroyed church, scientists and historians alike paid attention. The evidence pointed

to the fact that these were the remains of 5 a human. Many thought that it was possible

that this corpse could be the one that had been 6 wondered about for centuries. But

historians needed help.

Scientists used a special type of DNA test to explore the possibility that the remains

were those of Richard III. They analyzed mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA), which is the DNA

that exists within mitochondria, the organelles that convert chemical energy into a form

that bodies can use. 7 Transmitted exclusively from mother to child, mtDNA is incredibly

useful when tracing female lines of descent. A mother will pass on the mtDNA to all of her

children, regardless of gender, but the mtDNA will only continue to be transmitted 8

through the generations if female descendants of a family have female descendants.

Therefore, if a female line of descent remains 9 not broken, then the mtDNA is passed on.

Richard III shared mtDNA with his sister Anne of York because they had the same

mother, Cecily Neville. Historians were able to meticulously trace an all-female lineage from

Anne of York through more than five hundred years, ending at a man named Michael Ibsen,

born in 1957. Ibsen is Neville’s seventeenth-generation grandson and would have the same

mtDNA as Richard III and Anne of York.

10 Scientists needed to find mtDNA in order to analyze it. In each lab, mtDNA samples

from the teeth and femur were analyzed and found to be an exact match with Ibsen’s

mtDNA. 11 The mystery was solved. The lost king had been found.

Writing and Language: Question 10

Questions 1-11 are based on the following passage.

Which choice best introduces the paragraph?

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A. NO CHANGEB. The scientists had to take some of the bones to be analyzed.C.

An advantage of mtDNA is that there is a lot of it within each cell, so scientists haveplenty of material to study.

D.Scientists worked with the lower jaw and the femur bone, bringing them to twolaboratories that specialize in the study of ancient DNA.

Choice D is the best answer. The paragraph focuses on analyzing the teeth and femur to establishthe identity of the remains. Choice D best introduces the paragraph because it specificallymentions the lower jaw and femur bone as well as the specialized laboratories where thescientists brought the bones.

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because they don’t help to introduce the paragraph. Choice A isincorrect because it doesn’t specify exactly what those samples were or where the scientists tookthe samples to be analyzed. Choice B is incorrect because it’s too vague, especially incomparison with choice D. Choice C is incorrect because it’s not relevant to the paragraph.

Question Difficulty: Medium

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about:blank 1/2

My Kingdom for mtDNA

The University of Leicester, working with the Richard III Society and the Leicester City

Council, undertook an ambitious archaeological project in August 2012. The group, in as

short a time as seven months, 1 were able to announce to the world that it had done

something 2 remarkable: it had found a lost king.

The group had uncovered the lost grave of King Richard III, the last English king to die

in battle. He died at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 at the age of 32, and his grave “went

missing” 3 sometime, around 1538 when the church under which he was buried was

destroyed, and with it, all the records of burial.

4 Some time passed, and the king stayed missing. When human remains were found

under a parking lot in Leicester at the site that many historians believed had housed that

long-destroyed church, scientists and historians alike paid attention. The evidence pointed

to the fact that these were the remains of 5 a human. Many thought that it was possible

that this corpse could be the one that had been 6 wondered about for centuries. But

historians needed help.

Scientists used a special type of DNA test to explore the possibility that the remains

were those of Richard III. They analyzed mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA), which is the DNA

that exists within mitochondria, the organelles that convert chemical energy into a form

that bodies can use. 7 Transmitted exclusively from mother to child, mtDNA is incredibly

useful when tracing female lines of descent. A mother will pass on the mtDNA to all of her

children, regardless of gender, but the mtDNA will only continue to be transmitted 8

through the generations if female descendants of a family have female descendants.

Therefore, if a female line of descent remains 9 not broken, then the mtDNA is passed on.

Richard III shared mtDNA with his sister Anne of York because they had the same

mother, Cecily Neville. Historians were able to meticulously trace an all-female lineage from

Anne of York through more than five hundred years, ending at a man named Michael Ibsen,

born in 1957. Ibsen is Neville’s seventeenth-generation grandson and would have the same

mtDNA as Richard III and Anne of York.

10 Scientists needed to find mtDNA in order to analyze it. In each lab, mtDNA samples

from the teeth and femur were analyzed and found to be an exact match with Ibsen’s

mtDNA. 11 The mystery was solved. The lost king had been found.

Writing and Language: Question 11

Questions 1-11 are based on the following passage.

Which choice most effectively combines the underlined sentences?

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

A. The mystery was solved, and yet the lost king had been found.B. Because the mystery was solved, the lost king had been found.C. The mystery was solved; the lost king had been found.D. While the mystery was solved, the lost king had been found.

Choice C is the best answer. This choice most effectively combines the two short sentences witha semicolon without repeating or deleting important information or changing the meaning of theoriginal sentences.

Choice A is incorrect because the conjunction and adverb “and yet” change the meaning of theoriginal sentences. It doesn’t make sense to say that despite or in addition to the fact the mysterywas solved, the lost king had been found, since finding the king was solving the mystery. ChoiceB is incorrect because it changes the meaning of the original sentences. The mystery was solvedbecause the mtDNA identified the remains as those of Richard III. Choice D is incorrect becausethe word “while” suggests that a different mystery was being solved while the lost king wasfound.

Question Difficulty: Easy

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Modeling Sustainability with Living Buildings

In response to their clients’ growing commitment to environmental sustainability, 12

buildings are increasingly designed by architects that meet the requirements for a variety

of green building certifications. One of the most 13 exhausting of these certifications is that

for the “living building,” which requires meeting the extensive criteria enumerated in the

Living Building Challenge. Although its requirements may be daunting, this challenge is

worth embracing for those who seek to set the highest standards for sustainable building.

Living buildings have numerous environmental advantages over both traditional 14

buildings, and less stringently certified green buildings. A living building must not only

avoid depleting finite energy and water resources but also provide its own. 15 In

conclusion, to meet the Living Building Challenge’s requirements for energy and water

usage, the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, New York, was designed

with a solar power 16 system that generates nearly 2,000 kilowatt hours of energy in

excess of what the building uses per year. An Eco-Machine filtration system makes

groundwater potable. In addition, an underground cistern collects rainwater for use in

toilets. These and other features 17 is resulting in a building that is entirely self-sustaining.

Living buildings do have one 18 drawback. That drawback is a high price tag. However,

a 2009 cost analysis of buildings with different green designations reveals that despite their

high initial cost, living buildings are the most economically advantageous choice in the

long run. The results of the analysis indicate a payback period, the estimated amount of

time it would take to recoup the additional expenses associated with constructing a living

building. 19 The general rule that temperate climates lead to longer payback periods than

hot and humid climates do does have some exceptions. A high-rise mixed-use building in

the cool climate of Boston, Massachusetts, would recoup the cost in just 8–13 years. 20

The payback period for a school in Phoenix, Arizona, would be twice as long. Fortunately,

living buildings are becoming more affordable as the high cost of some green building

materials decreases, in part due to growing demand for them.

Payback Period for Living Buildings in Selected Cities

K–8school(years)

Low-riseoffice (years)

Mid-riseoffice(years)

High-rise mixed-usebuilding (years)

Portland, OR 10–15 25–30 18–23 13–18

Writing and Language: Question 12

Questions 12-22 are based on the following passage and supplementary material.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

(temperateclimate)Atlanta, GA (hot,humid climate)

8–13 21–26 15–20 13–18

Phoenix, AZ (hot,arid climate)

12–17 20–25 16–21 11–16

Boston, MA (coolclimate)

6–11 16–21 10–15 8–13

Adapted from Cascadia Green Building Council et al., “Living Building Financial Study:

Cost Comparison Matrix.” ©2009 by International Living Future Institute.

Some detractors argue that it’s not necessary to go to what they consider the extremes

required for a living building; instead, 21 we advocate taking small steps toward increased

energy efficiency. Those small steps shouldn’t be disregarded, but the big steps have the

greatest potential to help people envision a truly sustainable future. 22 Although living

buildings are probably not feasible for every community, they could be considered in

places where their costs can be quickly recouped.

A. NO CHANGEB. architects are increasingly designing buildingsC. building design is increasing by architectsD. architects’ designs are increasing for buildings

Choice B is the best answer. This choice clearly indicates that architects are the agents in thesentence, the ones who are designing buildings “in response to their clients’ growingcommitment to environmental sustainability.”

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because they don’t follow the introductory clause with anappropriate agent. Buildings, building design, and architects’ designs can’t do something inresponse to clients’ demands (or have clients, for that matter) because they are without agency;only people—in this case, architects—could do this.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Modeling Sustainability with Living Buildings

In response to their clients’ growing commitment to environmental sustainability, 12

buildings are increasingly designed by architects that meet the requirements for a variety

of green building certifications. One of the most 13 exhausting of these certifications is that

for the “living building,” which requires meeting the extensive criteria enumerated in the

Living Building Challenge. Although its requirements may be daunting, this challenge is

worth embracing for those who seek to set the highest standards for sustainable building.

Living buildings have numerous environmental advantages over both traditional 14

buildings, and less stringently certified green buildings. A living building must not only

avoid depleting finite energy and water resources but also provide its own. 15 In

conclusion, to meet the Living Building Challenge’s requirements for energy and water

usage, the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, New York, was designed

with a solar power 16 system that generates nearly 2,000 kilowatt hours of energy in

excess of what the building uses per year. An Eco-Machine filtration system makes

groundwater potable. In addition, an underground cistern collects rainwater for use in

toilets. These and other features 17 is resulting in a building that is entirely self-sustaining.

Living buildings do have one 18 drawback. That drawback is a high price tag. However,

a 2009 cost analysis of buildings with different green designations reveals that despite their

high initial cost, living buildings are the most economically advantageous choice in the

long run. The results of the analysis indicate a payback period, the estimated amount of

time it would take to recoup the additional expenses associated with constructing a living

building. 19 The general rule that temperate climates lead to longer payback periods than

hot and humid climates do does have some exceptions. A high-rise mixed-use building in

the cool climate of Boston, Massachusetts, would recoup the cost in just 8–13 years. 20

The payback period for a school in Phoenix, Arizona, would be twice as long. Fortunately,

living buildings are becoming more affordable as the high cost of some green building

materials decreases, in part due to growing demand for them.

Payback Period for Living Buildings in Selected Cities

K–8school(years)

Low-riseoffice (years)

Mid-riseoffice(years)

High-rise mixed-usebuilding (years)

Portland, OR 10–15 25–30 18–23 13–18

Writing and Language: Question 13

Questions 12-22 are based on the following passage and supplementary material.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

(temperateclimate)Atlanta, GA (hot,humid climate)

8–13 21–26 15–20 13–18

Phoenix, AZ (hot,arid climate)

12–17 20–25 16–21 11–16

Boston, MA (coolclimate)

6–11 16–21 10–15 8–13

Adapted from Cascadia Green Building Council et al., “Living Building Financial Study:

Cost Comparison Matrix.” ©2009 by International Living Future Institute.

Some detractors argue that it’s not necessary to go to what they consider the extremes

required for a living building; instead, 21 we advocate taking small steps toward increased

energy efficiency. Those small steps shouldn’t be disregarded, but the big steps have the

greatest potential to help people envision a truly sustainable future. 22 Although living

buildings are probably not feasible for every community, they could be considered in

places where their costs can be quickly recouped.

A. NO CHANGEB. outrageousC. rigorousD. draining

Choice C is the best answer. The word “rigorous” is used to refer to something that is difficult orthat calls for accuracy and precision. Meeting the extensive criteria enumerated in the LivingBuilding Challenge would be rigorous.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they don’t accurately describe the work required tomeet the certification. “Exhausting” and “draining” are synonyms that imply that one of thecertifications is tiring. Meeting the requirements of a certification could be tiring, but thecertification itself isn’t. “Outrageous” means grossly offensive or beyond the limits of good taste.A certification for building a sustainable building wouldn’t be considered offensive or tasteless.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Modeling Sustainability with Living Buildings

In response to their clients’ growing commitment to environmental sustainability, 12

buildings are increasingly designed by architects that meet the requirements for a variety

of green building certifications. One of the most 13 exhausting of these certifications is that

for the “living building,” which requires meeting the extensive criteria enumerated in the

Living Building Challenge. Although its requirements may be daunting, this challenge is

worth embracing for those who seek to set the highest standards for sustainable building.

Living buildings have numerous environmental advantages over both traditional 14

buildings, and less stringently certified green buildings. A living building must not only

avoid depleting finite energy and water resources but also provide its own. 15 In

conclusion, to meet the Living Building Challenge’s requirements for energy and water

usage, the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, New York, was designed

with a solar power 16 system that generates nearly 2,000 kilowatt hours of energy in

excess of what the building uses per year. An Eco-Machine filtration system makes

groundwater potable. In addition, an underground cistern collects rainwater for use in

toilets. These and other features 17 is resulting in a building that is entirely self-sustaining.

Living buildings do have one 18 drawback. That drawback is a high price tag. However,

a 2009 cost analysis of buildings with different green designations reveals that despite their

high initial cost, living buildings are the most economically advantageous choice in the

long run. The results of the analysis indicate a payback period, the estimated amount of

time it would take to recoup the additional expenses associated with constructing a living

building. 19 The general rule that temperate climates lead to longer payback periods than

hot and humid climates do does have some exceptions. A high-rise mixed-use building in

the cool climate of Boston, Massachusetts, would recoup the cost in just 8–13 years. 20

The payback period for a school in Phoenix, Arizona, would be twice as long. Fortunately,

living buildings are becoming more affordable as the high cost of some green building

materials decreases, in part due to growing demand for them.

Payback Period for Living Buildings in Selected Cities

K–8school(years)

Low-riseoffice (years)

Mid-riseoffice(years)

High-rise mixed-usebuilding (years)

Portland, OR 10–15 25–30 18–23 13–18

Writing and Language: Question 14

Questions 12-22 are based on the following passage and supplementary material.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

(temperateclimate)Atlanta, GA (hot,humid climate)

8–13 21–26 15–20 13–18

Phoenix, AZ (hot,arid climate)

12–17 20–25 16–21 11–16

Boston, MA (coolclimate)

6–11 16–21 10–15 8–13

Adapted from Cascadia Green Building Council et al., “Living Building Financial Study:

Cost Comparison Matrix.” ©2009 by International Living Future Institute.

Some detractors argue that it’s not necessary to go to what they consider the extremes

required for a living building; instead, 21 we advocate taking small steps toward increased

energy efficiency. Those small steps shouldn’t be disregarded, but the big steps have the

greatest potential to help people envision a truly sustainable future. 22 Although living

buildings are probably not feasible for every community, they could be considered in

places where their costs can be quickly recouped.

A. NO CHANGEB. buildings, and,C. buildings andD. buildings; and

Choice C is the best answer. No punctuation is needed to separate the two objects of thepreposition “over.” Because there are only two objects of the preposition and their modifiers,“traditional buildings” and “green buildings” need only to be joined with the conjunction “and.”

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they all contain unnecessary punctuation.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Modeling Sustainability with Living Buildings

In response to their clients’ growing commitment to environmental sustainability, 12

buildings are increasingly designed by architects that meet the requirements for a variety

of green building certifications. One of the most 13 exhausting of these certifications is that

for the “living building,” which requires meeting the extensive criteria enumerated in the

Living Building Challenge. Although its requirements may be daunting, this challenge is

worth embracing for those who seek to set the highest standards for sustainable building.

Living buildings have numerous environmental advantages over both traditional 14

buildings, and less stringently certified green buildings. A living building must not only

avoid depleting finite energy and water resources but also provide its own. 15 In

conclusion, to meet the Living Building Challenge’s requirements for energy and water

usage, the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, New York, was designed

with a solar power 16 system that generates nearly 2,000 kilowatt hours of energy in

excess of what the building uses per year. An Eco-Machine filtration system makes

groundwater potable. In addition, an underground cistern collects rainwater for use in

toilets. These and other features 17 is resulting in a building that is entirely self-sustaining.

Living buildings do have one 18 drawback. That drawback is a high price tag. However,

a 2009 cost analysis of buildings with different green designations reveals that despite their

high initial cost, living buildings are the most economically advantageous choice in the

long run. The results of the analysis indicate a payback period, the estimated amount of

time it would take to recoup the additional expenses associated with constructing a living

building. 19 The general rule that temperate climates lead to longer payback periods than

hot and humid climates do does have some exceptions. A high-rise mixed-use building in

the cool climate of Boston, Massachusetts, would recoup the cost in just 8–13 years. 20

The payback period for a school in Phoenix, Arizona, would be twice as long. Fortunately,

living buildings are becoming more affordable as the high cost of some green building

materials decreases, in part due to growing demand for them.

Payback Period for Living Buildings in Selected Cities

K–8school(years)

Low-riseoffice (years)

Mid-riseoffice(years)

High-rise mixed-usebuilding (years)

Portland, OR 10–15 25–30 18–23 13–18

Writing and Language: Question 15

Questions 12-22 are based on the following passage and supplementary material.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

(temperateclimate)Atlanta, GA (hot,humid climate)

8–13 21–26 15–20 13–18

Phoenix, AZ (hot,arid climate)

12–17 20–25 16–21 11–16

Boston, MA (coolclimate)

6–11 16–21 10–15 8–13

Adapted from Cascadia Green Building Council et al., “Living Building Financial Study:

Cost Comparison Matrix.” ©2009 by International Living Future Institute.

Some detractors argue that it’s not necessary to go to what they consider the extremes

required for a living building; instead, 21 we advocate taking small steps toward increased

energy efficiency. Those small steps shouldn’t be disregarded, but the big steps have the

greatest potential to help people envision a truly sustainable future. 22 Although living

buildings are probably not feasible for every community, they could be considered in

places where their costs can be quickly recouped.

A. NO CHANGEB. For instance,C. By contrast,D. However,

Choice B is the best answer. The transitional phrase “for instance” shows the true relationshipbetween the previous sentence and the sentence this phrase introduces. The previous sentenceindicates that a living building must provide its own energy and water resources without depletingalready available resources. The sentence that this phrase begins provides an example, orinstance, of a building in New York that generates excess energy.

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because none of these transitional words or phrases shows thetrue relationship between the sentences. “In conclusion” incorrectly indicates that someconclusion of previously stated ideas will be made. “By contrast” incorrectly suggests thatdifferences between two or more things will be discussed. “However” incorrectly indicates that anexception to what has been said earlier will follow.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Modeling Sustainability with Living Buildings

In response to their clients’ growing commitment to environmental sustainability, 12

buildings are increasingly designed by architects that meet the requirements for a variety

of green building certifications. One of the most 13 exhausting of these certifications is that

for the “living building,” which requires meeting the extensive criteria enumerated in the

Living Building Challenge. Although its requirements may be daunting, this challenge is

worth embracing for those who seek to set the highest standards for sustainable building.

Living buildings have numerous environmental advantages over both traditional 14

buildings, and less stringently certified green buildings. A living building must not only

avoid depleting finite energy and water resources but also provide its own. 15 In

conclusion, to meet the Living Building Challenge’s requirements for energy and water

usage, the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, New York, was designed

with a solar power 16 system that generates nearly 2,000 kilowatt hours of energy in

excess of what the building uses per year. An Eco-Machine filtration system makes

groundwater potable. In addition, an underground cistern collects rainwater for use in

toilets. These and other features 17 is resulting in a building that is entirely self-sustaining.

Living buildings do have one 18 drawback. That drawback is a high price tag. However,

a 2009 cost analysis of buildings with different green designations reveals that despite their

high initial cost, living buildings are the most economically advantageous choice in the

long run. The results of the analysis indicate a payback period, the estimated amount of

time it would take to recoup the additional expenses associated with constructing a living

building. 19 The general rule that temperate climates lead to longer payback periods than

hot and humid climates do does have some exceptions. A high-rise mixed-use building in

the cool climate of Boston, Massachusetts, would recoup the cost in just 8–13 years. 20

The payback period for a school in Phoenix, Arizona, would be twice as long. Fortunately,

living buildings are becoming more affordable as the high cost of some green building

materials decreases, in part due to growing demand for them.

Payback Period for Living Buildings in Selected Cities

K–8school(years)

Low-riseoffice (years)

Mid-riseoffice(years)

High-rise mixed-usebuilding (years)

Portland, OR 10–15 25–30 18–23 13–18

Writing and Language: Question 16

Questions 12-22 are based on the following passage and supplementary material.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

(temperateclimate)Atlanta, GA (hot,humid climate)

8–13 21–26 15–20 13–18

Phoenix, AZ (hot,arid climate)

12–17 20–25 16–21 11–16

Boston, MA (coolclimate)

6–11 16–21 10–15 8–13

Adapted from Cascadia Green Building Council et al., “Living Building Financial Study:

Cost Comparison Matrix.” ©2009 by International Living Future Institute.

Some detractors argue that it’s not necessary to go to what they consider the extremes

required for a living building; instead, 21 we advocate taking small steps toward increased

energy efficiency. Those small steps shouldn’t be disregarded, but the big steps have the

greatest potential to help people envision a truly sustainable future. 22 Although living

buildings are probably not feasible for every community, they could be considered in

places where their costs can be quickly recouped.

A. NO CHANGEB. system; whichC. system, thatD. system, it

Choice A is the best answer. No punctuation is needed between the noun “system” and theclause that describes it. In addition, the relative clause best begins with the relative pronoun“that” because the clause provides information that can’t be deleted without changing themeaning of the sentence.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because they all contain unnecessary punctuation. In addition,in choice B the relative pronoun “which” is incorrect in this context because the information thatfollows is necessary for the sentence to have its intended meaning. And in choice D the commafollowed by the personal pronoun “it” creates a comma splice.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Modeling Sustainability with Living Buildings

In response to their clients’ growing commitment to environmental sustainability, 12

buildings are increasingly designed by architects that meet the requirements for a variety

of green building certifications. One of the most 13 exhausting of these certifications is that

for the “living building,” which requires meeting the extensive criteria enumerated in the

Living Building Challenge. Although its requirements may be daunting, this challenge is

worth embracing for those who seek to set the highest standards for sustainable building.

Living buildings have numerous environmental advantages over both traditional 14

buildings, and less stringently certified green buildings. A living building must not only

avoid depleting finite energy and water resources but also provide its own. 15 In

conclusion, to meet the Living Building Challenge’s requirements for energy and water

usage, the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, New York, was designed

with a solar power 16 system that generates nearly 2,000 kilowatt hours of energy in

excess of what the building uses per year. An Eco-Machine filtration system makes

groundwater potable. In addition, an underground cistern collects rainwater for use in

toilets. These and other features 17 is resulting in a building that is entirely self-sustaining.

Living buildings do have one 18 drawback. That drawback is a high price tag. However,

a 2009 cost analysis of buildings with different green designations reveals that despite their

high initial cost, living buildings are the most economically advantageous choice in the

long run. The results of the analysis indicate a payback period, the estimated amount of

time it would take to recoup the additional expenses associated with constructing a living

building. 19 The general rule that temperate climates lead to longer payback periods than

hot and humid climates do does have some exceptions. A high-rise mixed-use building in

the cool climate of Boston, Massachusetts, would recoup the cost in just 8–13 years. 20

The payback period for a school in Phoenix, Arizona, would be twice as long. Fortunately,

living buildings are becoming more affordable as the high cost of some green building

materials decreases, in part due to growing demand for them.

Payback Period for Living Buildings in Selected Cities

K–8school(years)

Low-riseoffice (years)

Mid-riseoffice(years)

High-rise mixed-usebuilding (years)

Portland, OR 10–15 25–30 18–23 13–18

Writing and Language: Question 17

Questions 12-22 are based on the following passage and supplementary material.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

(temperateclimate)Atlanta, GA (hot,humid climate)

8–13 21–26 15–20 13–18

Phoenix, AZ (hot,arid climate)

12–17 20–25 16–21 11–16

Boston, MA (coolclimate)

6–11 16–21 10–15 8–13

Adapted from Cascadia Green Building Council et al., “Living Building Financial Study:

Cost Comparison Matrix.” ©2009 by International Living Future Institute.

Some detractors argue that it’s not necessary to go to what they consider the extremes

required for a living building; instead, 21 we advocate taking small steps toward increased

energy efficiency. Those small steps shouldn’t be disregarded, but the big steps have the

greatest potential to help people envision a truly sustainable future. 22 Although living

buildings are probably not feasible for every community, they could be considered in

places where their costs can be quickly recouped.

A. NO CHANGEB. are resultingC. has resultedD. result

Choice D is the best answer. The plural verb “result” agrees in number with the compoundsubjects “these” and “features.” The present tense is consistent with the other present tenseverbs in the passage.

Choice A is incorrect because “is resulting” is a present progressive tense verb, which isn’tconsistent with the simple present tense verbs in the passage. Furthermore, the singular verb “is”doesn’t agree in number with the compound subject. Choices B and C are incorrect because thepresent progressive tense verb “are resulting” and the singular present perfect verb “hasresulted” aren’t consistent with the other verbs in the passage.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Modeling Sustainability with Living Buildings

In response to their clients’ growing commitment to environmental sustainability, 12

buildings are increasingly designed by architects that meet the requirements for a variety

of green building certifications. One of the most 13 exhausting of these certifications is that

for the “living building,” which requires meeting the extensive criteria enumerated in the

Living Building Challenge. Although its requirements may be daunting, this challenge is

worth embracing for those who seek to set the highest standards for sustainable building.

Living buildings have numerous environmental advantages over both traditional 14

buildings, and less stringently certified green buildings. A living building must not only

avoid depleting finite energy and water resources but also provide its own. 15 In

conclusion, to meet the Living Building Challenge’s requirements for energy and water

usage, the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, New York, was designed

with a solar power 16 system that generates nearly 2,000 kilowatt hours of energy in

excess of what the building uses per year. An Eco-Machine filtration system makes

groundwater potable. In addition, an underground cistern collects rainwater for use in

toilets. These and other features 17 is resulting in a building that is entirely self-sustaining.

Living buildings do have one 18 drawback. That drawback is a high price tag. However,

a 2009 cost analysis of buildings with different green designations reveals that despite their

high initial cost, living buildings are the most economically advantageous choice in the

long run. The results of the analysis indicate a payback period, the estimated amount of

time it would take to recoup the additional expenses associated with constructing a living

building. 19 The general rule that temperate climates lead to longer payback periods than

hot and humid climates do does have some exceptions. A high-rise mixed-use building in

the cool climate of Boston, Massachusetts, would recoup the cost in just 8–13 years. 20

The payback period for a school in Phoenix, Arizona, would be twice as long. Fortunately,

living buildings are becoming more affordable as the high cost of some green building

materials decreases, in part due to growing demand for them.

Payback Period for Living Buildings in Selected Cities

K–8school(years)

Low-riseoffice (years)

Mid-riseoffice(years)

High-rise mixed-usebuilding (years)

Portland, OR 10–15 25–30 18–23 13–18

Writing and Language: Question 18

Questions 12-22 are based on the following passage and supplementary material.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

(temperateclimate)Atlanta, GA (hot,humid climate)

8–13 21–26 15–20 13–18

Phoenix, AZ (hot,arid climate)

12–17 20–25 16–21 11–16

Boston, MA (coolclimate)

6–11 16–21 10–15 8–13

Adapted from Cascadia Green Building Council et al., “Living Building Financial Study:

Cost Comparison Matrix.” ©2009 by International Living Future Institute.

Some detractors argue that it’s not necessary to go to what they consider the extremes

required for a living building; instead, 21 we advocate taking small steps toward increased

energy efficiency. Those small steps shouldn’t be disregarded, but the big steps have the

greatest potential to help people envision a truly sustainable future. 22 Although living

buildings are probably not feasible for every community, they could be considered in

places where their costs can be quickly recouped.

Which choice most effectively combines the sentences at the underlined portion?

A. drawback:B. drawback; this isC. drawback, which can be summed up asD. drawback, and that drawback is

Choice A is the best answer. The use of a colon after “drawback” effectively and conciselycombines the two sentences by indicating that what follows the colon will be the “one drawback”to living buildings. In this case the drawback is the expense.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because they are not concise and either repeat or addunnecessary words.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Modeling Sustainability with Living Buildings

In response to their clients’ growing commitment to environmental sustainability, 12

buildings are increasingly designed by architects that meet the requirements for a variety

of green building certifications. One of the most 13 exhausting of these certifications is that

for the “living building,” which requires meeting the extensive criteria enumerated in the

Living Building Challenge. Although its requirements may be daunting, this challenge is

worth embracing for those who seek to set the highest standards for sustainable building.

Living buildings have numerous environmental advantages over both traditional 14

buildings, and less stringently certified green buildings. A living building must not only

avoid depleting finite energy and water resources but also provide its own. 15 In

conclusion, to meet the Living Building Challenge’s requirements for energy and water

usage, the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, New York, was designed

with a solar power 16 system that generates nearly 2,000 kilowatt hours of energy in

excess of what the building uses per year. An Eco-Machine filtration system makes

groundwater potable. In addition, an underground cistern collects rainwater for use in

toilets. These and other features 17 is resulting in a building that is entirely self-sustaining.

Living buildings do have one 18 drawback. That drawback is a high price tag. However,

a 2009 cost analysis of buildings with different green designations reveals that despite their

high initial cost, living buildings are the most economically advantageous choice in the

long run. The results of the analysis indicate a payback period, the estimated amount of

time it would take to recoup the additional expenses associated with constructing a living

building. 19 The general rule that temperate climates lead to longer payback periods than

hot and humid climates do does have some exceptions. A high-rise mixed-use building in

the cool climate of Boston, Massachusetts, would recoup the cost in just 8–13 years. 20

The payback period for a school in Phoenix, Arizona, would be twice as long. Fortunately,

living buildings are becoming more affordable as the high cost of some green building

materials decreases, in part due to growing demand for them.

Payback Period for Living Buildings in Selected Cities

K–8school(years)

Low-riseoffice (years)

Mid-riseoffice(years)

High-rise mixed-usebuilding (years)

Portland, OR 10–15 25–30 18–23 13–18

Writing and Language: Question 19

Questions 12-22 are based on the following passage and supplementary material.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

(temperateclimate)Atlanta, GA (hot,humid climate)

8–13 21–26 15–20 13–18

Phoenix, AZ (hot,arid climate)

12–17 20–25 16–21 11–16

Boston, MA (coolclimate)

6–11 16–21 10–15 8–13

Adapted from Cascadia Green Building Council et al., “Living Building Financial Study:

Cost Comparison Matrix.” ©2009 by International Living Future Institute.

Some detractors argue that it’s not necessary to go to what they consider the extremes

required for a living building; instead, 21 we advocate taking small steps toward increased

energy efficiency. Those small steps shouldn’t be disregarded, but the big steps have the

greatest potential to help people envision a truly sustainable future. 22 Although living

buildings are probably not feasible for every community, they could be considered in

places where their costs can be quickly recouped.

Which choice best summarizes the data in the table?

A. NO CHANGEB. Payback periods vary substantially with type of building and climate.C. High-rise mixed-use buildings have longer payback periods than do K–8 schools.D. The payback period for a living building is excessive, regardless of location or type.

Choice B is the best answer. This choice most effectively summarizes the data in the table. Thischoice is the only option that is both accurate and considers the information in the whole table,focusing on both climate and type of building.

Choice A is incorrect because a change needs to be made in order to make the summary moreinclusive. The type of building isn’t considered in this option. Choice C is incorrect because it’salso too focused; it only includes high-rise mixed-use buildings and K–8 schools. Furthermore,the statement isn’t accurate. Choice D is incorrect because it’s an opinion and doesn’t summarizethe data in the table.

Question Difficulty: Medium

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about:blank 1/2

Modeling Sustainability with Living Buildings

In response to their clients’ growing commitment to environmental sustainability, 12

buildings are increasingly designed by architects that meet the requirements for a variety

of green building certifications. One of the most 13 exhausting of these certifications is that

for the “living building,” which requires meeting the extensive criteria enumerated in the

Living Building Challenge. Although its requirements may be daunting, this challenge is

worth embracing for those who seek to set the highest standards for sustainable building.

Living buildings have numerous environmental advantages over both traditional 14

buildings, and less stringently certified green buildings. A living building must not only

avoid depleting finite energy and water resources but also provide its own. 15 In

conclusion, to meet the Living Building Challenge’s requirements for energy and water

usage, the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, New York, was designed

with a solar power 16 system that generates nearly 2,000 kilowatt hours of energy in

excess of what the building uses per year. An Eco-Machine filtration system makes

groundwater potable. In addition, an underground cistern collects rainwater for use in

toilets. These and other features 17 is resulting in a building that is entirely self-sustaining.

Living buildings do have one 18 drawback. That drawback is a high price tag. However,

a 2009 cost analysis of buildings with different green designations reveals that despite their

high initial cost, living buildings are the most economically advantageous choice in the

long run. The results of the analysis indicate a payback period, the estimated amount of

time it would take to recoup the additional expenses associated with constructing a living

building. 19 The general rule that temperate climates lead to longer payback periods than

hot and humid climates do does have some exceptions. A high-rise mixed-use building in

the cool climate of Boston, Massachusetts, would recoup the cost in just 8–13 years. 20

The payback period for a school in Phoenix, Arizona, would be twice as long. Fortunately,

living buildings are becoming more affordable as the high cost of some green building

materials decreases, in part due to growing demand for them.

Payback Period for Living Buildings in Selected Cities

K–8school(years)

Low-riseoffice (years)

Mid-riseoffice(years)

High-rise mixed-usebuilding (years)

Portland, OR 10–15 25–30 18–23 13–18

Writing and Language: Question 20

Questions 12-22 are based on the following passage and supplementary material.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

(temperateclimate)Atlanta, GA (hot,humid climate)

8–13 21–26 15–20 13–18

Phoenix, AZ (hot,arid climate)

12–17 20–25 16–21 11–16

Boston, MA (coolclimate)

6–11 16–21 10–15 8–13

Adapted from Cascadia Green Building Council et al., “Living Building Financial Study:

Cost Comparison Matrix.” ©2009 by International Living Future Institute.

Some detractors argue that it’s not necessary to go to what they consider the extremes

required for a living building; instead, 21 we advocate taking small steps toward increased

energy efficiency. Those small steps shouldn’t be disregarded, but the big steps have the

greatest potential to help people envision a truly sustainable future. 22 Although living

buildings are probably not feasible for every community, they could be considered in

places where their costs can be quickly recouped.

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to develop a contrast to the previoussentence?

A. NO CHANGEB. Similar buildings elsewhere, however, typically take twice as long.C.

For a low-rise office building in the temperate climate of Portland, Oregon, recoupingthe cost would take as long as 25–30 years.

D. K–8 schools generally recoup their costs in less time.

Choice C is the best answer. This sentence most effectively uses data from the table to set up acontrast to the previous sentence. In the previous sentence the subject is a high-rise, mixed-usebuilding in the cool climate of Boston where the payback period is 8–13 years. This choiceprovides the contrasting situation of a low-rise office building in the temperate climate of Portlandwhere the payback period is 25–30 years.

Choice A is incorrect because it doesn’t provide an appropriate contrasting situation to that in theprevious sentence; additionally, the statement isn’t necessarily true. Choice B is incorrectbecause it provides no contrasting information from the table. Choice D is incorrect because itprovides no contrasting information from the table and isn’t necessarily true.

Question Difficulty: Hard

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Modeling Sustainability with Living Buildings

In response to their clients’ growing commitment to environmental sustainability, 12

buildings are increasingly designed by architects that meet the requirements for a variety

of green building certifications. One of the most 13 exhausting of these certifications is that

for the “living building,” which requires meeting the extensive criteria enumerated in the

Living Building Challenge. Although its requirements may be daunting, this challenge is

worth embracing for those who seek to set the highest standards for sustainable building.

Living buildings have numerous environmental advantages over both traditional 14

buildings, and less stringently certified green buildings. A living building must not only

avoid depleting finite energy and water resources but also provide its own. 15 In

conclusion, to meet the Living Building Challenge’s requirements for energy and water

usage, the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, New York, was designed

with a solar power 16 system that generates nearly 2,000 kilowatt hours of energy in

excess of what the building uses per year. An Eco-Machine filtration system makes

groundwater potable. In addition, an underground cistern collects rainwater for use in

toilets. These and other features 17 is resulting in a building that is entirely self-sustaining.

Living buildings do have one 18 drawback. That drawback is a high price tag. However,

a 2009 cost analysis of buildings with different green designations reveals that despite their

high initial cost, living buildings are the most economically advantageous choice in the

long run. The results of the analysis indicate a payback period, the estimated amount of

time it would take to recoup the additional expenses associated with constructing a living

building. 19 The general rule that temperate climates lead to longer payback periods than

hot and humid climates do does have some exceptions. A high-rise mixed-use building in

the cool climate of Boston, Massachusetts, would recoup the cost in just 8–13 years. 20

The payback period for a school in Phoenix, Arizona, would be twice as long. Fortunately,

living buildings are becoming more affordable as the high cost of some green building

materials decreases, in part due to growing demand for them.

Payback Period for Living Buildings in Selected Cities

K–8school(years)

Low-riseoffice (years)

Mid-riseoffice(years)

High-rise mixed-usebuilding (years)

Portland, OR 10–15 25–30 18–23 13–18

Writing and Language: Question 21

Questions 12-22 are based on the following passage and supplementary material.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

(temperateclimate)Atlanta, GA (hot,humid climate)

8–13 21–26 15–20 13–18

Phoenix, AZ (hot,arid climate)

12–17 20–25 16–21 11–16

Boston, MA (coolclimate)

6–11 16–21 10–15 8–13

Adapted from Cascadia Green Building Council et al., “Living Building Financial Study:

Cost Comparison Matrix.” ©2009 by International Living Future Institute.

Some detractors argue that it’s not necessary to go to what they consider the extremes

required for a living building; instead, 21 we advocate taking small steps toward increased

energy efficiency. Those small steps shouldn’t be disregarded, but the big steps have the

greatest potential to help people envision a truly sustainable future. 22 Although living

buildings are probably not feasible for every community, they could be considered in

places where their costs can be quickly recouped.

A. NO CHANGEB. theyC. youD. I

Choice B is the best answer. The plural pronoun “they” correctly refers to the pluralantecedent “detractors.”

Choices A and D are incorrect because they are first person pronouns and are inconsistent withthe plural antecedent “detractors.” Choice C is incorrect because the second person pronoun“you,” though it can be either singular or plural, is inconsistent with the plural antecedent“detractors.”

Question Difficulty: Easy

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Modeling Sustainability with Living Buildings

In response to their clients’ growing commitment to environmental sustainability, 12

buildings are increasingly designed by architects that meet the requirements for a variety

of green building certifications. One of the most 13 exhausting of these certifications is that

for the “living building,” which requires meeting the extensive criteria enumerated in the

Living Building Challenge. Although its requirements may be daunting, this challenge is

worth embracing for those who seek to set the highest standards for sustainable building.

Living buildings have numerous environmental advantages over both traditional 14

buildings, and less stringently certified green buildings. A living building must not only

avoid depleting finite energy and water resources but also provide its own. 15 In

conclusion, to meet the Living Building Challenge’s requirements for energy and water

usage, the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, New York, was designed

with a solar power 16 system that generates nearly 2,000 kilowatt hours of energy in

excess of what the building uses per year. An Eco-Machine filtration system makes

groundwater potable. In addition, an underground cistern collects rainwater for use in

toilets. These and other features 17 is resulting in a building that is entirely self-sustaining.

Living buildings do have one 18 drawback. That drawback is a high price tag. However,

a 2009 cost analysis of buildings with different green designations reveals that despite their

high initial cost, living buildings are the most economically advantageous choice in the

long run. The results of the analysis indicate a payback period, the estimated amount of

time it would take to recoup the additional expenses associated with constructing a living

building. 19 The general rule that temperate climates lead to longer payback periods than

hot and humid climates do does have some exceptions. A high-rise mixed-use building in

the cool climate of Boston, Massachusetts, would recoup the cost in just 8–13 years. 20

The payback period for a school in Phoenix, Arizona, would be twice as long. Fortunately,

living buildings are becoming more affordable as the high cost of some green building

materials decreases, in part due to growing demand for them.

Payback Period for Living Buildings in Selected Cities

K–8school(years)

Low-riseoffice (years)

Mid-riseoffice(years)

High-rise mixed-usebuilding (years)

Portland, OR 10–15 25–30 18–23 13–18

Writing and Language: Question 22

Questions 12-22 are based on the following passage and supplementary material.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

(temperateclimate)Atlanta, GA (hot,humid climate)

8–13 21–26 15–20 13–18

Phoenix, AZ (hot,arid climate)

12–17 20–25 16–21 11–16

Boston, MA (coolclimate)

6–11 16–21 10–15 8–13

Adapted from Cascadia Green Building Council et al., “Living Building Financial Study:

Cost Comparison Matrix.” ©2009 by International Living Future Institute.

Some detractors argue that it’s not necessary to go to what they consider the extremes

required for a living building; instead, 21 we advocate taking small steps toward increased

energy efficiency. Those small steps shouldn’t be disregarded, but the big steps have the

greatest potential to help people envision a truly sustainable future. 22 Although living

buildings are probably not feasible for every community, they could be considered in

places where their costs can be quickly recouped.

The writer wants to end the paragraph with a forward-looking statement that focuses on apositive aspect of living buildings. Which choice most effectively accomplishes this goal?

A. NO CHANGEB.

To that end, the Environmental Protection Agency has developed a program calledWaterSense to help residents of all kinds of buildings save water and money.

C.With the “living building” certification, buildings can serve as models that inspire andpropel communities to the next level of environmental sustainability.

D.The detractors have a point—all measures that decrease a building’s environmentalimpact, no matter how small, should be taken into consideration.

Choice C is the best answer. This choice most effectively accomplishes the goal of providing apositive, forward-looking statement by suggesting that buildings with the “living building”certification can be models for moving communities to the next (or future) level of sustainability.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they are either not positive, not forward looking, orboth. Choice A makes the claim that living buildings aren’t feasible for every community. Choice Bdoesn’t focus on living buildings in the future. Choice D focuses on the detractors’ argumentsdiscussed earlier in the paragraph, not on living buildings.

Question Difficulty: Easy

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Hello, Stranger

In 2010, 23 twenty-six-year-old Brandon Stanton arrived in New York City, where he

knew no one, with nothing but two suitcases. Prior to his arrival, he had been traveling

around the United States, taking photographs and posting them on his blog. In

Philadelphia, he called his collection of photos “Bricks and Flags”; in Pittsburgh, “Yellow

Steel Bridges” 24 . When he first got to New York, overwhelmed by the 25 compactness of

people, he called the collection of photos he took “Humans of New York.”

It was in New York that his already extremely popular blog 26 got its name, eventually

attracting over 1.5 million followers on Facebook and over 33,000 on Twitter. To date,

Stanton has photographed and spoken to around 10,000 strangers through his work on

“Humans of New York,” and his best efforts have been published in a book of the same

name. At first Stanton’s goal was to make a geographic census of the city, tagging each of

his photos on an interactive map. The project, however, evolved as he got to know his

subjects and began posting 27 snippets of his casual interviews with them—the happiest

moment in their life, what they love most about their partner, or what their greatest struggle

has been—as captions beneath the picture. This text managed to add another layer of

humanity to each of the photos, the cumulative result 28 of this is a poignant tapestry of

youth and aging, achievement and misfortune, wealth and 29 poverty, and, love and loss.

People often wonder how Stanton 30 takes such professional-looking photographs

without any formal training. After all, he is merely a young man walking the streets with a

fancy camera when he approaches. How does he persuade people to let him take their

picture, let alone open up to him? It wasn’t easy. 31 Therefore, Stanton was turned down at

least 90 percent of the time—especially by women, who were understandably wary of

having 32 her picture taken by a man they didn’t know.

Over time, Stanton realized that it isn’t the words he uses to ask people’s permission

that makes the difference but the energy he gives off. If he exudes genuine, curious,

confident energy and crouches low to the ground to appear less threatening, he’s able to

make his potential subjects feel comfortable. Now Stanton 33 estimates that he gets a yes

about two-thirds of the time. For an endeavor that began as one giant risk that no one

could see paying off, this is a switch in odds Stanton is both extremely proud of and

humbled by. In only a few years, he has gone from not knowing a single soul in the city to

Writing and Language: Question 23

Questions 23-33 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

meeting at least 10,000—and to reaching far more than that through his wonderful photos

and text.

A. NO CHANGEB. twenty-six-year-old, Brandon StantonC. twenty-six-year-old, Brandon Stanton,D. twenty-six-year-old Brandon Stanton,

Choice A is the best answer. No commas are necessary within or after the phrase “twenty-six-year-old Brandon Stanton” because, as a whole, it functions as the sentence’s subject, with“twenty-six-year-old” acting as an adjectival modifier to “Brandon Stanton.”

Choice B is incorrect because there’s no reason to place a comma between the age and theproper noun it describes. Choice C is incorrect because placing commas around the name“Brandon Stanton” indicates incorrectly that the information is unnecessary and can be deleted.Choice D is incorrect because no comma is needed between the subject and predicate of thesentence.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Hello, Stranger

In 2010, 23 twenty-six-year-old Brandon Stanton arrived in New York City, where he

knew no one, with nothing but two suitcases. Prior to his arrival, he had been traveling

around the United States, taking photographs and posting them on his blog. In

Philadelphia, he called his collection of photos “Bricks and Flags”; in Pittsburgh, “Yellow

Steel Bridges” 24 . When he first got to New York, overwhelmed by the 25 compactness of

people, he called the collection of photos he took “Humans of New York.”

It was in New York that his already extremely popular blog 26 got its name, eventually

attracting over 1.5 million followers on Facebook and over 33,000 on Twitter. To date,

Stanton has photographed and spoken to around 10,000 strangers through his work on

“Humans of New York,” and his best efforts have been published in a book of the same

name. At first Stanton’s goal was to make a geographic census of the city, tagging each of

his photos on an interactive map. The project, however, evolved as he got to know his

subjects and began posting 27 snippets of his casual interviews with them—the happiest

moment in their life, what they love most about their partner, or what their greatest struggle

has been—as captions beneath the picture. This text managed to add another layer of

humanity to each of the photos, the cumulative result 28 of this is a poignant tapestry of

youth and aging, achievement and misfortune, wealth and 29 poverty, and, love and loss.

People often wonder how Stanton 30 takes such professional-looking photographs

without any formal training. After all, he is merely a young man walking the streets with a

fancy camera when he approaches. How does he persuade people to let him take their

picture, let alone open up to him? It wasn’t easy. 31 Therefore, Stanton was turned down at

least 90 percent of the time—especially by women, who were understandably wary of

having 32 her picture taken by a man they didn’t know.

Over time, Stanton realized that it isn’t the words he uses to ask people’s permission

that makes the difference but the energy he gives off. If he exudes genuine, curious,

confident energy and crouches low to the ground to appear less threatening, he’s able to

make his potential subjects feel comfortable. Now Stanton 33 estimates that he gets a yes

about two-thirds of the time. For an endeavor that began as one giant risk that no one

could see paying off, this is a switch in odds Stanton is both extremely proud of and

humbled by. In only a few years, he has gone from not knowing a single soul in the city to

Writing and Language: Question 24

Questions 23-33 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

meeting at least 10,000—and to reaching far more than that through his wonderful photos

and text.

At this point, the writer is considering adding the following information.

—names he derived from his first impressions of those cities

Should the writer make this addition here?

A.Yes, because it provides context for the discussion of the New York project thatfollows.

B.Yes, because it helps explain why Stanton ended up choosing New York City as hisfinal destination.

C.No, because the information contradicts people’s conventional perceptions of thosecities.

D.No, because it blurs the focus of the paragraph on how “Humans of New York” firstcame about.

Choice A is the best answer. The information should be added because it provides context for thediscussion of the New York project that follows. “Bricks and Flags,” “Yellow Steel Bridges,” and“Humans of New York” are all titles derived from his first impressions of the cities hephotographed.

Choice B is incorrect because the sentence doesn’t explain why Stanton ended up in New YorkCity. Choices C and D are incorrect because the information should be added. It neithercontradicts people’s conventional perceptions of those cities nor blurs the focus of the paragraphon how “Humans of New York” first came about.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Hello, Stranger

In 2010, 23 twenty-six-year-old Brandon Stanton arrived in New York City, where he

knew no one, with nothing but two suitcases. Prior to his arrival, he had been traveling

around the United States, taking photographs and posting them on his blog. In

Philadelphia, he called his collection of photos “Bricks and Flags”; in Pittsburgh, “Yellow

Steel Bridges” 24 . When he first got to New York, overwhelmed by the 25 compactness of

people, he called the collection of photos he took “Humans of New York.”

It was in New York that his already extremely popular blog 26 got its name, eventually

attracting over 1.5 million followers on Facebook and over 33,000 on Twitter. To date,

Stanton has photographed and spoken to around 10,000 strangers through his work on

“Humans of New York,” and his best efforts have been published in a book of the same

name. At first Stanton’s goal was to make a geographic census of the city, tagging each of

his photos on an interactive map. The project, however, evolved as he got to know his

subjects and began posting 27 snippets of his casual interviews with them—the happiest

moment in their life, what they love most about their partner, or what their greatest struggle

has been—as captions beneath the picture. This text managed to add another layer of

humanity to each of the photos, the cumulative result 28 of this is a poignant tapestry of

youth and aging, achievement and misfortune, wealth and 29 poverty, and, love and loss.

People often wonder how Stanton 30 takes such professional-looking photographs

without any formal training. After all, he is merely a young man walking the streets with a

fancy camera when he approaches. How does he persuade people to let him take their

picture, let alone open up to him? It wasn’t easy. 31 Therefore, Stanton was turned down at

least 90 percent of the time—especially by women, who were understandably wary of

having 32 her picture taken by a man they didn’t know.

Over time, Stanton realized that it isn’t the words he uses to ask people’s permission

that makes the difference but the energy he gives off. If he exudes genuine, curious,

confident energy and crouches low to the ground to appear less threatening, he’s able to

make his potential subjects feel comfortable. Now Stanton 33 estimates that he gets a yes

about two-thirds of the time. For an endeavor that began as one giant risk that no one

could see paying off, this is a switch in odds Stanton is both extremely proud of and

humbled by. In only a few years, he has gone from not knowing a single soul in the city to

Writing and Language: Question 25

Questions 23-33 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

meeting at least 10,000—and to reaching far more than that through his wonderful photos

and text.

A. NO CHANGEB. frequencyC. densityD. solidity

Choice C is the best answer. When talking about a population, “density” is the best word choicebecause it refers to the number of people living in one area.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because these choices don’t fit the context of the sentence.“Compactness” is not usually used when talking about numbers of people, but instead refers tosomething that occupies a small space. “Frequency” refers to how often an event or phenomenonhappens. “Solidity” is usually used to refer to a structure’s soundness or a person’s character.

Question Difficulty: Hard

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Hello, Stranger

In 2010, 23 twenty-six-year-old Brandon Stanton arrived in New York City, where he

knew no one, with nothing but two suitcases. Prior to his arrival, he had been traveling

around the United States, taking photographs and posting them on his blog. In

Philadelphia, he called his collection of photos “Bricks and Flags”; in Pittsburgh, “Yellow

Steel Bridges” 24 . When he first got to New York, overwhelmed by the 25 compactness of

people, he called the collection of photos he took “Humans of New York.”

It was in New York that his already extremely popular blog 26 got its name, eventually

attracting over 1.5 million followers on Facebook and over 33,000 on Twitter. To date,

Stanton has photographed and spoken to around 10,000 strangers through his work on

“Humans of New York,” and his best efforts have been published in a book of the same

name. At first Stanton’s goal was to make a geographic census of the city, tagging each of

his photos on an interactive map. The project, however, evolved as he got to know his

subjects and began posting 27 snippets of his casual interviews with them—the happiest

moment in their life, what they love most about their partner, or what their greatest struggle

has been—as captions beneath the picture. This text managed to add another layer of

humanity to each of the photos, the cumulative result 28 of this is a poignant tapestry of

youth and aging, achievement and misfortune, wealth and 29 poverty, and, love and loss.

People often wonder how Stanton 30 takes such professional-looking photographs

without any formal training. After all, he is merely a young man walking the streets with a

fancy camera when he approaches. How does he persuade people to let him take their

picture, let alone open up to him? It wasn’t easy. 31 Therefore, Stanton was turned down at

least 90 percent of the time—especially by women, who were understandably wary of

having 32 her picture taken by a man they didn’t know.

Over time, Stanton realized that it isn’t the words he uses to ask people’s permission

that makes the difference but the energy he gives off. If he exudes genuine, curious,

confident energy and crouches low to the ground to appear less threatening, he’s able to

make his potential subjects feel comfortable. Now Stanton 33 estimates that he gets a yes

about two-thirds of the time. For an endeavor that began as one giant risk that no one

could see paying off, this is a switch in odds Stanton is both extremely proud of and

humbled by. In only a few years, he has gone from not knowing a single soul in the city to

Writing and Language: Question 26

Questions 23-33 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

meeting at least 10,000—and to reaching far more than that through his wonderful photos

and text.

Which choice best sets up the information that follows in the sentence?

A. NO CHANGEB. became an online phenomenon,C. was first discovered by an agent,D. was turned into a book,

Choice B is the best answer. This choice best sets up the information that follows because“online phenomenon” introduces the idea that Stanton’s blog eventually had over “1.5 millionfollowers on Facebook and over 33,000 on Twitter.”

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because none of these choices sets up the information in therest of the sentence. The name of the blog and the facts that Stanton’s blog was discovered byan agent or turned into a book don’t introduce information about the number of Stanton’s onlinefollowers that ends the sentence.

Question Difficulty: Easy

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Hello, Stranger

In 2010, 23 twenty-six-year-old Brandon Stanton arrived in New York City, where he

knew no one, with nothing but two suitcases. Prior to his arrival, he had been traveling

around the United States, taking photographs and posting them on his blog. In

Philadelphia, he called his collection of photos “Bricks and Flags”; in Pittsburgh, “Yellow

Steel Bridges” 24 . When he first got to New York, overwhelmed by the 25 compactness of

people, he called the collection of photos he took “Humans of New York.”

It was in New York that his already extremely popular blog 26 got its name, eventually

attracting over 1.5 million followers on Facebook and over 33,000 on Twitter. To date,

Stanton has photographed and spoken to around 10,000 strangers through his work on

“Humans of New York,” and his best efforts have been published in a book of the same

name. At first Stanton’s goal was to make a geographic census of the city, tagging each of

his photos on an interactive map. The project, however, evolved as he got to know his

subjects and began posting 27 snippets of his casual interviews with them—the happiest

moment in their life, what they love most about their partner, or what their greatest struggle

has been—as captions beneath the picture. This text managed to add another layer of

humanity to each of the photos, the cumulative result 28 of this is a poignant tapestry of

youth and aging, achievement and misfortune, wealth and 29 poverty, and, love and loss.

People often wonder how Stanton 30 takes such professional-looking photographs

without any formal training. After all, he is merely a young man walking the streets with a

fancy camera when he approaches. How does he persuade people to let him take their

picture, let alone open up to him? It wasn’t easy. 31 Therefore, Stanton was turned down at

least 90 percent of the time—especially by women, who were understandably wary of

having 32 her picture taken by a man they didn’t know.

Over time, Stanton realized that it isn’t the words he uses to ask people’s permission

that makes the difference but the energy he gives off. If he exudes genuine, curious,

confident energy and crouches low to the ground to appear less threatening, he’s able to

make his potential subjects feel comfortable. Now Stanton 33 estimates that he gets a yes

about two-thirds of the time. For an endeavor that began as one giant risk that no one

could see paying off, this is a switch in odds Stanton is both extremely proud of and

humbled by. In only a few years, he has gone from not knowing a single soul in the city to

Writing and Language: Question 27

Questions 23-33 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

meeting at least 10,000—and to reaching far more than that through his wonderful photos

and text.

A. NO CHANGEB. stray bits and bobs fromC. things fromD. microscopic fragments from

Choice A is the best answer. No change is needed because the word “snippets” clearly andconcisely indicates that Stanton posted short segments of his interviews online. Furthermore, thestyle and tone of the phrase are consistent with the rest of the passage.

Choice B is incorrect because it’s colloquial. Choice C is incorrect because it’s vague. Choice D isincorrect because “microscopic fragments” refers to parts of objects, not parts of conversations.

Question Difficulty: Easy

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Hello, Stranger

In 2010, 23 twenty-six-year-old Brandon Stanton arrived in New York City, where he

knew no one, with nothing but two suitcases. Prior to his arrival, he had been traveling

around the United States, taking photographs and posting them on his blog. In

Philadelphia, he called his collection of photos “Bricks and Flags”; in Pittsburgh, “Yellow

Steel Bridges” 24 . When he first got to New York, overwhelmed by the 25 compactness of

people, he called the collection of photos he took “Humans of New York.”

It was in New York that his already extremely popular blog 26 got its name, eventually

attracting over 1.5 million followers on Facebook and over 33,000 on Twitter. To date,

Stanton has photographed and spoken to around 10,000 strangers through his work on

“Humans of New York,” and his best efforts have been published in a book of the same

name. At first Stanton’s goal was to make a geographic census of the city, tagging each of

his photos on an interactive map. The project, however, evolved as he got to know his

subjects and began posting 27 snippets of his casual interviews with them—the happiest

moment in their life, what they love most about their partner, or what their greatest struggle

has been—as captions beneath the picture. This text managed to add another layer of

humanity to each of the photos, the cumulative result 28 of this is a poignant tapestry of

youth and aging, achievement and misfortune, wealth and 29 poverty, and, love and loss.

People often wonder how Stanton 30 takes such professional-looking photographs

without any formal training. After all, he is merely a young man walking the streets with a

fancy camera when he approaches. How does he persuade people to let him take their

picture, let alone open up to him? It wasn’t easy. 31 Therefore, Stanton was turned down at

least 90 percent of the time—especially by women, who were understandably wary of

having 32 her picture taken by a man they didn’t know.

Over time, Stanton realized that it isn’t the words he uses to ask people’s permission

that makes the difference but the energy he gives off. If he exudes genuine, curious,

confident energy and crouches low to the ground to appear less threatening, he’s able to

make his potential subjects feel comfortable. Now Stanton 33 estimates that he gets a yes

about two-thirds of the time. For an endeavor that began as one giant risk that no one

could see paying off, this is a switch in odds Stanton is both extremely proud of and

humbled by. In only a few years, he has gone from not knowing a single soul in the city to

Writing and Language: Question 28

Questions 23-33 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

meeting at least 10,000—and to reaching far more than that through his wonderful photos

and text.

A. NO CHANGEB. of itC. of whichD. DELETE the underlined portion.

Choice C is the best option. The relative pronoun “which” is used correctly to create a dependentclause, thus avoiding the creation of a comma splice in the sentence.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because using the pronoun “this” or “it” or deleting theunderlined phrase would create two independent clauses in the sentence, resulting in a commasplice.

Question Difficulty: Hard

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Hello, Stranger

In 2010, 23 twenty-six-year-old Brandon Stanton arrived in New York City, where he

knew no one, with nothing but two suitcases. Prior to his arrival, he had been traveling

around the United States, taking photographs and posting them on his blog. In

Philadelphia, he called his collection of photos “Bricks and Flags”; in Pittsburgh, “Yellow

Steel Bridges” 24 . When he first got to New York, overwhelmed by the 25 compactness of

people, he called the collection of photos he took “Humans of New York.”

It was in New York that his already extremely popular blog 26 got its name, eventually

attracting over 1.5 million followers on Facebook and over 33,000 on Twitter. To date,

Stanton has photographed and spoken to around 10,000 strangers through his work on

“Humans of New York,” and his best efforts have been published in a book of the same

name. At first Stanton’s goal was to make a geographic census of the city, tagging each of

his photos on an interactive map. The project, however, evolved as he got to know his

subjects and began posting 27 snippets of his casual interviews with them—the happiest

moment in their life, what they love most about their partner, or what their greatest struggle

has been—as captions beneath the picture. This text managed to add another layer of

humanity to each of the photos, the cumulative result 28 of this is a poignant tapestry of

youth and aging, achievement and misfortune, wealth and 29 poverty, and, love and loss.

People often wonder how Stanton 30 takes such professional-looking photographs

without any formal training. After all, he is merely a young man walking the streets with a

fancy camera when he approaches. How does he persuade people to let him take their

picture, let alone open up to him? It wasn’t easy. 31 Therefore, Stanton was turned down at

least 90 percent of the time—especially by women, who were understandably wary of

having 32 her picture taken by a man they didn’t know.

Over time, Stanton realized that it isn’t the words he uses to ask people’s permission

that makes the difference but the energy he gives off. If he exudes genuine, curious,

confident energy and crouches low to the ground to appear less threatening, he’s able to

make his potential subjects feel comfortable. Now Stanton 33 estimates that he gets a yes

about two-thirds of the time. For an endeavor that began as one giant risk that no one

could see paying off, this is a switch in odds Stanton is both extremely proud of and

humbled by. In only a few years, he has gone from not knowing a single soul in the city to

Writing and Language: Question 29

Questions 23-33 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

meeting at least 10,000—and to reaching far more than that through his wonderful photos

and text.

A. NO CHANGEB. poverty, andC. poverty and,D. poverty; and,

Choice B is the best answer. The comma is placed correctly between the word “poverty” and theconjunction “and” to separate the last pair of nouns from the other pairs of nouns in a series.

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because the commas are misplaced. In choice A the commaafter “and” is unnecessary. In choice C the comma is missing after the pair of nouns “wealth andpoverty” and is incorrectly placed after the conjunction “and.” In choice D a comma is incorrectlyplaced after the conjunction “and”; moreover, the use of the semicolon is incorrect because asemicolon isn’t used to separate items in a simple list.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Hello, Stranger

In 2010, 23 twenty-six-year-old Brandon Stanton arrived in New York City, where he

knew no one, with nothing but two suitcases. Prior to his arrival, he had been traveling

around the United States, taking photographs and posting them on his blog. In

Philadelphia, he called his collection of photos “Bricks and Flags”; in Pittsburgh, “Yellow

Steel Bridges” 24 . When he first got to New York, overwhelmed by the 25 compactness of

people, he called the collection of photos he took “Humans of New York.”

It was in New York that his already extremely popular blog 26 got its name, eventually

attracting over 1.5 million followers on Facebook and over 33,000 on Twitter. To date,

Stanton has photographed and spoken to around 10,000 strangers through his work on

“Humans of New York,” and his best efforts have been published in a book of the same

name. At first Stanton’s goal was to make a geographic census of the city, tagging each of

his photos on an interactive map. The project, however, evolved as he got to know his

subjects and began posting 27 snippets of his casual interviews with them—the happiest

moment in their life, what they love most about their partner, or what their greatest struggle

has been—as captions beneath the picture. This text managed to add another layer of

humanity to each of the photos, the cumulative result 28 of this is a poignant tapestry of

youth and aging, achievement and misfortune, wealth and 29 poverty, and, love and loss.

People often wonder how Stanton 30 takes such professional-looking photographs

without any formal training. After all, he is merely a young man walking the streets with a

fancy camera when he approaches. How does he persuade people to let him take their

picture, let alone open up to him? It wasn’t easy. 31 Therefore, Stanton was turned down at

least 90 percent of the time—especially by women, who were understandably wary of

having 32 her picture taken by a man they didn’t know.

Over time, Stanton realized that it isn’t the words he uses to ask people’s permission

that makes the difference but the energy he gives off. If he exudes genuine, curious,

confident energy and crouches low to the ground to appear less threatening, he’s able to

make his potential subjects feel comfortable. Now Stanton 33 estimates that he gets a yes

about two-thirds of the time. For an endeavor that began as one giant risk that no one

could see paying off, this is a switch in odds Stanton is both extremely proud of and

humbled by. In only a few years, he has gone from not knowing a single soul in the city to

Writing and Language: Question 30

Questions 23-33 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

meeting at least 10,000—and to reaching far more than that through his wonderful photos

and text.

Which choice most effectively introduces the paragraph?

A. NO CHANGEB. derives satisfaction from wandering the city all day.C. has been able to draw such intimate details from complete strangers.D. continually finds new ways of posing his subjects.

Choice C is the best answer. This choice best introduces the paragraph by providing a transitionfrom the ideas in the previous paragraph to this one. The previous paragraph discusses thepersonal stories Stanton is able to gather from his subjects. This paragraph and the next explainhow he is able to gather the information he does from strangers.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they don’t connect the ideas in the previous paragraphto the ideas in this one. The topics of professional-looking photographs, satisfaction fromwandering the city, and new ways of posing his subjects aren’t developed in the rest of theparagraph.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Hello, Stranger

In 2010, 23 twenty-six-year-old Brandon Stanton arrived in New York City, where he

knew no one, with nothing but two suitcases. Prior to his arrival, he had been traveling

around the United States, taking photographs and posting them on his blog. In

Philadelphia, he called his collection of photos “Bricks and Flags”; in Pittsburgh, “Yellow

Steel Bridges” 24 . When he first got to New York, overwhelmed by the 25 compactness of

people, he called the collection of photos he took “Humans of New York.”

It was in New York that his already extremely popular blog 26 got its name, eventually

attracting over 1.5 million followers on Facebook and over 33,000 on Twitter. To date,

Stanton has photographed and spoken to around 10,000 strangers through his work on

“Humans of New York,” and his best efforts have been published in a book of the same

name. At first Stanton’s goal was to make a geographic census of the city, tagging each of

his photos on an interactive map. The project, however, evolved as he got to know his

subjects and began posting 27 snippets of his casual interviews with them—the happiest

moment in their life, what they love most about their partner, or what their greatest struggle

has been—as captions beneath the picture. This text managed to add another layer of

humanity to each of the photos, the cumulative result 28 of this is a poignant tapestry of

youth and aging, achievement and misfortune, wealth and 29 poverty, and, love and loss.

People often wonder how Stanton 30 takes such professional-looking photographs

without any formal training. After all, he is merely a young man walking the streets with a

fancy camera when he approaches. How does he persuade people to let him take their

picture, let alone open up to him? It wasn’t easy. 31 Therefore, Stanton was turned down at

least 90 percent of the time—especially by women, who were understandably wary of

having 32 her picture taken by a man they didn’t know.

Over time, Stanton realized that it isn’t the words he uses to ask people’s permission

that makes the difference but the energy he gives off. If he exudes genuine, curious,

confident energy and crouches low to the ground to appear less threatening, he’s able to

make his potential subjects feel comfortable. Now Stanton 33 estimates that he gets a yes

about two-thirds of the time. For an endeavor that began as one giant risk that no one

could see paying off, this is a switch in odds Stanton is both extremely proud of and

humbled by. In only a few years, he has gone from not knowing a single soul in the city to

Writing and Language: Question 31

Questions 23-33 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

meeting at least 10,000—and to reaching far more than that through his wonderful photos

and text.

A. NO CHANGEB. However,C. Initially,D. Moreover,

Choice C is the best answer. The transition word “initially” at the beginning of the sentencecorrectly indicates that when Stanton first started approaching people to interview, he was turneddown “at least 90 percent of the time.” The next paragraph says that over time he was able tomake people feel comfortable and agree to be photographed and interviewed.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they don’t show the true relationship between the twosentences they join. “Therefore” incorrectly indicates that a conclusion to something said earlierwill follow. “However” incorrectly indicates a contrast. “Moreover” incorrectly suggests thatsomething additional will be added to what was previously said.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Hello, Stranger

In 2010, 23 twenty-six-year-old Brandon Stanton arrived in New York City, where he

knew no one, with nothing but two suitcases. Prior to his arrival, he had been traveling

around the United States, taking photographs and posting them on his blog. In

Philadelphia, he called his collection of photos “Bricks and Flags”; in Pittsburgh, “Yellow

Steel Bridges” 24 . When he first got to New York, overwhelmed by the 25 compactness of

people, he called the collection of photos he took “Humans of New York.”

It was in New York that his already extremely popular blog 26 got its name, eventually

attracting over 1.5 million followers on Facebook and over 33,000 on Twitter. To date,

Stanton has photographed and spoken to around 10,000 strangers through his work on

“Humans of New York,” and his best efforts have been published in a book of the same

name. At first Stanton’s goal was to make a geographic census of the city, tagging each of

his photos on an interactive map. The project, however, evolved as he got to know his

subjects and began posting 27 snippets of his casual interviews with them—the happiest

moment in their life, what they love most about their partner, or what their greatest struggle

has been—as captions beneath the picture. This text managed to add another layer of

humanity to each of the photos, the cumulative result 28 of this is a poignant tapestry of

youth and aging, achievement and misfortune, wealth and 29 poverty, and, love and loss.

People often wonder how Stanton 30 takes such professional-looking photographs

without any formal training. After all, he is merely a young man walking the streets with a

fancy camera when he approaches. How does he persuade people to let him take their

picture, let alone open up to him? It wasn’t easy. 31 Therefore, Stanton was turned down at

least 90 percent of the time—especially by women, who were understandably wary of

having 32 her picture taken by a man they didn’t know.

Over time, Stanton realized that it isn’t the words he uses to ask people’s permission

that makes the difference but the energy he gives off. If he exudes genuine, curious,

confident energy and crouches low to the ground to appear less threatening, he’s able to

make his potential subjects feel comfortable. Now Stanton 33 estimates that he gets a yes

about two-thirds of the time. For an endeavor that began as one giant risk that no one

could see paying off, this is a switch in odds Stanton is both extremely proud of and

humbled by. In only a few years, he has gone from not knowing a single soul in the city to

Writing and Language: Question 32

Questions 23-33 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

meeting at least 10,000—and to reaching far more than that through his wonderful photos

and text.

A. NO CHANGEB. one’sC. his or herD. their

Choice D is the best answer. The plural possessive third person pronoun “their” agrees in numberwith its plural third person antecedent “women.”

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because they are singular possessive pronouns that don’tagree in number with the plural antecedent “women.”

Question Difficulty: Easy

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Hello, Stranger

In 2010, 23 twenty-six-year-old Brandon Stanton arrived in New York City, where he

knew no one, with nothing but two suitcases. Prior to his arrival, he had been traveling

around the United States, taking photographs and posting them on his blog. In

Philadelphia, he called his collection of photos “Bricks and Flags”; in Pittsburgh, “Yellow

Steel Bridges” 24 . When he first got to New York, overwhelmed by the 25 compactness of

people, he called the collection of photos he took “Humans of New York.”

It was in New York that his already extremely popular blog 26 got its name, eventually

attracting over 1.5 million followers on Facebook and over 33,000 on Twitter. To date,

Stanton has photographed and spoken to around 10,000 strangers through his work on

“Humans of New York,” and his best efforts have been published in a book of the same

name. At first Stanton’s goal was to make a geographic census of the city, tagging each of

his photos on an interactive map. The project, however, evolved as he got to know his

subjects and began posting 27 snippets of his casual interviews with them—the happiest

moment in their life, what they love most about their partner, or what their greatest struggle

has been—as captions beneath the picture. This text managed to add another layer of

humanity to each of the photos, the cumulative result 28 of this is a poignant tapestry of

youth and aging, achievement and misfortune, wealth and 29 poverty, and, love and loss.

People often wonder how Stanton 30 takes such professional-looking photographs

without any formal training. After all, he is merely a young man walking the streets with a

fancy camera when he approaches. How does he persuade people to let him take their

picture, let alone open up to him? It wasn’t easy. 31 Therefore, Stanton was turned down at

least 90 percent of the time—especially by women, who were understandably wary of

having 32 her picture taken by a man they didn’t know.

Over time, Stanton realized that it isn’t the words he uses to ask people’s permission

that makes the difference but the energy he gives off. If he exudes genuine, curious,

confident energy and crouches low to the ground to appear less threatening, he’s able to

make his potential subjects feel comfortable. Now Stanton 33 estimates that he gets a yes

about two-thirds of the time. For an endeavor that began as one giant risk that no one

could see paying off, this is a switch in odds Stanton is both extremely proud of and

humbled by. In only a few years, he has gone from not knowing a single soul in the city to

Writing and Language: Question 33

Questions 23-33 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

meeting at least 10,000—and to reaching far more than that through his wonderful photos

and text.

A. NO CHANGEB. estimatedC. has estimatedD. had estimated

Choice A is the best answer. No change is needed because the singular verb “estimates” agreesin number with the singular noun “Stanton.” The present tense is consistent with the otherpresent tense verbs in the passage, which indicate that Stanton is still taking photos andinterviewing people.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because the choices aren’t present tense verbs. “Estimated” isa past tense verb, “has estimated” is a present perfect tense verb, and “had estimated” is a pastperfect tense verb.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

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Food, Lodging, and Freedom from Wi-Fi

Ten years ago, I drove through the snow to a nineteenth-century mansion in the

countryside. I was then escorted to a private cabin that held a bed, a piano, a large desk,

and a picture window. Six deer immediately grouped below my window, 34 they watched

me as I began to write. I wrote all day until I went to the dining hall for dinner. There I met a

novelist whose work I’d admired for years, a filmmaker who 35 later went on and won an

Oscar, and many other artists and writers, including a poet who became one of my closest

friends. This was my first experience in an artists’ colony, and I continue to work in one

whenever I can.

[1] Many artistic 36 communities, often called colonies, residencies, or retreats—were

built in bucolic settings by Gilded Age philanthropists. [2] Though they exist today in urban

as well as rural settings, colonies still provide much-needed serenity for writers. [3] These

residencies vary: some require a fee, but many don’t; some provide free 37 meals, but

others don’t, some take place in cabins in the Midwest, and others take place in villas in

France. [4] The goal was to provide a peaceful place for artists to work. [5] Many offer the

one resource artists find so elusive yet so necessary for focused 38 work; freedom from

the Internet. 39

Most artists’ colonies can be found on the website for the Alliance of Artists

Communities, a comprehensive database listing hundreds of colonies. If you are a serious

artist and you require some degree of solitude to concentrate, an artists’ colony may be for

you. Surprisingly, it may also be more accessible to you than you might think, even if you

are new to 40 there creative field.

Each residency requires an application, usually consisting of a project description, a

short biography, a résumé, a work sample, and a small fee. I had a substantial amount of

work on my résumé when I applied, but 41 I was anxious to get started on my next book.

The application process can be extremely competitive; 42 some applications even ask for

recommendations from established artists. Groups of judges change from year to year and,

with them, tastes and values; a panel that accepts you one year may reject you the next, so

volume is key. Your application must 43 contain no grammatical errors, your work sample

must represent your best effort, and your résumé, however short, must reflect a serious

intention to pursue your artwork as a career.

Writing and Language: Question 34

Questions 34-44 are based on the following passage.

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about:blank 2/2

Creating a compelling application can be difficult. 44 Therefore, once you’ve learned to

articulate your ideas clearly and put your best work forward, you’ll be on a path that might

lead you to a place of inspiration and focus.

A. NO CHANGEB. they were watchingC. and watchingD. watching

Choice D is the best answer. The participle “watching” is used correctly as an adjective thatdescribes the noun “deer.”

Choices A and B are incorrect because they create comma splices. Choice C is incorrect becauseno conjunction is needed to connect the participle “watching” to the noun “deer” in the subject ofthe sentence.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Food, Lodging, and Freedom from Wi-Fi

Ten years ago, I drove through the snow to a nineteenth-century mansion in the

countryside. I was then escorted to a private cabin that held a bed, a piano, a large desk,

and a picture window. Six deer immediately grouped below my window, 34 they watched

me as I began to write. I wrote all day until I went to the dining hall for dinner. There I met a

novelist whose work I’d admired for years, a filmmaker who 35 later went on and won an

Oscar, and many other artists and writers, including a poet who became one of my closest

friends. This was my first experience in an artists’ colony, and I continue to work in one

whenever I can.

[1] Many artistic 36 communities, often called colonies, residencies, or retreats—were

built in bucolic settings by Gilded Age philanthropists. [2] Though they exist today in urban

as well as rural settings, colonies still provide much-needed serenity for writers. [3] These

residencies vary: some require a fee, but many don’t; some provide free 37 meals, but

others don’t, some take place in cabins in the Midwest, and others take place in villas in

France. [4] The goal was to provide a peaceful place for artists to work. [5] Many offer the

one resource artists find so elusive yet so necessary for focused 38 work; freedom from

the Internet. 39

Most artists’ colonies can be found on the website for the Alliance of Artists

Communities, a comprehensive database listing hundreds of colonies. If you are a serious

artist and you require some degree of solitude to concentrate, an artists’ colony may be for

you. Surprisingly, it may also be more accessible to you than you might think, even if you

are new to 40 there creative field.

Each residency requires an application, usually consisting of a project description, a

short biography, a résumé, a work sample, and a small fee. I had a substantial amount of

work on my résumé when I applied, but 41 I was anxious to get started on my next book.

The application process can be extremely competitive; 42 some applications even ask for

recommendations from established artists. Groups of judges change from year to year and,

with them, tastes and values; a panel that accepts you one year may reject you the next, so

volume is key. Your application must 43 contain no grammatical errors, your work sample

must represent your best effort, and your résumé, however short, must reflect a serious

intention to pursue your artwork as a career.

Writing and Language: Question 35

Questions 34-44 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

Creating a compelling application can be difficult. 44 Therefore, once you’ve learned to

articulate your ideas clearly and put your best work forward, you’ll be on a path that might

lead you to a place of inspiration and focus.

A. NO CHANGEB. went on to winC. went on and later wonD. later went on to win

Choice B is the best answer. The infinitive phrase “to win” is used correctly to explain what thefilmmaker did, and “went on to win” clearly and concisely conveys that the filmmaker later won anOscar.

Choices A and C are incorrect because the conjunction “and” creates a compound verbthat indicates the focus is on two separate actions, continuing and winning, instead of on“winning.” Furthermore, in choice C, the adverb “later” is unnecessary because “went on” alreadyindicates that the action happened later. Choice D is incorrect because the adverb “later” isredundant.

Question Difficulty: Hard

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Food, Lodging, and Freedom from Wi-Fi

Ten years ago, I drove through the snow to a nineteenth-century mansion in the

countryside. I was then escorted to a private cabin that held a bed, a piano, a large desk,

and a picture window. Six deer immediately grouped below my window, 34 they watched

me as I began to write. I wrote all day until I went to the dining hall for dinner. There I met a

novelist whose work I’d admired for years, a filmmaker who 35 later went on and won an

Oscar, and many other artists and writers, including a poet who became one of my closest

friends. This was my first experience in an artists’ colony, and I continue to work in one

whenever I can.

[1] Many artistic 36 communities, often called colonies, residencies, or retreats—were

built in bucolic settings by Gilded Age philanthropists. [2] Though they exist today in urban

as well as rural settings, colonies still provide much-needed serenity for writers. [3] These

residencies vary: some require a fee, but many don’t; some provide free 37 meals, but

others don’t, some take place in cabins in the Midwest, and others take place in villas in

France. [4] The goal was to provide a peaceful place for artists to work. [5] Many offer the

one resource artists find so elusive yet so necessary for focused 38 work; freedom from

the Internet. 39

Most artists’ colonies can be found on the website for the Alliance of Artists

Communities, a comprehensive database listing hundreds of colonies. If you are a serious

artist and you require some degree of solitude to concentrate, an artists’ colony may be for

you. Surprisingly, it may also be more accessible to you than you might think, even if you

are new to 40 there creative field.

Each residency requires an application, usually consisting of a project description, a

short biography, a résumé, a work sample, and a small fee. I had a substantial amount of

work on my résumé when I applied, but 41 I was anxious to get started on my next book.

The application process can be extremely competitive; 42 some applications even ask for

recommendations from established artists. Groups of judges change from year to year and,

with them, tastes and values; a panel that accepts you one year may reject you the next, so

volume is key. Your application must 43 contain no grammatical errors, your work sample

must represent your best effort, and your résumé, however short, must reflect a serious

intention to pursue your artwork as a career.

Writing and Language: Question 36

Questions 34-44 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

Creating a compelling application can be difficult. 44 Therefore, once you’ve learned to

articulate your ideas clearly and put your best work forward, you’ll be on a path that might

lead you to a place of inspiration and focus.

A. NO CHANGEB. communities:C. communities—D. communities

Choice C is the best answer. The dash is paired correctly with the dash after “retreats” to set offnonessential information.

Choices A and B are incorrect because dashes can’t be paired with commas or colons to set offnonessential information. Choice D is incorrect because a dash is needed after “communities,”since dashes are used in pairs to set off nonessential information. Furthermore, a single dashcan’t separate the subject and predicate of a sentence.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Food, Lodging, and Freedom from Wi-Fi

Ten years ago, I drove through the snow to a nineteenth-century mansion in the

countryside. I was then escorted to a private cabin that held a bed, a piano, a large desk,

and a picture window. Six deer immediately grouped below my window, 34 they watched

me as I began to write. I wrote all day until I went to the dining hall for dinner. There I met a

novelist whose work I’d admired for years, a filmmaker who 35 later went on and won an

Oscar, and many other artists and writers, including a poet who became one of my closest

friends. This was my first experience in an artists’ colony, and I continue to work in one

whenever I can.

[1] Many artistic 36 communities, often called colonies, residencies, or retreats—were

built in bucolic settings by Gilded Age philanthropists. [2] Though they exist today in urban

as well as rural settings, colonies still provide much-needed serenity for writers. [3] These

residencies vary: some require a fee, but many don’t; some provide free 37 meals, but

others don’t, some take place in cabins in the Midwest, and others take place in villas in

France. [4] The goal was to provide a peaceful place for artists to work. [5] Many offer the

one resource artists find so elusive yet so necessary for focused 38 work; freedom from

the Internet. 39

Most artists’ colonies can be found on the website for the Alliance of Artists

Communities, a comprehensive database listing hundreds of colonies. If you are a serious

artist and you require some degree of solitude to concentrate, an artists’ colony may be for

you. Surprisingly, it may also be more accessible to you than you might think, even if you

are new to 40 there creative field.

Each residency requires an application, usually consisting of a project description, a

short biography, a résumé, a work sample, and a small fee. I had a substantial amount of

work on my résumé when I applied, but 41 I was anxious to get started on my next book.

The application process can be extremely competitive; 42 some applications even ask for

recommendations from established artists. Groups of judges change from year to year and,

with them, tastes and values; a panel that accepts you one year may reject you the next, so

volume is key. Your application must 43 contain no grammatical errors, your work sample

must represent your best effort, and your résumé, however short, must reflect a serious

intention to pursue your artwork as a career.

Writing and Language: Question 37

Questions 34-44 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

Creating a compelling application can be difficult. 44 Therefore, once you’ve learned to

articulate your ideas clearly and put your best work forward, you’ll be on a path that might

lead you to a place of inspiration and focus.

A. NO CHANGEB. meals; but others don’t,C. meals, but others don’t;D. meals but others don’t,

Choice C is the best answer. A comma after “meals” and a semicolon after “don’t” maintain theparallel structure introduced in the first clause and repeated in the third in the series ofindependent clauses.

Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they aren’t punctuated to be parallel to the otherclauses in the series. In choice A a semicolon is needed after “don’t” to separate the secondshort independent clause from the third one in the series of clauses. Choices B and D areincorrect because a comma is needed before the coordinating conjunction “but” and a semicolonis needed after “don’t” to separate the second independent clause from the third one in theseries.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Food, Lodging, and Freedom from Wi-Fi

Ten years ago, I drove through the snow to a nineteenth-century mansion in the

countryside. I was then escorted to a private cabin that held a bed, a piano, a large desk,

and a picture window. Six deer immediately grouped below my window, 34 they watched

me as I began to write. I wrote all day until I went to the dining hall for dinner. There I met a

novelist whose work I’d admired for years, a filmmaker who 35 later went on and won an

Oscar, and many other artists and writers, including a poet who became one of my closest

friends. This was my first experience in an artists’ colony, and I continue to work in one

whenever I can.

[1] Many artistic 36 communities, often called colonies, residencies, or retreats—were

built in bucolic settings by Gilded Age philanthropists. [2] Though they exist today in urban

as well as rural settings, colonies still provide much-needed serenity for writers. [3] These

residencies vary: some require a fee, but many don’t; some provide free 37 meals, but

others don’t, some take place in cabins in the Midwest, and others take place in villas in

France. [4] The goal was to provide a peaceful place for artists to work. [5] Many offer the

one resource artists find so elusive yet so necessary for focused 38 work; freedom from

the Internet. 39

Most artists’ colonies can be found on the website for the Alliance of Artists

Communities, a comprehensive database listing hundreds of colonies. If you are a serious

artist and you require some degree of solitude to concentrate, an artists’ colony may be for

you. Surprisingly, it may also be more accessible to you than you might think, even if you

are new to 40 there creative field.

Each residency requires an application, usually consisting of a project description, a

short biography, a résumé, a work sample, and a small fee. I had a substantial amount of

work on my résumé when I applied, but 41 I was anxious to get started on my next book.

The application process can be extremely competitive; 42 some applications even ask for

recommendations from established artists. Groups of judges change from year to year and,

with them, tastes and values; a panel that accepts you one year may reject you the next, so

volume is key. Your application must 43 contain no grammatical errors, your work sample

must represent your best effort, and your résumé, however short, must reflect a serious

intention to pursue your artwork as a career.

Writing and Language: Question 38

Questions 34-44 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

Creating a compelling application can be difficult. 44 Therefore, once you’ve learned to

articulate your ideas clearly and put your best work forward, you’ll be on a path that might

lead you to a place of inspiration and focus.

A. NO CHANGEB. work: and that isC. work, butD. work:

Choice D is the best answer. The colon after “work” is used correctly to indicate that theinformation that follows emphasizes what came before.

Choice A is incorrect because a semicolon must separate two independent clauses. Choice B isincorrect because it’s redundant, and a colon can’t be followed by a conjunction such as “and.”Choice C is incorrect because the comma and conjunction “but” don’t make sense in thesentence.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Food, Lodging, and Freedom from Wi-Fi

Ten years ago, I drove through the snow to a nineteenth-century mansion in the

countryside. I was then escorted to a private cabin that held a bed, a piano, a large desk,

and a picture window. Six deer immediately grouped below my window, 34 they watched

me as I began to write. I wrote all day until I went to the dining hall for dinner. There I met a

novelist whose work I’d admired for years, a filmmaker who 35 later went on and won an

Oscar, and many other artists and writers, including a poet who became one of my closest

friends. This was my first experience in an artists’ colony, and I continue to work in one

whenever I can.

[1] Many artistic 36 communities, often called colonies, residencies, or retreats—were

built in bucolic settings by Gilded Age philanthropists. [2] Though they exist today in urban

as well as rural settings, colonies still provide much-needed serenity for writers. [3] These

residencies vary: some require a fee, but many don’t; some provide free 37 meals, but

others don’t, some take place in cabins in the Midwest, and others take place in villas in

France. [4] The goal was to provide a peaceful place for artists to work. [5] Many offer the

one resource artists find so elusive yet so necessary for focused 38 work; freedom from

the Internet. 39

Most artists’ colonies can be found on the website for the Alliance of Artists

Communities, a comprehensive database listing hundreds of colonies. If you are a serious

artist and you require some degree of solitude to concentrate, an artists’ colony may be for

you. Surprisingly, it may also be more accessible to you than you might think, even if you

are new to 40 there creative field.

Each residency requires an application, usually consisting of a project description, a

short biography, a résumé, a work sample, and a small fee. I had a substantial amount of

work on my résumé when I applied, but 41 I was anxious to get started on my next book.

The application process can be extremely competitive; 42 some applications even ask for

recommendations from established artists. Groups of judges change from year to year and,

with them, tastes and values; a panel that accepts you one year may reject you the next, so

volume is key. Your application must 43 contain no grammatical errors, your work sample

must represent your best effort, and your résumé, however short, must reflect a serious

intention to pursue your artwork as a career.

Writing and Language: Question 39

Questions 34-44 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

Creating a compelling application can be difficult. 44 Therefore, once you’ve learned to

articulate your ideas clearly and put your best work forward, you’ll be on a path that might

lead you to a place of inspiration and focus.

To make this paragraph most logical, sentence 4 should be placed

A. where it is now.B. after sentence 1.C. after sentence 2.D. after sentence 5.

Choice B is the best answer. To make the paragraph logical, sentence 4 should be placed aftersentence 1. Sentence 1 introduces the history of artistic communities; sentence 4 states the goalof these artistic communities.

Choices A, C, and D are all incorrect because placing sentence 4 anywhere in the paragraph otherthan after sentence 1 would be illogical and confusing.

Question Difficulty: Medium

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Food, Lodging, and Freedom from Wi-Fi

Ten years ago, I drove through the snow to a nineteenth-century mansion in the

countryside. I was then escorted to a private cabin that held a bed, a piano, a large desk,

and a picture window. Six deer immediately grouped below my window, 34 they watched

me as I began to write. I wrote all day until I went to the dining hall for dinner. There I met a

novelist whose work I’d admired for years, a filmmaker who 35 later went on and won an

Oscar, and many other artists and writers, including a poet who became one of my closest

friends. This was my first experience in an artists’ colony, and I continue to work in one

whenever I can.

[1] Many artistic 36 communities, often called colonies, residencies, or retreats—were

built in bucolic settings by Gilded Age philanthropists. [2] Though they exist today in urban

as well as rural settings, colonies still provide much-needed serenity for writers. [3] These

residencies vary: some require a fee, but many don’t; some provide free 37 meals, but

others don’t, some take place in cabins in the Midwest, and others take place in villas in

France. [4] The goal was to provide a peaceful place for artists to work. [5] Many offer the

one resource artists find so elusive yet so necessary for focused 38 work; freedom from

the Internet. 39

Most artists’ colonies can be found on the website for the Alliance of Artists

Communities, a comprehensive database listing hundreds of colonies. If you are a serious

artist and you require some degree of solitude to concentrate, an artists’ colony may be for

you. Surprisingly, it may also be more accessible to you than you might think, even if you

are new to 40 there creative field.

Each residency requires an application, usually consisting of a project description, a

short biography, a résumé, a work sample, and a small fee. I had a substantial amount of

work on my résumé when I applied, but 41 I was anxious to get started on my next book.

The application process can be extremely competitive; 42 some applications even ask for

recommendations from established artists. Groups of judges change from year to year and,

with them, tastes and values; a panel that accepts you one year may reject you the next, so

volume is key. Your application must 43 contain no grammatical errors, your work sample

must represent your best effort, and your résumé, however short, must reflect a serious

intention to pursue your artwork as a career.

Writing and Language: Question 40

Questions 34-44 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

Creating a compelling application can be difficult. 44 Therefore, once you’ve learned to

articulate your ideas clearly and put your best work forward, you’ll be on a path that might

lead you to a place of inspiration and focus.

A. NO CHANGEB. theirC. you’reD. your

Choice D is the best answer. The singular second person possessive pronoun “your” agrees inperson with the pronoun “you” used previously in the paragraph. A possessive pronoun is neededto indicate that the “creative field” belongs to “you.”

Choice A is incorrect because “there” is not a possessive pronoun. Choice B is incorrect because“their” is a third person plural possessive pronoun. Choice C is incorrect because “you’re” is thecontraction for “you are.”

Question Difficulty: Hard

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Food, Lodging, and Freedom from Wi-Fi

Ten years ago, I drove through the snow to a nineteenth-century mansion in the

countryside. I was then escorted to a private cabin that held a bed, a piano, a large desk,

and a picture window. Six deer immediately grouped below my window, 34 they watched

me as I began to write. I wrote all day until I went to the dining hall for dinner. There I met a

novelist whose work I’d admired for years, a filmmaker who 35 later went on and won an

Oscar, and many other artists and writers, including a poet who became one of my closest

friends. This was my first experience in an artists’ colony, and I continue to work in one

whenever I can.

[1] Many artistic 36 communities, often called colonies, residencies, or retreats—were

built in bucolic settings by Gilded Age philanthropists. [2] Though they exist today in urban

as well as rural settings, colonies still provide much-needed serenity for writers. [3] These

residencies vary: some require a fee, but many don’t; some provide free 37 meals, but

others don’t, some take place in cabins in the Midwest, and others take place in villas in

France. [4] The goal was to provide a peaceful place for artists to work. [5] Many offer the

one resource artists find so elusive yet so necessary for focused 38 work; freedom from

the Internet. 39

Most artists’ colonies can be found on the website for the Alliance of Artists

Communities, a comprehensive database listing hundreds of colonies. If you are a serious

artist and you require some degree of solitude to concentrate, an artists’ colony may be for

you. Surprisingly, it may also be more accessible to you than you might think, even if you

are new to 40 there creative field.

Each residency requires an application, usually consisting of a project description, a

short biography, a résumé, a work sample, and a small fee. I had a substantial amount of

work on my résumé when I applied, but 41 I was anxious to get started on my next book.

The application process can be extremely competitive; 42 some applications even ask for

recommendations from established artists. Groups of judges change from year to year and,

with them, tastes and values; a panel that accepts you one year may reject you the next, so

volume is key. Your application must 43 contain no grammatical errors, your work sample

must represent your best effort, and your résumé, however short, must reflect a serious

intention to pursue your artwork as a career.

Writing and Language: Question 41

Questions 34-44 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

Creating a compelling application can be difficult. 44 Therefore, once you’ve learned to

articulate your ideas clearly and put your best work forward, you’ll be on a path that might

lead you to a place of inspiration and focus.

Which choice provides appropriate support for a claim made earlier in the passage?

A. NO CHANGEB. many colonies welcome artists working on their first projects.C. the founders of the colonies wanted to help me anyway.D. all I really cared about was the peace and quiet.

Choice B is the best answer. This choice indicates that even though artists may be new to thefield, there are colonies that welcome them. This supports a claim in the previous paragraph thatan artists’ colony may “be more accessible to you than you might think, even if you are new” tothe creative field.

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because they don’t support any earlier claim.

Question Difficulty: Hard

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Food, Lodging, and Freedom from Wi-Fi

Ten years ago, I drove through the snow to a nineteenth-century mansion in the

countryside. I was then escorted to a private cabin that held a bed, a piano, a large desk,

and a picture window. Six deer immediately grouped below my window, 34 they watched

me as I began to write. I wrote all day until I went to the dining hall for dinner. There I met a

novelist whose work I’d admired for years, a filmmaker who 35 later went on and won an

Oscar, and many other artists and writers, including a poet who became one of my closest

friends. This was my first experience in an artists’ colony, and I continue to work in one

whenever I can.

[1] Many artistic 36 communities, often called colonies, residencies, or retreats—were

built in bucolic settings by Gilded Age philanthropists. [2] Though they exist today in urban

as well as rural settings, colonies still provide much-needed serenity for writers. [3] These

residencies vary: some require a fee, but many don’t; some provide free 37 meals, but

others don’t, some take place in cabins in the Midwest, and others take place in villas in

France. [4] The goal was to provide a peaceful place for artists to work. [5] Many offer the

one resource artists find so elusive yet so necessary for focused 38 work; freedom from

the Internet. 39

Most artists’ colonies can be found on the website for the Alliance of Artists

Communities, a comprehensive database listing hundreds of colonies. If you are a serious

artist and you require some degree of solitude to concentrate, an artists’ colony may be for

you. Surprisingly, it may also be more accessible to you than you might think, even if you

are new to 40 there creative field.

Each residency requires an application, usually consisting of a project description, a

short biography, a résumé, a work sample, and a small fee. I had a substantial amount of

work on my résumé when I applied, but 41 I was anxious to get started on my next book.

The application process can be extremely competitive; 42 some applications even ask for

recommendations from established artists. Groups of judges change from year to year and,

with them, tastes and values; a panel that accepts you one year may reject you the next, so

volume is key. Your application must 43 contain no grammatical errors, your work sample

must represent your best effort, and your résumé, however short, must reflect a serious

intention to pursue your artwork as a career.

Writing and Language: Question 42

Questions 34-44 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

Creating a compelling application can be difficult. 44 Therefore, once you’ve learned to

articulate your ideas clearly and put your best work forward, you’ll be on a path that might

lead you to a place of inspiration and focus.

Which choice most effectively sets up the idea expressed in the next sentence?

A. NO CHANGEB. applications often contain multiple sections and demand large time commitments.C.

it is good to know exactly what each application requires before beginning the process.D. you may need to apply many times before you are invited to be a guest.

Choice D is the best answer. This choice is set up by the first part of the sentence, which explainsthat “the application process can be extremely competitive.” This choice supports that idea bysaying that “you may need to apply many times before you are invited to be a guest.” Together,these claims effectively set up the idea expressed in the next sentence that the process is madeeven more difficult by the fact that the judges, as well as their tastes and values, change everyyear; therefore, repeatedly sending applications is important.

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because they don’t focus on the need to keep applying to acolony. Instead, all of these choices discuss the idea that applications vary in what they ask forand how they are written.

Question Difficulty: Hard

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Food, Lodging, and Freedom from Wi-Fi

Ten years ago, I drove through the snow to a nineteenth-century mansion in the

countryside. I was then escorted to a private cabin that held a bed, a piano, a large desk,

and a picture window. Six deer immediately grouped below my window, 34 they watched

me as I began to write. I wrote all day until I went to the dining hall for dinner. There I met a

novelist whose work I’d admired for years, a filmmaker who 35 later went on and won an

Oscar, and many other artists and writers, including a poet who became one of my closest

friends. This was my first experience in an artists’ colony, and I continue to work in one

whenever I can.

[1] Many artistic 36 communities, often called colonies, residencies, or retreats—were

built in bucolic settings by Gilded Age philanthropists. [2] Though they exist today in urban

as well as rural settings, colonies still provide much-needed serenity for writers. [3] These

residencies vary: some require a fee, but many don’t; some provide free 37 meals, but

others don’t, some take place in cabins in the Midwest, and others take place in villas in

France. [4] The goal was to provide a peaceful place for artists to work. [5] Many offer the

one resource artists find so elusive yet so necessary for focused 38 work; freedom from

the Internet. 39

Most artists’ colonies can be found on the website for the Alliance of Artists

Communities, a comprehensive database listing hundreds of colonies. If you are a serious

artist and you require some degree of solitude to concentrate, an artists’ colony may be for

you. Surprisingly, it may also be more accessible to you than you might think, even if you

are new to 40 there creative field.

Each residency requires an application, usually consisting of a project description, a

short biography, a résumé, a work sample, and a small fee. I had a substantial amount of

work on my résumé when I applied, but 41 I was anxious to get started on my next book.

The application process can be extremely competitive; 42 some applications even ask for

recommendations from established artists. Groups of judges change from year to year and,

with them, tastes and values; a panel that accepts you one year may reject you the next, so

volume is key. Your application must 43 contain no grammatical errors, your work sample

must represent your best effort, and your résumé, however short, must reflect a serious

intention to pursue your artwork as a career.

Writing and Language: Question 43

Questions 34-44 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

Creating a compelling application can be difficult. 44 Therefore, once you’ve learned to

articulate your ideas clearly and put your best work forward, you’ll be on a path that might

lead you to a place of inspiration and focus.

A. NO CHANGEB. holdC. encloseD. carry

Choice A is the best answer. The word “contain” means “to include” and is used appropriatelywhen talking about applications having no errors.

Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because they aren’t appropriate in the context of the sentence.Although “hold,” “enclose,” and “carry” all convey the idea of having something within, theyusually refer to objects such as fences or boxes, not to written applications.

Question Difficulty: Easy

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 1/2

Food, Lodging, and Freedom from Wi-Fi

Ten years ago, I drove through the snow to a nineteenth-century mansion in the

countryside. I was then escorted to a private cabin that held a bed, a piano, a large desk,

and a picture window. Six deer immediately grouped below my window, 34 they watched

me as I began to write. I wrote all day until I went to the dining hall for dinner. There I met a

novelist whose work I’d admired for years, a filmmaker who 35 later went on and won an

Oscar, and many other artists and writers, including a poet who became one of my closest

friends. This was my first experience in an artists’ colony, and I continue to work in one

whenever I can.

[1] Many artistic 36 communities, often called colonies, residencies, or retreats—were

built in bucolic settings by Gilded Age philanthropists. [2] Though they exist today in urban

as well as rural settings, colonies still provide much-needed serenity for writers. [3] These

residencies vary: some require a fee, but many don’t; some provide free 37 meals, but

others don’t, some take place in cabins in the Midwest, and others take place in villas in

France. [4] The goal was to provide a peaceful place for artists to work. [5] Many offer the

one resource artists find so elusive yet so necessary for focused 38 work; freedom from

the Internet. 39

Most artists’ colonies can be found on the website for the Alliance of Artists

Communities, a comprehensive database listing hundreds of colonies. If you are a serious

artist and you require some degree of solitude to concentrate, an artists’ colony may be for

you. Surprisingly, it may also be more accessible to you than you might think, even if you

are new to 40 there creative field.

Each residency requires an application, usually consisting of a project description, a

short biography, a résumé, a work sample, and a small fee. I had a substantial amount of

work on my résumé when I applied, but 41 I was anxious to get started on my next book.

The application process can be extremely competitive; 42 some applications even ask for

recommendations from established artists. Groups of judges change from year to year and,

with them, tastes and values; a panel that accepts you one year may reject you the next, so

volume is key. Your application must 43 contain no grammatical errors, your work sample

must represent your best effort, and your résumé, however short, must reflect a serious

intention to pursue your artwork as a career.

Writing and Language: Question 44

Questions 34-44 are based on the following passage.

1/22/2018 about:blank

about:blank 2/2

Creating a compelling application can be difficult. 44 Therefore, once you’ve learned to

articulate your ideas clearly and put your best work forward, you’ll be on a path that might

lead you to a place of inspiration and focus.

A. NO CHANGEB. On the other hand,C. In fact,D. For example,

Choice B is the best answer. The transitional phrase “on the other hand” correctly indicates thatwhat follows will offer another way of considering something. In this case, although “creating acompelling application can be difficult,” it could lead to a “place of inspiration and focus.”

Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because they don’t show the true relationship between thedifficulty of “creating a compelling application” and finding the path that could lead to a “place ofinspiration and focus.” “Therefore” and “in fact” imply that the path to inspiration is the result ofthe difficulty of “creating a compelling application.” “For example” indicates that what follows willbe an example of something said earlier, which isn’t true in this sentence.

Question Difficulty: Hard