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Writing and Language Tests
Writing and Language Test 7
44 Questions. 35 Minutes.
Turn to Section 2 of your answer sheet to answer the questions in this section.
Directions
Each passage in this section is accompanied by a number of questions. For some questions, you will consider how the passage might be revised to improve the expression of ideas. For other questions, you will consider how the passage might be edited to correct errors in sentence structure, usage, or punctuation. A passage or a question may be accompanied by one or more graphics (such as a table or graph) that you will consider as you make revising and editing decisions.
Some questions will direct you to an underlined portion of a passage. Other questions will direct you to a location in a passage or ask you to think about the passage as a whole.
A pair of brackets containing an uppercase Q and a number — for example, [Q1] — indicates that a question refers to that location in the passage or the following underlined portion of the passage. The number in brackets is the number of the question that is related to the indicated part of the passage. The bracketed element is hyperlinked to the associated question, and the question heading is hyperlinked to the related location or portion of the passage.
After reading each passage, choose the answer to each question that most effectively improves the quality of writing in the passage or that makes the passage conform to the conventions of standard written English. Many questions include a “NO CHANGE” option. Choose that option if you think the best choice is to leave the relevant portion of the passage as it is.
In questions that ask you to consider potential revisions, the list of answer choices is followed by a presentation of each revision in context. The set of revisions is surrounded by “Begin skippable content” and “End skippable content” labels formatted as level6 headings. If a question includes a “NO CHANGE” option, the beginning of the skippable content will present the relevant context of the passage in its original form with the original underlined text. After that, the same context will be repeated with the underlined portion replaced by each revision to be considered.
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1. Directions
A pair of brackets containing an uppercase Q and a number — for example, [Q1] — indicates that an associated question refers to that location in the passage or to the following underlined portion of the passage. The number in brackets is the number of the associated question. The bracketed element is hyperlinked to the associated question, and the question heading is hyperlinked back to the related location or portion of the passage.
There are two ways to follow a link. One is to move the flashing text cursor, or caret, into the hyperlinked text and press the Enter key; the other is to place the mouse cursor, or pointer, over the hyperlinked text and press Ctrl+leftclick (that is, press and release the left button on the mouse while holding down the Ctrl key on the keyboard).
In questions that ask you to consider potential revisions, the list of answer choices is followed by a presentation of each revision in context. A set of revisions in context is surrounded by “Begin skippable content” and “End skippable content” labels formatted as level6 headings. If a question includes a “NO CHANGE” option, that option in the skippable content will present the relevant context of the passage in its original form with the original underlined text. For the following options, the same context will be repeated with the underlined portion replaced by each revision to be considered.
Punctuation is essential to some questions in this test, so we suggest that you either activate the punctuationreading function of your software or utilize the characterbycharacter capabilities.
Questions 1 through 11 are based on the following passage.
Survival in the Hostile Environment of N W Rota1
Sixty miles north of Guam and more than 1,700 feet under the ocean’s surface is the summit of N W Rota1, an undersea volcano discovered in 2003. Surprisingly, the volcano appears to have been continuously active; it even grew 130 feet in height between 2006 and 2009. Yet despite the hostile environment created by the constant volcanic activity, life is thriving there. Special adaptations are the key to survival. At that depth, water pressure suppresses the explosive force of the volcano’s eruptions, allowing scientists to [Q1] watch and observe them up close via remotely operated vehicles. [Q2]
N W Rota1 is far below the ocean’s photic zone where sunlight drives photosynthesis; [Q3] nevertheless, bacteria supporting a unique food web have adapted to this perpetually dark environment. The bacteria have evolved to use hydrogen sulfide instead of sunlight for the energy that drives their metabolic processes, and hydrothermal venting is the source of the chemical soup necessary to support [Q4] him or her. Seawater seeping into fissures in the ocean floor is heated by underlying magma, and the heat drives chemical reactions that remove oxygen, sulfates, [Q5] and remove other chemicals from the water. Once the superheated water (up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit) rises through vents in the ocean floor, additional reactions cause minerals and compounds to precipitate onto the seafloor, where bacteria feed on them.
Loihi shrimp—originally thought to exist only around an undersea volcano near [Q6] Hawaii, survive by using tiny, shearlike claws to harvest rapidly growing bacterial filaments covering rocks near N W Rota1’s hydrothermal vents. The Loihi shrimp spend most of their time grazing on the bacteria and evading another, previously unknown, species of shrimp. Shrimp of that species also graze on bacterial filaments as juveniles, [Q7] resulting from their ability to cope with the noxious environment around the volcano. They feed on the Loihi shrimp and other organisms that are overcome by the toxic plumes of volcanic gas and ash.
During an underwater eruption, steam quickly [Q8] condenses. The steam leaves only carbon dioxide bubbles and droplets of molten sulfur. This means that the water near N W Rota1 is more acidic than [Q9] that of stomach acid, presenting yet another challenge to lifeforms living nearby. As the carbon dioxide level in Earth’s atmosphere rises, the [Q10] worlds’ ocean’s absorb more carbon [Q11] dioxide. Organisms flourishing near the volcano may help biologists understand how life adjusts to very acidic conditions. In addition, N W Rota1 is a natural laboratory where scientists can study conditions that may be similar to those that gave rise to life on Earth and perhaps even other worlds.
Question 1.
Answer choices in context:
Begin skippable content.
A. At that depth, water pressure suppresses the explosive force of the volcano’s eruptions, allowing scientists to watch and observe them up close via remotely operated vehicles.
B. At that depth, water pressure suppresses the explosive force of the volcano’s eruptions, allowing scientists to watch them up close via remotely operated vehicles.
C. At that depth, water pressure suppresses the explosive force of the volcano’s eruptions, allowing scientists to observe to see them up close via remotely operated vehicles.
D. At that depth, water pressure suppresses the explosive force of the volcano’s eruptions, allowing scientists to visually watch them up close via remotely operated vehicles.
End skippable content
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2. To make the paragraph most logical, sentence 5 should be placed
A. Sixty miles north of Guam and more than 1,700 feet under the ocean’s surface is the summit of N W Rota1, an undersea volcano discovered in 2003. Surprisingly, the volcano appears to have been continuously active; it even grew 130 feet in height between 2006 and 2009. Yet despite the hostile environment created by the constant volcanic activity, life is thriving there. Special adaptations are the key to survival. At that depth, water pressure suppresses the explosive force of the volcano’s eruptions, allowing scientists to watch and observe them up close via remotely operated vehicles.
B. Sixty miles north of Guam and more than 1,700 feet under the ocean’s surface is the summit of N W Rota1, an undersea volcano discovered in 2003. At that depth, water pressure suppresses the explosive force of the volcano’s eruptions, allowing scientists to watch and observe them up close via remotely operated vehicles. Surprisingly, the volcano appears to have been continuously active; it even grew 130 feet in height between 2006 and 2009. Yet despite the hostile environment created by the constant volcanic activity, life is thriving there. Special adaptations are the key to survival.
C. Sixty miles north of Guam and more than 1,700 feet under the ocean’s surface is the summit of N W Rota1, an undersea volcano discovered in 2003. Surprisingly, the volcano appears to have been continuously active; it even grew 130 feet in height between 2006 and 2009. At that depth, water pressure suppresses the explosive force of the volcano’s eruptions, allowing scientists to watch and observe them up close via remotely operated vehicles. Yet despite the hostile environment created by the constant volcanic activity, life is thriving there. Special adaptations are the key to survival.
D. Sixty miles north of Guam and more than 1,700 feet under the ocean’s surface is the summit of N W Rota1, an undersea volcano discovered in 2003. Surprisingly, the volcano appears to have been continuously active; it even grew 130 feet in height between 2006 and 2009. Yet despite the hostile environment created by the constant volcanic activity, life is thriving there. At that depth, water pressure suppresses the explosive force of the volcano’s eruptions, allowing scientists to watch and observe them up close via remotely operated vehicles. Special adaptations are the key to survival.
End skippable content.
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3. Answer choices in context:
A. N W Rota1 is far below the ocean’s photic zone where sunlight drives photosynthesis; nevertheless, bacteria supporting a unique food web have adapted to this perpetually dark environment.
B. N W Rota1 is far below the ocean’s photic zone where sunlight drives photosynthesis; afterward, bacteria supporting a unique food web have adapted to this perpetually dark environment.
C. N W Rota1 is far below the ocean’s photic zone where sunlight drives photosynthesis; furthermore, bacteria supporting a unique food web have adapted to this perpetually dark environment.
D. N W Rota1 is far below the ocean’s photic zone where sunlight drives photosynthesis; similarly, bacteria supporting a unique food web have adapted to this perpetually dark environment.
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4. Answer choices in context:
A. The bacteria have evolved to use hydrogen sulfide instead of sunlight for the energy that drives their metabolic processes, and hydrothermal venting is the source of the chemical soup necessary to support him or her.
B. The bacteria have evolved to use hydrogen sulfide instead of sunlight for the energy that drives their metabolic processes, and hydrothermal venting is the source of the chemical soup necessary to support one.
C. The bacteria have evolved to use hydrogen sulfide instead of sunlight for the energy that drives their metabolic processes, and hydrothermal venting is the source of the chemical soup necessary to support them.
D. The bacteria have evolved to use hydrogen sulfide instead of sunlight for the energy that drives their metabolic processes, and hydrothermal venting is the source of the chemical soup necessary to support it.
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5. Answer choices in context:
A. Seawater seeping into fissures in the ocean floor is heated by underlying magma, and the heat drives chemical reactions that remove oxygen, sulfates, and remove other chemicals from the water.
B. Seawater seeping into fissures in the ocean floor is heated by underlying magma, and the heat drives chemical reactions that remove oxygen, sulfates, it also removes other chemicals from the water.
C. Seawater seeping into fissures in the ocean floor is heated by underlying magma, and the heat drives chemical reactions that remove oxygen, sulfates, also removing other chemicals from the water.
D. Seawater seeping into fissures in the ocean floor is heated by underlying magma, and the heat drives chemical reactions that remove oxygen, sulfates, and other chemicals from the water.
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6. Answer choices in context:
A. Loihi shrimp—originally thought to exist only around an undersea volcano near Hawaii, survive by using tiny, shearlike claws to harvest rapidly growing bacterial filaments covering rocks near N W Rota1’s hydrothermal vents.
B. Loihi shrimp—originally thought to exist only around an undersea volcano near Hawaii; survive by using tiny, shearlike claws to harvest rapidly growing bacterial filaments covering rocks near N W Rota1’s hydrothermal vents.
C. Loihi shrimp—originally thought to exist only around an undersea volcano near Hawaii—survive by using tiny, shearlike claws to harvest rapidly growing bacterial filaments covering rocks near N W Rota1’s hydrothermal vents.
D. Loihi shrimp—originally thought to exist only around an undersea volcano near Hawaii survive by using tiny, shearlike claws to harvest rapidly growing bacterial filaments covering rocks near N W Rota1’s hydrothermal vents.
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7. Which choice most effectively sets up the information in the next sentence?
A. Shrimp of that species also graze on bacterial filaments as juveniles, resulting from their ability to cope with the noxious environment around the volcano. They feed on the Loihi shrimp and other organisms that are overcome by the toxic plumes of volcanic gas and ash.
B. Shrimp of that species also graze on bacterial filaments as juveniles, but their adaptations are not yet fully understood by the scientific community. They feed on the Loihi shrimp and other organisms that are overcome by the toxic plumes of volcanic gas and ash.
C. Shrimp of that species also graze on bacterial filaments as juveniles, thriving in an unusual ecosystem that also includes crabs, limpets, and barnacles. They feed on the Loihi shrimp and other organisms that are overcome by the toxic plumes of volcanic gas and ash.
D. Shrimp of that species also graze on bacterial filaments as juveniles, but as adults, their claws are large enough for the shrimp to be predators. They feed on the Loihi shrimp and other organisms that are overcome by the toxic plumes of volcanic gas and ash.
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8. Which choice most effectively combines the sentences at the underlined portion?
The sentences containing the underlined portion are as follows:
During an underwater eruption, steam quickly condenses. The steam leaves only carbon dioxide bubbles and droplets of molten sulfur.
The underlined portion is as follows:
condenses. The steam leaves
A. During an underwater eruption, steam quickly condenses and leaves only carbon dioxide bubbles and droplets of molten sulfur.
B. During an underwater eruption, steam quickly condenses, having to leave only carbon dioxide bubbles and droplets of molten sulfur.
C. During an underwater eruption, steam quickly condenses, thereafter leaving only carbon dioxide bubbles and droplets of molten sulfur.
D. During an underwater eruption, steam quickly condenses, and then, after this, it leaves only carbon dioxide bubbles and droplets of molten sulfur.
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9. Answer choices in context:
A. This means that the water near N W Rota1 is more acidic than that of stomach acid, presenting yet another challenge to lifeforms living nearby.
B. This means that the water near N W Rota1 is more acidic than those of stomach acid, presenting yet another challenge to lifeforms living nearby.
C. This means that the water near N W Rota1 is more acidic than the acid from stomach acid, presenting yet another challenge to lifeforms living nearby.
D. This means that the water near N W Rota1 is more acidic than stomach acid, presenting yet another challenge to lifeforms living nearby.
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10. Answer choices in context:
A. As the carbon dioxide level in Earth’s atmosphere rises, the worlds’ ocean’s absorb more carbon dioxide.
B. As the carbon dioxide level in Earth’s atmosphere rises, the world’s oceans’ absorb more carbon dioxide.
C. As the carbon dioxide level in Earth’s atmosphere rises, the world’s oceans absorb more carbon dioxide.
D. As the carbon dioxide level in Earth’s atmosphere rises, the worlds oceans absorb more carbon dioxide.
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11. The writer is considering revising the underlined portion to the following.
dioxide, which increases their acidity.
Should the writer make this revision here?
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12. Questions 12 through 22 are based on the following passage and supplementary material.
Free Public Transportation
City planners, concerned about vehicle traffic clogging their cities’ roadways, are trying to find ways to get people out of their cars and onto buses and trains. One radical proposal some planners have considered is to make public transportation free to passengers. While farefree policies do increase [Q12] ridership, but they have not been found to be an effective way to address traffic problems. Moreover, these policies may result in serious budget shortfalls.
Not surprisingly, [Q13] public transportation is used by more people when people do not have to pay a fare. According to a report by the Center for Urban Transportation Research, public transit systems that abolish fares typically see a shortterm increase in ridership of about 50 percent. However, this increase does not necessarily correlate with a decrease in car traffic. Evidence suggests that when buses and subways are free, people often take bus and train trips they would not have taken otherwise while still using their cars nearly as much as they did before. In 2013 Tallinn, Estonia, instituted farefree rides for city residents (becoming the largest city in the world to do so), but car use in Tallinn has only slightly [Q14] declined; as a 2014 study by the K T H Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden found that car traffic in Tallinn was down less than 3 percent since [Q15] it was enacted.
Instituting a farefree system [Q16] can also have a devastating effect on a city’s transportation budget. All public transportation systems are subsidized by the government to some extent, but large systems gain a substantial portion of their operating revenue from fares. Since systems that go farefree see increases in ridership, they often must operate more buses and trains and hire more drivers and other personnel at the same time that they are losing a key source of funding. Advocates of farefree policies claim that the costs of these policies are largely offset by various [Q17] savings, however, a recent study comparing projected results of farefree policies in different cities found this outlook to be [Q18] way too sunny. For example, in San Francisco, California, farefree public transit was projected to save $8.4 million per year in fare collection costs [Q19] but create a deficit of $72 million per year in lost fares, on top of capital investments in new equipment and infrastructure. [Q20]
Note: The following chart supplements this passage. The passage continues after the chart.
Projected Yearly Savings and Costs of Implementing a FareFree Policy
Transit Agency
Savings from eliminating fare collection
Cost in lost fares
Cost of adding service
Total additional operating costs
Lane Transit, Eugene, Oregon
$100,000 to $500,000
$5 million
not provided
Muni, San Francisco, California
$8.4 million
$112 million
$72 million *
$184 million
Public Transit, Hamilton, Canada
$900,000
$30 million
$30.9 million
* (plus $512 million in capital investments)
Adapted from Transportation Research Board, “Implementation and Outcomes of FareFree Transit Systems.” ©2012 by Transportation Research Board.
This is not to say that farefree public transportation is always a bad idea. Some college towns and resort communities embrace the model because buses can go faster when drivers [Q21] would not have had to collect fares. For large cities looking to reduce automobile traffic, though, [Q22] research about Tallinn, Estonia, could be instructive.
Question 12.
A. While farefree policies do increase ridership, but they have not been found to be an effective way to address traffic problems.
B. While farefree policies do increase ridership, and while they have not been found to be an effective way to address traffic problems.
C. While farefree policies do increase ridership, they have not been found to be an effective way to address traffic problems.
D. While farefree policies do increase ridership; they have not been found to be an effective way to address traffic problems.
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13. Which choice is the most effective version of the underlined portion?
A. Not surprisingly, public transportation is used by more people when people do not have to pay a fare.
B. Not surprisingly, more people use public transportation if they do not have to pay a fare.
C. Not surprisingly, if people do not have to pay a fare, more of those people use public transportation.
D. Not surprisingly, using public transportation is done by more people when they do not have to pay a fare.
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14. Answer choices in context:
A. In 2013 Tallinn, Estonia, instituted farefree rides for city residents (becoming the largest city in the world to do so), but car use in Tallinn has only slightly declined; as a 2014 study by the K T H Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden found that car traffic in Tallinn was down less than 3 percent since it was enacted.
B. In 2013 Tallinn, Estonia, instituted farefree rides for city residents (becoming the largest city in the world to do so), but car use in Tallinn has only slightly declined: a 2014 study by the K T H Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden found that car traffic in Tallinn was down less than 3 percent since it was enacted.
C. In 2013 Tallinn, Estonia, instituted farefree rides for city residents (becoming the largest city in the world to do so), but car use in Tallinn has only slightly declined, a 2014 study by the K T H Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden found that car traffic in Tallinn was down less than 3 percent since it was enacted.
D. In 2013 Tallinn, Estonia, instituted farefree rides for city residents (becoming the largest city in the world to do so), but car use in Tallinn has only slightly declined. As a 2014 study by the K T H Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden found that car traffic in Tallinn was down less than 3 percent since it was enacted.
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15. Answer choices in context:
B. In 2013 Tallinn, Estonia, instituted farefree rides for city residents (becoming the largest city in the world to do so), but car use in Tallinn has only slightly declined; as a 2014 study by the K T H Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden found that car traffic in Tallinn was down less than 3 percent since that was enacted.
C. In 2013 Tallinn, Estonia, instituted farefree rides for city residents (becoming the largest city in the world to do so), but car use in Tallinn has only slightly declined; as a 2014 study by the K T H Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden found that car traffic in Tallinn was down less than 3 percent since one was enacted.
D. In 2013 Tallinn, Estonia, instituted farefree rides for city residents (becoming the largest city in the world to do so), but car use in Tallinn has only slightly declined; as a 2014 study by the K T H Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden found that car traffic in Tallinn was down less than 3 percent since the policy was enacted.
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16. Which choice best introduces the paragraph?
A. Instituting a farefree system can also have a devastating effect on a city’s transportation budget.
B. Instituting a farefree system also requires planners to make careful considerations about changes in service.
C. Instituting a farefree system might also have a negative impact on the environment as more service is added.
D. Instituting a farefree system also has the drawback of increasing crowding on public transportation.
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17. Answer choices in context:
A. Advocates of farefree policies claim that the costs of these policies are largely offset by various savings, however, a recent study comparing projected results of farefree policies in different cities found this outlook to be way too sunny.
B. Advocates of farefree policies claim that the costs of these policies are largely offset by various savings, a recent study comparing projected results of farefree policies in different cities found this outlook to be way too sunny.
C. Advocates of farefree policies claim that the costs of these policies are largely offset by various savings, but a recent study comparing projected results of farefree policies in different cities found this outlook to be way too sunny.
D. Advocates of farefree policies claim that the costs of these policies are largely offset by various savings; and a recent study comparing projected results of farefree policies in different cities found this outlook to be way too sunny.
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18. Answer choices in context:
B. Advocates of farefree policies claim that the costs of these policies are largely offset by various savings, however, a recent study comparing projected results of farefree policies in different cities found this outlook to be looking too much on the bright side.
C. Advocates of farefree policies claim that the costs of these policies are largely offset by various savings, however, a recent study comparing projected results of farefree policies in different cities found this outlook to be pretty upbeat.
D. Advocates of farefree policies claim that the costs of these policies are largely offset by various savings, however, a recent study comparing projected results of farefree policies in different cities found this outlook to be overly optimistic.
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19. Which choice provides an accurate interpretation of the chart?
A. For example, in San Francisco, California, farefree public transit was projected to save $8.4 million per year in fare collection costs but create a deficit of $72 million per year in lost fares, on top of capital investments in new equipment and infrastructure.
B. For example, in San Francisco, California, farefree public transit was projected to save $8.4 million per year in fare collection costs and save an additional $112 million from lost fares, on top of capital investments in new equipment and infrastructure.
C. For example, in San Francisco, California, farefree public transit was projected to save $8.4 million per year in fare collection costs but result in a total increase of $184 million per year in operating costs, on top of capital investments in new equipment and infrastructure.
D. For example, in San Francisco, California, farefree public transit was projected to save $8.4 million per year in fare collection costs and save $72 million per year in costs related to adding service, on top of capital investments in new equipment and infrastructure.
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20. The writer is considering adding the following sentence based on information from the chart.
By contrast, Lane Transit in Eugene, Oregon, would lose only $5 million in fares if it instituted a farefree system.
Should the writer make this addition here?
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21. Answer choices in context:
A. Some college towns and resort communities embrace the model because buses can go faster when drivers would not have had to collect fares.
B. Some college towns and resort communities embrace the model because buses can go faster when drivers do not have to collect fares.
C. Some college towns and resort communities embrace the model because buses can go faster when drivers did not have to collect fares.
D. Some college towns and resort communities embrace the model because buses can go faster when drivers will not have to collect fares.
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22. Which choice provides the best conclusion to the passage?
A. For large cities looking to reduce automobile traffic, though, research about Tallinn, Estonia, could be instructive.
B. For large cities looking to reduce automobile traffic, though, subways will prove to be more important than buses.
C. For large cities looking to reduce automobile traffic, though, public transportation should be cheaper but not free.
D. For large cities looking to reduce automobile traffic, though, farefree public transportation is not the answer.
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23. Questions 23 through 33 are based on the following passage.
Wet Plate Photography: An Old Technique Makes a New Splash
Upon the arrival of the digital camera, professional photographers harrumphed that [Q23] they produced ugly, lowresolution images. Yet eventually the vast majority of them traded film for megapixels. The latest digital cameras take pictures so crisp that the images in them appear to be diecut. Even today’s humblest smartphones snap bright, sharp photos. A few contemporary photographers, however, have embraced an anachronistic method that was stateoftheart technology when it was invented in 1851: wet plate photography. [Q24]
Wet plate photographers essentially create their own film. The process can be dangerous, given that it requires the use of several volatile chemicals. [Q25] To take a wet plate photograph, photographers usually first arrange or pose [Q26] it’s subjects before mixing collodion (a viscous, lightsensitive chemical solution) with bromide, iodide, or chloride and applying the mixture to a clean, polished glass plate. Dried collodion is unusable, [Q27] so once the photo is snapped with a massive, tripodmounted camera, the photographer has [Q28] nominal minutes to develop it, using more chemicals. When the image appears in the negative, water is used to stop the process. A chemical “fix bath” turns the negative image into a positive one. The photo is then immersed in water and warmed. [Q29] In conclusion, it is coated with lavender [Q30] oil to give it (a protective finish).
Wet plate photos are marvelously finegrained and detailed, and they seem to glow with an ethereal silvery light. One misstep or a speck of dust on the glass plate, though, and flaws appear. Smudges resembling oyster shells [Q31] swirl around the photos’ edges. Sunbursts or streaks emerge where collodion pools unevenly. Since the film requires long exposures, moving subjects blur. [Q32] A shifting arm or leg might even disappear because of the lengthy exposure time required. The exposure time required explains why people in wet plate photographs often look dour: it’s hard to hold a smile for that long.
Prominent among contemporary wet plate photographers is Joni Sternbach, whose work centers, appropriately, on water and people’s relationship to it. Sternbach’s photo series Ocean Details, Sea/Sky, and SurfLand depict surging surfs, roiling waves, and the surfers who ride them. [Q33] Her subjects could be nineteenthcentury wave riders, if not for the modern board shorts and bikinis they wear. Sternbach characterizes wet plate photography as “one part photography, one part performance art, and one part threering circus,” a worthwhile endeavor because it produces the unique, haunting images she seeks. “When I look at a digital print,” she says, “it might be gorgeous and smooth, but it’s on a piece of paper and it’s one of many.”
Question 23.
A. Upon the arrival of the digital camera, professional photographers harrumphed that they produced ugly, lowresolution images.
B. Upon the arrival of the digital camera, professional photographers harrumphed that it produced ugly, lowresolution images.
C. Upon the arrival of the digital camera, professional photographers harrumphed that one produced ugly, lowresolution images.
D. Upon the arrival of the digital camera, professional photographers harrumphed that he or she produced ugly, lowresolution images.
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24. The writer plans to add the following sentence to this paragraph.
Why wouldn’t they?
To make the paragraph most logical, the sentence should be placed
A. Upon the arrival of the digital camera, professional photographers harrumphed that they produced ugly, lowresolution images. Why wouldn’t they? Yet eventually the vast majority of them traded film for megapixels. The latest digital cameras take pictures so crisp that the images in them appear to be diecut. Even today’s humblest smartphones snap bright, sharp photos. A few contemporary photographers, however, have embraced an anachronistic method that was stateoftheart technology when it was invented in 1851: wet plate photography.
B. Upon the arrival of the digital camera, professional photographers harrumphed that they produced ugly, lowresolution images. Yet eventually the vast majority of them traded film for megapixels. Why wouldn’t they? The latest digital cameras take pictures so crisp that the images in them appear to be diecut. Even today’s humblest smartphones snap bright, sharp photos. A few contemporary photographers, however, have embraced an anachronistic method that was stateoftheart technology when it was invented in 1851: wet plate photography.
C. Upon the arrival of the digital camera, professional photographers harrumphed that they produced ugly, lowresolution images. Yet eventually the vast majority of them traded film for megapixels. The latest digital cameras take pictures so crisp that the images in them appear to be diecut. Even today’s humblest smartphones snap bright, sharp photos. Why wouldn’t they? A few contemporary photographers, however, have embraced an anachronistic method that was stateoftheart technology when it was invented in 1851: wet plate photography.
D. Upon the arrival of the digital camera, professional photographers harrumphed that they produced ugly, lowresolution images. Yet eventually the vast majority of them traded film for megapixels. The latest digital cameras take pictures so crisp that the images in them appear to be diecut. Even today’s humblest smartphones snap bright, sharp photos. A few contemporary photographers, however, have embraced an anachronistic method that was stateoftheart technology when it was invented in 1851: wet plate photography. Why wouldn’t they?
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25. At this point, the writer is considering adding the following sentence.
It’s also laborintensive, involving several intricate steps.
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26. Answer choices in context:
A. To take a wet plate photograph, photographers usually first arrange or pose it’s subjects before mixing collodion (a viscous, lightsensitive chemical solution) with bromide, iodide, or chloride and applying the mixture to a clean, polished glass plate.
B. To take a wet plate photograph, photographers usually first arrange or pose its subjects before mixing collodion (a viscous, lightsensitive chemical solution) with bromide, iodide, or chloride and applying the mixture to a clean, polished glass plate.
C. To take a wet plate photograph, photographers usually first arrange or pose there subjects before mixing collodion (a viscous, lightsensitive chemical solution) with bromide, iodide, or chloride and applying the mixture to a clean, polished glass plate.
D. To take a wet plate photograph, photographers usually first arrange or pose their subjects before mixing collodion (a viscous, lightsensitive chemical solution) with bromide, iodide, or chloride and applying the mixture to a clean, polished glass plate.
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27. Answer choices in context:
A. Dried collodion is unusable, so once the photo is snapped with a massive, tripodmounted camera, the photographer has nominal minutes to develop it, using more chemicals.
B. Dried collodion is unusable, but once the photo is snapped with a massive, tripodmounted camera, the photographer has nominal minutes to develop it, using more chemicals.
C. Dried collodion is unusable, and once the photo is snapped with a massive, tripodmounted camera, the photographer has nominal minutes to develop it, using more chemicals.
D. Dried collodion is unusable, for once the photo is snapped with a massive, tripodmounted camera, the photographer has nominal minutes to develop it, using more chemicals.
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28. The writer wants to emphasize how quickly wet plate photographers have to work. Which choice most effectively accomplishes this goal?\
B. Dried collodion is unusable, so once the photo is snapped with a massive, tripodmounted camera, the photographer has a few minutes to develop it, using more chemicals.
C. Dried collodion is unusable, so once the photo is snapped with a massive, tripodmounted camera, the photographer has a matter of minutes to develop it, using more chemicals.
D. Dried collodion is unusable, so once the photo is snapped with a massive, tripodmounted camera, the photographer has mere minutes to develop it, using more chemicals.
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29. Answer choices in context:
A. The photo is then immersed in water and warmed. In conclusion, it is coated with lavender oil to give it (a protective finish).
B. The photo is then immersed in water and warmed. Finally, it is coated with lavender oil to give it (a protective finish).
C. The photo is then immersed in water and warmed. Thus, it is coated with lavender oil to give it (a protective finish).
D. The photo is then immersed in water and warmed. Nevertheless, it is coated with lavender oil to give it (a protective finish).
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30. Answer choices in context:
B. The photo is then immersed in water and warmed. In conclusion, it is coated with lavender oil—to give it a protective finish.
C. The photo is then immersed in water and warmed. In conclusion, it is coated with lavender oil, to give it, a protective finish.
D. The photo is then immersed in water and warmed. In conclusion, it is coated with lavender oil to give it a protective finish.
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31. Answer choices in context:
A. Smudges resembling oyster shells swirl around the photos’ edges.
B. Smudges resembling oyster shells will have swirled around the photos’ edges.
C. Smudges resembling oyster shells have swirled around the photos’ edges.
D. Smudges resembling oyster shells swirled around the photos’ edges.
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32. Answer choices in context:
A. Since the film requires long exposures, moving subjects blur. A shifting arm or leg might even disappear because of the lengthy exposure time required.
B. Since the film requires long exposures, moving subjects blur. An arm or a leg, shifting during the long exposure time required by wet plate photography, might even disappear.
C. Since the film requires long exposures, moving subjects blur. A wet plate photographer’s subject’s arm or leg might even disappear during this long exposure time.
D. Since the film requires long exposures, moving subjects blur. A shifting arm or leg might even disappear.
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33. The writer wants to highlight the contrast between Sternbach’s techniques and the people Sternbach photographs. Which choice most effectively accomplishes this goal?
A. Sternbach’s photo series Ocean Details, Sea/Sky, and SurfLand depict surging surfs, roiling waves, and the surfers who ride them. Her subjects could be nineteenthcentury wave riders, if not for the modern board shorts and bikinis they wear.
B. Sternbach’s photo series Ocean Details, Sea/Sky, and SurfLand depict surging surfs, roiling waves, and the surfers who ride them. The subjects of her photos could be ordinary people, if not for the modern board shorts and bikinis they wear.
C. Sternbach’s photo series Ocean Details, Sea/Sky, and SurfLand depict surging surfs, roiling waves, and the surfers who ride them. It would be hard to tell her subjects are surfers, if not for the modern board shorts and bikinis they wear.
D. Sternbach’s photo series Ocean Details, Sea/Sky, and SurfLand depict surging surfs, roiling waves, and the surfers who ride them. They would appear to come from all walks of life, if not for the modern board shorts and bikinis they wear.
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34. Questions 34 through 44 are based on the following passage.
Digging Up Cities
In 2010, as a construction crew began to tear up sidewalks in New York City’s South Street Seaport to replace a water pipe, Alyssa Loorya and her team watched eagerly, picks and brushes in hand. Loorya, an urban archaeologist, studies the history of [Q34] cities. Any New York City construction project using municipal funds [Q35] are required to consider whether historical artifacts will be affected during construction, and if that possibility [Q36] exists or is possible, an urban archaeologist must be consulted. Since the South Street Seaport area was a bustling commercial center for early colonists, Loorya anticipated that a rich history lay beneath the pavement. “It’s our job to document and recover that history before it’s lost,” she said.
As the work continued, [Q37] therefore, the team faced obstacles. Fieldwork in a city has to be done intermittently: the construction crew had to proceed one block at a time to avoid interrupting traffic, and the archaeology team’s work was periodically [Q38] halted—by stormy weather and the discovery of toxic materials underground. Moreover, as archaeologists underground attempted to relay information to those at the surface, they had to contend with the noise of construction vehicles, car horns, and [Q39] pedestrians’ noise on the busy New York City streets.
Despite these setbacks, Loorya and her team eventually began to uncover some interesting artifacts. In 2012, the team discovered a foundation wall, a network of wooden pipes, and several well bases dating to the eighteenth century. In August 2013, the archaeologists discovered thousands of objects in a single fifteenfoot stretch that was likely a garbage disposal [Q40] site. Including buttons from Revolutionary War uniforms, clay pipes, and an imported mineral water bottle from Germany.
As they cleaned and catalogued the artifacts, the archaeologists took stock of their findings. The team’s discoveries provided a snapshot of [Q41] the various kinds of construction materials that were used in the eighteenth century. Colonialera New Yorkers went to great lengths to secure fresh drinking water, Loorya noted, given the [Q42] effort involved in laying wooden pipes to bring in fresh water from surrounding areas, digging very deep wells, brewing alcohol to mask the water’s salty taste, and even importing bottled water.
Through such discoveries, [Q43] they tell the story of a city’s history in a new way. [Q44] “One of my favorite things is putting together someone’s life,” Loorya said.
Question 34.
The writer is considering revising the underlined portion to the following.
cities by excavating artifacts that have accumulated over centuries of land development.
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35. Answer choices in context:
A. Any New York City construction project using municipal funds are required to consider whether historical artifacts will be affected during construction, and if that possibility exists or is possible, an urban archaeologist must be consulted.
B. Any New York City construction project using municipal funds have been required to consider whether historical artifacts will be affected during construction, and if that possibility exists or is possible, an urban archaeologist must be consulted.
C. Any New York City construction project using municipal funds is required to consider whether historical artifacts will be affected during construction, and if that possibility exists or is possible, an urban archaeologist must be consulted.
D. Any New York City construction project using municipal funds were required to consider whether historical artifacts will be affected during construction, and if that possibility exists or is possible, an urban archaeologist must be consulted.
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36. Answer choices in context:
B. Any New York City construction project using municipal funds are required to consider whether historical artifacts will be affected during construction, and if that possibility exists potentially, an urban archaeologist must be consulted.
C. Any New York City construction project using municipal funds are required to consider whether historical artifacts will be affected during construction, and if that possibility exists, it is necessary that an urban archaeologist must be consulted.
D. Any New York City construction project using municipal funds are required to consider whether historical artifacts will be affected during construction, and if that possibility exists, an urban archaeologist must be consulted.
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37. Answer choices in context:
A. As the work continued, therefore, the team faced obstacles.
B. As the work continued, though, the team faced obstacles.
C. As the work continued, meanwhile, the team faced obstacles.
D. As the work continued, similarly, the team faced obstacles.
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38. Answer choices in context:
A. Fieldwork in a city has to be done intermittently: the construction crew had to proceed one block at a time to avoid interrupting traffic, and the archaeology team’s work was periodically halted—by stormy weather and the discovery of toxic materials underground.
B. Fieldwork in a city has to be done intermittently: the construction crew had to proceed one block at a time to avoid interrupting traffic, and the archaeology team’s work was periodically halted; by stormy weather and the discovery of toxic materials underground.
C. Fieldwork in a city has to be done intermittently: the construction crew had to proceed one block at a time to avoid interrupting traffic, and the archaeology team’s work was periodically halted, by stormy weather and the discovery of toxic materials underground.
D. Fieldwork in a city has to be done intermittently: the construction crew had to proceed one block at a time to avoid interrupting traffic, and the archaeology team’s work was periodically halted by stormy weather and the discovery of toxic materials underground.
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39. Answer choices in context:
A. Moreover, as archaeologists underground attempted to relay information to those at the surface, they had to contend with the noise of construction vehicles, car horns, and pedestrians’ noise on the busy New York City streets.
B. Moreover, as archaeologists underground attempted to relay information to those at the surface, they had to contend with the noise of construction vehicles, car horns, and the noise of pedestrians on the busy New York City streets.
C. Moreover, as archaeologists underground attempted to relay information to those at the surface, they had to contend with the noise of construction vehicles, car horns, and pedestrians on the busy New York City streets.
D. Moreover, as archaeologists underground attempted to relay information to those at the surface, they had to contend with the noise of construction vehicles, car horns, and that of pedestrians on the busy New York City streets.
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40. Answer choices in context:
A. In August 2013, the archaeologists discovered thousands of objects in a single fifteenfoot stretch that was likely a garbage disposal site. Including buttons from Revolutionary War uniforms, clay pipes, and an imported mineral water bottle from Germany.
B. In August 2013, the archaeologists discovered thousands of objects in a single fifteenfoot stretch that was likely a garbage disposal site, among these were buttons from Revolutionary War uniforms, clay pipes, and an imported mineral water bottle from Germany.
C. In August 2013, the archaeologists discovered thousands of objects in a single fifteenfoot stretch that was likely a garbage disposal site, including buttons from Revolutionary War uniforms, clay pipes, and an imported mineral water bottle from Germany.
D. In August 2013, the archaeologists discovered thousands of objects in a single fifteenfoot stretch that was likely a garbage disposal site; including buttons from Revolutionary War uniforms, clay pipes, and an imported mineral water bottle from Germany.
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41. Which choice most effectively sets up the example discussed in the following sentence?
A. The team’s discoveries provided a snapshot of the various kinds of construction materials that were used in the eighteenth century. Colonial era New Yorkers went to great lengths to secure fresh drinking water, Loorya noted, given the effort involved in laying wooden pipes to bring in fresh water from surrounding areas, digging very deep wells, brewing alcohol to mask the water’s salty taste, and even importing bottled water.
B. The team’s discoveries provided a snapshot of the numerous rituals associated with hospitality in the eighteenth century. Colonial era New Yorkers went to great lengths to secure fresh drinking water, Loorya noted, given the effort involved in laying wooden pipes to bring in fresh water from surrounding areas, digging very deep wells, brewing alcohol to mask the water’s salty taste, and even importing bottled water.
C. The team’s discoveries provided a snapshot of public utility planning and infrastructure development in the eighteenth century. Colonial era New Yorkers went to great lengths to secure fresh drinking water, Loorya noted, given the effort involved in laying wooden pipes to bring in fresh water from surrounding areas, digging very deep wells, brewing alcohol to mask the water’s salty taste, and even importing bottled water.
D. The team’s discoveries provided a snapshot of how major construction projects were financed in the eighteenth century. Colonial era New Yorkers went to great lengths to secure fresh drinking water, Loorya noted, given the effort involved in laying wooden pipes to bring in fresh water from surrounding areas, digging very deep wells, brewing alcohol to mask the water’s salty taste, and even importing bottled water.
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42. Which choice best maintains the style and tone of the passage?
A. Colonialera New Yorkers went to great lengths to secure fresh drinking water, Loorya noted, given the effort involved in laying wooden pipes to bring in fresh water from surrounding areas, digging very deep wells, brewing alcohol to mask the water’s salty taste, and even importing bottled water.
B. Colonialera New Yorkers went to great lengths to secure fresh drinking water, Loorya noted, given the blood, sweat, and tears involved in laying wooden pipes to bring in fresh water from surrounding areas, digging very deep wells, brewing alcohol to mask the water’s salty taste, and even importing bottled water.
C. Colonialera New Yorkers went to great lengths to secure fresh drinking water, Loorya noted, given the hassle involved in laying wooden pipes to bring in fresh water from surrounding areas, digging very deep wells, brewing alcohol to mask the water’s salty taste, and even importing bottled water.
D. Colonialera New Yorkers went to great lengths to secure fresh drinking water, Loorya noted, given the feats of strength and fortitude involved in laying wooden pipes to bring in fresh water from surrounding areas, digging very deep wells, brewing alcohol to mask the water’s salty taste, and even importing bottled water.
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43. Answer choices in context:
A. Through such discoveries, they tell the story of a city’s history in a new way.
B. Through such discoveries, we tell the story of a city’s history in a new way.
C. Through such discoveries, colonialera New Yorkers tell the story of a city’s history in a new way.
D. Through such discoveries, urban archaeologists tell the story of a city’s history in a new way.
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44. The writer wants to conclude the passage with a quotation from Loorya that illustrates the broad impact of her team’s work. Which choice most effectively accomplishes this goal?
A. Through such discoveries, they tell the story of a city’s history in a new way. “One of my favorite things is putting together someone’s life,” Loorya said.
B. Through such discoveries, they tell the story of a city’s history in a new way. “New York City construction has a lot of stops and starts,” Loorya said.
C. Through such discoveries, they tell the story of a city’s history in a new way. “Finding the bits and pieces that were actually used by the people in the past makes New York City’s history real,” Loorya said.
D. Through such discoveries, they tell the story of a city’s history in a new way. “We call our archaeological technique ‘monitoring,’ and we work handinhand with the contractors and are a part of their team,” Loorya said.
