1 Reading

Read the selection, and choose the best answer to each question.

from Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene i 

by William Shakespeare

In this passage from Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene i, by William Shakespeare, Brutus contemplates murdering the Roman leader Julius Caesar. The people are calling out to make Caesar a king, and Brutus fears this possibility.

Brutus. Get me a taper in my study, Lucius.

When it is lighted, come and call me here.

Lucius. I will, my lord.

Exit

Brutus. It must be by his death; and for my part,

5

I know no personal cause to spurn at him,

But for the general. He would be crowned:

How that might change his nature, there’s the question.

It is the bright day that brings forth the adder,

And that craves wary walking. Crown him?—that,

10

What point is Brutus most clearly making in lines 12–15?

2 Reading

Read the selection, and choose the best answer to each question.

from Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene i 

by William Shakespeare

In this passage from Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene i, by William Shakespeare, Brutus contemplates murdering the Roman leader Julius Caesar. The people are calling out to make Caesar a king, and Brutus fears this possibility.

Brutus. Get me a taper in my study, Lucius.

When it is lighted, come and call me here.

Lucius. I will, my lord.

Exit

Brutus. It must be by his death; and for my part,

5

I know no personal cause to spurn at him,

But for the general. He would be crowned:

How that might change his nature, there’s the question.

It is the bright day that brings forth the adder,

And that craves wary walking. Crown him?—that,

10

Which statement best applies to the structure, or form, of Brutus’ speech in lines 4–28?

Which answer choice most accurately paraphrases the lines below?

But ’tis a common proof, That lowliness is young ambition’s ladder, Where to  the climber upward turns his face; But when he once attains the upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back,

20 Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees By which he did ascend

By which he did ascend. So Caesar may. Then, lest he may, prevent. And, since the quarrel Will bear no color for the thing he is, Fashion it thus: That what he is, augmented,

Based on the context in which it appears, what can you conclude the word augmented, in line 24, most likely means?

Based on the details of this speech, what can you most reasonably predict will be Brutus’ tragic flaw?

Which best explains the relationship of dramatic elements in this scene?

No man is an island,  entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were;  any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

Which sentence best states the belief Donne expresses in this passage?

No man is an island,  entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were;  any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

What comparison does Donne use to make his main point?

No man is an island,  entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were;  any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

Read this dictionary entry. 

main (mane) noun 1. physical strength or force; 2. the biggest part of a land as opposed to smaller offshore pieces; 3. the essential part of an argument; 4. a pipe or duct that carries the combined flow of a utility system Which definition of main is used in the second line?

Donne’s uses the images of clod and promontory—

The reader could most likely use Donne’s text to make a connection to society to support an argument against—

Read the selection, and choose the best answer to each question.

"To Daffodils"by Robert Herrick

Fair daffodils, we weep to see You haste away so soon; As yet the early-rising sun Has not attain'd his noon.

5 Stay, stay, Until the hasting day Has run But to the evensong;And, having prayed together, we

10 Will go with you along. We have short time to stay, as you, We have as short a spring;As quick a growth to meet decay, As you, or anything.

15 We die, As your hours do, and dry Away, Like to the summer's rain; Or as the pearls of morning's dew,

20 Ne'er to be found again.

Which best describes the effect the poet achieves through the use of sound elements in the poem?

"To Daffodils"by Robert Herrick

Fair daffodils, we weep to see

You haste away so soon;

As yet the early-rising sun

Has not attain'd his noon.

5 Stay, stay,

Until the hasting day Has run

But to the evensong;

And, having prayed together, we

10 Will go with you along.

We have short time to stay, as you,

We have as short a spring;

As quick a growth to meet decay,

As you, or anything.

15 We die,

As your hours do, and dry

Away,

Like to the summer's rain;

Or as the pearls of morning's dew,

20 Ne'er to be found again.

Which adjectives best describe the diction in this poem?

"To Daffodils"by Robert Herrick

Fair daffodils, we weep to see

You haste away so soon;

As yet the early-rising sun

Has not attain'd his noon.

5 Stay, stay,

Until the hasting day Has run

But to the evensong;

And, having prayed together, we

10 Will go with you along.

We have short time to stay, as you,

We have as short a spring;

As quick a growth to meet decay,

As you, or anything.

15 We die,

As your hours do, and dry

Away,

Like to the summer's rain;

Or as the pearls of morning's dew,

20 Ne'er to be found again.

Which best describes the syntax in the poem and the effect it achieves?

"To Daffodils"by Robert Herrick

Fair daffodils, we weep to see

You haste away so soon;

As yet the early-rising sun

Has not attain'd his noon.

5 Stay, stay,

Until the hasting day Has run

But to the evensong;

And, having prayed together, we

10 Will go with you along.

We have short time to stay, as you,

We have as short a spring;

As quick a growth to meet decay,

As you, or anything.

15 We die,

As your hours do, and dry

Away,

Like to the summer's rain;

Or as the pearls of morning's dew,

20 Ne'er to be found again.

Which pair of slogans about contemporary social issues makes the clearest connection to Herrick's poem?

Informational Text: Explanatory Essay

A Challenging Instrument

Learning to play the trumpet may appear rather simple. After all, there are only three keys and a mouthpiece, right? However, many musicians will attest to the challenge of learning how to play the trumpet well. Playing the trumpet musically comes from developing what is called the embouchure (ahm-boo-shoor), training the player’s mouth muscles to ensure correct use of the mouthpiece and the production of pleasing sounds—not noise, but beautiful tones. Remember that there are only three keys on the trumpet, so they must be pressed in multiple combinations to change pitch. Together with the musician’s lip muscles, the keys help determine pitch and quality of sound.

Learning to Play

Some teachers insist beginning students learn the best technique by first starting with “buzzing.” A vibrating sound is made by forcing air out of the lips while they are tightly pursed. It’s not as easy as it may sound. It should be practiced first without the horn. Try doing this while changing pitches up and down the scale, or“sing-buzzing” different tunes. From this simple beginning, a student then progresses to buzzing into the mouth piece. After success with this drill, students learn to change pitches, and with much practice will develop a decent tone when they play their trumpet. Practice is key to playing the trumpet well, despite its seeming simplicity.

16 What is the main purpose of the headings above the 2 paragraphs?

Informational Text: Explanatory Essay

A Challenging Instrument

Learning to play the trumpet may appear rather simple. After all, there are only three keys and a mouthpiece, right? However, many musicians will attest to the challenge of learning how to play the trumpet well. Playing the trumpet musically comes from developing what is called the embouchure (ahm-boo-shoor), training the player’s mouth muscles to ensure correct use of the mouthpiece and the production of pleasing sounds—not noise, but beautiful tones. Remember that there are only three keys on the trumpet, so they must be pressed in multiple combinations to change pitch. Together with the musician’s lip muscles, the keys help determine pitch and quality of sound.

Learning to Play

Some teachers insist beginning students learn the best technique by first starting with “buzzing.” A vibrating sound is made by forcing air out of the lips while they are tightly pursed. It’s not as easy as it may sound. It should be practiced first without the horn. Try doing this while changing pitches up and down the scale, or“sing-buzzing” different tunes. From this simple beginning, a student then progresses to buzzing into the mouth piece. After success with this drill, students learn to change pitches, and with much practice will develop a decent tone when they play their trumpet. Practice is key to playing the trumpet well, despite its seeming simplicity.

The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B.

Part A Which text structure is most evident in the second paragraph? (CHOOSE FROM ANSWERS A THROUGH D.)

Informational Text: Explanatory Essay

A Challenging Instrument

Learning to play the trumpet may appear rather simple. After all, there are only three keys and a mouthpiece, right? However, many musicians will attest to the challenge of learning how to play the trumpet well. Playing the trumpet musically comes from developing what is called the embouchure (ahm-boo-shoor), training the player’s mouth muscles to ensure correct use of the mouthpiece and the production of pleasing sounds—not noise, but beautiful tones. Remember that there are only three keys on the trumpet, so they must be pressed in multiple combinations to change pitch. Together with the musician’s lip muscles, the keys help determine pitch and quality of sound.

Learning to Play

Some teachers insist beginning students learn the best technique by first starting with “buzzing.” A vibrating sound is made by forcing air out of the lips while they are tightly pursed. It’s not as easy as it may sound. It should be practiced first without the horn. Try doing this while changing pitches up and down the scale, or“sing-buzzing” different tunes. From this simple beginning, a student then progresses to buzzing into the mouth piece. After success with this drill, students learn to change pitches, and with much practice will develop a decent tone when they play their trumpet. Practice is key to playing the trumpet well, despite its seeming simplicity.

Part B questions Which purpose does the structure identified in Part A most clearly serve?

Informational Text: Explanatory Essay

A Challenging Instrument

Learning to play the trumpet may appear rather simple. After all, there are only three keys and a mouthpiece, right? However, many musicians will attest to the challenge of learning how to play the trumpet well. Playing the trumpet musically comes from developing what is called the embouchure (ahm-boo-shoor), training the player’s mouth muscles to ensure correct use of the mouthpiece and the production of pleasing sounds—not noise, but beautiful tones. Remember that there are only three keys on the trumpet, so they must be pressed in multiple combinations to change pitch. Together with the musician’s lip muscles, the keys help determine pitch and quality of sound.

Learning to Play

Some teachers insist beginning students learn the best technique by first starting with “buzzing.” A vibrating sound is made by forcing air out of the lips while they are tightly pursed. It’s not as easy as it may sound. It should be practiced first without the horn. Try doing this while changing pitches up and down the scale, or“sing-buzzing” different tunes. From this simple beginning, a student then progresses to buzzing into the mouth piece. After success with this drill, students learn to change pitches, and with much practice will develop a decent tone when they play their trumpet. Practice is key to playing the trumpet well, despite its seeming simplicity.

The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B.

Part A Which details from the text most clearly support the author’s point that the trumpet is a difficult instrument to master? Choose two options. (CHOOSE FROM ANSWERS A THROUGH D.)

Informational Text: Explanatory Essay

A Challenging Instrument

Learning to play the trumpet may appear rather simple. After all, there are only three keys and a mouthpiece, right? However, many musicians will attest to the challenge of learning how to play the trumpet well. Playing the trumpet musically comes from developing what is called the embouchure (ahm-boo-shoor), training the player’s mouth muscles to ensure correct use of the mouthpiece and the production of pleasing sounds—not noise, but beautiful tones. Remember that there are only three keys on the trumpet, so they must be pressed in multiple combinations to change pitch. Together with the musician’s lip muscles, the keys help determine pitch and quality of sound.

Learning to Play

Some teachers insist beginning students learn the best technique by first starting with “buzzing.” A vibrating sound is made by forcing air out of the lips while they are tightly pursed. It’s not as easy as it may sound. It should be practiced first without the horn. Try doing this while changing pitches up and down the scale, or“sing-buzzing” different tunes. From this simple beginning, a student then progresses to buzzing into the mouth piece. After success with this drill, students learn to change pitches, and with much practice will develop a decent tone when they play their trumpet. Practice is key to playing the trumpet well, despite its seeming simplicity.

The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B.

Part B How could the author best provide additional support for the idea that playing the trumpet is not as easy as it sounds? (CHOOSE FROM ANSWERS E THROUGH H.)

Informational Text: Explanatory Essay

A Challenging Instrument

Learning to play the trumpet may appear rather simple. After all, there are only three keys and a mouthpiece, right? However, many musicians will attest to the challenge of learning how to play the trumpet well. Playing the trumpet musically comes from developing what is called the embouchure (ahm-boo-shoor), training the player’s mouth muscles to ensure correct use of the mouthpiece and the production of pleasing sounds—not noise, but beautiful tones. Remember that there are only three keys on the trumpet, so they must be pressed in multiple combinations to change pitch. Together with the musician’s lip muscles, the keys help determine pitch and quality of sound.

Learning to Play

Some teachers insist beginning students learn the best technique by first starting with “buzzing.” A vibrating sound is made by forcing air out of the lips while they are tightly pursed. It’s not as easy as it may sound. It should be practiced first without the horn. Try doing this while changing pitches up and down the scale, or“sing-buzzing” different tunes. From this simple beginning, a student then progresses to buzzing into the mouth piece. After success with this drill, students learn to change pitches, and with much practice will develop a decent tone when they play their trumpet. Practice is key to playing the trumpet well, despite its seeming simplicity.

Why is the conclusion of this passage effective?

Informational Text: Explanatory Essay

A Challenging Instrument

Learning to play the trumpet may appear rather simple. After all, there are only three keys and a mouthpiece, right? However, many musicians will attest to the challenge of learning how to play the trumpet well. Playing the trumpet musically comes from developing what is called the embouchure (ahm-boo-shoor), training the player’s mouth muscles to ensure correct use of the mouthpiece and the production of pleasing sounds—not noise, but beautiful tones. Remember that there are only three keys on the trumpet, so they must be pressed in multiple combinations to change pitch. Together with the musician’s lip muscles, the keys help determine pitch and quality of sound.

Learning to Play

Some teachers insist beginning students learn the best technique by first starting with “buzzing.” A vibrating sound is made by forcing air out of the lips while they are tightly pursed. It’s not as easy as it may sound. It should be practiced first without the horn. Try doing this while changing pitches up and down the scale, or“sing-buzzing” different tunes. From this simple beginning, a student then progresses to buzzing into the mouth piece. After success with this drill, students learn to change pitches, and with much practice will develop a decent tone when they play their trumpet. Practice is key to playing the trumpet well, despite its seeming simplicity.

Which is the best definition of embouchure, a term from French used in the first paragraph? Base your answer on context.

A Strange Mirror: The World of the Fable

1 Fables are short, fictional stories that often include animals that act like humans. The animals in fables have conversations, make mistakes, trick each other, take risks, and learn lessons—just like people. Indeed, through their animal characters, fables are generally meant to teach a lesson for humanity, sometimes expressed explicitly in a moral, or pithy concluding statement. It may be that the use of non-human characters frees the fabulist from the fear of too directly discomforting—or even insulting—readers. The form has certainly endured, transforming itself over the centuries from a repository of schoolroom lessons in character to a vehicle of biting political observation. 2 Some of the earliest instances of the fable appear in the five-part Panchatantra, a collection of interwoven animal fables from India from the third and fourth centuries BCE. Penned in Sanskrit by VishnuSharma, these comical fables were written to teach life lessons to the sons of the Hindu royalty. The animal characters try to outwit each other by trickery and deceit, but in the end learn human lessons about friendship, family, prudence, and other concepts.3 About 600 of the best-known fables today are attributed to an enslaved man in ancient Greece named Aesop who lived from about 620 to 560 BCE. In Aesop’s fables, the animal characters are defined,simply and completely, by the basic human characteristic each emblematizes. The ant in “The Grasshopper and the Ant” is relentlessly industrious, the fox in “The Fox and the Crow” is cocky and clever—and character is destiny. The ant, diligently storing up food for the winter, is guaranteed to survive another year;the thriftless grasshopper is doomed to perish in the winter cold. The clever fox inevitably outsmarts the naïve crow. In no instance can the character surpass itself or its destiny; in every instance, there is an easy, practical  lesson intended for readers.4 Centuries afterward, the French poet Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1695) retold some of Aesop’stales in Fables, a collection of 239 poems. But where Aesop is largely remembered for practical life lessons such as “Slow and steady wins the race,” La Fontaine arguably expands the fable’s moral scope to include critiques of political realities and social injustice. In fables comparing public leaders to flies feasting on a dying animal or likening warring nations to quarreling thieves, La Fontaine brings fable closer to the domain of political satire.5 This maturing of the fable—its ascent from the humble schoolroom to the political forum—is perhaps consummated in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, published in 1945. While the work has the form of a full-length novel, critics often compare it to a fable because of its use of animal characters to make a point about human affairs. The barnyard animals in Orwell’s tale offer a tragic allegory of the history of the Communist revolution in Russia, descending from their righteous uprising against an oppressive farmer to an evil dictatorship by the pigs who led them.6 Far as Orwell’s bitter vision of history may be from Aesop and his simple, timeless morals, both hold up the world of animals as a mirror to humanity. In this strange but strangely familiar mirror world, a fallible humanity can behold its saddest flaws—and perhaps be moved to correct them. Essential Teaching Tools1 Most young children love animals and stories about them. That’s why fables are such effective and essential teaching tools for children learning to read and learning about life.2 Writers and educators have been aware of the usefulness of fables for a very long time. Consider, for example, the lessons learned in Eric Carle’s beloved book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The insect learns about healthy eating and overeating as he chomps his way through desserts and processed meats, then feels much better after he’s recuperated on Sunday with a nice green leaf. Similarly, Beatrix Potter’s lovable rabbits, mice, and frogs learn lessons about humility, moderation, forgiveness, and safety that help young children apply these abstract qualities to themselves. In Kenneth Graham’s Wind in the Willows, Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger teach children about friendship, honesty, and safe driving.3 In other popular children’s texts such as E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web and A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh humans interact with animals in ways that illuminate and reveal important life lessons. Further, fables teach that the world does not revolve around humans and that character transcends species. Implicitly, they illustrate the world from another point of view, encouraging children to experience emotions and situations that are far outside their daily lives.4 Some academic studies suggest that children are more likely to transfer knowledge learned from realistic stories to their own lives than from fantastic stories, but such studies also support the premise that children’s imaginations are important for their socio-cognitive development and that children enjoy immersing themselves in hypothetical, fabulous worlds. Although the research is divided, when it comes to teaching children about life, teachers and parents do well to share the stage with anthropomorphized animal characters that both entertain and educate.____

21 How does the organization of “A Strange Mirror: The World of the Fable” support the author’s purpose?

A Strange Mirror: The World of the Fable

1 Fables are short, fictional stories that often include animals that act like humans. The animals infables have conversations, make mistakes, trick each other, take risks, and learn lessons—just like people.Indeed, through their animal characters, fables are generally meant to teach a lesson for humanity, sometimes expressed explicitly in a moral, or pithy concluding statement. It may be that the use of non-human characters frees the fabulist from the fear of too directly discomforting—or even insulting—readers. The form has certainly endured, transforming itself over the centuries from a repository of schoolroom lessons in character to a vehicle of biting political observation. 2 Some of the earliest instances of the fable appear in the five-part Panchatantra, a collection of interwoven animal fables from India from the third and fourth centuries BCE. Penned in Sanskrit by Vishnu Sharma, these comical fables were written to teach life lessons to the sons of the Hindu royalty. The animal characters try to outwit each other by trickery and deceit, but in the end learn human lessons about friendship, family, prudence, and other concepts.3 About 600 of the best-known fables today are attributed to an enslaved man in ancient Greece named Aesop who lived from about 620 to 560 BCE. In Aesop’s fables, the animal characters are defined,simply and completely, by the basic human characteristic each emblematizes. The ant in “The Grasshopper and the Ant” is relentlessly industrious, the fox in “The Fox and the Crow” is cocky and clever—and character is destiny. The ant, diligently storing up food for the winter, is guaranteed to survive another year;the thriftless grasshopper is doomed to perish in the winter cold. The clever fox inevitably outsmarts the naïve crow. In no instance can the character surpass itself or its destiny; in every instance, there is an easy, practical  lesson intended for readers.4 Centuries afterward, the French poet Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1695) retold some of Aesop’stales in Fables, a collection of 239 poems. But where Aesop is largely remembered for practical life lessons such as “Slow and steady wins the race,” La Fontaine arguably expands the fable’s moral scope to include critiques of political realities and social injustice. In fables comparing public leaders to flies feasting on a dying animal or likening warring nations to quarreling thieves, La Fontaine brings fable closer to the domain of political satire.5 This maturing of the fable—its ascent from the humble schoolroom to the political forum—is perhaps consummated in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, published in 1945. While the work has the form of a full-length novel, critics often compare it to a fable because of its use of animal characters to make a point about human affairs. The barnyard animals in Orwell’s tale offer a tragic allegory of the history of the Communist revolution in Russia, descending from their righteous uprising against an oppressive farmer to an evil dictatorship by the pigs who led them.6 Far as Orwell’s bitter vision of history may be from Aesop and his simple, timeless morals, both hold up the world of animals as a mirror to humanity. In this strange but strangely familiar mirror world, a fallible humanity can behold its saddest flaws—and perhaps be moved to correct them. Essential Teaching Tools1 Most young children love animals and stories about them. That’s why fables are such effective and essential teaching tools for children learning to read and learning about life.2 Writers and educators have been aware of the usefulness of fables for a very long time. Consider, for example, the lessons learned in Eric Carle’s beloved book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The insect learns about healthy eating and overeating as he chomps his way through desserts and processed meats, then feels much better after he’s recuperated on Sunday with a nice green leaf. Similarly, Beatrix Potter’s lovable rabbits, mice, and frogs learn lessons about humility, moderation, forgiveness, and safety that help young children apply these abstract qualities to themselves. In Kenneth Graham’s Wind in the Willows, Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger teach children about friendship, honesty, and safe driving.3 In other popular children’s texts such as E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web and A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh humans interact with animals in ways that illuminate and reveal important life lessons. Further, fables teach that the world does not revolve around humans and that character transcends species. Implicitly, they illustrate the world from another point of view, encouraging children to experience emotions and situations that are far outside their daily lives.4 Some academic studies suggest that children are more likely to transfer knowledge learned from realistic stories to their own lives than from fantastic stories, but such studies also support the premise that children’s imaginations are important for their socio-cognitive development and that children enjoy immersing themselves in hypothetical, fabulous worlds. Although the research is divided, when it comes to teaching children about life, teachers and parents do well to share the stage with anthropomorphized animal characters that both entertain and educate.____

2 Which sentence from the passage provides the best support for the thesis, “The fable has evolved over timeand remains a respected and relevant genre”?

A Strange Mirror: The World of the Fable

1 Fables are short, fictional stories that often include animals that act like humans. The animals in fables have conversations, make mistakes, trick each other, take risks, and learn lessons—just like people. Indeed, through their animal characters, fables are generally meant to teach a lesson for humanity, sometimes expressed explicitly in a moral, or pithy concluding statement. It may be that the use of non-human characters frees the fabulist from the fear of too directly discomforting—or even insulting—readers. The form has certainly endured, transforming itself over the centuries from a repository of schoolroom lessons in character to a vehicle of biting political observation. 2 Some of the earliest instances of the fable appear in the five-part Panchatantra, a collection of interwoven animal fables from India from the third and fourth centuries BCE. Penned in Sanskrit by VishnuSharma, these comical fables were written to teach life lessons to the sons of the Hindu royalty. The animal characters try to outwit each other by trickery and deceit, but in the end learn human lessons about friendship, family, prudence, and other concepts.3 About 600 of the best-known fables today are attributed to an enslaved man in ancient  Greece named Aesop who lived from about 620 to 560 BCE. In Aesop’s fables, the animal characters are defined,simply and completely, by the basic human characteristic each emblematizes. The ant in “The Grasshopper and the Ant” is relentlessly industrious, the fox in “The Fox and the Crow” is cocky and clever—and character is destiny. The ant, diligently storing up food for the winter, is guaranteed to survive another year;the thriftless grasshopper is doomed to perish in the winter cold. The clever fox inevitably outsmarts the naïve crow. In no instance can the character surpass itself or its destiny; in every instance, there is an easy, practical  lesson intended for readers.4 Centuries afterward, the French poet Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1695) retold some of Aesop’stales in Fables, a collection of 239 poems. But where Aesop is largely remembered for practical life lessons such as “Slow and steady wins the race,” La Fontaine arguably expands the fable’s moral scope to include critiques of political realities and social injustice. In fables comparing public leaders to flies feasting on a dying animal or likening warring nations to quarreling thieves, La Fontaine brings fable closer to the domain of political satire.5 This maturing of the fable—its ascent from the humble schoolroom to the political forum—is perhaps consummated in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, published in 1945. While the work has the form of a full-length novel, critics often compare it to a fable because of its use of animal characters to make a point about human affairs. The barnyard animals in Orwell’s tale offer a tragic allegory of the history of the Communist revolution in Russia, descending from their righteous uprising against an oppressive farmer to an evil dictatorship by the pigs who led them.6 Far as Orwell’s bitter vision of history may be from Aesop and his simple, timeless morals, both hold up the world of animals as a mirror to humanity. In this strange but strangely familiar mirror world, a fallible humanity can behold its saddest flaws—and perhaps be moved to correct them. Essential Teaching Tools1 Most young children love animals and stories about them. That’s why fables are such effective and essential teaching tools for children learning to read and learning about life.2 Writers and educators have been aware of the usefulness of fables for a very long time. Consider, for example, the lessons learned in Eric Carle’s beloved book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The insect learns about healthy eating and overeating as he chomps his way through desserts and processed meats, then feels much better after he’s recuperated on Sunday with a nice green leaf. Similarly, Beatrix Potter’s lovable rabbits, mice, and frogs learn lessons about humility, moderation, forgiveness, and safety that help young children apply these abstract qualities to themselves. In Kenneth Graham’s Wind in the Willows, Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger teach children about friendship, honesty, and safe driving.3 In other popular children’s texts such as E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web and A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh humans interact with animals in ways that illuminate and reveal important life lessons. Further, fables teach that the world does not revolve around humans and that character transcends species. Implicitly, they illustrate the world from another point of view, encouraging children to experience emotions and situations that are far outside their daily lives.4 Some academic studies suggest that children are more likely to transfer knowledge learned from realistic stories to their own lives than from fantastic stories, but such studies also support the premise that children’s imaginations are important for their socio-cognitive development and that children enjoy immersing themselves in hypothetical, fabulous worlds. Although the research is divided, when it comes to teaching children about life, teachers and parents do well to share the stage with anthropomorphized animal characters that both entertain and educate.____

Which sentence best explains how a characteristic of the illustration that accompanies “A Strange Mirror: The World of the Fable” makes it effective?

A Strange Mirror: The World of the Fable

1 Fables are short, fictional stories that often include animals that act like humans. The animals in fables have conversations, make mistakes, trick each other, take risks, and learn lessons—just like people. Indeed, through their animal characters, fables are generally meant to teach a lesson for humanity, sometimes expressed explicitly in a moral, or pithy concluding statement. It may be that the use of non-human characters frees the fabulist from the fear of too directly discomforting—or even insulting—readers. The form has certainly endured, transforming itself over the centuries from a repository of schoolroom lessons in character to a vehicle of biting political observation. 2 Some of the earliest instances of the fable appear in the five-part Panchatantra, a collection of interwoven animal fables from India from the third and fourth centuries BCE. Penned in Sanskrit by VishnuSharma, these comical fables were written to teach life lessons to the sons of the Hindu royalty. The animal characters try to outwit each other by trickery and deceit, but in the end learn human lessons about friendship, family, prudence, and other concepts.3 About 600 of the best-known fables today are attributed to an enslaved man in ancient  Greece named Aesop who lived from about 620 to 560 BCE. In Aesop’s fables, the animal characters are defined,simply and completely, by the basic human characteristic each emblematizes. The ant in “The Grasshopper and the Ant” is relentlessly industrious, the fox in “The Fox and the Crow” is cocky and clever—and character is destiny. The ant, diligently storing up food for the winter, is guaranteed to survive another year;the thriftless grasshopper is doomed to perish in the winter cold. The clever fox inevitably outsmarts the naïve crow. In no instance can the character surpass itself or its destiny; in every instance, there is an easy, practical  lesson intended for readers.4 Centuries afterward, the French poet Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1695) retold some of Aesop’stales in Fables, a collection of 239 poems. But where Aesop is largely remembered for practical life lessons such as “Slow and steady wins the race,” La Fontaine arguably expands the fable’s moral scope to include critiques of political realities and social injustice. In fables comparing public leaders to flies feasting on a dying animal or likening warring nations to quarreling thieves, La Fontaine brings fable closer to the domain of political satire.5 This maturing of the fable—its ascent from the humble schoolroom to the political forum—is perhaps consummated in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, published in 1945. While the work has the form of a full-length novel, critics often compare it to a fable because of its use of animal characters to make a point about human affairs. The barnyard animals in Orwell’s tale offer a tragic allegory of the history of the Communist revolution in Russia, descending from their righteous uprising against an oppressive farmer to an evil dictatorship by the pigs who led them.6 Far as Orwell’s bitter vision of history may be from Aesop and his simple, timeless morals, both hold up the world of animals as a mirror to humanity. In this strange but strangely familiar mirror world, a fallible humanity can behold its saddest flaws—and perhaps be moved to correct them. Essential Teaching Tools1 Most young children love animals and stories about them. That’s why fables are such effective and essential teaching tools for children learning to read and learning about life.2 Writers and educators have been aware of the usefulness of fables for a very long time. Consider, for example, the lessons learned in Eric Carle’s beloved book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The insect learns about healthy eating and overeating as he chomps his way through desserts and processed meats, then feels much better after he’s recuperated on Sunday with a nice green leaf. Similarly, Beatrix Potter’s lovable rabbits, mice, and frogs learn lessons about humility, moderation, forgiveness, and safety that help young children apply these abstract qualities to themselves. In Kenneth Graham’s Wind in the Willows, Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger teach children about friendship, honesty, and safe driving.3 In other popular children’s texts such as E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web and A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh humans interact with animals in ways that illuminate and reveal important life lessons. Further, fables teach that the world does not revolve around humans and that character transcends species. Implicitly, they illustrate the world from another point of view, encouraging children to experience emotions and situations that are far outside their daily lives.4 Some academic studies suggest that children are more likely to transfer knowledge learned from realistic stories to their own lives than from fantastic stories, but such studies also support the premise that children’s imaginations are important for their socio-cognitive development and that children enjoy immersing themselves in hypothetical, fabulous worlds. Although the research is divided, when it comes to teaching children about life, teachers and parents do well to share the stage with anthropomorphized animal characters that both entertain and educate.____

24 What key idea do the details in paragraph 2 of "Essential Teaching Tools" most clearly suggest?

24 What key idea do the details in paragraph 2 of "Essential Teaching Tools" most clearly suggest?A Strange Mirror: The World of the Fable

1 Fables are short, fictional stories that often include animals that act like humans. The animals in fables have conversations, make mistakes, trick each other, take risks, and learn lessons—just like people. Indeed, through their animal characters, fables are generally meant to teach a lesson for humanity, sometimes expressed explicitly in a moral, or pithy concluding statement. It may be that the use of non-human characters frees the fabulist from the fear of too directly discomforting—or even insulting—readers. The form has certainly endured, transforming itself over the centuries from a repository of schoolroom lessons in character to a vehicle of biting political observation. 2 Some of the earliest instances of the fable appear in the five-part Panchatantra, a collection of interwoven animal fables from India from the third and fourth centuries BCE. Penned in Sanskrit by VishnuSharma, these comical fables were written to teach life lessons to the sons of the Hindu royalty. The animal characters try to outwit each other by trickery and deceit, but in the end learn human lessons about friendship, family, prudence, and other concepts.3 About 600 of the best-known fables today are attributed to an enslaved man in ancient  Greece named Aesop who lived from about 620 to 560 BCE. In Aesop’s fables, the animal characters are defined,simply and completely, by the basic human characteristic each emblematizes. The ant in “The Grasshopper and the Ant” is relentlessly industrious, the fox in “The Fox and the Crow” is cocky and clever—and character is destiny. The ant, diligently storing up food for the winter, is guaranteed to survive another year;the thriftless grasshopper is doomed to perish in the winter cold. The clever fox inevitably outsmarts the naïve crow. In no instance can the character surpass itself or its destiny; in every instance, there is an easy, practical  lesson intended for readers.4 Centuries afterward, the French poet Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1695) retold some of Aesop’stales in Fables, a collection of 239 poems. But where Aesop is largely remembered for practical life lessons such as “Slow and steady wins the race,” La Fontaine arguably expands the fable’s moral scope to include critiques of political realities and social injustice. In fables comparing public leaders to flies feasting on a dying animal or likening warring nations to quarreling thieves, La Fontaine brings fable closer to the domain of political satire.5 This maturing of the fable—its ascent from the humble schoolroom to the political forum—is perhaps consummated in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, published in 1945. While the work has the form of a full-length novel, critics often compare it to a fable because of its use of animal characters to make a point about human affairs. The barnyard animals in Orwell’s tale offer a tragic allegory of the history of the Communist revolution in Russia, descending from their righteous uprising against an oppressive farmer to an evil dictatorship by the pigs who led them.6 Far as Orwell’s bitter vision of history may be from Aesop and his simple, timeless morals, both hold up the world of animals as a mirror to humanity. In this strange but strangely familiar mirror world, a fallible humanity can behold its saddest flaws—and perhaps be moved to correct them. Essential Teaching Tools1 Most young children love animals and stories about them. That’s why fables are such effective and essential teaching tools for children learning to read and learning about life.2 Writers and educators have been aware of the usefulness of fables for a very long time. Consider, for example, the lessons learned in Eric Carle’s beloved book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The insect learns about healthy eating and overeating as he chomps his way through desserts and processed meats, then feels much better after he’s recuperated on Sunday with a nice green leaf. Similarly, Beatrix Potter’s lovable rabbits, mice, and frogs learn lessons about humility, moderation, forgiveness, and safety that help young children apply these abstract qualities to themselves. In Kenneth Graham’s Wind in the Willows, Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger teach children about friendship, honesty, and safe driving.3 In other popular children’s texts such as E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web and A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh humans interact with animals in ways that illuminate and reveal important life lessons. Further, fables teach that the world does not revolve around humans and that character transcends species. Implicitly, they illustrate the world from another point of view, encouraging children to experience emotions and situations that are far outside their daily lives.4 Some academic studies suggest that children are more likely to transfer knowledge learned from realistic stories to their own lives than from fantastic stories, but such studies also support the premise that children’s imaginations are important for their socio-cognitive development and that children enjoy immersing themselves in hypothetical, fabulous worlds. Although the research is divided, when it comes to teaching children about life, teachers and parents do well to share the stage with anthropomorphized animal characters that both entertain and educate.____

How do paragraph 2 and paragraph 3 contribute differently to the argument in “Essential Teaching Tools”?

24 What key idea do the details in paragraph 2 of "Essential Teaching Tools" most clearly suggest?A Strange Mirror: The World of the Fable

1 Fables are short, fictional stories that often include animals that act like humans. The animals in fables have conversations, make mistakes, trick each other, take risks, and learn lessons—just like people. Indeed, through their animal characters, fables are generally meant to teach a lesson for humanity, sometimes expressed explicitly in a moral, or pithy concluding statement. It may be that the use of non-human characters frees the fabulist from the fear of too directly discomforting—or even insulting—readers. The form has certainly endured, transforming itself over the centuries from a repository of schoolroom lessons in character to a vehicle of biting political observation. 2 Some of the earliest instances of the fable appear in the five-part Panchatantra, a collection of interwoven animal fables from India from the third and fourth centuries BCE. Penned in Sanskrit by VishnuSharma, these comical fables were written to teach life lessons to the sons of the Hindu royalty. The animal characters try to outwit each other by trickery and deceit, but in the end learn human lessons about friendship, family, prudence, and other concepts.3 About 600 of the best-known fables today are attributed to an enslaved man in ancient  Greece named Aesop who lived from about 620 to 560 BCE. In Aesop’s fables, the animal characters are defined,simply and completely, by the basic human characteristic each emblematizes. The ant in “The Grasshopper and the Ant” is relentlessly industrious, the fox in “The Fox and the Crow” is cocky and clever—and character is destiny. The ant, diligently storing up food for the winter, is guaranteed to survive another year;the thriftless grasshopper is doomed to perish in the winter cold. The clever fox inevitably outsmarts the naïve crow. In no instance can the character surpass itself or its destiny; in every instance, there is an easy, practical  lesson intended for readers.4 Centuries afterward, the French poet Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1695) retold some of Aesop’stales in Fables, a collection of 239 poems. But where Aesop is largely remembered for practical life lessons such as “Slow and steady wins the race,” La Fontaine arguably expands the fable’s moral scope to include critiques of political realities and social injustice. In fables comparing public leaders to flies feasting on a dying animal or likening warring nations to quarreling thieves, La Fontaine brings fable closer to the domain of political satire.5 This maturing of the fable—its ascent from the humble schoolroom to the political forum—is perhaps consummated in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, published in 1945. While the work has the form of a full-length novel, critics often compare it to a fable because of its use of animal characters to make a point about human affairs. The barnyard animals in Orwell’s tale offer a tragic allegory of the history of the Communist revolution in Russia, descending from their righteous uprising against an oppressive farmer to an evil dictatorship by the pigs who led them.6 Far as Orwell’s bitter vision of history may be from Aesop and his simple, timeless morals, both hold up the world of animals as a mirror to humanity. In this strange but strangely familiar mirror world, a fallible humanity can behold its saddest flaws—and perhaps be moved to correct them. Essential Teaching Tools1 Most young children love animals and stories about them. That’s why fables are such effective and essential teaching tools for children learning to read and learning about life.2 Writers and educators have been aware of the usefulness of fables for a very long time. Consider, for example, the lessons learned in Eric Carle’s beloved book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The insect learns about healthy eating and overeating as he chomps his way through desserts and processed meats, then feels much better after he’s recuperated on Sunday with a nice green leaf. Similarly, Beatrix Potter’s lovable rabbits, mice, and frogs learn lessons about humility, moderation, forgiveness, and safety that help young children apply these abstract qualities to themselves. In Kenneth Graham’s Wind in the Willows, Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger teach children about friendship, honesty, and safe driving.3 In other popular children’s texts such as E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web and A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh humans interact with animals in ways that illuminate and reveal important life lessons. Further, fables teach that the world does not revolve around humans and that character transcends species. Implicitly, they illustrate the world from another point of view, encouraging children to experience emotions and situations that are far outside their daily lives.4 Some academic studies suggest that children are more likely to transfer knowledge learned from realistic stories to their own lives than from fantastic stories, but such studies also support the premise that children’s imaginations are important for their socio-cognitive development and that children enjoy immersing themselves in hypothetical, fabulous worlds. Although the research is divided, when it comes to teaching children about life, teachers and parents do well to share the stage with anthropomorphized animal characters that both entertain and educate.____

What does the author of “Essential Teaching Tools” gain by including the information about the academic studies in paragraph 4?

A Strange Mirror: The World of the Fable

1 Fables are short, fictional stories that often include animals that act like humans. The animals in fables have conversations, make mistakes, trick each other, take risks, and learn lessons—just like people. Indeed, through their animal characters, fables are generally meant to teach a lesson for humanity, sometimes expressed explicitly in a moral, or pithy concluding statement. It may be that the use of non-human characters frees the fabulist from the fear of too directly discomforting—or even insulting—readers. The form has certainly endured, transforming itself over the centuries from a repository of schoolroom lessons in character to a vehicle of biting political observation. 2 Some of the earliest instances of the fable appear in the five-part Panchatantra, a collection of interwoven animal fables from India from the third and fourth centuries BCE. Penned in Sanskrit by VishnuSharma, these comical fables were written to teach life lessons to the sons of the Hindu royalty. The animal characters try to outwit each other by trickery and deceit, but in the end learn human lessons about friendship, family, prudence, and other concepts.3 About 600 of the best-known fables today are attributed to an enslaved man in ancient  Greece named Aesop who lived from about 620 to 560 BCE. In Aesop’s fables, the animal characters are defined,simply and completely, by the basic human characteristic each emblematizes. The ant in “The Grasshopper and the Ant” is relentlessly industrious, the fox in “The Fox and the Crow” is cocky and clever—and character is destiny. The ant, diligently storing up food for the winter, is guaranteed to survive another year;the thriftless grasshopper is doomed to perish in the winter cold. The clever fox inevitably outsmarts the naïve crow. In no instance can the character surpass itself or its destiny; in every instance, there is an easy, practical  lesson intended for readers.4 Centuries afterward, the French poet Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1695) retold some of Aesop’stales in Fables, a collection of 239 poems. But where Aesop is largely remembered for practical life lessons such as “Slow and steady wins the race,” La Fontaine arguably expands the fable’s moral scope to include critiques of political realities and social injustice. In fables comparing public leaders to flies feasting on a dying animal or likening warring nations to quarreling thieves, La Fontaine brings fable closer to the domain of political satire.5 This maturing of the fable—its ascent from the humble schoolroom to the political forum—is perhaps consummated in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, published in 1945. While the work has the form of a full-length novel, critics often compare it to a fable because of its use of animal characters to make a point about human affairs. The barnyard animals in Orwell’s tale offer a tragic allegory of the history of the Communist revolution in Russia, descending from their righteous uprising against an oppressive farmer to an evil dictatorship by the pigs who led them.6 Far as Orwell’s bitter vision of history may be from Aesop and his simple, timeless morals, both hold up the world of animals as a mirror to humanity. In this strange but strangely familiar mirror world, a fallible humanity can behold its saddest flaws—and perhaps be moved to correct them. Essential Teaching Tools1 Most young children love animals and stories about them. That’s why fables are such effective and essential teaching tools for children learning to read and learning about life.2 Writers and educators have been aware of the usefulness of fables for a very long time. Consider, for example, the lessons learned in Eric Carle’s beloved book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The insect learns about healthy eating and overeating as he chomps his way through desserts and processed meats, then feels much better after he’s recuperated on Sunday with a nice green leaf. Similarly, Beatrix Potter’s lovable rabbits, mice, and frogs learn lessons about humility, moderation, forgiveness, and safety that help young children apply these abstract qualities to themselves. In Kenneth Graham’s Wind in the Willows, Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger teach children about friendship, honesty, and safe driving.3 In other popular children’s texts such as E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web and A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh humans interact with animals in ways that illuminate and reveal important life lessons. Further, fables teach that the world does not revolve around humans and that character transcends species. Implicitly, they illustrate the world from another point of view, encouraging children to experience emotions and situations that are far outside their daily lives.4 Some academic studies suggest that children are more likely to transfer knowledge learned from realistic stories to their own lives than from fantastic stories, but such studies also support the premise that children’s imaginations are important for their socio-cognitive development and that children enjoy immersing themselves in hypothetical, fabulous worlds. Although the research is divided, when it comes to teaching children about life, teachers and parents do well to share the stage with anthropomorphized animal characters that both entertain and educate.__

A Strange Mirror: The World of the Fable

1 Fables are short, fictional stories that often include animals that act like humans. The animals in fables have conversations, make mistakes, trick each other, take risks, and learn lessons—just like people. Indeed, through their animal characters, fables are generally meant to teach a lesson for humanity, sometimes expressed explicitly in a moral, or pithy concluding statement. It may be that the use of non-human characters frees the fabulist from the fear of too directly discomforting—or even insulting—readers. The form has certainly endured, transforming itself over the centuries from a repository of schoolroom lessons in character to a vehicle of biting political observation. 2 Some of the earliest instances of the fable appear in the five-part Panchatantra, a collection of interwoven animal fables from India from the third and fourth centuries BCE. Penned in Sanskrit by VishnuSharma, these comical fables were written to teach life lessons to the sons of the Hindu royalty. The animal characters try to outwit each other by trickery and deceit, but in the end learn human lessons about friendship, family, prudence, and other concepts.3 About 600 of the best-known fables today are attributed to an enslaved man in ancient  Greece named Aesop who lived from about 620 to 560 BCE. In Aesop’s fables, the animal characters are defined,simply and completely, by the basic human characteristic each emblematizes. The ant in “The Grasshopper and the Ant” is relentlessly industrious, the fox in “The Fox and the Crow” is cocky and clever—and character is destiny. The ant, diligently storing up food for the winter, is guaranteed to survive another year;the thriftless grasshopper is doomed to perish in the winter cold. The clever fox inevitably outsmarts the naïve crow. In no instance can the character surpass itself or its destiny; in every instance, there is an easy, practical  lesson intended for readers.4 Centuries afterward, the French poet Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1695) retold some of Aesop’stales in Fables, a collection of 239 poems. But where Aesop is largely remembered for practical life lessons such as “Slow and steady wins the race,” La Fontaine arguably expands the fable’s moral scope to include critiques of political realities and social injustice. In fables comparing public leaders to flies feasting on a dying animal or likening warring nations to quarreling thieves, La Fontaine brings fable closer to the domain of political satire.5 This maturing of the fable—its ascent from the humble schoolroom to the political forum—is perhaps consummated in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, published in 1945. While the work has the form of a full-length novel, critics often compare it to a fable because of its use of animal characters to make a point about human affairs. The barnyard animals in Orwell’s tale offer a tragic allegory of the history of the Communist revolution in Russia, descending from their righteous uprising against an oppressive farmer to an evil dictatorship by the pigs who led them.6 Far as Orwell’s bitter vision of history may be from Aesop and his simple, timeless morals, both hold up the world of animals as a mirror to humanity. In this strange but strangely familiar mirror world, a fallible humanity can behold its saddest flaws—and perhaps be moved to correct them. Essential Teaching Tools1 Most young children love animals and stories about them. That’s why fables are such effective and essential teaching tools for children learning to read and learning about life.2 Writers and educators have been aware of the usefulness of fables for a very long time. Consider, for example, the lessons learned in Eric Carle’s beloved book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The insect learns about healthy eating and overeating as he chomps his way through desserts and processed meats, then feels much better after he’s recuperated on Sunday with a nice green leaf. Similarly, Beatrix Potter’s lovable rabbits, mice, and frogs learn lessons about humility, moderation, forgiveness, and safety that help young children apply these abstract qualities to themselves. In Kenneth Graham’s Wind in the Willows, Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger teach children about friendship, honesty, and safe driving.3 In other popular children’s texts such as E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web and A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh humans interact with animals in ways that illuminate and reveal important life lessons. Further, fables teach that the world does not revolve around humans and that character transcends species. Implicitly, they illustrate the world from another point of view, encouraging children to experience emotions and situations that are far outside their daily lives.4 Some academic studies suggest that children are more likely to transfer knowledge learned from realistic stories to their own lives than from fantastic stories, but such studies also support the premise that children’s imaginations are important for their socio-cognitive development and that children enjoy immersing themselves in hypothetical, fabulous worlds. Although the research is divided, when it comes to teaching children about life, teachers and parents do well to share the stage with anthropomorphized animal characters that both entertain and educate.____

Which statement best synthesizes information from both “A Strange Mirror: The World of the Fable” and“Essential Teaching Tools”?

1 Mario had been out of work for many months, and his family was suffering just as many Chicago families had been since the stock market crash the year before. Because his father was ill and could not work, and his mother was busy caring for her husband and the four younger children, the family depended on Mario, and he was feeling more and more desperate and desolate with each passing day. He knew that they were not alone, that millions were out of work across the nation, and that the crisis had spread around the world, but there was scant comfort in this knowledge. 2 One Monday morning, as Mario stood on the corner of Clybourn Avenue and North Halsted Street, he struck up a conversation with a dapper man in a plaid jacket. Mr. Eli Johnson, an exuberant entrepreneur from Mississippi, explained that he owned five food carts in the city and needed someone dependable to work the one on North LaSalle Drive. They chatted as they walked the ten blocks to the cart, locked for the night, and it only took half an hour for Mario to understand his new job. Mr. Johnson would pay him $10 every Friday to sell from the cart six days each week, and he would come each morning to drop off new product, check the stock, and collect the money from the day before. They shook hands, Mr. Johnson handed him the key, and Mario spent the day selling breads, fruit, and vegetables to passersby. 3 For a few weeks, Mario and his family were more comfortable financially, but then his father took a turn for the worse and needed medicine. Suddenly, money was tight again, and after careful thought, Mario decided to talk to Mr. Johnson about his family’s acute needs.4 “I hate to ask for more money, but I fear that I must,” he explained to his employer, trying to appear confident and eloquent, even though his voice quivered with trepidation.5 “And I hate to say no, but I fear that I must,” Mr. Johnson replied without hesitation. Mario’s heart sank at the cold words, and Mr. Johnson left without even saying goodnight. 6 When Mr. Johnson arrived home that evening, he was still thinking about his exchange with his employee. All thought of Mario vanished, though, when his sister-in-law came out to greet him. 7 “How is she?” he asked about his wife .8 “She seems better, and she slept more, so I was able to get some cleaning done. When the baby comes, I am sure she will be back to her old self,” said Mrs. Johnson’s sister. 9 “Yes, when the baby comes,” said Mr. Johnson. “I’m looking forward to holding that sweet little bundle when it arrives. Still, another mouth to feed—I need to work up the numbers, figure out how we’re g oing to afford this.” 10 For Mario, there was no question of “working up the numbers.” Feeding everyone at the table had become a precarious improvisation, a daily miracle, but the miracle was ending. His father’s medicine was expensive, meals were scantier, and Mario was eating less and less to make sure his younger brothers had enough. What an appetite Charlie had! Soon, though, even Charlie might have to get by on half portions.11 One evening while he was closing up, his ears pounding with a sickening dull pulse he had never heard before, Mario stole a loaf of bread. Looking over his shoulder, he stuffed the bread into his pack, locked up the cart for the night, and headed home. After walking a block, he turned around, returned to the cart, and replaced the bread, fearful of the darkness in his own heart. His parents had raised their children to know that stealing was always wrong, under any circumstances. On the way home, Mario stopped at a market and bought a 25¢ bag of flour for his mother to make the pasta that would carry them through another day.12 Mario did not confess to anyone what he had almost done. As if to reward Mario for his change of heart, his father seemed a little better that night. Mario hoped he could just forget the whole episode, and just thinking about it made him sweat. By merely considering disloyalty to his employer, he felt, he had already crossed a line. However, Mario also knew that it was simply a matter of time until the darkness appeared at the door again—knock, knock—simply a matter of time until his father took another downward turn, or worse yet, until one of the children fell ill, too.13 One morning it happened, just as Mario had feared: his father’s fever returned, and six-year-old Anthony woke up feverish and lethargic. His mother was in tears when she asked Mario for the last $2 in his pocket to pay for the doctor and to buy more medicine. As he handed two crumpled bills to his mother, he pictured the money box on the cart, heavy with quarters, dimes, and half-dollars. Again, he heard the dull, sickening pulse inside his head. He knew that Mr. Johnson did not always tally the cash in the box against the product that had been sold. It was if someone had left a door open, and all Mario had to do to supplement his meager income was to walk through.____

  31 Which single event in Chapter 1 contributes most directly to Mario’s moral dilemma?

1 Mario had been out of work for many months, and his family was suffering just as many Chicago families had been since the stock market crash the year before. Because his father was ill and could not work, and his mother was busy caring for her husband and the four younger children, the family depended on Mario, and he was feeling more and more desperate and desolate with each passing day. He knew that they were not alone, that millions were out of work across the nation, and that the crisis had spread around the world, but there was scant comfort in this knowledge. 2 One Monday morning, as Mario stood on the corner of Clybourn Avenue and North Halsted Street, he struck up a conversation with a dapper man in a plaid jacket. Mr. Eli Johnson, an exuberant entrepreneur from Mississippi, explained that he owned five food carts in the city and needed someone dependable to work the one on North LaSalle Drive. They chatted as they walked the ten blocks to the cart, locked for the night, and it only took half an hour for Mario to understand his new job. Mr. Johnson would pay him $10 every Friday to sell from the cart six days each week, and he would come each morning to drop off new product, check the stock, and collect the money from the day before. They shook hands, Mr. Johnson handed him the key, and Mario spent the day selling breads, fruit, and vegetables to passersby. 3 For a few weeks, Mario and his family were more comfortable financially, but then his father took a turn for the worse and needed medicine. Suddenly, money was tight again, and after careful thought, Mario decided to talk to Mr. Johnson about his family’s acute needs.4 “I hate to ask for more money, but I fear that I must,” he explained to his employer, trying to appear confident and eloquent, even though his voice quivered with trepidation.5 “And I hate to say no, but I fear that I must,” Mr. Johnson replied without hesitation. Mario’s heart sank at the cold words, and Mr. Johnson left without even saying goodnight. 6 When Mr. Johnson arrived home that evening, he was still thinking about his exchange with his employee. All thought of Mario vanished, though, when his sister-in-law came out to greet him. 7 “How is she?” he asked about his wife .8 “She seems better, and she slept more, so I was able to get some cleaning done. When the baby comes, I am sure she will be back to her old self,” said Mrs. Johnson’s sister. 9 “Yes, when the baby comes,” said Mr. Johnson. “I’m looking forward to holding that sweet little bundle when it arrives. Still, another mouth to feed—I need to work up the numbers, figure out how we’re g oing to afford this.” 10 For Mario, there was no question of “working up the numbers.” Feeding everyone at the table had become a precarious improvisation, a daily miracle, but the miracle was ending. His father’s medicine was expensive, meals were scantier, and Mario was eating less and less to make sure his younger brothers had enough. What an appetite Charlie had! Soon, though, even Charlie might have to get by on half portions.11 One evening while he was closing up, his ears pounding with a sickening dull pulse he had never heard before, Mario stole a loaf of bread. Looking over his shoulder, he stuffed the bread into his pack, locked up the cart for the night, and headed home. After walking a block, he turned around, returned to the cart, and replaced the bread, fearful of the darkness in his own heart. His parents had raised their children to know that stealing was always wrong, under any circumstances. On the way home, Mario stopped at a market and bought a 25¢ bag of flour for his mother to make the pasta that would carry them through another day.12 Mario did not confess to anyone what he had almost done. As if to reward Mario for his change of heart, his father seemed a little better that night. Mario hoped he could just forget the whole episode, and just thinking about it made him sweat. By merely considering disloyalty to his employer, he felt, he had already crossed a line. However, Mario also knew that it was simply a matter of time until the darkness appeared at the door again—knock, knock—simply a matter of time until his father took another downward turn, or worse yet, until one of the children fell ill, too.13 One morning it happened, just as Mario had feared: his father’s fever returned, and six-year-old Anthony woke up feverish and lethargic. His mother was in tears when she asked Mario for the last $2 in his pocket to pay for the doctor and to buy more medicine. As he handed two crumpled bills to his mother, he pictured the money box on the cart, heavy with quarters, dimes, and half-dollars. Again, he heard the dull, sickening pulse inside his head. He knew that Mr. Johnson did not always tally the cash in the box against the product that had been sold. It was if someone had left a door open, and all Mario had to do to supplement his meager income was to walk through.____

30 Which question best articulates the theme being developed by this first chapter of a book titled Knock, Knock?

1 Mario had been out of work for many months, and his family was suffering just as many Chicago families had been since the stock market crash the year before. Because his father was ill and could not work, and his mother was busy caring for her husband and the four younger children, the family depended on Mario, and he was feeling more and more desperate and desolate with each passing day. He knew that they were not alone, that millions were out of work across the nation, and that the crisis had spread around the world, but there was scant comfort in this knowledge. 2 One Monday morning, as Mario stood on the corner of Clybourn Avenue and North Halsted Street, he struck up a conversation with a dapper man in a plaid jacket. Mr. Eli Johnson, an exuberant entrepreneur from Mississippi, explained that he owned five food carts in the city and needed someone dependable to work the one on North LaSalle Drive. They chatted as they walked the ten blocks to the cart, locked for the night, and it only took half an hour for Mario to understand his new job. Mr. Johnson would pay him $10 every Friday to sell from the cart six days each week, and he would come each morning to drop off new product, check the stock, and collect the money from the day before. They shook hands, Mr. Johnson handed him the key, and Mario spent the day selling breads, fruit, and vegetables to passersby. 3 For a few weeks, Mario and his family were more comfortable financially, but then his father took a turn for the worse and needed medicine. Suddenly, money was tight again, and after careful thought, Mario decided to talk to Mr. Johnson about his family’s acute needs.4 “I hate to ask for more money, but I fear that I must,” he explained to his employer, trying to appear confident and eloquent, even though his voice quivered with trepidation.5 “And I hate to say no, but I fear that I must,” Mr. Johnson replied without hesitation. Mario’s heart sank at the cold words, and Mr. Johnson left without even saying goodnight. 6 When Mr. Johnson arrived home that evening, he was still thinking about his exchange with his employee. All thought of Mario vanished, though, when his sister-in-law came out to greet him. 7 “How is she?” he asked about his wife .8 “She seems better, and she slept more, so I was able to get some cleaning done. When the baby comes, I am sure she will be back to her old self,” said Mrs. Johnson’s sister. 9 “Yes, when the baby comes,” said Mr. Johnson. “I’m looking forward to holding that sweet little bundle when it arrives. Still, another mouth to feed—I need to work up the numbers, figure out how we’re g oing to afford this.” 10 For Mario, there was no question of “working up the numbers.” Feeding everyone at the table had become a precarious improvisation, a daily miracle, but the miracle was ending. His father’s medicine was expensive, meals were scantier, and Mario was eating less and less to make sure his younger brothers had enough. What an appetite Charlie had! Soon, though, even Charlie might have to get by on half portions.11 One evening while he was closing up, his ears pounding with a sickening dull pulse he had never heard before, Mario stole a loaf of bread. Looking over his shoulder, he stuffed the bread into his pack, locked up the cart for the night, and headed home. After walking a block, he turned around, returned to the cart, and replaced the bread, fearful of the darkness in his own heart. His parents had raised their children to know that stealing was always wrong, under any circumstances. On the way home, Mario stopped at a market and bought a 25¢ bag of flour for his mother to make the pasta that would carry them through another day.12 Mario did not confess to anyone what he had almost done. As if to reward Mario for his change of heart, his father seemed a little better that night. Mario hoped he could just forget the whole episode, and just thinking about it made him sweat. By merely considering disloyalty to his employer, he felt, he had already crossed a line. However, Mario also knew that it was simply a matter of time until the darkness appeared at the door again—knock, knock—simply a matter of time until his father took another downward turn, or worse yet, until one of the children fell ill, too.13 One morning it happened, just as Mario had feared: his father’s fever returned, and six-year-old Anthony woke up feverish and lethargic. His mother was in tears when she asked Mario for the last $2 in his pocket to pay for the doctor and to buy more medicine. As he handed two crumpled bills to his mother, he pictured the money box on the cart, heavy with quarters, dimes, and half-dollars. Again, he heard the dull, sickening pulse inside his head. He knew that Mr. Johnson did not always tally the cash in the box against the product that had been sold. It was if someone had left a door open, and all Mario had to do to supplement his meager income was to walk through.____

32 Which of the following best describes an archetypal plot pattern in Chapter 1 of Knock, Knock?

1 Mario had been out of work for many months, and his family was suffering just as many Chicago families had been since the stock market crash the year before. Because his father was ill and could not work, and his mother was busy caring for her husband and the four younger children, the family depended on Mario, and he was feeling more and more desperate and desolate with each passing day. He knew that they were not alone, that millions were out of work across the nation, and that the crisis had spread around the world, but there was scant comfort in this knowledge. 2 One Monday morning, as Mario stood on the corner of Clybourn Avenue and North Halsted Street, he struck up a conversation with a dapper man in a plaid jacket. Mr. Eli Johnson, an exuberant entrepreneur from Mississippi, explained that he owned five food carts in the city and needed someone dependable to work the one on North LaSalle Drive. They chatted as they walked the ten blocks to the cart, locked for the night, and it only took half an hour for Mario to understand his new job. Mr. Johnson would pay him $10 every Friday to sell from the cart six days each week, and he would come each morning to drop off new product, check the stock, and collect the money from the day before. They shook hands, Mr. Johnson handed him the key, and Mario spent the day selling breads, fruit, and vegetables to passersby. 3 For a few weeks, Mario and his family were more comfortable financially, but then his father took a turn for the worse and needed medicine. Suddenly, money was tight again, and after careful thought, Mario decided to talk to Mr. Johnson about his family’s acute needs.4 “I hate to ask for more money, but I fear that I must,” he explained to his employer, trying to appear confident and eloquent, even though his voice quivered with trepidation.5 “And I hate to say no, but I fear that I must,” Mr. Johnson replied without hesitation. Mario’s heart sank at the cold words, and Mr. Johnson left without even saying goodnight. 6 When Mr. Johnson arrived home that evening, he was still thinking about his exchange with his employee. All thought of Mario vanished, though, when his sister-in-law came out to greet him. 7 “How is she?” he asked about his wife .8 “She seems better, and she slept more, so I was able to get some cleaning done. When the baby comes, I am sure she will be back to her old self,” said Mrs. Johnson’s sister. 9 “Yes, when the baby comes,” said Mr. Johnson. “I’m looking forward to holding that sweet little bundle when it arrives. Still, another mouth to feed—I need to work up the numbers, figure out how we’re going to afford this.” 10 For Mario, there was no question of “working up the numbers.” Feeding everyone at the table had become a precarious improvisation, a daily miracle, but the miracle was ending. His father’s medicine was expensive, meals were scantier, and Mario was eating less and less to make sure his younger brothers had enough. What an appetite Charlie had! Soon, though, even Charlie might have to get by on half portions.11 One evening while he was closing up, his ears pounding with a sickening dull pulse he had never heard before, Mario stole a loaf of bread. Looking over his shoulder, he stuffed the bread into his pack, locked up the cart for the night, and headed home. After walking a block, he turned around, returned to the cart, and replaced the bread, fearful of the darkness in his own heart. His parents had raised their children to know that stealing was always wrong, under any circumstances. On the way home, Mario stopped at a market and bought a 25¢ bag of flour for his mother to make the pasta that would carry them through another day.12 Mario did not confess to anyone what he had almost done. As if to reward Mario for his change of heart, his father seemed a little better that night. Mario hoped he could just forget the whole episode, and just thinking about it made him sweat. By merely considering disloyalty to his employer, he felt, he had already crossed a line. However, Mario also knew that it was simply a matter of time until the darkness appeared at the door again—knock, knock—simply a matter of time until his father took another downward turn, or worse yet, until one of the children fell ill, too.13 One morning it happened, just as Mario had feared: his father’s fever returned, and six-year-old Anthony woke up feverish and lethargic. His mother was in tears when she asked Mario for the last $2 in his pocket to pay for the doctor and to buy more medicine. As he handed two crumpled bills to his mother, he pictured the money box on the cart, heavy with quarters, dimes, and half-dollars. Again, he heard the dull, sickening pulse inside his head. He knew that Mr. Johnson did not always tally the cash in the box against the product that had been sold. It was if someone had left a door open, and all Mario had to do to supplement his meager income was to walk through.____

____ 33 How does the historical context of Knock, Knock influence the plot and subsequently, the theme?

____ 36 Which sentence shows correct punctuation?

 37 Which sentence most effectively uses a transition to create coherence?

39 Which passage shows the best sentence variety?

Which sentence follows the rule from the style guide correctly?

In the humanities disciplines, scholars mostly use a deductive structure and a thesis statement. While in the social sciences or science disciplines, scholars prefer to use an inductive structure and a hypothesis.

In “Simplicity,” William Zinsser argues that cluttered writing is bad writing, however it can be fixed by eliminating all unnecessary or unclear words.