Question 1

Read the following dictionary entry.
Which definition best matches the way the word stretch is used in paragraph 9?

Accepted Answer

Definition 2

Answer

Definition 4

Answer

Definition 1

Answer

Definition 3

Question 2

What does the sensory language in paragraph 7 help the reader understand?

Accepted Answer

The details that the author remembers most vividly about that day

Answer

The difficulty the author had pushing his wagon along the street

Answer

The distance between the author's house and the store

Answer

The doubts the author had about being able to complete his adventure

Question 3

Paragraphs 8 and 9 are mainly a description of -

Accepted Answer

the typical routine the author followed when he went to the grocery store

Answer

the different neighbors the author saw on the way to the grocery store

Answer

the way the author and Kenny worked together to push the wagon along

Answer

the safety measures the author took when walking along the shoulder of the road

Question 4

Why did the author tell Kenny to turn the wagon around in paragraph 12?

Accepted Answer

He decided that the new experience was not worth getting in trouble.

Answer

He remembered that his mother was waiting for them to come home.

Answer

He was satisfied seeing only a small part of the other street

Answer

He noticed that the groceries were not in the wagon with Kenny.

Question 5

The author describes his experience in a way that highlights -

Accepted Answer

how significant he thought going to the next street was when he was five years old

Answer

how important it was for him to take care of his little brother when they were younger

Answer

how long it took him to push the wagon to the neighborhood store when he was a boy

Answer

how much he worried about following his mother's rules when he was a child

Question 6

What is the best summary of the selection?

Accepted Answer

When he was five years old, the author decided to venture down a forbidden street after buying some groceries for his mother. The author went partway down the new street but turned around because he was afraid of getting caught. When the shopkeeper waved him down on the way home, the author was sure his mother knew what he had done. Even though he wasn't in trouble, the author went straight home.

Answer

As a five-year-old, the author had wanted to explore the next street over, even though his mother thought the street was dangerous. One day, after he shopped for groceries at the corner store for his mother, he pushed his wagon down the forbidden street. He then turned around after only a few minutes.

Answer

When the author was five years old, his mother often asked him to take his wagon to the corner store down the street and pick up groceries for her. On one occasion the author tried to explore a different street on his way home. But because he forgot to take the groceries with him, he had to go back to the store, where the clerk was waiting outside for him.

Answer

One day when he was five, the author made a plan to explore a street after getting groceries for his mother. He took his wagon along his normal route to the store, but then he traveled down the other street after he bought the groceries. When he reached a vacant field, he thought he would be caught, so he returned home.

Question 7

The details in paragraph 5 support the idea that -

Accepted Answer

human communication involves features that cannot easily be replicated by computers

Answer

language software is designed for communicating information rather than making jokes

Answer

miscommunication between humans is more likely when they cannot see facial expressions

Answer

humans use a lot of sarcasm and humor in everyday speech

Question 8

What is the main idea of paragraphs 7 and 8?

Accepted Answer

The use of speech-recognition technology poses a variety of potential problems.

Answer

Advances in technology may cause humans to lose their jobs to computers.

Answer

When people use speech-recognition applications, their privacy may be invaded.

Answer

As people talk more to computers, they may become less able to interact with humans.

Question 9

According to the selection, speech-software developers are still striving to develop speech-recognition technology that -

Accepted Answer

makes people feel as if they are speaking to a human

Answer

can comprehend language as quickly as people speak it

Answer

helps people complete simple tasks on electronic devices

Answer

minimizes the need for most types of human interaction

Question 10

Which idea does the author emphasize throughout the selection?

Accepted Answer

The technology for speech-recognition systems is constantly improving.

Answer

Speech-recognition technology saves companies time and money.

Answer

The earliest speech-recognition systems had limited capabilities.

Answer

Virtual personal assistants are an important achievement in talking computers.

Question 11

The author's main purpose in writing this selection is to -

Accepted Answer

describe the history of and advances in speech-recognition technology

Answer

share concerns about problems with speech-recognition technology

Answer

suggest that consumers rely too much on speech-recognition technology

Answer

explain how speech-recognition technology understands human language

Question 12

The author organizes the information in the selection mainly by -

Accepted Answer

describing advancements in speech-recognition technology as well as some concerns about it

Answer

explaining the development of speech-recognition technology over time

Answer

providing details about the technical processes that computers use to understand speech and construct a response

Answer

comparing the ways humans and computers interpret spoken language

Question 13

Which sentence from the selection reflects the author's opinion?

Accepted Answer

For now, however, the continuing evolution of speech-recognition software is thrilling to behold.

Answer

This digital trail may lead to data mining, or the collection of large quantities of personal data.

Answer

Today many voice systems can understand language when spoken at a normal conversational rate.

Answer

Others fear that machines will take over functions that were traditionally performed by humans, such as customer service.

Question 14

Which phrase from paragraph 1 best serves as an antonym context clue for the word 'refined'?

Accepted Answer

let his hair run wild

Answer

sold his house

Answer

who loved numbers

Answer

weeding his garden

Question 15

Paragraphs 1 through 3 are important to the story because they establish that Anthony -

Accepted Answer

is surprised to learn about Grandpa's change in behavior

Answer

thinks that Mom should not worry about Grandpa's new activities

Answer

wants Grandpa to teach him how to maintain a garden

Answer

prefers talking to the serious Grandpa he has always known

Question 16

By telling the story from the first-person point of view, the author helps the reader understand -

Accepted Answer

why Anthony enjoys Grandpa's cooking despite the taste

Answer

how Grandpa feels about living by himself in the old cottage

Answer

how all the characters feel about their Italian heritage

Answer

why Grandpa's life is different from that of his parents

Question 17

Read this information about the origin of the word 'perennial'.
This information helps the reader determine that the word perennial in line 9 means -

Accepted Answer

continually present

Answer

not easily avoided

Answer

highly desirable

Answer

not measurable

Question 18

In the first stanza, the poet uses the metaphor of a hunt to emphasize that Mother is -

Accepted Answer

determined to find just the right peppers to use in her hot sauce

Answer

eager to finish her shopping and begin preparing the hot sauce

Answer

competing with other shoppers at the market for the best produce

Answer

skillful at combining many different ingredients in her recipes

Question 19

The words "patiently," "pounds," and "promptly" in the second stanza highlight Mother's -

Accepted Answer

devotion to her task

Answer

desire to improve

Answer

need for assistance

Answer

eagerness to finish her work

Question 20

The poet uses present tense throughout the poem to convey that -

Accepted Answer

the memory is vivid to the speaker

Answer

the speaker wants to visit the market again soon

Answer

the memory makes the speaker feel childlike

Answer

the speaker wishes she were young again

Question 21

Based on the details in the poem, the reader can conclude that Mother -

Accepted Answer

takes making hot sauce for her family seriously

Answer

spends the entire day making hot sauce

Answer

makes hot sauce for her family every day

Answer

wants her daughter to learn to make hot sauce

Question 22

Which detail from paragraph 2 supports the idea that the Nile River spans diverse areas?

Accepted Answer

The Nile River flows through cities as well as remote deserts and mountain regions.

Answer

The White Nile begins in Rwanda, and the Blue Nile begins in Ethiopia.

Answer

The Nile River is the longest river in the world, measuring about 4,100 miles in length.

Answer

The two main tributaries of the Nile River meet in Sudan to form one river.

Question 23

The details in paragraph 6 support the idea that -

Accepted Answer

the Nile River serves as a shared foundation for many diverse African cultures

Answer

the Nile River and its main tributaries flow through many African countries

Answer

population growth along the Nile has caused the river to become polluted

Answer

the largest cities along the Nile River are located in Egypt

Question 24

The map of the Nile River Valley is included in the selection to -

Accepted Answer

show the long and winding course of the river

Answer

indicate why the Blue Nile is considered the primary source of the river

Answer

highlight the most popular locations along the river

Answer

emphasize that the river is important to all the countries it flows through

Question 25

The author organizes the information in the selection mainly by -

Accepted Answer

providing background information about the Nile River and then describing Scaturro and Brown's expedition

Answer

comparing the Nile River with other rivers around the world and then discussing Scaturro and Brown's journey along the Blue Nile

Answer

stating that the Nile River is challenging to navigate and then sharing details about the difficulties Scaturro and Brown encountered on their journey

Answer

explaining why Scaturro and Brown wanted to explore the Nile River and then giving details about how they prepared for the journey

Question 26

The author's main purpose for writing this selection is to -

Accepted Answer

describe the first expedition to travel the full length of the Nile River

Answer

discuss the dangers that travelers have encountered along the Nile River

Answer

provide information about the history of the Nile River

Answer

explain how the Nile River brings together a variety of cultures

Question 27

Read paragraph 3.
Teresa's comments influence the theme of the story because they show that she -

Accepted Answer

believes that she is a better long jumper than she actually is

Answer

feels as though she has to prove her abilities to others

Answer

does not know a lot about long jumping

Answer

thinks that her coach does not give her useful advice

Question 28

Which event in the story causes Teresa to reevaluate her talent as a long jumper?

Accepted Answer

Teresa watches another girl jump a long distance.

Answer

Teresa's first jump does not impress Coach Jennings.

Answer

Teresa declines to take her second jump.

Answer

Teresa's mother suggests that she practice more.

Question 29

The dialogue between Teresa and her mother after the tryout indicates that her mother -

Accepted Answer

wants Teresa to be honest with herself about her skill as a long jumper

Answer

knows that taking Teresa to the tryouts was a waste of time

Answer

believes that Teresa can make the Olympic team if she practices enough

Answer

thinks it was necessary to trick Teresa into taking long-jump practice seriously

Question 30

The story's third-person limited point of view gives the reader insight into -

Accepted Answer

the feelings Teresa has about her performance at the tryout

Answer

Coach Wilson's hesitation about sending Teresa to the tryout

Answer

Coach Jennings's thoughts about Teresa's jump at the tryout

Answer

the doubts Teresa's mother has about Teresa attending the tryout

Question 31

Read the following dictionary entry.
Which definition best matches the way the word stretch is used in paragraph 9?

Accepted Answer

Definition 2

Answer

Definition 3

Answer

Definition 4

Answer

Definition 1

Question 32

What does the sensory language in paragraph 7 help the reader understand?

Accepted Answer

The details that the author remembers most vividly about that day

Answer

The distance between the author's house and the store

Answer

The doubts the author had about being able to complete his adventure

Answer

The difficulty the author had pushing his wagon along the street

Question 33

Paragraphs 8 and 9 are mainly a description of -

Accepted Answer

the typical routine the author followed when he went to the grocery store

Answer

the different neighbors the author saw on the way to the grocery store

Answer

the safety measures the author took when walking along the shoulder of the road

Answer

the way the author and Kenny worked together to push the wagon along

Question 34

Why did the author tell Kenny to turn the wagon around in paragraph 12?

Accepted Answer

He decided that the new experience was not worth getting in trouble.

Answer

He remembered that his mother was waiting for them to come home.

Answer

He noticed that the groceries were not in the wagon with Kenny.

Answer

He was satisfied seeing only a small part of the other street

Question 35

The author describes his experience in a way that highlights -

Accepted Answer

how significant he thought going to the next street was when he was five years old

Answer

how much he worried about following his mother's rules when he was a child

Answer

how long it took him to push the wagon to the neighborhood store when he was a boy

Answer

how important it was for him to take care of his little brother when they were younger

Question 36

What is the best summary of the selection?

Accepted Answer

When he was five years old, the author decided to venture down a forbidden street after buying some groceries for his mother. The author went partway down the new street but turned around because he was afraid of getting caught. When the shopkeeper waved him down on the way home, the author was sure his mother knew what he had done. Even though he wasn't in trouble, the author went straight home.

Answer

When the author was five years old, his mother often asked him to take his wagon to the corner store down the street and pick up groceries for her. On one occasion the author tried to explore a different street on his way home. But because he forgot to take the groceries with him, he had to go back to the store, where the clerk was waiting outside for him.

Answer

As a five-year-old, the author had wanted to explore the next street over, even though his mother thought the street was dangerous. One day, after he shopped for groceries at the corner store for his mother, he pushed his wagon down the forbidden street. He then turned around after only a few minutes.

Answer

One day when he was five, the author made a plan to explore a street after getting groceries for his mother. He took his wagon along his normal route to the store, but then he traveled down the other street after he bought the groceries. When he reached a vacant field, he thought he would be caught, so he returned home.

Question 37

The details in paragraph 5 support the idea that -

Accepted Answer

human communication involves features that cannot easily be replicated by computers

Answer

language software is designed for communicating information rather than making jokes

Answer

humans use a lot of sarcasm and humor in everyday speech

Answer

miscommunication between humans is more likely when they cannot see facial expressions

Question 38

What is the main idea of paragraphs 7 and 8?

Accepted Answer

The use of speech-recognition technology poses a variety of potential problems.

Answer

As people talk more to computers, they may become less able to interact with humans.

Answer

When people use speech-recognition applications, their privacy may be invaded.

Answer

Advances in technology may cause humans to lose their jobs to computers.

Question 39

According to the selection, speech-software developers are still striving to develop speech-recognition technology that -

Accepted Answer

makes people feel as if they are speaking to a human

Answer

helps people complete simple tasks on electronic devices

Answer

minimizes the need for most types of human interaction

Answer

can comprehend language as quickly as people speak it

Question 40

Which idea does the author emphasize throughout the selection?

Accepted Answer

The technology for speech-recognition systems is constantly improving.

Answer

The earliest speech-recognition systems had limited capabilities.

Answer

Virtual personal assistants are an important achievement in talking computers.

Answer

Speech-recognition technology saves companies time and money.

Question 41

The author's main purpose in writing this selection is to -

Accepted Answer

describe the history of and advances in speech-recognition technology

Answer

suggest that consumers rely too much on speech-recognition technology

Answer

share concerns about problems with speech-recognition technology

Answer

explain how speech-recognition technology understands human language

Question 42

The author organizes the information in the selection mainly by -

Accepted Answer

describing advancements in speech-recognition technology as well as some concerns about it

Answer

comparing the ways humans and computers interpret spoken language

Answer

explaining the development of speech-recognition technology over time

Answer

providing details about the technical processes that computers use to understand speech and construct a response

Question 43

Which sentence from the selection reflects the author's opinion?

Accepted Answer

For now, however, the continuing evolution of speech-recognition software is thrilling to behold.

Answer

This digital trail may lead to data mining, or the collection of large quantities of personal data.

Answer

Today many voice systems can understand language when spoken at a normal conversational rate.

Answer

Others fear that machines will take over functions that were traditionally performed by humans, such as customer service.

Question 44

Which phrase from paragraph 1 best serves as an antonym context clue for the word 'refined'?

Accepted Answer

let his hair run wild

Answer

who loved numbers

Answer

weeding his garden

Answer

sold his house

Question 45

Paragraphs 1 through 3 are important to the story because they establish that Anthony -

Accepted Answer

is surprised to learn about Grandpa's change in behavior

Answer

prefers talking to the serious Grandpa he has always known

Answer

thinks that Mom should not worry about Grandpa's new activities

Answer

wants Grandpa to teach him how to maintain a garden

Question 46

By telling the story from the first-person point of view, the author helps the reader understand -

Accepted Answer

why Anthony enjoys Grandpa's cooking despite the taste

Answer

how all the characters feel about their Italian heritage

Answer

how Grandpa feels about living by himself in the old cottage

Answer

why Grandpa's life is different from that of his parents

Question 47

Read this information about the origin of the word 'perennial'.
This information helps the reader determine that the word perennial in line 9 means -

Accepted Answer

continually present

Answer

highly desirable

Answer

not easily avoided

Answer

not measurable

Question 48

In the first stanza, the poet uses the metaphor of a hunt to emphasize that Mother is -

Accepted Answer

determined to find just the right peppers to use in her hot sauce

Answer

skillful at combining many different ingredients in her recipes

Answer

competing with other shoppers at the market for the best produce

Answer

eager to finish her shopping and begin preparing the hot sauce

Question 49

The words "patiently," "pounds," and "promptly" in the second stanza highlight Mother's -

Accepted Answer

devotion to her task

Answer

eagerness to finish her work

Answer

need for assistance

Answer

desire to improve

Question 50

The poet uses present tense throughout the poem to convey that -

Accepted Answer

the memory is vivid to the speaker

Answer

the memory makes the speaker feel childlike

Answer

the speaker wishes she were young again

Answer

the speaker wants to visit the market again soon

Question 51

Based on the details in the poem, the reader can conclude that Mother -

Accepted Answer

takes making hot sauce for her family seriously

Answer

spends the entire day making hot sauce

Answer

wants her daughter to learn to make hot sauce

Answer

makes hot sauce for her family every day

Question 52

Which detail from paragraph 2 supports the idea that the Nile River spans diverse areas?

Accepted Answer

The Nile River flows through cities as well as remote deserts and mountain regions.

Answer

The Nile River is the longest river in the world, measuring about 4,100 miles in length.

Answer

The two main tributaries of the Nile River meet in Sudan to form one river.

Answer

The White Nile begins in Rwanda, and the Blue Nile begins in Ethiopia.

Question 53

The details in paragraph 6 support the idea that -

Accepted Answer

the Nile River serves as a shared foundation for many diverse African cultures

Answer

the largest cities along the Nile River are located in Egypt

Answer

population growth along the Nile has caused the river to become polluted

Answer

the Nile River and its main tributaries flow through many African countries

Question 54

The map of the Nile River Valley is included in the selection to -

Accepted Answer

show the long and winding course of the river

Answer

indicate why the Blue Nile is considered the primary source of the river

Answer

emphasize that the river is important to all the countries it flows through

Answer

highlight the most popular locations along the river

Question 55

The author organizes the information in the selection mainly by -

Accepted Answer

providing background information about the Nile River and then describing Scaturro and Brown's expedition

Answer

stating that the Nile River is challenging to navigate and then sharing details about the difficulties Scaturro and Brown encountered on their journey

Answer

explaining why Scaturro and Brown wanted to explore the Nile River and then giving details about how they prepared for the journey

Answer

comparing the Nile River with other rivers around the world and then discussing Scaturro and Brown's journey along the Blue Nile

Question 56

The author's main purpose for writing this selection is to -

Accepted Answer

describe the first expedition to travel the full length of the Nile River

Answer

explain how the Nile River brings together a variety of cultures

Answer

discuss the dangers that travelers have encountered along the Nile River

Answer

provide information about the history of the Nile River

Question 57

Read paragraph 3.
Teresa's comments influence the theme of the story because they show that she -

Accepted Answer

believes that she is a better long jumper than she actually is

Answer

thinks that her coach does not give her useful advice

Answer

feels as though she has to prove her abilities to others

Answer

does not know a lot about long jumping

Question 58

Which event in the story causes Teresa to reevaluate her talent as a long jumper?

Accepted Answer

Teresa watches another girl jump a long distance.

Answer

Teresa's first jump does not impress Coach Jennings.

Answer

Teresa declines to take her second jump.

Answer

Teresa's mother suggests that she practice more.

Question 59

The dialogue between Teresa and her mother after the tryout indicates that her mother -

Accepted Answer

wants Teresa to be honest with herself about her skill as a long jumper

Answer

knows that taking Teresa to the tryouts was a waste of time

Answer

thinks it was necessary to trick Teresa into taking long-jump practice seriously

Answer

believes that Teresa can make the Olympic team if she practices enough

Question 60

The story's third-person limited point of view gives the reader insight into -

Accepted Answer

the feelings Teresa has about her performance at the tryout

Answer

the doubts Teresa's mother has about Teresa attending the tryout

Answer

Coach Jennings's thoughts about Teresa's jump at the tryout

Answer

Coach Wilson's hesitation about sending Teresa to the tryout

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