Section Three: Reading Comprehension

Question 1-9

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
(A) Themes commonly found in folk music
(B) Elements that define folk music
(C) Influences of folk music on popular music
(D) The standards of the International Folk Music Council

2. Which of the following statements about the term "folk song" is supported by the passage?
(A) It has been used for several centuries.
(B) The International Folk Music Council invented it.
(C) It is considered to be out-of-date.
(D) There is disagreement about its meaning.

3. The word "it" in line 8 refers to
(A) community
(B) song
(C) acceptance
(D) memory

4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as a characteristic of the typical folk
song?
(A) It is constantly changing over time.
(B) it is passed on to other people by being performed.
(C) It contains complex musical structures.
(D) It appeals to many people.

5. The word "subjected" in line 9 is closest in meaning to
(A) reduced
(B) modified
(C) exposed
(D) imitated

6. The author mentions the farm laborer and his friends (lines 10-14) in order to do which of the
following?
(A) Explain how a folk song evolves over time
(B) Illustrate the importance of music to rural workers
(C) Show how subject matter is selected for a folk song
(D) Demonstrate how a community, chooses a folk song

7. According to the passage, why would the original composers of folk songs be forgotten?
(A) Audiences prefer songs composed by professional musicians.
(B) Singers dislike the decorative touches in folk song tunes.
(C) Numerous variations of folk songs come to exist at the same time.
(D) Folk songs are not considered an important form of music.

8. The word "essence" in line 16 is closest in meaning to
(A) basic nature
(B) growing importance
(C) full extent
(D) first phase

9. The author mentions that published music is not considered to be folk music because
(A) the original composer can be easily identified
(B) the songs attract only the young people in a community
(C) the songs are generally performed by professional singers
(D) the composers write the music in rural communities

Question 10-20

10. What does the passage mainly discuss?
(A) How babies differentiate between the sound of the human voice and other sounds
(B) The differences between a baby's and an adult's ability to comprehend language
(C) How babies perceive and respond to the human voice in their earliest stages of language development
(D) The response of babies to sounds other than the human voice

11. Why does the author mention a bell and a rattle in lines 4-5 ?
(A) To contrast the reactions of babies to human and nonhuman sounds
(B) To give examples of sounds that will cause a baby to cry
(C) To explain how babies distinguish between different nonhuman sounds
(D) To give examples of typical toys that babies do not like

12. Why does the author mention syllables pronounced with rising and falling inflections in lines 7-8 ?
(A) To demonstrate how difficult it is for babies to interpret emotions
(B) To illustrate that a six-week-old baby can already distinguish some language differences
(C) To provide an example of ways adults speak to babies
(D) To give a reason for babies' difficulty in distinguishing one adult from another

13. The word "diverse" in line 14 is closest in meaning to
(A) surrounding
(B) divided
(C) different
(D) stimulating

14. The word"noted" in line 17 is closest in meaning to
(A) theorized
(B) requested
(C) disagreed
(D) observed

15. The word "They" in line 18 refers to
(A) mothers
(B) investigators
(C) babies
(D) words

16. The passage mentions all of the following as ways adults modify their speech when talking to babies EXCEPT
(A) giving all words equal emphasis
(B) speaking with shorter sentences
(C) speaking more loudly than normal
(D) using meaningless sounds

17. The word "emphasize" in line 19 is closest in meaning to
(A) stress
(B) repeat
(C) explain
(D) leave out

18. Which of the following can be inferred about the findings described in paragraph 2 ?
(A) Babies who are exposed to more than one language can speak earlier than babies exposed to a single language.
(B) Mothers from different cultures speak to their babies in similar ways.
(C) Babies ignore facial expressions in comprehending aural language.
(D) The mothers observed by the researchers were consciously teaching their babies to speak.

19. What point does the author make to illustrate that babies are born with the ability to acquire language?
(A) Babies begin to understand words in songs.
(B) Babies exaggerate their own sounds and expressions.
(C) Babies are more sensitive to sounds than are adults.
(D) Babies notice even minor differences between speech sounds.

20. According to the author, why do babies listen to songs and stories, even though they cannot
understand them?
(A) They understand the rhythm.
(B) They enjoy the sound.
(C) They can remember them easily.
(D) They focus on the meaning of their parents' words.

Questions 21-29

21. The author's main point in paragraph 1 is that clay deposits
(A) conceal layers of rock
(B) can be found in various places
(C) are usually small
(D) must be removed from construction sites

22. It can be inferred from the passage that clay is LEAST likely to be plentiful in which of the
following areas?
(A) In desert sand dunes
(B) In forests
(C) On hillsides
(D) Near rivers

23. The word "accessible" in line 4 is closest in meaning to
(A) buried
(B) improved
(C) available
(D) workable

24. According to the passage, rock breaks down into clay under all of the following conditions EXCEPT when
(A) it is exposed to freezing and thawing
(B) roots of trees force their way into cracks
(C) it is combined with alkalies
(D) natural forces wear away the Earth's crust

25. Why does the author mention feldspar in line 10?
(A) It is often used as a substitute for clay.
(B) It is damaged by the oxides in clay.
(C) Its presence indicates inferior clay.
(D) It is a major component of clay.

26. The word "it" in line 13 refers to
(A) iron
(B) feldspar
(C) granite
(D) clay

27. Based on the information in the passage, it can be inferred that low-fire clays are MOST
appropriate for making objects that
(A) must be strong
(B) can be porous
(C) have a smooth texture
(D) are highly decorated

28. The phrase "account for" in line 22 is closest in meaning to
(A) reduce
(B) explain
(C) combine with
(D) list all of

29. The passage supports which of the following conclusions?
(A) Clay deposits are only found deep in the Earth.
(B) If clay contains too much iron it will melt when fired.
(C) Only certain types of clay are appropriate for making china teacups.
(D) If sufficient heat is applied, all clay will become nonporous.


Questions 30-40

30. What aspect of ants does the passage mainly discuss?
(A) The relationship between the queen and the worker ants
(B) Ways in which ants use chemical signals
(C) Methods ants use to identify food sources
(D) The importance of respiration in the production of ant pheromones

31. The phrase "smooth operation" in line 1 is closest in meaning to
(A) daily activity
(B) effective functioning
(C) delicate balance
(D) permanent location

32. According to the passage, carbon dioxide serves which of the following functions for fire ants?
(A) It protects the queen.
(B) It attracts other ant species.
(C) It informs workers of possible danger.
(D) It encourages the ants to gather together.

33. The word "cluster" in line 4 is closest in meaning to
(A) organ
(B) activity
(C) group
(D) cycle

34.According to the passage, each nest has a distinct odor that allows its inhabitants to
(A) find the location of the nest in the dark
(B) distinguish worker ants from other ants
(C) distinguish foreign ants from resident ants
(D) signal other inhabitants when foreign ants
attack

35. The word "alert" in line 13 is closest in meaning to
(A) allow
(B) transport
(C) ware
(D) provide

36. What is the role of pheromones in the mass migrations of ants?
(A) Pheromones are used to create a trail that directs the ants during migrations.
(B) Pheromones signal the ants that the nest has been invaded and must be abandoned.
(C) Pheromones control the speed at which ants move from one location to another.
(D) Pheromones enable scouts to identify suitable areas for establishing a new nest.

37. The word "scurrying" in line 16 is closest in meaning to
(A) agreeing
(B) appearing
(C) competing
(D) rushing

38. The word "others" in line 21 refers to
(A) private messages
(B) species
(C) trails
(D) signals

39. Why does the author mention "dead insects" in line 23 ?
(A) To compare the social behaviors of ants with those of other insects
(B) To emphasize the dangers that all insects encounter
(C) To argue the superiority of ants over other insects
(D) To indicate a behavior that is common among various kinds of ants

40. Which of the following terms is defined in the passage?
(A) pheromones (line 2)
(B) colony integrity (lines 11-12)
(C) mass migrations (line 14)
(D) private messages (lines 18-19)

Questions 41-50

41. Which aspect of the Homestead Act of 1862 does the passage mainly discuss?
(A) How it transformed the western United States into a place of small farms
(B) Why it was an improvement over previous attempts at land reform
(C) Why it did not achieve its aim to provide land for small farmers
(D) How it failed in the largely treeless states of Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas

42. An amendment added to the Homestead Act of 1862 specified that
(A) five years of residence was required for landownership
(B) husbands and wives could not file separate claims
(C) the price of 160 acres of land was $1,000
(D) land could not be resold for a profit

43. The word "formidable" in line 12 is closest in meaning to
(A) obvious
(B) predictable
(C) difficult
(D) manageable

44. It can be inferred that the "safety valve" in line 13 refers to
(A) a new kind of machinery
(B) an alternative for urban workers
(C) an area in a factory
(D) a procedure designed to protect workers

45. The word "intent" in line 15 is closest in meaning to
(A) purpose
(B) power
(C) effect
(D) invention

46. According to the passage, why did the government pass the Timber Culture Act of 1873 ?
(A) To make larger tracts of land available to small farmers
(B) To settle Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas
(C) To encourage land speculation west of the Mississippi
(D) To increase the variety of trees growing in the western states

47. The word "they"in line 23 refers to
(A) larger holdings
(B) individuals
(C) 160 acres
(D) trees

48. According to the passage, how many of the farmers who settled land under the Timber Culture Act of 1873 received final title to the property?
(A) Fewer than 25%
(B) More than 160
(C) 10% per year
(D) 245,000

49. The passage mentions all of the following as reasons the Homestead Act of 1862 did not achieve its aims EXCEPT:
(A) Most landless Americans could not afford the necessary tools and provisions.
(B) Industrial workers lacked the necessary fanning skills.
(C) The farms were too large for single families to operate successfully.
(D) Homesteaders usually came from areas relatively close to the frontier.

50. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the Timber Culture Act of 1873?
(A) It especially helped farmers with large holdings of land.
(B) It was most important to farmers living in states that had plenty of trees.
(C) The majority of farmers did not benefit significantly from it.
(D) The majority of farmers did not need the extra 160 acres it provided.

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