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182 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.
ENGLISH TEST
23 Minutes — 38 Questions
Directions: In the following three passages, certain
words and phrases have been underlined and
numbered. You will find alternatives for each
underlined portion in the right-hand column. Select
the one that best expresses the idea, that makes the
statement acceptable in standard written English, or
that is phrased most consistently with the style and
tone of the entire passage. If you feel that the original
version is best, select “NO CHANGE.” You will also
find questions asking about a section of the passage
or about the entire passage. For these questions,
decide which choice gives the most appropriate
response to the given question. For each question in
the test, select the best choice and fill in the
corresponding space on the answer sheet. You may
wish to read each passage through before you begin
to answer the questions associated with it. Most
answers cannot be determined without reading
several sentences around the phrases in question.
Make sure to read far enough ahead each time you
choose an alternative.
Passage I
Since primitive times, societies have had their own
1

However, in a complex society composed of many
cultural groups, legends may actually undermine theirtraditional — that is to say, unifying role.

While a legend
4
may draw together members of one culture, it may also
alienate that group from others. So what

if substitute

for
5
1. A. NO CHANGE
B. societies, have had their own legends
C. societies have had their own legends,
D. societies have had their own, legends
2. F. NO CHANGE
G. Other things have such functions.
H. Although others are useful.
J. OMIT the underlined portion.
3. A. NO CHANGE
B. value is
C. value are
D. value, and worth, are
4. F. NO CHANGE
G. traditional unifying role.
H. traditional, that is to say, unifying, role.

7
occurred, but the people involved can never be found.
Researchers of the urban legend call the elusive participant
in such supposed “real-life” events a

FOAF — a

Friend
8
Of A Friend.
Urban legends have some characteristic features. They
are often humorous in nature with

a surprise ending and a
9conclusion.

Urban

legends, frequently based

on an
9 10
amazing coincidence of some sort, or on the premise that
this is “a small world.” For example, the stranger on the
bus to whom the teenager is bragging about his “hot date”
turns out to be the girl’s father.
One urban legend making the rounds tells of a couple

11. A. NO CHANGE
B. had been
C. was
D. are
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184 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.
asks them if it has ever barked. “Why, no,” the husband
replies. “No wonder,” the vet says, “your exotic dog is a
rat.”
12
12. Which of the following phrases best states the
relationship between the first sentence in the
paragraph and the remainder of the paragraph?
F. Question and instruction
G. Argument and digression
H. Statement and illustration
J. Point and counterpoint
Item 13 poses a question about Passage I as a
whole.
13. In which of the following ways does the writer’s use
of dialogue affect how the reader reacts to the
narrative?
A. It emphasizes the fact that the story of the
vacationing couple is not a folk tale.
B. It creates a sense of dramatic immediacy in the
writer’s surprising conclusion.
C. It demonstrates that the writer actually
witnessed the incident as a bystander.
D. It leaves the reader in a state of confusion since
the previous paragraphs contain no dialogue.

America.
J. Salmon.
15. A. NO CHANGE
B. rapids on Deschutes River, central Oregon.
C. rapids; on the Deschutes River in central
Oregon.
D. rapids on the Deschutes River; in central
Oregon.
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185 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.
MacKenzie river boat. Rapids are rated on a uniform scale

16of relative difficulty.

This trip

it being

the wooden boat's
16 17
first time down rapids, as well as mine. It was such a
peaceful summer day that it was hard to believe dangerous
rapids awaited us downstream.
I could hear the water roar as we approached

21
the left side of the bow was wedged on a large rock. A
whirlpool whirled around us; if we capsized we would be
sucked into the undertow. Instinctively, I threw all of my
ninety-eight pounds towards the right side of the tilting
boat. Luckily,

it was

just enough force to dislodge us, and
22
we continued on down for about ten more minutes of
spectacular rapids.
Later that day we went through Buckskin Mary
rapids and the Boxcar rapids. When we pulled up on the
16. F. NO CHANGE
G. Rapids are rated according to a uniform scale of
relative difficulty.
H. (Rapids are rated according to a uniform scale
of relative difficulty.)
J. OMIT the underlined portion.
17. A. NO CHANGE
B. it happened that it was
C. was
D. being
18. F. NO CHANGE
G. Churning, it covered me
H. Covering me, it churned
J. The water churned, covering me
19. A. NO CHANGE

C. received much
D. receives many
24. Which of the following concluding sentences would
most effectively emphasize the final point made in
this paragraph while retaining the style and tone of
the narrative as a whole?
F. The brutal calamities that it presented the
unwary rafter were more than offset by its
beguiling excitement.
G. Perhaps it is true after all that one’s first close
encounter with white water is likely to be
one’s most intense.
H. Or, if not the most memorable, then at least a
very memorable one!
J. Call me crazy or weird if you want, but white
water rafting is the sport for me.
25. The writer has been assigned to write an essay that
focuses on the techniques of white water rafting.
Would this essay meet the requirements of that
assignment?
A. No, because the essay’s prime focus is on a
particular experience, not on techniques.
B. No, because the essay mostly deals with the
relationship between father and daughter.
C. Yes, because specific rafting techniques are the
essay’s main focus.
D. Yes, because it presents a dramatic story of a
day’s white water rafting.
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baked clay, steel, onyx, plastic, or agate, and are as
colorful as their names. Perhaps the key word regarding
marbles is “variety.”
[2]
The popularity of marbles, however,

spans centuries

28
and oversteps cultural boundaries. The first marble games
took place in antiquity. They were played with nuts, fruit
pits, or pebbles. Even the great Augustus Caesar, along
with his Roman playmates, was known to have played
marble games as a child. In North America, engraved
marbles

has been

recovered in earthen mounds left by
29
some Indian tribes. During Passover, Jewish children have
26. F. NO CHANGE
G. eyes: will remind you by these words
H. eyes, perhaps, these words
J. eyes perhaps these words
27. A. NO CHANGE
B. Marbles
C. Marbles, round in shape,
D. Marbles (but not dice)
28. F. NO CHANGE

31thrown, rolling, dropped, and even kicked.

31
[4]
So while marbles may be considered a children’s
game, it actually has a complex history.

(Backgammon
32also has a complex history.)

And if anyone happens to
32
accuse you of having marbles in your head, you might ask
them what kind.
[5]Their are

also many varieties of marble games.
33
The most common American version is to win
opponents’ marbles by knocking them out of a designated
area with one’s own marbles. Another popular game is

B. are used for throwing, rolling, dropping, and
are even kicked.
C. can also be thrown, rolled, dropped, and even
kicked.
D. can also throw, roll, drop, and kick.
32. F. NO CHANGE
G. (Another game with a complex history is
backgammon.)
H. (As for complex histories, there is also
backgammon.)
J. OMIT the underlined portion.
33. A. NO CHANGE
B. They’re are
C. There our
D. There are
34. F. NO CHANGE
G. taw, also known as ringtaw or ringer —
H. taw — also known as ringtaw or ringer —
J. taw: also known as ringtaw or ringer
35. A. NO CHANGE
B. large ring.
C. large, indeed, sizable, ring.
D. large, sizable ring.
36. F. NO CHANGE
G. trying
H. try
J. tried
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END OF SECTION 1
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