CIVIL

SERVICE
REVIEWER
2022
 TABLE OF
CONTENT

> NUMERICAL ---------------------------

* Mixed Word Problems
- Ratio
- Proportion
- Percent
- Fraction
- Decimal
- Measurement
- Graph
- Age
- Mixture
- Work
- Coin
- Distance

> VERBAL --------------------------------

* Correct Usage
* Reading Comprehension
* Paragraph Organization
* Identifying Errors
* Vocabulary
* Word Analogy

> ANALYTICAL --------------------------

* Abstract Reasoning
* Numerical Reasoning
* Venn Diagram

> GENERAL INFORMATION ---------

1. NUMERICAL
1. If Jonalyn can type a page in p minutes, what piece of the page can she do in 5 minutes?

A. 5/p
B. p – 5
C. p + 5
D. p/5
E. 1- p + 5

Answer: A
Explanation:
The following proportion may be written: 1/p=x/5. Solving for the variable, x, gives xp = 5,
where x=5/p. So, Jonalyn can type 5/p pages, in 5 minutes.

2. If Nonoy can scrub a house in 4 hours, and Nene can scrub the same house in 6 hour, how long will
it take for both of them to scrub the house together?

A. 2 hours and 24 minutes

B. 3 hours and 12 minutes
C. 3 hours and 44 minutes
D. 4 hours and 10 minutes
E. 4 hours and 33 minutes

Answer: A
Explanation:
Nonoy can scrub 1/4 of the house in 1 hour. Nene can scrub 1/6 of the same house in 1 hour. In order
to determine how long it will take them to scrub the house, when working together, the following
equation may be written: 1/4 x+1/6 x=1. Solving for x gives 5/12 x=1, where x= 2.4 hours, or 2 hours,
24 minutes.

3. Employees of a Philippine company go to appliance store and receive an additional 20% off of the
lowest price on an item. If an employee purchases a dishwasher during a 15% off sale, how much will
he pay if the dishwasher originally cost ₱21,841?

A. ₱14,851
B. ₱15,432
C. ₱16,523
D. ₱17,899
E. ₱18,564
Answer: D
Explanation:
Sale Price = ₱21,841 – 0.15(₱21,841) = ₱18,564, Employee Price = ₱18,564 – 0.2(₱18,564) =
₱14,851 4. The sales price of a car is ₱711,936, which is 20% off the original price. What is the
original price?
A. ₱668,756
B. ₱1M
C. ₱929,900
D. ₱889,920
E. ₱598,456

Answer: D
Explanation:
₱711,936= Original Price – 0.2(Original Price) = 0.8(Original Price), Original Price =
₱711,936/0.8 = ₱889,920

5. Solving the following equation for A : 2A/3 = 8 + 4A

A. -2.4
B. 2.4
C. 1.3
D. -1.3
E. 0

Answer: A
Explanation:
In order to solve for A, both sides of the equation may first be multiplied by 3. This is written as
3(2A/3)=3(8+4A) or 2A=24+12A. Subtraction of 12A from both sides of the equation gives -10A=24.
Division by -10 gives A = -2.4.

6. If Cristina is 6 years older than Susan, and Roberto is 5 years older than Cristina, and the total of their
ages is 41. Then how old is Susan?
A. 8
B. 10
C. 14
D. 19
E. 21

Answer: A
Explanation:
Three equations may initially be written to represent the given information. Since the sum of the three
ages is 41, we may write, l + s + j = 41, where l represents Cristina’s age, s represents Susan’s age, and j
represents Roberto’s age. We also know that Cristina is 6 years older than Susan, so we may
write the equation, l = s + 6. Since Roberto is 5 years older than Cristina, we may also write the equation, j
= l + 5. The expression for l, or s + 6, may be substituted into the equation, j = l + 5, giving j = s + 6 + 5, or j
= s + 11. Now, the expressions for l and j may be substituted into the equation, representing the sum
of their ages. Doing so gives: s + 6 + s + s + 11 = 41, or 3s = 24, where s = 8. Thus, Susan is 8 years old.

7. Pepito wants to invest ₱300,000 at 6% simple interest rate for 5 years. How much interest will
he receive?
A. ₱50,000
B. ₱60,000
C. ₱70,000
D. ₱80,000
E. ₱90,000

Answer: E
Explanation:
Simple interest is represented by the formula, I = Prt, where P represents the principal amount, r
represents the interest rate, and t represents the time. Substituting ₱300,000 for P, 0.06 for r,
and 5 for t gives I = (300000)(0.06)(5), or I = 90000. So, he will receive ₱90,000 in interest.

8. Jose is able to sell a hand-carved statue for ₱27,500 which was a 35% profit over his cost. How much
did the statue originally cost him?
A. ₱20,000
B. ₱30,000
C. ₱40,000
D. ₱50,000
E. ₱ 60,000

Answer: A
₱27,500 = Cost + 0.35(Cost) = 1.35(Cost), Cost = ₱27,500/1.35 = ₱20,000

9. The city council has decided to add a 0.10% tax on motel and hotel rooms. If a traveler spends the night
in a motel room that costs ₱2,500 before taxes, how much will the city receive in taxes from him?

A. ₱100
B. ₱150
C. ₱200
D. ₱250
E. ₱300

Answer: B
Explanation:
The amount of taxes is equal to 2,500*0.10=250. The city will receive ₱250 pesos.
10. Mang Karl has 16 jellybeans in his pocket. He has 8 red ones, 4 green ones, and 4 blue ones. What
is the minimum number of jellybeans he must take out of his pocket to ensure that he has one of each
color?
A. 4
B. 8
C. 12
D. 13
E. 16

Answer: D
Explanation:
If he removes 13 jellybeans from his pocket, he will have 3 jellybeans left, with each color
represented. If he removes only 12 jellybeans, green or blue may not be represented.

11. You purchase a car making a down payment of ₱145,239 and 6 monthly payments of ₱10,892.
How much have you paid so far for the car?
A. ₱212,431
B. ₱210,596
C. ₱200,000
D. ₱340,325
E. ₱278,065

Answer: B
Explanation:
The amount you have paid for the car may be written as ₱145,239 + 6(₱10,892), which equals
₱210,591.

12. Bitoy worked 22 hours this week and made ₱6,386. If she works 15 hours next week at the same
pay rate, how much will she make?
A. ₱2,345
B. ₱4,355
C. ₱4,111
D. ₱5,900
E. ₱6,000

Answer: B
Explanation:
The following proportion may be used to determine how much Bitoy will make next week:
22/6386=15/x. Solving for x gives x = 4355. Thus, she will make ₱4,355 next week, if she
works 15 hours.

13. If 8x + 5x + 2x + 4x = 114, the 5x + 3 =

A. 12
B. 25
C. 33
D. 47
E. 86

Answer: C
Explanation:
The given equation should be solved for x. Doing so gives x = 6. Substituting the x-value of 6 into the
expression, 5x + 3, gives 5(6) + 3, or 33.

14. If y = 3, then y3(y3-

y)= A. 300
B. 459
C. 648
D. 999
E. 1099

Answer: C
Explanation:
3 3
Substituting 3 for y gives 3 (3 -3), which equals 27(27 – 3), or 27(24). Thus, the expression equals 648.

15. Your supervisor instructs you to purchase 240 pens and 6 staplers for the nurse’s station. Pens
are purchased in sets of 6 for ₱113.70 per pack. Staplers are sold in sets of 2 for ₱626.59. How much
will purchasing these products cost?
A. ₱6,427.95
B. ₱6,789.55
C. ₱7,999.99
D. ₱8,427.95
E. ₱12,000

Answer: A
Explanation:
You will need 40 packs of pens and 3 sets of staplers. Thus, the total cost may be represented by
the expression, 40(113.70) + 3(626.59). The total cost is ₱6,427.77.

16. The average of six numbers is 4. If the average of two of those numbers is 2, what is the average of
the other four numbers?
A. 5
B. 6
C. 7
D. 8
E. 9

Answer: A
Explanation:
A set of six numbers with an average of 4 must have a collective sum of 24. The two numbers that
average 2 will add up to 4, so the remaining numbers must add up to 20. The average of these four
numbers can be calculated: 20/4 = 5.

17. Ana got a 56 on her first math test. On her second math test, she raised her grade by 12%.
What was her grade?
A. 62.7
B. 67.2
C. 68.0
D. 72.3

Answer: A
Explanation:
First, calculate 12% of 56.
56 x 0.12 = 6.72
Then, add this value (the increase) to the original value of 56.
56 + 6.72 = 62.72
Rounding off, we get 62.7

18. A skyscraper is 548 meters high. The building’s owners decide to increase its height by 3%. How
high would the skyscraper be after the increase?
A. 551 meters
B. 555 meters
C. 562 meters
D. 564 meters

Answer: D
Explanation: First, calculate 3% of 548 meters.
548 meters x 0.03 = 16.44 meters.
Then, add it to the original height.
548 meters + 16.44 meters = 564.44 meters
Rounding off, we get 564 meters.
19. Clarissa makes homemade Wooden craft. Currently, she produces 23 crafts per month. If
she increased her production by 18%, how many crafts would Clarissa produce each month?

A. 27
B. 32
C. 38
D. 40

Answer: A
Explanation: First, calculate 18% of 23.
23 x 0.18 = 4.14
Then, add this value (the increase) to the original value of 23.
23 + 4.14 = 27.14
Rounding off, we get 27.

20. A room contains an equal number of boys and girls. The average height of the boys is 62 inches.
The average height of the all the students is 60 inches. What is the average height of the girls in the
room?

A. 57 inches
B. 58 inches
C. 59 inches
D. 60 inches

Answer: B
Explanation:
The average, or arithmetic mean, is computed by totaling all the measurements and dividing by the
number of measurements. Let TB represent the sum of the heights of the boys in the room, and TG
the sum of the heights of the girls. If N is the number of students in the room, there are N/2 boys and
N/2 girls. The average height of the boys is then TB(/N/2) = 2TB/N = 62. Similarly, the average height
of the girls is 2TG/N. The average height of all the students is equal to (TB + TG)/N = TB/N + TG/N =
60. Therefore, TG/N = 60 – TB/N = 60 – 31 = 29, and the average height for the girls is 2 x 29 = 58.
21. Jimboy drove 45 miles to his job in an hour and ten minutes in the morning. On the way home in the
evening, however, traffic was much heavier and the same trip took an hour and a half. What was his
average speed in miles per hour for the round trip?

A. 30
B. 45
C. 33 3/4
D. 32 1/2

Answer: C
Explanation:
To determine this, first determine the total distance of the round trip. This is twice the 45 miles of the
one-way trip to work in the morning, or 90 miles. Then, to determine the total amount of time Jimboy
spent on the round trip, first convert his travel times into minutes. One hour and ten minutes equals
70 minutes, and an hour and a half equals 90 minutes. So, Jimboy’s total travel time was 70 + 90 = 160
minutes. Jimboy’s average speed can now be determined in miles per minute: Speed = 90 miles / 160
min = 0.5625 miles per minute
Finally, to convert this average speed to miles per hour, multiply by 60, since there are 60 minutes in
an hour:
Average speed (mph) = 60 x 0.5625 = 33.75 miles per hour

22. If Joey and Katrina hike an average of 3 miles per hour, about how long will it take them hike
both the Beaverton Falls trail (7.25 miles) and the Copper Creek trail (4.75 miles)?

A. 3 hours
B. 3.5 hours
C. 4 hours
D. 4.5 hours

Answer: C
Explanation:
The total distance they will hike is 7.25 miles + 4.75 miles = 12 miles. If they hike 3 miles per hour,
it will take them 4 hours to hike 12 miles.

23. A pasta salad was chilled in the refrigerator at 35° F overnight for 9 hours. The temperature of
the pasta dish dropped from 86° F to 38° F. What was the average rate of cooling per hour?

A. (4.8°)/hr
B. (5.3°)/hr
C. (5.15°)/hr
D. (0.532°)/hr

Answer: B
Explanation:
The average rate of cooling is: (86° – 38°) / 9 hrs; 48° / 9 = 5.33°F per hour.

24. Rachel spent ₱1,162.22 on vegetables. She bought 2 lbs of onions, 3 lbs of carrots, and 1 1/2 lbs of
mushrooms. If the onions cost ₱177.58 per lb, and the carrots cost ₱206.46 per lb, what is the price
per lb of mushrooms?

A. ₱125.13
B. ₱128.00
C. ₱130.16
D. ₱131.90
E. ₱200.35

Answer: A
Explanation:
Begin by determining the total cost of the onions and carrots, since these prices are given. This will
equal (2 x ₱177.58) + (3 x ₱206.46) = ₱974.53. Next, this sum is subtracted from the total cost of the
vegetables to determine the cost of the mushrooms: ₱1,162.22– ₱974.53= ₱187.69. Finally, the cost of
the mushrooms is divided by the quantity (lbs) to determine the cost per pound: Cost per lb =
₱187.69/ 1.5 = ₱125.13

25. A roast was cooked at 325 °F in the oven for 4 hours. The internal temperature rose from 32 °F
to 145 °F. What was the average rise in temperature per hour?

A. 20.2°F/hr
B. 28.25°F/hr
C. 32.03°F/hr
D. 37°F/hr

Answer: B
Explanation:
145°F-32°F = 113°F, 113°F °4hrs = 28.25°F/ hr

26. A music instrument store gives a 10% discount to all students off the original cost of an
instrument. During a back to school sale an additional 15% is taken off the discounted price. Julie, a
student at the local high school, purchases a flute for $306. How much did it originally cost?
A. 325
B. 375
C. 400
D. 408
E. 425

Answer: C
Explanation:
The equation, x-0.10x-0.15(x-0.10x)=306, may be used to solve the problem. Solving for x gives 0.90x
– 0.15x + 0.015x = 306, where x = 400. Thus, the original price was $400.

27. Which of the following values is NOT equal to 34(58+9)?

A. 4*67
B. 58(34+9)
C. 34*58+34*9
D. 1,972 + 306
E. (9 + 58) 34

Answer: B
Explanation:
This problem illustrates the distributive property of multiplication over addition. The factor
being distributed may not change.

28. Two angles of a triangle measure 15° and 85 °. What is the measure for the third angle?
A. 50°
B. 55°
C. 60°
D. 80°
E. 90°

Answer: D
Explanation:
The measure of the third angle of the triangle is equal to 180°-(15° + 85°), or 80°. 29. If 5 ounces

is equal to 140 grams, then 2 pounds of ground meat is equal to how many grams? A. 863

B. 878
C. 896
D. 915
E. 932

Answer: C
Explanation:
Since there are 32 ounces in 2 pounds (16 ounces = 1 pound), the following proportion may be
written: 5/140=32/x . Solving for x gives x = 896. Thus, there are 896 grams in 2 pounds of
meat. 30. Which year did the most children take swimming lessons?
E. 1995

Answer: E Explanation:

A. 1990
B. 1991
C. 1992
D. 1994
The largest number of children taking swimming lessons, in one year, was 500, in 1995.

31. Between which year did the largest decrease in children taking swimming lessons

occur?

A. 1990-1991
B. 1991-1992
C. 1992-1993
D. 1993-1994
E. 1994-1995

Answer: C
Explanation:
The only decrease in number of children taking swimming lessons was from 1992 to 1993, with
a decrease of 200 children.

32. What was the average number of children taking swim lessons from 1990 to 1995?

A. 250
B. 308
C. 385
D. 450
E. 1850

Answer: B
Explanation:
The average may be written as (200+250+400+200+300+500)/6, which is approximately

308. 33. Which of the following is equal to 5.93 * 10-2?

A. 0.0593
B. 0.00593
C. 593
D. 5930
E. 59300

Answer: A
Explanation:
Movement of the decimal point two places to the left gives 0.0593.

34. On a Map, 1 inch represents 20 miles. The distance between 2 towns is 6 1/5 inches. How many
miles are actually between the two towns?

A. 65 miles
B. 84 miles
C. 124 miles
D. 138 miles
E. 145 miles
Answer: C
Explanation:
The following proportion may be used to solve the problem: 1/20=6.2/x. Solving for x gives x = 124, so
there are actually 124 miles between the two towns.

35. Which of the following is a correct graph of x>1, x<4 ?

A. Line A

B. Line B
C. Line C
D. Line D
E. Line E

Answer: A
Explanation:
The correct graph should show a line segment between 1 and 4, including the points, 1 and 4.

36. How many cubed pieces of fudge that are 3 inches on an edge can be packed into a Christmas
tin that is 9 inches deep by 12 inches wide by 9 inches high with the lid still being able to be closed?

A. 18
B. 24
C. 32
D. 36
E. 43

Answer: D
Explanation:
The volume of the tin is 972 in”. The volume of each piece of fudge is 27 in”. 972 ÷ 27 = 36.

37. Sarah is twice as old as her youngest brother. If the difference between their ages is 15 years.
How old is her youngest brother?

A. 10
B. 15
C. 20
D. 25
E. 30

Answer: B
Explanation:
The following system of equations may be used to solve the problem: (s=2b@s–b=15). Substituting
2b for s, in the second equation, gives: 2b – b = 15, where b = 15. The younger brother is 15 years old.

38. Which of the following fractions is equal to 5/6?

A. 20/30
B. 15/24
C. 25/30
D. 40/54
E. 2/7

Answer: C
Explanation:
Multiplying the numerator and denominator of the given fraction by 5 gives the fraction, 25/30,
which is equivalent.

39. What will it cost to tile a kitchen floor that is 12 feet wide by 20 feet long if the tile cost
₱428.93 per square yard?

A. 11,437.8
B. 12,987.70
C. 13,867
D. 14,798
E. 15,999.50

Answer: C
Explanation:
B: Converting feet to yards, the dimensions may be rewritten as 4 yards by 6 2/3 yards. Thus, the
area of the floor is 26 2/3 yd’. Multiplication of this area by the cost per square yard gives the
expression, 26 2/3?428.93, which equals 11,437.8. Thus, the cost is ₱11,437.8.

40. In a writing competition, the first place winner receives ½ of the prize money. The second runner up
receives ¼ of what the winner won. What was the total amount of prize money distributed if the winner
receives ₱288,240?

A. ₱288,240
B. ₱478,764
C. ₱576,480
D. ₱589,000
E. ₱789,999

Answer: C
Explanation:
The following equation may be solved for x: 288240=1/2 x. Solving for x gives x = 576480. Thus,
the amount of prize money distributed equaled ₱576,480.

41. You are lying 120 ft away from a tree that is 50 feet tall. You look up at the top of the
tree. Approximately how far is your hear from the top of the tree in a straight line?

A. 50 feet
B. 75 feet
C. 120 feet
D. 130 feet
E. 150 feet

Answer: D
Explanation:
2 2
The distance may be determined by writing and solving the following equation for c: 50 +120 =c2. c
= 130, thus the distance is 130 feet.

42. A cyclist bikes x distance at 10 miles per hour and returns over the same path at 8 miles per
hour. What is the cyclist’s average rate for the round trip in miles per hour?

A. 8.1
B. 8.3
C. 8.6
D. 8.9
E. 9.0
Answer: D
Explanation:
The average rate for the round trip is the total distance traveled divided by the total travel
time. Distance traveled=2x. Travel time=x/10+x/8=4x/40+5x/40=9x/40. Average
Rate=2xx9x/40=(2xx40)/9x=80/9 = approximately 8.9 mph.

43. If edging cost ₱111.51 per 12-inch stone, and you want a double layer of edging around your flower
bed that is 6 yards by 1 yard. How much will edging you flower bed cost?
A. ₱3,918 B.
₱4,654.00 C.
₱5,900.50 D.
₱8,899.56 E.
₱9366.84

Answer: E
Explanation:
The length is equal to 216 inches. The width is equal to 36 inches. So, the length may be covered by 18
12-inch stones, while the width may be covered by 3 12-inch stones. A total of 42 stones is needed for
one layer, and 84 stones need for two layers. Multiplication of 84 by ₱111.51 gives 9366.84. Thus, the
total cost is ₱9366.84.

44. If 3x=6x-15 then x + 8=

A. 5
B. 10
C. 11
D. 12
E. 13

Answer: E
Explanation:
E: The equation may be solved for x by first subtracting 6x from both sides of the equation. Doing so
gives -3x = -15, where x = 5. Substituting 5 for x into the second expression gives 5 + 8, which equals
13.
45. The number of milliliters in 1 liter is
A. 10,000
B. 1,000
C. 0.1 D.
0.01 E.
0.001
Answer: B.
Explanation:
There are 1,000 milliliters in 1 liter.

46. The cost to ride on a ferry is ₱240.33 per vehicle and driver with an additional cost of ₱24.03
per passenger. If the charge to get on the ferry is ₱312.42, how many people were in the vehicle?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. 5

Answer: D.
Explanation:
The problem may be modeled with the equation, 312.42= 240.33 + 24.03x, where x represents the
number of passengers. Solving for x gives x = 3. Thus, there were 3 passengers, plus 1 driver, for a
total of 4 people in the vehicle.

47. What is 1/9 of 9?

A. 1/9
B. 0
C. 1
D. 2
E. 3

Answer: C.
Explanation:
This problem may be represented as 1/9.9, which equals 1.

48. In his pocket, a boy has 3 red marbles, 4 blue marbles, and 4 green marbles. How many will he
have to take out of his pocket to ensure that he has taken out at least one of each color?
A. 3
B. 7
C. 8
D. 9
E. 11

Answer: D.
Explanation:
Taking out 3 of each color will ensure that he has 1 of each color. Thus, he needs to take
out 9 marbles, in all.

49. Which fraction is equal to 0.20%?

A. 1/20
B. 1/40
C. 1/50
D. 1/400
E. 1/500

Answer: E.
Explanation:
0.20% = 0.002, and 1/500=0.002.

50. Find the missing term in the following sequence: 4, 9, 19,___, 79

A. 36
B. 37
C. 38
D. 39
E. 40

Answer: D.
Explanation:
The increase from term to term is twice the increase from the previous two terms. Thus, the increase
from 19 to the missing term will be 20, or twice the increase of 10. Thus, the missing term is equal to
19 + 20, or 39.

51. How much money did Jessica’s budget allow for housing in US in April of 2001?

A. $617.80
B. $620.92
C. $622.50
D. $626.38
E. $633.20

Answer: C.
Explanation:
The solution may be modeled by the expression, 0.25(2490). Thus, her budget allowed $622.50 for
housing in April of 2001.

52. What was the average amount of money that Jessica’s budget allowed for clothing the first
six months of 2001?
A. $249.90
B. $250.40
C. $251.32
D. $253.33
E. $255.75

Answer: E.
Explanation:
The average may be represented as
(0.10(2578)+0.10(2432)+0.10(2668)+0.10(2490)+0.10(2622)+0.10(2555))/6, which simplifies as
(257.80+243.20+266.80+249.00+262.20+255.50)/6, or 255.75. The average budget amount for
clothing in the first six months of 2001 was $255.75.
53. If Jessica only spent 20% instead of the 25% allotment for food in May of 2001, how much did
she save?
A. $131.10
B. $144.30
C. $148.32
D. $152.22
E. $153.33

Answer: A.
Explanation:
The amount she saved may be represented by the expression, 0.25(2622) – 0.20(2622), which
equals 131.10. Thus, she saved $131.10.

54. Jonathan can type a 20 page document in 40 minutes, Susan can type it in 30 minutes, and Jack can
type it in 24 minutes. Working together, how much time will it take them to type the same document?

A. 5 minutes
B. 10 minutes
C. 15 minutes
D. 18 minutes
E. 20 minutes

Answer: B.
Explanation:
The problem may be modeled with the equation, 1/40+1/30+1/24=1/t. Solving for t gives t = 10. Thus,
working together, they can type the same document in 10 minutes.
55. Of the following fractions, which is less than 2/3?
A. 7/8
B. 5/6
C. 3/4
D. 3/5
E. 5/7

Answer: D.
Explanation:
The fraction, 3/5, equals 0.6, which is less than 2/3.

56. A hockey team won 6 games and lost 8. What is the ratio of wins to number of games?
A. 6/8
B. 8/6
C. 3/7
D. 8/14
E. 6/7

Answer: C.
Explanation:
The ratio may be written as 6/14, which reduces to 3/7.

57. Sue receives a base salary of ₱4,325.85 weekly plus a 12% commission on all sales.
Sue had ₱144,195.00 in sales this week. How much did she make total?

A. ₱18,629.25
B. ₱21,629.25
C. ₱25,832.50
D. ₱28,098.00
E. ₱29,865.56

Answer: B.
Explanation:
The amount of money she made may be represented by the expression, 4325.85 + 0.12x, where x
represents the amount of sales. Substituting 144195.00 for x gives 4325.85 + 0.12(144195.00), which
equals 21629.25. So, she made ₱21,629.25 this week.

58. If the perimeter of a rectangular house is 25 1/3 yards, and the length is 22 feet. What is the
width? A. 16 feet
B. 35 feet
C. 37 feet
D. 40 feet
E. 42 feet

Answer: A.
Explanation:
First, the perimeter measurement may be converted to feet. Multiplying 25 1/3 yards by 3 gives an
equivalent measurement of 76 feet. Thus, the following equation may be written: 76 = 2(22) + 2w,
which simplifies to 76 = 44 + 2w, where w = 16. The width of the house is 16 ft.

59. Jimmy made a 15% profit on the sale of a custom designed boat, and the original cost of the boat
was ₱720,975.00. The boat sold for how much?
A. ₱829,121.25.
B. ₱800,456.25.
C. ₱785,312.50.
D. ₱759,987.75.
E. ₱528,815

Answer: A.
Explanation:
A: The problem may be modeled with the expression, 720,975 + 0.15(720,975), which equals 17,250.
Thus, he sold the boat for ₱829,121.25.

60. A recent study showed that an increase in body weight by 10 kilograms resulted in a 0.15%
increase in heart disease. What fraction is equal to 0.15%?
A. 3/2000
B. 2/750
C. 7/4000
D. 5/3462
E. 1/500

Answer: A.
Explanation:
3/2000=0.0015, which is equivalent to 0.15%.

4
61. 6.334 * 10 =
A. 0.0006334
B. 0.06334 C.
6334
D. 63340
E. 633400

Answer: D.
Explanation:
Moving the decimal point 4 places to the right gives 63,340.

62. If 3x + 5x = -8, then x + 1 =

A. -2
B. -1
C. 0
D. 1
E. 2

Answer: C.
Explanation:
Solving the given equation for x gives x = -1. Substitution of -1 for x, in the second equation, gives -1 +
1=0.

63. Two angle in a triangle equal 120°. What is the measure of the third
angle? A. 60°
B. 70°
C. 80°
D. 90°
E. 120°

Answer: A.
Explanation:
The interior angle measures of a triangle sum to 180°. Thus, the measure of the third angle is equal
to the difference of 180° and 120°, or 60°.

64. Which of the following would be an appropriate unit to measure sugar for a
cookie recipe? A. liters B.
cups C.
quarts D.
kilograms E.
pounds

Answer: B.
Explanation:
Cups is an appropriate measure of capacity for sugar.

65. Two angles of a triangle each measure 70°. What is the measure of the third angle in
degrees? A. 40°
B. 80°
C. 100°
D. 120°
E. 140°

Answer: A.
Explanation:
The sum of the two given angles is 140°. The measure of the third angle is equal to the difference
of 180° and 140°, or 40°.

66. If Jack needs 2 ½ pints of cream to make a dessert. How many pints will he need to make 3
desserts? A.2½
B. 3
C. 4
D. 5
E. 7 ½

Answer: E.
Explanation:
The amount he will need for 3 desserts is equal to the product of 2 1/2 and 3, or 7 1/2.

67. Which vacation destination is most common for the

students?

A. Beach
B. Historical Sites
C. Cruises
D. Mountains
E. Other

Answer: A.
Explanation:
25% is larger than any of the percentages given for the other destinations, thus the beach is the
most common destination.

68. If 500 students attend Washington Middle School, how many are going to the mountains for
vacation?
A. 25
B. 60
C. 75
D. 100
E. 125

Answer: B.
Explanation:
The number of students going to the mountains is equal to the product of 0.12 and 500, which
equals 60

69. If a ¼ of a teaspoon is 1 ml, then how many milliliters are in 6

teaspoons? A. 10 ml
B. 12.5 ml
C. 15 ml
D. 20 ml
E. 24 ml.

Answer: E.
Explanation:
The following proportion may be written: (1/4)/1=6/x. Solving for x gives x = 24. Thus, there are 24
milliliters in 6 teaspoons.

70. Which of the following is the correct graph for x≥3 or x≤ -2?

Answer: D.
Explanation:
The correct graph should show one ray, with a closed point on the integer, -2, which points to the
left, and another ray, with a closed point on the integer, 3, which points to the right.

71. Which two years were the least number of tires sold?
A. 1998 and 1999
B. 1998 and 2000
C. 1998 and 2001
D. 1999 and 2000
E. 2000 and 2001

Answer: B.
Explanation:
7,500 tires were sold in each of the years, 1998 and 2000. This number was the least amount sold in a
year, as evidenced by one and a half tires shown for these years, as compared to two and two and a
half for the other two years.
72. Which year did the store sell 1/3 more tires than the year before?
A. 1998
B. 1999
C. 2000
D. 2001
E. This did not occur during the 4 year span.

Answer: B.
Explanation:
Using the number of tires shown, the year of 1999 may be represented by the expression, 1 1/2+1/3
(1 1/2), which equals 2. Since 2 is 1/3 more than 1 1/2, the number of tires sold in 1999 was 1/3 more
than the number sold in 1998.

73. What was the average number of tires sold by the store from 1998 to 2001?
A. 9,000
B. 9,375
C. 9,545
D. 9,770
E. 9,995
Answer: B.
Explanation:
34. B
The average may be written as (7500+10000+7500+12500)/4, which equals 9,375.

74. Paul is Ton's father. Paul is 35 years old. Three years ago, Paul was four times as old as his son
was then. How old is Ton now?

A. 10
B. 11
C. 12
D.13
E. 14

Answer: B
Explanation:
First, circle what it is you must ultimately find— how old is Ton now? Therefore, let t be Ton's age
now. Then three years ago, Ton's age would be t – 3. Four times Ton's age three years ago would be
4( t – 3). Paul's age three years ago would be 35 – 3 = 32. A simple chart may also be helpful.

75. Lucy is 16 years younger than Kate. If the sum of their ages is 30, how old is Lucy?
A. 5
B. 6
C. 7
D. 8
E. 9
Answer: C
Explanation:
First, circle what you must find— how old is Lucy? Let Lucy equal x. Therefore, Kate is x + 16. (Note
that since Lucy is 16 years younger than Kate, you must add 16 years to Lucy to denote Kate's age.)

Now, use the problem to set up an equation.

76. Billy can plow a field alone in four hours. It takes Sue five hours to plow the same field alone.
If they work together (and each has a plow), how long will it take to plow the field?

A. 1 ½ hours
B. 3 hours
C. 5 2/3 hours
D. 2 2/9 hours
E. 4 2/5 hours

Answer: D
Explanation:
First, circle what you must find— how long …together. Work problems of this nature may be
solved by using the following equation.

Therefore,

Finding a common denominator

Cross multiplying

77. How long will it take a bus traveling 72 km/hr to go 36 kms?

A. 6 hour
B. 2/5 hour
C. ½ hour
D. 3 hour
E. 1 day

Answer: C
Explanation:
First circle what you're trying to find— how long will it take (time). Motion problems are solved
by using the equation.

Therefore, simply plug in: 72 km/hr is the rate (or speed) of the bus, and 36 km is the

distance.

78. How fast in miles per hour must a car travel to go 600 miles in 15 hours?

A. 40 miles per hour

B. 45 miles per hour
C. 41 miles per hour
D. 67 miles per hour
E. 50 miles per hour
Answer: A
Explanation:
First, circle what you must find— how fast (rate). Now, using the equation d = rt, simply plug in
600 for distance and 15 for time.

79. Solution A is 50% hydrochloric acid, while solution B is 75% hydrochloric acid. How many liters
of each solution should be used to make 100 liters of a solution which is 60% hydrochloric acid?

A. 40 liters
B. 50 liters
C. 60 liters
D. 70 liters
E. 80 liters

Answer: C
Explanation:
First, circle what you're trying to find— liters of solutions A and B. Now, let x stand for the number
of liters of solution A. Therefore, the number of liters of solution B must be the remainder of the
100 liters, or 100 – x. Next, make the following chart.

Now, set up the equation.

80. Tamar has four more quarters than dimes. If he has a total of $1.70, how many quarters and
dimes does he have?

A. 7 dimes and 9 quarters

B. 3 dimes and 5 quarters
C. 4 dimes and 11 quarters
D. 8 dimes and 6 quarters
E. 2. Dimes and 6 quarters

Answer: E
Explanation:
First, circle what you must find— how many quarters and dimes. Let x stand for the number of dimes,
then x + 4 is the number of quarters. Therefore, .10 x is the total value of the dimes, and .25( x + 4) is
the total value of the quarters. Setting up the following chart can be helpful.

Now, use the table and problem to set up an equation.

2. VERBAL
CORRECT USAGE

81. For the Thanksgiving party, relatives were sitting in the dining room, on the porch, and in the
carport.

A. Thanksgiving, party
B. were, sitting
C. porch and
D. No error

Answer: D
Explanation:
No error. There is a comma after the initial modifying prepositional phrase and after the first and
second modifying prepositional phrases in the series of three. No comma belongs between an
adjective and the noun it modifies (A), or between an auxiliary verb and verb (B). Omitting the
second comma setting off the first modifying prepositional phrase (C) is wrong.

82. Michelle seems to be a kind, considerate girl.

A. seems, to
B. considerate, girl
C. kind considerate
D. No error

Answer: D
Explanation:
No error. A comma belongs between two consecutive adjectives modifying the same noun. A comma
between verb and object (A) is incorrect. So is one between an adjective and the noun it modifies (B).
Omitting a comma between two consecutive adjective (C) is incorrect.

83. This fishing pole Joel, has seen better days.

A. pole, Joel,
B. has, seen
C. Nathan
D. No error
Answer: A
Explanation:
The comma after “Joel” is correct, but there should also be another comma before it. When an
address to someone by name is inserted mid-sentence-here between subject and object-it should
be set off by commas on both sides. There should not be a comma between auxiliary verb and verb
(B). Having no commas to set off the inserted name (C) is incorrect.

84. My brother has moved to 7123 Kundiman Street Sampaloc, 1008 Manila.

A. has moved,
B. Kundiman Street,
C. 56, Central
D. No error

Answer: B
Explanation:
There should be a comma between the street address and the city when stating a full address in sentence
form (as well as between the city and state, as there is here). There should not be a comma between the
verb and prepositional phrase (A), or between street number and street name (C).

85. The dog, a shy animal sometimes makes friends with a person.

A. sometimes, makes
B. friends, with
C. a shy animal,
D. No error

Answer: C
Explanation:
A modifying phrase between subject and predicate should be set off by commas on both sides. Putting
a comma between adverb and verb (A) or between object and preposition (B) is incorrect.

86. After the death of Jose Rizal, the famous Hero, the Philippine Revolution of History continued until
1898.

A. the famous Hero

B. after the death,
C. Philippine Revolution, of
D. No error
Answer: D
Explanation:
No error. The phrase modifying the subject is set off by commas both before, and after it. Removing
the second comma (A) is incorrect. A comma between a noun and its modifying prepositional phrase
[(B), (C)] is incorrect.

87. “Noli Me Tangere” was written by Jose Rizal from the village of Berlin Germany.

A. Jose Rizal, from

B. “Nole Me Tangere,”
C. Berlin, Germany
D. No error

Answer: C
Explanation:
There should always be a comma between a village and country, city and state, state and country, or
country and continent. There should not be a comma between the noun and modifying preposition
(A), or between the subject and verb (B).

88. On November 19, 1929 Admiral Richard E. Byrd flew the Floyd Bennett to the base of the
Queen Maud Mountains.

A. base, of
B. the, Queen
C. 1929,
D. No error

Answer: C
Explanation:
When a date is used in a modifying prepositional phrase before the subject and verb, it should have a
comma after it (before subject-verb). There should not be a comma between a noun and modifying
preposition (A) or between an article and the noun it modifies (B).

89. Oh no I forgot to bring the banana.

A. Oh no,
B. I, forgot
C. to, bring
D. No error
Answer: A
Explanation:
A comma should follow an interjection like “Oh” at the beginning of a sentence. (In some sentences,
other punctuation like an exclamation point is acceptable.) A comma between subject and verb (B) is
incorrect. A comma in the middle of an infinitive (C) is incorrect.

90. “The boy in the field,” whispered Sue “is the new Sepak Takraw captain.”

A. boy, in the
B. new, Sepak Takraw
C. whispered Sue,
D. No error

Answer: C
Explanation:
When a non-quotation clause/phrase is inserted in the middle of a quotation, it should be set off by
commas on both sides. There should not be a comma between a noun and its modifying prepositional
phrase (A), or between an adjective and the noun phrase it modifies (B).

- Search for grammatical errors in the underlined sections of the following sentences and select
the option that best corrects them. If there is no error, choose option A.

91. Everyone in the bank-including the manager and the tellers, ran to the door when the
fire alarm rang.

A. tellers, ran
B. tellers: ran
C. tellers, had run
D. tellers-ran
E. tellers’ ran”

Answer: D
Explanation:
The modifying phrase inserted between subject and predicate should be set off on both sides by
dashes, not just one. Non-matching punctuation marks, like a dash before it but a comma after
it [sentence, (A), (C)], or a dash before but a colon after it (B), are incorrect and asymmetrical.
An apostrophe (E) indicates possession and is incorrect in a non-possessive plural noun. There is
no reason for the incorrect, extraneous close-quotation mark after the verb (E) either.
92. To no ones surprise, Joe didn’t have his homework ready.

A. no ones surprise
B. noones surprise
C. no-ones surprise
D. no ones’ surprise
E. no one’s surprise
Answer: E
Explanation:
“No one’s is a possessive pronoun and needs the apostrophe.” Omitting it [sentence, (A), (B), and (C)]
is incorrect. “No one” is spelled as two words, not one (B) or one hyphenated word (C). An apostrophe
after the s (D) denotes a possessive plural, not a possessive singular.

93. If he would have read “The White Birds,” he might have liked William Butler Yeats’ poetry.

A. would have read

B. could have read
C. would of read
D. could of read
E. had read

Answer: E
Explanation:
The past unreal conditional should consist of “if” plus the past perfect of “to read” (auxiliary verb
“had” with “read”). Adding “would” or “could” to the past perfect *sentence, (A), (B), (C), and (D)+
is incorrect. In the “If…then” past unreal conditional construction, “would have” is only used in
the second (“then” understood) clause, never in the first “If” clause. Also, “of” *(C), (D)+ is a
preposition, an incorrect substitute for the auxiliary verb “have.”

94. After the hurricane, uprooted trees were laying all over the ground.

A. were laying
B. lying
C. were lying
D. were laid
E. was laid

Answer: C
Explanation:
The correct past progressive tense of the verb “to lie” is “were lying.” “Were laying” (A) is acting on an
object, e.g. “Workers were laying uprooted trees on the side of the road.” Without the auxiliary verb
“were,” “lying” (B) is incomplete and does not form a predicate for the subject “trees.” “Were laid” (D)
means somebody/something laid them there, not that the trees themselves were lying there. “Was
laid” is singular, not plural as “trees” are.

95. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), the great transcendentalist philosopher, wrote in his
essay “Self-Reliance” of the need for an individual to develop his capacities.

A. essay “Self-Reliance”
B. essay, “Self-Reliance”
C. essay: Self-Reliance
D. essay, Self-Reliance
E. essay; “Self-Reliance”

Answer: A
Explanation:
A comma (B), colon (C), or semicolon (E) is incorrect and unnecessary between the noun and
its proper name.

96. The recently built children’s amusement park has been called “a boon to the community”
by its supporters and “an eyesore” by its harshest critics.

A. and “an eyesore” by its harshest

B. and, “an eyesore,” by its harshest
C. and, an eyesore; by its harshest
D. and-an eyesore-by its’ harshest
E. and-“an eyesore”-by its’ harshest

Answer: A
Explanation:
No punctuation other than the quotation marks is required or correct after “and” and around “an
eyesore.” Commas *(B), (C)+, semicolons (C), or dashes *(D), (E)+ are incorrect. Omitting
quotation marks (D) is incorrect since the sentence is quoting people; and the first phrase has
them, so the second also should. The apostrophes *(D), (E)+ are incorrect: the irregular possessive
pronoun “its” does not have an apostrophe.

97. I always have trouble remembering the meaning of these two common verbs, affect (to change”
or “to influence”) and effect (“to cause” or “to accomplish).”

A. “to accomplish).”
B. “to accomplish”).
C. “to accomplish).
D. To accomplish.
E. “to accomplish.”)

Answer: B
Explanation:

The end quotation mark should come after the word but inside the end parenthesis. Putting it after
the period, outside the end parenthesis (A) is incorrect. Omitting the end quotation mark (C) is
incorrect. Omitting parentheses and capitalizing the infinitive verb example (D) are both incorrect.
Omitting the open parenthesis (E) is incorrect. Both quotation marks and parentheses always come in
pairs.

98. My class just finished reading-“The Fall of the House of Usher”, a short story by Edgar Allan Poe.

A. reading-“The Fall of the House of Usher”,

B. reading, The Fall of the House of Usher,
C. reading “The Fall of the House of Usher,”
D. reading, “The Fall of the house of Usher,”
E. reading: The Fall of the House of Usher

Answer: C
Explanation:
There should not be any punctuation between the verb and its object, even if the object is a title in
quotation marks as it is here. Therefore, a dash (A), comma [(B, (D)], colon (E), or any combination of two
[(A), (E)] is incorrect. Additionally, omitting quotation marks around the title [(B), (E)] is incorrect.

99. After it was repaired it ran perfect again.

A. ran perfect
B. ran perfectly
C. could run perfect
D. could of run perfect
E. would run perfectly

Answer: B
Explanation:
The verb is modified by the adverb “perfectly,” not “perfect” *(A), (C), (D)+, an adjective for
modifying a noun. “After it was repaired” indicates past tense, so for agreement, the verb should
also be the past tense “ran.” “Could run” (C) and “would run” (E) are not past tense but unreal
subjunctive mood. There is no such construction as “could of” (D), which incorrectly substitutes the
preposition “of” for the auxiliary verb “have,” part of the past perfect tense.
100. “Are there two E’s in beetle,” asked Margo?

A. there two E’s in beetle,” asked Margo?

B. their two E’s in beetle?” asked Margo.
C. their two E’s in beetle,” asked Margo.
D. there two E’s in beetle?” asked Margo.
E. there two E’s in beetle, asked Margo?

Answer: D
Explanation:
The question mark comes after the question, inside the quotation marks. A line of dialogue or a
quotation normally has a comma [(A), (C), (E)], but inside the end quotation mark when it is a
statement. When it is a question it has a question mark, which should NOT go at the end of the
sentence [(A), (E)] containing the question, when that sentence is a statement. Also, the adverb
“there” is misspelled as the possessive plural third-person pronoun “their” in (B) and (C).

101. The circus audience received a well-deserved round of applause for the perfectly timed
acrobatic stunt.

A. audience received a well-deserved

B. audience gave a well deserved
C. audience did receive a well deserved
D. audience gave a well-deserved
E. audience did get a well-deserved

Answer: D
Explanation:
From the context, we assume the circus acrobats performed the stunt and received the applause that
the audience gave. For the audience to receive applause makes no sense in this context [sentence, (A),
(C), (E)+. Omitting the hyphen in “well-deserved” *(B), (C)+ is also incorrect.

102. Looking directly at me, Mother said, “These are your options: the choice is yours.”

A. Mother said, “These are your options: the choice is

B. Mother said-these are your options, the choice is
C. Mother had said, These are your options; the choice is
D. Mother had said, “These are your options; the choice is
E. Mother said, “These are your options; the choice is
Answer: E
Explanation:
A comma, not a hyphen (B) introduces dialogue/quotations. A semicolon, not a comma (B) separates
two independent clauses. A colon (A) is incorrect, because the first clause does not introduce the
second clause and is not explained by it. (C) omits quotation marks. Past perfect (D) is not incorrect in
itself, but past tense in the original sentence was not incorrect and required no change.

103. Porcupine is from Latin porcus, “pig,” and spina, “spine.”

A. porcus, “pig,” and spina, “spine.”

B. Porcus-pig and spina, “spine.”
C. Porcus-pig, and Spina, “spine.”
D. Porcus-Pig-, Spina-spine.
E. Porcus, “pig,” and spina “spine”.

Answer: A
Explanation:
A comma after each italicized Latin word and after each English translation, inside the quotation
marks surrounding the latter, is correct. Separating any of these terms with dashes is incorrect [(B),
(C), (D), and (E)]. A dash followed by a comma is always incorrect, as is separating a pair with a
hyphen
(D). Both pairs should be separated by commas; (E) omits the comma from the second pair.

104. Seeing the dolphins, some sharks, a killer whale, and a Moray eel made the visit to the marine park
worthwhile.

A. a killer whale, and a Moray eel made the visit

B. a killer whale, and a moray eel made the visit
C. a killer whale and a moray eel makes the visit
D. a killer whale and a Moray eel makes the visit
E. a killer whale and a moray eel made the visit

Answer: B
Explanation:
Each item in a series of three or more is separated with a comma. Omitting the last comma before
“and” *(C), (D), (E)+ is incorrect. The term “moray eel” is not a proper name but a common name for
many types of eels and thus is not capitalized [(A), (D)] (unless it begins a sentence). Present verb
tense [(C), (D)] is not incorrect, but these choices also include the identified punctuation [(C), (D)] and
capitalization (D) errors.

105. Still, the fact that a planet exists outside our solar system encourages hope that other
solar systems exist, and in them, perhaps, a planet that supports life.
A. that a planet exists outside our solar system encourages hope that other solar systems exist, and
B. that a Planet exists out side our solar system encourages hope that other solar systems exist and
C. could be that a planet exists outside our solar system encourages hope that other solar systems
exist, and
D. that a planet exist outside our solar systems encourage hope that other solar systems exist, and
E. that a planet does exists out side our solar system encourages hope that other solar
systems exist, and

Answer: A
Explanation:
“A planet” is not a name, hence not capitalized; a comma should separate the independent clause
from the following phrase (B); “outside” is one word *(B), (E)+. Adding “could be” (C) changes the
meaning and is also ungrammatical, creating two unconnected predicates “…the fact could be…
encourages…” requiring “, which” before “encourages” or changing “encourages” to “,
encouraging…” “Fact” and “planet” are both singular nouns; “exist” and “encourage” (D) belong
with plural nouns. The words “…does exists…” should be “…does exist” (E).

106. Mail-order shopping can be convenient and timesavingwith appropriate precautions, it is

safe as well.

A. can be convenient and timesaving

B. can be convenient and timesaving;
C. should be convenient and time saving;
D. could be convenient and time saving;
E. can be convenient and time-saving;

Answer: E
Explanation:
A semicolon separates independent clauses. Omitting punctuation (A), including that semicolon and
the hyphen from “time-saving” *(A), (B)+, is incorrect. Spelling “time-saving” as two separate words
*(C), (D)+ is also incorrect. Substituting “should” (C) or “could” (D) for “can” alters the meaning.

107. Among the many fields of science, no matter what turns you on, there are several fields of study.
A. science, no matter what turns you on,
B. Science, no matter what turns you on,
C. Science, no matter which you chose,
D. Science, no matter which of these you chose
E. science, no matter which you choose,
Answer: E
Explanation:
The word “science” is not capitalized *(B), (C), (D). The phrase “what turns you on” is slangy and not
preferred. (If it ended the sentence, it would also be incorrect for ending a sentence with a
preposition.) “Which you choose” is preferable. “Chose” *(C), (D)+ is past tense, disagreeing with the
present-tense predicate “are.” “Of these” (D) is redundant. The interrupting modifier “no matter…”
is enclosed by commas on each side, not a comma and dash (D).

108. The fact that boxing is known to cause head injuries and brain damage should lead us
to inform the public and push for a ban on boxing.

A. should lead us to inform

B. could lead us to inform
C. should of led us to inform
D. will lead us to inform
E. should have led us to inform,

Answer: A
Explanation:
Substituting “could” (B) or “will” (D) for “should” changes the sentence meaning. “Should of” (C)
incorrectly substitutes the preposition “of” for the auxiliary verb “have;” there is no such
construction. Even the correct form “should have led” (E) is subjunctive mood, past tense, disagreeing
with the present-tense sentence context (“…boxing is known…lead…”); and a comma after
“inform” is incorrect.

109. The first part of the test was on chemistry, the second on mathematics, and the third on english.

A. on mathematics, and the third on english.

B. on mathematics; and the third on English.
C. on Mathematics; and the third on English.
D. on mathematics, and the third on English.
E. on mathematics: and the third on English.

Answer: D
Explanation:
English is capitalized because it is a proper name as well as a school subject. Uncapitalized names
(A) are incorrect. However, mathematics, like chemistry, is a school subject but not a proper
name and hence, not capitalized (C). Semicolons [(B), (C)] only separate independent clauses, or
phrases containing internal commas, but not several phrases in a series. A semicolon (E)
introduces lists or explanations but never separates phrases in a series.
110. The Diary of Anne Frank showed a young girl’s courage during two years of hiding.
A. showed a young girl’s courage
B. shows a young girl’s courage
C. did show a young girls courage
D. has shown a young girl’s courage
E. showed a young girls courage

Answer: B
Explanation:
Present tense is preferable when referring to an existing book rather than past tense [(A), (C), (E)] or
present perfect tense (D). The author wrote it in the past, but the book still exists in the present. The
possessive noun “girl’s” has an apostrophe, which is incorrectly omitted in (C) and (E).

111. In August my parents will be married for twenty-five years.

A. will be married for twenty-five years.

B. shall have been married for twenty-five years.
C. will have been married for twenty-five years.
D. will be married for twenty five years.
E. will have married for twenty-five years.

Answer: C
Explanation:
“In August” is the future, requiring the future-tense auxiliary verb “will.” “Have been married” is
present perfect. Adding “will” to “have been married” makes the tense future perfect. Simple
future tense “will be married” *(A), (D)+ with “for twenty-five years” literally means they will get
married in August and will be married for 25 years thereafter. “Will have married” (E) cannot be
“for 25 years”: being married is a continuous process; marrying is not.

READING COMPREHENSION

DISCUSSION OF NATIVE SPEAKER, BY CHANG-RAE LEE

Chang-Rae Lee’s award-winning debut novel “Native Speaker” is about Henry Park, a Korean-American
individual who struggles to find his place as an immigrant in a suburb of New York City. This novel
addresses the notion that as the individuals who know us best, our family, peers, and lovers are the
individuals who direct our lives and end up defining us. Henry Park is confronted with this reality in the
very beginning of the novel, which opens:

The day my wife left she gave me a list of who I was.

Upon separating from his wife, Park struggles with racial and ethnic identity issues due to his loneliness.
Through Park’s work as an undercover operative for a private intelligence agency, the author presents
the theme of espionage as a metaphor for the internal divide that Park experiences as an immigrant.
This dual reality creates two worlds for Park and increases his sense of uncertainty with regard to his
place in society. While he constantly feels like an outsider looking in, he also feels like he belongs to
neither world.
Chang-Rae Lee is also a first-generation Korean-American immigrant. He immigrated to America at
the early age of 3. Themes of identity, race, and cultural alienation pervade his works. His interests in
these themes no doubt stem from his firsthand experience as a kid growing up in a Korean household
while going to an American school. Lee is also author of “A Gesture Life” and “Aloft.” The protagonists
are similar in that they deal with labels placed on them based on race, color, and language.
Consequently, all of these characters struggle to belong in America.

Lee’s novels address differences within a nation’s mix of race, religion, and history, and the necessity of
assimilation between cultures. In his works and through his characters, Lee shows us both the difficulties
and the subtleties of the immigrant experience in America. He urges us to consider the role of borders,
as well as why the idea of opening up one’s borders is so frightening. In an ever-changing world in which
cultures are becoming increasingly intermingled, the meaning of identity must be constantly redefined,
especially when the security of belonging to a place is becoming more elusive. As our world grows
smaller with increasing technological advances, these themes in Lee’s novels become even more
pertinent.

112. Which of the following best describes the purpose of this passage?
A. To criticize
B. To analyze
C. To entertain
D. To inform

Answer: B
Explanation:
The passage neither criticizes (A) nor entertains (C), so these two options may be quickly removed from
the list of viable choices. It does provide information, as in option D. However, the writer goes beyond
straightforward presentation of facts and into analysis of the details and underlying meaning. It explores
the “why.” This piece was written to analyze the works by Chang-Rae Lee and the themes presented in his
most famous novels. Answer choice B most clearly expresses this purpose.

113. Why does the author of the passage quote the first line of the novel “Native
Speaker”? A. To illustrate one of the themes in the novel.
B. To show how the book is semi-autobiographical.
C. It is the main idea of the novel.
D. To create interest in the novel.

Answer: A
Explanation:
The author of this passage uses the first line of the novel to provide an example of one of the themes
of the novel. By showing a direct example, the writer is illustrating the theme-option A-and goes on to
discuss that very point in the passage. Although the piece does express certain parallels between Lee’s
experience as a Korean-American and the character’s, it is nowhere suggested that the novel is semi
autobiographical, rendering option B incorrect. The main idea of the novel (C) and any suggestion that
the reader of the passage should also read the novel (D) are nowhere stated, so these two answer
choices are also incorrect.
PERIMENOPAUSE
For most women, the onset of menopause, the period of life when they no longer experience menstrual
periods, is gradual. Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause, an interval when menopause
related changes begin to be noticed. This is the lengthy period during which the ovaries progressively
reduce production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, and a woman’s ability to become
pregnant is lost. Perimenopause is a normal event in the process of aging, and indicates that the
reproductive years are coming to an end.

Most women experience the first signs of perimenopause around the age of forty. The first signs likely to
be noticed are menopause-related symptoms, such as changes in periods. Menopause itself is said to
occur on the day a period has not been experienced for 12 months in a row. Although it is sometimes
referred to as “premenopause,” perimenopause is also often considered to include the year after
menopause occurs.

During the onset of menopause, the body’s output of several key hormones fluctuates and begins to
shut down. Because hormones influence a wide spectrum of body functions, women may experience a
variety of symptoms during this process. The symptoms of perimenopause are both physical and
emotional and often begin years before a woman’s period actually ceases. The cessation of ovulation
known as menopause isn’t a process that happens overnight; over a protracted period of several
years, a woman’s body undergoes a progression of changes.

Symptoms

Many of the symptoms a woman may experience during menopause itself have their onset during the
time of perimenopause. Most symptoms can be managed through a combination of diet and exercise.
Most women are not immediately aware of the changes their bodies are going through as a result of
these hormonal fluctuations and will become aware of changes in the schedule of their periods as the
first indication that menopause is at hand. Symptoms experienced during perimenopause include
headaches, depression and anxiety, hot flashes and night sweats, insomnia and fatigue, urinary
problems and vaginal dryness, weight gain, heart palpitations, and loss of bone mass. Women who have
experienced excessive premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms in the past are also likely to experience
severe symptoms during perimenopause.

Onset and Duration

Perimenopause usually takes place between the ages of 45 and 55. In some women, the onset may
occur much earlier. The duration of the change is quite variable from woman to woman and may last
for as long as 15 years, although 10 years is typical. The timing and progression of the changes varies
between individuals, depending on a number of factors including genetics and family history. A woman
whose mother or grandmother experienced perimenopause early is likely to do so as well. There is also
evidence linking an early onset of perimenopause to factors such as smoking, early childhood cancer,
hysterectomy, and women who have not had children.
Treatment

The symptoms of perimenopause are a normal manifestation of the aging process and do not ordinarily
require treatment. Some physicians may choose to monitor the levels of certain hormones-particularly
thyroid function-if the symptoms are severe. Under normal circumstances, this is unnecessary.
However, if bleeding is extremely heavy, lasts longer than a week, or occurs between periods, a medical
professional should be consulted. Symptoms such as these may indicate a more serious underlying
gynecological problem.

114. The purpose of this article is to…

A. Describe the treatment of perimenopause.
B. Enumerate the symptoms that women may experience when going
through perimenopause. C. Give an overall description of perimenopause.
D. Compare perimenopause to menopause itself.

Answer: C
Explanation:
While the article does describe some treatments, as in option A, it points out that these are seldom
necessary. And although it does enumerate symptoms, as with B, this is only a portion of the overall
purpose of the article, which is broader than a listing of symptoms. The passage also does not delve
into a lengthy comparison of perimenopause and menopause, eliminating option D. This article
clearly encompasses a general description of the condition, making C the correct choice.

EARLY POLITICAL PARTIES

The United States has always been a pluralistic society, meaning it has embraced many points of view
and many groups with different identities from its beginning. That is not to say that these groups
always
saw eye to eye. The first political parties developed in the United States as a result of conflicting visions
of the American identity. Many politicians believed that wealthy merchants and lawyers represented
the country’s true identity, but many others saw it in the farmers and workers who formed the
country’s economic base.

The event that brought this disagreement to the surface was the creation of the Bank of the United
States in 1791. The bank set out to rid the country of the debts it had accumulated during the American
Revolution. Until then, each state was responsible for its own debts. The Bank of the United States,
however, wanted to assume these debts and pay them off itself. While many people considered this
offer to be a good financial deal for the states, many states were uncomfortable with the arrangement
because they saw it as a power play by the federal government. If a central bank had control over the
finances of individual states, then the people who owned the bank would profit from the states in the
future. This concern was the basis of the disagreement: Who should have more power, the individual
states or the central government?

The Democratic-Republican Party developed to protest the bank, but it came to represent a vision of
America with power spread among states. The Federalist Party was established in defense of the bank,
but its ultimate vision was of a strong central government that could help steer the United States
toward a more competitive position in the world economy. These different points of view-central
government versus separate states-would not be resolved easily. These same disagreements fueled
the tension that erupted into the Civil War over half a century later.

115. What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?

A. To persuade the reader to accept the Federalist Party’s point of view.
B. To explain the disagreements between early American political parties.
C. To explain the importance of a strong central government.
D. To criticize the founders of the Bank of the United States.

Answer: B
Explanation:
This passage does not choose one point of view on the issue, so only choice B is in keeping with the
passage’s purpose, which is to explain the disagreements between the earliest political parties in the
United States. All other answer choices would need to reflect the author’s preference for a particular
position in order to be valid options.

OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER

On a bad day, have you ever been irritable? Have you ever used a harsh tone or even been verbally
disrespectful to your parents or teachers? Everyone has a short temper from time to time, but
current statistics indicate that between 16 and 20 percent of a school’s population suffer from a
psychological condition known as oppositional defiant disorder, or ODD.
ODD symptoms include difficulty complying with adult requests, excessive arguments with adults,
temper tantrums, difficulty accepting responsibility for actions, low frustration tolerance, and behaviors
intended to annoy or upset adults. Parents of children with ODD often feel as though their whole
relationship is based on conflict after conflict.

Unfortunately, ODD can be caused by a number of factors. Some students affected by ODD suffer abuse,
neglect, and severe or unpredictable discipline at home. Others have parents with mood disorders or
have experienced family violence. Various types of therapy are helpful in treating ODD, and some drugs
can treat particular symptoms. However, no single cure exists.

The best advice from professionals is directed toward parents. Therapists encourage parents to avoid
situations that usually end in power struggles, to try not to feed into oppositional behavior by reacting
emotionally, to praise positive behaviors, and to discourage negative behaviors with timeouts instead
of harsh discipline.

116. The author’s purpose in writing this passage is to…

A. Express frustration about ODD.
B. Prove that parents are the cause of ODD.
C. Inform the reader about this complex condition.
D. Persuade the reader to keep students with ODD out of public school.

Answer: C
Explanation:
This passage explores numerous facets of ODD and is meant to inform the reader about this
psychological condition. Choice C is the best choice. Although parental frustration is noted, it is not
the primary focus, making option A incorrect. Likewise, despite the fact that parental behavior as a
contributor is mentioned, parents are not overtly blamed for ODD. Answer choice B is, therefore, not
the correct choice. Option D does note that a relatively high percentage of students have ODD, but
this passage nowhere implies that they should be kept out of school because of it, so D should also be
eliminated.

VISUAL PERCEPTION
It is tempting to think that your eyes are simply mirrors that reflect whatever is in front of them.
Researchers, however, have shown that your brain is constantly working to create the impression of a
continuous, uninterrupted world.

For instance, in the last 10 minutes, you have blinked your eyes around 200 times. You have probably
not been aware of any of these interruptions in your visual world. Something you probably have not
seen in a long time without the aid of a mirror is your nose. It is always right there, down in the
bottom
corner of your vision, but your brain filters it out so that you are not aware of your nose unless you
purposefully look at it.

Nor are you aware of the artery that runs right down the middle of your retina. It creates a large blind
spot in your visual field, but you never notice the hole it leaves. To see this blind spot, try the following:
Cover your left eye with your hand. With your right eye, look at the O on the left. As you move your
head closer to the O, the X will disappear as it enters the blind spot caused by your optical nerve.

OX

Your brain works hard to make the world look continuous!

117. What is the main purpose of this passage?

A. To persuade the reader to pay close attention to blind spots.
B. To explain the way visual perception works.
C. To persuade the reader to consult an optometrist if the O and X disappear.
D. To prove that vision is a passive process.

Answer: B
Explanation:
The passage explains the way that visual perception works. Choice B is, therefore, the best answer.
The author does not attempt to persuade the reader or prove a particular viewpoint. Therefore,
options A, C, and D are incorrect.

CALIFORNIA GRAPES
Grapes are one of the oldest cultivated fruits. Hieroglyphics show that Egyptians were involved in grape and
wine production. Also, the early Romans were known to have developed many grape varieties.

Grapes have been grown in California for more than 200 years. The tradition of viticulture (growing
grapes) began in 1769 when Spanish friars established missions throughout California. Then the boom
in grapes planted for eating arose in the early 1800s. William Wolfskill, founder of California’s citrus
industry, planted the first table grape vineyard in 1839 near Los Angeles.

By the 1850s, the United States had officially acquired California from Mexico, and 80,000 gold
prospectors had moved to the region. A few of these had the foresight to realize that there was
money in grapes as well as in gold.

Today, California wine, table grapes, and raisins are all important agricultural commodities, with
approximately 700,000 acres planted in vineyards. About 85 percent of California’s table grape
production is in the southern San Joaquin Valley region, with the Coachella Valley region accounting for
most of the remaining production.

118. The author most likely wrote this passage to…

A. Entertain the reader.
B. Persuade the reader.
C. Humor the reader.
D. Inform the reader. E.
Sway the reader.

Answer: D
Explanation:
Because the author structures the passage using chronological order and gives many facts and details,
the reader can quickly determine that the purpose of this passage is to inform, as in answer choice D.
Even if the reader did not find this passage to be entertaining, as in answer choice A, it is unlikely that
the author would take the time to write a piece with the intent to bore the readers, so B can be easily
eliminated. Nor is there any attempt within the passage to make an argument for any particular
position and, thus, persuade the reader of a certain viewpoint. Therefore, option C also does not
apply.

PARK WILDLIFE
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks support a wide diversity of animal species, reflecting the
range in elevation, climate, and habitat variety there. Over 260 native vertebrate species are in the
parks; numerous additional species may be present but have not been confirmed. Of the native
vertebrates, five species are extirpated (or extinct), and over 150 are rare or uncommon. There have
been some studies of invertebrates in the area, but there is not enough information to know how
many species occur specifically in the parks. Many of the parks’ caves contain invertebrates, some of
which exist only in one cave and are known nowhere else in the world. In the foothills, where summers
are
hot and dry and winters are mild, plant life is largely chaparral on the lower slopes, with blue oak and
California buckeye in the valleys and on higher slopes. A number of animals live in this area year-round;
some breed here, while others winter here. Local species include the gray fox, bobcat, striped and
spotted skunks, black bear, wood rat, pocket gopher, white-footed mouse, California quail, scrub jay,
lesser goldfinch, wrentit, acorn woodpecker, gopher snake, California king snake, striped racer, western
whiptail lizard, and the California newt.

119. What was the author’s purpose in writing this passage?

A. To entertain the reader.
B. To bore the reader.
C. To persuade the reader.
D. To inform the reader.
E. To humor the reader.

Answer: D
Explanation:
Because the author structures the passage using main idea and detail and gives many facts, the
reader can determine the purpose of this passage is to inform, as in answer choice D. Even if the
reader did not find this passage to be entertaining, as in answer choice A, it is unlikely that the author
would take the time to write a piece with the intent to bore the readers, so option B can be easily
eliminated. Nor is there any attempt within the passage to make an argument for any particular
position and, thus, persuade the reader of a certain viewpoint. Therefore, option C also does not
apply.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Black History Month is unnecessary. In a place and time in which we overwhelmingly elected an African
American president, we can and should move to a post-racial approach to education. As Detroit Free
Press columnist Rochelle Riley wrote in a February 1 column calling for an end to Black History Month, “I
propose that, for the first time in American history, this country has reached a point where we can stop
celebrating separately, stop learning separately, stop being American separately.”

In addition to being unnecessary, the idea that African-American history should be focused on in a
given month suggests that it belongs in that month alone. Instead, it is important to incorporate African
American history into what is taught every day as American history. It needs to be recreated as part of
mainstream thought and not as an optional, often irrelevant, side note. We should focus efforts on
pushing schools to diversify and broaden their curricula.

There are a number of other reasons to abolish it. First of all, it has become a shallow commercial ritual
that does not even succeed in its (limited and misguided) goal of focusing for one month on a
sophisticated, intelligent appraisal of the contributions and experiences of African-Americans
throughout history. Second, there is a paternalistic flavor to the mandated bestowing of a month in
which to study African-American history that is overcome if we instead assert the need for a
comprehensive curriculum. Third, the idea of Black History Month suggests that the knowledge
imparted in that month is for African-Americans only, rather than for all people.

120. The author’s primary purpose in this passage is to…

A. Argue that Black History Month should not be so commercial.
B. Argue that Black History Month should be abolished.
C. Argue that Black History Month should be maintained.
D. Suggest that African-American history should be taught in two months rather than
just one. E. Argue that African-American history is not part of mainstream curriculum.

Answer: B
Explanation:
The entire passage makes the argument that Black History Month should be abolished, offering
various reasons why this is the best course of action, as in answer choice B. Each of the other answer
choices offers a method of changing or maintaining the existing celebration of Black History Month,
rather than abolishing it. Therefore, they are incorrect.

Questions 1 through 7 refer to the following passage:

In the 16th century, an age of great marine and terrestrial exploration, Ferdinand Magellan led the
first expedition to sail around the world. As a young Portuguese noble, he served the king of Portugal,
but he became involved in the quagmire of political intrigue at court and lost the king’s favor. After he
was dismissed from service by the king of Portugal, he offered to serve the future Emperor Charles V
of Spain.

A papal decree of 1493 had assigned all land in the New World west of 50 degrees W longitude to Spain
and all the land east of that line to Portugal. Magellan offered to prove that the East Indies fell under
Spanish authority. On September 20, 1519, Magellan set sail from Spain with five ships. More than a
year later, one of these ships was exploring the topography of South America in search of a water route
across the continent. This ship sank, but the remaining four ships searched along the southern
peninsula of South America. Finally they found the passage they sought near 50 degrees S latitude.
Magellan named this passage the Strait of All Saints, but today it is known as the Strait of Magellan.

One ship deserted while in this passage and returned to Spain, so fewer sailors were privileged to gaze
at that first panorama of the Pacific Ocean. Those who remained crossed the meridian now known as
the International Date Line in the early spring of 1521 after 98 days on the Pacific Ocean. During those
long days at sea, many of Magellan’s men died of starvation and disease.

Later, Magellan became involved in an insular conflict in the Philippines and was killed in a tribal battle.
Only one ship and 17 sailors under the command of the Basque navigator Elcano survived to complete
the westward journey to Spain and thus prove once and for all that the world is round, with no
precipice at the edge.

121. The 16th century was an age of great exploration.

A. cosmic
B. land
C. mental
D. common man
E. None of the above

Answer: B
Explanation:
“Terrestrial” means land. No choice here offers a synonym for “marine,” e.g.
nautical/naval/water/seagoing, and no other choices match either marine or terrestrial. 122.

Magellan lost the favor of the king of Portugal when he became involved in a political .

A. entanglement
B. discussion
C. negotiation
D. problem
E. None of the above

Answer: A
Explanation:
“Quagmire” means literally a bog or marsh, and figuratively an involved situation difficult to escape;
entanglement is a synonym, more specifically similar than the other choices.

123. The Pope divided New World lands between Spain and Portugal according to their location on
one side or the other of an imaginary geographical line 50 degrees west of Greenwich that extends in a
direction.

A. north and south

B. crosswise
C. easterly
D. south east
E. north and west

Answer: A
Explanation:
Longitudes are imaginary geographical lines running north and south. Latitudes run east and west. The
other choices do not equal either latitude or longitude in direction.

124. One of Magellan’s ships explored the of South America for a passage across the
continent.
A. coastline
B. mountain range
C. physical features
D. islands
E. None of the above
Answer: C
Explanation:
Topography means the physical features of a land mass. It does not mean coastline (A),
mountain range (B), or islands (D).

125. Four of the ships sought a passage along a southern .

A. coast
B. inland
C. body of land with water on three sides
D. border
E. Answer not available

Answer: C
Explanation:
A peninsula is a piece of land connected to the mainland by an isthmus and projecting into the ocean
such that it is surrounded on three sides by water. A peninsula is not a coast (A); it is not found inland
(B); and it is not a border (D).

126. The passage was found near 50 degrees S of .

A. Greenwich
B. The equator
C. Spain
D. Portugal
E. Madrid

Answer: B
Explanation:
The passage was found near 50 degrees S latitude. Latitudes are measured horizontally, in relation to
the equator or central imaginary line, equidistant between the North and South Poles. Longitudes are
measured vertically. Greenwich (A), the location of zero degrees longitude, adopted as the global
standard, is both incorrect and never named in the passage. Spain (C), Portugal (D), and Madrid (E) in
Spain are also incorrect.

127. In the spring of 1521, the ships crossed the now called the International Date Line.
A. imaginary circle passing through the poles
B. imaginary line parallel to the equator
C. area
D. land mass
E. Answer not available

Answer: A
Explanation:
Meridians are imaginary geographical circles intersecting the poles. Imaginary lines parallel to the
equator (B) are latitudes. The International Date Line is a specific meridian, not an area (C). It is not
a land mass (D) as it crosses both water and land.

The following passage refers to questions 8 through 14.

Marie Curie was one of the most accomplished scientists in history. Together with her husband,
Pierre, she discovered radium, an element widely used for treating cancer, and studied uranium and
other radioactive substances. Pierre and Marie’s amicable collaboration later helped to unlock the
secrets of the atom.

Marie was born in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, where her father was a professor of physics. At an early
age, she displayed a brilliant mind and a blithe personality. Her great exuberance for learning
prompted her to continue with her studies after high school. She became disgruntled, however, when
she learned that the university in Warsaw was closed to women. Determined to receive a higher
education, she defiantly left Poland and in 1891 entered the Sorbonne, a French university, where she
earned her master’s degree and doctorate in physics.

Marie was fortunate to have studied at the Sorbonne with some of the greatest scientists of her day,
one of whom was Pierre Curie. Marie and Pierre were married in 1895 and spent many productive
years working together in the physics laboratory. A short time after they discovered radium, Pierre was
killed by a horse-drawn wagon in 1906. Marie was stunned by this horrible misfortune and endured
heartbreaking anguish. Despondently she recalled their close relationship and the joy that they had
shared in scientific research. The fact that she had two young daughters to raise by herself greatly
increased her distress.

Curie’s feeling of desolation finally began to fade when she was asked to succeed her husband as a
physics professor at the Sorbonne. She was the first woman to be given a professorship at the
world famous university. In 1911 she received the Nobel Prize in chemistry for isolating radium.
Although Marie Curie eventually suffered a fatal illness from her long exposure to radium, she
never became disillusioned about her work. Regardless of the consequences, she had dedicated
herself to science and to revealing the mysteries of the physical world.
128. The Curies’ collaboration helped to unlock the secrets of the atom.

A. friendly
B. competitive
C. courteous
D. industrious
E. chemistry

Answer: A
Explanation:
“Amicable” means friendly. It does not mean competitive (B), i.e. oppositional, ambitious, or
aggressive; courteous (C), i.e. polite; industrious (D), i.e. hard-working; or chemistry (E): their
collaboration was in physics, but moreover, the passage specifically describes their collaboration
as “amicable.”
129. Marie had a bright mind and a personality.

A. strong
B. lighthearted
C. humorous
D.strange
E. envious

Answer: B
Explanation:
“Blithe” means light-hearted. It does not mean strong (A), humorous (B) or funny; strange (D),
or envious (E).

130. When she learned that she could not attend the university in Warsaw, she felt .

A. hopeless
B. annoyed
C. depressed
D. worried
E. None of the above

Answer: B
Explanation:
“Disgruntled” means annoyed. It does not mean hopeless (A), depressed (C), or worried (D).
131. Marie by leaving Poland and traveling to France to enter the Sorbonne.

A. challenged authority
B. showed intelligence
C. behaved
D. was distressed
E. Answer not available

Answer: A
Explanation:
Marie challenged authority by going to study at the Sorbonne, because Warsaw’s university did not
admit women. The passage indicates this challenge by describing her “defiantly” leaving Poland for
France; i.e., she was defying authority. The passage does not indicate she showed intelligence (B),
“behaved” (C), or was distressed (D) or upset by her move.

132. she remembered their joy together.

A. Dejectedly
B. Worried
C. Tearfully
D. Happily
E. Irefully

Answer: A
Explanation:
A synonym for “despondently” is “dejectedly,” meaning sadly, with despair or depression. The
passage indicates this by describing Curie’s emotional state as one of “heartbreaking anguish” over
her husband’s sudden accidental death. She is not described in this passage as worried (B) by her
memories, or recalling them tearfully (C), happily (D), or irefully (E), i.e. angrily.

133. Her began to fade when she returned to the Sorbonne to succeed her husband.

A. misfortune
B. anger
C. wretchedness
D. disappointment
E. ambition

Answer: C
Explanation:
The closest synonym for the “feeling of desolation” (despair) described in the passage is
wretchedness. Misfortune (A) or ill fate/luck is not as close. Anger (B) is a separate emotion
from
desolation. Disappointment (D) is also different from desolation, meaning feeling let-down rather
than hopeless. Ambition (E) is drive to succeed or accomplish things. It was not Curie’s ambition that
faded upon returning to the Sorbonne but her depression.

134. Even though she became fatally ill from working with radium, Marie Curie was never .

A. troubled
B. worried
C. disappointed
D.sorrowful
E. disturbed

Answer: C
Explanation:
“Disillusioned” means disappointed. It does not mean troubled (A), i.e. concerned or
disturbed; worried (B) or anxious; sorrowful (D) or sad; or disturbed (E).

The following passage refers to questions 15 through 19.

Mount Vesuvius, a volcano located between the ancient Italian cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, has
received much attention because of its frequent and destructive eruptions. The most famous of these
eruptions occurred in A.D. 79.
The volcano had been inactive for centuries. There was little warning of the coming eruption, although
one account unearthed by archaeologists says that a hard rain and a strong wind had disturbed the
celestial calm during the preceding night. Early the next morning, the volcano poured a huge river of
molten rock down upon Herculaneum, completely burying the city and filling the harbor with coagulated
lava.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, cinders, stone and ash rained down on Pompeii. Sparks
from the burning ash ignited the combustible rooftops quickly. Large portions of the city were destroyed
in the conflagration. Fire, however, was not the only cause of destruction. Poisonous sulfuric gases
saturated the air. These heavy gases were not buoyant in the atmosphere and therefore sank toward
the earth and suffocated people.

Over the years, excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum have revealed a great deal about the
behavior of the volcano. By analyzing data, much as a zoologist dissects an animal specimen, scientists
have concluded that the eruption changed large portions of the area’s geography. For instance, it
turned the Sarno River from its course and raised the level of the beach along the Bay of Naples.
Meteorologists studying these events have also concluded that Vesuvius caused a huge tidal wave that
affected the world’s climate.
In addition to making these investigations, archaeologists have been able to study the skeletons of
victims by using distilled water to wash away the volcanic ash. By strengthening the brittle bones with
acrylic paint, scientists have been able to examine the skeletons and draw conclusions about the diet
and habits of the residents. Finally, the excavations at both Pompeii and Herculaneum have yielded
many examples of classical art, such as jewelry made of bronze, which is an alloy of copper and tin. The
eruption of Mount Vesuvius and its tragic consequences have provided everyone with a wealth of data
about the effects that volcanoes can have on the surrounding area. Today, volcanologists can locate
and predict eruptions, saving lives and preventing the destruction of other cities and cultures.

135. Herculaneum and its harbor were buried under lava.

A. liquid
B. solid
C. flowing
D. gas
E. Answer not available

Answer: B
Explanation:
“Coagulated” means solidified. Liquid (A) is an opposite of solid. Flowing (C) assumes a liquid, not
solid, state. Gas (D) is another opposite of solid. (Three states of matter, like volcanic material, are
liquid, solid, and gaseous.)

136. The poisonous gases were not in the air.

A. able to float
B. visible
C. able to evaporate
D. invisible
E. able to condense

Answer: A
Explanation:
“Buoyant” means able to float. The passage indicates this by indicating that the gases therefore,
sank toward earth and suffocated people. Buoyant does not mean visible (B) or possible to see. Able
to float/buoyant does not mean able to evaporate (C). Evaporation means turning to vapor, which
only liquids can do. Gases are already vapors. Buoyant does not mean invisible (D) or unseen. Able to
float does not mean able to condense (E), i.e. turn from vapor to liquid.

137. Scientists analyzed data about Vesuvius in the same way that a zoologist a specimen.
A. describes in detail
B. studies by cutting apart
C. photographs
D. chart
E. Answer not available

Answer: B
Explanation:
“Dissect” means to cut apart for study. It does not mean to describe in detail (A), to photograph (C),
or to chart (D) a specimen.

138. have concluded that the volcanic eruption caused a tidal wave.

A. Scientists who study oceans

B. Scientists who study atmospheric conditions
C. Scientists who study ash
D. Scientists who study animal behavior
E. Answer not available in article

Answer: B
Explanation:
Meteorologists are scientists who study atmospheric conditions, particularly weather. Scientists who
study oceans (A) are oceanographers, i.e. marine scientists. Scientists who study ash (C) do not exist
as members of a separate discipline. Climate scientists and many others concerned with its effects
study volcanic ash. Scientists who study animal behavior (D) are ethologists or animal behaviorists
and do not study ash.

139. Scientists have used water to wash away volcanic ash from the skeletons of victims.

A. bottled
B. volcanic
C. purified
D. sea
E. fountain

Answer: C
Explanation:
Distilled water is purified water. Distilled water is not equivalent to bottled (A), volcanic (B), sea
(D), or fountain (E) water.
The following
passage refers to questions 20-24.

Conflict had existed between Spain and England since the 1570s. England wanted a share of the wealth
that Spain had been taking from the lands it had claimed in the Americas.

Elizabeth I, Queen of England, encouraged her staunch admiral of the navy, Sir Francis Drake, to raid
Spanish ships and towns. Though these raids were on a small scale, Drake achieved dramatic success,
adding gold and silver to England’s treasury and diminishing Spain’s supremacy.

Religious differences also caused conflict between the two countries. Whereas Spain was Roman
Catholic, most of England had become Protestant. King Philip II of Spain wanted to claim the throne and
make England a Catholic country again. To satisfy his ambition and also to retaliate against England’s
theft of his gold and silver, King Philip began to build his fleet of warships, the Spanish Armada, in
January 1586.

Philip intended his fleet to be indestructible. In addition to building new warships, he marshaled 130
sailing vessels of all types and recruited more than 19,000 robust soldiers and 8,000 sailors.
Although some of his ships lacked guns and others lacked ammunition, Philip was convinced that his
Armada could withstand any battle with England.

The martial Armada set sail from Lisbon, Portugal, on May 9, 1588, but bad weather forced it back to
port. The voyage resumed on July 22 after the weather became more stable.

The Spanish fleet met the smaller, faster, and more maneuverable English ships in battle off the coast of
Plymouth, England, first on July 31 and again on August 2. The two battles left Spain vulnerable, having
lost several ships and with its ammunition depleted. On August 7, while the Armada lay at anchor on the
French side of the Strait of Dover, England sent eight burning ships into the midst of the Spanish fleet to
set it on fire. Blocked on one side, the Spanish ships could only drift away, their crews in panic and
disorder. Before the Armada could regroup, the English attacked again on August 8.

Although the Spaniards made a valiant effort to fight back, the fleet suffered extensive damage. During
the eight hours of battle, the Armada drifted perilously close to the rocky coastline. At the moment
when it seemed that the Spanish ships would be driven onto the English shore, the wind shifted, and the
Armada drifted out into the North Sea. The Spaniards recognized the superiority of the English fleet and
returned home, defeated.

140. Sir Francis Drake added wealth to the treasury and diminished Spain’s .
A. unlimited power
B. unrestricted growth
C. territory
D. treaties
E. Answer not available in article

Answer: A
Explanation:
“Supremacy” means unlimited power, not unrestricted growth (B). The passage states that Drake
diminished Spain’s supremacy, but does not specifically mention diminishing its territory (C). Drake’s
raids enriched England and reduced Spain’s power; no mention is made of eliminating any treaties
(D).

141. King Philip recruited many soldiers and sailors.

A. warlike
B. strong
C. accomplished
D. timid
E. inexperienced

Answer: B
Explanation:
“Robust” means strong. It does not mean warlike (A), accomplished (C) or competent, timid (D) or
fearful, or inexperienced (E).

142. The Armada set sail on May 9, 1588.

A. complete
B. warlike
C. independent
D. isolated
E. Answer not available

Answer: B
Explanation:
“Martial” means warlike or war-related. It does not mean complete (A), independent (C), or isolated
(D).

143. The two battles left the Spanish fleet .

A. open to change
B. triumphant
C. open to attack
D. defeated
E. discouraged

Answer: C
Explanation:
“Vulnerable” means open to attack or susceptible to harm. It does not mean open to change (A) or
receptive, triumphant (B) or victorious, defeated (D) or beaten-they were vulnerable to attack first
and then consequently were defeated-or discouraged (E), i.e. disheartened or dispirited.

144. The Armada was on one side.

closed off
damaged
alone
circled
Answer not available in this article

Answer: A
Explanation:
The passage indicates the Armada was “blocked” on one side, i.e. closed off rather than damaged
(B) (it was damaged extensively, not on one side); alone (C) or circled (D), i.e. surrounded, neither of
which can be done on only one side.

The following passage refers to questions 25-29.

The victory of the small Greek democracy of Athens over the mighty Persian Empire in 490 B.C. is one of
the most famous events in history. Darius, king of the Persian Empire, was furious because Athens had
interceded for the other Greek city-states in revolt against Persian domination. In anger the king sent
an enormous army to defeat Athens. He thought it would take drastic steps to pacify the rebellious part
of the empire.

Persia was ruled by one man. In Athens, however, all citizens helped to rule. Ennobled by this
participation, Athenians were prepared to die for their city-state. Perhaps this was the secret of the
remarkable victory at Marathon, which freed them from Persian rule. On their way to Marathon, the
Persians tried to fool some Greek city-states by claiming to have come in peace. The frightened citizens
of Delos refused to believe this. Not wanting to abet the conquest of Greece, they fled from their city
and did not return until the Persians had left. They were wise, for the Persians next conquered the city
of Eritrea and captured its people.
Tiny Athens stood alone against Persia. The Athenian people went to their sanctuaries. There they
prayed for deliverance. They asked their gods to expedite their victory. The Athenians refurbished their
weapons and moved to the plain of Marathon, where their little band would meet the Persians. At the
last moment, soldiers from Plataea reinforced the Athenian troops.

The Athenian army attacked, and Greek citizens fought bravely. The power of the mighty Persians was offset
by the love that the Athenians had for their city. Athenians defeated the Persians in both archery and hand
combat. Greek soldiers seized Persian ships and burned them, and the Persians fled in terror. Herodotus, a
famous historian, reports that 6,400 Persians died, compared to only 192 Athenians.

145. Athens had the other Greek city-states against the Persians.

A. refused help to
B. intervened on behalf of
C. wanted to fight
D. given orders for all to fight
E. defeated

Answer: B
Explanation:
“Interceded for” means intervened on behalf of, not refused help to (A), wanted to fight (C),
given orders for all to fight (D), or defeated (E).

146. Darius took drastic steps to the rebellious Athenians.

A. weaken
B. destroy
C. calm
D. irritate
E. Answer not available

Answer: C
Explanation:
“Pacify” means to calm or make peaceful. It does not mean to make weaker (A), to destroy (B), or to
irritate (D), i.e. annoy or provoke.

147. Their participation to the Athenians.

A. gave comfort
B. gave honor
C. gave strength
D. gave fear
E. gave hope

Answer: B
Explanation:
“Ennobled” means gave honor to or made noble. It does not mean gave comfort (A) or solace, gave
strength (C), i.e. fortified or reinforced, gave fear (D) or frightened, or gave hope (E) or encouraged.

148. The people of Delos did not want to the conquest of Greece.

A. end
B. encourage
C. think about
D. daydream about
E. Answer not available

Answer: B
Explanation:
To “abet” means to enable, support, or encourage, usually in crime or doing something wrong. It
does not mean to end (A), think about (C), or daydream about (D) something.

149. The Athenians were by some soldiers who arrived from Plataea.

A. welcomed
B. strengthened
C. held
D. captured
E. Answer not available

Answer: B
Explanation:
“Reinforced” means strengthened, not welcomed (A), held (C), or captured (D).

The following passage refers to questions 30-32.

The Trojan War is one of the most famous wars in history. It is well known for the 10-year duration, for
the heroism of a number of legendary characters, and for the Trojan horse. What may not be familiar,
however, is the story of how the war began.

According to Greek myth, the strife between the Trojans and the Greeks started at the wedding of
Peleus, King of Thessaly, and Thetis, a sea nymph. All of the gods and goddesses had been invited
to the
wedding celebration in Troy except Eris, goddess of discord. She had been omitted from the guest list
because her presence always embroiled mortals and immortals alike in conflict.

To take revenge on those who had slighted her, Eris decided to cause a skirmish. Into the middle of the
banquet hall, she threw a golden apple marked “for the most beautiful.” All of the goddesses began to
haggle over who should possess it. The gods and goddesses reached a stalemate when the choice was
narrowed to Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Someone was needed to settle the controversy by picking a
winner. The job eventually fell to Paris, son of King Priam of Troy, who was said to be a good judge of
beauty. Paris did not have an easy job. Each goddess, eager to win the golden apple, tried aggressively
to bribe him.

“I’ll grant you vast kingdoms to rule,” promised Hera. “Vast kingdoms are nothing in comparison with
my gift,” contradicted Athena. “Choose me and I’ll see that you win victory and fame in war.” Aphrodite
outdid her adversaries, however. She won the golden apple by offering Helen, daughter of Zeus and the
most beautiful mortal in the land, to Paris. Paris, anxious to claim Helen, set off for Sparta in Greece.
Although Paris learned that Helen was married, he nevertheless accepted the hospitality of her husband,
King Menelaus of Sparta. Therefore, Menelaus was outraged for a number of reasons when Paris
departed, taking Helen and much of the king’s wealth back to Troy. Menelaus collected his loyal forces
and set sail for Troy to begin the war to reclaim Helen.

150. Eris was known for both mortals and immortals.

A. scheming against
B. creating conflict amongst
C. feeling hostile toward
D. ignoring
E. comforting

Answer: B
Explanation:
The passage states that the presence of Eris, goddess of discord, “always embroiled mortals and
immortals alike in conflict.” Embroiling them in conflict is creating conflict amongst them. It does not
mean scheming against (A) them, feeling hostile toward (C) them, ignoring (D) them, or comforting (E)
them.

151. Each goddess tried to bribe Paris.

A. boldly
B. effectively
C. secretly
D. carefully
E. Answer not available

Answer: A
Explanation:
“Aggressively” means boldly. It does not mean effectively (B) or successfully, secretly (C), or
carefully (D).

152. Athena Hera, promising Paris victory and fame in war.

A. disregarded the statement of

B. defeated
C. agreed with
D. restated the statement of
E. questioned the statement of

Answer: A
Explanation:
“Contradicted” means Athena disregarded Hera’s statement and disputed or countered it. It
does not mean she defeated (B) her statement, agreed with (C) it, restated (D) it, or questioned
(E) it.
Refer to the following passage for questions 33-37.
One of the most intriguing stories of the Russian Revolution concerns the identity of Anastasia, the
youngest daughter of Czar Nicholas II. During his reign over Russia, the czar had planned to revoke
many of the harsh laws established by previous czars. Some workers and peasants, however, clamored
for more rapid social reform. In 1918, a group of these people known as Bolsheviks overthrew the
government. On July 17 or 18, they murdered the czar and what was thought to be his entire family.

Although witnesses vouched that all the members of the czar’s family had been executed, there were
rumors suggesting that Anastasia had survived. Over the years, a number of women claimed to be Grand
Duchess Anastasia. Perhaps the most famous claimant was Anastasia Tschaikovsky, who was also known
as Anna Anderson.

In 1920, 18 months after the czar’s execution, this terrified young woman was rescued from drowning
in a Berlin river. She spent two years in a hospital, where she attempted to reclaim her health and
shattered mind. The doctors and nurses thought that she resembled Anastasia and questioned her
about her background. She disclaimed any connection with the czar’s family. Eight years later,
however, she claimed that she was Anastasia. She said that she had been rescued by two Russian
soldiers after the czar and the rest of her family had been killed. Two brothers named Tschaikovsky had
carried her into Romania. She had married one of the brothers, who had taken her to Berlin and left
her there, penniless and without a vocation. Unable to invoke the aid of her mother’s family in
Germany, she had tried to drown herself.

During the next few years, scores of the czar’s relatives, ex-servants, and acquaintances interviewed her.
Many of these people said that her looks and mannerisms were evocative of the Anastasia that they had
known. Her grandmother and other relatives denied that she was the real Anastasia, however.

Tired of being accused of fraud, Anastasia immigrated to the United States in 1928 and took the name
Anna Anderson. She still wished to prove that she was Anastasia, though, and returned to Germany in
1933 to bring suit against her mother’s family. There she declaimed to the court, asserting that she was
indeed Anastasia and deserved her inheritance.

In 1957, the court decided that it could neither confirm nor deny Anastasia’s identity. Although it will
probably never be known whether this woman was the Grand Duchess Anastasia, her search to establish
her identity has been the subject of numerous books, plays, and movies.

153. Some Russian peasants and workers for social reform.

A. longed
B. cried out
C. begged
D. hoped
E. thought much
Answer: B
Explanation:
To “clamor for” means to cry out for (something). It does not mean to long for (A) it, beg (C) for
it, hope (D) for it, or think much (E) “for,” of, or about it.

154. Witnesses that all members of the czar’s family had been executed.

A. gave assurance
B. thought
C. hoped
D. convinced some
E. Answer not available

Answer: A
Explanation:

To “vouch” means to give assurance. It does not mean to think (B), hope (C), or convince some (D).
155. Tschaikovsky initially any connection with the czar’s family.

A. denied
B. stopped
C. noted
D. justified
E. Answer not available

Answer: A
Explanation:
“Disclaimed” means denied, i.e. refused or declared untrue. It does not mean stopped (B), noted
(C), or justified (D), i.e. substantiated or confirmed, the opposite of denied.

156. She was unable to the aid of her relatives.

A. locate
B. speak about
C. call upon
D. identify
E. know

Answer: C
Explanation:
She was unable to invoke, i.e. to call upon, the aid of relatives. To invoke does not mean to locate (A)
or find; to speak about (B) or discuss; to identify (D), i.e. recognize; or to know (E).

157. In court she maintaining that she was Anastasia and deserved her inheritance.
A. finally appeared
B. spoke forcefully
C. gave testimony
D. gave evidence
E. Answer not available

Answer: B
Explanation:
“Declaimed” means spoke forcefully. It does not mean finally appeared (A). Though she did also give
testimony (C) in court, “declaimed” does not mean to testify; it describes the way she spoke while
doing so. “Declaimed” also does not mean she gave evidence (D).

Refer to the following passage for questions 38-39.

King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette ruled France from 1774 to 1789, a time when the country
was fighting bankruptcy. The royal couple did not let France’s insecure financial situation limit their
immoderate spending, however. Even though the minister of finance repeatedly warned the king and
queen against wasting money, they continued to spend great fortunes on their personal pleasure. This
lavish spending greatly enraged the people of France. They felt that the royal couple bought its
luxurious lifestyle at the poor people’s expense.

Marie Antoinette, the beautiful but exceedingly impractical queen, seemed uncaring about her subjects’
misery. While French citizens begged for lower taxes, the queen embellished her palace with
extravagant works of art. She also surrounded herself with artists, writers, and musicians, who
encouraged the queen to spend money even more profusely.

While the queen’s favorites glutted themselves on huge feasts at the royal table, many people in France
were starving. The French government taxed the citizens outrageously. These high taxes paid for the
entertainments the queen and her court so enjoyed. When the minister of finance tried to stop these
royal spendthrifts, the queen replaced him. The intense hatred that the people felt for Louis XVI and
Marie Antoinette kept building until it led to the French Revolution. During this time of struggle and
violence (1789-1799), thousands of aristocrats, as well as the king and queen themselves, lost their lives
at the guillotine. Perhaps if Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette had reined in their extravagant spending,
the events that rocked France would not have occurred.

158. The people surrounding the queen encouraged her to spend money .

A. wisely
B. abundantly
C. carefully
D. foolishly
E. joyfully

Answer: B
Explanation:
“Profusely” means abundantly, copiously, or excessively. It does not mean wisely (A) or carefully (B),
which are both opposite in meaning to the excessive connotation of profuse spending. Foolishly (D)
can be associated with spending profusely, but does not have the same meaning. Profusely does not
mean joyfully (E), i.e. gleefully or happily.

159. The minister of finance tried to curb these royal .

A. aristocrats
B. money wasters
C. enemies
D. individuals
E. spenders

Answer: B
Explanation:
“Spendthrifts” means money wasters. It does not mean aristocrats (A), i.e. nobles or privileged
people. It does not mean enemies (C) or adversaries. It does not mean individuals (D) or persons.
“Spenders” (E) denotes people who spend, but does not convey the sense of wasteful spending or
squandering in the same way that “spendthrifts” does.
Refer to the following passage for questions 40-45.

Many great inventions are initially greeted with ridicule and disbelief. The invention of the airplane was
no exception. Although many people who heard about the first powered flight on December 17, 1903
were excited and impressed, others reacted with peals of laughter. The idea of flying an aircraft was
repulsive to some people. Such people called Wilbur and Orville Wright, the inventors of the first flying
machine, impulsive fools. Negative reactions, however, did not stop the Wrights. Impelled by their
desire to succeed, they continued their experiments in aviation.

Orville and Wilbur Wright had always had a compelling interest in aeronautics and mechanics. As
young boys they earned money by making and selling kites and mechanical toys. Later, they designed a
newspaper-folding machine, built a printing press, and operated a bicycle-repair shop. In 1896, when
they read about the death of Otto Lilienthal, the brothers’ interest in flight grew into a compulsion.

Lilienthal, a pioneer in hang-gliding, had controlled his gliders by shifting his body in the desired
direction. This idea was repellent to the Wright brothers, however, and they searched for more efficient
methods to control the balance of airborne vehicles. In 1900 and 1901, the Wrights tested numerous
gliders and developed control techniques. The brothers’ inability to obtain enough lift power for the
gliders almost led them to abandon their efforts.

After further study, the Wright brothers concluded that the published tables of air pressure on curved
surfaces must be wrong. They set up a wind tunnel and began a series of experiments with model wings.
Because of their efforts, the old tables were repealed in time and replaced by the first reliable figures
for air pressure on curved surfaces. This work, in turn, made it possible for the brothers to design a
machine that would fly. In 1903 the Wrights built their first airplane, which cost less than $1,000. They
even designed and built their own source of propulsion-a lightweight gasoline engine. When they
started the engine on December 17, the airplane pulsated wildly before taking off. The plane managed
to stay aloft for 12 seconds, however, and it flew 120 feet.

By 1905, the Wrights had perfected the first airplane that could turn, circle, and remain airborne for
half an hour at a time. Others had flown in balloons and hang gliders, but the Wright brothers were the
first to build a full-size machine that could fly under its own power. As the contributors of one of the
most outstanding engineering achievements in history, the Wright brothers are accurately called the
fathers of aviation.
160. The idea of flying an aircraft was to some people.

A. boring
B. distasteful
C. exciting
D. needless
E. Answer not available

Answer: B
Explanation:
“Repulsive” means distasteful. It does not mean boring (A), exciting (C), or needless

(D). 161. People thought that the Wright brothers had .

A. acted without thinking

B. been negatively influenced
C. been too cautious
D. been mistaken
E. acted in a negative way

Answer: A
Explanation:
“Impulsive” means acting on impulse, i.e. acting without thinking. People thinking the Wrights
“impulsive fools” does not mean they thought the Wrights had been negatively influenced (B),
too cautious (C), mistaken (D), or had acted in a negative way (E).

162. The Wrights’ interest in flight grew into a .

A. financial empire
B. plan
C. need to act
D. foolish thought
E. Answer not available

Answer: C
Explanation:
A “compulsion” is a need or an urge to act. It is not a financial empire (A), a plan (B), or a foolish
thought (D).

163. Lilienthal’s idea about controlling airborne vehicles was the Wrights.

A. proven wrong by
B. opposite to the ideas of
C. disliked by
D. accepted by
E. improved by

Answer: C
Explanation:
“Repellent” means offensive or hateful; in other words, Lilienthal’s idea was disliked by the Wrights. It
does not mean his idea was opposite to the idea of (B) the Wrights. It means the opposite of its being
accepted by (D) the Wrights. They found his idea unpleasant rather than improving (E) on it.

164. The old tables were and replaced by the first reliable figures for air pressure
on curved surfaces.

A. destroyed
B. invalidated
C multiplied
D. approved
E. not used

Answer: B
Explanation:
“Repealed” means invalidated, i.e. disproven or overturned. It does not mean destroyed (A);
multiplied (C), i.e. increased/approved (D), an antonym; or unused (E).

165. The Wrights designed and built their own source of .

A. force for moving forward

B. force for turning around
C. turning
D. force for going backward
E. None of the above
Answer: A
Explanation:
“Propulsion” is force for propelling or moving forward. It does not mean force for turning around (B),
turning (C) (oscillation perhaps), or force for going backward (D) (like repulsion).

PARAGRAPH ORGANIZATION
166.

A. By trying, man learns to solve his problems through satisfying acts and eliminate actions which
are annoying.
B. He used a hungry cat in a puzzled box where it tried ways to get out in order to get to the food. C.
Edward C. Thorndike’s connectionism theory of learning establishes the trial and error way to learn.
D. He established the fact that like the cat, man too, learns by trial and error.

1. ACBD
2. BACD
3. ACDB
4. ABCD

Answer: 1
Explanation:
SUGGESTED STEPS:
1. Read all the sentences while trying to find the topic sentence.

The topic sentence is unique because it can usually stand on its own and it states what the
paragraph is all about. When spotting the topic sentence, you may be able to eliminate some of
the options by looking for pronouns. Topic sentences should have its own noun subject. If the
sentence only has a pronoun subject, it cannot be the topic sentence.
In our example above, both B and D only have pronoun subjects. Any choice with B or D as the
first sentence should be eliminated. With this reasoning in mind, we can proceed to remove
option 2 (BACD).

1. ACBD
2. BACD
3. ACDB
4. ABCD

While paragraph creation in the real world varies in form, when taking the CSE, you should
anticipate that the topic sentence will be used as the first sentence in the sequence. In our