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EARLY AUTOS

America’s passion for the automobile developed rather quickly in the beginning of the twentieth century. At the turn of that century, there were few automobiles, or horseless carriages, as they were called at the time, and those that existed were considered frivolous playthings of the rich. They were rather fragile machines that sputtered and smoked and broke down often; they were expensive toys that could not be counted on to get one where one needed to go; they could only be afforded by the wealthy class, who could afford both the expensive upkeep and the inherent delays that resulted from the use of a machine that tended to break down time and again. These early automobiles required repairs so frequently both because their engineering was at an immature stage and because roads were unpaved and often in poor condition. Then, when breakdowns occurred, there were no services such as roadside gas stations or tow trucks to assist drivers needing help in their predicament. Drivers of horse-drawn carriages considered the horseless mode of transportation foolhardy, preferring instead to rely on their four-legged “engines,” which they considered a tremendously more dependable and cost-effective means of getting around.

Automobiles in the beginning of the twentieth century were quite unlike today’s models. Many of them were electric cars, even though the electric models had quite a limited range and needed to be recharged frequently at electric charging stations; many others were powered by steam, though it was often required that drivers of steam cars be certified steam engineers due to the dangers inherent in operating a steam-powered machine. The early automobiles also lacked much emphasis on body design; in fact, they were often little more than benches on wheels, though by the end of the first decade of the century they had progressed to leather-upholstered chairs or sofas on thin wheels that absorbed little of the incessant pounding associated with the movement of these machines.

In spite of the rather rough and undeveloped nature of these early horseless carriages, something about them grabbed people’s imagination, and their use increased rapidly, though not always smoothly. In the first decade of the last century, roads were shared by the horse-drawn and horseless variety of carriages, a situation that was rife with problems and required strict measures to control the incidents and accidents that resulted when two such different modes of transportation were used in close proximity. New York City, for example, banned horseless vehicles from Central Park early in the century because they had been involved in so many accidents, often causing injury or death; then, in 1904, New York state felt that it was necessary to control automobile traffic by placing speed limits of 20 miles per hour in open areas, 15 miles per hour in villages, and 10 miles per hour in cities or areas of congestion. However, the measures taken were less a means of limiting use of the automobile and more a way of controlling the effects of an invention whose use increased dramatically in a relatively short period of time. Under 5,000 automobiles were sold in the United States for a total cost of approximately $5 million in 1900, while considerably more cars, 181,000, were sold for $215 million in 1910, and by the middle of the 1920s, automobile manufacturing had become the top industry in the United States and accounted for 6 percent of the manufacturing in the country.

1. Based on the information in paragraph 1, who would have been most likely to own a car in 1900? ................

A.

A skilled laborer

B.

A rural farmer

C.

A scholarship student

D.

A successful investor

Explain:

2. The word “frivolous” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ................

A.

trivial

B.

essential

C.

natural

D.

delicate

Explain:

3. It is indicated in paragraph 1 that it was necessary to repair early autos because of ................

A.

the elaborate engines

B.

the lack of roads

C.

the immature drivers

D.

the rough roads

Explain:

4. The author refers to “four-legged engines” in paragraph 1 in order to indicate that ................

A.

it was foolish to travel on a four-legged animal

B.

early autos had little more than an engine and wheels

C.

automobile engines were evaluated in terms of their horsepower

D.

horses were an effective mode of transportation

Explain:

5. Look at the four numbers (1), (2), (3) and (4) which indicate where the sentence “These horrendous road conditions forced drivers to use their automobiles on grooved, rutted, and bumpy roads.” can be added to paragraph 1. Where would the sentence best fit? ................

A.

Number 2

B.

Number 3

C.

Number 4

D.

Number 1

Explain:

6. The phrase “many others” in paragraph 2 refers to ................

A.

electric models

B.

electric charging stations

C.

automobiles in the beginning of the twentieth century

D.

today's models

Explain:

7. It is stated in paragraph 2 that the owners of steam-powered cars ................

A.

often had to take their automobiles to charging stations

B.

sometimes had to demonstrate knowledge of steam engineering

C.

were often in danger because of the limited range of their automobiles

D.

had to hire drivers to operate their cars

Explain:

8. Why does the author mention “benches on wheels” in paragraph 2? ................

A.

To indicate that early automobiles had upholstered chairs or sofas

B.

To show how remarkably automobile design had progressed

C.

To show that car designs of the time were neither complex nor comfortable

D.

To emphasize how the early automobiles were designed to absorb the pounding of the machine on the road

Explain:

9. The word “incessant” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ................

A.

heavy

B.

jolting

C.

bothersome

D.

continual

Explain:

10. The phrase “rife with” in paragraph 3 could be replaced by ................

A.

surrounded by

B.

occurring as a result of

C.

dangerous due to

D.

full of

Explain:

11. It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that the government of New York state believed that ................

A.

it was safer for cars to travel faster where there was less traffic and fewer people

B.

strict speed limits should be placed on horse-drawn carriages

C.

all horseless vehicles should be banned from all public parks

D.

horseless and horse-drawn vehicles should not travel on the same roads

Explain:

12. Which of the sentences below expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 3? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information. ................

A.

It was necessary to take a measured approach in dealing with inventions such as the automobile.

B.

The dramatic look of the automobile changed considerably over a short period of time.

C.

The various laws were needed because the use of automobiles grew so fast.

D.

It was important to lawmakers to discover the causes of the problems relating to automobiles.

Explain:

13. According to paragraph 3, it is NOT true that ................

A.

sales of cars increased by more than 175,000 from 1900 to 1910

B.

the total cost of the automobiles sold in the United States in 1900 was around $5 million

C.

automobile manufacturing was the top U.S. industry in 1920

D.

automobile manufacturing represented more than 5 percent of total U.S. manufacturing by 1925

Explain:

THE ATLANTIC COD FISHERY

Off the northeastern shore of North America, from the island of Newfoundland in Canada south to New England in the United States, there is a series of shallow areas called banks. Several large banks off Newfoundland are together called the Grand Banks, huge shoals on the edge of the North American continental shelf, where the warm waters of the Gulf Stream meet the cold waters of the Labrador Current. As the currents brush each other, they stir up minerals from the ocean floor, providing nutrients for plankton and tiny shrimp-like creatures called krill, which feed on the plankton. Herring and other small fish rise to the surface to eat the krill. Groundfish, such as the Atlantic cod, live in the ocean’s bottom layer, congregating in the shallow waters where they prey on krill and small fish. This rich environment has produced cod by the millions and once had a greater density of cod than anywhere else on Earth.

Beginning in the eleventh century, boats from the ports of northwestern Europe arrived to fish the Grand Banks. For the next eight centuries, the entire Newfoundland economy was based on Europeans arriving, catching fish for a few months in the summer, and then taking fish back to European markets. Cod laid out to dry on wooden “flakes” was a common sight in the fishing villages dotting the coast. Settlers in the region used to think the only sea creature worth talking about was cod, and in the local speech the word “fish” became synonymous with cod. Newfoundland’s national dish was a pudding whose main ingredient was cod.

By the nineteenth century, the Newfoundland fishery was largely controlled by merchants based in the capital at St. John’s. They marketed the catch supplied by the fishers working out of more than 600 villages around the long coastline. In return, the merchants provided fishing equipment, clothing, and all the food that could not be grown in the island’s thin, rocky soil. This system kept the fishers in a continuous state of debt and dependence on the merchants.

Until the twentieth century, fishers believed in the cod’s ability to replenish itself and thought that overfishing was impossible. However, Newfoundland’s cod fishery began to show signs of trouble during the 1930s, when cod failed to support the fishers and thousands were unemployed. The slump lasted for the next few decades. Then, when an international agreement in 1977 established the 200-mile offshore fishing limit, the Canadian government decided to build up the modem Grand Banks fleet and make fishing a viable economic base for Newfoundland again. All of Newfoundland’s seafood companies were merged into one conglomerate. By the 1980s, the conglomerate was prospering, and cod were commanding excellent prices in the market. Consequently, there was a significant increase in the number of fishers and fish-processing plant workers.

However, while the offshore fishery was prospering, the inshore fishermen found their catches dropping off. (1) In 1992 the Canadian government responded by closing the Grand Banks to groundfishing. (2) Newfoundland’s cod fishing and processing industries were shut down in a bid to let the vanishing stocks recover. (3) The moratorium was extended in 1994, when all of the Atlantic cod fisheries in Canada were closed, except for one in Nova Scotia, and strict quotas were placed on other species of groundfish. (4) Canada’s cod fishing industry collapsed, and around 40,000 fishers and other industry workers were put out of work.

Atlantic cod stocks had once been so plentiful that early explorers joked about walking on the backs of the teeming fish. Today, cod stocks are at historically low levels and show no signs of imminent recovery, even after drastic conservation measures and severely limited fishing. Fishermen often blame the diminishing stocks on seals, which prey on cod and other species, but scientists believe that decades of overfishing are to blame. Studies on fish populations have shown that cod disappeared from Newfoundland at the same time that stocks started rebuilding in Norway, raising the possibility that the cod had migrated. Still, no one can predict whether and when the cod will return to the Grand Banks.

14. The word “shoals” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ................

A.

currents

B.

islands

C.

mountains

D.

shallows

Explain:

15. What physical process occurs in the region of the Grand Banks?

A.

Tides transport plankton and small fish.

B.

Warm and cold currents come together.

C.

Nutrient-rich water flows in from rivers.

D.

Underwater hot springs heat the water.

Explain:

16. Which sentence below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 1? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

A.

The environmental resources of the Grand Banks have made many people wealthy from cod fishing.

B.

The Grand Banks is the only place on Earth where cod are known to come together in extremely large groups.

C.

The Grand Banks used to have the world's largest concentration of cod because of favorable natural conditions.

D.

Millions of cod come to the Grand Banks every year to feed on the abundant supplies of herring and other small fish.

Explain:

17. The phrase “the region” in paragraph 2 refers to ................

A.

New England

B.

Newfoundland

C.

the Grand Banks

D.

northwestern Europe

Explain:

18. Why does the author mention “Newfoundland′s national dish” in paragraph 2?

A.

To encourage the development of tourism in Newfoundland

B.

To stress the economic and cultural significance of cod

C.

To show that Newfoundland used to be a separate country

D.

To describe the daily life of people in Newfoundland

Explain:

19. All of the following statements characterized Newfoundland′s cod fishery in the past EXCEPT

A.

Cod were the foundation of the island's economy.

B.

Cod were placed on wooden “flakes” for drying.

C.

Fishers competed with farmers for natural resources.

D.

Fishers were dependent on merchants in the capital.

Explain:

20. The word “replenish” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ................

A.

repair

B.

improve

C.

defend

D.

restock

Explain:

21. What event first signaled the overfishing of the Atlantic cod?

A.

The government moratorium on cod fishing during the 1990s

B.

The failure of cod to support thousands of fishers in the 1930s

C.

An increase in the number of fishers and fish-processing plants

D.

The merging of seafood companies into one huge conglomerate

Explain:

22. Why did the Canadian government decide to build up the Grand Banks fishing fleet?

A.

There had not been enough boats to handle all the fish.

B.

The shipbuilding sector of the economy was in a slump.

C.

Canada faced stiff competition from other fishing nations.

D.

The 200-mile limit was seen as an economic opportunity.

Explain:

23. The word “commanding” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ................

A.

suggesting

B.

defying

C.

missing

D.

receiving

Explain:

24. It can be inferred from paragraph 6 that the author most likely believes which of the following about the future of the Atlantic cod fishery?

A.

The center of the Atlantic cod fishery will shift to Norway.

B.

The cod will return to the Grand Banks if seal hunting is allowed.

C.

It may be a long time before cod stocks recover from overfishing.

D.

The fishery will improve if the government lifts the fishing ban.

Explain:

25. Look at the four numbers (1), (2), (3) and (4) which indicate where the sentence “They suspected this was because the offshore draggers were taking so many cod that the fish did not have a chance to migrate inshore to reproduce.” could be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

A.

Number 4

B.

Number 1

C.

Number 2

D.

Number 3

Explain:

26. An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is “The Atlantic cod fishery has shaped Newfoundland′s economy for centuries.” Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage.

A.

The Canadian government tried to diversity Newfoundland's economy in the 1980s.

B.

Despite severe limits on fishing, cod stocks remain at low levels and show few signs of recovery.

C.

Newfoundland exports millions of dollars worth of crab and other shellfish every year.

D.

The Atlantic cod is a groundfish that preys on herring and small fish that eat krill.

E.

Cod fishing was so successful that few people considered the possibility of overfishing until fish stocks fell.

F.

Atlantic cod stocks were once plentiful in the rich environment around the Grand Banks.

Explain:

THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT AND GLOBAL WARMING

Carbon dioxide and other naturally occurring gases in the earth’s atmosphere create a natural greenhouse effect by trapping and absorbing solar radiation. These gases act as a blanket and keep the planet warm enough for life to survive and flourish. The warming of the earth is balanced by some of the heat escaping from the atmosphere back into space. Without this compensating flow of heat out of the system, the temperature of the earth’s surface and its atmosphere would rise steadily.

Scientists are increasingly concerned about a human-driven greenhouse effect resulting from a rise in atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping greenhouse gases. The man-made greenhouse effect is the exhalation of industrial civilization. A major contributing factor is the burning of large amounts of fossil fuels—coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Another is the destruction of the world’s forests, which reduces the amount of carbon dioxide converted to oxygen by plants. Emissions of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons. nitrous oxide, and methane from human activities will enhance the greenhouse effect, causing the earth’s surface to become warmer. The main greenhouse gas, water vapor, will increase in response to global warming and further enhance it.

There is agreement within the scientific community that the buildup of greenhouse gases is already causing the earth’s average surface temperature to rise. This is changing global climate at an unusually fast rate. According to the World Meteorological Organization, the earth’s average temperature climbed about 1 degree F in the past century, and nine of the ten warmest years on record have occurred since 1990. A United Nations panel has predicted that average global temperatures could rise as much as 10.5 degrees F during the next century as heat-trapping gases from human industry accumulate in the atmosphere.

What are the potential impacts of an enhanced greenhouse effect? According to estimates by an international committee, North American climatic zones could shift northward by as much as 550 kilometers (340 miles). Such a change in climate would likely affect all sectors of society. In some areas, heat and moisture stress would cut crop yields, and traditional farming practices would have to change. For example, in the North American grain belt, higher temperatures and more frequent drought during the growing season might require farmers to switch from corn to wheat and to use more water for irrigation.

Global warming may also cause a rise in sea level by melting polar ice caps. A rise in sea level would accelerate coastal erosion and inundate islands and low-lying coastal plains, some of which are densely populated. Millions of acres of coastal farmlands would be covered by water. Furthermore, the warming of seawater will cause the water to expand, thus adding to the potential danger.

Global warming has already left its fingerprint on the natural world. Two research teams recently reviewed hundreds of published papers that tracked changes in the range and behavior of plant and animal species, and they found ample evidence of plants blooming and birds nesting earlier in the spring. Both teams concluded that rising global temperatures are shifting the ranges of hundreds of species—thus climatic zones—northward. These studies are hard evidence that the natural world is already responding dramatically to climate change, even though the change has just begun. If global warming trends continue, changes in the environment will have an enormous impact on world biology. Birds especially play a critical role in the environment by pollinating plants, dispersing seeds, and controlling insect populations; thus, changes in their populations will reverberate throughout the ecosystems they inhabit.

27. According to the passage, how do carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases affect the earth-atmosphere system?

A.

They cause heat to flow from the atmosphere into space.

B.

They collect solar radiation that warms the earth's surface.

C.

They decrease the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere.

D.

They create the conditions for new forms of life to emerge.

Explain:

28. All of the following are contributing factors to global warming EXCEPT ................

A.

the burning of coal and petroleum

B.

the buildup of water vapor in the atmosphere

C.

the loss of forest lands

D.

the conversion of carbon dioxide to oxygen

Explain:

29. The word “enhance” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ................

A.

parallel

B.

stabilize

C.

strengthen

D.

counteract

Explain:

30. What can be inferred from paragraph 3 about global climate change?

A.

It is difficult to predict the effects of climate change over the next century.

B.

Climate change will have both positive and negative effects on human society.

C.

International organizations have been studying climate change only since 1990.

D.

Climate change is likely to continue as long as heat-trapping gases accumulate.

Explain:

31. According to paragraph 4, what is one effect that climate change could have on agriculture in North America?

A.

Movement of farms to the northernmost regions

B.

Changes in the crops that farmers can grow

C.

Less water available for irrigating crops

D.

Return to more traditional methods of farming

Explain:

32. The word “inundate” in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to ................

A.

move

B.

create

C.

cover

D.

reduce

Explain:

33. Why does the author use the word “fingerprint” in paragraph 6?

A.

To introduce conclusive evidence of global warming

B.

To describe a method used by two research teams

C.

To suggest that people do not cause global warming

D.

To show that hundreds of fingerprints were examined

Explain:

34. The word “they” in paragraph 6 refers to ................

A.

papers

B.

teams

C.

species

D.

birds

Explain:

35. The word “hard” in paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to ................

A.

secret

B.

real

C.

contradictory

D.

difficult

Explain:

36. What evidence does the author give that climatic zones have shifted northward?

A.

Plants bloom and birds build nests earlier in the spring.

B.

Solar radiation escapes from the atmosphere back into space.

C.

Birds no longer pollinate plants or control insect populations.

D.

The water in the ocean expands as it gets warmer.

Explain:

37. Look at the four numbers (1), (2), (3) and (4) which indicate where the sentence “The combination of melting ice caps with the expansion of water could raise the sea level several centimeters by the year 2100.” could be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

A.

Number 2

B.

Number 1

C.

Number 3

D.

Number 4

Explain:

38. An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is: “Scientists are concerned about the greenhouse effect and its role in global warming.” Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage.

A.

Global warming could result in job loss for millions of farmers in coastal areas.

B.

A rising sea level and shifts in climatic zones are probable effects of global warming.

C.

Some scientists think the temperature trend indicates man-made global warming, while others believe it is natural climate variability.

D.

A rise in atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is causing the earth's surface to become warmer.

E.

Nine of the ten warmest years on record have occurred since 1990.

F.

Global warming will alter the range and behavior of plants and animals, changing the balance of ecosystems.

Explain:

LIMNERS

The earliest known American painters, who were active in the latter part of the seventeenth century and the early part of the eighteenth century, were described in documents, journals, and letters of the time as limners. Most of the paintings created by limners were portraits, and they were unsigned because the finished pieces did not belong to the limners who created them but were instead the possessions of the subjects in the portraits. The portraits today are named after the Subjects portrayed in them, and a particular artist is known only as the creator of a particular portrait; thus a particular portrait is named Mrs. Elizabeth Freake and Baby Mary after the people in the portrait, and the limner who created the portrait is known only as the Freake Limner. Art historians who specialize in art from this era have been able to identify clusters of portraits painted by each of a number of limners but, in many cases, do not know the name of the actual limner.

As can be seen from the fact that portraits created by limners went unsigned, limners were regarded more as artisans or skilled tradesmen than as artists. They earned their living as many artisans and tradesmen did at the time, as itinerant workers moving from town to town offering their services to either those who could pay or, more likely, to those who had goods or services to offer in return. They were able to paint portraits for those desiring to have a tangible representation of a family member for posterity; they also took on a variety of other types of painting jobs to stay employed, such as painting the walls of buildings, painting signs for businesses, and painting furniture.

(1) Some of the early portraitists most likely received their education in art or trained as artisans in Europe prior to their arrival in America and then trained others in America in their craft; because they were working in undeveloped or minimally developed colonial areas, their lives were quite difficult. (2) They had little access to information about the world of art and little access to art supplies, so they needed to mix their own paints and make their own brushes and stretched canvasses. (3) They also needed to be prepared to take on whatever painting jobs were needed to survive. (4)

There seem to be two broad categories of painting styles used by the portraitists, the style of the New England limners and the style of the New York limners. The style of the New England limners was a decorative style with flat characters, characters that seemed to lack mass and volume. This is not because the New England limners had no knowledge of painting techniques but was instead because the New England limners were using the style of Tudor painting that became popular during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, a style that included characters with a flat woodenness yet with the numerous highly decorative touches and frills popular in the English court.

The New York limners had a rather different style from the New England limners, and this was because New York had a different background from the rest of New England. Much of New England had been colonized by the English, and thus the basis for the style of the New England limners was the Tudor style that had been popularized during the reign of the Tudor queen Elizabeth I. However, the Dutch had settled the colony of New Amsterdam, and though New Amsterdam became an English colony in 1664 and was renamed New York, the Dutch character and influence was strongly in place during the era of the limners. The New York limners, as a result, were influenced by the Dutch artists of the time rather than the Tudor artists. Dutch art, unlike the more flowery Tudor art, was considerably more sober and prosaic. In addition, the New York limners lacked the flat portrayals of characters of the New England limners and instead made use of light and shade to create more lifelike portraits.

39. The word “pieces” in paragraph 1 could best be replaced by ................

A.

fragments

B.

ideas

C.

parts

D.

works

Explain:

40. The word “them” in paragraph 1 refers to ................

A.

possessions

B.

limners

C.

subjects

D.

portraits

Explain:

41. Which of the sentences below expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 1? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

A.

Artists from the era of limners painted clusters of portraits without knowing whom they were painting.

B.

Certain groups of portraits are known to have been painted by the same limner, though the limner's name is often not known.

C.

Art historians have been able to identify characteristics in paintings indicating that the paintings were created by limners.

D.

People studying art have been able to identify clusters of artists who had.painted portraits of the same subjects.

Explain:

42. The word “itinerant” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ................

A.

wandering

B.

professional

C.

uneducated

D.

successful

Explain:

43. It is NOT mentioned in paragraph 2 that a limner might ................

A.

receive pay for a painting

B.

paint a house

C.

work as a carpenter

D.

offer his services in return for other services

Explain:

44. The word “posterity” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ................

A.

delayed gratification

B.

future generations

C.

social acceptance

D.

prominent display

Explain:

45. It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that limners ................

A.

were quite knowledgeable about the world of art

B.

were held in high esteem by the population

C.

would not possibly have had any formal training

D.

were not all formally trained artists

Explain:

46. The phrase “take on” in paragraph 3 could best be replaced by ................

A.

admit

B.

accept

C.

attack

D.

allow

Explain:

47. Look at the four numbers (1), (2), (3) and (4) which indicate where the sentence “Few limners were formally trained artists.” can be added to paragraph 3. Where would the sentence best fit?

A.

Number 3

B.

Number 4

C.

Number 1

D.

Number 2

Explain:

48. Why does the author state that “the Dutch had settled the colony of New Amsterdam in a passage about limners”?

A.

To explain why the style of the New York limners differed from that of the New England limners

B.

To provide background information about the New England limners

C.

To give a reason for the highly flowery Dutch paintings

D.

To indicate why the Tudor style of painting was possible

Explain:

49. It is stated in the passage that New Amsterdam ................

A.

was settled by the English

B.

moved from English control to Dutch control

C.

was a Dutch colony after 1664

D.

later became New York

Explain:

50. The word “prosaic” in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to ................

A.

lively

B.

realistic

C.

strict

D.

poetic

Explain:

51. Choose TWO phrases that describe only the New York limners

A.

Had flat characters and lots of ornamentation

B.

Did not sign portraits

C.

Used a Tudor style of painting

D.

Earned a living by traveling from town to town

E.

Painted for Queen Elizabeth I

F.

Had more lifelike characters and less ornamentation

G.

Had flat characters with little ornamentation

H.

Were influenced by the Dutch style of painting

Explain:

52. Choose TWO phrases that describe only the New England limners

A.

Had flat characters and lots of ornamentation

B.

Were influenced by the Dutch style of painting

C.

Had flat characters with little ornamentation

D.

Had more lifelike characters and less ornamentation

E.

Earned a living by traveling from town to town

F.

Painted for Queen Elizabeth I

G.

Used a Tudor style of painting

H.

Did not sign portraits

Explain:

53. Choose TWO phrases that describe both the New York and New England limners

A.

Had more lifelike characters and less ornamentation

B.

Had flat characters and lots of ornamentation

C.

Painted for Queen Elizabeth I

D.

Earned a living by traveling from town to town

E.

Used a Tudor style of painting

F.

Had flat characters with little ornamentation

G.

Did not sign portraits

H.

Were influenced by the Dutch style of painting

Explain:

CANADIAN ENGLISH

Canadian English is a regional variety of North American English that spans almost the entire continent. Canadian English became a separate variety of North American English after the American Revolution, when thousands of Loyalists, people who had supported the British, left the United States and fled north to Canada. Many Loyalists settled in southern Ontario in the 1780s, and their speech became the basis for what is called General Canadian, a definition based on the norms of urban middle-class speech.

Modern Canadian English is usually defined by the ways in which it resembles and differs from American or British English. Canadian English has a great deal in common with the English spoken in the United States, yet many Americans identify a Canadian accent as British. Many American visitors to Canada think the Canadian vocabulary sounds British—for example, they notice the British “tap” and “braces” instead of the American “faucet” and “suspenders.” On the other hand, many British people identify a Canadian accent as American, and British visitors think the Canadians have become Americanized, saying “gas” and “truck” for “petrol” and “lorry.”

People who live outside North America often find it difficult to hear the differences between Canadian and American English. There are many similarities between the two varieties, yet they are far from identical. Canadian English is instantly recognizable to other Canadians, and one Canadian in a crowded room will easily spot the other Canadian among the North Americans.

There is no distinctive Canadian grammar. The differences are mainly in pronunciation, vocabulary, and idioms. Canadian pronunciation reflects the experience of a people struggling for national identity against two strong influences. About 75 percent of Canadians use the British “zed” rather than the American “zee” for the name of the last letter of the alphabet. On the other hand, 75 percent of Canadians use the American pronunciation of “schedule,” “tomato,” and “missile.” The most obvious and distinctive feature of Canadian speech is probably its vowel sound, the diphthong “ou.” In Canada, “out” is pronounced like “oat” in nearby U.S. accents. There are other identifying features of Canadian vowels; for example, “cot” is pronounced the same as “caught” and “collar” the same as “caller.”

An important characteristic of the vocabulary of Canadian English is the use of many words and phrases originating in Canada itself, such as “kerosene” and “chesterfield” (“sofa”). Several words are borrowed from North American Indian languages, for example, “kayak,” “caribou,” “parka,” and “skookum” (“strong”). The name of the country itself has an Indian origin; the Iroquois word “kanata” originally meant “village.” A number of terms for ice hockey—“face-off,” “blue-line,” and “puck”—have become part of World Standard English.

Some features of Canadian English seem to be unique and are often deliberately identified with Canadian speakers in such contexts as dramatic and literary characterizations. Among the original Canadian idioms, perhaps the most famous is the almost universal use of “eh?” as a tag question, as in “That’s a good movie, eh?” “Eh” is also used as a filler during a narrative, as in “I’m walking home from work, eh, and I’m thinking about dinner.

I finally get home, eh, and the refrigerator is empty.”

The traditional view holds that there are no dialects in Canadian English and that Canadians cannot tell where other Canadians are from just by listening to them. The linguists of today disagree with this view. While there is a greater degree of homogeneity in Canadian English compared with American English, several dialect areas do exist across Canada. Linguists have identified distinct dialects for the Maritime Provinces, Newfoundland, the Ottawa Valley, southern Ontario, the Prairie Provinces, the Arctic North, and the West.

diphthong: a speech sound that begins with one vowel and changes to another vowel

54. According to the passage, how did Canadian English become a distinct variety of North American English?

A.

Growth of the middle class led to a standard school curriculum.

B.

Canadians declared their language to be different from U.S. English.

C.

Linguists noticed that Canadians spoke a unique dialect.

D.

A large group of Loyalists settled in one region at the same time.

Explain:

55. The word “norms” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ................

A.

words

B.

ideas

C.

patterns

D.

history

Explain:

56. The phrase “a great deal in common with” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to

A.

easier pronunciation than

B.

different words for

C.

the same problems as

D.

many similarities to

Explain:

57. In paragraph 2, what point does the author make about Canadian English?

A.

American and British visitors define Canadian English by their own norms.

B.

Canadians speak English with an accent that Americans cannot understand.

C.

Canadian English has many words that are not in other varieties of English.

D.

Canadian English is more similar to American than to British English.

Explain:

58. The phrase the two varieties in paragraph 3 refers to ................

A.

People who live outside North American

B.

General Canadian and North American

C.

British English and Canadian English

D.

Canadian English and American English

Explain:

59. The word “spot” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ................

A.

find

B.

prefer

C.

describe

D.

ignore

Explain:

60. Which sentence below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 4? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

A.

Canada is the only nation where people can deliberately choose which pronunciation they prefer.

B.

Canadians have tried to distinguish themselves as a nation, and this effort is shown in their pronunciation.

C.

Canadian English has been strongly influenced by both British and American English.

D.

Many newcomers to Canada must work hard to master the national style of pronouncing English.

Explain:

61. All of the following words originated in North American Indian languages EXCEPT ................

A.

kerosene

B.

parka

C.

Canada

D.

kayak

Explain:

62. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 5 about vocabulary?

A.

Much of the vocabulary for ice hockey originated in Canada.

B.

Vocabulary is the most distinctive feature of Canadian English.

C.

Canadians use more North American Indian words than Americans do.

D.

World Standard English has a very large vocabulary.

Explain:

63. The author discusses the expression “eh” in paragraph 6 as an example of ................

A.

an expression that few people outside Canada have heard

B.

a word that cannot be translated into other languages

C.

a style of Canadian drama and literature

D.

an idiom that uniquely characterizes Canadian speech

Explain:

64. The word “homogeneity” in paragraph 7 is closest in meaning to

A.

accent

B.

change

C.

sameness

D.

creativity

Explain:

65. Look at the four numbers (1), (2), (3) and (4) which indicate where the sentence “Thus, “out” rhymes with “boat,” so the phrase “out and about in a boat” sounds like “oat and aboat in a boat” to American ears.” could be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

A.

Number 2

B.

Number 1

C.

Number 3

D.

Number 4

Explain:

66. An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is: “Canadian English is a variety of North American English that contains several distinguishing features.” Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage.

A.

Several unique varieties of English have evolved in North America.

B.

Canadians pronounce most words the same way as Americans do.

C.

Canadian English contains elements of both British and American English.

D.

Most Canadians cannot identify where other Canadians are from.

E.

Canadian English asserts its distinctiveness through pronunciation.

F.

Words and idioms originating in Canada also help to define Canadian English.

Explain:

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