I often wonder how animals survive in what most humans can easily avoid: the environment.  Take the record-braking heat waves...

I often wonder how animals survive in what most humans can easily avoid: the environment.  Take the record-braking heat waves that have plagued us this week: just a few minutes in the consistent, one hundred and five degree temperature leaves me sweaty and famished.  I can only imagine what a fur-covered Siberian Husky feels like.  The truth is that animals have little choice; they are forced by nature to adapt to its elements.  So a question emerges: What are some environmental stimuli that force an organism to adapt to its surroundings? While many factors may surface, three stand out: temperature, destruction of habitat, and amount of rainfall.

Temperature serves as one stimulus.  Temperature causes animals to migrate.  One example of this is the Striped Bass that migrate from Maine to Outer Banks of Carolina.  The thickening of fur coats in animals also illustrates the impact of temperature on an animal’s adaptation.  Temperature can also reduce animals to a state of torpor, or a state of suspended physical powers and activities.  If organisms cannot adapt to the temperature, they could very easily die.  Furthermore, if they don’t migrate, the food source will be diminished.

_____________________________ The destruction of an organism’s habitat can cause them to relocate. As a result, animals also change their food gathering techniques.  For example, coyotes are now raiding trash cans because their land has decreased.  Animals are also becoming less afraid of humans and are therefore losing their survival techniques.  This is becoming more and more of a problem as evidenced by the bears that are attacking people in state parks.  If their habitats are destroyed, it causes problems for humans because they must allow for the displacement of other organisms.  Just as rainfall serves as one factor, rainfall accounts for another.

The amount of rainfall in a given area accounts for still another stimulus.  For instance, when waterholes dry up animals must therefore locate other sources of water.  Even in plant life, leaves will curl up to retain moisture so that it does not evaporate.  Fish will dig into the mud and lapse into a state of torpor.  If we do not have enough rainfall, then changes in organisms will trickle down to humans, a trickle-down effect from the most simple of organisms to the most complex.

So even though humans do not have to brave the cold, heat, or wetness of world in the same way that animals do, we are still affected by the changes in an organism’s behavior.  We should also know that their behavior is a direct result of the environment.  Therefore, factors such as temperature, destruction of habitat, and amount of rainfall greatly impact their interactions with other animals and humans alike.  From Siberian Huskies to Striped Bass, everything must adapt in its own way.  People, though somewhat unaffected by changes in the environment, should still be aware of the relationship.

The thesis sentence in this essay is

A While many factors may surface, three stand out: temperature, destruction of habitat, and amount of rainfall.

B The amount of rainfall in a given area accounts for still another stimulus.

C For instance, when waterholes dry up animals must therefore locate other sources of water..

D People, though somewhat unaffected by changes in the environment, should still be aware of the relationship.

Based on the thesis sentence and on the other sentences in the paragraph, which sentence best fits the blank lines in body paragraph two?

A This is becoming more and more of a problem as evidenced by the bears that are attacking people in state parks.

B Destruction of habitat serves as another stimulus.

C From Siberian Huskies to Striped Bass, everything must adapt in its own way.  

D Even in plant life, leaves will curl up to retain moisture so that it does not evaporate.

Temperature serves as one stimulus.

This sentence serves as the

A topic sentenceC transition sentence

B supporting detailD conclusion sentence

Just as rainfall serves as one factor, rainfall accounts for another.

This sentence serves as a

A topic sentenceC transition sentence

B supporting detailD conclusion sentence

Even in plant life, leaves will curl up to retain moisture so that it does not evaporate.  

This sentence in the essay is an example of

A topic sentenceC transition sentence

B supporting detailD conclusion sentence

A transition word that is used in the conclusion paragraph above is

A notC therefore

B ofD however

Which of the following should you do in the conclusion paragraph?

A provide accurate details and supporting facts

B restate your main idea in different words

C provide a “hook” to gain the reader’s attention

D transition to the next idea

What is the best resource for finding antonyms?

           A a thesaurus

           B a dictionary

           C an encyclopedia

           D an atlas

The large dog looks like it eats too much. Which of the following synonyms for the word large has the most negative connotation? 

A big-boned

B fat

C looming

D full-size

Which of the following words would be considered an example of informal language?

A woman

B individual

C bud

D person

Which word in the following sentence is informal? People don’t take time to even smile at each other these days. 

A people

B don’t

C take

D smile

A “Work Cited” page is another name for a

A introduction

B body paragraph

C title page

D bibliography

Use the following five-paragraph essay to answer the questions that follow.

In recent years many people have become increasingly aware of the need for physical fitness.  Almost everywhere people turn, whether it is to a newsstand, television or billboard, advice for guarding and improving health bombards them.  Although much of this advice is commercially motivated by those eager to sell vitamins or natural foods, some of it merits serious attention. Such a program, if it consists of at least thirty minutes three times a week and if a person's physician approves it, provides numerous benefits.  Regular exercise releases tension, improves appearance, and increases stamina.

The first of these benefits, the release of tension, is immediate. Tension builds in the body because of an overaccumulation of adrenaline produced by stress, anxiety, or fear. Doctors agree that participating in an active sport such as tennis or volleyball for thirty minutes releases tension. If a person swims, jogs or rides a bicycle for half that time, he or she should sleep better at night and have a better temperament the next day. In addition, after the release of tension, petty irritations should be less troubling. For example, an employee upset by the day's work and by traffic congestion may rush home, argue with the family, and eat excessively. Taking about thirty minutes to release frustrations through physical exercise could help him or her to avoid this behavior. As well as calming tension, exercise can help a person’s looks.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________.  Exercise takes perhaps a month or longer to show its results in a trimmer, firmer figure. Improvement, however, will come. A person who is ten pounds overweight, for instance, may be able to burn away most excess fat and to tighten muscles, thereby reshaping the physique. Having improved muscle tone and even posture, he or she will wear clothes more attractively and comfortably. Combined with a sensible diet, an exercise program will also improve a person's skin tone. This improved appearance will provide confidence and favorably impress others.  Not only will your body look better, it will perform better as you increase your stamina.

  A stronger, healthier body is obviously more capable of working harder and, in fact, can resist fatigue better than a tense, weak body. A worker who exercises should be able to complete a forty-hour week and still retain enough energy for mowing the grass, painting the garage, or cleaning windows.  Similarly, the student who goes to school, keeps house and perhaps works part time should accomplish tasks efficiently. Equally important, this stamina helps to ward off illnesses such as colds and influenza. Altogether, improved endurance is one of the most important benefits of a regular exercise program.

Although easy solutions to the goals of losing weight and achieving an attractive, energetic body saturate the media, actually achieving these benefits is not easy. The rewards, however, are fully worth the effort of an established exercise program that makes a person feel relaxed, look healthy, and have adequate strength for strenuous as well as routine activities.

http://faculty.southwest.tn.edu/jfriedlander/sample_5-paragraph_theme.htm

(revised, 2014, Mosley)

1. The thesis sentence in this essay is

A In recent years many people have become increasingly aware of the need for physical fitness.

B Regular exercise releases tension, improves appearance, and increases stamina.

C The first of these benefits, the release of tension, is immediate.

D In addition to calming tension, exercise can help a person’s looks.

2. Based on the thesis sentence and on the other sentences in the paragraph, which sentence best fits the blank lines in body paragraph two?

A Therefore, regular exercise will help you to fight off illnesses.

B A third benefit of exercise is improving your endurance.

C An additional benefit gained through regular exercise is a better physical appearance.

D In conclusion, all of these benefits make exercise a must for everyone.

1. The first of these benefits, the release of tension, is immediate.

This sentence serves as the

A topic sentenceC transition sentence

B supporting detailD conclusion sentence

1. Not only will your body look better, it will perform better as you increase your stamina.

This sentence serves as a

A topic sentenceC transition sentence

B supporting detailD conclusion sentence

1. Equally important, this stamina helps to ward off illnesses such as colds and influenza.

This sentence in the essay is an example of

A topic sentenceC transition sentence

B supporting detailD conclusion sentence

      6. A transition word that is used in the conclusion paragraph above is

A notC therefore

B ofD however

     7. Which of the following should you do in the conclusion paragraph?

A provide accurate details and supporting facts

B restate your main idea in different words

C provide a “hook” to gain the reader’s attention

D transition to the next idea 

Nothing To Do Stew

One long, long dull day

I had nothing to do,

So I filled up a pot

With a strange sort of stew.

It had dreamy ideas

And a lot of big words,

And bright mixed-up colors

And silvery birds.

A piece of a moonbeam

  Got thrown in the mix,

A chopped-up, old beanstalk,

A house made of sticks.

The yap of a puppy,

A strand of gold hair,

The hush of the night owl,

A thump on the stair

Got tossed in together

And cooked all day long,

While I stirred in some spices

—It smelled a bit strong.

But I ate it with pleasure,

That odd, crazy stew,

Made out of a dull day

With nothing to do.

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8. Which line from the poem indicates the meal is not real?

A So I filled up a pot

B And a lot of big words,

C And cooked all day long,

D While I stirred in some spices

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9. The stew in this poem is a symbol of

A endless possibilities.

B a hearty portion.

C future happenings.

D an honest approach.

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10. The poet’s purpose for writing this poem was most likely to

A teach a lesson about different chefs.

B inform readers how to cook a stew.

C share an experience about making a special meal.

D entertain with a tale of vivid imagination.

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11. In Stanza 4, the author uses onomatopoeia with the words “yap,” “hush,” and “thump” mostly likely to

A add a rhyme scheme to the poem.

B emphasize the important idea in the poem.

C support the playful nature of the poem.

D contribute to the details in the illustration.

12. This poem’s short verses and simple rhyme scheme

            A let us know the mood will be serious

            B help to set a formal tone

            C contribute to a childlike, playful feeling

            D contain vivid and detailed descriptions of sight and taste imagery

13. Most of the poem’s stanzas

            A begin with verbs to show action

            B are a series of lists of ingredients

            C contain figurative language such as personification, similes, and metaphors

            D are written in free verse

14. Which of the following words contribute to the lighthearted, imaginative mood of the poem?

            A dull, nothing, do

            B strange, dreamy, moonbeam

            C tossed, cooked, stirred

            D ideas, words, made

15. Based on what the author describes as being in the stew, which of the following would likely NOT belong in this particular stew?

            A the fluff of a cloud

            B a bright, crunchy carrot

            C a zebra’s stripe

            D the purr of a kitten

16. Which of these words or phrases does NOT have the same denotation as the word dull as used in this poem?

            A boring

            B uneventful

            C not sharp

            D not exciting

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Overgrown Garden

The overgrown garden

At the empty,

Old house, shivers

In the wild autumn wind

5                             As I pass. Today

I will try to find

My way inside

Through the locked

Gate.

10                              The garden

Is like a boy I know,

Untamed, with hair a mussy mess.

His eyes sometimes

Empty and dark,

15                          Locking out those

Who want to know him.

Through the gate,

The garden looks

Anything but inviting.

20                  Inside, tall, tangled weeds

Grab and snag at my ankles,

Like tiny octopus tentacles.

Tree branches block

The walkway.

25                    Even flowers,

Brown and crisp as toast,

Turn their faces away,

As if trained not to care.

The boy shrugs his shoulders

30                     When I ask if I can eat

At his table. He clutches

His lunch,

Props a book,

Like a fence, in front

35                          Of his face, as if

He’s trained himself

Not to care.

But I do.

In the garden, I bring out

40                  My clippers, snipping away

At dry branches, snarled

Weeds, trimming tiny

Stems of flowers

To invite the rays of sunlight.

45                                 At lunch,

I offer the boy a coconut

Macaroon cookie.

“My favorite!”

He exclaims, and I watch

50                           As his wild eyes

Find my face

And smile.

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17. In this poem, the vacant lot is a metaphor for

A happiness

B success

C neglect

D hungerTNR11046

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18. What does the speaker do that causes the boy to respond?

A smiles at him

B trims the garden

C asks to eat at his table

D offers him a cookie

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19. What does the locked garden gate symbolize?

A how hard it is to find the garden

B how difficult it is to know the boy

C how the garden is treasured by all

D how the speaker likes to hide things in the garden

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20.  The poet most likely repeats the phrase “trained . . . not to care” to

A provide a better rhyme scheme

B further connect the boy to the garden.

C suggest that the garden needs attention.

D prove that flowers don’t care about people.

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Questions 21 – 27: Read the following text carefully before choosing the best answer for each question.

An excerpt from The Belle of Amherst

William Luce

The Belle of Amherst is a one-character play about Emily Dickinson. In this opening monologue of the play, Emily sets the stage for the evening’s entertainment. She gives glimpses of her past and 5 reveals her independent nature.

Emily:(She enters, carrying a teapot. She calls back over her shoulder.) Yes, Vinnie, I have the tea, dear! (She places the tea on the tea cart, then looks up wide-eyed at the AUDIENCE. Slowly she picks up a plate with slices of dark cake on it, walks shyly downstage, and extends it to the AUDIENCE.)

This is my introduction. Black cake. My own special recipe.

Forgive me if I’m frightened. I never see strangers and hardly know what I say. My sister, Lavinia—she’s younger than I—she says I tend to wander back and forth in time. So you must bear with me. I was born December tenth, eighteen thirty, which makes me—fifty-three?

Welcome to Amherst. My name is Emily Elizabeth Dickinson. Elizabeth is for my Aunt Elizabeth Currier. She’s father’s sister. Oh, how the trees stand up straight they hear Aunt Libbie’s little boots come thumping into Amherst! She’s the only male relative on the female side.

Dear Aunt Libbie.

But I don’t use my middle name anymore— since I became a poet.

Professor Higginson, the literary critic, doesn’t think my poems are—no matter. I’ve had seven poems published—anonymously, to be sure. So you see why I prefer to introduce myself to you as a poet.

Here in Amherst, I’m known as Squire Edward Dickinson’s half-cracked daughter. Well, I am! The neighbors can’t figure me out. I don’t cross my father’s ground to any house or town. I haven’t left the house for years.

The soul selects her own society— then—shuts the door.

Why should I socialize with village gossips? (EMILY turns to the window, still holding the cake.)

There goes one of them now—Henrietta Sweetser—everyone knows Henny. She’d even intimidate the anti-Christ. Look at her! She’s strolling by the house, trying to catch a glimpse of me. Would you like that?

So I give them something to talk about. I dress in white all year around, even in winter. “Bridal white,” Henny calls it.

(She mimics back-fence gossips)

“Dear, dear! Dresses in bridal white, she does, every day of the blessed year. Year in, year out. Disappointed in love as a girl, so I hear. Poor creature. All so very sad. And her sister Lavinia, a spinster too. Didn’t you know? Oh, yes. Stayed unmarried just to be at home and take care of Miss Emily. Two old maids in that big house. What a lonely life, to shut yourself away from good people like us.”

Indeed! You should see them come to the door, bearing gifts, craning their necks, trying to see over Vinnie’s shoulder. But I’m too fast for them. I’ve already run upstairs two steps at a time. And I hide there until they leave. You can imagine what they make of that! One old lady came to the door the other day to get a peek inside. I surprised her by answering the door myself. She stammered something about looking for a house to buy.

(Mischievously)

To spare the expense of moving, I directed her to the cemetery.

21. Emily describes herself through

A allusion

B metaphor

C euphemism

D direct characterization

E logical appeals

22. In her description of her aunt (lines 24 – 28), Emily uses all of the following devices EXCEPT

A simile

B paradox

C alliteration

D personification

E onomatopoeia

23. The words “the literary critic” (line 32) function as

A a gerund phrase

B an infinitive phrase

C an appositive phrase

D a participial phrase

E a prepositional phrase

24. In the poetry verse The soul selects her own society— then—shuts the door, Emily employs

A rhyme

B simile

C allusion

D alliteration

E onomatopoeia

25. Emily Dickinson is speaking primarily to

A an anonymous audience

B her younger sister

C a meddling gossip

D her elderly relative

E a literary critic

26. Emily poses the question “Would you like that?” to

A persuade the audience to agree with her

B counter Henrietta Sweetser’s criticism

C show her fear of Henrietta Sweetser

D explain why she always wears white

E illustrate how optimistic she is

27. Emily says she wears white to

A give her neighbors “something to talk about”

B show she is “Disappointed in love”

C symbolize that she is “very sad”

D show that she is one of “Two old maids”

E exit the room by running “upstairs two steps at a time”

28. Thomas has written a report about modern industry in China. Choose the image that would be most appropriate for his presentation.

A  C  

B  D  

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Questions 29-32: Read the following text carefully before choosing the best answer for each question.

Daredevils

One type of daredevil is the smoke jumper. Smoke jumpers are really daring young men and women who wear fire-retardant suits. Then they leap out of low-flying airplanes and parachute down to fight forest fires.

Most people who become smoke jumpers do not plan to make jumping a lifelong career because it is extremely dangerous and difficult work that takes unusual courage and skill. Every year, smoke jumpers train for a full month. This happens just before the summer lightning storms begin and when campers start camping in the forest. The training is a beginning course for some and a refresher course for others. Those who have already had some basic experience work hard practicing and refining the more difficult techniques they will be using.

As trainees, they learn how to jump out of an airplane without getting caught on the plane's tail. They learn how to get out of high trees when the parachute catches on limbs one hundred feet above the ground. They learn how to fight fire for days at a time. And they learn how to avoid "widow-makers," the flaming cones that fall out of the smoke.

Smoke jumpers are used as an initial strike force much like the Marines. There is much yelling during training. Like the Marines, smoke jumpers are proud of their accomplishments and the traditions they make. They are proud of their physical fitness. In short, since they recognize their importance to communities where fires occur, they like to be known as smoke jumpers. During the training they are required to do forty-five sit-ups, twenty-five push-ups, seven chin-ups, and run 1.5 miles in a maximum of eleven minutes. Then, they have two minutes to quickly maneuver a difficult obstacle course. This consists of a trampoline, an overhead ladder, a wall climb, a sloped ramp, a run through a series of tires, a strenuous rope climb over a gorge, and a seventy-five yard dash.

29. In this passage, the word strenuous means

30. Look at the word daring in the first paragraph.  Which of these words has the most positive connotation?

            A daring            B reckless            C uncontrolled            D wild

31. How are smoke jumpers similar to Marines?

            A They are used as an initial strike force.

            B They are proud of being fit.

            C They are very vocal during training.

            D All of the above.

32. Which is the best simile or metaphor to illustrate a fire’s quick destruction?

            A His eyes burned into mine like a fire.

            B His mother lit a fire under him to get his grades up.

            C The fire was a hungry beast devouring the trees.

            D The fire was an ocean of red, orange, and yellow.

Choose the correct answer for these questions.

33. Which of the following detail should NOT be included in a report about our body's skin?

           A Skin protects the body from cold and hot

           B Skin allows us to feel things

           C Skin protects us from germs

           D My skin is very soft

34. If a reader did not know the meaning of the word gregarious, he or she could look up the word's meaning in

           A a thesaurus

           B a dictionary

           C an encyclopedia

           D an atlas

35. What is the best resource for finding synonyms?

           A a thesaurus

           B a dictionary

           C an encyclopedia

           D an atlas

Choose the word that means the same as the underlined word in each sentence.

36. They used a truck to haul their furniture across the state.

       A packB carryC sellD store

37. After walking in the rain, the boys put their soggy shoes by the back door. 

A oldB tornC fancyD wet

38. After many years of neglect, the house had greatly deteriorated and needed to be torn down.

A changed

B got progressively worse

C fell down

D got more expensive

39. That thin cat looks like it doesn't get enough to eat. Which of the following synonyms for the word thin has the most negative connotation? 

A leanB skinnyC trimD scrawny

40. My dad started carving the turkey. Which of the following synonyms for the word carving has the most negative connotation? 

A cuttingB slicingC hackingD chopping

41. Which of the following words would be considered an example of informal language?

A manB personC dudeD individual

42. Which word in the following sentence is informal? The physician didn't have time to consume her evening meal. 

A physicianB didn’tC consumeD evening

43. A bibliography at the end of a report is

A information about the author of the report

B a list of books and other sources used in the report

C a list of people who helped write the report

D information about the place where they report was written

Choose the correct answer for these questions.

44. Pick the sentence which is written correctly.

A In the attic we found old, thin paper cutouts we used to play with when we were children.

B The poster depicted a brown-haired blue-eyed child wearing a red denim shirt.

C For breakfast we ate two oversized blueberry muffins.

D We bought two dozen boxes of mouth-watering peanut butter Girl Scout cookies.

45. Pick the sentence which is written correctly.

A The forecast calls for light showers some clearing and morning fog.

B The Beatles are John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

C I have to do my homework, wash the dog and babysit my little sister.

D There are three things that bother me: people who talk, at the movies, long songs for cell phone, voice mail messages, and having homework on the weekends.

46. Pick the sentence which is written correctly.

A This Thanksgiving I ate turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing.

B Superman is faster, than a speeding bullet, more powerful, than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings, in a single bound.

C I want a real sword two new Wii games and the ability to fly for my birthday.

D If you catch on fire, you should stop, drop, and roll.

47. Pick the sentence which is written correctly.

A Piled up next to the washer, I began doing the laundry.

B I began doing the laundry piled up next to the washer.

48. Pick the sentence which is written correctly.

A Standing on the balcony, we had a magnificent ocean view.

B Standing on the balcony, the ocean view was magnificent.

49. Pick the word which is spelled correctly.

Will you ________ me by keeping that rumor to yourself?

A oligeB obligeC oblieD iblegi

50. Pick the word which is spelled correctly.

Since the 1960s photography has become an increasingly dominant medium within the ________ arts.

A visaull

B visuaal

C visual

D visaul