Writing Practice Test 4
Writing Practice Test 4
Writing
Practice Test 4
1 1
A second-generation Japanese American, 1
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Wataru Misaka ______ in World War II Which choice completes the text so that it
(1941-45) and won two amateur national conforms to the conventions of Standard
basketball championships at the University of English?
Utah when he joined the New York Knicks for
the 1947-48 season, becoming the first non- A) already served
white basketball player in the US’s top B) was already serving
professional league.
C) already serves
D) had already served
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Chicago, I expected to be impressed by its Which choice completes the text so that it
famous large paintings. For instance, I couldn’t conforms to the conventions of Standard
wait to view ______ 10-foot-wide A Sunday English?
Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte in
its full size. A) painter, Georges Seurat’s,
B) painter, Georges Seurat’s
C) painter Georges Seurat’s,
D) painter Georges Seurat’s
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______ architectural features, furnishings, and Which choice completes the text so that it
decorations are just as true to the periods they conforms to the conventions of Standard
represent. One of my favorite rooms in the English?
whole exhibit, in fact, is an 1885 summer
kitchen. A) furnished by their
B) furnished, but their
C) furnished: their
D) furnished, whereas
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energy and convert it to unwanted heat, raising Which choice completes the text so that it
the surrounding air ______ a lightcolored conforms to the conventions of Standard
covering to an existing dark roof, either by English?
attaching prefabricated reflective sheets or
spraying on a paint-like coating, helps combat A) temperature; by adding
this effect. B) temperature, adding
C) temperature. Adding
D) temperature by adding
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increasing the otter population will not Which choice completes the text so that it
automatically solve the problem of higher levels conforms to the conventions of Standard
of carbon dioxide in the air. But they suggest English?
that the presence of otters provides a good
model of how carbon can be sequestered, A) or removed; from
______ the atmosphere through the B) or removed from,
management of animal populations.
C) or, removed from,
D) or removed, from
A) at which
B) from which
C) so that
D) whereby
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Repair Café takes place in Amsterdam, the Which choice completes the text so that it
Netherlands. Participants bring all manner of conforms to the conventions of Standard
damaged articles—clothing, appliances, English?
furniture, and more—to be repaired by a staff
of volunteer specialists including tailors, A) they await
electricians, and carpenters. While ______ for B) awaiting
service, patrons can enjoy coffee and snacks
C) they waited
and mingle with their neighbors in need.
D) waiting
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Northwestern University in Chicago showed Which choice completes the text so that it
that inadequate natural light could result in conforms to the conventions of Standard
eye strain, headaches, and fatigue, as well as English?
interference with the body’s circadian
rhythms. Circadian rhythms, which are A) bodies biological clocks,
controlled by the ______ influence body B) bodies’ biological clocks’,
temperature, hormone release, cycles of sleep
C) body’s biological clocks,
and wakefulness, and other bodily functions.
D) body’s biological clock’s,
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pipes placed in workplace roofs to capture Which choice completes the text so that it
and funnel sunlight down into a building’s conforms to the conventions of Standard
interior. Glass walls and dividers can also be English?
used to replace solid walls as a means of
distributing natural light more freely A) these are
B) they are
C) which are
D) those being
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the first restaurant chain in the United States, Which choice completes the text so that it
______ high standards of service and quality. conforms to the conventions of Standard
The menu was modeled after those of fine English?
restaurants, so the food was leagues beyond
the abysmal fare travelers were accustomed to A) was unique for its
receiving in transit. B) were unique for their
C) was unique for their
D) were unique for its
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travelers through the mid-twentieth century, Which choice completes the text so that it
working there was a steady and lucrative conforms to the conventions of Standard
position for women. Living independently and English?
demonstrating an intense work ______ the
Harvey Girls became known as a A) ethic;
transformative force in the American West, B) ethic:
inspiring books, documentaries, and even a
C) ethic, and
musical.
D) ethic,
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MCP as others do, and some even respond Which choice completes the text so that it
adversely. Furthermore, some fruits, conforms to the conventions of Standard
particularly those that naturally produce a English?
large amount of ethylene, do not respond as
well to 1-MCP treatment. Take Bartlett A) pears, for instance,
______ unless they are treated with exactly B) pears, for instance:
the right amount of 1-MCP at exactly the
C) pears for instance,
right time, they will remain hard and green
until they rot, and consumers who experience D) pears. For instance,
this will be unlikely to purchase them again.
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emigrated from Haiti in 1981, has won acclaim Which choice completes the text so that it
for her powerful short stories, novels, and conforms to the conventions of Standard
______ her lyrical yet unflinching depictions of English?
her native country’s turbulent history, writer
Robert Antoni has compared Danticat to A) essays, praising
Nobel Prize–winning novelist Toni Morrison. B) essays and praising
C) essays praising
D) essays. Praising
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Petersburg, one of Russia’s greatest art Which choice completes the text so that it
museums, has long had a productive conforms to the conventions of Standard
partnership with a much loved animal: the cat. English?
For centuries, cats have guarded this famous
museum, ridding it of mice, rats, and other A) scared
rodents that could damage the art, not to B) scaring
mention ______ off visitors.
C) scare
D) have scared
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David Alfaro Siqueiros was commissioned to Which choice completes the text with the
paint a mural on the second-story exterior most logical transition?
wall of a historic building in downtown Los
Angeles. Siqueiros was asked to celebrate A) Also,
tropical America in his work, which he B) However,
accordingly titled “América Tropical.” He C) Although,
painted the mural’s first two sections,
featuring images of a tropical rainforest and a D) Moreover,
Maya pyramid, during the day. ______ to
avoid scrutiny, Siqueiros painted the final
section of the mural, the centerpiece, at night.
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maintain that organic produce is healthier Which choice completes the text with the
than conventionally grown produce because most logical transition?
it has more vitamins and minerals, this
assertion is not supported by scientific A) For instance,
research. ______ one review published in The B) However,
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
C) In addition,
provided analysis of the results of
comparative studies conducted over a span of D) Likewise,
50 years; researchers consistently found no
evidence that organic crops are more
nutritious than conventionally grown ones in
terms of their vitamin and mineral content.
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practices her art, everybody listens. Wearing a Which choice completes the text with the
brightly colored African dress, a large turban, most logical transition?
and bracelets, the seventy-eight-year-old
Smith seems to inhabit each of the different A) Indeed,
characters she describes. Her voice changes B) Well,
with each emotion she wants to evoke. Her
gestures fit the pace of the narrative. And C) However,
though many of the stories are intended to D) At once,
make the audience laugh, Smith is fully aware
of the other values of storytelling. ______ she
identifies strongly with the griots of West
Africa—those village storytellers where they
use songs, poems, and narration to help
preserve and transmit culture and history.
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something to keep the score from reaching Which choice completes the text with the
triple digits in the early going. There’s a rule, most logical transition?
______ that says the runner must stop when
any fielder from the other team picks up the A) therefore,
ball and holds it aloft. The rule might seem a B) instead,
good one, but the children can’t remember to
C) likewise,
hold up the ball.
D) meanwhile,
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wore a pair of blue jeans to school, he was Which choice completes the text with the
sent home for violating the dress code. Kevin most logical transition?
and his parents believed that his
constitutional rights had been violated. The A) therefore,
United States District Court of New B) accordingly,
Hampshire agreed to hear Kevin’s case. The
C) moreover,
court determined that the school board had
failed to show that wearing jeans actually D) however,
inhibited the educational process. Certainly
the school board would be justified in
prohibiting students from wearing clothing
that was unsanitary, revealing, or obscene.
The court remained unconvinced, ______
that wearing jeans would actually impair the
learning process of Kevin or of his fellow
classmates.
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on Earth, scientists speculate that life may Which choice completes the text with the
endure under similar conditions elsewhere, most logical transition?
perhaps in the frozen seas or the exploding
volcanoes of Jupiter’s moons, or beneath the A) Nevertheless,
barren landscape of Mars. ______ findings B) On the other hand,
suggest that life—at least on the microbial
C) However,
level—may flourish throughout the universe
in places we have yet to look. D) Indeed,
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anonymous donor left intricately crafted paper Which choice completes the text with the
sculptures at various cultural institutions in most logical transition?
Edinburgh, Scotland. The first sculpture
discovered—at the Scottish Poetry Library— A) Therefore,
was a tiny tree formed from a book of verse. At B) Eventually,
the Scottish Storytelling Centre, a dragon
crafted from the pages of a mystery novel was C) Of course,
found nesting in a window. At the National D) However,
Museum of Scotland, a paper tail was spotted
emerging from the spine of Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle’s book The Lost World. Inside, a
dinosaur charges through shredded pages of
the open book. More creations appeared at
several libraries and museums devoted to
books and writing. ______ a total of ten
sculptures were bestowed on special
institutions, whose staff are thrilled by their
luck.
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Railroad in the 1870s, McCoy invented a Which choice completes the text with the
device that released oil while a train was in most logical transition?
motion, substantially reducing the number of
maintenance stops and making travel more A) for example,
efficient. McCoy applied the principles of this B) subsequently,
invention to other engineering challenges.
C) regardless,
Factories in the late 1800s, ______
increasingly relied on steam engines to power D) however,
factory machines. As with trains, many of the
machines’ parts had to be oiled manually.
McCoy, recognizing the similarities between
train wheels and factory machines, designed
automated oilers for steam engines. These
innovations allowed factories to run machines
continuously, increasing factory productivity
and profits.
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States must increase, Maynard believed, Which choice completes the text with the
______ the industry is going to meet its most logical transition?
ethical obligation to provide a wide audience
credible and accurate news. A) if
B) as soon as
C) whereas
D) until
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cloud particles are too large and irregular to Which choice completes the text with the
diffract sunlight consistently. One particle most logical transition?
might deflect red waves at the same angle an
adjacent particle deflects green. Or, in denser A) for example,
clouds, each light wave is likely to collide with B) consequently,
a series of particles, deflecting at a different
C) furthermore,
angle every time. In both cases, the different
light waves cross paths, and the cloud appears D) however,
white.
In iridescent clouds, ______ deflection
angles don’t conflict. As sunlight passes
through the cloud, every particle deflects
distinct light waves at consistent angles, and
breathtaking colors emerge.
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While researching a topic, a student has While researching a topic, a student has taken
taken the following notes: the following notes:
• Organisms release cellular material into their • Some people buy organic food because they
environment by shedding substances such as believe organically grown crops are more
nutritious and safer for consumption than their
hair or skin.
conventionally grown counterparts.
• The DNA in these substances is known as • However, researchers comparing the nutritional
environmental DNA, or eDNA. content of organic foods with that of their
• Researchers collect and analyze eDNA to nonorganic counterparts found very little
detect the presence of species that are difference between the two.
difficult to observe. • Evidence also undermines the claim that organic
• Geneticist Sara Oyler-McCance’s research food is safer to eat.
team analyzed eDNA in water samples from • While researchers have found lower levels of
the Florida Everglades to detect invasive pesticide residue in organic produce than in
constrictor snake species in the area. nonorganic produce, the pesticide residue
detected in conventional produce falls within
• The study determined a 91% probability of acceptable safety limits.
detecting Burmese python eDNA in a given
• The minute amounts of residue falling within
location.
such limits have no negative impact on human
health.
The student wants to present the study to an
audience already familiar with environmental The student wants to further reinforce
DNA. Which choice most effectively uses the claim about the safety of nonorganic food.
relevant information from the notes to Which choice most effectively uses relevant
accomplish this goal? information from the notes to accomplish this
goal?
A) Sara Oyler-McCance’s researchers analyzed
eDNA in water samples from the Florida A) To be labeled organic, a product must meet
certain standards determined and monitored
Everglades for evidence of invasive
by the US Department of Agriculture.
constrictor snakes, which are difficult to
observe. B) Organic food is regulated to eliminate artificial
ingredients that include certain types of
B) An analysis of eDNA can detect the preservatives, sweeteners, colorings, and
presence of invasive species that are flavors.
difficult to observe, such as constrictor C) Consumers who are concerned about ingesting
snakes. pesticide residue in conventional produce can
C) Researchers found Burmese python eDNA, eliminate much of it by simply washing or
or environmental DNA, in water samples; peeling produce before eating it.
eDNA is the DNA in released cellular D) The Environmental Protection Agency
materials, such as shed skin cells. estimates that about one-fifth of the pesticides
used worldwide are applied to crops in the
D) Sara Oyler-McCance’s researchers analyzed
United States.
environmental DNA (eDNA)—that is,
DNA from cellular materials released by
organisms—in water samples from the
Florida Everglades.
49 50
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While researching a topic, a student has taken the While researching a topic, a student has taken
following notes: the following notes:
• In 1968, Schindler and Brunskill were • Astronomers estimate that the number of
investigating possible causes for the large
comets orbiting the Sun is in the billions.
blooms of blue-green algae that had been
affecting bodies of water in Canada. • 81P/Wild is one of many comets whose
• These algal blooms cause oxygen depletion, orbit has changed over time.
which kills fish and other wildlife in the lakes. • 81P/Wild’s orbit once lay between the orbits
• The two scientists hypothesized that phosphates of Uranus and Jupiter.
were responsible for the growth of blue-green • The comet’s orbit is now positioned
algae. between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars.
• The research, conducted at Lake 226,
demonstrated a clear correlation between The student wants to make and support a
introducing phosphates and the growth of blue- generalization about the orbits of comets.
green algae. Which choice most effectively uses
• Legislators in Canada passed laws banning relevant information from the notes to
phosphates in laundry detergents, which had accomplish these goals?
been entering the water supply.
A) Astronomers estimate that the number of
The student wants to add a second policy outcome
comets orbiting the Sun is in the billions;
of the research described. Which choice most
the comets’ orbits may change over time.
effectively uses relevant information from the
notes to accomplish this goal? B) Like Uranus, Jupiter, and Mars, billions of
comets orbit the Sun.
A) Lake 226 continued to develop blooms of blue-
green algae for eight consecutive years after the C) One example of a comet is 81P/Wild,
experiment took place. whose orbit around the Sun once lay
between Uranus’s and Jupiter’s orbits but
B) In the United States, many individual states
have also adopted legislation to eliminate, or at
is now positioned between those of
least reduce, phosphorous content in laundry Jupiter and Mars.
detergents. D) A comet’s orbit around the Sun may
C) In 1974, Schindler initiated a study of the change over time: the orbit of comet 81P/
effects of acid rain, using Lake 226 to examine Wild once lay between the orbits of
how sulfuric acid altered aquatic ecosystems. Uranus and Jupiter but is now positioned
D) Aerial photos of the lakes taken before and between those of Jupiter and Mars.
during algal blooms helped convey the effects
of phosphates in water to the public.
51 52
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While researching a topic, a student has taken the While researching a topic, a student has taken
following notes: the following notes:
• When Harry Gordon Selfridge, a junior partner • Flavorists are professional chemists who
at the flourishing Chicago department store specialize in the art of mixing chemicals to
Marshall Field’s, traveled to London in 1906, he create food flavoring.
noted a significant gap in the city’s retail market:
• They are tasked with giving a tantalizing taste to
There were no department stores.
everything from soup to juice to chewing gum,
• Selfridge moved to England shortly thereafter, often to imitate a flavor found in nature at a
opened a store that would modernize British fraction of the cost of using the actual
shopping, and promised the pleasures of ingredient.
shopping as well as those of sightseeing.
• Most flavorists earn a bachelor’s degree in
• He invited famed French aviator Louis Blériot to chemistry or a related field.
the store’s grand opening, convinced Blériot to
• There are fewer than 500 flavorists in the world,
loan the plane to him, and had it transported to
all of them committed to keeping their recipes
London; the plane was displayed in the center of
secret.
the store for four days, drawing crowds of over
150,000 people. • Though flavorists spend most of their days in
lab coats, they are nonetheless artists, using
• In addition to holding widely publicized events,
creativity and expertise to turn a myriad of
Selfridge created a sense of theatricality through
lavish window displays. He used windows to tell ingredients into a unified and distinct product.
stories that included elaborate backdrops and The student wants to indicates the broader
props as well as merchandise. implications of flavorists' work. Which choice
• Selfridge once remarked that his department most effectively uses relevant information from
store was the third-biggest attraction in London. the notes to accomplish this goal?
The student wants a conclusion that reflects the A) The modern food industry, with its seemingly
details emphasized in the notes. Which choice infinite variety of tastes and aromas, stands
most effectively uses relevant information from upon this meeting of chemistry and human
the notes to accomplish this goal? perception.
A) Selfridge had made a wise decision in leaving B) Many flavorists report high job satisfaction,
Marshall Field’s. though the industry can be quite competitive
because of the small number of jobs.
B) Selfridge transformed the culture of shopping
in England from a dull necessity into a C) Aspiring flavorists can look forward to more
recreational activity undertaken for pleasure job opportunities: the US Bureau of Labor
and escape. Statistics predicts an 11 percent growth in food
science employment between 2012 and 2022.
C) Selfridge's store ultimately changed the culture
of shopping in England, as did an abundance D) Though rewarding, flavoring is not an easy job,
of newly wealthy consumers, beneficiaries of as demonstrated by the large amount of
England’s ongoing Industrial Revolution. training it requires.