VERBAL-

MODULE 1

1. With unconventional composition, particularly unusual style, and

ambiguous depiction of symbols, most of Jne Freilicher’s works may be difficult to and thus become the
subject of lively discussions among scholars. Which choice completes the text with the most logical and
precise word or phrase?
A) portray
B) comprehend
C) repudiate
D) accredit

2. Edgar Allan
Poe, renowned for his chilling and enigmatic literature, was not just a seminal figure in the genres of horror
and detective fiction, but also contributed inventively to the then-emerging genre of science fiction.
Intriguingly, in addition to these other accomplishments, Poe demonstrated a _ proficiency in
the field of cryptography, a rarity among his literary contemporaries; this skill was manifested in his
integration of cryptograms into "The Gold Bug."
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) rudimentary
B) superficial
C) pioneering
D) mediocre

3. According to an education
researcher, extracurricular activities are other factors when choosing a
charter school in the US. Even diverse activities provided in schools barely have any effect on many parents’
decision, while differences in school staff members, classroom diversity, safety, and amount of funding are
the main influences.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) unrelated to
B) independent of
C) compatible with
D) overshadowed by

4. For the construction of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, France

joined forces with the United Arab Emirates to build a universal museum that critics considered truly: they
praised it for its creative display of artistic works, using state-of-the-art technology that can offer visitors
interactive displays, digital labels, and immersive audiovisual installations.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) profound
B) innovative
C) inconceivable
D) discreet
5. Some
scholars have proposed that the ancient Maya civilization was primarily a highly society, but
Raymond Criest's research suggests that the commoners in Mayan society were not forbidden to move up
the social ladder. Criest's archaeological excavations in Guatemala have uncovered new evidence of social
mobility, with individuals from non-elite backgrounds rising to positions of power and influence.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) specialized
B) civilized
C) stratified
D) fluid

6. The following text is adapted from Indian Scout Craft and Lore, a 1914 outdoor life guide by Ohiyesa
(Charles A. Eastman), a Native American writer. In the text, Ohiyesa recalls how an Indian boy develops
the strength of body and spirit living close to nature.

The desire to be a man is the strong inner motive which leads a boy out on the wilderness trail to discover the
world anew. With these impulses at their purest and strongest, the Indian boy begins his career with the
building of a sound and efficient body. The rivers and lakes present themselves as obstacles in his path, and as a
very young child he starts in to swim, as naturally, almost, as he begins to walk. As the child grows, he
becomes more expert and daring, seeking perfection.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
A) It highlights the hardships experienced by an Indian boy as he matures.
B) It demonstrates how an Indian boy learns to overcoe difficulties in the wilderness.
C) It describes the strength of river currents as perceived by a young boy.
D) It portrays the ambivalence of Indian adolescents towards nature.

7. Text 1
Chameleons are known for their exceptional ability to change their body color to blend in with their
surroundings. Conventional wisdom holds that this feature gives them a competitive advantage in hunting
for food and avoiding predators. In order to change color, chameleons manipulate specialized cells that
contain crystals capable of reflecting light in a way that helps them blend into their environment.

Text 2
A team of scientists claims to have discovered the actual function of a chameleon’s ability to change color.
Primarily, chameleons use color to communicate, such as changing to dark colors to show aggression. They also
use color to regulate their body temperature, shifting to a light color to reflect heat and maintain a desired body
temperature. Therefore, the real purpose behind their color change, scientists argue, is probably not directly
related to camouflage.
Based on the texts, how would the scientists (Text 2) most likely respond to the “conventional wisdom”
discussed in Text 1?
A) By arguing that it is based on a misconception about a chameleon's ability to change color
B) By suggesting that their discovery would provide a resource for further research on chameleons’
hunting strategies
C) By applauding it for the merit of its claim and the degree of fascination it brings to chameleons as a
study subject
D) By criticizing it for the lack of research to reach any definitive conclusion on the subject
8. In 1962, Rachel Carson raised concern about a pesticide called DDT when she published her book Silent
Spring. Pesticides were developed during World War II because they were thought to protect soldiers from
insect-borne diseases by shielding crops from insects. However, because DDT does not dissolve in water,
Carson argued that it would accumulate in the human body, eventually altering the structure of human genes
for future generations. Carson's book led to the formation of the EPA and the eventual global ban of DDT due
to its environmental accumulation and harmful effects on human genes.
According to the text, why would DDT be potentially harmful to humans?
A) Because DDT accumulates in the human body due to its solubility in water
B) Because high exposure to DDT increases the potential risk of genetic alterations
C) Because DDT is sprayed in various locations, some of which may not be known to us
D) Because increased exposure to DDT makes people more vulnerable to insect-borne diseases

9. Based on the works of physicist Satyendra Bose, in 1924 Albert Einstein speculated the existence of a
new form of matter called a Bose-Einstein condensate. However, it remained a theoretical concept until 1995
when a team of physicists, led by Carl Wieman, successfully created a Bose-Einstein condensate in a
laboratory. The process involved using lasers to cool a group of atoms to near-absolute-zero temperatures and
then trapping them in a magnetic field—a breakthrough that led to the discovery of new quantum phenomena.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
A) Scientists succeeded in creating a Bose-Einstein condensate in a lab for the first time.
B) Researchers have devised a contemporary method for creating new forms of matter.
C) A magnetic field is the most important of the components required to create a Bose-Einstein condensate in
a lab.
D) It is difficult to successfully create a Bose-Einstein condensate because of its freezing temperature.
 10. Psychologists Tara Reich and Sandy Hershcovis investigated a variety of factors that influence employee
turnover rates, the percentage of employees who leave a company over a certain period of time, in more than
120 companies. Using survey data that revealed how many workers quit their job and how satisfied they were
with their interpersonal relationships at work, Reich and Hershcovis claim that the level of employee turnover
is dependent, in part, on workers' confidence in their relationships with colleagues and supervisors. In other
words, the more content workers feel in their relationships, the more satisfied they are with their job, and thus
the more likely they are to stay at the company.
Which choice best describes data in the graph that support Reich and Hershcovis's claim?
A) Only satisfied employees who identify as ambivert had a turnover probability below 30%.
B) The closer the dissatisfied employees are to the ends of the personality type scale, the more likely they
were to quit.
C) At each point on the personality type scale, satisfied employees were less likely than dissatisfied ones
to leave their jobs.
D) Dissatisfied employees were more likely to identify as highly introverted or highly extroverted than
satisfied employees were.
 11. Agricultural biologists Briana L. Gross, Zhijun Zhao, and their colleagues conducted research on the
domestication of rice in Asia between 6500 and 1500 BCE. By analyzing the genetic makeup of two main
rice strains, japonica and indica, the team found that japonica has genes responsible for increasing grain size
and preventing it from falling off the plant before harvest, which is crucial for cultivation, while indica lacks
these genes. The team concluded that the domestication of japonica rice likely occurred earlier than that of
indica rice.
Which finding, if true, would most strongly support the team’s conclusion?
A) Analysis of the genes showed that indica rice does not have the PROG1 gene, which forms a protective
layer around the grain and helps with storage after harvest.
B) Further investigation of indica rice in Northern Vietnam revealed that it has a gene that keeps its grains
from falling off.
C) The genetic traits of japonica were more influenced by colder and drier climates than were those of indica.
D) The genetic makeup of rice was found to vary depending on the soil conditions of its habitat.

12. Researchers hypothesized that a decline in the population of hawksbill sea turtles in the Caribbean led to
the destruction of coral reefs. Hawksbill sea turtles do not primarily consume corals but do consume crown-of-
thorns starfish, which are the main predators of coral reef tissues.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support the researchers’ hypothesis?
A) The abundance of coral reefs tends to be greater in areas with both hawksbill turtles and crown-of-
thorns starfish than in areas with only hawksbill turtles.
B) Consumption of coral reefs by crown-of-thorn starfish in the region considerably increased before
the regional decline in hawksbill turtle abundance began.
C) Crown-of-thorn starfish have largely increased in regional abundance as hawksbill turtles have decreased
in regional abundance.
D) Declines in the regional abundance of hawksbill turtles’ food sources other than crown-of-thorn starfish
are associated with regional declines in hawksbill turtle abundance.

13. While attending school in London in the 1980s, Simon Schama observed a lack of representation of
Jewish artists in exhibitions despite London's reputation as a cultural hub. Consequently, according to an art
historian, when he established himself as a historian and art critic, Schama made it his mission to remedy this
deficiency, not by promoting more contemporary Jewish artists, but by integrating Jewish artworks into the
global art world and demonstrating their interconnectedness.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support the art historian's claim?
A) In his book, “The Story of the Jews: Finding the words 1000 BC - 1492 AD,” Simon Schama devoted
an entire section to the 14th-century Spanish Jewish painter, Moses ibn Ezra.
B) In the exhibition The Power of Art: Jews and Art, Schama brought works by contemporary Jewish artists
from different parts of the world together with those of non-Jewish, international artists from the same period
to highlight their shared elements and connections.
C) In his book, "The Power of Art: Jews and Art from Ancient Times to the Present," Schama discusses the
role of art in Jewish history and culture by examining prominent Jewish artists such as the painter Mark
Rothko, the sculptor Jacques Lipchitz, and the photographer Cindy Sherman.
D) Simon Schama has written several books and articles about influential Jewish artists such as Amedeo
Modigliani and Marc Chagall, not to focus on a particular trend that artists such as these were part of, but
to demonstrate the diverse artistic capacities that these different Jewish artists possessed in their time.
 14. Positive reinforcement, which refers to rewarding
desired actions in order to encourage them to be repeated, is believed to be a more effective way to shape
behavior than negative reinforcement, the removal of an unpleasant stimulus to strengthen a certain behavior.
In a study led by Claudia Dozier and her colleagues, two groups of rats were trained to press a lever in a
specially designed chamber: one group was given food when they succeeded in pressing the lever, while the
other learned to press the lever to stop getting an electric shock. The team found that the latter group of rats
showed the same level of mastery in lever pressing as the former group trained with food rewards, suggesting
that _ .
Which choice most logically completes the text?
A) researchers can assume that the effectiveness is greater when training or teaching is done with
positive reinforcement than with negative reinforcement.
B) regardless of whether in animals or humans, the effectiveness of positive reinforcement is greater
among adults than among the young.
C) negative reinforcement is likely as effective as positive reinforcement for animals but is likely less
effective for humans.
D) researchers should not assume that positive reinforcement is always the best approach in eliciting a
desired behavior.

15. Formed in 1949 as an intergovernmental military alliance, the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization was originally made up of twelve members: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States. By the 2004
Istanbul summit, the organization its initial membership.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) had nearly tripled
B) has nearly tripled
C) nearly triples
D) will nearly triple

16. The extreme conditions in the coldest environments on Earth put stress on many marine organisms,
causing proteins to misfold. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) provide a compensatory response, facilitating proper
protein are secreted from numerous tissues and cells of organisms found in the Antarctic.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) folding HSPs
B) folding, HSPs
C) folding. HSPs
D) folding and HSPs

17. For centuries, people in the Caribbean the versatility of

the calabash, a large spherical fruit with a thick rind and hard outer shell, to make utensils, carry water, and
transport fishing hauls. Although the calabash tree is native to Central America, it has since spread to Western
and Southern Africa, where its fruit is also used to make musical instruments and pan for gold.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) to utilize
B) utilizing
C) have utilized
D) having utilized
18. In
the 1940s, toy store owner Ruth Fallgatter and her advertising consultant Peter Hodgson saw the potential in
chemical engineer James Wright’s failed attempt at developing a rubber substitute. The substance__ a
huge hit under the name Hodgson came up with: Silly Putty.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) became
B) becomes
C) had become
D) was becoming

19. While J. R. R. Tolkien is

perhaps best known for writing high fantasy novels such as The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955), he also
dedicated himself to philology, the historical study of _ to the Oxford English
Dictionary and translating a definitive edition of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) language; contributing
B) language contributing
C) language, contributing
D) language. Contributing

20. In analyzing the works of

Japanese author Haruki Murakami, _have missed his engagement
with Japanese folk traditions such as shamanism.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) Murakami’s use of Western cultural references has been an emphasis of many readers, who
B) there are many readers who have emphasized Murakami’s use of Western cultural references, but they
C) the emphasis of many readers has been on Murakami’s use of Western cultural references; they
D) many readers have emphasized Murakami’s use of Western cultural references but

21. In 1935 Albert Einstein and his collaborators wrote two papers about what seemed to be vastly
different things. One, which he famously later described uncomfortably as “spooky action at a distance,”
is quantum
surprising connection between objects, such as atoms or subatomic particles, which may be quite
far apart.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) entanglement: a
B) entanglement. A
C) entanglement, a
D) entanglement; a

22. Mechanical engineer Richard T. James created the classic Slinky toy by
using a machine to flatten 80 meters of metal and curl the resulting into a two-inch spiral. When it debuted
in the 1940s, the Slinky was an instant hit, selling out its initial stock in under two hours.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) wires ends
B) wire’s end’s
C) wires end’s
D) wire’s ends
23. When crafting her young adult novels, American
author Danielle Paige has drawn inspiration from classic children’s literature and fairy tales. Her 2014 novel
Dorothy Must Die, for instance, is a dark reimagining of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, while her 2016 novel
is a lush fantasy based on the story of the Snow Queen.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) Stealing Snow—
B) Stealing Snow,
C) Stealing Snow:
D) Stealing Snow

24. In their musicals, Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil often juxtapose the personal narratives of
everyday people against broader historical contexts. Les Miserables, an adaptation of Victor Hugo’s epic
novel, follows an ensemble of characters seeking love and justice as they are swept up in the Paris Uprising of
1832. Miss Saigon tells the story of a doomed romance during and after the Vietnam War.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) Specifically,
B) Therefore,
C) Nevertheless,
D) Likewise,

25. Recent studies in cognitive neuroscience have elucidated the ways in which
memory consolidation is affected by sleep. a meta-analysis conducted by Smith et al. (2019) revealed
that rapid eye movement (REM) sleep plays a crucial role in the integration of episodic memories, offering
insight into the underlying mechanisms of learning and retention.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) For example,
B) Indubitably,
C) In addition,
D) Consequently,

26. While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
 Monrovia is the capital of Liberia.
 The city’s population is 1,010,970.
 Monrovia contains 19.5 percent of Liberia’s population.
 Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia.
 The city’s population is 3,040,740.
 Addis Ababa contains 2.5 percent of Ethiopia’s population.
Which choice most effectively uses information from the given sentences to emphasize the relative sizes of the
two capitals’ population?
A) Liberia’s capital is Monrovia, which has 1,010,970 people, and Ethiopia’s capital is Addis Ababa, which
has 3,040,740 people.
B) The populations of the capitals of Liberia and Ethiopia are 1,010,970 (Monrovia) and 3,040,740
(Addis Ababa), respectively.
C) Although Addis Ababa (population 3,040,740) is larger than Monrovia (population 1,010,970),
Monrovia accounts for more of its country’s population.
D) Comparing Ethiopia and Liberia, 3,040,740 is 2.5 percent of Ethiopia’s population, and 1,010,970 is
19.5 percent of Liberia’s.
27. While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
 British author Emily Bronte is perhaps best known for writing the classic novel Wuthering Heights.
 Bronte’s sisters Charlotte and Anne were also accomplished novelists, while her brother Branwell
was primarily a poet.
 After Branwell’s death, his friends spread the rumor that he was the true author of Wuthering Heights.
 Rachel McCarthy and James O’Sullivan used linguistic analysis to compare writing samples from
all four Brontes to the text of Wuthering Heights.
 They concluded that Branwell is statistically the least likely of the Brontes to have written
Wuthering Heights, the most likely author being Emily.
The student wants to make a generalization about the kind of study conducted by McCarthy and
O’Sullivan. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this
goal?
A) Based on linguistic analysis, McCarthy and O’Sullivan claim that Emily Bronte wrote Wuthering Heights.
B) Academics have used linguistic analysis to address authorship disputes in literature.
C) Branwell Bronte is statistically the least likely of the Brontes to have written Wuthering Heights;
Emily Bronte is the most likely author.
D) Despite what Branwell Bronte’s friends claimed, it is most likely that Emily Bronte wrote
Wuthering Heights.
 VERBAL-MODULE 2

1. Hatshepsut, a female pharaoh from the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, managed her kingdom to become one
of the most in the region; marking the golden age of Egypt, she commissioned the construction of
religious monuments, secured a steady supply of valuable gemstones, and promoted arts and crafts throughout
the kingdom.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) prosperous
B) fortunate
C) destitute
D) preposterous

2. The process of recycling rare earth materials from waste has been considered because of the complex
chemical structure of the materials and the risk of contamination that often occurs. However, scientists have
proposed a more practical solution for recycling rare earth materials by using non-toxic microorganisms
whose natural acids can break down the waste.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) persistent
B) sustainable
C) profitable
D) implausible

3. The Permian-Triassic extinction event occurred about 252 million years ago and was the largest mass
extinction event in Earth's history. Some scientists suggest that this extinction was caused by a
combination of volcanic activity, climate change, and a decrease in oxygen levels, leading to the loss of many
diverse species.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) instantaneous
B) catastrophic
C) prehistoric
D) mysterious

4. A new study published in 2023 revealed that there are striking similarities in multiple areas of the brains of
both Homo sapiens and the Neanderthals, suggesting that the Neanderthals were very sophisticated and
capable
of adaptation. This new study may lead even the most stubborn scholars the old notion that the
to Neanderthals were mere primates.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) abandon
B) invoke
C) authenticate
D) reciprocate
5. Some archaeologists’ claim about the purpose of Newgrange, a Neolithic structure constructed around 3200
BCE, is as it fails to account for the more recent archeological discovery. To be compelling, they would
need to address additional finds of its structural features that indicate a far more significant purpose such as
the aligned passage and the tomb at sunrise.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) subtle
B) convenient
C) unconvincing
D) complicated

6. The following text is adapted from Ogden Nash’s 1937 poem, “Winter Morning Poem.”

Winter is the king of showmen,

Turning tree stumps into snow
men And houses into birthday
cakes And spreading sugar over
lakes.
Smooth and clean and frosty white,
The world looks good enough to bite.
That's the season to be young,
Catching snowflakes on your tongue!
Snow is snowy when it's snowing.
I'm sorry it's slushy when it's going.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
A) It portrays a feeling of melancholy associated with the image of melting snow.
B) It presents a detailed depiction of the speaker’s emotional state on a winter morning.
C) It lists the reasons why winter is the best season of the year.
D) It sketches a vivid and sensory description of the arrival of winter.

7. According to historian Alison R. Bernstein, Native Americans provided valuable contributions to the US
military during World War II. The Native Americans in the military participated in battles on all fronts,
including some of the most crucial fights during the war such as Iwo Jima. More than 200 medals awarded to
them were Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Hearts, and Silver Star. After the war, more Native Americans
ended up living in cities, the beginning of the end for physical barriers that had divided Native Americans
from the rest of the country.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
A) It offers an example of events that took place during the World War II mentioned earlier in the text.
B) It highlights the possible limits to the contributions made by the Native Americans mentioned earlier in
the text.
C) It elaborates on the degree to which Native Americans contributed to the war discussed earlier in the text.
D) It provides further details about the actions of those who did not join the military to fight.
8. The following text is from Langston Hughes’ 1932 poem “The Dream Keeper.”

Bring me all of your dreams,

You dreamers,
Bring me all of
your Heart
melodies
That I may wrap them
In a blue cloud-cloth
Away from the too-rough
fingers Of the world.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
A) To warn dreamers that their dreams will be taken away from them
B) To suggest that dreamers inevitably suffer many hardships
C) To encourage dreamers to continue to pursue their dreams in face of harsh realities
D) To express the belief that dreamers can turn their dreams into reality

9. The following text is adapted from William Makepeace Thackeray’s 1848 novel Vanity Fair. Jos Sedley
hears the initial cannon fire that heralds the commencement of the famous battle of Waterloo in 1815.

They did not hear the noise which disturbed our little congregation at Brussels. Much louder than that which
had interrupted them two days previously, as Mrs. O’Dowd was reading the service in her best voice, the
cannon of Waterloo began to roar. When Jos heard that dreadful sound, he made up his mind that he would
bear this perpetual recurrence of terrors no longer, and would flee at once. He rushed into the sick man’s room,
where our three friends had paused in their prayers, and further interrupted them by a passionate appeal to
Amelia.
According to the text, what is true about the Jos?
A) He attempts to remain composed and passive in waiting but fails.
B) He is doubtful that his side can win the war.
C) He wishes Amelia to grant him permission to join the war.
D) He wants to escape the imminent onset of war.

10. Among Peruvian indigenous people, midwives have traditionally been caretakers of pregnant women
when giving birth. They have often served as healers and advisors, too. The introduction of Western medicine
may have impacted their role today, but midwives continue to be valued for attending to and nursing their
women during childbirth.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
A) Western Medicine can now do some of the things the midwives used to be responsible for.
B) Although midwives have many roles, many of them like nursing best.
C) Despite the introduction of western medicine, the midwives continue to care for their community’s
women in childbirth.
D) Midwives have been advising the people in their community for centuries.
11. While attending school in London in the 1980s, Simon Schama observed a lack of representation of Jewish
artists in exhibitions despite London's reputation as a cultural hub. Consequently, according to an art historian,
when he established himself as a historian and art critic, Schama made it his mission to remedy this deficiency,
not by promoting more contemporary Jewish artists, but by integrating Jewish artworks into the global art
world and demonstrating their interconnectedness.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support the art historian's claim?
A) In his book, “The Story of the Jews: Finding the words 1000 BC - 1492 AD,” Simon Schama devoted
an entire section to the 14th-century Spanish Jewish painter, Moses ibn Ezra.
B) In the exhibition The Power of Art: Jews and Art, Schama brought works by contemporary Jewish artists
from different parts of the world together with those of non-Jewish, international artists from the same period
to highlight their shared elements and connections.
C) In his book, "The Power of Art: Jews and Art from Ancient Times to the Present," Schama discusses the
role of art in Jewish history and culture by examining prominent Jewish artists such as the painter Mark
Rothko, the sculptor Jacques Lipchitz, and the photographer Cindy Sherman.
D) Simon Schama has written several books and articles about influential Jewish artists such as Amedeo
Modigliani and Marc Chagall, not to focus on a particular trend that artists such as these were part of, but
to demonstrate the diverse artistic capacities that these different Jewish artists possessed in their time.

12. Economists who hold the traditional view of minimum wage claim that raising the minimum wage leads to
higher unemployment rates among low-skilled workers. Focusing on the minimum wage increase in 1992, a
team of researchers led by David Card and Alan Krueger tested this claim by observing the unemployment
rates in New Jersey, where the minimum wage was raised, and that in Pennsylvania, where it was not raised.
The researchers compared the unemployment rates of low-skilled workers in both states before and after the
minimum wage increase.
Which finding from Card and Krueger's study, if true, would most directly weaken the claim made by
people who hold the traditional view of minimum wage increase and its impact on unemployment rates?
A) The increase in the minimum wage in New Jersey did not lead to significant increase in the
unemployment rate compared to Pennsylvania.
B) Low-skilled workers in New Jersey suffered a higher rate of job losses after the minimum wage
increase than their counterparts in Pennsylvania.
C) The unemployment rate of low-skilled workers in Pennsylvania did not change after the minimum
wage increase in New Jersey.
D) After the increase in the minimum wage, the difference in the unemployment rate of low-skilled workers
in both states decreased significantly.
13. Considering a sample of global automakers operating in developing countries, a group of business
experts assessed the level of direct investment in these regions made by U.S. carmakers and their main
competitors. According to the experts, the findings suggest that there has been an increasing amount of
investment from automobile manufacturers in these regions.
Which choice best describes data from the graph that support the experts’ conclusion?
A) The average amount of investment from the main competitors did not change significantly over the
three periods.
B) The amount of US automakers’ investment was highest in the 1993-1997 period.
C) The amount of investment from both US automakers and their competitors grew over the three periods.
D) The average number of US automakers was higher than that of their overseas competitors.
14. Recent research challenges the belief that nightmares reduce psychological tensions by acting out fears,
suggesting instead that they may increase anxiety in waking life. A study involving Australian high school
students found that nightmares did not stave off anxiety, and those distressed by their dreams were more
likely to suffer from general anxiety. While occasional nightmares are considered normal, persistent anxiety
from dreams may indicate a more serious issue, pointing to a potential need for consultation with a mental
health professional.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
A) To assess how nocturnal torments cause persistent anxiety and daily concerns.
B) To explore the connection between nightmares and real-life anxiety, disputing common beliefs.
C) To investigate the impact of REM sleep on emotional responses to disturbing images.
D) To evaluate the connection between dream-filled sleep, resilience, and underlying mental problems.

15. In a study of the scent-detection abilities of male Gambian pouched rats (Cricetomys gambianus),
researchers failed to control the difficulty of the tasks they used to measure their abilities. The scent-detection
abilities of rats given stimuli with a strong smell, such as pheromones from the opposite sex in a small room,
were judged by the same criteria as were those of rats given stimuli with a very faint smell, such as
gunpowder inside of a landmine. The results of the study, therefore, .
Which choice most logically completes the text?
A) should not only be applied to Cricetomys gambianus but also to other rat species when testing their
scent- detection abilities.
B) support the hypothesis that scent-detection abilities among rats are heightened when they are
choosing mates, but not when they are detecting man-made objects.
C) are useful for identifying which type of scents the rats can detect but not for identifying scents that the
rats can detect.
D) could suggest that each rat exhibits different scent-detection abilities even though such differences may
not actually exist.

16. During hot dry seasons, the native giant salamanders of Florida _a hibernation-like state known as
aestivation: they burrow in the bottom of a drying pond, build a cocoon, and slow down their metabolism,
living off the fat reserves in their tails for several weeks to over a year.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) practicing
B) practice
C) to practice
D) having practiced

17. Humanity and the dangers of technological advancement are recurring themes in Kazuo Ishiguro’s
novels. In Never Let Me Go, for example, the main characters are clones attempting to prove that they have
souls in order to survive, while in Klara and the Sun, Klara is a humanoid robot who _ to understand and
replicate human emotions.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) struggled
B) struggles
C) had struggled
D) will be struggling
18. While many contemporary musicians use new and improved technology to make their recordings ever
more others embrace the DIY aesthetic of the 1970s independent movement, intentionally degrading
their recordings for a more analog sound.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) polished
B) polished,
C) polished, but
D) polished but

19. In China’s Zhangye National Geopark, located in the foothills of the Qilian Mountains, are multicolored
rock formations—some several hundred meters tall—that span the area, resulting in breathtaking
landscapes. The unusual are the results of mineral deposits that have accumulated over 24 million years.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) colors of the rocks
B) color’s of the rocks
C) colors of the rocks’
D) colors’ of the rocks’

20. The Mud Volcano thermal area at Yellowstone National Park is comprised of hot springs and steam
vents, which form when the groundwater—rich in sulfuric acid that breaks rock down into clay away faster
than it can be recharged.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) mud boils
B) mud: boils
C) mud—boils
D) mud, boils

21. In a psychological experiment investigating the halo effect, two groups of college students watched a
videotaped interview of a teacher and evaluated his appearance. The tone of the interview one video
showed the teacher acting cordial, the other hostile. Unsurprisingly, the group that was shown the video
where the teacher was cordial rated his appearance more favorably.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) varied while
B) varied: while
C) varied:
D) varied,

22. Ghanaian writer Ama Ata Aidoo’s vast array of works includes The Dilemma of a Ghost, a play about a
Fante man who brings home an African American a novel about a young Ghanaian woman seeking
an education in Germany; and Someone Talking to Sometime, a poetry collection.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) wife, Our Sister Killjoy,
B) wife, Our Sister Killjoy:
C) wife; Our Sister Killjoy
D) wife; Our Sister Killjoy,
23. Brit Bennett’s 2020 novel The Vanishing Half chronicles the divergent experiences of Desiree and
Stella, light-skinned black sisters who run away to New Orleans in 1954 and are separated shortly after.
Desiree eventually returns to her hometown with her daughter Jude. Stella passes for white and marries a
wealthy man who does not know that she is black. However, her secret is threatened when her daughter
Kennedy eventually meets Jude.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) Nevertheless,
B) Meanwhile,
C) Secondly,
D) In fact,

24. To ensure survival in adverse conditions, organisms have adapted a number of extraordinary behaviors.
The scaly-foot snail (Chrysomallon squamiferum), takes iron sulfides found in water to build a metal shell
that can withstand the boiling temperatures of the hydrothermal vents where it makes its home.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) meanwhile,
B) however,
C) for instance,
D) therefore,

25. Researchers have discovered a new type of photosynthetic bacteria in the deepest parts of the ocean.
our understanding of life in extreme environments and potential alien life forms could
dramatically shift. This discovery opens up new possibilities for energy production and carbon capture
technologies.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) In fact,
B) As a result,
C) Conversely,
D) For instance,

26. While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
 Gao Xingjian was awarded the 2000 Nobel Prize in Literature.
 Gao was born in Ganzhou in China and currently lives in France.
 One of his most popular works is his 1990 novel Soul Mountain.
 Soul Mountain is a loosely autobiographical novel about a man who searches for a mythical mountain in
China.
The student wants to introduce Soul Mountain to an audience unfamiliar with the novel and its
author. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this
goal?
A) Gao Xingjian, who wrote Soul Mountain and later was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, was born
in Ganzhou in China and currently lives in France.
B) One of Gao Xingjian’s most popular works is his 1990 novel Soul Mountain, a loosely
autobiographical story about the search for a mythical mountain.
C) Soul Mountain is a loosely autobiographical novel about events that occur in China, Gao
Xingjian’s homeland.
D) A much-beloved novel about the search for a mythical mountain in China, Soul Mountain (1990)
was written by Gao Xingjian, winner of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Literature.
27. While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
 The Széchenyi Chain Bridge is a bridge built between 1840 and 1849.
 It was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Hungary.
 It connected the cities of Buda and Pest, which unified with the town of Óbuda to become Budapest
in 1873.
 It is 202 meters long.
The student wants to emphasize the distance covered by the Széchenyi Chain Bridge. Which choice
most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
A) The Széchenyi Chain Bridge was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Hungary.
B) The 202-meter-long Széchenyi Chain Bridge connected the cities of Buda and Pest.
C) The Széchenyi Chain Bridge, which connected the cities of Buda and Pest, was built between 1840
and 1849.
D) A historic Hungarian bridge, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, was completed in 1849.