Critical Reading

Critical Reading Language Arts 10

1. Which of the following best describes the structure of the passage? (A) An informative assertion is made, followed by examples to support it, which contradicts his opinions. (B) The initial sentence serves to contradict the ideas the author uses to support his interjections. (C) An assertion is made, advocated by proper examples, and as a result, leads to his final reflection. (D) An initial question is posed, followed by the narrator’s anecdotes that explain the answer. (E) A topic sentence is written, which is followed by strong examples to support it, setting up a diverging reflection.

Scamming #1 • The correct answer is C. • An assertion is a sentence which makes some sort of argument towards either side. • In this case the speaker seems to condemn the scammers for their actions. Then, the examples that he uses support this initial sentence. His final thought is to tell us of his feeling of shock because such a problem has easy solutions.

2. Which of the following is the closest to what “benign” refers to? (A) harmless (B) soft (C) gentle (D) innocent (E) mild • The correct answer is D. • Benign, as most test prep guides would say, means “harmless.” • However, that word does not make sense over here. We want something that means naïve, because this sentence implies that scammers are trapping them. The only match is “innocent.”

3. Estaban Gomez and Henry Hudson are similar in that they (A) sail for the same country, and wind up in the same places (B)take similar routes for the course of action (C) took advantage of numerous fur trading opportunities (D)sail for countries which are different from their origins. (E)prefer to be parts of corporate ventures • Sometimes, comparison and contrast questions can be some of the most difficult to grasp because the passages tend to either focus on one more than the other, or “hide” details so wisely that they are hard to detect. • However, we can tell that they are both sailing from countries that are different from their mother countries because Gomez, born in Portugal, is sailing for Spain; Henry, born in England, in turn, sails for the Dutch. Another important tip: Don’t necessarily assume that since you see “corporate ventures” in the exam itself, that that is the answer. More often than not, it is wrong when the test question writers “throw in” terms directly from the passages themselves.

5. The term “mold” (line 11) best implies (A) category (B) roll (C) infectious (D) old (E) Expatriate The correct answer is A. For these questions, definitely have a reread of the terms, and a couple of lines below and after. Here a “mold of predecessors” refers to a category—one in which an explorer sails for a country that is not of his origins. Choice E is tricky. Expatriate refers to disloyalty of one’s mother country for another nation. While they do sail for other nations, nowhere in the passage does it suggest of their desire to intentionally do so for the contempt of their mother countries. Remember, Vocabulary In Context (VIC’s) have words which you tend not to associate the word with. Mold in science implies fungus like substances developing on items such as bread; however, mold can refer to other meanings, as suggested by the answer to the previous questions.

6. Which of the following best describe(s) Henry Hudson? I. Insightful II. Inquisitive III. Venturesome (A) I only (B) I and II only (C) II and III only (D) I and III only (E) I, II and III • The answer is C. • We see in line 20, Hudson’s “curiosity and a sense of adventure” is one of the only evident descriptions of him. • You must realize that curious is the same as being inquisitive. “A sense of adventure” implies that a person is “venturesome.” However, nowhere in the passage is there a • mention of his insightfulness, which he might have been, however, YOU MUST find • your answer in the passage itself.

7. The Wallon Refugees are most analogous to which of the following? (A) a flock of birds who struggle with fierce winds, only to know that one of the baby birds had been left behind (B) the laborers of the nineteenth century, who were debating and protesting for their writes to collectively bargain and strike (C) the Pilgrims, who wrote in the May Flower Compact their desire of creating a self government from the mother nation. (D) an ostentatious comedian, who memorized a scene from the past in order to convey his disappointment with Washington D.C (E). Arcadius Johnson, who lied inadvertently and dogmatically in order to coercively win the debate.

The Julliards, who had had occupied and enjoyed Livingston Hall for years, were outright________ when the building was sent to the authorities for a possible demolition. (A) Felicitous (B) Jubilant (C) Apathetic (D) Wrathful (E) Satirical

Since the two countries, India and Pakistan, were first founded, in 1947, there has been as much________ between political members of both countries as a sense of ________ between the neighboring countries. (A) antagonism… alienation (B) hostility… tranquility (C) communication… irreverence (D) superficiality…yielding (E). Cordiality… intimacy

Gregory Williams, the current president of City College, is a very descriptive author of a book Life on the Color line, which insinuate his self revelations, but is even more___________ about his experiences as a speaker (A) Loquacious (B) Inveterate (C) Assertive (D) Bantering (E) Perspicacious

Critical Reading