AzM2 Reading Test 1 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Read the following passage(s) and answer the questions that follow. Passage 1 The New Frontier by Senator John F. Kennedy This is an excerpt from a speech given by John F. Kennedy upon accepting the nomination of the Democratic party on July 15, 1960. (1) . . . I stand tonight facing west on what was once the last frontier. From the lands that stretch three thousand miles behind me, the pioneers gave up their safety, their comfort and sometimes their lives to build a new world here in the West. They were not the captives of their own doubts, the prisoners of their own price tags. Their motto was not "every man for himself"—but "all for the common cause." They were determined to make that new world strong and free, to overcome its hazards and its hardships, to conquer the enemies that threatened from without and within. (2) Today some would say that those struggles are all over—that all the horizons have been explored—that all the battles have been won—that there is no longer an American frontier. (3) But I trust that no one in this vast assemblage would agree with those sentiments. For the problems are not all solved and the battles are not all won—and we stand today on the edge of a New Frontier—the frontier of the 1960s—a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils—a frontier of unfilled hopes and threats. (4) Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom promised our nation a new political and economic framework. Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal promised security and succor to those in need. But the New Frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises—it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer to the American people, but what I intend to ask of them. It appeals to their pride, not to their pocketbook—it holds out the promise of more sacrifice instead of more security. (5) But I tell you the New Frontier is here, whether we seek it or not. Beyond that frontier are the uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus. It would be easier to shrink back from that frontier, to look to the safe mediocrity of the past, to be lulled by good intentions and high rhetoric—and those who prefer that course should not cast their votes for me, regardless of party. (6) For the harsh facts of the matter are that we stand on this frontier at a turning-point in history. We must prove all over again whether this nation—or any nation so conceived—can long endure—whether our society—with its freedom of choice, its breadth of opportunity, its range of alternatives—can compete with the single-minded advance of the Communist system. (7) Can a nation organized and governed such as ours endure? That is the real question. Have we the nerve and the will? Can we carry through in an age where we will witness not only new breakthroughs in weapons of destruction—but also a race for mastery of the sky and the rain, the ocean and the tides, the far side of space and the inside of men's minds? (8) That is the question of the New Frontier. That is the choice our nation must make—a choice that lies not merely between two men or two parties, but between the public interest and private comfort—between national greatness and national decline—between the fresh air of progress and the stale, dank atmosphere of "normalcy"—between determined dedication and creeping mediocrity. (9) All mankind waits upon our decision. A whole world looks to see what we will do. We cannot fail their trust, we cannot fail to try. Passage 2 The Great Society by President Lyndon B. Johnson This is an excerpt from a speech by President Lyndon B. Johnson given on May 22, 1964. (10) For a century we labored to settle and to subdue a continent. For half a century we called upon unbounded invention and untiring industry to create an order of plenty for all of our people. (11) The challenge of the next half century is whether we have the wisdom to use that wealth to enrich and elevate our national life, and to advance the quality of our American civilization. (12) Your imagination and your initiative, and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth. For in your time we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society. (13) The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time. But that is just the beginning. (14) The Great Society is a place where every child can find knowledge to enrich his mind and to enlarge his talents. It is a place where leisure is a welcome chance to build and reflect, not a feared cause of boredom and restlessness. It is a place where the city of man serves not only the needs of the body and the demands of commerce but the desire for beauty and the hunger for community. (15) It is a place where man can renew contact with nature. It is a place which honors creation for its own sake and for what it adds to the understanding of the race. It is a place where men are more concerned with the quality of their goals than the quantity of their goods. (16) But most of all, the Great Society is not a safe harbor, a resting place, a final objective, a finished work. It is a challenge constantly renewed, beckoning us toward a destiny where the meaning of our lives matches the marvelous products of our labor. . . . (17) Will you join in the battle to build the Great Society, to prove that our material progress is only the foundation on which we will build a richer life of mind and spirit? (18) There are those timid souls that say this battle cannot be won; that we are condemned to a soulless wealth. I do not agree. We have the power to shape the civilization that we want. But we need your will, and your labor, and your hearts, if we are to build that kind of society. (19) Those who came to this land sought to build more than just a new country. They sought a new world. So I have come here today to your campus to say that you can make their vision our reality. So let us from this moment begin our work so that in the future men will look back and say, "It was then, after a long and weary way, that man turned the exploits of his genius to the full enrichment of his life." In the first passage, how does Kennedy convey the nation's challenges?

by identifying plans established by former leadership
by pointing out the danger of making changes too quickly
by referring to the history of America's growth (Correct answer)
by describing weaknesses In the American government

Correct answer: by referring to the history of America's growth

In the first passage, Kennedy conveys the nation's challenges by drawing a direct parallel to America's historical growth and the pioneering spirit. He references the struggles of past generations who built the nation (paragraph 1) and then asserts that new "frontiers" and challenges, such as those in science, space, peace, and poverty, still exist (paragraph 5). By connecting current issues to the nation's historical journey of overcoming obstacles, he frames them as a continuation of American progress.

Question 2: Read the following passage(s) and answer the questions that follow. Passage 1 The New Frontier by Senator John F. Kennedy This is an excerpt from a speech given by John F. Kennedy upon accepting the nomination of the Democratic party on July 15, 1960. (1) . . . I stand tonight facing west on what was once the last frontier. From the lands that stretch three thousand miles behind me, the pioneers gave up their safety, their comfort and sometimes their lives to build a new world here in the West. They were not the captives of their own doubts, the prisoners of their own price tags. Their motto was not "every man for himself"—but "all for the common cause." They were determined to make that new world strong and free, to overcome its hazards and its hardships, to conquer the enemies that threatened from without and within. (2) Today some would say that those struggles are all over—that all the horizons have been explored—that all the battles have been won—that there is no longer an American frontier. (3) But I trust that no one in this vast assemblage would agree with those sentiments. For the problems are not all solved and the battles are not all won—and we stand today on the edge of a New Frontier—the frontier of the 1960s—a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils—a frontier of unfilled hopes and threats. (4) Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom promised our nation a new political and economic framework. Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal promised security and succor to those in need. But the New Frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises—it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer to the American people, but what I intend to ask of them. It appeals to their pride, not to their pocketbook—it holds out the promise of more sacrifice instead of more security. (5) But I tell you the New Frontier is here, whether we seek it or not. Beyond that frontier are the uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus. It would be easier to shrink back from that frontier, to look to the safe mediocrity of the past, to be lulled by good intentions and high rhetoric—and those who prefer that course should not cast their votes for me, regardless of party. (6) For the harsh facts of the matter are that we stand on this frontier at a turning-point in history. We must prove all over again whether this nation—or any nation so conceived—can long endure—whether our society—with its freedom of choice, its breadth of opportunity, its range of alternatives—can compete with the single-minded advance of the Communist system. (7) Can a nation organized and governed such as ours endure? That is the real question. Have we the nerve and the will? Can we carry through in an age where we will witness not only new breakthroughs in weapons of destruction—but also a race for mastery of the sky and the rain, the ocean and the tides, the far side of space and the inside of men's minds? (8) That is the question of the New Frontier. That is the choice our nation must make—a choice that lies not merely between two men or two parties, but between the public interest and private comfort—between national greatness and national decline—between the fresh air of progress and the stale, dank atmosphere of "normalcy"—between determined dedication and creeping mediocrity. (9) All mankind waits upon our decision. A whole world looks to see what we will do. We cannot fail their trust, we cannot fail to try. Passage 2 The Great Society by President Lyndon B. Johnson This is an excerpt from a speech by President Lyndon B. Johnson given on May 22, 1964. (10) For a century we labored to settle and to subdue a continent. For half a century we called upon unbounded invention and untiring industry to create an order of plenty for all of our people. (11) The challenge of the next half century is whether we have the wisdom to use that wealth to enrich and elevate our national life, and to advance the quality of our American civilization. (12) Your imagination and your initiative, and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth. For in your time we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society. (13) The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time. But that is just the beginning. (14) The Great Society is a place where every child can find knowledge to enrich his mind and to enlarge his talents. It is a place where leisure is a welcome chance to build and reflect, not a feared cause of boredom and restlessness. It is a place where the city of man serves not only the needs of the body and the demands of commerce but the desire for beauty and the hunger for community. (15) It is a place where man can renew contact with nature. It is a place which honors creation for its own sake and for what it adds to the understanding of the race. It is a place where men are more concerned with the quality of their goals than the quantity of their goods. (16) But most of all, the Great Society is not a safe harbor, a resting place, a final objective, a finished work. It is a challenge constantly renewed, beckoning us toward a destiny where the meaning of our lives matches the marvelous products of our labor. . . . (17) Will you join in the battle to build the Great Society, to prove that our material progress is only the foundation on which we will build a richer life of mind and spirit? (18) There are those timid souls that say this battle cannot be won; that we are condemned to a soulless wealth. I do not agree. We have the power to shape the civilization that we want. But we need your will, and your labor, and your hearts, if we are to build that kind of society. (19) Those who came to this land sought to build more than just a new country. They sought a new world. So I have come here today to your campus to say that you can make their vision our reality. So let us from this moment begin our work so that in the future men will look back and say, "It was then, after a long and weary way, that man turned the exploits of his genius to the full enrichment of his life." What is the connection between this introduction and Kennedy's future plans?

by describing how America must be more aggressive in implementing change
by suggesting that the ideals and methods of the past may no longer be relevant
by suggesting the need for a modern Interpretation of pioneer ideals (Correct answer)
by highlighting the specific steps America must take to become a world power

Correct answer: by suggesting the need for a modern Interpretation of pioneer ideals

Kennedy's introduction establishes a connection between the historical pioneers who faced a physical frontier and the "New Frontier" of the 1960s. He highlights the pioneers' values of sacrifice and common cause (paragraph 1) and then calls for these same ideals to be applied to contemporary challenges like science, space, and social issues (paragraph 5). This suggests that while the challenges have changed, the fundamental spirit and dedication of the pioneers are still necessary for the nation's future.

Question 3: Read the following passage(s) and answer the questions that follow. Passage 1 The New Frontier by Senator John F. Kennedy This is an excerpt from a speech given by John F. Kennedy upon accepting the nomination of the Democratic party on July 15, 1960. (1) . . . I stand tonight facing west on what was once the last frontier. From the lands that stretch three thousand miles behind me, the pioneers gave up their safety, their comfort and sometimes their lives to build a new world here in the West. They were not the captives of their own doubts, the prisoners of their own price tags. Their motto was not "every man for himself"—but "all for the common cause." They were determined to make that new world strong and free, to overcome its hazards and its hardships, to conquer the enemies that threatened from without and within. (2) Today some would say that those struggles are all over—that all the horizons have been explored—that all the battles have been won—that there is no longer an American frontier. (3) But I trust that no one in this vast assemblage would agree with those sentiments. For the problems are not all solved and the battles are not all won—and we stand today on the edge of a New Frontier—the frontier of the 1960s—a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils—a frontier of unfilled hopes and threats. (4) Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom promised our nation a new political and economic framework. Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal promised security and succor to those in need. But the New Frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises—it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer to the American people, but what I intend to ask of them. It appeals to their pride, not to their pocketbook—it holds out the promise of more sacrifice instead of more security. (5) But I tell you the New Frontier is here, whether we seek it or not. Beyond that frontier are the uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus. It would be easier to shrink back from that frontier, to look to the safe mediocrity of the past, to be lulled by good intentions and high rhetoric—and those who prefer that course should not cast their votes for me, regardless of party. (6) For the harsh facts of the matter are that we stand on this frontier at a turning-point in history. We must prove all over again whether this nation—or any nation so conceived—can long endure—whether our society—with its freedom of choice, its breadth of opportunity, its range of alternatives—can compete with the single-minded advance of the Communist system. (7) Can a nation organized and governed such as ours endure? That is the real question. Have we the nerve and the will? Can we carry through in an age where we will witness not only new breakthroughs in weapons of destruction—but also a race for mastery of the sky and the rain, the ocean and the tides, the far side of space and the inside of men's minds? (8) That is the question of the New Frontier. That is the choice our nation must make—a choice that lies not merely between two men or two parties, but between the public interest and private comfort—between national greatness and national decline—between the fresh air of progress and the stale, dank atmosphere of "normalcy"—between determined dedication and creeping mediocrity. (9) All mankind waits upon our decision. A whole world looks to see what we will do. We cannot fail their trust, we cannot fail to try. Passage 2 The Great Society by President Lyndon B. Johnson This is an excerpt from a speech by President Lyndon B. Johnson given on May 22, 1964. (10) For a century we labored to settle and to subdue a continent. For half a century we called upon unbounded invention and untiring industry to create an order of plenty for all of our people. (11) The challenge of the next half century is whether we have the wisdom to use that wealth to enrich and elevate our national life, and to advance the quality of our American civilization. (12) Your imagination and your initiative, and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth. For in your time we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society. (13) The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time. But that is just the beginning. (14) The Great Society is a place where every child can find knowledge to enrich his mind and to enlarge his talents. It is a place where leisure is a welcome chance to build and reflect, not a feared cause of boredom and restlessness. It is a place where the city of man serves not only the needs of the body and the demands of commerce but the desire for beauty and the hunger for community. (15) It is a place where man can renew contact with nature. It is a place which honors creation for its own sake and for what it adds to the understanding of the race. It is a place where men are more concerned with the quality of their goals than the quantity of their goods. (16) But most of all, the Great Society is not a safe harbor, a resting place, a final objective, a finished work. It is a challenge constantly renewed, beckoning us toward a destiny where the meaning of our lives matches the marvelous products of our labor. . . . (17) Will you join in the battle to build the Great Society, to prove that our material progress is only the foundation on which we will build a richer life of mind and spirit? (18) There are those timid souls that say this battle cannot be won; that we are condemned to a soulless wealth. I do not agree. We have the power to shape the civilization that we want. But we need your will, and your labor, and your hearts, if we are to build that kind of society. (19) Those who came to this land sought to build more than just a new country. They sought a new world. So I have come here today to your campus to say that you can make their vision our reality. So let us from this moment begin our work so that in the future men will look back and say, "It was then, after a long and weary way, that man turned the exploits of his genius to the full enrichment of his life." In paragraph 18 of Passage 2, how does Johnson refine his concept of the Great Society?

He admits that his vision of an ideal society may seem outdated to a younger generation.
He explains that he has had reservations about the practicality of his own ideas.
He acknowledges that there are people who disagree with his vision. (Correct answer)
He recognizes the importance of the actions taken by previous generations.

Correct answer: He acknowledges that there are people who disagree with his vision.

In paragraph 18, Johnson refines his concept of the Great Society by directly addressing potential opposition. He states, "There are those timid souls that say this battle cannot be won; that we are condemned to a soulless wealth. I do not agree." This explicitly acknowledges that some people hold a pessimistic view or disagree with the feasibility of his vision, allowing him to then reaffirm his belief in the nation's capacity to achieve it.

Question 4: Read the following passage(s) and answer the questions that follow. Passage 1 The New Frontier by Senator John F. Kennedy This is an excerpt from a speech given by John F. Kennedy upon accepting the nomination of the Democratic party on July 15, 1960. (1) . . . I stand tonight facing west on what was once the last frontier. From the lands that stretch three thousand miles behind me, the pioneers gave up their safety, their comfort and sometimes their lives to build a new world here in the West. They were not the captives of their own doubts, the prisoners of their own price tags. Their motto was not "every man for himself"—but "all for the common cause." They were determined to make that new world strong and free, to overcome its hazards and its hardships, to conquer the enemies that threatened from without and within. (2) Today some would say that those struggles are all over—that all the horizons have been explored—that all the battles have been won—that there is no longer an American frontier. (3) But I trust that no one in this vast assemblage would agree with those sentiments. For the problems are not all solved and the battles are not all won—and we stand today on the edge of a New Frontier—the frontier of the 1960s—a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils—a frontier of unfilled hopes and threats. (4) Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom promised our nation a new political and economic framework. Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal promised security and succor to those in need. But the New Frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises—it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer to the American people, but what I intend to ask of them. It appeals to their pride, not to their pocketbook—it holds out the promise of more sacrifice instead of more security. (5) But I tell you the New Frontier is here, whether we seek it or not. Beyond that frontier are the uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus. It would be easier to shrink back from that frontier, to look to the safe mediocrity of the past, to be lulled by good intentions and high rhetoric—and those who prefer that course should not cast their votes for me, regardless of party. (6) For the harsh facts of the matter are that we stand on this frontier at a turning-point in history. We must prove all over again whether this nation—or any nation so conceived—can long endure—whether our society—with its freedom of choice, its breadth of opportunity, its range of alternatives—can compete with the single-minded advance of the Communist system. (7) Can a nation organized and governed such as ours endure? That is the real question. Have we the nerve and the will? Can we carry through in an age where we will witness not only new breakthroughs in weapons of destruction—but also a race for mastery of the sky and the rain, the ocean and the tides, the far side of space and the inside of men's minds? (8) That is the question of the New Frontier. That is the choice our nation must make—a choice that lies not merely between two men or two parties, but between the public interest and private comfort—between national greatness and national decline—between the fresh air of progress and the stale, dank atmosphere of "normalcy"—between determined dedication and creeping mediocrity. (9) All mankind waits upon our decision. A whole world looks to see what we will do. We cannot fail their trust, we cannot fail to try. Passage 2 The Great Society by President Lyndon B. Johnson This is an excerpt from a speech by President Lyndon B. Johnson given on May 22, 1964. (10) For a century we labored to settle and to subdue a continent. For half a century we called upon unbounded invention and untiring industry to create an order of plenty for all of our people. (11) The challenge of the next half century is whether we have the wisdom to use that wealth to enrich and elevate our national life, and to advance the quality of our American civilization. (12) Your imagination and your initiative, and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth. For in your time we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society. (13) The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time. But that is just the beginning. (14) The Great Society is a place where every child can find knowledge to enrich his mind and to enlarge his talents. It is a place where leisure is a welcome chance to build and reflect, not a feared cause of boredom and restlessness. It is a place where the city of man serves not only the needs of the body and the demands of commerce but the desire for beauty and the hunger for community. (15) It is a place where man can renew contact with nature. It is a place which honors creation for its own sake and for what it adds to the understanding of the race. It is a place where men are more concerned with the quality of their goals than the quantity of their goods. (16) But most of all, the Great Society is not a safe harbor, a resting place, a final objective, a finished work. It is a challenge constantly renewed, beckoning us toward a destiny where the meaning of our lives matches the marvelous products of our labor. . . . (17) Will you join in the battle to build the Great Society, to prove that our material progress is only the foundation on which we will build a richer life of mind and spirit? (18) There are those timid souls that say this battle cannot be won; that we are condemned to a soulless wealth. I do not agree. We have the power to shape the civilization that we want. But we need your will, and your labor, and your hearts, if we are to build that kind of society. (19) Those who came to this land sought to build more than just a new country. They sought a new world. So I have come here today to your campus to say that you can make their vision our reality. So let us from this moment begin our work so that in the future men will look back and say, "It was then, after a long and weary way, that man turned the exploits of his genius to the full enrichment of his life." In paragraph 8, what is Kennedy's point of view?

Strong leadership is essential for the country's future, considering the challenges.
Embracing the New Frontier may be uncomfortable for the audience.
The world, because of its competitive interests, is watching the decisions of the United States.
The people, as part of the nation, must decide how to approach the New Frontier. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The people, as part of the nation, must decide how to approach the New Frontier.

In paragraph 8, Kennedy's point of view is that the responsibility for navigating the "New Frontier" ultimately rests with the American people. He presents a series of choices, such as "between the public interest and private comfort" and "between national greatness and national decline," framing them as decisions the nation must make. This emphasizes that the collective will and choices of the citizenry will determine the country's future direction.

Question 5: Read the following passage(s) and answer the questions that follow. Passage 1 The New Frontier by Senator John F. Kennedy This is an excerpt from a speech given by John F. Kennedy upon accepting the nomination of the Democratic party on July 15, 1960. (1) . . . I stand tonight facing west on what was once the last frontier. From the lands that stretch three thousand miles behind me, the pioneers gave up their safety, their comfort and sometimes their lives to build a new world here in the West. They were not the captives of their own doubts, the prisoners of their own price tags. Their motto was not "every man for himself"—but "all for the common cause." They were determined to make that new world strong and free, to overcome its hazards and its hardships, to conquer the enemies that threatened from without and within. (2) Today some would say that those struggles are all over—that all the horizons have been explored—that all the battles have been won—that there is no longer an American frontier. (3) But I trust that no one in this vast assemblage would agree with those sentiments. For the problems are not all solved and the battles are not all won—and we stand today on the edge of a New Frontier—the frontier of the 1960s—a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils—a frontier of unfilled hopes and threats. (4) Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom promised our nation a new political and economic framework. Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal promised security and succor to those in need. But the New Frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises—it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer to the American people, but what I intend to ask of them. It appeals to their pride, not to their pocketbook—it holds out the promise of more sacrifice instead of more security. (5) But I tell you the New Frontier is here, whether we seek it or not. Beyond that frontier are the uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus. It would be easier to shrink back from that frontier, to look to the safe mediocrity of the past, to be lulled by good intentions and high rhetoric—and those who prefer that course should not cast their votes for me, regardless of party. (6) For the harsh facts of the matter are that we stand on this frontier at a turning-point in history. We must prove all over again whether this nation—or any nation so conceived—can long endure—whether our society—with its freedom of choice, its breadth of opportunity, its range of alternatives—can compete with the single-minded advance of the Communist system. (7) Can a nation organized and governed such as ours endure? That is the real question. Have we the nerve and the will? Can we carry through in an age where we will witness not only new breakthroughs in weapons of destruction—but also a race for mastery of the sky and the rain, the ocean and the tides, the far side of space and the inside of men's minds? (8) That is the question of the New Frontier. That is the choice our nation must make—a choice that lies not merely between two men or two parties, but between the public interest and private comfort—between national greatness and national decline—between the fresh air of progress and the stale, dank atmosphere of "normalcy"—between determined dedication and creeping mediocrity. (9) All mankind waits upon our decision. A whole world looks to see what we will do. We cannot fail their trust, we cannot fail to try. Passage 2 The Great Society by President Lyndon B. Johnson This is an excerpt from a speech by President Lyndon B. Johnson given on May 22, 1964. (10) For a century we labored to settle and to subdue a continent. For half a century we called upon unbounded invention and untiring industry to create an order of plenty for all of our people. (11) The challenge of the next half century is whether we have the wisdom to use that wealth to enrich and elevate our national life, and to advance the quality of our American civilization. (12) Your imagination and your initiative, and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth. For in your time we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society. (13) The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time. But that is just the beginning. (14) The Great Society is a place where every child can find knowledge to enrich his mind and to enlarge his talents. It is a place where leisure is a welcome chance to build and reflect, not a feared cause of boredom and restlessness. It is a place where the city of man serves not only the needs of the body and the demands of commerce but the desire for beauty and the hunger for community. (15) It is a place where man can renew contact with nature. It is a place which honors creation for its own sake and for what it adds to the understanding of the race. It is a place where men are more concerned with the quality of their goals than the quantity of their goods. (16) But most of all, the Great Society is not a safe harbor, a resting place, a final objective, a finished work. It is a challenge constantly renewed, beckoning us toward a destiny where the meaning of our lives matches the marvelous products of our labor. . . . (17) Will you join in the battle to build the Great Society, to prove that our material progress is only the foundation on which we will build a richer life of mind and spirit? (18) There are those timid souls that say this battle cannot be won; that we are condemned to a soulless wealth. I do not agree. We have the power to shape the civilization that we want. But we need your will, and your labor, and your hearts, if we are to build that kind of society. (19) Those who came to this land sought to build more than just a new country. They sought a new world. So I have come here today to your campus to say that you can make their vision our reality. So let us from this moment begin our work so that in the future men will look back and say, "It was then, after a long and weary way, that man turned the exploits of his genius to the full enrichment of his life." What rhetorical devices does Kennedy employ to advance the point of view identified in Part A?

by appealing to individual Americans' self-Interest
by offering vivid examples of how the New Frontier will benefit everyone
by contrasting starkly different outcomes (Correct answer)
by describing the catastrophes Americans will face if they fail

Correct answer: by contrasting starkly different outcomes

In paragraph 8, Kennedy employs the rhetorical device of antithesis, or contrasting starkly different outcomes, to advance his point of view. He presents a series of powerful dichotomies such as "public interest and private comfort," "national greatness and national decline," and "fresh air of progress and stale, dank atmosphere of 'normalcy'." These sharp contrasts emphasize the critical nature of the choices facing the nation and underscore the profound consequences of inaction or choosing the easier path.

Question 6: Read the following passage(s) and answer the questions that follow. Passage 1 The New Frontier by Senator John F. Kennedy This is an excerpt from a speech given by John F. Kennedy upon accepting the nomination of the Democratic party on July 15, 1960. (1) . . . I stand tonight facing west on what was once the last frontier. From the lands that stretch three thousand miles behind me, the pioneers gave up their safety, their comfort and sometimes their lives to build a new world here in the West. They were not the captives of their own doubts, the prisoners of their own price tags. Their motto was not "every man for himself"—but "all for the common cause." They were determined to make that new world strong and free, to overcome its hazards and its hardships, to conquer the enemies that threatened from without and within. (2) Today some would say that those struggles are all over—that all the horizons have been explored—that all the battles have been won—that there is no longer an American frontier. (3) But I trust that no one in this vast assemblage would agree with those sentiments. For the problems are not all solved and the battles are not all won—and we stand today on the edge of a New Frontier—the frontier of the 1960s—a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils—a frontier of unfilled hopes and threats. (4) Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom promised our nation a new political and economic framework. Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal promised security and succor to those in need. But the New Frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises—it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer to the American people, but what I intend to ask of them. It appeals to their pride, not to their pocketbook—it holds out the promise of more sacrifice instead of more security. (5) But I tell you the New Frontier is here, whether we seek it or not. Beyond that frontier are the uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus. It would be easier to shrink back from that frontier, to look to the safe mediocrity of the past, to be lulled by good intentions and high rhetoric—and those who prefer that course should not cast their votes for me, regardless of party. (6) For the harsh facts of the matter are that we stand on this frontier at a turning-point in history. We must prove all over again whether this nation—or any nation so conceived—can long endure—whether our society—with its freedom of choice, its breadth of opportunity, its range of alternatives—can compete with the single-minded advance of the Communist system. (7) Can a nation organized and governed such as ours endure? That is the real question. Have we the nerve and the will? Can we carry through in an age where we will witness not only new breakthroughs in weapons of destruction—but also a race for mastery of the sky and the rain, the ocean and the tides, the far side of space and the inside of men's minds? (8) That is the question of the New Frontier. That is the choice our nation must make—a choice that lies not merely between two men or two parties, but between the public interest and private comfort—between national greatness and national decline—between the fresh air of progress and the stale, dank atmosphere of "normalcy"—between determined dedication and creeping mediocrity. (9) All mankind waits upon our decision. A whole world looks to see what we will do. We cannot fail their trust, we cannot fail to try. Passage 2 The Great Society by President Lyndon B. Johnson This is an excerpt from a speech by President Lyndon B. Johnson given on May 22, 1964. (10) For a century we labored to settle and to subdue a continent. For half a century we called upon unbounded invention and untiring industry to create an order of plenty for all of our people. (11) The challenge of the next half century is whether we have the wisdom to use that wealth to enrich and elevate our national life, and to advance the quality of our American civilization. (12) Your imagination and your initiative, and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth. For in your time we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society. (13) The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time. But that is just the beginning. (14) The Great Society is a place where every child can find knowledge to enrich his mind and to enlarge his talents. It is a place where leisure is a welcome chance to build and reflect, not a feared cause of boredom and restlessness. It is a place where the city of man serves not only the needs of the body and the demands of commerce but the desire for beauty and the hunger for community. (15) It is a place where man can renew contact with nature. It is a place which honors creation for its own sake and for what it adds to the understanding of the race. It is a place where men are more concerned with the quality of their goals than the quantity of their goods. (16) But most of all, the Great Society is not a safe harbor, a resting place, a final objective, a finished work. It is a challenge constantly renewed, beckoning us toward a destiny where the meaning of our lives matches the marvelous products of our labor. . . . (17) Will you join in the battle to build the Great Society, to prove that our material progress is only the foundation on which we will build a richer life of mind and spirit? (18) There are those timid souls that say this battle cannot be won; that we are condemned to a soulless wealth. I do not agree. We have the power to shape the civilization that we want. But we need your will, and your labor, and your hearts, if we are to build that kind of society. (19) Those who came to this land sought to build more than just a new country. They sought a new world. So I have come here today to your campus to say that you can make their vision our reality. So let us from this moment begin our work so that in the future men will look back and say, "It was then, after a long and weary way, that man turned the exploits of his genius to the full enrichment of his life." In paragraph 3 of Passage 1, which claim does Kennedy make?

Exploration of the New Frontier requires patience.
Some of the problems facing the United States are better left unresolved.
The United States still has more work to do. (Correct answer)
Other leaders are afraid of the challenges of the New Frontier.

Correct answer: The United States still has more work to do.

In paragraph 3, Kennedy directly refutes the idea that all struggles are over, stating, "For the problems are not all solved and the battles are not all won." He then introduces the "New Frontier" as a realm of "unknown opportunities and perils" and "unfilled hopes and threats." This clearly indicates his claim that the United States still faces significant challenges and has much work left to accomplish.

Question 7: Read the following passage(s) and answer the questions that follow. Passage 1 The New Frontier by Senator John F. Kennedy This is an excerpt from a speech given by John F. Kennedy upon accepting the nomination of the Democratic party on July 15, 1960. (1) . . . I stand tonight facing west on what was once the last frontier. From the lands that stretch three thousand miles behind me, the pioneers gave up their safety, their comfort and sometimes their lives to build a new world here in the West. They were not the captives of their own doubts, the prisoners of their own price tags. Their motto was not "every man for himself"—but "all for the common cause." They were determined to make that new world strong and free, to overcome its hazards and its hardships, to conquer the enemies that threatened from without and within. (2) Today some would say that those struggles are all over—that all the horizons have been explored—that all the battles have been won—that there is no longer an American frontier. (3) But I trust that no one in this vast assemblage would agree with those sentiments. For the problems are not all solved and the battles are not all won—and we stand today on the edge of a New Frontier—the frontier of the 1960s—a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils—a frontier of unfilled hopes and threats. (4) Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom promised our nation a new political and economic framework. Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal promised security and succor to those in need. But the New Frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises—it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer to the American people, but what I intend to ask of them. It appeals to their pride, not to their pocketbook—it holds out the promise of more sacrifice instead of more security. (5) But I tell you the New Frontier is here, whether we seek it or not. Beyond that frontier are the uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus. It would be easier to shrink back from that frontier, to look to the safe mediocrity of the past, to be lulled by good intentions and high rhetoric—and those who prefer that course should not cast their votes for me, regardless of party. (6) For the harsh facts of the matter are that we stand on this frontier at a turning-point in history. We must prove all over again whether this nation—or any nation so conceived—can long endure—whether our society—with its freedom of choice, its breadth of opportunity, its range of alternatives—can compete with the single-minded advance of the Communist system. (7) Can a nation organized and governed such as ours endure? That is the real question. Have we the nerve and the will? Can we carry through in an age where we will witness not only new breakthroughs in weapons of destruction—but also a race for mastery of the sky and the rain, the ocean and the tides, the far side of space and the inside of men's minds? (8) That is the question of the New Frontier. That is the choice our nation must make—a choice that lies not merely between two men or two parties, but between the public interest and private comfort—between national greatness and national decline—between the fresh air of progress and the stale, dank atmosphere of "normalcy"—between determined dedication and creeping mediocrity. (9) All mankind waits upon our decision. A whole world looks to see what we will do. We cannot fail their trust, we cannot fail to try. Passage 2 The Great Society by President Lyndon B. Johnson This is an excerpt from a speech by President Lyndon B. Johnson given on May 22, 1964. (10) For a century we labored to settle and to subdue a continent. For half a century we called upon unbounded invention and untiring industry to create an order of plenty for all of our people. (11) The challenge of the next half century is whether we have the wisdom to use that wealth to enrich and elevate our national life, and to advance the quality of our American civilization. (12) Your imagination and your initiative, and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth. For in your time we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society. (13) The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time. But that is just the beginning. (14) The Great Society is a place where every child can find knowledge to enrich his mind and to enlarge his talents. It is a place where leisure is a welcome chance to build and reflect, not a feared cause of boredom and restlessness. It is a place where the city of man serves not only the needs of the body and the demands of commerce but the desire for beauty and the hunger for community. (15) It is a place where man can renew contact with nature. It is a place which honors creation for its own sake and for what it adds to the understanding of the race. It is a place where men are more concerned with the quality of their goals than the quantity of their goods. (16) But most of all, the Great Society is not a safe harbor, a resting place, a final objective, a finished work. It is a challenge constantly renewed, beckoning us toward a destiny where the meaning of our lives matches the marvelous products of our labor. . . . (17) Will you join in the battle to build the Great Society, to prove that our material progress is only the foundation on which we will build a richer life of mind and spirit? (18) There are those timid souls that say this battle cannot be won; that we are condemned to a soulless wealth. I do not agree. We have the power to shape the civilization that we want. But we need your will, and your labor, and your hearts, if we are to build that kind of society. (19) Those who came to this land sought to build more than just a new country. They sought a new world. So I have come here today to your campus to say that you can make their vision our reality. So let us from this moment begin our work so that in the future men will look back and say, "It was then, after a long and weary way, that man turned the exploits of his genius to the full enrichment of his life." What evidence does paragraph 5 provide to support the allegation in question 5?

by emphasizing the need to approach issues one at a time
by describing how an easy plan is often the best plan
by speculating about challenges that will continue into the future (Correct answer)
by highlighting the lofty ambitions of previous generations

Correct answer: by speculating about challenges that will continue into the future

Paragraph 5 supports Kennedy's broader message about the New Frontier by detailing specific, ongoing challenges that lie ahead. He lists "uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus." These examples are not just current issues but future-oriented problems that the nation must confront, thereby speculating about challenges that will continue into the future.

Question 8: Read the following passage(s) and answer the questions that follow. Passage 1 The New Frontier by Senator John F. Kennedy This is an excerpt from a speech given by John F. Kennedy upon accepting the nomination of the Democratic party on July 15, 1960. (1) . . . I stand tonight facing west on what was once the last frontier. From the lands that stretch three thousand miles behind me, the pioneers gave up their safety, their comfort and sometimes their lives to build a new world here in the West. They were not the captives of their own doubts, the prisoners of their own price tags. Their motto was not "every man for himself"—but "all for the common cause." They were determined to make that new world strong and free, to overcome its hazards and its hardships, to conquer the enemies that threatened from without and within. (2) Today some would say that those struggles are all over—that all the horizons have been explored—that all the battles have been won—that there is no longer an American frontier. (3) But I trust that no one in this vast assemblage would agree with those sentiments. For the problems are not all solved and the battles are not all won—and we stand today on the edge of a New Frontier—the frontier of the 1960s—a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils—a frontier of unfilled hopes and threats. (4) Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom promised our nation a new political and economic framework. Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal promised security and succor to those in need. But the New Frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises—it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer to the American people, but what I intend to ask of them. It appeals to their pride, not to their pocketbook—it holds out the promise of more sacrifice instead of more security. (5) But I tell you the New Frontier is here, whether we seek it or not. Beyond that frontier are the uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus. It would be easier to shrink back from that frontier, to look to the safe mediocrity of the past, to be lulled by good intentions and high rhetoric—and those who prefer that course should not cast their votes for me, regardless of party. (6) For the harsh facts of the matter are that we stand on this frontier at a turning-point in history. We must prove all over again whether this nation—or any nation so conceived—can long endure—whether our society—with its freedom of choice, its breadth of opportunity, its range of alternatives—can compete with the single-minded advance of the Communist system. (7) Can a nation organized and governed such as ours endure? That is the real question. Have we the nerve and the will? Can we carry through in an age where we will witness not only new breakthroughs in weapons of destruction—but also a race for mastery of the sky and the rain, the ocean and the tides, the far side of space and the inside of men's minds? (8) That is the question of the New Frontier. That is the choice our nation must make—a choice that lies not merely between two men or two parties, but between the public interest and private comfort—between national greatness and national decline—between the fresh air of progress and the stale, dank atmosphere of "normalcy"—between determined dedication and creeping mediocrity. (9) All mankind waits upon our decision. A whole world looks to see what we will do. We cannot fail their trust, we cannot fail to try. Passage 2 The Great Society by President Lyndon B. Johnson This is an excerpt from a speech by President Lyndon B. Johnson given on May 22, 1964. (10) For a century we labored to settle and to subdue a continent. For half a century we called upon unbounded invention and untiring industry to create an order of plenty for all of our people. (11) The challenge of the next half century is whether we have the wisdom to use that wealth to enrich and elevate our national life, and to advance the quality of our American civilization. (12) Your imagination and your initiative, and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth. For in your time we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society. (13) The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time. But that is just the beginning. (14) The Great Society is a place where every child can find knowledge to enrich his mind and to enlarge his talents. It is a place where leisure is a welcome chance to build and reflect, not a feared cause of boredom and restlessness. It is a place where the city of man serves not only the needs of the body and the demands of commerce but the desire for beauty and the hunger for community. (15) It is a place where man can renew contact with nature. It is a place which honors creation for its own sake and for what it adds to the understanding of the race. It is a place where men are more concerned with the quality of their goals than the quantity of their goods. (16) But most of all, the Great Society is not a safe harbor, a resting place, a final objective, a finished work. It is a challenge constantly renewed, beckoning us toward a destiny where the meaning of our lives matches the marvelous products of our labor. . . . (17) Will you join in the battle to build the Great Society, to prove that our material progress is only the foundation on which we will build a richer life of mind and spirit? (18) There are those timid souls that say this battle cannot be won; that we are condemned to a soulless wealth. I do not agree. We have the power to shape the civilization that we want. But we need your will, and your labor, and your hearts, if we are to build that kind of society. (19) Those who came to this land sought to build more than just a new country. They sought a new world. So I have come here today to your campus to say that you can make their vision our reality. So let us from this moment begin our work so that in the future men will look back and say, "It was then, after a long and weary way, that man turned the exploits of his genius to the full enrichment of his life." What are the differences between the speakers in Passage 1 and Passage 2 when it comes to their portrayal of history in their speeches?

Kennedy praises the efforts of former leaders to transform the country, while Johnson refers to the pessimism of previous leaders in order to suggest policy changes.
Kennedy alludes to the pioneer spirit that motivates his audience, while Johnson anticipates how future generations will interpret the legacy of the Great Society. (Correct answer)
Kennedy reflects on the individualism of previous generations, while Johnson describes how poor decisions in the past led the United States away from its Ideals.
Kennedy suggests that the country Is stuck In the past In its approach to challenges, while Johnson advocates using the past as a predictor of the future.

Correct answer: Kennedy alludes to the pioneer spirit that motivates his audience, while Johnson anticipates how future generations will interpret the legacy of the Great Society.

Kennedy, in Passage 1, frequently references the historical 'pioneers' and their spirit of common cause (paragraph 1) to inspire his audience to tackle new challenges. In contrast, Johnson, in Passage 2, looks forward, particularly in paragraph 19, urging his audience to act so that future generations will look back and commend their efforts in building the Great Society, thus anticipating how their legacy will be interpreted.

Question 9: Read the following passage(s) and answer the questions that follow. Passage 1 The New Frontier by Senator John F. Kennedy This is an excerpt from a speech given by John F. Kennedy upon accepting the nomination of the Democratic party on July 15, 1960. (1) . . . I stand tonight facing west on what was once the last frontier. From the lands that stretch three thousand miles behind me, the pioneers gave up their safety, their comfort and sometimes their lives to build a new world here in the West. They were not the captives of their own doubts, the prisoners of their own price tags. Their motto was not "every man for himself"—but "all for the common cause." They were determined to make that new world strong and free, to overcome its hazards and its hardships, to conquer the enemies that threatened from without and within. (2) Today some would say that those struggles are all over—that all the horizons have been explored—that all the battles have been won—that there is no longer an American frontier. (3) But I trust that no one in this vast assemblage would agree with those sentiments. For the problems are not all solved and the battles are not all won—and we stand today on the edge of a New Frontier—the frontier of the 1960s—a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils—a frontier of unfilled hopes and threats. (4) Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom promised our nation a new political and economic framework. Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal promised security and succor to those in need. But the New Frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises—it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer to the American people, but what I intend to ask of them. It appeals to their pride, not to their pocketbook—it holds out the promise of more sacrifice instead of more security. (5) But I tell you the New Frontier is here, whether we seek it or not. Beyond that frontier are the uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus. It would be easier to shrink back from that frontier, to look to the safe mediocrity of the past, to be lulled by good intentions and high rhetoric—and those who prefer that course should not cast their votes for me, regardless of party. (6) For the harsh facts of the matter are that we stand on this frontier at a turning-point in history. We must prove all over again whether this nation—or any nation so conceived—can long endure—whether our society—with its freedom of choice, its breadth of opportunity, its range of alternatives—can compete with the single-minded advance of the Communist system. (7) Can a nation organized and governed such as ours endure? That is the real question. Have we the nerve and the will? Can we carry through in an age where we will witness not only new breakthroughs in weapons of destruction—but also a race for mastery of the sky and the rain, the ocean and the tides, the far side of space and the inside of men's minds? (8) That is the question of the New Frontier. That is the choice our nation must make—a choice that lies not merely between two men or two parties, but between the public interest and private comfort—between national greatness and national decline—between the fresh air of progress and the stale, dank atmosphere of "normalcy"—between determined dedication and creeping mediocrity. (9) All mankind waits upon our decision. A whole world looks to see what we will do. We cannot fail their trust, we cannot fail to try. Passage 2 The Great Society by President Lyndon B. Johnson This is an excerpt from a speech by President Lyndon B. Johnson given on May 22, 1964. (10) For a century we labored to settle and to subdue a continent. For half a century we called upon unbounded invention and untiring industry to create an order of plenty for all of our people. (11) The challenge of the next half century is whether we have the wisdom to use that wealth to enrich and elevate our national life, and to advance the quality of our American civilization. (12) Your imagination and your initiative, and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth. For in your time we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society. (13) The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time. But that is just the beginning. (14) The Great Society is a place where every child can find knowledge to enrich his mind and to enlarge his talents. It is a place where leisure is a welcome chance to build and reflect, not a feared cause of boredom and restlessness. It is a place where the city of man serves not only the needs of the body and the demands of commerce but the desire for beauty and the hunger for community. (15) It is a place where man can renew contact with nature. It is a place which honors creation for its own sake and for what it adds to the understanding of the race. It is a place where men are more concerned with the quality of their goals than the quantity of their goods. (16) But most of all, the Great Society is not a safe harbor, a resting place, a final objective, a finished work. It is a challenge constantly renewed, beckoning us toward a destiny where the meaning of our lives matches the marvelous products of our labor. . . . (17) Will you join in the battle to build the Great Society, to prove that our material progress is only the foundation on which we will build a richer life of mind and spirit? (18) There are those timid souls that say this battle cannot be won; that we are condemned to a soulless wealth. I do not agree. We have the power to shape the civilization that we want. But we need your will, and your labor, and your hearts, if we are to build that kind of society. (19) Those who came to this land sought to build more than just a new country. They sought a new world. So I have come here today to your campus to say that you can make their vision our reality. So let us from this moment begin our work so that in the future men will look back and say, "It was then, after a long and weary way, that man turned the exploits of his genius to the full enrichment of his life." Read this sentence from Passage I. "He plunged down, down, so close to the lake that the white-tipped waves almost touched his wings as he skimmed over them" (paragraph 2) What effect does this sentence have?

The sentence creates an element of surprise.
The sentence evokes a sense of mystery.
The sentence develops a contrast between settings.
The sentence foreshadows events to come. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The sentence foreshadows events to come.

The sentence describes a character taking a risky action by plunging dangerously close to the water. In narrative writing, such a vivid depiction of a precarious or daring act often serves to hint at potential future consequences or developments for the character. This creates anticipation and suggests that the character's actions will lead to further events, thus foreshadowing what is to come in the story.

AzM2 Reading Test 1

Read the following passage(s) and answer the questions that follow.
Passage 1
The New Frontier
by Senator John F.
Kennedy

This is an excerpt from a speech given by John F.
Kennedy upon accepting the nomination of the Democratic party on July 15, 1960.

(1) . . .
I stand tonight facing west on what was once the last frontier.
From the lands that stretch three thousand miles behind me, the pioneers gave up their safety, their comfort and sometimes their lives to build a new world here in the West.
They were not the captives of their own doubts, the prisoners of their own price tags.
Their motto was not "every man for himself"—but "all for the common cause." They were determined to make that new world strong and free, to overcome its hazards and its hardships, to conquer the enemies that threatened from without and within.

(2) Today some would say that those struggles are all over—that all the horizons have been explored—that all the battles have been won—that there is no longer an American frontier.

(3) But I trust that no one in this vast assemblage would agree with those sentiments.
For the problems are not all solved and the battles are not all won—and we stand today on the edge of a New Frontier—the frontier of the 1960s—a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils—a frontier of unfilled hopes and threats.

(4) Woodrow Wilson's New Freedom promised our nation a new political and economic framework.
Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal promised security and succor to those in need.
But the New Frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises—it is a set of challenges.
It sums up not what I intend to offer to the American people, but what I intend to ask of them.
It appeals to their pride, not to their pocketbook—it holds out the promise of more sacrifice instead of more security.

(5) But I tell you the New Frontier is here, whether we seek it or not.
Beyond that frontier are the uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus.
It would be easier to shrink back from that frontier, to look to the safe mediocrity of the past, to be lulled by good intentions and high rhetoric—and those who prefer that course should not cast their votes for me, regardless of party.

(6) For the harsh facts of the matter are that we stand on this frontier at a turning-point in history.
We must prove all over again whether this nation—or any nation so conceived—can long endure—whether our society—with its freedom of choice, its breadth of opportunity, its range of alternatives—can compete with the single-minded advance of the Communist system.

(7) Can a nation organized and governed such as ours endure? That is the real question.
Have we the nerve and the will? Can we carry through in an age where we will witness not only new breakthroughs in weapons of destruction—but also a race for mastery of the sky and the rain, the ocean and the tides, the far side of space and the inside of men's minds?

(8) That is the question of the New Frontier.
That is the choice our nation must make—a choice that lies not merely between two men or two parties, but between the public interest and private comfort—between national greatness and national decline—between the fresh air of progress and the stale, dank atmosphere of "normalcy"—between determined dedication and creeping mediocrity.

(9) All mankind waits upon our decision.
A whole world looks to see what we will do.
We cannot fail their trust, we cannot fail to try.
Passage 2
The Great Society
by President Lyndon B.
Johnson

This is an excerpt from a speech by President Lyndon B.
Johnson given on May 22, 1964.

(10) For a century we labored to settle and to subdue a continent.
For half a century we called upon unbounded invention and untiring industry to create an order of plenty for all of our people.

(11) The challenge of the next half century is whether we have the wisdom to use that wealth to enrich and elevate our national life, and to advance the quality of our American civilization.

(12) Your imagination and your initiative, and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth.
For in your time we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society.

(13) The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all.
It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time.
But that is just the beginning.

(14) The Great Society is a place where every child can find knowledge to enrich his mind and to enlarge his talents.
It is a place where leisure is a welcome chance to build and reflect, not a feared cause of boredom and restlessness.
It is a place where the city of man serves not only the needs of the body and the demands of commerce but the desire for beauty and the hunger for community.

(15) It is a place where man can renew contact with nature.
It is a place which honors creation for its own sake and for what it adds to the understanding of the race.
It is a place where men are more concerned with the quality of their goals than the quantity of their goods.

(16) But most of all, the Great Society is not a safe harbor, a resting place, a final objective, a finished work.
It is a challenge constantly renewed, beckoning us toward a destiny where the meaning of our lives matches the marvelous products of our labor.

. . .
(17) Will you join in the battle to build the Great Society, to prove that our material progress is only the foundation on which we will build a richer life of mind and spirit?

(18) There are those timid souls that say this battle cannot be won; that we are condemned to a soulless wealth.
I do not agree.
We have the power to shape the civilization that we want.
But we need your will, and your labor, and your hearts, if we are to build that kind of society.

(19) Those who came to this land sought to build more than just a new country.
They sought a new world.
So I have come here today to your campus to say that you can make their vision our reality.
So let us from this moment begin our work so that in the future men will look back and say, "It was then, after a long and weary way, that man turned the exploits of his genius to the full enrichment of his life."
In the first passage, how does Kennedy convey the nation's challenges?

What Practice Test Geeks adds beyond an AI chat for AzM2

An AI chatbot can quiz you, but it can't reproduce the exam conditions or keep your record. Here you get:

A timed, full-length AzM2 mock exam — 82 questions in 90 minutes with a 65% pass mark, modeled on the official exam's question count and time limit, followed by a score report broken down by exam domain.
A fixed AzM2 question bank: the same test every attempt, so your score is comparable from one try to the next instead of changing with every regenerated quiz.
Progress saved on your device: completed tests, scores and missed questions stay in My Progress, so you can retake only what you got wrong.
A printable AzM2 cheat sheet you can print or save as a PDF.
AzM2 flashcards built from the same question bank.

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These practice questions were written with AI tools. They are not real exam questions. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy

Sources & references

Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy

azed.gov — Eligibility, test dates, test delivery · verified Oct 2026