Ace the ACT Reading Section with Free Question and Answers

An ACT The reading section is followed by a number of questions. Select the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be cited as often as necessary.

HUMSS:

Some reviewers think that Flaubert's outstanding work of fiction Madame Bovary, an illustration of a well-crafted and thought-provoking book, has an unusual and subversive theme that undercuts its own medium. To put it another way, these critics claim that Flaubert's remarkable work of fiction is actually a cautionary tale about the risks of reading novels. They cite Emma Bovary, the novel's cynical protagonist, who romanticizes even the most banal parts of daily life—eating fine cuisine and dressing expensively—as support for their claim. She develops callous, stupidity, and shortsightedness as a result of her ongoing dissatisfaction with reality. She is solely concerned with her immediate physical gratification and financial goods. Her two adulterous affairs with Leon and Rodolfo end in tragedy, her constant borrowing puts her family in financial ruin, and her desire to pass away in a gloriously dramatic way results in an unexpectedly excruciating three days of death throes. All of these things are the results of her fantasies. She suffers tremendously as a result of her unrealistic expectations for life.

But is this subtext a central subject in the book, or is it only an effect of the characters and the plot? Are we really to believe that Flaubert created a virtual manifesto condemning the hazards of losing oneself in fiction because he believed the book to be so dangerous? If that's the case, why would he chose to spread this message through the very outlet he loathed so much (and, in actuality, carried on working in for the remainder of his life)?

Certainly Emma’s flawed personality, as well as her literary obsession, contributes to her downfall, but it is interesting to note that no other character in the novel reads habitually for pleasure. In fact, Charles spends the bulk of the novel engaged in the mundane activities of daily life: running a business, tending to family members, maintaining the household. He is naïve, true, but happy, at least until Emma’s penchant for romance begins to interfere with his responsibilities. Therefore, there really are no other appropriate characters with whom to compare her, although we can point out that the novel’s non-reading population tends to be a fairly socially responsible group. (It is also interesting to note that Flaubert hardly uses the sort of clinical, dispassionate language you might expect to see in such a novel; for example, even the most stolid characters are prone to “exclaiming” and “crying” their dialogue.) Perhaps Madame Bovary, then, was not meant to be a criticism of fiction itself, but a caution against allowing suggestible characters like Emma to have access to novels. The permissive environment in the Bovarys’ household contributes to their downfall and social ruin; the characters’ unwillingness to check Emma’s passions (and even their ignorance of the existence of such a problem) leads to the disintegration of their family.

The author provides examples of how Flaubert employed conversation to accomplish the following in the final paragraph:

demonstrate the romantic leanings of 19th-century French authors in general.

illustrate Flaubert’s use of hyperbolic language in a novel that supposedly decries romanticism.

prove that Flaubert himself approved of overly romantic characters.

suggest that Flaubert may have been unaware of his contradictory use of language.

Correct! Wrong!

This inquiry relates to function. The last sentence explains how Flaubert employs romantic language despite his dislike of romantic literature. This paradox is expressed accurately by (B).

An ACT The reading section is followed by a number of questions. Select the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be cited as often as necessary.

HUMSS:

Some reviewers think that the novel Madame Bovary, a prime example of a well-written and thought-provoking book, has an unusual and subversive theme that undercuts its own medium. To put it another way, these critics contend that Flaubert's outstanding work of fiction is actually a warning about the risks associated with reading novels. They cite Emma Bovary, the book's cynical protagonist, as proof, romanticizing even the most basic things of daily life like eating upscale meals and dressing ostentatiously, as well as her relationships. She develops into a harsh, dimwitted, and short-sighted person who only cares about her immediate physical gratification and financial goods because she is perpetually dissatisfied with real life. Her dreams cause her to fall; her marriage to Charles, her two adulterous encounters with Leon and Rodolfo end in tragedy; her persistent borrowing causes her family's financial ruin; and her wish to pass away in a wonderfully spectacular way results in an unexpectedly terrible three days of dying. She is cruelly punished because she has unreasonable expectations for life.

But is this subtext an integral part of the story or just an outcome of the characters and the plot? Are we to believe that Flaubert believed the book to be so perilous that he created a virtual manifesto on the dangers of losing oneself in fiction? If this is the case, why would he chose to spread this message through the medium he so hated (and, in actuality, continued to work in for the remainder of his life)?

Emma's flaws as a person and her love with books undoubtedly contributed to her demise, but it's fascinating to notice that no other character in the book reads frequently for pleasure. In actuality, Charles spends the most of the book going about his daily tasks including operating a business, caring for his family, and keeping the house in order. True, he is naive, but he is content—at least until Emma's love of romance starts to get in the way of his duties. There aren't really any other characters that are comparable to her, despite the fact that we may note that the non-reading audience for the novel is typically a group that is highly socially conscious. (It's also noteworthy to note that Flaubert rarely employs the kind of clinical, detached language you might anticipate in a book of this kind; for instance, even the most stolid characters are prone to "exclaiming" and "crying" their dialogue.) So perhaps Madame Bovary wasn't meant to be an attack on literature per such, but rather a warning against giving suggestible women like Emma access to books. The Bovarys' home's permissive atmosphere contributes to their social ruin and demise, and the characters' refusal to rein in Emma's desires (or perhaps their ignorance of the issue's existence) causes their family to come apart.

Which of the following is implied by the questions in the second paragraph?

The belief that Flaubert’s novel was meant to be a treatise against overly romantic language.

The failure of Emma to recognize and overcome her flaws.

The possible contradictory relationship between Flaubert’s message and his medium.

The inability of Flaubert to escape his romantic leanings.

Correct! Wrong!

This inquiry involves inference. The rhetorical questions in the second paragraph are intended to highlight the tension between the warning against love novels and the nature of the genre. (C) effectively draws attention to this contradictory link.

In the ACT There are various questions that go with the reading text below. Pick the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be consulted as often as necessary.

VARIOUS NATURAL SCIENCE:

The subject I will be discussing is extremely complicated and presents a wide range of challenging, enigmatic, and philosophical problems, some of which are psychological, others physiological, therefore I will jump right to the crux of the matter. I see objects in a dream, yet there are none. I seem to speak to them and hear their responses when I see people, although nobody is present, and I haven't actually spoken anything. It appears exactly as though there were actual things and genuine people there, yet upon waking, everything has vanished. How does this occur?

But first, is it really true that there is nothing there? I'm asking if we are exposed to any sense information while we are awake and while we sleep.

Eyes closed, focus intently on the scene in front of you. When asked about this, a lot of people would respond that they don't see anything happening. This is not surprising because it takes some experience to be able to see oneself satisfactorily. But if you pay the necessary attention, you will gradually be able to differentiate numerous things. first, a background that is often black. On this dark background, there are sporadic dazzling points that rise and fall gently and subtly. More frequently, dots of various colors, sometimes quite dull, and occasionally, with particular persons, so vivid that reality cannot compare with it. These patches constantly displace one another as they grow and contract, change shape, and color. The change can occur suddenly or slowly over time. Where did all of this originate from? The phenomena is known as "ocular spectra," "colored spots," and "phosphenes" by physiologists and psychologists who have examined this color play. They explain it either by the minute adjustments that the retinal circulation undergoes on a constant basis or by the pressure that the closed lid places on the eyeball, mechanically stimulating the optic nerve. But what matters in this case is not how the phenomenon is explained or given a name. It happens everywhere and, in my opinion, is the primary element from which we fashion our aspirations.

The American psychologist Professor Henry Ladd has devised a rigorous method of testing this hypothesis. It consists in acquiring the habit on awakening in the morning of keeping the eyes closed and retaining for some minutes the dream that is fading from the field of vision and soon would doubtless have faded from that of memory. Then one sees the figures and objects of the dream melt away little by little into phosphenes, identifying themselves with the colored spots that the eye really perceives when the lids are closed. One reads, for example, a newspaper; that is the dream. One awakens and there remains of the newspaper, whose definite outlines are erased, only a white spot with black marks here and there; that is the reality. Or our dream takes us upon the open sea—round about us the ocean spreads its waves of yellowish gray with here and there a crown of white foam. On awakening, it is all lost in a great spot, half yellow and half gray, sown with brilliant points. The spot was there, the brilliant points were there. There was really presented to our perceptions, in sleep, a visual dust, and it was this dust which served for the fabrication of our dreams.

Will this alone suffice? Still considering the sensation of sight, we ought to add to these visual sensations which we may call internal all those which continue to come to us from an external source. The eyes, when closed, still distinguish light from shade, and even, to a certain extent, different lights from one another. These sensations of light, emanating from without, are at the bottom of many of our dreams. A candle abruptly lighted in the room will, for example, suggest to the sleeper, if his slumber is not too deep, a dream dominated by the image of fire, the idea of a burning building. Such are often the dreams provoked by a bright and sudden light.

I have spoken of visual sensations. They are the principal ones. But the auditory sensations nevertheless play a role. First, the ear has also its internal sensations, sensations of buzzing, of tinkling, of whistling, difficult to isolate and to perceive while awake, but which are clearly distinguished in sleep. Besides that we continue, when once asleep, to hear external sounds that the dream converts, according to circumstances, into conversation, singing, cries, music, etc. But let us hasten to say that sounds do not play in our dreams so important a role as colors. Our dreams are, above all, visual.

According to the passage, the following things can result in a dream about fire:

an underlying fear of burning.

an unsteady light source.

a light source turned on in front of the sleeper.

a rustling sound similar to fire.

Correct! Wrong!

The reader must pick out a passage detail for this question. The author, in his discussion on the way that light affects dream images, states that “a candle abruptly lighted in the room will…suggest to the sleeper…a dream dominated by the image of fire” (paragraph 5) and that dreams about fire are “often the dreams provoked by a bright and sudden light”.

In the ACT There are various questions that go with the reading text below. Pick the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be consulted as often as necessary.

VARIOUS NATURAL SCIENCE:

The subject I will be discussing is extremely complicated and presents a wide range of challenging, enigmatic, and philosophical problems, some of which are psychological, others physiological, therefore I will jump right to the crux of the matter. I see objects in a dream, yet there are none. I seem to speak to them and hear their responses when I see people, although nobody is present, and I haven't actually spoken anything. It appears exactly as though there were actual things and genuine people there, yet upon waking, everything has vanished. How does this occur?

But first, is it really true that there is nothing there? I'm asking if we are exposed to any sense information while we are awake and while we sleep.

Eyes closed, focus intently on the scene in front of you. When asked about this, a lot of people would respond that they don't see anything happening. This is not surprising because it takes some experience to be able to see oneself satisfactorily. But if you pay the necessary attention, you will gradually be able to differentiate numerous things. first, a background that is often black. On this dark background, there are sporadic dazzling points that rise and fall gently and subtly. More frequently, dots of various colors, sometimes quite dull, and occasionally, with particular persons, so vivid that reality cannot compare with it. These patches constantly displace one another as they grow and contract, change shape, and color. The change can occur suddenly or slowly over time. Where did all of this originate from? The phenomena is known as "ocular spectra," "colored spots," and "phosphenes" by physiologists and psychologists who have examined this color play. They explain it either by the minute adjustments that the retinal circulation undergoes on a constant basis or by the pressure that the closed lid places on the eyeball, mechanically stimulating the optic nerve. But what matters in this case is not how the phenomenon is explained or given a name. It happens everywhere and, in my opinion, is the primary element from which we fashion our aspirations.

A thorough procedure for verifying this theory has been developed by American psychologist Professor Henry Ladd. It entails developing the practice of keeping your eyes closed when you wake up in the morning in order to retain your dream for a few minutes as it slowly fades from your field of vision and, soon, certainly, from your memory. Then, as the eye is closed, one notices that the dream's characters and objects gradually disappear into colored patches known as phosphenes. The dream involves reading something, like a newspaper. The reality is that when one wakes up, the newspaper has vanished, leaving only a white patch with sporadic black stains. Or perhaps our dream places us in the broad sea, where the water spreads out its waves of greenish gray with the occasional cap of white foam. Upon awakening, everything is lost in a magnificent area that is split evenly between shades of gray and yellow and is covered in sparkling points. The location and the stunning aspects were both present. When we were asleep, a visual dust was actually exposed to our perceptions, and it was this dust that helped to create our dreams.

Will this alone suffice? Still considering the sensation of sight, we ought to add to these visual sensations which we may call internal all those which continue to come to us from an external source. The eyes, when closed, still distinguish light from shade, and even, to a certain extent, different lights from one another. These sensations of light, emanating from without, are at the bottom of many of our dreams. A candle abruptly lighted in the room will, for example, suggest to the sleeper, if his slumber is not too deep, a dream dominated by the image of fire, the idea of a burning building. Such are often the dreams provoked by a bright and sudden light.

I have spoken of visual sensations. They are the principal ones. But the auditory sensations nevertheless play a role. First, the ear has also its internal sensations, sensations of buzzing, of tinkling, of whistling, difficult to isolate and to perceive while awake, but which are clearly distinguished in sleep. Besides that we continue, when once asleep, to hear external sounds that the dream converts, according to circumstances, into conversation, singing, cries, music, etc. But let us hasten to say that sounds do not play in our dreams so important a role as colors. Our dreams are, above all, visual.

Even if the most of the images we see in dreams come from within, the author claims that:

external sounds play an equally important role in dreaming.

these dreams are less likely to be remembered.

light can also influence what we see in our dreams.

external sources also exert a continual influence on our dreams.

Correct! Wrong!

The passage suggests that the relationship between phosphenes and dreams is that:The author states that “sensations of light, emanating from without, are at the bottom of many of our dreams” (paragraph 5). The author never claims that dreams have a "continual impact" from any outside source or that they won't be remembered.

In the ACT There are various questions that go with the reading text below. Pick the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be consulted as often as necessary.

VARIOUS NATURAL SCIENCE:

The subject I will be discussing is extremely complicated and presents a wide range of challenging, enigmatic, and philosophical problems, some of which are psychological, others physiological, therefore I will jump right to the crux of the matter. I see objects in a dream, yet there are none. I seem to speak to them and hear their responses when I see people, although nobody is present, and I haven't actually spoken anything. It appears exactly as though there were actual things and genuine people there, yet upon waking, everything has vanished. How does this occur?

But first, is it really true that there is nothing there? I'm asking if we are exposed to any sense information while we are awake and while we sleep.

Eyes closed, focus intently on the scene in front of you. When asked about this, a lot of people would respond that they don't see anything happening. This is not surprising because it takes some experience to be able to see oneself satisfactorily. But if you pay the necessary attention, you will gradually be able to differentiate numerous things. first, a background that is often black. On this dark background, there are sporadic dazzling points that rise and fall gently and subtly. More frequently, dots of various colors, sometimes quite dull, and occasionally, with particular persons, so vivid that reality cannot compare with it. These patches constantly displace one another as they grow and contract, change shape, and color. The change can occur suddenly or slowly over time. Where did all of this originate from? The phenomena is known as ""ocular spectra,"" ""colored spots,"" and ""phosphenes"" by physiologists and psychologists who have examined this color play. They explain it either by the slight modifications which occur ceaselessly in the retinal circulation, or by the pressure that the closed lid exerts upon the eyeball, causing a mechanical excitation of the optic nerve. But what matters in this case is not how the phenomenon is explained or given a name. It happens everywhere and, in my opinion, is the primary element from which we fashion our aspirations.

A thorough procedure for verifying this theory has been developed by American psychologist Professor Henry Ladd. It entails developing the practice of keeping your eyes closed when you wake up in the morning in order to retain your dream for a few minutes as it slowly fades from your field of vision and, soon, certainly, from your memory. Then, as the eye is closed, one notices that the dream's characters and objects gradually disappear into colored patches known as phosphenes. The dream involves reading something, like a newspaper. The reality is that when one wakes up, the newspaper has vanished, leaving only a white patch with sporadic black stains. Or perhaps our dream places us in the broad sea, where the water spreads out its waves of greenish gray with the occasional cap of white foam. Upon awakening, everything is lost in a magnificent area that is split evenly between shades of gray and yellow and is covered in sparkling points. The location and the stunning aspects were both present. When we were asleep, a visual dust was actually exposed to our perceptions, and it was this dust that helped to create our dreams.

Will this be enough on its own? As we continue to think about the perception of sight, we should include all of the visual impressions that continue to arrive to us from outside of our bodies in addition to those that we might refer to as internal. When closed, the eyes can still tell one light from another and, to some extent, one shade from another. Many of our dreams are based on these external, light-like feelings. If the sleeper is not too deep into his sleep, a candle that is suddenly lit in the room can imply to him that his dream is dominated by the image of fire and contains the thought of a burning building. Such dreams are frequently those brought on by a sudden, brilliant light.

I mentioned seeing things. They are the main ones. But the auditory impressions still matter. First, the ear also experiences internal sensations such as buzzing, tinkling, and whistling that are difficult to differentiate and isolate while awake but are audibly distinct while sleeping. Additionally, after falling asleep, we keep hearing outside noises that the dream interprets as dialogue, singing, tears, music, etc. depending on the situation. But let's be quick to point out that sounds do not have the same significance in our dreams as colors. Our dreams are primarily visual.

What would be one of the potential causes of the colored dots of light observed while the eyes are closed, as described in paragraph three?

Closing and opening the eyelid.

Increased activity in the optic nerve.

A sudden drop in retinal circulation.

A change in the amount of light perceived by the eye.

Correct! Wrong!

According to the author, "the pressure that the closed lid exerts upon the eyeball, causing a mechanical excitation of the optic nerve” is one reason for why phosphenes appear.

"An ACT The reading section is followed by a number of questions. Select the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be cited as often as necessary.

HUMSS:

Some reviewers think that Flaubert's outstanding work of fiction Madame Bovary, an illustration of a well-crafted and thought-provoking book, has an unusual and subversive theme that undercuts its own medium. To put it another way, these critics claim that Flaubert's remarkable work of fiction is actually a cautionary tale about the risks of reading novels. They cite Emma Bovary, the novel's cynical protagonist, who romanticizes even the most banal parts of daily life—eating fine cuisine and dressing expensively—as support for their claim. She develops callous, stupidity, and shortsightedness as a result of her ongoing dissatisfaction with reality. She is solely concerned with her immediate physical gratification and financial goods. Her two adulterous affairs with Leon and Rodolfo end in tragedy, her constant borrowing puts her family in financial ruin, and her desire to pass away in a gloriously dramatic way results in an unexpectedly excruciating three days of death throes. All of these things are the results of her fantasies. She suffers tremendously as a result of her unrealistic expectations for life.

But is this subtext a central subject in the book, or is it only an effect of the characters and the plot? Are we really to believe that Flaubert created a virtual manifesto condemning the hazards of losing oneself in fiction because he believed the book to be so dangerous? If that's the case, why would he chose to spread this message through the very outlet he loathed so much (and, in actuality, carried on working in for the remainder of his life)?

Emma's damaged personality and passion with literature undoubtedly play a role in her collapse, but it's fascinating to observe that no other character in the book regularly reads for pleasure. Charles actually spends the majority of the book going about his everyday business, taking care of his family, and keeping the house in order. He is innocent, indeed, but content—at least until Emma's proclivity for romance starts to get in the way of his obligations. There aren't really any other comparable characters, despite the fact that we may note that the majority of the novel's non-readers seem to be a reasonably morally upright people. Even the most stolid characters are prone to "exclaiming" and "crying" their speech, which is an interesting observation given that Flaubert virtually ever employs the kind of clinical, detached language you might expect to see in such a novel. Madame Bovary may not have been intended as a critique of literature per such, but rather as a warning against giving suggestible persons like Emma access to books. The characters' failure to control Emma's passions (or maybe their ignorance of the existence of such an issue) causes the dissolution of their family, which is a result of the permissive climate in the Bovarys' home.

The following best describes the passage's tone:

balanced

unsympathetic.

skeptical.

epistolary.

Correct! Wrong!

This is a Tone-related query. The author is not actually very concerned in expressing his own views in this passage; rather, he is investigating the perspectives of "certain reviewers." Notice the question: “But is this undercurrent an essential theme in the novel, or simply a byproduct of character and plot?” He is considering other viewpoints without being overly critical. In the final paragraph, he even qualifies his statement with the word "perhaps."

In the ACT There are various questions that go with the reading text below. Pick the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be consulted as often as necessary.

VARIOUS NATURAL SCIENCE:

The subject I will be discussing is extremely complicated and presents a wide range of challenging, enigmatic, and philosophical problems, some of which are psychological, others physiological, therefore I will jump right to the crux of the matter. I see objects in a dream, yet there are none. I seem to speak to them and hear their responses when I see people, although nobody is present, and I haven't actually spoken anything. It appears exactly as though there were actual things and genuine people there, yet upon waking, everything has vanished. How does this occur?

But first, is it really true that there is nothing there? I'm asking if we are exposed to any sense information while we are awake and while we sleep.

Close the eyes and look attentively at what goes on in the field of our vision. Many people questioned on this point would say that nothing goes on, that they see nothing. This is not surprising, for a certain amount of practice is necessary to be able to observe oneself satisfactorily. But just give the requisite amount of attention, and you will distinguish, little by little, many things. First, in general, a black background. Upon this black background occasionally brilliant points which come and go, rising and descending, slowly and sedately. More often, spots of many colors, sometimes very dull, sometimes, with certain people, so brilliant that reality cannot compare with it. These spots spread and shrink, changing form and color, constantly displacing one another. Sometimes the change is slow and gradual; sometimes again it is a whirlwind of vertiginous rapidity. Where does all this come from? The physiologists and the psychologists have studied this play of colors and have given the names “ocular spectra,” “colored spots,” and “phosphenes” to the phenomenon. They explain it either by the slight modifications which occur ceaselessly in the retinal circulation, or by the pressure that the closed lid exerts upon the eyeball, causing a mechanical excitation of the optic nerve. But the explanation of the phenomenon and the name that is given to it is not what is important here. It occurs universally and it constitutes, I believe, the principal material of which we shape our dreams.

A thorough procedure for verifying this theory has been developed by American psychologist Professor Henry Ladd. It entails developing the practice of keeping your eyes closed when you wake up in the morning in order to retain your dream for a few minutes as it slowly fades from your field of vision and, soon, certainly, from your memory. Then, as the eye is closed, one notices that the dream's characters and objects gradually disappear into colored patches known as phosphenes. The dream involves reading something, like a newspaper. The reality is that when one wakes up, the newspaper has vanished, leaving only a white patch with sporadic black stains. Or perhaps our dream places us in the broad sea, where the water spreads out its waves of greenish gray with the occasional cap of white foam. Upon awakening, everything is lost in a magnificent area that is split evenly between shades of gray and yellow and is covered in sparkling points. The location and the stunning aspects were both present. When we were asleep, a visual dust was actually exposed to our perceptions, and it was this dust that helped to create our dreams.

Will this be enough on its own? As we continue to think about the perception of sight, we should include all of the visual impressions that continue to arrive to us from outside of our bodies in addition to those that we might refer to as internal. When closed, the eyes can still tell one light from another and, to some extent, one shade from another. Many of our dreams are based on these external, light-like feelings. If the sleeper is not too deep into his sleep, a candle that is suddenly lit in the room can imply to him that his dream is dominated by the image of fire and contains the thought of a burning building. Such dreams are frequently those brought on by a sudden, brilliant light.

I mentioned seeing things. They are the main ones. But the auditory impressions still matter. First, the ear also experiences internal sensations such as buzzing, tinkling, and whistling that are difficult to differentiate and isolate while awake but are audibly distinct while sleeping. Additionally, after falling asleep, we keep hearing outside noises that the dream interprets as dialogue, singing, tears, music, etc. depending on the situation. But let's be quick to point out that sounds do not have the same significance in our dreams as colors. Our dreams are primarily visual.

The passage implies that: "The link between phosphenes and dreams is that:"

dream images are created from an internal source while phosphenes are created from external sources.

phosphenes provide the basic forms that the brain transforms into dream images.

phosphenes are formed when the brain simplifies the dream images it has created.

the brain simultaneously creates dream images and phosphenes from the same external sensory information.

Correct! Wrong!

The chapter makes multiple references to this connection. When discussing phosphenes the author states that the phenomenon of phosphenes “constitutes, I believe, the principal material of which we shape our dreams” (end of paragraph 3).dream images are created from an internal source while phosphenes are created from external sources.

An ACT The reading section is followed by a number of questions. Select the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be cited as often as necessary.

HUMSS:

Some reviewers think that the novel Madame Bovary, a prime example of a well-written and thought-provoking book, has an unusual and subversive theme that undercuts its own medium. To put it another way, these critics contend that Flaubert's outstanding work of fiction is actually a warning about the risks associated with reading novels. They cite Emma Bovary, the book's cynical protagonist, as proof, romanticizing even the most basic things of daily life like eating upscale meals and dressing ostentatiously, as well as her relationships. She develops into a harsh, dimwitted, and short-sighted person who only cares about her immediate physical gratification and financial goods because she is perpetually dissatisfied with real life. Her dreams cause her to fall; her marriage to Charles, her two adulterous encounters with Leon and Rodolfo end in tragedy; her persistent borrowing causes her family's financial ruin; and her wish to pass away in a wonderfully spectacular way results in an unexpectedly terrible three days of dying. She is cruelly punished because she has unreasonable expectations for life.

But is this subtext an integral part of the story or just an outcome of the characters and the plot? Are we to believe that Flaubert believed the book to be so perilous that he created a virtual manifesto on the dangers of losing oneself in fiction? If this is the case, why would he chose to spread this message through the medium he so hated (and, in actuality, continued to work in for the remainder of his life)?

Emma's flaws as a person and her love with books undoubtedly contributed to her demise, but it's fascinating to notice that no other character in the book reads frequently for pleasure. In fact, Charles spends the bulk of the novel engaged in the mundane activities of daily life: running a business, tending to family members, maintaining the household. True, he is naive, but he is content—at least until Emma's love of romance starts to get in the way of his duties. There aren't really any other characters that are comparable to her, despite the fact that we may note that the non-reading audience for the novel is typically a group that is highly socially conscious. (It's also noteworthy to note that Flaubert rarely employs the kind of clinical, detached language you might anticipate in a book of this kind; for instance, even the most stolid characters are prone to "exclaiming" and "crying" their dialogue.) So perhaps Madame Bovary wasn't meant to be an attack on literature per such, but rather a warning against giving suggestible women like Emma access to books. The Bovarys' home's permissive atmosphere contributes to their social ruin and demise, and the characters' refusal to rein in Emma's desires (or perhaps their ignorance of the issue's existence) causes their family to come apart.

In particular, the author refers to "mundane tasks of daily life" in order to:"

emphasize that Charles did not read habitually for pleasure by listing his typical daily activities.

downplay the idea that Emma was justified in fantasizing constantly.

explain Flaubert’s simultaneous attraction to and repulsion by the arts.

provide an example of typical daily activities in a nineteenth-century French household.

Correct! Wrong!

This Function question explores the rationale for the author's inclusion of a certain detail. Charles' lack of reading is emphasized by the author by listing these uninteresting pastimes.

An ACT The reading section is followed by a number of questions. Select the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be cited as often as necessary.

HUMSS:

Some reviewers think that Flaubert's outstanding work of fiction Madame Bovary, an illustration of a well-crafted and thought-provoking book, has an unusual and subversive theme that undercuts its own medium. To put it another way, these critics claim that Flaubert's remarkable work of fiction is actually a cautionary tale about the risks of reading novels. They cite Emma Bovary, the novel's cynical protagonist, who romanticizes even the most banal parts of daily life—eating fine cuisine and dressing expensively—as support for their claim. She develops callous, stupidity, and shortsightedness as a result of her ongoing dissatisfaction with reality. She is solely concerned with her immediate physical gratification and financial goods. Her two adulterous affairs with Leon and Rodolfo end in tragedy, her constant borrowing puts her family in financial ruin, and her desire to pass away in a gloriously dramatic way results in an unexpectedly excruciating three days of death throes. All of these things are the results of her fantasies. She suffers tremendously as a result of her unrealistic expectations for life.

But is this undercurrent an essential theme in the novel, or simply a byproduct of character and plot? Are we really to assume that Flaubert thought the novel so dangerous that he wrote a virtual manifesto on the evils of losing oneself in fiction? If this is really the case, why would he choose to disseminate this message in the very medium he so despised (and, in fact, continued to work in for the rest of his life)?

Emma's damaged personality and passion with literature undoubtedly play a role in her collapse, but it's fascinating to observe that no other character in the book regularly reads for pleasure. Charles actually spends the majority of the book going about his everyday business, taking care of his family, and keeping the house in order. He is innocent, indeed, but content—at least until Emma's proclivity for romance starts to get in the way of his obligations. There aren't really any other comparable characters, despite the fact that we may note that the majority of the novel's non-readers seem to be a reasonably morally upright people. Even the most stolid characters are prone to "exclaiming" and "crying" their speech, which is an interesting observation given that Flaubert virtually ever employs the kind of clinical, detached language you might expect to see in such a novel. Madame Bovary may not have been intended as a critique of literature per such, but rather as a warning against giving suggestible persons like Emma access to books. The characters' failure to control Emma's passions (or maybe their ignorance of the existence of such an issue) causes the dissolution of their family, which is a result of the permissive climate in the Bovarys' home.

Which of the following best describes the author's explanation of "theme" in the second paragraph?

If Charles had interfered with Emma’s literary obsession, he could have avoided his family’s downfall.

By definition, themes are an inherently important, even essential, part of a well-crafted novel.

Nineteenth-century French novelists were often inconsistent in their examination of themes.

Flaubert did not see the inconsistency in writing about the dangers of reading novels within a novel.

Correct! Wrong!

An ACT The reading section is followed by a number of questions. Select the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be cited as often as necessary.

HUMSS:

Some reviewers think that Flaubert's outstanding work of fiction Madame Bovary, an illustration of a well-crafted and thought-provoking book, has an unusual and subversive theme that undercuts its own medium. To put it another way, these critics claim that Flaubert's remarkable work of fiction is actually a cautionary tale about the risks of reading novels. They cite Emma Bovary, the novel's cynical protagonist, who romanticizes even the most banal parts of daily life—eating fine cuisine and dressing expensively—as support for their claim. She develops callous, stupidity, and shortsightedness as a result of her ongoing dissatisfaction with reality. She is solely concerned with her immediate physical gratification and financial goods. Her two adulterous affairs with Leon and Rodolfo end in tragedy, her constant borrowing puts her family in financial ruin, and her desire to pass away in a gloriously dramatic way results in an unexpectedly excruciating three days of death throes. All of these things are the results of her fantasies. She suffers tremendously as a result of her unrealistic expectations for life.

But is this subtext a central subject in the book, or is it only an effect of the characters and the plot? Are we really to believe that Flaubert created a virtual manifesto condemning the hazards of losing oneself in fiction because he believed the book to be so dangerous? If that's the case, why would he chose to spread this message through the very outlet he loathed so much (and, in actuality, carried on working in for the remainder of his life)?

Emma's damaged personality and passion with literature undoubtedly play a role in her collapse, but it's fascinating to observe that no other character in the book regularly reads for pleasure. Charles actually spends the majority of the book going about his everyday business, taking care of his family, and keeping the house in order. He is innocent, indeed, but content—at least until Emma's proclivity for romance starts to get in the way of his obligations. There aren't really any other comparable characters, despite the fact that we may note that the majority of the novel's non-readers seem to be a reasonably morally upright people. Even the most stolid characters are prone to "exclaiming" and "crying" their speech, which is an interesting observation given that Flaubert virtually ever employs the kind of clinical, detached language you might expect to see in such a novel. Madame Bovary may not have been intended as a critique of literature per such, but rather as a warning against giving suggestible persons like Emma access to books. The characters' failure to control Emma's passions (or maybe their ignorance of the existence of such an issue) causes the dissolution of their family, which is a result of the permissive climate in the Bovarys' home.

Which of the following, according to the passage, DID NOT result in Emma Bovary's demise?

Her passionate nature.

Her poor financial investments.

Her self-absorption.

Her multiple love affairs.

Correct! Wrong!

This is a detail-oriented query. The text berates Emma for a variety of things, including her bad financial decisions. It also mentions Emma's love of expensive apparel and material belongings, and claims that in the end, her "constant borrowing" led to "financial ruin." Therefore, her failure was not due to specific financial investments. Instead, her family's financial downfall was brought on by her incessant borrowing. (B) misrepresents what the language expresses clearly.

In the ACT There are various questions that go with the reading text below. Pick the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be consulted as often as necessary.

VARIOUS NATURAL SCIENCE:

The subject which I have to discuss here is so complex, it raises so many questions of all kinds, difficult, obscure, some psychological, others physiological and metaphysical; in order to be treated in a complete manner it requires such a long development, so I shall go at once to the heart of the question. A dream is this: I perceive objects, but there is nothing there. I see people; I seem to speak to them and I hear what they answer, but there is no one there and I have not really spoken. It is just as if real things and real people were there, but on waking all has disappeared. How does this happen?

But first, is it really true that there is nothing there? I'm asking if we are exposed to any sense information while we are awake and while we sleep.

Eyes closed, focus intently on the scene in front of you. When asked about this, a lot of people would respond that they don't see anything happening. This is not surprising because it takes some experience to be able to see oneself satisfactorily. But if you pay the necessary attention, you will gradually be able to differentiate numerous things. first, a background that is often black. On this dark background, there are sporadic dazzling points that rise and fall gently and subtly. More frequently, dots of various colors, sometimes quite dull, and occasionally, with particular persons, so vivid that reality cannot compare with it. These patches constantly displace one another as they grow and contract, change shape, and color. The change can occur suddenly or slowly over time. Where did all of this originate from? The phenomena is known as "ocular spectra," "colored spots," and "phosphenes" by physiologists and psychologists who have examined this color play. They explain it either by the minute adjustments that the retinal circulation undergoes on a constant basis or by the pressure that the closed lid places on the eyeball, mechanically stimulating the optic nerve. But what matters in this case is not how the phenomenon is explained or given a name. It happens everywhere and, in my opinion, is the primary element from which we fashion our aspirations.

A thorough procedure for verifying this theory has been developed by American psychologist Professor Henry Ladd. It entails developing the practice of keeping your eyes closed when you wake up in the morning in order to retain your dream for a few minutes as it slowly fades from your field of vision and, soon, certainly, from your memory. Then, as the eye is closed, one notices that the dream's characters and objects gradually disappear into colored patches known as phosphenes. The dream involves reading something, like a newspaper. The reality is that when one wakes up, the newspaper has vanished, leaving only a white patch with sporadic black stains. Or perhaps our dream places us in the broad sea, where the water spreads out its waves of greenish gray with the occasional cap of white foam. Upon awakening, everything is lost in a magnificent area that is split evenly between shades of gray and yellow and is covered in sparkling points. The location and the stunning aspects were both present. When we were asleep, a visual dust was actually exposed to our perceptions, and it was this dust that helped to create our dreams.

Will this be enough on its own? As we continue to think about the perception of sight, we should include all of the visual impressions that continue to arrive to us from outside of our bodies in addition to those that we might refer to as internal. When closed, the eyes can still tell one light from another and, to some extent, one shade from another. Many of our dreams are based on these external, light-like feelings. If the sleeper is not too deep into his sleep, a candle that is suddenly lit in the room can imply to him that his dream is dominated by the image of fire and contains the thought of a burning building. Such dreams are frequently those brought on by a sudden, brilliant light.

I mentioned seeing things. They are the main ones. But the auditory impressions still matter. First, the ear also experiences internal sensations such as buzzing, tinkling, and whistling that are difficult to differentiate and isolate while awake but are audibly distinct while sleeping. Additionally, after falling asleep, we keep hearing outside noises that the dream interprets as dialogue, singing, tears, music, etc. depending on the situation. But let's be quick to point out that sounds do not have the same significance in our dreams as colors. Our dreams are primarily visual.

According to the author, the subject of dream research is best described as:

simple.

complicated.

limited.

mysterious.

Correct! Wrong!

The author states at the beginning of the section that the "subject which I have to cover here is so intricate..." (paragraph 1), suggesting his opinion that the study of dreams is a difficult topic.

An ACT The reading section is followed by a number of questions. Select the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be cited as often as necessary.

HUMSS:

Some reviewers think that Flaubert's outstanding work of fiction Madame Bovary, an illustration of a well-crafted and thought-provoking book, has an unusual and subversive theme that undercuts its own medium. To put it another way, these critics claim that Flaubert's remarkable work of fiction is actually a cautionary tale about the risks of reading novels. They cite Emma Bovary, the novel's cynical protagonist, who romanticizes even the most banal parts of daily life—eating fine cuisine and dressing expensively—as support for their claim. She develops callous, stupidity, and shortsightedness as a result of her ongoing dissatisfaction with reality. She is solely concerned with her immediate physical gratification and financial goods. Her two adulterous affairs with Leon and Rodolfo end in tragedy, her constant borrowing puts her family in financial ruin, and her desire to pass away in a gloriously dramatic way results in an unexpectedly excruciating three days of death throes. All of these things are the results of her fantasies. She suffers tremendously as a result of her unrealistic expectations for life.

But is this subtext a central subject in the book, or is it only an effect of the characters and the plot? Are we really to believe that Flaubert created a virtual manifesto condemning the hazards of losing oneself in fiction because he believed the book to be so dangerous? If that's the case, why would he chose to spread this message through the very outlet he loathed so much (and, in actuality, carried on working in for the remainder of his life)?

Emma's damaged personality and passion with literature undoubtedly play a role in her collapse, but it's fascinating to observe that no other character in the book regularly reads for pleasure. Charles actually spends the majority of the book going about his everyday business, taking care of his family, and keeping the house in order. He is innocent, indeed, but content—at least until Emma's proclivity for romance starts to get in the way of his obligations. There aren't really any other comparable characters, despite the fact that we may note that the majority of the novel's non-readers seem to be a reasonably morally upright people. Even the most stolid characters are prone to "exclaiming" and "crying" their speech, which is an interesting observation given that Flaubert virtually ever employs the kind of clinical, detached language you might expect to see in such a novel. Madame Bovary may not have been intended as a critique of literature per such, but rather as a warning against giving suggestible persons like Emma access to books. The characters' failure to control Emma's passions (or maybe their ignorance of the existence of such an issue) causes the dissolution of their family, which is a result of the permissive climate in the Bovarys' home.

Which of the following best describes Emma Bovary's personality, according to the author? I. imaginative II. restless III. spendthrift

I, II, and III.

I and III only.

II and III only.

I and II only.

Correct! Wrong!

This is a detail-oriented query. Emma could be characterized as imaginative as well as someone who is "constantly dissatisfied with real life," caring only about "gratification and material possessions," and bringing "financial ruin" upon her family. The author describes Emma as "fantasizing" constantly, so she could be described as both.

An ACT The reading section is followed by a number of questions. Select the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be cited as often as necessary.

COMMUNITY STUDIES:

The codification of French law, another significant project of the Napoleonic era, is characterized by a quality of nearly pyramidal firmness. The National Assemblies issued a huge number of decrees regarding political, civil, and criminal matters, which presented challenges for this project. Many of those rules, which were the result of a spur of the moment, had made it into the codes of laws that were then put together, but astute observers realized that some of them went against the instincts of the Gallic people. This conviction was encapsulated in the succinct statement of the new code's creators, who drew upon Rousseau's theories and traditional practices: "New theories are simply the maxims of specific individuals: the old maxims embody the sense of ages."

This statement carried a lot of weight. Feudalism and the previous monarchy's collapse did not fundamentally alter French culture. They were still the same joyful, artistic, clan-loving people that the Latin historians depicted, and respect for a steadfast defender of national and family interests was as strong today as it was in Caesar's time. Napoleon was tasked with regulating this Roman or quasi-Gallic reaction, and no aspect of his work more clearly demonstrates his unerring political sagacity than his blending of the old and the modern in the monumental law that would later bear his name.

Old French law had been a hopelessly convoluted maze of laws and customs, primarily Roman and Frankish in origin, hopelessly entangled by feudal customs, provincial privileges, ecclesiastical rights, and the later undergrowth of royal decrees; and no part of the revolutionists' legislation met with so little resistance as their root and branch destruction of this vexing jungle. Their problems only started when they attempted to apply the rights of man's ideas to civil, criminal, and political matters.

The chief of these principles relating to criminal law were that law can only forbid actions that are harmful to society, and must only impose penalties that are strictly necessary. To these epoch-making pronouncements the Assembly added, in 1790, that crimes should be visited only on the guilty individual, not on the family; and that penalties must be proportioned to the offences. The last two of these principles had of late been flagrantly violated; but the general pacification of France now permitted a calm consideration of the whole question of criminal law, and of its application to normal conditions.

All of the following statements, EXCEPT: would likely be agreed upon by the passage's author.

The compilers of the new code understood the need to appeal to French cultural identity.

The National Assembly was both a fount of needless bureaucracy and considered reform.

The abundance of turmoil under Napoleon’s rule allowed for the Rights of Man to be adopted.

The old code had an abundance of inefficient and contradictory decrees.

Correct! Wrong!

This inquiry involves inference. In the final sentence of the passage, the author states that “the general pacification of France now permitted a calm consideration.” The author describes the many Rights of Man that were included in the Napoleonic code earlier in the paragraph. The inclusion of the Rights of Man in the reformed law was made possible by the LACK of unrest rather than its plenty. Since this is a "EXCEPT" question, keep in mind to look for the selection that is refuted by certain information from the passage.

An ACT The reading section is followed by a number of questions. Select the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be cited as often as necessary.

HUMSS:

Some reviewers think that Flaubert's outstanding work of fiction Madame Bovary, an illustration of a well-crafted and thought-provoking book, has an unusual and subversive theme that undercuts its own medium. To put it another way, these critics claim that Flaubert's remarkable work of fiction is actually a cautionary tale about the risks of reading novels. They cite Emma Bovary, the novel's cynical protagonist, who romanticizes even the most banal parts of daily life—eating fine cuisine and dressing expensively—as support for their claim. She develops callous, stupidity, and shortsightedness as a result of her ongoing dissatisfaction with reality. She is solely concerned with her immediate physical gratification and financial goods. Her two adulterous affairs with Leon and Rodolfo end in tragedy, her constant borrowing puts her family in financial ruin, and her desire to pass away in a gloriously dramatic way results in an unexpectedly excruciating three days of death throes. All of these things are the results of her fantasies. She suffers tremendously as a result of her unrealistic expectations for life.

But is this subtext a central subject in the book, or is it only an effect of the characters and the plot? Are we really to believe that Flaubert created a virtual manifesto condemning the hazards of losing oneself in fiction because he believed the book to be so dangerous? If that's the case, why would he chose to spread this message through the very outlet he loathed so much (and, in actuality, carried on working in for the remainder of his life)?

Emma's damaged personality and passion with literature undoubtedly play a role in her collapse, but it's fascinating to observe that no other character in the book regularly reads for pleasure. Charles actually spends the majority of the book going about his everyday business, taking care of his family, and keeping the house in order. He is innocent, indeed, but content—at least until Emma's proclivity for romance starts to get in the way of his obligations. There aren't really any other comparable characters, despite the fact that we may note that the majority of the novel's non-readers seem to be a reasonably morally upright people. Even the most stolid characters are prone to "exclaiming" and ""crying" their speech, which is an interesting observation given that Flaubert virtually ever employs the kind of clinical, detached language you might expect to see in such a novel. Madame Bovary may not have been intended as a critique of literature per such, but rather as a warning against giving suggestible persons like Emma access to books. The characters' failure to control Emma's passions (or maybe their ignorance of the existence of such an issue) causes the dissolution of their family, which is a result of the permissive climate in the Bovarys' home.

This passage's main objective is to:

review common preconceptions plaguing literary criticism.

reinterpret a certain interpretation of a classic novel.

explore tangential opinions regarding a minor work of fiction.

categorize the personality of Flaubert’s most famous heroine.

Correct! Wrong!

This question focuses on the main idea. Before providing his own interpretation in the final paragraph, the author is concerned with placing the viewpoints of "some reviews" in their proper context. The word "plaguing" in (A) is overused, and nothing in Madame Bovary suggests that it is a "small work." Emma's personality is not the subject for (D), but rather particular interpretations of it and Flaubert's purpose in portraying her in a particular way.

In the ACT There are various questions that go with the reading text below. Pick the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be consulted as often as necessary.

VARIOUS NATURAL SCIENCE:

The subject I will be discussing is extremely complicated and presents a wide range of challenging, enigmatic, and philosophical problems, some of which are psychological, others physiological, therefore I will jump right to the crux of the matter. I see objects in a dream, yet there are none. I seem to speak to them and hear their responses when I see people, although nobody is present, and I haven't actually spoken anything. It appears exactly as though there were actual things and genuine people there, yet upon waking, everything has vanished. How does this occur?

But first, is it really true that there is nothing there? I'm asking if we are exposed to any sense information while we are awake and while we sleep.

Close the eyes and look attentively at what goes on in the field of our vision. Many people questioned on this point would say that nothing goes on, that they see nothing. This is not surprising, for a certain amount of practice is necessary to be able to observe oneself satisfactorily. But just give the requisite amount of attention, and you will distinguish, little by little, many things. First, in general, a black background. Upon this black background occasionally brilliant points which come and go, rising and descending, slowly and sedately. More often, spots of many colors, sometimes very dull, sometimes, with certain people, so brilliant that reality cannot compare with it. These spots spread and shrink, changing form and color, constantly displacing one another. Sometimes the change is slow and gradual; sometimes again it is a whirlwind of vertiginous rapidity. Where does all this come from? The physiologists and the psychologists have studied this play of colors and have given the names “ocular spectra,” “colored spots,” and “phosphenes” to the phenomenon. They explain it either by the slight modifications which occur ceaselessly in the retinal circulation, or by the pressure that the closed lid exerts upon the eyeball, causing a mechanical excitation of the optic nerve. But the explanation of the phenomenon and the name that is given to it is not what is important here. It occurs universally and it constitutes, I believe, the principal material of which we shape our dreams.

A thorough procedure for verifying this theory has been developed by American psychologist Professor Henry Ladd. It entails developing the practice of keeping your eyes closed when you wake up in the morning in order to retain your dream for a few minutes as it slowly fades from your field of vision and, soon, certainly, from your memory. Then, as the eye is closed, one notices that the dream's characters and objects gradually disappear into colored patches known as phosphenes. The dream involves reading something, like a newspaper. The reality is that when one wakes up, the newspaper has vanished, leaving only a white patch with sporadic black stains. Or perhaps our dream places us in the broad sea, where the water spreads out its waves of greenish gray with the occasional cap of white foam. Upon awakening, everything is lost in a magnificent area that is split evenly between shades of gray and yellow and is covered in sparkling points. The location and the stunning aspects were both present. When we were asleep, a visual dust was actually exposed to our perceptions, and it was this dust that helped to create our dreams.

Will this be enough on its own? As we continue to think about the perception of sight, we should include all of the visual impressions that continue to arrive to us from outside of our bodies in addition to those that we might refer to as internal. When closed, the eyes can still tell one light from another and, to some extent, one shade from another. Many of our dreams are based on these external, light-like feelings. If the sleeper is not too deep into his sleep, a candle that is suddenly lit in the room can imply to him that his dream is dominated by the image of fire and contains the thought of a burning building. Such dreams are frequently those brought on by a sudden, brilliant light.

I mentioned seeing things. They are the main ones. But the auditory impressions still matter. First, the ear also experiences internal sensations such as buzzing, tinkling, and whistling that are difficult to differentiate and isolate while awake but are audibly distinct while sleeping. Additionally, after falling asleep, we keep hearing outside noises that the dream interprets as dialogue, singing, tears, music, etc. depending on the situation. But let's be quick to point out that sounds do not have the same significance in our dreams as colors. Our dreams are primarily visual.

According to the passage, the majority of people mistakenly think that we may see when we close our eyes on:

reflections of activity that is occurring in the retina.

colored points and spots that continuously move and change.

a black background that reflects light sources outside the eyes.

a nothingness that occurs because all light source is blocked by our eyelids.

Correct! Wrong!

The author states that many people asked what we see when we close our eyes would “say that nothing goes on” (paragraph 3). If you "provide the necessary amount of attention," he continues, "you will gradually differentiate numerous things." Therefore, those who said they saw nothing were mistaken.

In the ACT There are various questions that go with the reading text below. Pick the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be consulted as often as necessary.

VARIOUS NATURAL SCIENCE:

The subject I will be discussing is extremely complicated and presents a wide range of challenging, enigmatic, and philosophical problems, some of which are psychological, others physiological, therefore I will jump right to the crux of the matter. I see objects in a dream, yet there are none. I seem to speak to them and hear their responses when I see people, although nobody is present, and I haven't actually spoken anything. It appears exactly as though there were actual things and genuine people there, yet upon waking, everything has vanished. How does this occur?

But, first, is it true that there is nothing there? I mean, is there any sense material presented to our eyes, to our ears, to our touch, etc., during sleep as well as during waking?

Close the eyes and look attentively at what goes on in the field of our vision. Many people questioned on this point would say that nothing goes on, that they see nothing. This is not surprising, for a certain amount of practice is necessary to be able to observe oneself satisfactorily. But just give the requisite amount of attention, and you will distinguish, little by little, many things. First, in general, a black background. Upon this black background occasionally brilliant points which come and go, rising and descending, slowly and sedately. More often, spots of many colors, sometimes very dull, sometimes, with certain people, so brilliant that reality cannot compare with it. These spots spread and shrink, changing form and color, constantly displacing one another. Sometimes the change is slow and gradual; sometimes again it is a whirlwind of vertiginous rapidity. Where does all this come from? The physiologists and the psychologists have studied this play of colors and have given the names “ocular spectra,” “colored spots,” and “phosphenes” to the phenomenon. They explain it either by the slight modifications which occur ceaselessly in the retinal circulation, or by the pressure that the closed lid exerts upon the eyeball, causing a mechanical excitation of the optic nerve. But the explanation of the phenomenon and the name that is given to it is not what is important here. It occurs universally and it constitutes, I believe, the principal material of which we shape our dreams.

A thorough procedure for verifying this theory has been developed by American psychologist Professor Henry Ladd. It entails developing the practice of keeping your eyes closed when you wake up in the morning in order to retain your dream for a few minutes as it slowly fades from your field of vision and, soon, certainly, from your memory. Then, as the eye is closed, one notices that the dream's characters and objects gradually disappear into colored patches known as phosphenes. The dream involves reading something, like a newspaper. The reality is that when one wakes up, the newspaper has vanished, leaving only a white patch with sporadic black stains. Or perhaps our dream places us in the broad sea, where the water spreads out its waves of greenish gray with the occasional cap of white foam. Upon awakening, everything is lost in a magnificent area that is split evenly between shades of gray and yellow and is covered in sparkling points. The location and the stunning aspects were both present. When we were asleep, a visual dust was actually exposed to our perceptions, and it was this dust that helped to create our dreams.

Will this be enough on its own? As we continue to think about the perception of sight, we should include all of the visual impressions that continue to arrive to us from outside of our bodies in addition to those that we might refer to as internal. When closed, the eyes can still tell one light from another and, to some extent, one shade from another. Many of our dreams are based on these external, light-like feelings. If the sleeper is not too deep into his sleep, a candle that is suddenly lit in the room can imply to him that his dream is dominated by the image of fire and contains the thought of a burning building. Such dreams are frequently those brought on by a sudden, brilliant light.

I mentioned seeing things. They are the main ones. But the auditory impressions still matter. First, the ear also experiences internal sensations such as buzzing, tinkling, and whistling that are difficult to differentiate and isolate while awake but are audibly distinct while sleeping. Additionally, after falling asleep, we keep hearing outside noises that the dream interprets as dialogue, singing, tears, music, etc. depending on the situation. But let's be quick to point out that sounds do not have the same significance in our dreams as colors. Our dreams are primarily visual.

The real-life sources of the sensations in our dreams are described by the author as:

visual sensations.

phenomenon.

vertiginous rapidity.

sense material.

Correct! Wrong!

The author asks early in the passage, “is there any sense material presented to our eyes, to our ears, to our touch, etc., during sleep as well as during waking” that causes dreams? [Paragraph 2] The substance exposed to our senses, then, is what triggers the dream-related experiences.

"An ACT The reading section is followed by a number of questions. Select the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be cited as often as necessary.

HUMSS:

Some reviewers think that Flaubert's outstanding work of fiction Madame Bovary, an illustration of a well-crafted and thought-provoking book, has an unusual and subversive theme that undercuts its own medium. To put it another way, these critics claim that Flaubert's remarkable work of fiction is actually a cautionary tale about the risks of reading novels. They cite Emma Bovary, the novel's cynical protagonist, who romanticizes even the most banal parts of daily life—eating fine cuisine and dressing expensively—as support for their claim. She develops callous, stupidity, and shortsightedness as a result of her ongoing dissatisfaction with reality. She is solely concerned with her immediate physical gratification and financial goods. Her two adulterous affairs with Leon and Rodolfo end in tragedy, her constant borrowing puts her family in financial ruin, and her desire to pass away in a gloriously dramatic way results in an unexpectedly excruciating three days of death throes. All of these things are the results of her fantasies. She suffers tremendously as a result of her unrealistic expectations for life.

But is this subtext a central subject in the book, or is it only an effect of the characters and the plot? Are we really to believe that Flaubert created a virtual manifesto condemning the hazards of losing oneself in fiction because he believed the book to be so dangerous? If that's the case, why would he chose to spread this message through the very outlet he loathed so much (and, in actuality, carried on working in for the remainder of his life)?

Emma's damaged personality and passion with literature undoubtedly play a role in her collapse, but it's fascinating to observe that no other character in the book regularly reads for pleasure. Charles actually spends the majority of the book going about his everyday business, taking care of his family, and keeping the house in order. He is innocent, indeed, but content—at least until Emma's proclivity for romance starts to get in the way of his obligations. There aren't really any other comparable characters, despite the fact that we may note that the majority of the novel's non-readers seem to be a reasonably morally upright people. Even the most stolid characters are prone to "exclaiming" and "crying" their speech, which is an interesting observation given that Flaubert virtually ever employs the kind of clinical, detached language you might expect to see in such a novel. Madame Bovary may not have been intended as a critique of literature per such, but rather as a warning against giving suggestible persons like Emma access to books. The permissive environment in the Bovarys’ household contributes to their downfall and social ruin; the characters’ unwillingness to check Emma’s passions (and even their ignorance of the existence of such a problem) leads to the disintegration of their family.

Which of the following situations most effectively describes the "permissive environment"?

A man who golfs constantly.

An employer overlooking an employee’s excessive time off and the resulting loss of productivity.

A moviegoer who sees five movies a day.

A college student who becomes so obsessed with video games that his schoolwork begins to suffer.

Correct! Wrong!

This is an application-related query. Look for an instance when someone or a group refuses to intervene to stop a possible problem. The "permissive environment" depicts how other members of the Bovary household refused to check Emma's obsessions. Only (B) portrays this truthfully.

In the ACT There are various questions that go with the reading text below. Pick the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be consulted as often as necessary.

VARIOUS NATURAL SCIENCE:

The subject I will be discussing is extremely complicated and presents a wide range of challenging, enigmatic, and philosophical problems, some of which are psychological, others physiological, therefore I will jump right to the crux of the matter. I see objects in a dream, yet there are none. I seem to speak to them and hear their responses when I see people, although nobody is present, and I haven't actually spoken anything. It appears exactly as though there were actual things and genuine people there, yet upon waking, everything has vanished. How does this occur?

But first, is it really true that there is nothing there? I'm asking if we are exposed to any sense information while we are awake and while we sleep.

Eyes closed, focus intently on the scene in front of you. When asked about this, a lot of people would respond that they don't see anything happening. This is not surprising because it takes some experience to be able to see oneself satisfactorily. But if you pay the necessary attention, you will gradually be able to differentiate numerous things. first, a background that is often black. On this dark background, there are sporadic dazzling points that rise and fall gently and subtly. More frequently, dots of various colors, sometimes quite dull, and occasionally, with particular persons, so vivid that reality cannot compare with it. These patches constantly displace one another as they grow and contract, change shape, and color. The change can occur suddenly or slowly over time. Where did all of this originate from? The phenomena is known as ""ocular spectra," "colored spots," and "phosphenes" by physiologists and psychologists who have examined this color play. They explain it either by the minute adjustments that the retinal circulation undergoes on a constant basis or by the pressure that the closed lid places on the eyeball, mechanically stimulating the optic nerve. But what matters in this case is not how the phenomenon is explained or given a name. It happens everywhere and, in my opinion, is the primary element from which we fashion our aspirations.

A thorough procedure for verifying this theory has been developed by American psychologist Professor Henry Ladd. It entails developing the practice of keeping your eyes closed when you wake up in the morning in order to retain your dream for a few minutes as it slowly fades from your field of vision and, soon, certainly, from your memory. Then, as the eye is closed, one notices that the dream's characters and objects gradually disappear into colored patches known as phosphenes. The dream involves reading something, like a newspaper. The reality is that when one wakes up, the newspaper has vanished, leaving only a white patch with sporadic black stains. Or perhaps our dream places us in the broad sea, where the water spreads out its waves of greenish gray with the occasional cap of white foam. Upon awakening, everything is lost in a magnificent area that is split evenly between shades of gray and yellow and is covered in sparkling points. The spot was there, the brilliant points were there. There was really presented to our perceptions, in sleep, a visual dust, and it was this dust which served for the fabrication of our dreams.

Will this be enough on its own? As we continue to think about the perception of sight, we should include all of the visual impressions that continue to arrive to us from outside of our bodies in addition to those that we might refer to as internal. When closed, the eyes can still tell one light from another and, to some extent, one shade from another. Many of our dreams are based on these external, light-like feelings. If the sleeper is not too deep into his sleep, a candle that is suddenly lit in the room can imply to him that his dream is dominated by the image of fire and contains the thought of a burning building. Such dreams are frequently those brought on by a sudden, brilliant light.

I mentioned seeing things. They are the main ones. But the auditory impressions still matter. First, the ear also experiences internal sensations such as buzzing, tinkling, and whistling that are difficult to differentiate and isolate while awake but are audibly distinct while sleeping. Additionally, after falling asleep, we keep hearing outside noises that the dream interprets as dialogue, singing, tears, music, etc. depending on the situation. But let's be quick to point out that sounds do not have the same significance in our dreams as colors. Our dreams are primarily visual.

In the final sentence of paragraph 4, the author refers to:

The degree of correspondence between dream images and the phosphenes that are seen upon waking.

The different sources of black and white and colored phosphenes.

The varying intensity of the different colors seen in dreams.

How long a dreamer can remember the visual images of his dream upon waking up.

Correct! Wrong!

The author explains Ladd's technique as "developing the habit of keeping the eyelids closed and holding for a few minutes the dream that is fading from the field of vision as one wakes up in the morning... Then, one observes how the dream's characters and things gradually transform into phosphenes, resembling the colored specks that the eye actually sees while the lids are closed (paragraph 4).

An ACT The reading section is followed by a number of questions. Select the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be cited as often as necessary.

HUMSS:

Some reviewers think that Flaubert's outstanding work of fiction Madame Bovary, an illustration of a well-crafted and thought-provoking book, has an unusual and subversive theme that undercuts its own medium. To put it another way, these critics claim that Flaubert's remarkable work of fiction is actually a cautionary tale about the risks of reading novels. They cite Emma Bovary, the novel's cynical protagonist, who romanticizes even the most banal parts of daily life—eating fine cuisine and dressing expensively—as support for their claim. She develops callous, stupidity, and shortsightedness as a result of her ongoing dissatisfaction with reality. She is solely concerned with her immediate physical gratification and financial goods. Her two adulterous affairs with Leon and Rodolfo end in tragedy, her constant borrowing puts her family in financial ruin, and her desire to pass away in a gloriously dramatic way results in an unexpectedly excruciating three days of death throes. All of these things are the results of her fantasies. She suffers tremendously as a result of her unrealistic expectations for life.

But is this subtext a central subject in the book, or is it only an effect of the characters and the plot? Are we really to believe that Flaubert created a virtual manifesto condemning the hazards of losing oneself in fiction because he believed the book to be so dangerous? If that's the case, why would he chose to spread this message through the very outlet he loathed so much (and, in actuality, carried on working in for the remainder of his life)?

Emma's damaged personality and passion with literature undoubtedly play a role in her collapse, but it's fascinating to observe that no other character in the book regularly reads for pleasure. Charles actually spends the majority of the book going about his everyday business, taking care of his family, and keeping the house in order. He is innocent, indeed, but content—at least until Emma's proclivity for romance starts to get in the way of his obligations. There aren't really any other comparable characters, despite the fact that we may note that the majority of the novel's non-readers seem to be a reasonably morally upright people. Even the most stolid characters are prone to "exclaiming" and "crying" their speech, which is an interesting observation given that Flaubert virtually ever employs the kind of clinical, detached language you might expect to see in such a novel. Madame Bovary may not have been intended as a critique of literature per such, but rather as a warning against giving suggestible persons like Emma access to books. The characters' failure to control Emma's passions (or maybe their ignorance of the existence of such an issue) causes the dissolution of their family, which is a result of the permissive climate in the Bovarys' home.

In the passage, the word "passions" most closely approximates:

biases.

romantic relationships.

obsessions.

tantrums.

Correct! Wrong!

This question uses vocabulary from the context. The paragraph uses the word "passions" to describe the actions brought on by reading romance books. These are described as "fantasies" in the chapter, thus this would be a very accurate forecast. Only option (C) corresponds to this forecast.

In the ACT There are various questions that go with the reading text below. Pick the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be consulted as often as necessary.

VARIOUS NATURAL SCIENCE:

The subject I will be discussing is extremely complicated and presents a wide range of challenging, enigmatic, and philosophical problems, some of which are psychological, others physiological, therefore I will jump right to the crux of the matter. I see objects in a dream, yet there are none. I seem to speak to them and hear their responses when I see people, although nobody is present, and I haven't actually spoken anything. It appears exactly as though there were actual things and genuine people there, yet upon waking, everything has vanished. How does this occur?

But first, is it really true that there is nothing there? I'm asking if we are exposed to any sense information while we are awake and while we sleep.

Eyes closed, focus intently on the scene in front of you. When asked about this, a lot of people would respond that they don't see anything happening. This is not surprising because it takes some experience to be able to see oneself satisfactorily. But if you pay the necessary attention, you will gradually be able to differentiate numerous things. first, a background that is often black. On this dark background, there are sporadic dazzling points that rise and fall gently and subtly. More frequently, dots of various colors, sometimes quite dull, and occasionally, with particular persons, so vivid that reality cannot compare with it. These patches constantly displace one another as they grow and contract, change shape, and color. The change can occur suddenly or slowly over time. Where did all of this originate from? The phenomena is known as "ocular spectra," "colored spots," and "phosphenes" by physiologists and psychologists who have examined this color play. They explain it either by the minute adjustments that the retinal circulation undergoes on a constant basis or by the pressure that the closed lid places on the eyeball, mechanically stimulating the optic nerve. But what matters in this case is not how the phenomenon is explained or given a name. It happens everywhere and, in my opinion, is the primary element from which we fashion our aspirations.

A thorough procedure for verifying this theory has been developed by American psychologist Professor Henry Ladd. It entails developing the practice of keeping your eyes closed when you wake up in the morning in order to retain your dream for a few minutes as it slowly fades from your field of vision and, soon, certainly, from your memory. Then, as the eye is closed, one notices that the dream's characters and objects gradually disappear into colored patches known as phosphenes. The dream involves reading something, like a newspaper. The reality is that when one wakes up, the newspaper has vanished, leaving only a white patch with sporadic black stains. Or perhaps our dream places us in the broad sea, where the water spreads out its waves of greenish gray with the occasional cap of white foam. Upon awakening, everything is lost in a magnificent area that is split evenly between shades of gray and yellow and is covered in sparkling points. The location and the stunning aspects were both present. When we were asleep, a visual dust was actually exposed to our perceptions, and it was this dust that helped to create our dreams.

Will this be enough on its own? As we continue to think about the perception of sight, we should include all of the visual impressions that continue to arrive to us from outside of our bodies in addition to those that we might refer to as internal. When closed, the eyes can still tell one light from another and, to some extent, one shade from another. Many of our dreams are based on these external, light-like feelings. If the sleeper is not too deep into his sleep, a candle that is suddenly lit in the room can imply to him that his dream is dominated by the image of fire and contains the thought of a burning building. Such dreams are frequently those brought on by a sudden, brilliant light.

I have spoken of visual sensations. They are the principal ones. But the auditory sensations nevertheless play a role. First, the ear has also its internal sensations, sensations of buzzing, of tinkling, of whistling, difficult to isolate and to perceive while awake, but which are clearly distinguished in sleep. Besides that we continue, when once asleep, to hear external sounds that the dream converts, according to circumstances, into conversation, singing, cries, music, etc. But let us hasten to say that sounds do not play in our dreams so important a role as colors. Our dreams are, above all, visual.

The sounds that we hear within our dreams are a result of:

both internal and external sounds.

sounds inside our ear canal.

sounds distinguishable only in sleep.

sounds inside our ear canal.

Correct! Wrong!

The author identifies "external sounds" and "interior sensations" as the sources of the sounds we experience in our dreams (paragraph 6). Even though the author claims that "interior sensations" are "clearly distinguishable in sleep," other noises can also be heard in our dreams. This is true for option (C).

In the ACT There are various questions that go with the reading text below. Pick the most appropriate response to each question after reading the passage. The passage may be consulted as often as necessary.

VARIOUS NATURAL SCIENCE:

The subject I will be discussing is extremely complicated and presents a wide range of challenging, enigmatic, and philosophical problems, some of which are psychological, others physiological, therefore I will jump right to the crux of the matter. I see objects in a dream, yet there are none. I seem to speak to them and hear their responses when I see people, although nobody is present, and I haven't actually spoken anything. It appears exactly as though there were actual things and genuine people there, yet upon waking, everything has vanished. How does this occur?

But first, is it really true that there is nothing there? I'm asking if we are exposed to any sense information while we are awake and while we sleep.

Eyes closed, focus intently on the scene in front of you. When asked about this, a lot of people would respond that they don't see anything happening. This is not surprising because it takes some experience to be able to see oneself satisfactorily. But if you pay the necessary attention, you will gradually be able to differentiate numerous things. first, a background that is often black. On this dark background, there are sporadic dazzling points that rise and fall gently and subtly. More frequently, dots of various colors, sometimes quite dull, and occasionally, with particular persons, so vivid that reality cannot compare with it. These patches constantly displace one another as they grow and contract, change shape, and color. The change can occur suddenly or slowly over time. Where did all of this originate from? The phenomena is known as ""ocular spectra," "colored spots,"" and "phosphenes" by physiologists and psychologists who have examined this color play. They explain it either by the minute adjustments that the retinal circulation undergoes on a constant basis or by the pressure that the closed lid places on the eyeball, mechanically stimulating the optic nerve. But what matters in this case is not how the phenomenon is explained or given a name. It happens everywhere and, in my opinion, is the primary element from which we fashion our aspirations.

A thorough procedure for verifying this theory has been developed by American psychologist Professor Henry Ladd. It entails developing the practice of keeping your eyes closed when you wake up in the morning in order to retain your dream for a few minutes as it slowly fades from your field of vision and, soon, certainly, from your memory. Then, as the eye is closed, one notices that the dream's characters and objects gradually disappear into colored patches known as phosphenes. The dream involves reading something, like a newspaper. The reality is that when one wakes up, the newspaper has vanished, leaving only a white patch with sporadic black stains. Or perhaps our dream places us in the broad sea, where the water spreads out its waves of greenish gray with the occasional cap of white foam. Upon awakening, everything is lost in a magnificent area that is split evenly between shades of gray and yellow and is covered in sparkling points. The location and the stunning aspects were both present. When we were asleep, a visual dust was actually exposed to our perceptions, and it was this dust that helped to create our dreams.

Will this be enough on its own? As we continue to think about the perception of sight, we should include all of the visual impressions that continue to arrive to us from outside of our bodies in addition to those that we might refer to as internal. When closed, the eyes can still tell one light from another and, to some extent, one shade from another. Many of our dreams are based on these external, light-like feelings. If the sleeper is not too deep into his sleep, a candle that is suddenly lit in the room can imply to him that his dream is dominated by the image of fire and contains the thought of a burning building. Such dreams are frequently those brought on by a sudden, brilliant light.

I mentioned seeing things. They are the main ones. But the auditory impressions still matter. First, the ear also experiences internal sensations such as buzzing, tinkling, and whistling that are difficult to differentiate and isolate while awake but are audibly distinct while sleeping. Additionally, after falling asleep, we keep hearing outside noises that the dream interprets as dialogue, singing, tears, music, etc. depending on the situation. But let's be quick to point out that sounds do not have the same significance in our dreams as colors. Our dreams are primarily visual.

The phrase "visual dust" is used by the author to describe the following:

external images blurred by the eyelids.

material impeding the dreamer’s vision.

phosphenes.

dream images.

Correct! Wrong!

The author uses this phrase to refer to the points and spots of light (phosphenes) that can be seen when one wakes up while still having their eyes closed; he claims that "it was this dust which served for the fabrication of our dreams."

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