Select an Answer Over the course of the passage, the main focus of the narrative shifts from the A reservations a character has about a person he has just met to a growing appreciation that character has of the person’s worth. B ambivalence a character feels about his sensitive nature to the character’s recognition of the advantages of having profound emotions. Correct Answer: C intensity of feeling a character has for another person to the character’s concern that that intensity is not reciprocated. D value a character attaches to the wonders of the natural world to a rejection of that sort of beauty in favor of human artistry. View Correct Answer Choice C is the best answer. The first paragraph traces the inception of Ethan’s feelings for Mattie: Ethan “had taken to the girl from the first day” (line 5) and saw her as “like the lighting of a fire on a cold hearth” (line 10). The second paragraph (lines 14–35) focuses on “their night walks back to the farm” and Ethan’s elation in perceiving that “one other spirit . . . trembled with the same touch of wonder” that characterized his own (line 21). In other words, the main focus of the first two paragraphs is the intensity of feeling one character, Ethan, has for another, Mattie. The last paragraph shifts the focus of the passage to Ethan’s change in perception; he sees Mattie in a social setting interacting with other men, wonders “how he could have ever thought that his dull talk interested her” (line 38), interprets her seeming happiness as “plain proof of indifference” toward him (line 39), and sees betrayal in the “two or three gestures which, in his fatuity, he had thought she kept for him” (line 42). Choice A is not the best answer because while Ethan acknowledges that Mattie “don’t look much on housework” (line 8), the first paragraph also notes that Ethan “had taken to the girl from the first day” (line 5), and there is thus no support for the notion that Ethan’s “reservations” about Mattie lasted for any length of time or ever constitute the main focus of the narrative. Choice B is not the best answer because while Ethan does exhibit ambivalence about his sensitive nature, seeing it as a “mournful privilege” (line 21), the main focus of the narrative does not shift to his recognition of the advantages of having profound emotions. Indeed, in the last paragraph Ethan’s profound emotions give him only grief, as he sees Mattie seemingly rejecting him. Choice D is not the best answer because while the second paragraph (lines 14–35) does discuss in depth the value Ethan attaches to natural beauty, nothing in the passage signifies that he has rejected natural beauty in favor of human artistry. The closest the passage comes to this is in lines 32–35, in which Mattie is said to have likened a natural scene to a painting.
Choice C is the best answer. The first paragraph describes the 9,000-mile journey that Adelita made and raises the question, which the rest of the passage tries to answer, of how this loggerhead turtle was able to “steer a route across two oceans to find her destination” (line 4). The answer comes most directly in the last paragraph, which presents Putman’s belief that loggerhead turtles “work out their position using two features of the Earth’s magnetic field that change over its surface” (line 39–40): its inclination and its intensity. It is reasonable, therefore, to infer from the passage that this was the method that Adelita used. Choice A is not the best answer because there is no evidence in the passage that Adelita used the current of the North Atlantic gyre to navigate her 9,000-mile journey. The passage does discuss the North Atlantic gyre but only as the place where loggerhead turtle hatchlings “born off the sea coast of Florida spend their early lives” (line 16). Choice B is not the best answer because there is no evidence in the passage that Adelita navigated her 9,000-mile journey with the aid of cues from electromagnetic coils designed by Putman and Lohmann. The passage does say that Putman and Lohmann use electromagnetic coils as part of their research on loggerhead turtles, but the coils are part of tanks used in a laboratory to study loggerhead hatchlings (see line 9). Choice D is not the best answer because there is no evidence in the passage that Adelita navigated her 9,000-mile journey with the aid of a simulated “magnetic signature” configured by Lohmann. The passage does describe how Lohmann and Putman manipulate magnetic fields as part of their research on loggerhead turtle hatchlings (see, for example, lines 10–14), but there is no indication that the two scientists used (or even could use) the kind of equipment necessary for this project outside of laboratory tanks or with Adelita in the wild.
Choice C is the best answer. Higher bars on the graph represent longer annual commute delays than do lower bars; moreover, the number of hours of annual commute delay generally decreases as one moves from left to right on the graph. The bar for Washington, D.C, is higher than and to the left of that for New York City, meaning that D.C. automobile commuters experience greater amounts of delay each year. Choice A is not the best answer because the graph’s bar for New York City is higher than and to the left of that for the average for very large cities, meaning that New York City automobile commuters experience greater, not lesser, amounts of delay each year. Choice B is not the best answer because the graph’s bar for Los Angeles is lower than and to the right of that for Washington, D.C., meaning that Los Angeles automobile commuters experience lesser, not greater, amounts of delay each year. Choice D is not the best answer because the graph’s bar for Detroit is lower than and to the right of those for Houston, Atlanta, and Chicago, meaning that Detroit automobile commuters experience lesser, not greater, amounts of delay each year.
Choice B is the best answer because details in the third paragraph (lines 20–31) strongly suggest that researchers (“we”) at the Martin Prosperity Institute assume that shorter commutes will lead to more productive time for workers. The author notes that “across the country, commuting wastes 4.2 billion hours of work time annually” and that “the overall cost to the U.S. economy is nearly $90 billion when lost productivity and wasted fuel are taken into account” (lines 25–28). Given also that those at the institute “calculate that every minute shaved off America’s commuting time is worth $19.5 billion in value added to the economy” (lines 28–30), it can reasonably be concluded that some of that added value is from heightened worker productivity. Choice A is not the best answer because there is no evidence in the passage that researchers at the Martin Prosperity Institute assume that employees who work from home are more valuable to their employers than employees who commute. Although the passage does criticize long commutes, it does not propose working from home as a solution. Choice C is not the best answer because there is no evidence in the passage that researchers at the Martin Prosperity Institute assume that employees can conduct business activities, such as composing memos or joining conference calls, while commuting. The passage does discuss commuting in some detail, but it does not mention activities that commuters can or should be undertaking while commuting, and it generally portrays commuting time as lost or wasted time. Choice D is not the best answer because there is no evidence in the passage that researchers at the Martin Prosperity Institute assume that employees who have lengthy commutes tend to make more money than employees who have shorter commutes. The passage does not draw any clear links between the amount of money employees make and the commutes they have.
Choice B is the best answer. Lines 29–30 indicate that “there were other sensations, less definable but more exquisite, which drew [Ethan and Mattie] together with a shock of silent joy: the cold red of sunset behind winter hills, the flight of cloud-flocks over slopes of golden stubble, or the intensely blue shadows of hemlocks on sunlit snow.” In the context of the second paragraph (lines 14–35), which focuses on the connection Ethan and Mattie establish through their shared interest in and sensitivity to nature, the descriptions primarily serve to emphasize the acuteness, or intensity, of the characters’ sensations. According to the passage, Ethan and Mattie do not merely appreciate nature or see it as pretty or calm; rather, they experience a powerful “shock of silent joy” when in the presence of natural beauty. Choice A is not the best answer because there is no indication that the descriptions are included primarily to emphasize the peacefulness of the natural world. Some readers may see “the cold red of sunset behind winter hills, the flight of cloud-flocks over slopes of golden stubble, or the intensely blue shadows of hemlocks on sunlit snow” (lines 30–32) as evoking a peaceful, harmonious scene. However, Ethan and Mattie do not merely appreciate nature or see it as pretty or calm; rather, they experience a powerful “shock of silent joy” (line 30) when in the presence of natural beauty. Choice C is not the best answer because there is no evidence in the passage that the descriptions are included primarily to foreshadow Ethan’s and Mattie’s declining fortunes. In fact, there is no evidence in the passage of decline for either character apart from the agitation that Ethan experiences over his relationship with Mattie. Choice D is not the best answer because there is no evidence in the passage that the descriptions are included primarily to offer a sense of time as fleeting. In fact, the speed at which time passes plays no particular role in the passage.
Choice C is the best answer. Lines 5–9 mention many of Mattie’s traits: she is friendly (“smiled and waved”), eager (“jumped down with her bundles”), easygoing (“she ain’t a fretter”), and energetic (“like the lighting of a fire on a cold hearth”). However, the trait that appeals most to Ethan, as suggested by it being mentioned last in the paragraph, is her openness to the world around her: “She had an eye to see and an ear to hear: he could show her things and tell her things, and taste the bliss of feeling that all he imparted left long reverberations and echoes he could wake at will” (lines 11–13). Choice A is not the best answer because the passage suggests that Ethan does not actually view Mattie as particularly well suited to farm labor. When first seeing Mattie, Ethan thinks to himself, after “looking over her slight person,” that “she don’t look much on housework” (lines 7–8). Choice B is not the best answer because the passage suggests that Mattie’s youth is not what Ethan values most about Mattie. Although the passage does note that “the coming to his house of a bit of hopeful young life was like the lighting of a fire on a cold hearth” (lines 9–10), the narrator goes on to note that “the girl was more than the bright serviceable creature [Ethan] had thought her” (lines 10–11), indicating that Ethan values something more in Mattie than simply her vivacity. Choice D is not the best answer because although Ethan acknowledges that Mattie “ain’t a fretter” (line 8), there is no evidence that Mattie’s freedom from worry is what Ethan values most about Mattie. The first paragraph lists several positive traits that Mattie has, with the most emphasis being placed on her openness to the world around her (see explanation for choice C).
Choice A is the best answer. The author uses the phrase mainly to introduce a topic discussed at length in the second paragraph (lines 14–35)—namely, the growing connection Ethan sees himself forming with Mattie over the course of many evening walks during which they share similar feelings for the wonders of the natural world. In the context of the passage, the phrase evokes an image of two people walking eagerly and in harmony. Choice B is not the best answer because while the phrase literally conveys Mattie’s attempts to keep up with Ethan’s pace, the phrase relates to times of leisure during which Ethan and Mattie walked arm-in-arm (see lines 1–4) rather than times of work. Moreover, the phrase is used primarily in a figurative way to suggest shared enthusiasm (see explanation for choice A). Choice C is not the best answer because while the phrase literally describes Mattie’s attempts to keep up with Ethan’s pace, the context makes clear that Mattie and Ethan are not in competition with each other but rather enjoying times of leisure during which the two walk arm-in-arm (see lines 1–4). The phrase is instead used primarily in a figurative way to suggest shared enthusiasm (see explanation for choice A). Choice D is not the best answer because while the phrase could in isolation be read as conveying some frustration on the part of Mattie, who had to expend extra effort to keep up with Ethan’s pace, the context makes clear that Mattie is not annoyed with Ethan but is instead enjoying times of leisure during which the two walk arm-in-arm (see lines 1–4). The phrase is instead used to suggest shared enthusiasm (see explanation for choice A).
Choice D is the best answer. Lines 11–13 explain that Mattie “had an eye to see and an ear to hear: [Ethan] could show her things and tell her things, and taste the bliss of feeling that all he imparted left long reverberations and echoes he could wake at will.” In other words, Mattie is open, or receptive, to ideas and experiences. These lines thus serve as the best evidence for the answer to the previous question. Choice A is not the best answer because lines 1–4 only describe Ethan and Mattie’s living situation and indicate that Ethan enjoys walking with her in the evenings. They do not indicate which quality of Mattie’s Ethan values most. These lines thus do not serve as the best evidence for the answer to the previous question. Choice B is not the best answer because lines 5–9 only indicate Ethan’s first impression of Mattie. Mattie comes across as generally friendly and enthusiastic in their first encounter, but it is not these qualities that Ethan values most. These lines thus do not serve as the best evidence for the answer to the previous question. Choice C is not the best answer because lines 9–10 only convey that there was something special about Mattie beyond her friendliness and enthusiasm. They do not indicate what quality of Mattie’s Ethan values most. These lines thus do not serve as the best evidence for the answer to the previous question.
Choice C is the best answer because the context makes clear that Nichols followed Adelita’s “epic journey with a satellite tag” (line 3). Choice A is not the best answer because while “tracked” sometimes means “searched for,” it would make little sense in context to say that Nichols searched for Adelita’s “epic journey with a satellite tag” (line 3). It is more reasonable to conclude from the passage that Nichols knew about Adelita and her journey and used a satellite tag to help follow it. Choice B is not the best answer because while “tracked” sometimes means “traveled over,” it would make no sense in context to say that Nichols traveled over Adelita’s “epic journey with a satellite tag” (line 3). Choice D is not the best answer because while “tracked” sometimes means “hunted,” it would make no sense in context to say that Nichols hunted Adelita’s “epic journey with a satellite tag” (line 3).
Choice B is the best answer because the context makes clear that the clustering of jobs, innovation, and productivity will be more concentrated in, or more densely packed into, “a smaller number of bigger cities and city-regions” (line 40). Choice A is not the best answer because although “intense” sometimes means “emotional,” it would make no sense in context to say that the clustering of jobs, innovation, and productivity will be more emotional in “a smaller number of bigger cities and city-regions” (line 40). Choice C is not the best answer because although “intense” sometimes means “brilliant,” it would make no sense in context to say that the clustering of jobs, innovation, and productivity will be more brilliant in “a smaller number of bigger cities and city-regions” (line 40). Choice D is not the best answer because although “intense” sometimes means “determined,” it would make no sense in context to say that the clustering of jobs, innovation, and productivity will be more determined in “a smaller number of bigger cities and city-regions” (line 40).
Choice B is the best answer. Putman “works in the lab of Ken Lohmann, who has been studying the magnetic abilities of loggerheads for over 20 years" (lines 9–12). Lohmann had earlier demonstrated that loggerhead turtles “could use the [magnetic] field as a compass to get their bearing” (lines 14–14) and “use their magnetic sense to work out their latitude— their position on a north-south axis” (line 24–25). Putman has since (“now,” line 25) built on Lohmann’s work by demonstrating that the turtles “can also determine their longitude—their position on an east-west axis” (line 25–26). Choice A is not the best answer because the passage does not indicate that Putman’s research contradicts Lohmann’s. In fact, Putman’s work complements Lohmann’s. Lohmann had demonstrated that loggerhead turtles “could use the [magnetic] field as a compass to get their bearing” (lines 14–14) and “use their magnetic sense to work out their latitude— their position on a north-south axis” (line 24–25). Putman has, in turn, demonstrated that the turtles “can also determine their longitude—their position on an east-west axis” (line 25–26). Choice C is not the best answer because the research of Lohmann that the passage describes came before that of Putman. Putman “works in the lab of Ken Lohmann, who has been studying the magnetic abilities of loggerheads for over 20 years” (lines 9–12). Lohmann had earlier demonstrated that loggerhead turtles “could use the [magnetic] field as a compass to get their bearing” (lines 14–14) and “use their magnetic sense to work out their latitude—their position on a north-south axis” (line 24–25). Putman has since (“now,” line 25) built on Lohmann’s work by demonstrating that the turtles “can also determine their longitude—their position on an east-west axis” (line 25–26). Choice D is not the best answer because the passage does not indicate that Lohmann’s research corrects Putman’s. First, the research of Lohmann that the passage describes came before that of Putman (see explanation for choice C) and thus could not “correct” Putman’s later research. Second, the passage does not indicate that Putman’s research contradicts Lohmann’s (see explanation for choice A), meaning that there is nothing for Lohmann to “correct” with his own research.
Choice D is the best answer because in lines 45–46, the author indicates that “together, [inclination and intensity] provide a ‘magnetic signature’ that tells the turtle where it is.” These lines thus serve as the best evidence for the answer to the previous question. Choice A is not the best answer because in lines 1–2, the author establishes that Adelita made a 9,000-mile journey but does not explain how she navigated it. These lines thus do not serve as the best evidence for the answer to the previous question. Choice B is not the best answer because in lines 20–21, the author indicates that Lohmann is able to “mimic the magnetic field at different parts of the Earth’s surface” in his laboratory but does not explain how Adelita navigated her 9,000-mile journey or suggest that Lohmann had any influence over Adelita’s trip. These lines thus do not serve as the best evidence for the answer to the previous question. Choice C is not the best answer because in lines 37–38, the author notes that loggerhead turtles “in the wild” may make use of “landmarks like the position of the sea, sun and stars” but does not indicate that Adelita used such landmarks to navigate her 9,000-mile journey. These lines thus do not serve as the best evidence for the answer to the previous question.
