1.

Traditionally, certain features of mosque architecture are nearly ____, such as the mihrab (or
niche), which almost all mosques include. But mosques can also be built to reflect a
multitude of different architectural styles, as in the case of the Great Mosque of Central Java,
which includes elements from the Javanese and Greek revival styles.
A. universal

B. elaborate

C. illusory

D. idealized

2.
The dates that archaeologists assign to most of the colossal sculptures of human heads
produced by the Olmec civilization of Mesoamerica are necessarily ____. The majority of the
sculptures have been moved from their original context, making precise dating impossible.
A. uncontroversial

B. irrelevant

C. applicable

D. approximate

3.
____ traditional descriptions of pollination syndromes (suites of floral traits, such as nectar
composition and symmetry, hypothesized to have independently evolved as a result of
selection pressure exerted by pollinators) and recent empirical observations of floral-trait
combinations have led some ecologists to express reservations about the utility of those
descriptions.
A. Discrepancies between

B. Proclamations of

C. Recurrences of

D. Affinities between
4.
Scientists discovered a 390-million-year-old fossilized forest of Calamophyton trees in
modern-day England. The scientists believe the emergence of these Calamophyton forests
changed the land significantly. For example, the tree roots would have greatly reduced soil
erosion, and the accumulated twigs the trees shed likely created new habitats for animal
life.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
A. It suggests that there are likely fossilized Calamophyton forests from before 390 million
years ago.

B. It provides two competing views of when the Calamophyton forest likely emerged.

C. It illustrates how Calamophyton forests likely changed conditions on the land.

D. It indicates how fast the Calamophyton forest spread.

5.
The following text is from Louise Erdrich’s 1986 novel The Beet Queen. The narrator
discusses her relationship with her young niece, Dot. Celestine, the narrator’s sister-in-law,
is Dot’s mother.

Dot and I had a mental connection, I was sure of it. I understood things about the baby that
her mother could not accept.
For instance, she was never meant to be a baby.
Dot was as impatient with babyhood as I. She tried at once to grow out of it. Celestine never
saw that, because she, and only she, took pleasure in Dot’s helpless softness. Only Celestine
was saddened by her daughter’s fierce progress. Day by day, Dot grew stronger. In her
shopping-cart stroller she exercised to exhaustion, bouncing for hours to develop her leg
muscles.

Which choice best describes the main purpose of the text?

A. To present the narrator’s belief that she understands Dot better than Celestine does

B. To speculate that when Dot is older, her personality will be like Celestine’s

C. To discuss what the narrator and Celestine do to amuse Dot

D. To compare the narrator’s physical appearance to the physical appearance of Celestine

6.
Adelaide is one of many cities that have installed pontoons or other hardening structures to
protect their shorelines against coastal hazards. To assess how birds respond to shoreline
hardening and other landscape alterations, Diann Prosser et al. used a tool known as the
Index of Waterbird Community Integrity to survey bird communities consisting of sixty-
four species, including the tundra swan and the great blue heron, in the Chesapeake Bay on
the US East Coast. The researchers concluded that shoreline hardening more negatively
affects birds than does land development for uses such as housing.

Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

A. It introduces a certain technique, mentions the hypothesis of a study into an ecological
consequence of that technique, and presents evidence in support of that study’s hypothesis.

B. It provides an example of a location that has adopted a particular approach, explains the
methodology of a study into an ecological effect of that approach, and describes a finding of
that study.

C. It makes a claim about the use of a specific strategy, describes field observations of a
consequence of that strategy in a particular ecosystem, and makes a supposition based on
those observations.

D. It presents a solution to a commonly occurring problem, summarizes the procedures

used by a group of researchers studying the environmental impact of that solution, and
notes the significance of the researchers’ findings.

7.
Women like Dorothy T. Blum made important early contributions to the history of US
cryptology, a field concerned with secure data communication and storage. Blum provided
cryptological services for the US Army in the 1940s and then joined the National Security
Agency (NSA). She was a pioneer in transitioning the NSA to using computers for
cryptoanalysis. In this way, Blum and others like her helped make it possible for more
women—such as Maureen Baginski, who currently works in intelligence and supports the
FBI—to enter the field of cryptology.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

A. Cryptology is a field that focuses primarily on securely managing data.

B. Women such as Dorothy T. Blum and Maureen Baginski have contributed to the field of
cryptology.

C. Dorothy T. Blum and Maureen Baginski worked together on an important project in the
field of cryptology.
D. Cryptology should be taught more often in schools to encourage more women to enter
the field.

8.
Researchers who examined data from radio-tagged southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris
nereis) identified fitness benefits gained by otters that used tools. By using fixed stones as
anvils, tool-using otters gained access to high-quality, hard-shelled prey (e.g., mussels and
clams) that they could usually not access through biting alone. Non-tool-using otters
foraged abundant, energy-poor, easily extractable prey instead (e.g., snails). Even when
easily processed prey were depleted, tool-using otters that processed mussels and clams
were thus able to obtain their needed energy resources and to do so without incurring tooth
damage.

What does the text most strongly suggest about southern sea otters in environments where
snails, mussels, and clams are present?
A. Those otters whose diet consists mainly of snails will likely exhibit less tooth damage
than will those otters that use tools to consume mussels and clams.

B. Those otters that do not use tools will likely have more robust health than those otters
that do use tools.

C. Those otters that do not use tools will likely need to process larger amounts of prey to
meet their energy requirements than will those that use tools.

D. Those otters that consume mussels and clams without the use of tools will likely spend
less time foraging than will those otters that use tools to access the same prey resources.

9.
Over the course of the 1900s, more and more Native Hawaiians spoke English instead of the
Hawaiian language. To preserve their language, Native Hawaiian teachers founded the ‘Aha
Pūnana Leo preschool in 1984. They spoke Hawaiian while teaching, and their Native
Hawaiian students were soon able to understand and speak it themselves. The school was a
huge success. Eventually it opened locations around Hawai‘i and started teaching Hawaiian
to elementary and high school students too. Thanks to ‘Aha Pūnana Leo, the number of
young people who speak the language has increased.

Which statement, if true, would most directly support the underlined claim?
A. Besides Native Hawaiians, tens of thousands of people from other Pacific Islander
communities live in Hawai‘i today, including over 37,000 Samoans.
B. Fewer than fifty children could speak Hawaiian when ‘Aha Pūnana Leo was founded, but
now more than 2,000 students at ‘Aha Pūnana Leo speak it.

C. Hawaiian is very similar to other languages that are spoken on the Polynesian Islands of
the Pacific Ocean, including Tahitian, Samoan, and Māori.

D. Roughly 680,000 Native Hawaiian people lived in the United States in 2020, and a little
less than half of them lived in Hawai‘i.

10.
Species Station 1 Station 2 Station 3
barred flagtail 249 64 16
streaky rockskipper 125 139 610
blackspotted 83 74 31
rockskipper
Cocos frillgoby 50 64 90

Lin-Tai Ho and colleagues tracked fish populations in three tide pool–monitoring stations in
Taiwan from 1999 to 2018. Although a total of only 31 blackspotted rockskippers were
observed at station 3, that was not the lowest count at any station: _____

A. there were 16 streaky rockskippers observed at station 1.

B. there were 610 streaky rockskippers observed at station 3.

C. there were 16 barred flagtails observed at station 3.

D. there were 50 Cocos frillgobies observed at station 1.

11. Numbers of the 23 Non-native Tree Species Reported and the Insect and Fungus Threats to
Them

Country Trees Fungi Insects

Austria 13 51 50

Belgium 4 13 11

Bulgaria 9 14 16

Elisabeth Pötzelsberger and colleagues gathered data on 23 non-native tree species grown
in Europe. They analyzed reports from Austria, Bulgaria, and Belgium about the number of
these species grown in those countries as well as the numbers of insect and fungus species
that damage those trees. The researchers concluded that Austria had a greater number of
damaging fungus species than either of the other countries did.
Which choice best describes data from the table that support Pötzelsberger and
colleagues’ conclusion?
A. Belgium reported 13 damaging fungus species but only 11 damaging insect species.
B. Austria reported 51 damaging fungus species, whereas Bulgaria reported 14 damaging
insect species.
C. Bulgaria and Belgium reported 9 and 4 damaging fungus species, respectively, which is
far fewer than Austria reported.
D. Austria reported 51 damaging fungus species, which is more than either Bulgaria or
Belgium reported.

12. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900, L. Frank Baum): In the novel, Dorothy lives in Kansas
with her aunt and uncle, but she later finds herself in a land called Oz. The narrator
indicates that her aunt and uncle’s house in Kansas is remote and solitary, writing that
________.
Which quotation from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz most effectively illustrates the
claim?
A. In Oz, “[Dorothy and her companions] passed through the rest of the forest in safety, and
when they came out from its gloom saw before them a steep hill, covered from top to
bottom with great pieces of rock.”
B. In Oz, “Dorothy fell asleep only once, and then she dreamed she was in Kansas, where
Aunt Em was telling her how glad she was to have her little girl at home again.”
C. In Kansas, “Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who
was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer’s wife.”
D. In Kansas, “When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could see
nothing but the great gray prairie on every side. Not a tree nor a house broke the broad
sweep of flat country.”

13. Carcinization, or the evolution of a crablike body form, has taken place in crustaceans
many times over the last 250 million years. Decarcinization has occurred several times as
well, even though it involves the loss of traits such as sideways walking that seem to have
helped carcinized groups persist in a variety of ecosystems. In a 2021 paper, Joanna Wolfe
and team note that many decarcinized groups are extinct and have very few living relatives
—signs that decarcinization might be an “evolutionary dead-end.” But the team also
discusses frog crabs, a living decarcinized group with traits suited to dwelling in sediment;
fossils show that the group had decarcinized members as far back as the Early Cretaceous.
This example suggests that __________

A. the evolutionary benefits of a crablike body form are less certain than many studies of
carcinization had previously implied.
B. despite having many living relatives, some decarcinized groups did not benefit from
decarcinization.
C. sideways walking may have been less important to the survival of frog crabs than a
protected abdomen and other traits associated with carcinization.
D. a crablike body form may not be optimal in all cases, with ecological conditions
sometimes favoring the persistence of decarcinization.

14. A group of primate conservationists recently began a long-term study of the effects of
different conservation strategies on the northern muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus). The
species population is currently estimated to be around 1,000. It is challenging to accurately
count these primates, however, which makes it difficult to tell whether the population is
increasing, decreasing, or staying stable. The study may thus ________
A. cause other conservationists to adopt a new methodology for counting populations.
B. risk making inaccurate conclusions about the effectiveness of different conservation
strategies.
C. benefit from including species beyond the northern muriqui.
D. fail to consider less-well-known conservation approaches for the northern muriqui.

15. Mountain goats were made to climb. In addition to having hard hooves that can dig into
nearly any groove or ____ mountain goats have slender bodies ideal for scaling nearly
ninety-degree cliffs.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard
English?
A. crack, or
B. crack or
C. crack
D. crack,

16. As an object-oriented computer programming language, Perl is used by coders like

Black Girls Code founder Kimberly Bryant to create computer programs by manipulating
“objects” (that is, specifically defined variables or combinations of variables) into
interacting with each other. Conversely, languages like Scheme, used in software
development, ________ object oriented.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard
English?
A. is not
B. are not
C. was not
D. has not been

17. In premodern Europe, one could sail from the east coast of England to the Netherlands
or France faster than one could travel by land to England’s capital, London. In that era,
historian Michael Pye argues in his 2015 book The Edge of the World: A Cultural History of
the North Sea and the Transformation of Europe, the North Sea did more to link the various
peoples, cultures, and economies on ________ shores than to divide them.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard
English?
A. it’s
B. its
C. their
D. they’re

18. Creating personas—brief profiles of imaginary characters that represent key segments
of a customer base—can help user experience (UX) designers think like and empathize with
those using their products. Fictional yet realistic, ________
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard
English?
A. these personas include specific details (demographics, browsing habits, etc.) that UX
designers draw from actual users.
B. specific details that UX designers draw from actual users (demographics, browsing
habits, etc.) are included in these personas.
C. UX designers include specific details (demographics, browsing habits, etc.) drawn from
actual users in these personas.
D. actual users are the source of the specific details (demographics, browsing habits, etc.)
that UX designers include in these personas.

19. As the exoplanet 17 Scorpii b orbits a star 408 light-years from Earth, the gas giant’s
gravity causes the star to wobble. In 2020, astronomers observing the wobble—indicated
by redshifts and blueshifts in the star’s spectral wavelengths—eventually attributed ________
to the gravitational influence of the previously undetected exoplanet.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard
English?
A. each
B. these
C. it
D. them

20. Although the term “balloonomania”—referring to the hot-air balloon fad in England and
France in the late 1700s—might suggest that the public as a whole was captivated by the
technology, it was not universally ____ whereas many flocked to balloon launches and
purchased balloon-themed items ranging from dinnerware to accessories, others dismissed
the hot-air balloon as an impractical and dangerous extravagance.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard
English?
A. embraced:
B. embraced
C. embraced,
D. embraced and

21. In February 1864, James Johnson joined the US Army. He went on to serve in the 18th
New York Cavalry during the US Civil War and, __________, earned a place in US history as one
of the war’s few Chinese-born American soldiers.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A. usually,
B. for instance,
C. in any case
D. in doing so,

22. The lack of accessible written sources is a common challenge faced by biographers of
pre-nineteenth-century subjects. __________ when writing his biography of Alexander
Hamilton (1755–1804), historian Ron Chernow had at his disposal Harold Syrett’s 26-
volume, 19,000-document Papers of Alexander Hamilton.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A. To take one well-known example,
B. In accordance with this premise,
C. It thus came as no surprise that,
D. On the other end of the spectrum,

23. Notes:
• India Arie is an African American singer and songwriter.
• BBC Music has described her music as a “blend of hip hop, soul and folk [that is] as subtle
as it [is] inspired.”
• Her acclaimed albums feature many talented musicians.
• Judeth Insel played viola on her first studio album, Acoustic Soul (2001).
• Ricky Quiñones played guitar on her second studio album, Voyage to India (2002).
The student wants to emphasize a difference between Judeth Insel and Ricky Quiñones.
Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish
this goal?
A. Judeth Insel played on India Arie’s first studio album, Acoustic Soul, which was released
one year before her album Voyage to India.
B. Both musicians have played on India Arie albums, but Judeth Insel played viola, whereas
Ricky Quiñones played guitar.
C. Acoustic Soul and Voyage to India, released in 2001 and 2002, respectively, are albums by
singer and songwriter India Arie.
D. Judeth Insel and Ricky Quiñones have both lent their musical talents to albums by India
Arie.

24. Notes:
• The Japanese Ministry of the Environment made a list of 100 soundscapes of Japan.
• Each soundscape on the list was selected for its cultural significance to Japan.
• The sound of crickets on the banks of the Yodo River is on the list.
• The sound of water flowing over Nachi Falls is on the list.
The student wants to indicate that both soundscapes are on the list. Which choice
most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

A. Both the sound of crickets on the banks of the Yodo River and the sound of water flowing
over Nachi Falls are on the list.
B. The sound of water flowing over Nachi Falls is on the list.
C. The Japanese Ministry of the Environment made a list of 100 culturally significant
soundscapes of Japan.
D. Each soundscape on the list, including the sound of crickets on the banks of the Yodo
River, was selected for its cultural significance to Japan.

25. Notes:
• Grimanesa Amoros is a Peruvian American artist well known for her LED light sculptures.
• Uros Island (2011) is from her Uros series of works; it is made of smooth multicolored LED
domes.
• Golden Connection (2013) is from her Huanchaco series of works; it is made of entangled
blue and white LED tubes.
The student wants to emphasize a difference between Uros Island and Golden
Connection. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to
accomplish this goal?

A. Grimanesa Amoros often employs LED lights in her work, but the smooth LED domes of
Uros Island stand in contrast to the tangled LED tubes of Golden Connection.
B. Uros Island and Golden Connection are two LED light sculptures by well-known artist
Grimanesa Amoros.
C. In 2011, Grimanesa Amoros debuted Uros Island, a part of her Uros series.
D. Many of Grimanesa Amoros’s sculptures, like Uros Island and Golden Connection,
incorporate LED lights in the form of domes or tubes.

26. Notes:
• Refrigerants are chemical compounds used in cooling technologies, such as air
conditioners.
• Air conditioners can use refrigerants to absorb heat and release cold air.
• The refrigerant dichloromethane is a hydrochlorocarbon (HCC); HCCs are composed of the
elements hydrogen, chlorine, and carbon.
• The refrigerant tetradecafluorohexane is a perfluorocarbon (PFC); PFCs are composed of
fluorine and carbon.
The student wants to contrast dichloromethane and tetradecafluorohexane. Which
choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this
goal?

A. Dichloromethane, a hydrochlorocarbon, is composed of hydrogen, chlorine, and carbon;

tetradecafluorohexane, a perfluorocarbon, is composed of fluorine and carbon.
B. Dichloromethane and tetradecafluorohexane are chemical compounds used in cooling
technologies; the compounds are known as refrigerants.
C. The hydrochlorocarbon dichloromethane and the perfluorocarbon tetradecafluorohexane
are both refrigerants that can be used in cooling technologies like air conditioners.
D. Tetradecafluorohexane, a refrigerant, can be used in cooling technologies to absorb heat
and release cold air.

27. Notes:
• The A.M. Turing Award is a prestigious award given by the Association for Computing
Machinery (ACM).
• The ACM gives the award for “major contributions of lasting importance to computing.”
• It is named after groundbreaking British mathematician Alan Turing.
• Raj Reddy won the award in 1994 for pioneering the development of large-scale artificial
intelligence systems.
The student wants to explain whom the award is named for. Which choice most
effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
A. In 1994, Raj Reddy won the A.M. Turing Award for pioneering the development of large-
scale artificial intelligence systems.
B. The A.M. Turing Award is given for “major contributions of lasting importance to
computing.”
C. The A.M. Turing Award is named for groundbreaking British mathematician Alan Turing.
D. It was in 1994 that Raj Reddy won the A.M. Turing Award.