What is the main argument of this essay?
- A. iPads and Kindles are easier to read than books
- B. The printing press was a great invention
- C. The Internet is how people receive information
- D. Technology will soon replace printed material
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The main argument of the essay is that technology will soon replace printed material, specifically printed books. The passage discusses how the rise of the Internet and electronic devices like the iPad and Kindle are making printed books unnecessary. It presents a progression from oral tradition to printed books and now to digital and electronic options. The essay highlights how the convenience and multi-functionality of devices like the iPad and Kindle will lead to the eventual demise of printed books. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because while they are mentioned in the essay, they are not the central argument. The essay focuses on the transition from printed material to digital and electronic options, making choice D the correct answer.
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Using the same reasoning as that in the passage, an automobile with eighteen wheels does what to the following hypothesis: 'All automobiles have only four wheels'?
- A. It proves the hypothesis.
- B. It raises the hypothesis's probability.
- C. It disproves the hypothesis.
- D. It decreases the hypothesis's probability.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: An automobile with eighteen wheels contradicts the hypothesis that 'All automobiles have only four wheels.' This contradiction reduces the probability that the hypothesis is true. The hypothesis is not proven by the presence of an eighteen-wheel automobile, nor does it raise the probability of the hypothesis being true. Instead, it directly challenges the hypothesis, leading to a decrease in its probability of being correct.
Which of the following sentences distracts the reader from the main focus of the passage?
- A. Malory's work, which is believed to be largely a translation of older French stories, was written in prose style.
- B. Instead of embracing the romance angle, however, Malory focused more on the moral elements within these stories.
- C. In Tennyson's work, Arthur chooses to forgive Guinevere, and she chooses to spend the rest of her days doing good works in a convent.
- D. Charles Dickens is remembered for doing the same thing in his novels about the abuses of lower-class children in Victorian England.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The focus of the passage is on Malory and Tennyson and their interpretations of the Arthurian legends. The mention of Charles Dickens in choice D is irrelevant and distracts the reader from the main discussion. While the other choices discuss Malory's prose style, his focus on moral elements, and Tennyson's approach to the Arthurian stories, choice D brings in a comparison to Charles Dickens and his novels about lower-class children in Victorian England. This mention of Dickens does not directly relate to the main theme of the passage, making it the correct answer as the distracting sentence.
Which of the following is a primary source?
- A. A critic's summary of a book on Abraham Lincoln.
- B. A peer-reviewed scientific journal's table of contents.
- C. A gene splicing study report with data.
- D. A news article quoting research into curing cancer.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C. A gene splicing study report with data is a primary source because it provides original research findings. In contrast, choice A is a secondary source as it involves a critic's interpretation of a book. Choice B, the table of contents of a peer-reviewed scientific journal, is not a primary source but a tertiary source, providing a summary of articles. Choice D, a news article quoting research, is a secondary source that presents information based on primary sources rather than the original research itself.
Which of the following is the best summary sentence for the passage?
- A. Composers such as Alexander Glazunov, Sergei Prokofiev, and Igor Stravinsky studied under Rimsky-Korsakov.
- B. Despite their lack of formal training and their unorthodox approach to producing classical music, The Five had an influence that reached far beyond their time.
- C. They were known as 'The Five': a group of Russian musicians who eschewed rigidly formal classical training and set out on their own to give a new artistic sound to classical music in Russia.
- D. Mily Balakirev and Cesar Cui are considered the founders of the movement, but the three who later joined them have become far more famous and respected outside, and perhaps even inside, of Russia.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Answer choice B best summarizes the main point of the passage by highlighting the significant influence of The Five, a group of Russian musicians who diverged from traditional classical training, on classical music in Russia and beyond. The passage emphasizes how despite their unconventional methods and lack of formal training, The Five had a lasting impact that extended far beyond their era. It showcases the group's influence on classical music history, making choice B the most appropriate summary. Choices A, C, and D do not capture the central theme of the passage, which revolves around The Five's unique approach and lasting impact, unlike choice B.
Which of the following sentences contains an opinion on the part of the author?
- A. James was recognized as a practicing Catholic, and his commitment to Catholicism would prove to be his downfall.
- B. James' son King Charles I proved to be less committed to the Protestant Church of England.
- C. The movement was soundly defeated at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, and England and Scotland have remained ostensibly Protestant ever since.
- D. Scholars in the 21st century are far too hasty in dismissing the role of religion in political disputes, but religion undoubtedly played a role in the problems that faced England and Scotland.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The sentence in answer choice D expresses the opinion of the author by suggesting that scholars in the 21st century are hasty in dismissing the role of religion in political disputes. This opinion is presented without factual evidence or support within the passage, making it an opinion rather than a statement based on information provided in the text. Choice A simply states facts about James being a practicing Catholic and how it affected him, without expressing any opinion. Choice B also presents a factual statement about King Charles I's commitment to the Protestant Church of England. Choice C provides historical information about the Battle of Culloden and the religious state of England and Scotland, without any opinion from the author.