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MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.

The following table contains information about moons orbiting a planet named Geo I. Use the table to solve the problem.
1)
Average Distance Time of Revolution in
Moon from Geo I (in km)Diameter (in km) Earth Time (in years)
Luna 1 4000 417 1.00
Luna 2 5200 2184 3.08
Luna 3 80,000 311 5.44
Luna 4 115,200 728 38.96
Luna 5 264,000 1145 100.32

Find the average distance from Geo I to its moon Luna 1.


A) 80,000 km B) 4000 km C) 417 km D) 5200 km
Answer: B

2)
Average Distance Time of Revolution in
Moon from Geo I (in km)Diameter (in km) Earth Time (in years)
Luna 1 2000 413 0.50
Luna 2 2600 2184 1.54
Luna 3 90,000 315 2.72
Luna 4 129,600 728 43.83
Luna 5 297,000 1141 112.86

What is the time of revolution around Geo 1 of the moon Luna 4?


A) 43.83 yr B) 728 yr C) 1.54 yr D) 112.86 yr
Answer: A

3)
Average Distance Time of Revolution in
Moon from Geo I (in km)Diameter (in km) Earth Time (in years)
Luna 1 4000 411 1.00
Luna 2 5200 2166 3.08
Luna 3 60,000 311 5.44
Luna 4 86,400 722 29.22
Luna 5 198,000 1133 75.24

Which moon has a diameter of 311 kilometers?


A) Luna 1 B) Luna 2 C) Luna 3 D) Luna 4
Answer: C

1
4)
Average Distance Time of Revolution in
Moon from Geo I (in km)Diameter (in km) Earth Time (in years)
Luna 1 3000 417 0.75
Luna 2 3900 2172 2.31
Luna 3 90,000 307 4.08
Luna 4 129,600 724 43.83
Luna 5 297,000 1141 112.86

Which moon or moons have an average distance from Geo I that is less than 10,000 km?
A) Luna 1 only B) Luna 2 only
C) Luna 1 and Luna 2 D) Luna 3, Luna 4, and Luna 5
Answer: C

5)
Average Distance Time of Revolution in
Moon from Geo I (in km)Diameter (in km) Earth Time (in years)
Luna 1 1000 413 0.25
Luna 2 1300 2187 0.77
Luna 3 90,000 316 1.36
Luna 4 129,600 729 43.83
Luna 5 297,000 1142 112.86

By how many kilometers does Luna 4's average distance from Geo I exceed Luna 2's average distance from Geo I?
A) 1300 km B) 128,300 km C) 129,600 km D) 128,600 km
Answer: B

6)
Average Distance Time of Revolution in
Moon from Geo I (in km)Diameter (in km) Earth Time (in years)
Luna 1 4000 411 1.00
Luna 2 5200 2166 3.08
Luna 3 50,000 311 5.44
Luna 4 72,000 722 24.35
Luna 5 165,000 1133 62.70

What is the average time of revolution of the moons? Round your answer to the nearest hundredth of a year.
A) 5.44 yr B) 19.31 yr C) 948.60 yr D) 3.08 yr
Answer: B

7)
Average Distance Time of Revolution in
Moon from Geo I (in km)Diameter (in km) Earth Time (in years)
Luna 1 2000 417 0.50
Luna 2 2600 2172 1.54
Luna 3 70,000 307 2.72
Luna 4 100,800 724 34.09
Luna 5 231,000 1141 87.78

What is the average diameter of the moons? Round your answer to the nearest kilometer.
A) 724 km B) 307 km C) 952 km D) 516 km
Answer: C

2
In warm weather, a person can feel hotter due to reduced heat loss from the skin caused by higher humidity. The
temperature-humidity index, or apparent temperature, is what the temperature would have to be with no humidity in order to
give the same heat effect. The table below lists the apparent temperatures for various actual temperatures and relative humidities.
Use the table to answer the question.

RELATIVE HUMIDITY
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
ACTUAL
TEMP (°F) APPARENT TEMPERATURE (°F)
75° 75 77 79 80 82 84 86 88 90
80° 80 82 85 87 90 92 94 97 99
85° 85 88 91 94 97 100 103 106 108
90° 90 93 97 100 104 107 111 114 118
95° 95 99 103 107 111 115 119 123 127
100° 100 105 109 114 118 123 127 132 137
105° 105 110 115 120 125 131 136 141 146

8) Find the apparent temperature if the actual temperature is 105°F and the humidity is 40%.
A) 115°F B) 110°F C) 125°F D) 120°F
Answer: D

9) Find the apparent temperature if the actual temperature is 85°F and the humidity is 80%.
A) 100°F B) 103°F C) 108°F D) 106°F
Answer: D

10) How many listed temperature-humidity combinations give an apparent temperature of 114°?
A) 4 B) 1 C) 3 D) 2
Answer: D

11) At a relative humidity of 70%, what actual temperatures give an apparent temperature above 100°?
A) 75° and higher B) 85° and higher C) 80° and higher D) 90° and higher
Answer: B

12) At an actual temperature of 80°, what relative humidities give an apparent temperature above 96°?
A) 70% and higher B) 60% and higher C) 90% and higher D) 80% and higher
Answer: D

13) At an actual temperature of 75°, by how much would the humidity have to increase in order to raise the
apparent temperature from 77° to 86°?
A) 68% B) 40% C) 50% D) 60%
Answer: C

3
Use the pictograph to solve the problem.
14) The following pictograph shows approximately how many kilograms of seafood each person (per capita) consumes
annually in several countries.

100

Which country has the highest per capita consumption of seafood?


A) Country E B) Country A C) Country B D) Country C
Answer: A

15) The following pictograph shows approximately how many kilograms of seafood each person (per capita) consumes
annually in several countries.

100

What is the approximate per capita consumption of seafood in Country E?


A) 550 kg B) 225 kg C) 500 kg D) 675 kg
Answer: D

4
16) The following pictograph shows approximately how many kilograms of seafood each person (per capita) consumes
annually in several countries.

100

Approximately how many more kilograms of seafood are eaten per person in Country A than in Country B?
A) 425 kg B) 150 kg C) 325 kg D) 250 kg
Answer: C

17) The following pictograph shows approximately how many kilograms of seafood each person (per capita) consumes
annually in several countries.

100

People in Country D eat approximately what percent more seafood than people in Country C?
A) 25% B) 125% C) 75% D) 50%
Answer: A

5
18) The following pictograph shows sales of compact disks (CDs) for a popular rock band for seven consecutive years.

Year CD Sales
2007 ⊙⊙
2006 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2005 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2004 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2003 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2002 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2001 ⊙⊙⊙
⊙ = 100,000 CDs

In which year was the greatest number of CDs sold?


A) 2002 B) 2004 C) 2005 D) 2006
Answer: B

19) The following pictograph shows sales of compact disks (CDs) for a popular rock band for seven consecutive years.

Year CD Sales
2007 ⊙⊙
2006 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2005 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2004 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2003 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2002 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2001 ⊙⊙⊙
⊙ = 1000 CDs

How many CDs do 4 ⊙ symbols represent?


A) 1000 CDs B) 4 CDs C) 4000 CDs D) 400 CDs
Answer: C

20) The following pictograph shows sales of compact disks (CDs) for a popular rock band for seven consecutive years.

Year CD Sales
2007 ⊙⊙
2006 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2005 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2004 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2003 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2002 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2001 ⊙⊙⊙
⊙ = 10,000 CDs

Approximately how many CDs were sold in 2006?


A) 6 CDs B) 60,000 CDs C) 6000 CDs D) 90,000 CDs
Answer: B

6
21) The following pictograph shows sales of compact disks (CDs) for a popular rock band for seven consecutive years.

Year CD Sales
2007 ⊙⊙
2006 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2005 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2004 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2003 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2002 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2001 ⊙⊙⊙
⊙ = 10,000 CDs

Approximately how many fewer CDs were sold in 2003 than in 2005?
A) 50,000 CDs B) 60,000 CDs C) 10,000 CDs D) 40,000 CDs
Answer: D

22) The following pictograph shows sales of compact disks (CDs) for a popular rock band for seven consecutive years.

Year CD Sales
2007 ⊙⊙
2006 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2005 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2004 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2003 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2002 ⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙
2001 ⊙⊙⊙
⊙ = 1000 CDs

Between which two years did sales decline the most?


A) 2001 and 2002 B) 2005 and 2006 C) 2006 and 2007 D) 2003 and 2004
Answer: C

The following bar graph shows the number of students by major in the College of Arts and Sciences. Use the bar graph to solve the
problem.

23) About how many students are majoring in English?


A) 450 students B) 350 students C) 400 students D) 500 students
Answer: C

7
24) About how many students are in the College of Arts and Sciences?
A) 1225 students B) 1050 students C) 1100 students D) 1325 students
Answer: A

25) Which major has the largest number of students?


A) Math B) Science C) English D) History
Answer: C

26) Which major has about 150 students?


A) History B) Math C) English D) Science
Answer: D

27) About how many more students are majoring in math than in science?
A) 50 students B) 100 students C) 150 students D) 10 students
Answer: A

28) The science department spends about $200 on equipment for each student majoring in science. About how
much should the science department budget for equipment?
A) $40,000 B) $3000 C) $30,000 D) $20,000
Answer: C

29) The English department assigns a counselor to each student majoring in English. Each counselor is assigned 20
students. About how many counselors are needed?
A) 27 counselors B) 22 counselors C) 24 counselors D) 20 counselors
Answer: D

30) The science department is planning to buy some new equipment. They want to make sure that there is one new
machine for every 5 students majoring in science. If each machine costs $650, about how much should they
budget for the new equipment?
A) $16,250 B) $22,750 C) $19,500 D) $26,000
Answer: C

8
The bar graph shows the number of tickets sold each week by the garden club for their annual flower show.

31) During which week did the garden club sell the most tickets?
A) week 2 B) week 4 C) week 1 D) week 5
Answer: B

32) During which week did the garden club sell the least tickets?
A) week 5 B) week 6 C) week 4 D) week 2
Answer: D

33) How many tickets were sold during week 6?


A) 11 tickets B) 46 tickets C) 30 tickets D) 19 tickets
Answer: D

34) During which week were 11 tickets sold?


A) week 5 B) week 2 C) week 4 D) week 3
Answer: B

35) How many more tickets were sold during week 5 than week 3?
A) 20 tickets B) 10 tickets C) 15 tickets D) 70 tickets
Answer: B

36) How many tickets were sold in all?


A) 205 tickets B) 105 tickets C) 195 tickets D) 215 tickets
Answer: A

9
The bar graph shows the expenditures of one city government in a recent year.

37) Name the agency with the smallest spending and estimate this value.
A) Human Resources; $24.2 million B) Justice; $12.1 million
C) Fire; $4.3 million D) Environment; $3.2 million
Answer: D

38) Name the agency whose spending for the year was between $13 million and $14 million and estimate its
spending.
A) Pensions; $22.7 million B) Pensions; $13.4 million
C) Education; $22.7 million D) Education; $13.4 million
Answer: B

39) Estimate how much more was spent in that year on Education than on Justice.
A) $9.2 million B) $13.7 million C) $10.7 million D) $12.4 million
Answer: C

40) Estimate the amount that was spent in that year on Health and Pensions combined.
A) $20.4 million B) $19.6 million C) $18.0 million D) $18.8 million
Answer: D

41) If expenditures remain the same, estimate how much will be spent on Fire over the next five years.
A) $24 million B) $21.5 million C) $23.5 million D) $22.5 million
Answer: B

42) If expenditures remain the same, estimate how much will be spent on Education over the next eight years.
A) $181.6 million B) $184.8 million C) $176.8 million D) $178.4 million
Answer: A

43) If expenditures remain the same, estimate the total amount that will be spent on Environment and Justice over
the next ten years.
A) $170 million B) $162 million C) $152 million D) $144 million
Answer: C

10
The following double bar graph shows the number of male (M) and female (F) athletes at a university in various years. Use the bar
graph to solve the problem.

44) Which year had the smallest number of male athletes?


A) 2005 B) 2003 C) 2004 D) 2006
Answer: B

45) About how many female athletes were there in 2004?


A) 300 athletes B) 200 athletes C) 500 athletes D) 150 athletes
Answer: B

46) Which year had the greatest number of female athletes?


A) 2005 B) 2003 C) 2006 D) 2004
Answer: A

47) In which year was the number of male athletes equal to about 375?
A) 2003 B) 2004 C) 2006 D) 2005
Answer: D

48) Estimate the increase in the number of female athletes from 2003 to 2004.
A) 75 athletes B) 200 athletes C) 50 athletes D) 100 athletes
Answer: C

49) What was the approximate decrease in the number of female athletes from 2005 to 2006?
A) 100 athletes B) 75 athletes C) 200 athletes D) 50 athletes
Answer: D

50) What is the only year in which the number of female athletes declined from its previous value?
A) 2006 B) 2003 C) 2005 D) 2004
Answer: A

51) About how many athletes were there in 2006?


A) 825 athletes B) 775 athletes C) 750 athletes D) 800 athletes
Answer: D

52) In 2006, about how many more male athletes were there than female athletes?
A) 190 B) 780 C) 130 D) 150
Answer: D

11
53) What was the average number of female athletes over the four-year period? Round your answer to the nearest
ten.
A) 600 athletes B) 260 athletes C) 340 athletes D) 300 athletes
Answer: B

SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.

Solve the problem.


54) The following table shows the average amount spent per week on groceries by four different families. Make a vertical
bar graph to illustrate the data.

Amount Spent
Family on Groceries
Smith $123.25
Harding $176.00
Tooley $151.75
Borne $168.00
Answer: Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

$180.00

$160.00
$140.00

$120.00

12
55) The following table shows the number of female infants born in a certain city on New Year's Day in various years. Make
a vertical bar graph to illustrate the data.

No. of Female Infants


Year Born New Year's Day
1970 21
1971 12
1972 18
1973 30
1974 27
1975 24
Answer: Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

30
24
18

12

1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975

13
56) The following table shows the number of male infants born in a certain city on New Year's Day in various years. Make a
horizontal bar graph to illustrate the data.

No. of Male Infants


Year Born New Year's Day
1990 6
1991 14
1992 10
1993 16
1994 10
1995 10
Answer: Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

1995
1994
1993

1992

1991
1990

4 8 12 16

14
57) The following table shows the number of inches of rainfall measured at City X during various days. Make a vertical bar
graph to illustrate the data.

Inches of
Day Rainfall
April 15 1.26
April 30 1.94
May 15 3.26
May 30 2.54
June 15 2.02
June 30 1.86
Answer: Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

3.6

3.2

2.8

2.4
Inches
2.0

1.6

1.2

Apr 15 Apr 30 May 15 May 30 Jun 15 Jun 30

15
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.

The line graph shows the recorded hourly temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit at an airport.

58) At what time was the temperature the highest?


A) 1 p.m. B) 2 p.m. C) 5 p.m. D) 11 a.m.
Answer: A

59) At what time was the temperature its lowest?


A) 6 p.m. B) 1 p.m. C) 9 a.m. D) 4 p.m.
Answer: C

60) What temperature was recorded at 5 p.m.?


A) 76°F B) 74°F C) 78°F D) 77°F
Answer: A

61) During which hour did the temperature increase the most?
A) 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. B) 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. C) 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. D) 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Answer: D

62) At what time(s) was the temperature 79°?


A) 1 p.m. B) 6 p.m. C) 2 p.m. D) 12 p.m.
Answer: A

63) During which two hour period did the temperature increase the most?
A) 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. B) 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. C) 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. D) 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Answer: B

64) During which hour(s) was there no change in temperature?


A) 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. B) 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
C) 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m D) 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Answer: B

16
65) What was the average temperature between 9 am and 1 p.m. ? Round your answer to the nearest tenth if
necessary.
A) 74.8°F B) 75.6°F C) 74.0°F D) 75.3°F
Answer: B

66) What was the average temperature between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.? Round your answer to the nearest tenth if
necessary.
A) 76.8°F B) 76.2°F C) 77.2°F D) 77.8°F
Answer: A

The following graph shows the monthly sales for Big "D" Sales during 2000 and 2001. Use the graph to solve the problem.

67) Which month in 2000 had the lowest sales?


A) Month 2 B) Month 6 C) Month 8 D) Month 3
Answer: D

68) What was the increase in sales between month 5 and month 6 of 2001?
A) $800 B) $4 C) $8000 D) $4000
Answer: D

69) Between which two months in 2001 did sales decrease by the greatest amount?
A) Between months 1 and 2 B) Between months 3 and 4
C) Between months 6 and 7 D) Between months 2 and 3
Answer: C

70) Between which two months in 2000 did sales increase by the greatest amount?
A) Between months 7 and 8 B) Between months 4 and 5
C) Between months 8 and 9 D) Between months 2 and 3
Answer: B

71) What were the total sales for the first six months of 2000?
A) $290,000 B) $46,000 C) $240,000 D) $366,000
Answer: A

17
72) What were the average sales for the first six months of 2000? Round to the nearest dollar if necessary.
A) $48,333 B) $61,000 C) $46,000 D) $48,000
Answer: A

73) What were the average sales for the first six months of 2001? Round to the nearest dollar if necessary.
A) $60,400 B) $61,000 C) $62,000 D) $48,333
Answer: B

74) How much more was earned in the first six months of 2001 than in the first six months of 2000?
A) $12,000 B) $18,000 C) $652,000 D) $76,000
Answer: D

75) What was the total increase in sales from 2000 to 2001?
A) $1,342,000 B) $22,000 C) $182,000 D) $12,000
Answer: C

76) What was the difference between the highest and lowest monthly sales in 2000?
A) $8000 B) $6000 C) $2000 D) $4000
Answer: A

18
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.

Make a line graph of the data in the table, listing time on the horizontal scale.
77) The following table shows the number of computer sales made at Computer Buy in various months.

Number of
Month Computers Sold
1 426
2 512
3 622
4 1054
5 978
Answer: Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

19
78) The following table shows the average teacher's salary at District X for various years.

Average Salary
Year (in thousands)
2000 $35.5
2001 $31.0
2002 $28.0
2003 $46.0
2004 $48.5
2005 $53.5
Answer: Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

60.0

50.0

40.0

30.0
20.0

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

20
79) The following table shows a certain artist's music video production costs in various even-numbered years.

Production Costs,
Year (in millions)
1992 $8.4
1994 $7.6
1996 $6.0
1998 $4.4
2000 $3.2
2002 $5.6
2004 $12.4
Answer: Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

14.0

12.0

10.0

8.0

6.0

4.0

2.0

0
1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004

Year

21
80) The following table gives the total precipitation in a city during certain months.

Month Total Precipitation


(in inches)
Nov. 6.08
Dec. 10.88
Jan. 15.04
Feb. 24.16
Mar. 22.24
April 29.76
May 33.12
Answer: Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

36.00
32.00
28.00

24.00
20.00
16.00
12.00
8.00

4.00

0 Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. April May

22
Plot the points on the graph.
81) A(1, 2), B(-6, 2)
Second Axis
6

First axis
-6 6

-6

Answer: Second Axis

B A

First axis
-6 6

-6

23
82) A(4, -2), B(-3, 6)
Second Axis

First axis
-6 6

-6

Answer: Second Axis


B
6

First axis
-6 6
A

-6

24
83) A(-5, -3), B(-4, 4)
Second Axis

First axis
-6 6

-6

Answer: Second Axis

6
B

First axis
-6 6

-6

25
84) A(2, 5), B(6, -6)
Second Axis

First axis
-6 6

-6

Answer: Second Axis

6 A

First axis
-6 6

B
-6

26
85) A(5, 2), B(-4, -4)
Second Axis

First axis
-6 6

-6

Answer: Second Axis

First axis
-6 6

-6

27
86) A(0, 6), B(-6, -2)
Second Axis

First axis
-6 6

-6

Answer: Second Axis


A
6

First axis
-6 6
B

-6

28
87) A(2, 4), B(-3, 0)
Second Axis

First axis
-6 6

-6

Answer: Second Axis

6
A

B First axis
-6 6

-6

29
4
88) A - , -6 , B(-3, 6)
3
Second Axis

First axis
-6 6

-6

Answer: Second Axis


B
6

First axis
-6 6

A
-6

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.

Determine the coordinates of the points shown on the graph.


89) Second Axis
A

3
B
First axis

-6 -3 3 6

-3

-6

A) A: (5, 7); B: (1, -3) B) A: (5, 1); B: (7, 1) C) A: (5, 7); B: (-3, 1) D) A: (7, 26); B: (1, -3)
Answer: C

30
90) Second Axis

6
C

First axis
-6 -3 3 6

D
-3

-6

A) C: (5, 12); D: (-3, 4) B) C: (-2, 5); D: (4, -3)


C) C: (-2, -3); D: (5, -3) D) C: (-2, 5); D: (-3, 4)
Answer: B

91) Second Axis

E 3

First axis
-6 -3 3 6

-3
G

-6

A) E: (-6, -5); G: (2, -5) B) E: (2, 4); G: (-5, -4)


C) E: (-6, 2); G: (-4, -5) D) E: (-6, 2); G: (-5, -4)
Answer: C

31
92) Second Axis

6
H

First axis
-6 -3 3 6

G
-3

-6

A) G: (4, -3); H: (-5, 4) B) G: (4, 4); H: (-3, 4)


C) G: (4, -3); H: (4, -5) D) G: (-3, 24); H: (4, -5)
Answer: A

93) Second Axis

B 6

A
First axis
-6 -3 3 6

-3

-6

A) A: (0, 3); B: (5, -2) B) A: (3, 0); B: (5, -2) C) A: (3, 0); B: (-2, 5) D) A: (0, 3); B: (-2, 5)
Answer: C

32
94) Second Axis
E

First axis
-6 -3 3 6

-3

G -6

A) E: (0, 7); G: (-5, -7) B) E: (0, 7); G: (-7, -5) C) E: (7, 0); G: (-7, -5) D) E: (7, 0); G: (-5, -7)
Answer: A

95) Second Axis

H
First axis
-6 -3 3 6

G
-3

-6

A) G: (-3, 5); H: (-5, 0) B) G: (5, -3); H: (-5, 0)


C) G: (-3, 5); H: (0, -5) D) G: (5, -3); H: (0, -5)
Answer: B

In which quadrant is the point located?


96) (3, 4)
A) III B) II C) I D) IV
Answer: C

97) (-20, 10)


A) III B) IV C) I D) II
Answer: D

98) (-19, -7)


A) IV B) II C) III D) I
Answer: C

33
99) (16, -19)
A) II B) IV C) III D) I
Answer: B

4 1
100) 2 , -
5 6
A) III B) IV C) II D) I
Answer: B

101) (-40.6, -5.6)


A) IV B) II C) III D) I
Answer: C

102) The first coordinate is positive, and the second coordinate is not zero.
A) III or IV B) I or II C) II or III D) I or IV
Answer: D

103) The second coordinate is negative, and the first coordinate is not zero.
A) III or IV B) II or III C) I or IV D) I or II
Answer: A

104) The coordinates have the same sign.


A) I or II B) I or III C) III or IV D) II or IV
Answer: B

105) The first coordinate is negative and the second coordinate is positive.
A) III or IV B) II C) II or III D) IV
Answer: B

Determine whether the ordered pair is a solution of the given equation.


106) (-1, -2); y = 2x
A) Yes B) No
Answer: A

107) (3, 11); y = 2x - 5


A) Yes B) No
Answer: B

108) (6, 7); x + y = 13


A) Yes B) No
Answer: A

109) (3, 7); x - y = 9


A) Yes B) No
Answer: B

110) (3, 2); 4x + y = 14


A) Yes B) No
Answer: A

34
111) (2, 3); 5x + 2y = 16
A) Yes B) No
Answer: A

112) (3, 5); 4x - 2y = 22


A) Yes B) No
Answer: B

113) (2, -1); 4x - 9y = 17


A) Yes B) No
Answer: A

1
114) -3 , -5 ; 11x + 7y = -68
2
A) Yes B) No
Answer: B

115) (3.7, 1.8); y = 2x - 5.6


A) Yes B) No
Answer: A

Use the indicated value to find an ordered pair that is a solution of the equation.
116) y = -x + 5; let x = 3
A) (3, -2) B) (3, 2) C) (3, 6) D) (3, 3)
Answer: B

117) x + y = 11; let x = 8


A) (8, 11) B) (3, 8) C) (8, 19) D) (8, 3)
Answer: D

118) y = 7x + 4; let x = 4
A) (4, 24) B) (4, 32) C) (24, 4) D) (32, 4)
Answer: B

119) y = -5x + 11; let x = 1


A) (1, 11) B) (1, 3) C) (1, -55) D) (1, 6)
Answer: D

120) y = -9x; let y = -45


A) (-5, -45) B) (-45, -5) C) (5, -45) D) (-45, 5)
Answer: C

121) x + 5y = 9; let y = 3
A) (4, 3) B) (3, -6) C) (-6, 3) D) (-24, 3)
Answer: C

122) 5x + y = -25; let y = 5


A) (0, 5) B) (5, -6) C) (-30, 5) D) (-6, 5)
Answer: D

35
123) 4x + y = -6; let x = 0
A) (0, -10) B) (0, -2) C) (0, -6) D) (0, 0)
Answer: C

124) 2x + 7y = -10; let y = 8


A) (0, 8) B) (-33, 8) C) (-5, 8) D) (33, 8)
Answer: B

125) 2x - 5y = 7; let x = 1
A) (1, -2) B) (2, 1) C) (1, 2) D) (1, -1)
Answer: D

Complete the ordered pairs for the equation.


126) x + y = 7; (5, □); (□, 7)
A) (5, 2); (1, 7) B) (5, 10); (0, 7) C) (5, 5); (1, 7) D) (5, 2); (0, 7)
Answer: D

127) x - y = 13 ; (□, 9); (0, □)


A) (4, 9); ( 0, -13) B) (4, 9); ( 0, 13) C) (22, 9); ( 0, 13) D) (22, 9); (0, -13)
Answer: D

128) y = 6x; (6, □); (□, -24)


A) (6, 12), (4, -24) B) (6, 36), (4, -24) C) (6, 36), (-4, -24) D) (6, 12), (-4, -24)
Answer: C

129) y = -x - 18; (□, -9); (-18, □)


A) (-9, -11); (-18, 0) B) (-9, -9); (-18, -9) C) (-9, -11); (-18, -9) D) (-9, -9); (-18, 0)
Answer: D

130) y = -7x; (3, □); (□, 14)


A) (3, 21); (-2, 14) B) (3, -21); (2, 14) C) (3, 21); (2, 14) D) (3, -21); (-2, 14)
Answer: D

131) y = -3x - 20; (□, 4); (0, □)


A) (4, 4); (0, 40) B) (-8, 4); (0, -20) C) (4, -8); (0, -20) D) (-8, 4); (0, 40)
Answer: B

132) 3x + y = -12; (□, 6); (1, □)


A) (0, 6); (1, -15) B) (-6, 6); (1, -24) C) (-6, 6); (1, -15) D) (0, 6); (1, -24)
Answer: C

133) 3x + y = -3; (-4, □); (□, -6)


A) (-4, 9); (-1, -6) B) (-4, 9); (1, -6) C) (-4, -15); (-1, -6) D) (-4, -15); (1, -6)
Answer: B

134) 2x + 6y = 36; (12, □); (□, 6)


A) (12, 1), (-1, 6) B) (12, 2), (0, 6) C) (12, 2), (1, 6) D) (12, -2), (0, 6)
Answer: B

36
135) 5x - 3y = 11; (0, □); (□, 0 )
11 11 11 11 11 11
A) 0, , ,0 B) 0, - , ,0 C) (6, 0) , (0, 14 ) D) 0, , - ,0
3 5 3 5 5 3
Answer: B

SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.

Find three solutions for the equation. Answers may vary.


136) x + y = 14
Answer: Answers will vary. One possibility: (7, 7), (8, 6), (9, 5)

137) y = 9x
Answer: Answers will vary. One possibility: (1, 9), (2, 18), (3, 27)

138) y = -2x
Answer: Answers will vary. One possibility: (2, -4), (3, -6), (4, -8)

139) y = 8x + 7
Answer: Answers will vary. One possibility: (9, 79), (10, 87), (11, 95)

140) y = -2x + 5
Answer: Answers will vary. One possibility: (0, 5), (4, -3), (5, -5)

141) 2x + y = 9
Answer: Answers will vary. One possibility: (0, 9), (3, 3), (4, 1)

142) x + 5y = 6
Answer: Answers will vary. One possibility: (6, 0), (-24, 6), (-29, 7)

143) 5x + 2y = 40
Answer: Answers will vary. One possibility: (0, 20), (8, 0), (6, 5)

1
144) y = x+9
7
Answer: Answers will vary. One possibility: (0, 9), (7, 10), (14, 11)

145) 8 + y = x
Answer: Answers will vary. One possibility: (0, -8), (6, -2), (7, -1)

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.

Graph the equation.

37
146) x + y = -7
y
10

-10 -5 5 10 x

-5

-10

A) B)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

C) D)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

Answer: D

38
147) y = x + 3
y
10

-10 -5 5 10 x

-5

-10

A) B)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

C) D)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

Answer: C

39
148) y + 6 = x
y
10

-10 -5 5 10 x

-5

-10

A) B)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

C) D)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

Answer: D

40
149) y = 3x + 6
y
10

-10 -5 5 10 x

-5

-10

A) B)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

C) D)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

Answer: B

41
150) 2x - y = 2
y
10

-10 -5 5 10 x

-5

-10

A) B)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

C) D)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

Answer: D

42
1
151) y = x
4
y
10

-10 -5 5 10 x

-5

-10

A) B)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

C) D)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

Answer: D

43
1
152) y = x-1
3
y
10

-10 -5 5 10 x

-5

-10

A) B)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

C) D)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

Answer: A

44
3
153) y = - x
4
y
10

-10 -5 5 10 x

-5

-10

A) B)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

C) D)
y y
10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

Answer: C

45
154) y = -2x + 6
y

10

-10 -5 5 10 x

-5

-10

A) B)
y y

10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

C) D)
y y

10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

Answer: C

Graph.

46
155) y = 6
y

10

-10 -5 5 10 x

-5

-10

A) B)
y y

10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

C) D)
y y

10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

Answer: D

47
156) x = 5
y

10

-10 -5 5 10 x

-5

-10

A) B)
y y

10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

C) D)
y y

10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

Answer: C

48
157) x = -4
y

10

-10 -5 5 10 x

-5

-10

A) B)
y y

10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

C) D)
y y

10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

Answer: C

49
158) y = -3
y

10

-10 -5 5 10 x

-5

-10

A) B)
y y

10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

C) D)
y y

10 10

5 5

-10 -5 5 10 x -10 -5 5 10 x

-5 -5

-10 -10

Answer: C

Find the mean.


159) 99, 109, 85, 105, 82
A) 80 B) 109 C) 99 D) 96
Answer: D

50
160) 43, 48, 34, 44, 31, 48, 32
A) 43 B) 35 C) 40 D) 48
Answer: C

161) 7.2, 8.1, 4.9, 8.1, 4.7


A) 5.5 B) 8.1 C) 7.2 D) 6.6
Answer: D

162) 1.1, 0.7, 0.9, 1.1, 0.5, 1.3, 0.5, 1.4, 1.8
Round your answer to the nearest tenth if necessary.
A) 1 B) 9.3 C) 1.1 D) 0.9
Answer: A

163) 27, 50, 217, 46


Round your answer to the nearest tenth if necessary.
A) 85.5 B) 84.5 C) 113.3 D) 85
Answer: D

164) $14.35, $49.80, $33.15, $38.35, $14.35


A) $25.00 B) $33.15 C) $14.35 D) $30.00
Answer: D

165) 5510, 3040, 7010, 4990, 3650, 3900


Round your answer to the nearest whole number if necessary.
A) 4683 B) 4990 C) 4682 D) 7010
Answer: A

Find the median.


166) 4, 8, 11, 26, 35, 37, 48
A) 24 B) 11 C) 35 D) 26
Answer: D

167) 24, 27, 31, 51, 61, 63, 85


A) 51 B) 49 C) 61 D) 31
Answer: A

168) 55, 11, 227, 151, 280, 241, 233


A) 171 B) 227 C) 151 D) 233
Answer: B

169) 11, 92, 253, 249, 396, 447


A) 206.5 B) 251 C) 253 D) 249
Answer: B

170) 9, 7, 26, 11, 24, 46, 40, 37


A) 25.5 B) 26 C) 24 D) 25
Answer: D

51
171) 1.3, 3.3, 9.5, 3.5
A) 3.5 B) 3.4 C) 9.5 D) 3.3
Answer: B

172) 46, 21, 9, 7, 24, 20, 28, 30, 33, 30


A) 24 B) 26 C) 24.8 D) 28
Answer: B

173) 1.3, 0.3, 0.5, 1.3, 0.1, 1.5, 0.1, 1.6, 2


A) 0.9 B) 1.3 C) 0.7 D) 1
Answer: B

174) The swim coach keeps a log for the number of miles travelled round trip to swim meets: 11, 27, 32, 57, 71, 73, 81.
Find the median number of miles travelled.
A) 71 miles B) 50 miles C) 32 miles D) 57 miles
Answer: D

175) You decide to keep track of the number of text messages you send each day. You record the following data: 8, 1,
24, 17, 29, 46, 39, 38. Find the median number of text messages you sent.
A) 25.5 text messages B) 29 text messages C) 26.5 text messages D) 24 text messages
Answer: C

Find any modes that exist.


176) 5, 9, 79, 3, 2, 8, 34, 1, 4, 16
A) 15.5 B) 8 C) 9 D) No mode exists.
Answer: D

177) 20, 39, 46, 39, 49, 39, 49


A) 49 B) 39 C) 40.1 D) 46
Answer: B

178) $86, $36, $32, $36, $29, $86


A) No mode exists. B) $86 C) $36 D) $86, $36
Answer: D

179) 117, 150, 156, 117, 188, 199, 162


A) 117 B) 150 C) 156 D) 88
Answer: A

180) 68, 25, 68, 13, 25, 29, 56, 68


A) 25 B) 68, 25 C) 68 D) 44
Answer: C

181) 7.3, 7.41, 7.56, 7.3, 7.88, 7.99, 7.62


A) 7.56 B) 7.41 C) 7.58 D) 7.3
Answer: D

182) 1.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.4, 0.4, 1.6, 0.4, 1.7, 2.1
A) 0.4 B) 0.4, 1.4 C) 1.2 D) 1.4
Answer: B

52
183) A local farmer takes soil samples each year in each field he works. The number of soil samples taken per field in
a certain year is: 5, 9, 62, 3, 2, 8, 30, 1, 4, 16. Find any modes that exist.
A) 8 samples B) 9 samples C) 13.4 samples D) No mode
Answer: D

184) Six students keep track of their weekly gasoline bills. The gas bills from the students during a certain week are:
$88, $36, $32, $36, $29, $88. Find any modes that exist.
A) $88, $36 B) $88 C) No mode D) $36
Answer: A

Solve the problem.


185) The five sales people at Southwest Appliances earned commissions last year of $20,000, $30,000, $46,000,
$18,000, and $34,000. Find the mean commission.
A) $29,600 B) $31,080 C) $32,560 D) $28,120
Answer: A

186) The Wellspring Company has a fleet of seven trucks which get gas mileages of 19, 14, 17, 10, 18, 8, and 22 miles
per gallon, respectively. What is the average gas mileage for the fleet? Round your answer to the nearest mpg.
A) 14 mpg B) 18 mpg C) 16 mpg D) 15 mpg
Answer: D

187) Some players are thinking about quitting the company softball team. Their batting averages are 0.200, 0.291,
0.241, 0.311, 0.239, 0.283, and 0.258, respectively. What is the mean batting average of these players? Round
your answer to the nearest thousandth.
A) 0.304 B) 0.260 C) 0.273 D) 0.237
Answer: B

188) Jeremy's car gets 294 miles of highway driving on 7 gallons of gasoline. What is the average number of miles
expected per gallon -- that is, what is its gas mileage?
A) 41 mpg B) 42 mpg C) 44 mpg D) 43 mpg
Answer: B

189) Anthony wanted to buy a particular kind of cheese. He checked in five different stores and found the following
prices per pound: $6.25, $5.40, $6.00, $5.80, and $5.10. What was the average price per pound?
A) $5.71 B) $6.25 C) $5.81 D) $5.80
Answer: A

53
190) The bar graph shows the number of tickets sold each week by the garden club for their annual flower show.

What was the average number of tickets sold per week? Round to the nearest whole number.
A) 41 tickets B) 35 tickets C) 34 tickets D) 33 tickets
Answer: C

191) The double-bar graph shows the number of sales made by Fred and Megan from January through May.

Find the average number of sales by Megan for the 5-month period. Round to the nearest whole number.
A) 2 sales B) 5 sales C) 6 sales D) 7 sales
Answer: B

54
192) The double-bar graph shows the number of sales made by Fred and Megan from January through May.

Find the average number of sales by Fred for the 5-month period. Round to the nearest whole number.
A) 8 sales B) 5 sales C) 7 sales D) 6 sales
Answer: D

193) The following table shows the times of revolution of the moons of a planet named Geo I.

Time of
Moon Revolution (years)
Luna 1 1.00
Luna 2 3.08
Luna 3 5.44
Luna 4 43.83
Luna 5 112.86

What is the average time of revolution of the moons? Round to the nearest hundredth.
A) 5.44 yr B) 954.40 yr C) 33.24 yr D) 3.08 yr
Answer: C

194) The following table shows the diameters of the moons orbiting a planet named Geo I.

Moon Diameter (km)


Luna 1 414
Luna 2 2169
Luna 3 309
Luna 4 723
Luna 5 1137

What is the average of the diameters of the moons? Round to the nearest whole number.
A) 309 km B) 516 km C) 723 km D) 950 km
Answer: D

195) To get a C in history, Nandan must average 74 on four tests. Scores on the first three tests were 67, 75, and 60.
What is the lowest score that Nandan can get on the last test and still receive a C?
A) 67 B) 20 C) 94 D) 69
Answer: C

55
196) To get a B in biology, Katie must average 81 on five lab reports. Scores on the first four lab reports were 91, 76,
76, and 83. What is the lowest score that Katie can get on the last lab report and still receive a B?
A) 74 B) 79 C) 81 D) 82
Answer: B

197) To get an A in biology, Fred must average 89 on six quizzes. Scores on the first five quizzes were 94, 85, 88, 95,
and 96. What is the lowest score that Fred can get on the last quiz and still receive an A?
A) 92 B) 90 C) 89 D) 76
Answer: D

198) Bengisu was pregnant 273 days and 262 days for her first two pregnancies. After her third pregnancy, Bengisu's
mean pregnancy was exactly the national average of 266 days. How long was her third pregnancy?
A) 266 days B) 268 days C) 263 days D) 267 days
Answer: C

199) Samuel consumed 2158 calories of food on Monday, 2367 calories on Tuesday, and 1879 calories on Wednesday.
If Samuel's mean daily caloric intake from Monday to Thursday was 2200 calories, how many calories of food
did he consume on Thursday?
A) 2135 calories B) 2485 calories C) 2151 calories D) 2396 calories
Answer: D

200) Jackie's sisters weigh 113 lb, 147 lb, 126 lb, and 128 lb. The average female in her city weighs 136.2 lb. How
much does Jackie weigh if she and her sisters have a mean weight of 136.2 lb?
A) 128.5 lb B) 167 lb C) 130 lb D) 147 lb
Answer: B

The table below shows the grades of a student for one semester. Find the grade point average. Assume that the grade
point values are 4.0 for an A, 3.0 for a B, and so on. Round your answer to the nearest tenth.
201)
Number of
Credit Hours
Grade in Course
A 2
A 5
C 4
A) 2.3 B) 3.3 C) 3.6 D) 12.0
Answer: B

202)
Number of
Credit Hours
Grade in Course
A 4
A 6
C 1
A) 4.4 B) 3.8 C) 4.6 D) 12.3
Answer: B

56
203)
Number of
Credit Hours
Grade in Course
C 3
B 2
A 5
A 5
A) 2.3 B) 10.0 C) 4.0 D) 3.5
Answer: D

204)
Number of
Credit Hours
Grade in Course
B 6
B 2
B 6
B 4
A) 4.0 B) 3.0 C) 3.6 D) 3.5
Answer: B

205)
Number of
Credit Hours
Grade in Course
B 3
B 5
A 2
C 5
D 3
A) 1.5 B) 9.0 C) 2.5 D) 3.5
Answer: C

206)
Number of
Credit Hours
Grade in Course
A 1
C 5
A 3
A 1
B 3
A) 2.0 B) 4.0 C) 3.0 D) 7.8
Answer: C

57
Solve the problem.
207) An experiment is performed to compare the germination success rates of two types of seeds. Nine plots containing
equal numbers of each kind of seed were planted, and the number of seeds that germinated are shown in the tables
below. On the basis of this test, which type of seed has a better germination success rate?

Seed X Seed Y
10 4 4 4 10 7
4 10 10 7 10 7
4 7 7 7 7 4
A) Seed Y B) Seed X
Answer: A

208) An experiment is conducted to determine which of two cereals tastes better. Shoppers tasted each kind of cereal and
gave it a rating from 1 to 10. The results are given in the tables below. On the basis of this test, which cereal tastes better?

Cereal X Cereal Y
9 3 7 8 7 3
7 8 7 3 3 9
3 9 3 3 7 3
A) Cereal Y B) Cereal X
Answer: B

209) An experiment is performed to compare the strength of two types of fishing lines. Several lengths of each type were
tested, and the results are listed in the tables below. On the basis of this test, which type of fishing line is stronger?

Line X Line Y
Strength (in pounds) Strength (in pounds)
103 104 107 103 107 107
103 104 107 113 103 113
104 113 104 103 103 107
A) Line X B) Line Y
Answer: B

210) An experiment is conducted to compare the fuel economy of two models of cars. Several cars of each model were tested,
and the results are given in the tables below. On the basis of this test, which car model has better fuel economy?

Car X Car Y
Fuel Economy (in mpg) Fuel Economy (in mpg)
22 21 26 25 22 18 21 22
21 21 26 26 26 25 21 25
22 25 18 22 21 18 21 25
A) Car Y B) Car X
Answer: B

58
211) An experiment is conducted to determine which of two cleaners cleans better. Twelve lab technicians tested each kind of
cleaner and give it a rating from 1 to 10. The results are given in the following tables. On the basis of this test, which
cleaner cleans better?

Cleaner X Cleaner Y
10 6 7 6 6 7 7 2
6 2 10 6 2 6 6 2
6 6 7 2 6 2 10 6
A) Cleaner Y B) Cleaner X
Answer: B

212) An experiment is conducted to compare printer cartridge quality. Two kinds of printer cartridges were tested to see how
many pages of text they could produce before needing to be replaced. The results are listed in the following tables. On
the basis of this test, which printer cartridge is better?

Cartridge X Cartridge Y
Output (in pages) Output (in pages)
1141 1045 1081 1271 1399 1141 1199 1271
1081 1206 1271 1141 1081 1271 1081 1386
1199 1045 1386 1081 1081 1206 1141 1399
A) Cartridge X B) Cartridge Y
Answer: B

213) An experiment is conducted to see which of two breeds of sheep produces thicker wool fleeces. Several of each breed
were raised under similar conditions, and their wool fleeces were measured, in centimeters. The results are listed in the
tables below. On the basis of this test, which breed produces a thicker wool fleece?

Sheep Breed X Sheep Breed Y


Fleece Thickness (in cm) Fleece Thickness (in cm)
3.6 2.3 5.1 2.3 2.3 4.4 3.8 2.3
3.8 4.4 4.8 4.8 2.3 4.4 5.3 4.8
3.8 2.3 2.3 3.8 3.8 5.1 3.6 2.3
3.6 4.8 2.3 3.6 2.3 4.8 3.6 4.4
A) Breed X B) Breed Y
Answer: B

Use interpolation or extrapolation to find the missing data value.


214) A science instructor asked his students to keep track of how much time each spent on a lab assignment. They collected
the information together with the scores on that lab assignment. The data are given in the following table. Choose the
best estimate of the missing data value.

Time Spent in Lab Grade


Lab (in minutes) (in %)
40 70
45 73
50 77
55 ?
60 87
A) 82% B) 80% C) 78% D) 77%
Answer: A

59
215) A weight loss counselor asked his patients to keep track of how much time each spent exercising. They collected the
information together with the amount of weight they each lost. The data are given in the following table. Choose the
best estimate of the missing data value.

Time Spent Weight Loss


Exercising (in hours) (in lb)
8 7.2
10 8.0
11 8.4
14 ?
16 11.4
A) 11.4 lb B) 10.8 lb C) 10.2 lb D) 8.7 lb
Answer: C

216) An environmental group collected information on the weights of various vehicles together with their gas mileages. The
data are given in the following table. Choose the best estimate of the missing value.

Gas MileageWeight
(in mpg) (in lb)
31 1312
30 1341
27 1431
24 1505
23 ?
21 1585
14 1770
A) 1532 lb B) 1518 lb C) 1571 lb D) 1479 lb
Answer: A

217) The table shows the sales of a software company in various years. Choose the best estimate of the missing data value.

Sales
Year (millions of dollars)
2000 33.7
2001 36.8
2002 40.6
2003 ?
2004 44.6
2005 47.2

A) $4.00 million B) $42.4 million C) $42.35 million D) $42.60 million


Answer: D

60
218) Biologists recorded the number of deer available for prey together with the number of wolves sighted in several
national parks. The data are given in the following table. Choose the best estimate of the missing data value.

No. of No. of
Deer Wolves
142 90
152 105
166 121
170 126
173 131
176 134
179 ?
A) 138 wolves B) 142 wolves C) 144 wolves D) 135 wolves
Answer: A

219) The following table shows the average cost of producing a documentary film in various years. Choose the best estimate
of the missing data value.

Year Average Cost


of Production
(in millions)
1998 $14.8
1999 20.4
2000 25.5
2001 31.5
2002 36.8
2003 42.1
2004 47.6
2005 ?
A) $53.1 million B) $48.2 million C) $53.6 million D) $50.4 million
Answer: A

220) The following table shows the average amount spent by Country X on entertainment in various years. Choose the best
estimate of the missing data value.

Year Amount Spent


on Entertainment
(in billions)
1998 $11.3
1999 11.5
2000 12.6
2001 12.8
2002 12.7
2003 12.3
2004 11.9
2005 ?
A) $11.8 billion B) $11.5 billion C) $11.0 billion D) $11.2 billion
Answer: B

61
221) The following table shows the amount that a school district spent per high school student in various years. Choose the
best estimate of the missing data value.

Year Amount Spent


Per Student
1997 $2752
1998 2954
1999 3869
2000 4688
2001 4459
2002 5470
2003 5339
2004 5205
2005 ?
A) $5239 B) $5072 C) $4961 D) $5130
Answer: B

Find the probability of the event.


222) If a single die is rolled once, find the probability that a 3 is rolled.
1 1
A) 0 B) C) 3 D)
6 2
Answer: B

223) If a single die is tossed once, find the probability that a 10 is rolled.
10 1
A) 10 B) 0 C) D)
6 10
Answer: B

224) If a single die is tossed once, find the probability that a 6 or a 5 is rolled.
1 1 1
A) B) 11 C) D)
6 3 2
Answer: C

225) If a single die is tossed once, find the probability that a 2, a 4, or a 3 is rolled.
1 1 1
A) B) C) 9 D)
2 3 6
Answer: A

226) If a single die is rolled once, find the probability that an even number is rolled.
1 1 1
A) 3 B) C) D)
6 3 2
Answer: D

227) If a single die is rolled, find the probability that a number less than 6 is rolled.
1 5 5 1
A) B) C) D)
3 7 6 6
Answer: C

62
228) A 12-sided die is rolled. What is the probability of rolling a number less than 11? Assume that all numbers are
equally likely to be rolled.
11 5 1
A) B) C) 10 D)
12 6 12
Answer: B

A deck of cards contains 52 cards. These cards consist of four suits - hearts, spades, clubs, and diamonds. Each suit
contains one of each of the following: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, jack, queen, king, and ace. Assume that one card is selected at
random from a well-shuffled deck of cards.
229) Find the probability that the card is a 7.
11 1 1 7
A) B) C) D)
52 52 13 13
Answer: C

230) Find the probability that the card is the jack of diamonds.
1 1 1 4
A) B) C) D)
13 26 52 13
Answer: C

231) Find the probability that the card is a red ace.


1 1 2 1
A) B) C) D)
52 13 13 26
Answer: D

232) Find the probability that the card is a red card.


1 1 1 1
A) B) C) D)
26 4 2 52
Answer: C

233) Find the probability that the card is a 2, 3, or 5.


3 1 1 3
A) B) C) D)
52 3 4 13
Answer: D

234) Find the probability that the card is a hearts picture card (the jack, queen, or king of hearts).
3 1 1 3
A) B) C) D)
13 3 4 52
Answer: D

235) Find the probability that the card is a diamond.


1 4 1 1
A) B) C) D)
52 13 4 13
Answer: C

236) Find the probability that the card is not a picture card (i.e. not a jack, queen, or king).
3 1 10 49
A) B) C) D)
13 4 13 52
Answer: C

63
Find the probability of the event.
237) A bag contains 2 red marbles, 6 blue marbles, and 8 green marbles. A marble is randomly selected from the bag.
What is the probability that it is blue?
3 3 1 1
A) B) C) D)
8 4 2 8
Answer: A

238) A bag contains 6 red marbles, 3 blue marbles, and 1 green marble. A marble is randomly selected from the bag.
What is the probability that it is not blue?
3 7 10
A) B) 7 C) D)
10 10 7
Answer: C

239) A bag contains 3 red marbles, 8 blue marbles, 8 yellow marbles, and 6 green marbles. A marble is randomly
selected from the bag. What is the probability that it is red?
3 3 1 1
A) B) C) D)
25 22 25 4
Answer: A

240) A bag contains 5 red marbles, 8 blue marbles, 6 yellow marbles, and 4 green marbles. A marble is randomly
selected from the bag. What is the probability that it is yellow or green?
10 4 1 6
A) B) C) D)
23 23 2 23
Answer: A

241) A bag contains 17 balls numbered 1 through 17. A ball is selected randomly from the bag. What is the
probability that an even-numbered ball is selected?
8 1 2 17
A) B) C) D)
17 8 17 8

Answer: A

242) A bag contains 21 balls numbered 1 through 21. A ball is randomly selected from the bag. What is the
probability that it is numbered 22?
1
A) B) 1 C) 0 D) 21
21
Answer: C

SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.

Provide an appropriate response.


243) The monthly salaries at one company are $1900, $1900, $2050, $2200, $2400, $2400, $2500, $2550, $2660, $2700,
$2900, $3100, $3300, $3300, $3350, $3500, $3900, $4100, and $8000. If you do not want to place too much
emphasis on the one salary that is much higher than the others ($8000), should you use the mean or the median
to describe the data? Explain your answer.
Answer: You should use the median. Medians are useful when we wish to de-emphasize unusually extreme
scores. Extreme values affect the mean but not the median. The median of this data set is the middle
value, $2700. The mean is $3090. For this data set, the median is more representative than the mean.
(Explanations will vary.)

64
244) Why do you think the mode is not used as often as the mean and the median to describe sets of data?
Answer: Answers will vary. One possible answer: There may be one mode, more than one mode, or no mode at
all. Every data point must be examined to determine any modes that exist. The mode is not necessarily
representative of the "center" of the data.

245) A real estate agent earns a commission each time she sells a house. The commission is a fixed percentage of the
sales price. What measure of central tendency is more useful in determining the total commissions that she has
earned, the mean sales price or the median sales price of the homes she has sold? Explain your answer.
Answer: The mean sales price of the homes she has sold is more useful. In this situation, we do not want to
de-emphasize the extreme values. The most expensive homes contribute very significantly to her total
commissions, just as they contribute very significantly to the mean sales price. The median sales price
would not give enough weight to these extreme values. (Explanations will vary.)

246) A couple is trying to decide in which neighborhood they should buy a house that is within their budget. Which
information would be more useful to them, the mean selling price or the median selling price of houses in each
neighborhood? Explain your answer.
Answer: Answers will vary. One possible answer: The median selling price would be more useful as it would be
more representative of the prices of most of the houses in the neighborhood. The mean selling price may
put too much emphasis on a few very expensive houses and may not be representative of most houses in
the neighborhood.

247) List some advantages and disadvantages of pictographs.


Answer: Answers will vary. One possible answer: Advantages: When an appropriate symbol is chosen, you can
see what quantity is being measured without reading a lot of text. You can compare amounts by just
comparing the number of symbols. Disadvantages: Pictographs are not precise, since it is hard to tell how
much a partial symbol represents. You must multiply by the key to determine the quantities that are
being represented.

248) In what kinds of situations are line graphs useful?


Answer: Answers will vary. One possible answer: Line graphs are useful for showing a change over time as well
as to indicate patterns or trends.

MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.

249) True or False? The equation ax + by + c = 0, is called an equation in one variable if c is zero.
A) True B) False
Answer: B

250) True or False? A number line is called a Cartesian coordinate system.


A) True B) False
Answer: B

251) True or False? The ordered pair (-2, -7) determines a point in quadrant III with x-coordinate -7 and
y-coordinate -2.
A) True B) False
Answer: B

65
Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED7

1) B
2) A
3) C
4) C
5) B
6) B
7) C
8) D
9) D
10) D
11) B
12) D
13) C
14) A
15) D
16) C
17) A
18) B
19) C
20) B
21) D
22) C
23) C
24) A
25) C
26) D
27) A
28) C
29) D
30) C
31) B
32) D
33) D
34) B
35) B
36) A
37) D
38) B
39) C
40) D
41) B
42) A
43) C
44) B
45) B
46) A
47) D
48) C
49) D
50) A
66
Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED7

51) D
52) D
53) B
54) Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

$180.00

$160.00
$140.00

$120.00

55) Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

30
24
18

12

1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975

67
Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED7

56) Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

1995
1994
1993

1992

1991
1990

4 8 12 16

57) Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

3.6

3.2

2.8

2.4
Inches
2.0

1.6

1.2

Apr 15 Apr 30 May 15 May 30 Jun 15 Jun 30

58) A
59) C
60) A
61) D
62) A
63) B
64) B
65) B
66) A

68
Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED7

67) D
68) D
69) C
70) B
71) A
72) A
73) B
74) D
75) C
76) A
77) Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

78) Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

60.0

50.0

40.0

30.0
20.0

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

69
Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED7

79) Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

14.0

12.0

10.0

8.0

6.0

4.0

2.0

0
1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004

Year
80) Answers may vary. The following is a possible answer.

36.00
32.00
28.00

24.00
20.00
16.00
12.00
8.00

4.00

0 Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. April May

70
Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED7

81) Second Axis

B A

First axis
-6 6

-6

82) Second Axis


B
6

First axis
-6 6
A

-6

83) Second Axis

6
B

First axis
-6 6

-6

71
Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED7

84) Second Axis

6 A

First axis
-6 6

B
-6

85) Second Axis

First axis
-6 6

-6

86) Second Axis


A
6

First axis
-6 6
B

-6

72
Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED7

87) Second Axis

6
A

B First axis
-6 6

-6

88) Second Axis


B
6

First axis
-6 6

A
-6

89) C
90) B
91) C
92) A
93) C
94) A
95) B
96) C
97) D
98) C
99) B
100) B
101) C
102) D
103) A
104) B
105) B
106) A
107) B
108) A
109) B
110) A
111) A
112) B
73
Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED7

113) A
114) B
115) A
116) B
117) D
118) B
119) D
120) C
121) C
122) D
123) C
124) B
125) D
126) D
127) D
128) C
129) D
130) D
131) B
132) C
133) B
134) B
135) B
136) Answers will vary. One possibility: (7, 7), (8, 6), (9, 5)
137) Answers will vary. One possibility: (1, 9), (2, 18), (3, 27)
138) Answers will vary. One possibility: (2, -4), (3, -6), (4, -8)
139) Answers will vary. One possibility: (9, 79), (10, 87), (11, 95)
140) Answers will vary. One possibility: (0, 5), (4, -3), (5, -5)
141) Answers will vary. One possibility: (0, 9), (3, 3), (4, 1)
142) Answers will vary. One possibility: (6, 0), (-24, 6), (-29, 7)
143) Answers will vary. One possibility: (0, 20), (8, 0), (6, 5)
144) Answers will vary. One possibility: (0, 9), (7, 10), (14, 11)
145) Answers will vary. One possibility: (0, -8), (6, -2), (7, -1)
146) D
147) C
148) D
149) B
150) D
151) D
152) A
153) C
154) C
155) D
156) C
157) C
158) C
159) D
160) C
161) D
162) A
74
Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED7

163) D
164) D
165) A
166) D
167) A
168) B
169) B
170) D
171) B
172) B
173) B
174) D
175) C
176) D
177) B
178) D
179) A
180) C
181) D
182) B
183) D
184) A
185) A
186) D
187) B
188) B
189) A
190) C
191) B
192) D
193) C
194) D
195) C
196) B
197) D
198) C
199) D
200) B
201) B
202) B
203) D
204) B
205) C
206) C
207) A
208) B
209) B
210) B
211) B
212) B
75
Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED7

213) B
214) A
215) C
216) A
217) D
218) A
219) A
220) B
221) B
222) B
223) B
224) C
225) A
226) D
227) C
228) B
229) C
230) C
231) D
232) C
233) D
234) D
235) C
236) C
237) A
238) C
239) A
240) A
241) A
242) C
243) You should use the median. Medians are useful when we wish to de-emphasize unusually extreme scores. Extreme
values affect the mean but not the median. The median of this data set is the middle value, $2700. The mean is $3090.
For this data set, the median is more representative than the mean. (Explanations will vary.)
244) Answers will vary. One possible answer: There may be one mode, more than one mode, or no mode at all. Every data
point must be examined to determine any modes that exist. The mode is not necessarily representative of the "center"
of the data.
245) The mean sales price of the homes she has sold is more useful. In this situation, we do not want to de-emphasize the
extreme values. The most expensive homes contribute very significantly to her total commissions, just as they
contribute very significantly to the mean sales price. The median sales price would not give enough weight to these
extreme values. (Explanations will vary.)
246) Answers will vary. One possible answer: The median selling price would be more useful as it would be more
representative of the prices of most of the houses in the neighborhood. The mean selling price may put too much
emphasis on a few very expensive houses and may not be representative of most houses in the neighborhood.
247) Answers will vary. One possible answer: Advantages: When an appropriate symbol is chosen, you can see what
quantity is being measured without reading a lot of text. You can compare amounts by just comparing the number of
symbols. Disadvantages: Pictographs are not precise, since it is hard to tell how much a partial symbol represents. You
must multiply by the key to determine the quantities that are being represented.
248) Answers will vary. One possible answer: Line graphs are useful for showing a change over time as well as to indicate
patterns or trends.
249) B
76
Answer Key
Testname: UNTITLED7

250) B
251) B

77
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
“Oh, I could not choose but go
Into the woodlands hoar.

“Into the blithe and breathing air,


Into the solemn wood,
Solemn and silent everywhere!
Nature with folded arms seem’d there,
Kneeling at her evening prayer!
Like one in prayer I stood.

“Before me rose an avenue


Of tall and sombrous pines;
Abroad their fanlike branches grew,
And where the sunshine darted through,
Spread a vapour soft and blue.
In long and sloping lines.

“And falling on my weary brain,


Like a fast falling shower,
The dreams of youth came back again;
Low lispings of the summer rain,
Dropping on the ripen’d grain,
As once upon the flower.”

He told her of his happy progress, from that first dawning of hope to the full
joy of steadfast faith. He ran over the history of the past year, in which from
day to day he had looked forward to this meeting; and he told with what joy
he had slowly added coin to coin, until he had saved a sufficient sum to
carry him home. Then, when he had finished, the sister and brother mingled
their thanksgivings and happiness together, and Christian’s heart swelled
full and overbrimming: she could have seated herself upon the floor, like
Ailie, and poured out her joy as artlessly. But it is Halbert’s turn now to ask
questions. When will little Mary be home? how long she stays. Halbert
wearies to see his little sister, but he is bidden remember that she is not little
now, and Christian sighs, and the dark cloud, that she fears is hanging over
Mary’s fate, throws somewhat of its premonitory gloom upon her heart and
face. Halbert, unnoticing this, is going about the room, almost like a boy,
looking lovingly at its well-remembered corners, and at the chairs and
tables, at the books, and last his eye falls on a card lying in a little basket,
and he starts as if he had encountered a serpent, and his eye flashes as he
suddenly cries out, almost sternly, as he lifts it and reads the name.
“Christian, what is this—what means this? Mr. Walter Forsyth a visitor
of yours; it cannot be. Tell me, Christian, what does it mean?”
“It is Mr. Forsyth’s card,” said Christian gravely; “an acquaintance, I am
afraid I must say a friend of ours. Indeed, Halbert, now that you are home
with us again, this is my only grief. I fear we shall have to give our little
Mary into his keeping, and he is not worthy of her.”
Halbert is calmed by his long trial, but his natural impetuosity is not
entirely overcome, and he starts up in sudden excitement and disorder.
“Walter Forsyth the husband of my sister Mary! Walter Forsyth, the infidel,
the profligate; better, Christian, better a thousand times, that we should lay
her head in the grave, great trial as that would be, and much agony as it
would cause us all, than permit her to unite herself with such a reptile.”
“Halbert,” said Christian, “the name misleads you; this cannot be the
man—the Forsyth who wrought you so much unhappiness and harm, and
has caused us all such great grief and sorrow; he must be much older, and
altogether a different person. This one is not even a scoffer, at least so far as
I have seen.”
“Christian,” cried Halbert vehemently, “I feel assured it is the same. Do
not tell me what he pretends to be, if he has any end to serve he can be
anything, and put on the seeming of an angel of light even. I tell you,
Christian, that I am sure, quite sure, that it is he. I met him as I came here,
and I shuddered as I saw him, and even felt myself shrinking back lest his
clothes should touch me; but little did I suspect that he was about to bring
more grief upon us. Does Mary, do you think, care for him?”
Christian could not but tell him her fears; but she said also that Mary had
always avoided speaking to her on the subject. What could they do? What
should be done to save Mary? Halbert, in his impatience, would have gone
to seek her out at once, and have pointed out to her the character of her
lover; but Christian only mournfully shook her head, such a plan was most
likely to do harm and not good.
“You must be calm, Halbert,” she said, “this impetuosity will be
injurious—we must save Mary by gentler means, she is far too like yourself
to be told in this outspoken manner—the shock would kill her.”
But old Ailie is stealing the door of the room open timidly, to break in on
the first hour of Christian’s joy, and when she entered she did it with a look
of sober cheerfulness, widely different from her late joyful frenzy.
“Miss Mary came in a while since,” she said, “and ran straight up to her
own room, without speaking, or waiting till I telled her of Mr. Halbert’s
home coming, and she looked pale and ill like; would you not go up, Miss
Christian, and see?”
The Melvilles are Ailie’s own children, and she has a mother’s care of
them in all their troubles, bodily or mental. So at her bidding Christian rose
and went softly to Mary’s room: the door was closed, but she opened it
gently, and standing hidden by the curtains of Mary’s bed, was witness to
the wild burst of passionate sorrow and disappointed affection in which
Mary’s breaking heart gushed forth, when she found herself once more
alone. Herself unseen, Christian saw the scalding tears welling out from her
gentle sister’s dim and swollen eyes, she saw the convulsive motions of her
lithe and graceful figure, as she rocked herself to and fro, as if to ease or
still the burning grief within: and she heard her broken murmurs.
“Had he but died before I knew this, I would have mourned for him all
my life, even as Christian mourns, but now—but now!—such as he is”—
and her burst of sobbing checked the voice of her sorrow. A moment after
she started up and dashed the tears from her eyes, with some vehemence.
“Should I not rather thank God that I have been saved from uniting myself
with a godless man—with my poor brother’s seducer?” and she sank on her
knees by the bedside. Poor Mary’s grief was too great for silent
supplications, and Christian stood entranced, as that prayer, broken by many
a gush of weeping, rose through the stillness of the quiet room. She had
never, she thought, heard such eloquence before of supplicating sorrow, had
never seen the omnipotence of truth and faith till then; gradually they
seemed to subdue and overcome the wildness of that first grief, gradually
attuned that sweet young sobbing, struggling voice, to sweetest resignation,
and ere Christian echoed the solemn “Amen,” Mary had given thanks for
her deliverance, though still natural tears, not to be repressed, broke in on
her thanksgiving, and silent weeping followed her ended prayer. But when
she bent her head upon her hands again, Christian’s kind arm was around
her, Christian’s tears were mingled with her own, Christian’s lips were
pressed to her wet cheek in tender sympathy, and the voice of Christian, like
a comforter, whispered,
“I know all, Mary, I know all; may God strengthen you, my dear sister—
you have done nobly, and as you should have done; may God bless you,
dearest Mary.”
And Mary’s head, as in her old childish sorrows, nestles on Christian’s
bosom, and Mary’s heart is relieved of half its heavy and bitter load. Poor
Mary! the days of childhood have indeed come back again, and, as the
violence of the struggle wears away, she weeps herself to sleep, for sorrow
has worn out the strength of her delicate frame, already exhausted by the
varied and contending emotions of the day, and now the tears slide slowly
from beneath her closed eyelids even in her sleep.
But Halbert is at the door anxiously begging for admittance, and
Christian leads him in to look at little Mary’s sleep. It was a child’s face, the
last time he looked upon it, a happy girlish face, where mirth and quick
intelligence rivalled each other in bringing out its expressive power; he sees
it now, a woman’s, worn with the first and sorest struggle that its loving
nature could sustain, and a kind of reverence mingled with his warm
affection as he bent over his sleeping sister; he had yielded to temptations,
oh, how much weaker, since his heart was not enlisted on the tempter’s
side; he had made shipwreck of his faith and of his peace, for years,
fascinated by attractions a thousand times less potent than those which this
girl, her slight figure still trembling with her late emotions, still weeping in
her sleep, had withstood and overcome; and Halbert bent his head, humility
mingling with his rejoicing. Had he only been as steadfast as Mary, how
much sorrow and suffering would they all have been saved.
They have left the room awhile with quiet footsteps, and there is much
gladness in those two hearts, though trembling still mingles with their joy;
for, if Christian fears the effect of this terrible shock on Mary’s health, at
least she is delivered; there is great happiness in that certainty, she has
found out Forsyth’s true character, though it passes all their guessing and
conjectures to tell how.
And now Halbert is asking about his father, and James and Robert, and
expressing his fears as to how they will receive him, the truant son. His
brothers will be rejoiced; but Christian shakes her head half doubtful, half
smiling, when Halbert, “and my father”—she cannot say, but an hour or two
more will bring that to the proof.
“Do you know, Christian, I feel myself like one of the broken men of the
old ballads, and I am in doubt, in perplexity, and fear, about this meeting.”
“If you are broken, if your ship has been cast ashore, we will get it
mended again,” said Christian, with more of humour and lightheartedness
than she had either felt or used for many a day. “But no more of that,
Halbert, just now. Tell me, will you go to see James to-night?”
“No, I can’t; it would be unseemly besides.”
Halbert will not leave his sister the first night of his return, and Christian
feels relieved; after a pause, he continues:
“How do you like Elizabeth now, Christian; are James and she happy
together?”
“I have no doubt they are,” said Christian, evasively; “why should they
not be?”
“But you don’t like her.”
“I never said so, Halbert.”
“Well, that’s true enough; but I inferred it.”
“Nay, you must make no inferences. Elizabeth can be very pleasant and
lovable; if she is not always so, it is but because she does not choose to
exercise her powers of pleasing.”
“So she can be lovable when she likes. But it was she, was it not, that
introduced Mary to Forsyth?” said Halbert, his brow darkening.
“You must forgive her that, Halbert; she was not aware of his character
when she received him as her cousin’s friend,” and Christian looked
distressed and uneasy, and continued; “and Halbert, you must not cherish a
vindictive feeling even against Forsyth, bad as he is, and great as is the
mischief he did you; promise me that, Halbert, promise me, now.”
“Well, I do promise you; I could not, if I would; and I now pity him
much more than hate him.”
They sat together conversing, till the shadows began to lengthen, when
Christian, compelled by domestic cares and preparations for the evening,
left her new found brother for a time.
CHAPTER IV.

Bear a lily in thy hand;


Gates of brass cannot withstand
One touch of that magic wand.

Bear through sorrow, wrong and ruth,


In thy heart the dew of youth,
On thy lips the smile of truth.—Longfellow.

HE day wore away, and now the evening darkened fast, and old
Ailie’s beaming face, illuminated by the lights she carries,
interrupts brother and sister, again seated in the cheerful fire-light,
which, ere the candles are set upon the table, has filled the room
with such a pleasant flickering half-gloom, half-radiance. And there, too, is
Mr. Melville’s knock, which never varies, at the door. Halbert knows it as
well as Christian, and grows pale and involuntarily glides into a corner—as
he had done of old when he had transgressed—but Christian has met her
father at the door, and whispered that there is a stranger newly arrived in the
room. It fortunately so happens to-night that Mr. Melville has come home
more complacent and willing to be pleased than he has done for many a
day. Some speculation suggested by James, and agreed to with sundry
prudent demurring by the heads of the house, has turned out most
successfully, and Mr. Melville has taken the credit of James’s foresight and
energy all to himself, and is marvellously pleased therewith. “A stranger,
aye, Christian, and who is this stranger?” he says most graciously, as he
divests himself of his outer wrappings; but Christian has no voice to answer
just then, and so he pushes open the half-shut door, and looks curiously
about the room; his son stands before him, his eyes cast down, his cheeks
flushed, his heart beating.
“Halbert!”
The human part of Mr. Melville’s nature melts for the moment, the
surprise is pleasurable; but he soon grows stern again.
“Where have you been, sir? what have you been doing? and why have
you never written to your sister?”
Halbert’s trial has taught him meekness, and his answers are in words
which turn away wrath, and his father turns round to seek his easy-chair on
the most sheltered and cosiest side of the glowing fire.
“Humph!” he says; “well, since you are home, I suppose it’s no use
making any more enquiries now, but what do you intend to do?”
Halbert looks astonished; it is a question he is not prepared to answer; he
feels that he ought not and cannot ask his father to enable him to carry out
the plan he has been dreaming of for the past twelve months, and he is
silent.
“There is plenty of time for answering that, father,” said Christian
briskly; “we can consult about that afterwards, when we have all recovered
ourselves a little from this surprise which Halbert has given us; and here
comes Robert.”
Robert came merrily into the room as Christian spoke, and not alone, he
had a companion with him whom he brought forward to introduce to
Christian, when his eye caught his brother. What! are we going to have old
Ailie’s extravagances over again. Poor Robert’s laugh is hysterical as he
tumbles over half a dozen chairs, and lays hold of Halbert, and his shout
electrifies the whole household, wakening poor sleeping Mary in her lonely
chamber. “Halbert! Halbert”—Robert is a fine fellow for all his
thoughtlessness, and is almost weeping over his recovered brother, and
Halbert’s newly acquired composure has forsaken him again, and he sobs
and grasps Robert’s hands, and thanks God in his heart. This is truly a
prodigal’s welcome, which Halbert feels he deserves not.
Robert’s companion hangs back bashfully, unwilling to break in upon,
lest he mar this scene of heartfelt family joy, which a good brother like
himself fully appreciates; but Christian’s kind and watchful eye is upon
him, and has marked him, and she comes forward to relieve him from the
awkward position in which he is placed, Marked him! yes, but what a
startled agitated look it is with which she regards him, and seems to peruse
every lineament of his countenance with eager earnestness. What can it be
that comes thus in the way of Christian’s considerate courtesy, and makes
her retire again and gaze and wonder? What a resemblance! and Christian’s
heart beats quick. But Robert has at length recollected himself, and now
brings the young man forward and introduces him as his friend Charles
Hamilton. Christian returns his greeting, but starts again and exchanges a
hurried glance with Halbert, who also looks wonderingly on the stranger.
Christian soon leaves the room, she has Mary to seek after, and attend to;
but as she passes Halbert’s chair, she bends over it and whispers in his ear,
and her voice trembles the while,—
“Is not the resemblance most striking—and the name?”
“It is most extraordinary,” answered Halbert aloud, gazing again on the
mild ingenuous face of the stranger. Christian glided away.
“What is most extraordinary, Halbert?” asked Robert, with a slight
impatience in his tone.
“Oh, nothing; at least only Mr. Hamilton’s great resemblance to an old
friend of ours long since dead.”
The young man looked towards him and smiled. Can that picture still be
hanging in its old place in Christian’s room?
Our poor Mary has slept long and calmly, and when Robert’s shout
awoke her, she started up in astonishment. She was lying in the dark room
alone, with silence round about her, and her pillow was wet with tears.
Mary raised herself in her bed, and throwing back the disordered hair which
hung about her face tried to collect her bewildered thoughts. The memory
of her grief has left her for the moment, and she is wondering what the
sound could be that came indistinctly to her ears; it sounded, she fancied,
very like “Halbert.” Who could be speaking of him, and as she repeats his
name the full knowledge of what has passed, all the momentous events and
misery of this day come upon her like a dream. Poor Mary! a heavy sigh
breaks from her parted lips, and she presses her hand over her painful eyes.
She does not see the approaching light which steals into the little room; she
does not hear the light footstep of its gentle bearer, but she feels the kind
pressure of Christian’s arm, and most readily and thankfully rests her head
on Christian’s supporting shoulder.
“I have news to tell you,” whispers Christian, “which you will be glad of
and smile at, though you are sighing now. You remember Halbert, Mary?”
Remember him! but Mary’s only answer is a sigh. Halbert’s name has
terrible associations for her to-night; she has remembered him and his
fortunes so well and clearly this day.
“Mary, Halbert has come home, will you rouse yourself to see him?”
“Come home, Halbert come home!” and the poor girl lifted up her head.
“Forgive me, Christian, forgive me, but I have done very wrong, and I am
very, very unhappy;” and the tears flowed on Christian’s neck again more
freely than before.
“You have done nobly, dear Mary—only rouse yourself, shake off this
grief; you have done well, and God will give you strength. Let me bathe
your temples—you will soon be better now,” said Christian, parting the
long dishevelled hair, and wiping away the still streaming tears. “That man
is not worthy one tear from you, Mary: be thankful rather, dearest, for your
deliverance from his cunning and his wiles.”
A deep blush flitted over Mary’s tear-stained face, as she raised herself
and began with Christian’s tender assistance to remove the traces of her
grief. Christian wondered as she saw her begin to move about the little
room again; there was a still composure gathering about her gentle features,
which the elder sister, accustomed to think of Mary as still little more than a
child, could only marvel at in silence. Her eyes were almost stern in their
calmness, and her voice was firmer than Christian could have believed
possible as she turned to speak.
“Yes, Christian, I am thankful—thankful beyond anything I can say; but
do not ask me about anything just now,” she continued, hurriedly, as
Christian looked up to her as if about to speak. “I will tell you all
afterwards, but not to-night—not to-night, dear Christian.”
“Would you not like to see Halbert, Mary?” said Christian, taking the
cold hands of her sister in her own. “Do you care or wish to see Halbert
now, Mary?”
“Yes, yes,” was the answer, and Mary’s eye assumed a kinder and more
natural glow. “I forgot, tell him to come here Christian, I would rather see
him, I cannot meet him down stairs.”
Halbert was speedily summoned, and when his step paused at the door,
Mary ran forward to meet him with pleasure in her eyes. True, Halbert’s
tone of affectionate sympathy brought the remembrance of that scene of the
morning, and with it the tears to Mary’s eyes; but Christian rejoiced to see
how gently they fell, and hoped that the sorest and bitterest part of the
struggle was past; and so it was, for Mary went down with untrembling step
and entered the room where her father, brother, and the stranger sat with a
sweet and settled calmness, which allayed all Christian’s fears.
It seemed now that however strange the stranger was to Christian, he
was no stranger to Mary Melville. Mr. Charles Hamilton was in truth well
known to Mary—yea, that Robert looked arch and intelligent, and his
young friend blushed as he rose to greet her on her entrance. This
acquaintanceship was soon explained, Mary had met him several times at
Mrs. James’s parties, and the casual mention which Robert and Mary had
made of him among the host of Elizabeth’s visitors had not been sufficiently
marked to attract the attention of Christian, engrossed as she was then with
such great anxiety regarding poor Mary’s unfortunate attachment.
Charles Hamilton’s qualities of head and heart were much too large for
Mrs. James Melville, and, accordingly, though she received him as a guest,
and was even glad to do so, from his social position and prospects—she
regarded him with much the same feeling which prompted her attacks on
Christian, and having noticed what poor Mary was too much occupied to
notice, the bashful attention with which the young man hovered about her
fair sister-in-law, Mrs. James had decided upon entirely crushing his hopes
by exhibiting to him this evening, at her party, the crowning triumph of her
friend Forsyth. Poor Mrs. James! how completely she had over-reached and
outwitted herself. That evening found her accomplished friend the rejected
—rejected with scorn and loathing, too—of simple Mary Melville, in no
humour for contributing to the amusement of her guests, and Charles
Hamilton in a far fairer way of success than even he himself had ever
dreamt of, for Christian’s eyes are bent on him from time to time, and there
is wonder blended with kindness in her frequent glances on his face, and
her pleasant voice has an unconscious tone of affection in it as she speaks to
him, as though she were addressing a younger brother. But the time has
come when they must prepare for Mrs. James’s party; Christian will not go,
Mary will not go, how could she? Halbert will not go, and the young
stranger’s face grows suddenly clouded, and he moves uneasily on his chair,
and at last rises reluctantly. Mr. Melville and Robert must go for a time at
least, to excuse the others that remain at home, and tell James of Halbert’s
return, and Charles Hamilton in vain hunts through every recess of his
inventive powers to find some reason that will excuse him for sitting down
again. But all fail, he can find nothing to offer as an excuse; he is intruding
on the family this night, sacred as it is—the evening of the wanderer’s
return—and when he may suppose they all so much desire to be alone; and
so he must take his leave, however loth and reluctant so to do. But while so
perplexed and disappointed Christian takes him aside, Christian bids him sit
down and speak to her a moment when Robert and his father have gone
away, and he does so gladly. Mary wonders what Christian can have to say
to him, a stranger to her till the last hour, and looks over, with interest every
moment increasing, towards the corner where they are seated side by side,
and so does Halbert too; but there is no astonishment in his face, though
there is compassionate affection beaming from his eyes. Their conversation
seems to be most interesting to both, and the look of sad recollection on
Christian’s gentle face seems to have been communicated to the more
animated features of her companion, and at length he suddenly starts and
clasps her hand.
“Christian Melville!” he exclaims, “Oh that my mother were here!”
The tears stand in Christian’s eyes—some chord of old recollection has
been touched more powerfully than usual, and Christian’s cheeks are wet,
and her eyes cast down for a moment. Mary can only gaze in astonishment,
and before she recovers herself Christian has led the young man forward to
them, and then she hurries from the room, while Halbert extends his hand to
him cordially. What is the meaning of this? both the young men join in
explanations, but Charles Hamilton’s voice is broken, half with the
recollection of his dead brother, and half with the pleasure of discovering
such a tie already existing with Mary’s family. Yes, Charles’s brother was
the original of that saint-like portrait which hangs within reach of the
glories of sunset on the wall of Christian’s room. The grave where Christian
had buried her youthful hopes was the grave of William Hamilton, and that
one name made the young man kindred to them all; and when Christian
after a time came down stairs again, she found him seated between Halbert
and Mary as though he had been familiar with that fireside circle all his
days, and was indeed a brother.
It was a happy night that to the group in this bright room, a night of great
cheerfulness and pleasant communion, just heightened by the saddening
tinge which memory gave it, and Mary, our sweet Mary, marvels at herself,
and is half disappointed that there is so little of romance in the fading of her
sorrow; but marvel as she likes, the unwitting smile plays on her lips again,
and you could scarce believe that those clear eyes have shed so many tears
to-day. She feels easier and happier even, now the weight of concealment,
which disturbed and distressed her in Christian’s presence of late, is
removed from the spirit; and she is the same open, single-minded,
ingenuous girl as heretofore; the secret consciousness that it was not right to
yield to Forsyth’s fascinating powers is gone now, and Mary Melville is
herself once more, aye, more herself than she has been for months past,
notwithstanding the bitter suffering of that very day. God has graciously
tempered the fierceness of his wind to the tender and trembling lamb, and
Christian’s confidence is restored, and she feels sure that time will make
Mary’s heart as light as ever, and efface from her memory the image of that
evil man, and blot out the traces of this day’s agony; and a smile flits over
Christian’s cheerful face as she fancies the substitution of another image in
the precious entablature of Mary’s heart. Who can tell but Charles Hamilton
may gain a right to the name of brother, which she already hesitates not to
accord, better than his present claim, precious to her mind as it is.
Mrs. James Melville’s party is sadly shorn of its lustre this year, when
we compare it with its last predecessor, only a short twelvemonth since; and
already, in spite of all the attractions of gossip, music, and flirtation, her
guests are beginning to yawn and look weary. Mrs. James was never so
annoyed in her life, all seems this night to have gone wrong. Her very
husband had deserted her—she had seen him fly down stairs three steps at a
time, and skim away through the cold street towards his father’s house.
Mrs. James was enraged to be left alone at such a time for any Halbert of
them all.
“A nice fuss was made about him, as much nonsense when he went
away as if there wasn’t another in the whole country, and now when he
thought fit and had come home——”
Mrs. James could not finish the sentence, for spite and vexation
overmastered her. Forsyth was not there, her chief attraction; Mary was not
there, and even Christian’s absence, little as she liked her, was another
source of annoyance; and this flying off of James was the finishing stroke.
We hardly think, however, that even Mrs. James would not have melted had
she seen her husband in the middle of yon cheerful group, with his beaming
joyous face, shaking Halbert’s hands over and over again, to the imminent
danger of bone and joint. We really think she could not but have helped
him.
There was a voice of thanksgiving in Mr. Melville’s house that night, of
thanksgiving which told in its earnest acknowledgment of many mercies;
thanksgiving whose voice was broken by the sobbings of one and
accompanied by the happy tears of all, for Halbert led their devotions, and
when his earnest tones rose up among them there was not a dry cheek in the
kneeling family, not James, though it might be thought his heart was
alienated from the overflowing affection of home, by the remembrance of
his own; not Charles Hamilton, permitted, nay requested, to stay, for who so
well as Halbert could give thanks for that double deliverance.
There are dreams to-night hovering with drowsy wing about the
dwelling, dreams which alight on Charles Hamilton’s young head as he
hastens home, his heart full of the last scene of the evening, and his voice
repeating—

“In dwellings of the righteous


Is heard the melody
Of joy and health: the Lord’s right hand
Doth ever valiantly;”—

dreams which enter Halbert Melville’s long shut chamber, welcoming its
old dreamer back again—dreams which float about Christian’s resting-place
—above the fair head laid on Christian’s shoulder, calm as in the happy
days of childhood; sweet, hopeful, cheering dreams, that open up long
vistas of indistinct and dazzling brightness, all the brighter for their glad
uncertainty before their eyes, and fill the hearts which tremble in their joy
with a sweet assurance that calms their fears into peace. Even Ailie
dreamed, and her visions were of a gay complexion, fitting the nature of her
doings through this eventful day, and had various anticipations of bridal
finery floating through them. Nay, the very wind which whistled past Mr.
Melville’s roof-tree had a language of its own, and admirable gleesome
chuckle, which said plain as words could speak that happy as this night had
been beneath it, there would be merrier, happier doings here next new
year’s day.
CHRISTIAN MELVILLE.

EPOCH V.

Sweet is the sunshine lacing with its light,


The parting storm-cloud after day of sadness;
That ere the even darkens into night
O’erflows the world with glory and with gladness;
But sweeter is the flood of pleasantness,
That breaks at noonday through the clouds of morning,
While yet the long glad hours have power to bless,
And the earth brightens ’neath its warm adorning
Of scattered sunbeams. So their fate excels
In blessedness, upon whose noonday story
The heavenly sunshine of God’s favour dwells,
While yet their tongues are strong to speak His glory;
And blessed they, O Lord! who, saved and free,
Stretch out compassionate hands to draw men near to thee!

CHAPTER I.
They thicken on our path,
These silent witness years;
A solemn tenantry, that still land hath
Wherein were spent our bygone smiles and tears;
Graven on their secret tablets silently,
Stand deed, and thought, and word,
Beyond the touch of change or soft decay,
’Stablished perpetually before the Lord!
* * * * *
Season of labour, time of hope and fear,
Kind to our households let thy varyings be;
With thee we give a sigh to the Old year,
And do rejoice us in the New with thee.—Y.S.P.

EN years have passed away, and again it is a fireside scene that


we have to depict, and a fireside conversation we have to
chronicle. The room we now stand in is large and pleasant, and
bright with the radiance of merry faces—faces of every age and
size, but all marvellously alike in features, as in happiness, from the grave
seniors down to the crowing baby, through all the gradations of stature and
sobriety that crowd around that well-spread table. The assembly is too
large, and the children too near each other in age to allow you to think them
all members of one household; and two fathers half checked, half
encouraged the merry crowd, and two mothers took sweet counsel together,
praising each other’s little ones, and exchanging domestic experiences with
each other. We must try and find in these merry faces the traits of those we
have known before. Let us see whom we have before us. A man of goodly
presence is the elder; grave, it seems, habitually, but with a smile that is like
a sunbeam, and which has an electrical effect in the saddest house it beams
in; and many, many houses of sorrow does it see, and many mourners are
cheered by the words of hope and comfort that flow from these
sympathising lips; for you will see, if you look at his apparel, and mark his
manner, that he holds a high vocation, no less than a labourer about that
glorious vine which has the Eternal Father for its husbandman; a labourer,
one who, like the bee, seeks honey from every flower, and from his pulpit,
and standing by beds of suffering, and in the dark, close, and fœtid haunts
of sin, seeks to have souls for his hire as the labour of his life and the joy of
his existence. No mere Sabbath day worker in his pulpit, but one that never
tires, that is always ready, and almost always with his harness on his back;
like a good knight of the olden time, prompt to succour the distressed. The
lady too, who sits beside him, has about her a gentle dignity that is akin to
his; but with her blooming cheek and bright eye we can boast no old
acquaintance, though when she lays her white hand on his arm and calls
him “Halbert,” we are half ashamed to say so much of Halbert Melville’s
wife.
But on the other side of the fire sits a younger lady, with a calm air of
matronly self-possession, which almost sets our memory at defiance; it is
true that her face looks so youthful in its eloquent expressiveness that, but
for that copy of it that shines at her knee, through the fair straggling locks
of a little merry girl, you might fancy her still the Mary of ten years ago; but
in the silent depths of her dark eyes sits such serene and assured happiness,
at once so calm, and deep, and full, as makes one sure this cannot be the
disconsolate inhabitant of yon dim chamber, weeping in her sleep in the
first agony of womanly woe. Yet so it is, and lightly have these ten swift
years—long, oh, how long and dreary to many—flown over her, effacing so
entirely everything but the remembrance of those passages in her history
from her mind, that when she looks back now upon that troubled time, she
half smiles, half blushes for her old self, and reckons of her brief but
agonising trial, as sick men recall to their memories the terrible dreams of
some delirious fever fit. For Mary Melville has found entire and perfect
kindred in the heart of one whom then she little recked of and cared not for,
and she wonders now how she, ever the object of Charles Hamilton’s warm
and full affection, could have overlooked his nobler qualities, and preferred
instead Forsyth’s deceptive and hollow brilliancy, and the glitter of well-
displayed accomplishments, which threw the blushing youth into the shade.
And the blushing youth of our last chapter blushes no longer when he
speaks to Mary, nor has his bashfulness been seen, Halbert says, for nine
long years and more; never since one bright autumn evening, when Mary
and he surprised Christian in her solitude by the whispered communication
of an important agreement come to between them, and which was carried
into effect, ratified and sealed, on the following new year’s day, fulfilling,
in the most joyous manner, old Ailie’s dream. At this transaction Halbert’s
presence was indispensable, albeit he was again, after Christian’s kind
persuasions and James’s spirited remonstrances had shamed their father into
liberality, finishing the long forsaken studies so disastrously interrupted of
old, with a vigour and ardour that was unquenchable. True, he did not come
to James’s wedding when it took place; but Christian, and Mary, and
Charles Hamilton were each and all immovable in their demands; they
could not do without Halbert, and so he was present at the ceremony,
exciting Charles’s wrathful contradiction, and Christian and Mary’s
curiosity, by hinting merrily of another Mary, whose presence would throw
the bride of to-day into the shade, though no one at that blithe bridal looked
on Mary Melville with more affectionate admiration than her brother
Halbert. And lo! when the time of Halbert’s study and probations was over,
and Providence had so ordered that the place of his ministry should be the
same as that of his birth, and the dwelling-place still of his nearest and
dearest kindred, then came about another bridal, and the name of Mary
Melville was resuscitated, though Mrs. Charles Hamilton’s proud husband
would never allow that the old bearer of the name was equalled by the new.
But there is no rivalship between the sisters—sisters in affection as much
as in name—and the children, whose fair heads have sprung up like flowers
beside and about them, are like one family in their cordial intercourse. But
where is Christian? Our enquiry is echoed by half-a-dozen merry voices.
“Where can Aunt Christian be?” There will be no need to ask the question a
moment hence, if indeed we can discern our old friend through the pyramid
of children that are clustering about her; the little girl that stood by Mary’s
knee has left for Aunt Christian, and now stands on a chair beside her, with
her round arms about her neck, and her rosy face beaming on her shoulders;
the sturdy boy who leant on Halbert’s chair has left that place of honour for
Aunt Christian, and he stands proudly at her right hand as prime minister,
helping at the distribution of the great basketful of new year’s dainties—for
this is again the first night of another year—which she has brought to
gladden these youthful hearts. The whole host of her nephews and nieces,
absorbed a moment since in their various amusements, have left them all for
Aunt Christian, and are gathered about her, one clinging round her waist
and one hanging at either arm, greatly impeding the action of her gift-
dispensing hand. Sure enough here is Christian, how blithe! how happy!
Time has dealt gently with her, and though he has drawn a thread of silver
through the rich dark abundance of her plainly braided hair, there is not one
in this room that would not start up in indignant surprise, if you said that
Christian was either looking or growing old.
“Nay, nay,” said Halbert, not long ago, when some indifferent friend of
the family suggested this, “Christian will never grow old. When years come
upon her, she will glide away like a streamlet into a river, but she will not
fade. Christian’s spirit will always be young.”
And so it is; her soft clear voice stills all that little childish hubbub in a
moment. The very baby stays its scream of joy, as if it too would listen to
Aunt Christian, and little Mary on her shoulder, and strong Halbert at her
right hand, and every separate individual of their respective hosts of
brothers and sisters would dare in single-handed valour any full-grown
Goliath that would presume to interrupt the expression of Aunt Christian’s
pleasure, pleasant as it always is. It is a great day this, with these two united
families. A day of childish jubilee to the younger members, and of joyful
commemoration to the older, for Halbert looks back with glistening eyes,
and rejoices in the union of ten years ago, a beginning of happy, laborious
years to him; and Mary remembers her early trial, and thanks God most
earnestly for deliverance, and participates with her husband in the happier
recollections of their marriage day; and the other Mary, with generous
affection, sympathises with each and all; and Christian? Christian’s heart,
open at all times to generous impulses, seems to have its sluices of
overpouring and constant love thrown wide open for the free passage of its
swelling tides, each new year’s night, and if you heard her fervent
thanksgiving when she kneels before God alone, you would think that flood
of blessings had been all poured out upon her, not that its fulness had
flowed upon her friends, but that she herself was the individual recipient of
every separate gift. For Christian identifies herself with those dear ones so
entirely, that she looks upon their happiness as a peculiar blessing bestowed
upon herself. Christian has, however, now seated herself in the empty chair
waiting for her—jealously kept for her, indeed—at the brightest corner of
the cheerful fireside, and taking a little namesake of her own, a grave,
serious, thoughtful child, who has begun to lisp wisdom already with her
infant tongue, upon her knee, she joins in the conversation which her
entrance, and still more her equitable distribution of the basket of good
things had interrupted.
“Father,” questioned Halbert Melville, second bearer of the name, “do
you keep new year’s day because it is new year’s day?”
“Why do you ask, Halbert?” said his mother, smiling, as she drew the
boy towards her.
“Because, Mamma, nobody else cares about it here; and I’ve heard Aunt
Christian say how foolish it was for people to keep their birthdays, as if
they were glad that time was going away from them, people that don’t use
their time well either,” moralised Halbert, looking earnestly in his mother’s
face, “and isn’t new year’s day just the same as a birthday and—” the boy
hesitated and seemed unwilling or unable to say more.
“And what, Halbert,” said Christian, as the boy paused and looked down,
“and what—what was it you were going to say?”
“I don’t know, Aunt Christian,” hesitated Halbert, “I don’t know whether
it’s right or not, but shouldn’t we be rather sorry when the new year comes,
than glad that the old year has ended?”
“And why sorry, Halbert?” said his father, who had hitherto been
listening in silence, “why do you think we should be sorry?”
“Because, father,” said Halbert, quickly, raising his eyes, “because you
said in your sermon last Sabbath, that when once a year was gone, if we had
not spent it well, it was entirely lost for ever, for we could never bring a
minute back again.”
“And therefore you think we should be sorry, do you, Halbert?” rejoined
his father.
“Yes, father,” was the answer, and again young Halbert’s face was cast
down, “for you say often that nobody spends their time well, or as right as
they should do.”
The elder Halbert did not answer, but he took little Christian, who had
been gazing with her large eloquent eyes at every one that spoke in turn,
and had attended diligently and earnestly to the unusual conversation, upon
her aunt’s knees. “Well, little one, do you think we should be sorry when
the new year comes?”
“I think we should be both sorry and glad, papa,” was the prompt
answer.
“Well, Christian, Halbert has told us why we should be sorry; now do
you tell us what it is we should be glad for.”
There was a murmur among a little knot at a corner of the table, and a
half-suppressed laugh before Christian had time to answer her father’s
question.
“Who is that? what is it that makes you so merry?” said Halbert, smiling
and shaking his head at the merry urchins, who were congregated in a
group.
“It’s only our Halbert, uncle, it’s only our Halbert,” whispered little
Mary Hamilton, deprecatingly.
“Well, Mary, we are impartial to-night, so we must hear what our
Halbert has to say; come here, sir.”
And Halbert Hamilton, the wildest little rogue that ever kept nursery in
an uproar, or overcame nurse’s patience, or conquered her heart by his feats
of merry mischief, half hid himself below the table in pretended fear and
dismay at his uncle’s summons, and did not stir.
“Come, Halbert,” said Mary, his mother, as Charles drew his incorrigible
son into the middle of the little circle, “what did you say over there?”
Halbert the third looked down and blushed, and then laughed outright.
“He only said we should be glad when the new year comes, because we
have plenty of fun,” interposed Mary Melville, her wild cousin’s constant
defender and apologist.
“Quite right, my boy,” said the elder Halbert, laying his hand kindly on
the boy’s head, “the coming of plenty of fun is a very good and proper thing
to be glad for; but sit you down now, and let us hear what little Christian
has to say.” And Halbert sat down at his uncle’s feet to listen.
“Well now, Christian, what should we be glad for? Is it because there is
plenty of fun, as Halbert says?”
“No, papa,” said the little, grave girl, seriously, shaking her head
solemnly, “no, it is not that. I think it’s because we have another to be good
and do right in. Isn’t that it, Aunt Christian?”
And the little girl looked over to her aunt inquiringly, to see if her
childish conclusion was a correct one.
“Just so, my dear,” was Aunt Christian’s answer, as Halbert patted the
child’s soft cheek, and then permitted her to make her way over to her
accustomed seat.
The children were gathered now about their parents’ knees, and even
wild Halbert Hamilton was silent and attentive. “Yes, children,” said the
kind father and uncle, as he looked round upon them, “yes, children, there is
a better reason for being glad than even having plenty of fun. There is a new

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