1. The correct answer is B.

Explanation:
"The drawing-room in which she and Ronnie were sitting was of such proportions that one hardly
knew whether it was intended to be one room or several, and it had the merit of being moderately
cool at two o’clock on a particularly hot July afternoon. In the coolest of its many alcoves servants
had noiselessly set out an improvised luncheon table: a tempting array of caviar, crab and
mushroom salads, cold asparagus, slender hock bottles and high-stemmed wine goblets peeped out
from amid a setting of Charlotte Klemm roses.“

Details such as the servants setting up a luncheon table, the enormity of the drawing-room, the
gourmet food, and the specificity of the china and flowers all depict images of luxury which would
lead us to believe Cicely is wealthy.

There are no specific details on her marital status, age, or the how she acquired her wealth.

2. The correct answer is B. Explanation:

We know that the author thinks the letter A stitched to the woman’s clothing is beautifully made
because he describes it as “so artistically done, and with so much fertility and gorgeous
luxuriance of fancy, that it had all the effect of a last and fitting decoration to the apparel
which she wore, and which was of a splendour in accordance with the taste of the age.” There
is no evidence in the passage that any of the other answer choices are true.

3. The correct answer is D. Explanation:

Rodrick was already ill when he wrote and invited the narrator to visit him.

DURING the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds
hung oppressively low in the heavens, (A.) I had been passing alone, on horseback, through a
singularly dreary tract of country, and at length found myself, as the shades of the evening
drew on, within view of the melancholy House of Usher. I know not how it was—but, with the first
glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit. I say insufferable; for the
feeling was unrelieved by any of that half-pleasurable, because poetic, sentiment, with which the
mind usually receives even the sternest natural images of the desolate or terrible. I looked upon the
scene before me—upon the mere house, and the simple landscape features of the domain—upon
the bleak walls—upon the vacant eye-like windows—upon a few rank sedges—and upon a few
white trunks of decayed trees—with an utter depression of soul which I can compare to no earthly
sensation more properly than to the after-dream of the reveller upon opium—the bitter lapse into
every-day life—the hideous dropping off of the veil. There was an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of
the heart—an unredeemed dreariness of thought which no goading of the imagination could torture
into aught of the sublime. What was it—I paused to think—what was it that so unnerved me in the
contemplation of the House of Usher? It was a mystery all insoluble; nor could I grapple with the
shadowy fancies that crowded upon me as I pondered. I was forced to fall back upon the
unsatisfactory conclusion, that while, beyond doubt, there are combinations of very simple natural
objects which have the power of thus affecting us, still the analysis of this power lies among
considerations beyond our depth. It was possible, I reflected, that a mere different arrangement of
the particulars of the scene, of the details of the picture, would be sufficient to modify, or perhaps to
annihilate its capacity for sorrowful impression; and, acting upon this idea, (C.) I reined my horse to
the precipitous brink of a black and lurid tarn that lay in unruffled lustre by the dwelling, and
gazed down—but with a shudder even more thrilling than before—upon the remodelled and
inverted images of the gray sedge, and the ghastly tree-stems, and the vacant and eye-like
windows.

Nevertheless, in this mansion of gloom I now proposed to myself a sojourn of some weeks. Its
proprietor, Roderick Usher, had been one of my boon companions in boyhood; but many years had
elapsed since our last meeting. (B.) A letter, however, had lately reached me in a distant part of
the country—a letter from him—which, in its wildly importunate nature, had admitted of no other
than a personal reply. The MS. gave evidence of nervous agitation. (D.)The writer spoke of acute
bodily illness—of a mental disorder which oppressed him—and of an earnest desire to see me, as
his best and indeed his only personal friend, with a view of attempting, by the cheerfulness of my
society, some alleviation of his malady. It was the manner in which all this, and much more, was
said—it was the apparent heart that went with his request—which allowed me no room for hesitation;
and I accordingly obeyed forthwith what I still considered a very singular summons.

4. The correct answer is B. Explanation:

The phrase lack of changes the meaning of the sentence. If a person has profound faith, it means
that person has a great deal of faith. If a person has a lack of faith, it means that person does not
have any faith at all.

5. The correct answer is C. Explanation:

Answer choice C reflects the primary purpose of the passage. While the author does discuss
Warhol’s use of silk-screening and assistants, this is part of a broader discussion of Andy Warhol’s
artistic process.

6. The correct answer is B. Explanation:

“He had taken on the Mastership of the Pexdale Hounds in succession to a highly popular man who
had fallen foul of his committee, and the Major found himself confronted with the overt hostility of at
least half the hunt, while his lack of tact and amiability had done much to alienate the remainder.”

Half means “either of two equal parts.” Here, the phrase “at least half” is used to emphasize the
large portion of hunting club’s membership that disapproves of the Major due to the popularity of his
predecessor.

Of the other answer choices, answer choice A is incorrect because is it a large portion of the hunting
group that disapproves of the Major, not a small one. Answer choice C is incorrect because the other
half of the hunting group also disapproves of the Major for his lack of tact and amiability. Answer
choice D is incorrect because the passage does not discuss the Major’s thought process when
deciding whether or not to take the job.
 7. The correct answer is D. Explanation:
The answer is D, as found in the following excerpt: “But the Eastern Pyrenees are still
unfrequented. And probably they will remain so; for though there are among them lovely
valleys—and of all such the valley of Vernet is perhaps the most lovely—they cannot compete
with the mountain scenery of other tourists-loved regions in Europe.”

Of the other answer choices, A is incorrect because the author explicitly states that the Eastern
Pyrenees cannot compete with other regions of Europe. Answer choice B is incorrect because he
mentioned some places, like the valley of Vernet and the Canigou, that are scenic. Answer choice C
is incorrect because he is clearly familiar with the subject, as the entire passage proves.

8. The correct answer is A. Explanation:

The answer is A, as found in the following excerpt: “When I add to all this that the reverend
gentleman was as generous as he was rich—and the kind mother in whose arms he had been
nurtured had taken care that he should never want—I need hardly say that I was blessed with a
very pleasant travelling companion.”

The other answer choices contradict this excerpt and are, therefore, incorrect.

9. The correct answer is A. Explanation:

“Twice that week I had been aroused long after midnight for the most trivial causes.”

In this context, unimportant, inconsequential, and minor are synonyms of trivial. Crucial is an
antonym. Therefore, crucial is the answer choice that best changes the meaning of the sentence.

10. The correct answer is B. Explanation:

Although the information in choices C and D are both found in the paragraph, answer choice B
summarizes the paragraph’s purpose in the context of the passage.

11. The correct answer is B. Explanation:

Adrianne's philanthropy and the success of her foundation have nothing to do with the primary
argument regarding how and/or why Davis fell from the roof. The statement is designed to distract.

Answer choice A: Just because someone is philanthropic, it does not mean they would not commit a
crime.

Answer choice C: Just because Adrianne might have been improving, it does not mean she would
not commit a crime.

Answer choice D: It is true that Adrianne was getting into philanthropy and that her cancer
foundation was helpful. Nothing in the passage counters this.
 12. The correct answer is D. Explanation:

The main arguments against cat declawing are that the procedure is painful and that the procedure
is unhealthy with harmful side effects. The passage states, “the surgery to remove a cat’s claws is
extremely painful. . . . the surgical removal of cat claws also is unhealthy with harmful side effects.”

Although the introductory paragraph does state, “Some cat owners elect to have their cats declawed
to protect themselves and their furniture from damaging cat scratches,” that is not an argument
against declawing a cat.

13. The correct answer is D. Explanation:

The windshield could have been submitted as evidence, but it was supposed to be destroyed. Shots
in the windshield could reveal the trajectory of the bullet and the place it was fired from, so it is
logical to assume there was an intent to conceal something because there is not any reason why the
windshield would need to be destroyed and duplicated.

14. The correct answer is C. Explanation:

Referring to the Dark Ages, the author writers: “Like Babel's, its base was laid in a high hour of
renovated earth, following the second deluge, when the waters of the Dark Ages had dried up,
and once more the green appeared.” The author is comparing the Dark Ages to the Biblical flood,
which wiped out humanity, in that it kept civilization from progressing. It was not, therefore, a period
of cultural prosperity. The other answer choices are supported by the passage.

15. The correct answer is B. Explanation:

It is simply stated that some believe the fire compromised the ship's structure. It is not explained why
this is believed or how the notion is plausible.

Answer choice A: It is true that it is speculated the fire was a factor in Titanic's sinking; "It is believed
the fire compromised hull and bulkhead structure, worsening the berg collision effects."

Answer choice C: "A coal bunker fire started days before the ship's voyage, and continued to burn."

Answer choice D: It is stated in the passage that spontaneous combustion of coal is a common
cause for coal bunker fires.

16. The correct answer is D. Explanation:

The narrator states that the road from Birkendelly to Balmawhapple is bordered by hedges so well-
maintained that a rabbit could not move through them. “ . . . in my own remembrance that the road
from Birkendelly to the great muckle village of Balmawhapple . . . that road, I say, lay between two
thorn-hedges, so well kept by the Laird's hedger, so close, and so high, that a rabbit could not have
escaped from the highway into any of the adjoining fields.” There is no evidence for the other answer
choices. Scott appears to be skeptical of ghosts. Gow’s opinion is not given. Balmawhapple is
described as a muckle village, but there is no mention of hauntings in large villages. It is said that the
Laird walked down the road with “his cane dancing a hornpipe before him.” The hornpipe is a dance,
not an instrument, so the Laird could not have played it.

17. The correct answer is A. Explanation:

An insurance issue, design similarities, last minute aesthetic, and a relevant tilt are all mentioned as
possible evidence to support the claim that the Olympic was posed as the Titanic.

Answer choice B: It is simply stated that opening watertight doors to prolong sinking was a theory.
No evidence is offered to explain why this was theorized, or how it is plausible.

Answer choice C: It is simply stated that some experts believe the coal bunker fire would not have
weakened the ship's structure sufficiently. No evidence is offered to explain why this is believed, or
how the notion is plausible.

Answer choice D: The sentence "Highlighting Olympic's two-day sea trial at full-speed, Gardiner
asserts the propped Titanic had only one day at half-speed "indicates that the sea trial difference is
the invent of Gardiner's word. More importantly, no other evidence is presented to support Gardiner's
claim.

18. The correct answer is B. Explanation:

Answer choice B is the correct answer because it is not explained or supported with reasoning or
evidence that the fossil was "obviously planted."

Answer choices A, B, and D all present events that were substantiated as hoaxes. A journalist
admitted to the false story, the footprints were from a stand, and the dead animal was a mutilated
seal designed to mislead people.

19. The correct answer is D. Explanation:

A canon from Sebastopol is not mentioned as a reason why Le Puy is worth visiting. The answer is
found in the following excerpt: “On its highest summit there was an old castle; and there now is, or
will be before these pages are printed, a colossal figure in bronze of the Virgin Mary, made from the
cannon taken at Sebastopol.” Since the state of the Virgin Mary was made from the cannon (i.e.,
the bronze of the canon was heated down for use in the statue), the cannon no longer exists and
therefore is not something that can be seen in Le Puy.

The other answer choices are contemporary features of Le Puy that the author mentions as
attractions.

20. The correct answer is D. Explanation:

In the passage, McKinnon cites the traditionalists’ opinions that the memorial is “too grandiose,” and
that it is not “ . . . in line with the classical style of the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials.”
 21. The correct answer is C. Explanation:

Coordinating conjunctions are transition words that link words, phrases, and simple sentences in
a way that provides a smooth transition from one statement to the next. They help to create a clear,
logical flow of ideas which allows the reader to thoroughly understand the written material. There are
only seven coordinating conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so.

The sentence “Bailey’s flight to Hawaii leaves tomorrow morning, but she has still not packed for her
vacation” uses the correct coordinating conjunction. (Note the need for a comma before a
coordinating conjunction that joins two independent clauses.)

The second independent clause in the sentence, “she has still not packed for her vacation,” is in
contrast to the first independent clause, “Bailey’s flight to Hawaii leaves tomorrow morning.” The
coordinating conjunction, but, best connects the second independent clause to the first independent
clause because it suggests a contrast.

The other choices do not show the correct relationship between the clauses:

• -For suggests a cause-and-effect relationship between the two independent clauses.

• -And suggests the second clause is an addition to the first clause. Although and could also
work in this sentence, it is not the best choice because the second clause is more of a
contrast to the first clause than an addition to it.
• -So suggests a cause-and-effect relationship between the two independent clauses.

22. The correct answer is D. Explanation:

A possessive noun shows who or what owns an item or has an item.

Singular nouns are made possessive by adding an apostrophe and an -s (‘s) at the end of the
word.
Example: the dog’s ball

Plural nouns are made possessive by adding an apostrophe after the final s of the word (s’).
Example: the twins’ parents

Plural nouns that do not end in -s are made possessive by adding an apostrophe and an -s (‘s) at
the end of the word.
Example: the children’s playground

Choice D contains an error: His childhood adventures with his friend’s along the Mississippi River
served as inspiration for his novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn.

In this sentence, the word friends is simply a plural noun ending in -s. The noun does not have or
own anything, so it is not possessive and does not need an apostrophe.
The sentence should read: His childhood adventures with his friends along the Mississippi River
served as inspiration for his novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn.

23. The correct answer is A. Explanation:

A possessive noun shows who or what owns an item or has an item.

Singular nouns are made possessive by adding an apostrophe and an -s (‘s) at the end of the
word.
Example: the dog’s ball

Plural nouns are made possessive by adding an apostrophe after the final s of the word (s’).
Example: the twins’ parents

Plural nouns that do not end in -s are made possessive by adding an apostrophe and an -s (‘s) at
the end of the word.
Example: the children’s playground

Choice A is the sentence that contains an error: The Holden family spent many happy Christmas’s in
Vermont.

An apostrophe and an -s should not be used to make a singular noun plural. In this sentence, the
word Christmas needs to be made plural, but it does not show possession.

The sentence should read: The Holden family spent many happy Christmases in Vermont.

24. The correct answer is B. Explanation:

A modifier is a word or phrase that modifies, or describes, another word or phrase. Modifiers should
be placed as close as possible to the word or phrase they modify. A misplaced modifier is a
modifier that appears to describe an incorrect word or phrase because it is located too far from the
word or phrase that it is supposed to describe. A dangling modifier is a modifier that appears to
describe an incorrect word or phrase because the word or phrase that it should describe is missing
from the sentence.

Choice B is the correct answer: Before working with paint and glue, Lily should place protective
cloths on the table.

The modifier, before working with paint and glue, clearly has a word, Lily, to modify. Therefore, there
is no confusion as to who was going to work with the paint and glue.
 25. The correct answer is B. Explanation:

Effective writing has a clear, logical flow of ideas which allows the reader to thoroughly understand
the written material. Unnecessary wordiness disrupts the flow of a sentence and can often lead to
confusion. To eliminate excessive wordiness, certain wordy phrases can be rewritten to be more
concise without changing the intended meaning of the sentence.

WORDY CONCISE

as a matter of fact in fact

at all times always

at the present time currently

in the neighborhood of about

for the purpose of for

Choice B is the correct answer. The wordy phrase in the neighborhood of can be rewritten simply
as about.

To be more concise, the sentence should read: Aboveground pools cost about two thousand dollars.

26. The correct answer is D. Explanation:

A possessive noun shows who or what owns an item or has an item.

Singular nouns are made possessive by adding an apostrophe and an -s (‘s) at the end of the
word.
Example: the dog’s ball

Plural nouns are made possessive by adding an apostrophe after the final s of the word (s’).
Example: the twins’ parents

Plural nouns that do not end in -s are made possessive by adding an apostrophe and an -s (‘s) at
the end of the word.
Example: the children’s playground

Choice D is the sentence that contains an error: During the debate, the presidential candidates’
argued about taxes, budgets, and expenses.

In this sentence, the word candidates is simply a plural noun ending in -s. The noun does not have
or own anything, so it is not possessive and does not need an apostrophe.

The sentence should read: During the debate, the presidential candidates argued about taxes,
budgets, and expenses.
 27. The correct answer is C. Explanation:

A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun. The noun that a pronoun refers back to and replaces is
called its antecedent. All pronouns must agree in number with their antecedents. For example:
“Richard enjoyed the museum, but he enjoyed the gift shop even more.” The pronoun he in the
second part of the sentence refers back to and replaces the noun Richard. Richard is the antecedent
for the pronoun he.

A collective noun is a noun that names a group that is made up of many individuals. Some
common collective nouns are: army, audience, cast, class, committee, company, couple, family, jury,
society, staff, and team. Collective nouns may be either singular or plural, depending on their use in
the sentence.

For example: “The architectural committee is voting on its new building guidelines.” In this example,
the committee is acting as one unit, and is, therefore, singular in number and requires a singular
pronoun when referring back to the singular antecedent.

“The architectural committee members are in disagreement about their new building guideline.” In
this example, the committee members are acting as individuals, and are, therefore, plural in number
and require a plural pronoun when referring back to the plural antecedent.

Choice C is the correct answer: In order for the audience members to be fully engaged in the play,
they must be presented with relatable characters.

The antecedent that the pronoun refer back to is audience members. Audience members refers to
the members acting as individuals, so it is a plural in number. Because all pronouns must agree in
number with their antecedents, the plural pronoun they is correct.

28. The correct answer is C. Explanation:

"No One" is a song title and proper noun. Also, the first letter of the word No should be capitalized
because it is at the beginning of the sentence.

29. The correct answer is B. Explanation:

Answer choice B is the correct answer. It's the only sentence that is not an independent clause. The
other answer choices have a subject, verb, and express a complete thought, making them complete
sentences.

30. The correct answer is A. Explanation:

The should be capitalized because it is the beginning of the sentence. Grammy should be
capitalized because it is the official title of an award, and, therefore, is a proper noun. A proper noun
is the official title of a person, place, or thing. The first letter in each of the words Best Pop Vocal
Album and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance should be capitalized because they are the official
titles of award categories.