Final Prep Flashcards
(The following passage is excerpted from a speech delivered by a prominent African American activist and public speaker in 1872.)
The various conditions of men and the different uses they make of their powers and opportunities in life, are full of puzzling contrasts and contradictions. Here, as elsewhere, it is easy to dogmatize, but it is not so easy to define, explain and demonstrate. The natural laws for the government, well-being and progress of mankind, seem to be equal and are equal; but the subjects of these laws everywhere abound in inequalities, discords and contrasts. We cannot have fruit without flowers, but we often have flowers without fruit. The promise of youth often breaks down in manhood, and real excellence often comes unheralded and from unexpected quarters.
The scene presented from this view is as a thousand arrows shot from the same point and aimed at the same object. United in aim, they are divided in flight. Some fly too high, others too low. Some go to the right, others to the left. Some fly too far and others, not far enough, and only a few hit the mark. Such is life. United in the quiver, they are divided in the air. Matched when dormant, they are unmatched in action.
When we attempt to account for greatness we never get nearer to the truth than did the greatest of poets and philosophers when he classified the conditions of greatness: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.”* We may take our choice of these three separate explanations and make which of them we please, most prominent in our discussion. Much can certainly be said of superior mental endowments, and I should on some accounts, lean strongly to that theory, but for numerous examples which seem, and do, contradict it, and for the depressing tendency such a theory must have on humanity generally.
This theory has truth in it, but it is not the whole truth. Men of very ordinary faculties have, nevertheless, made a very respectable way in the world and have sometimes presented even brilliant examples of success. On the other hand, what is called genius is often found by the wayside, a miserable wreck; the more deplorable and shocking because from the height from which it has fallen and the loss and ruin involved in the fall. There is, perhaps, a compensation in disappointment and in the contradiction of means to ends and promise to performance. These imply a constant effort on the part of nature to hold the balance between all her children and to bring success within the reach of the humblest as well as of the most exalted.
From apparently the basest metals we have the finest toned bells, and we are taught respect from simple manhood when we see how, from the various dregs of society, there come men who may well be regarded as the pride and as the watch towers of the race.
Steel is improved by laying on damp ground, and the rusty razor gets a keener edge after giving its dross to the dirt in which it has been allowed to lie neglected and forgotten. In like manner, too, humanity, though it lay among the ports, covered with the dust of neglect and poverty, may still retain the divine impulse and the element of improvement and progress. It is natural to revolt at squalor, but we may well relax our lip of scorn and contempt when we stand among the lowly and despised, for out of the rags of the meanest cradle there may come a great man and this is a treasure richer than all the wealth of the Orient.
Question
Which of the following statements most directly expresses the author’s thesis in the passage?
Responses
“[I]t is easy to dogmatize, but it is not so easy to define, explain and demonstrate.” (paragraph 1, sentence 2)
“[I]t is easy to dogmatize, but it is not so easy to define, explain and demonstrate.” (paragraph 1, sentence 2)
“The natural laws for the government, well-being and progress of mankind, seem to be equal and are equal.” (paragraph 1, sentence 3)
“The natural laws for the government, well-being and progress of mankind, seem to be equal and are equal.” (paragraph 1, sentence 3)
“We cannot have fruit without flowers, but we often have flowers without fruit.” (paragraph 1, sentence 4)
“We cannot have fruit without flowers, but we often have flowers without fruit.” (paragraph 1, sentence 4)
“[R]eal excellence often comes unheralded and from unexpected quarters.” (paragraph 1, sentence 5)
“[R]eal excellence often comes unheralded and from unexpected quarters.” (paragraph 1, sentence 5)
“The scene presented from this view is as a thousand arrows shot from the same point and aimed at the same object.” (paragraph 2, sentence 1)
“[R]eal excellence often comes unheralded and from unexpected quarters.” (paragraph 1, sentence 5)
(The following passage is excerpted from a speech delivered by a prominent African American activist and public speaker in 1872.)
The various conditions of men and the different uses they make of their powers and opportunities in life, are full of puzzling contrasts and contradictions. Here, as elsewhere, it is easy to dogmatize, but it is not so easy to define, explain and demonstrate. The natural laws for the government, well-being and progress of mankind, seem to be equal and are equal; but the subjects of these laws everywhere abound in inequalities, discords and contrasts. We cannot have fruit without flowers, but we often have flowers without fruit. The promise of youth often breaks down in manhood, and real excellence often comes unheralded and from unexpected quarters.
The scene presented from this view is as a thousand arrows shot from the same point and aimed at the same object. United in aim, they are divided in flight. Some fly too high, others too low. Some go to the right, others to the left. Some fly too far and others, not far enough, and only a few hit the mark. Such is life. United in the quiver, they are divided in the air. Matched when dormant, they are unmatched in action.
When we attempt to account for greatness we never get nearer to the truth than did the greatest of poets and philosophers when he classified the conditions of greatness: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.”* We may take our choice of these three separate explanations and make which of them we please, most prominent in our discussion. Much can certainly be said of superior mental endowments, and I should on some accounts, lean strongly to that theory, but for numerous examples which seem, and do, contradict it, and for the depressing tendency such a theory must have on humanity generally.
This theory has truth in it, but it is not the whole truth. Men of very ordinary faculties have, nevertheless, made a very respectable way in the world and have sometimes presented even brilliant examples of success. On the other hand, what is called genius is often found by the wayside, a miserable wreck; the more deplorable and shocking because from the height from which it has fallen and the loss and ruin involved in the fall. There is, perhaps, a compensation in disappointment and in the contradiction of means to ends and promise to performance. These imply a constant effort on the part of nature to hold the balance between all her children and to bring success within the reach of the humblest as well as of the most exalted.
From apparently the basest metals we have the finest toned bells, and we are taught respect from simple manhood when we see how, from the various dregs of society, there come men who may well be regarded as the pride and as the watch towers of the race.
Steel is improved by laying on damp ground, and the rusty razor gets a keener edge after giving its dross to the dirt in which it has been allowed to lie neglected and forgotten. In like manner, too, humanity, though it lay among the ports, covered with the dust of neglect and poverty, may still retain the divine impulse and the element of improvement and progress. It is natural to revolt at squalor, but we may well relax our lip of scorn and contempt when we stand among the lowly and despised, for out of the rags of the meanest cradle there may come a great man and this is a treasure richer than all the wealth of the Orient.
Question
In the second paragraph, the author develops a comparison between life and “a thousand arrows shot from the same point and aimed at the same object” primarily to suggest that
Responses
people exhibit remarkable diversity in their development over time
people exhibit remarkable diversity in their development over time
seemingly different objects can have surprisingly similar characteristics
seemingly different objects can have surprisingly similar characteristics
talented people often fail to recognize valuable opportunities
talented people often fail to recognize valuable opportunities
most people fall into two broad categories based on their political leanings
most people fall into two broad categories based on their political leanings
most great men have emerged from humble origins
people exhibit remarkable diversity in their development over time
(The following passage is excerpted from a speech delivered by a prominent African American activist and public speaker in 1872.)
The various conditions of men and the different uses they make of their powers and opportunities in life, are full of puzzling contrasts and contradictions. Here, as elsewhere, it is easy to dogmatize, but it is not so easy to define, explain and demonstrate. The natural laws for the government, well-being and progress of mankind, seem to be equal and are equal; but the subjects of these laws everywhere abound in inequalities, discords and contrasts. We cannot have fruit without flowers, but we often have flowers without fruit. The promise of youth often breaks down in manhood, and real excellence often comes unheralded and from unexpected quarters.
The scene presented from this view is as a thousand arrows shot from the same point and aimed at the same object. United in aim, they are divided in flight. Some fly too high, others too low. Some go to the right, others to the left. Some fly too far and others, not far enough, and only a few hit the mark. Such is life. United in the quiver, they are divided in the air. Matched when dormant, they are unmatched in action.
When we attempt to account for greatness we never get nearer to the truth than did the greatest of poets and philosophers when he classified the conditions of greatness: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.”* We may take our choice of these three separate explanations and make which of them we please, most prominent in our discussion. Much can certainly be said of superior mental endowments, and I should on some accounts, lean strongly to that theory, but for numerous examples which seem, and do, contradict it, and for the depressing tendency such a theory must have on humanity generally.
This theory has truth in it, but it is not the whole truth. Men of very ordinary faculties have, nevertheless, made a very respectable way in the world and have sometimes presented even brilliant examples of success. On the other hand, what is called genius is often found by the wayside, a miserable wreck; the more deplorable and shocking because from the height from which it has fallen and the loss and ruin involved in the fall. There is, perhaps, a compensation in disappointment and in the contradiction of means to ends and promise to performance. These imply a constant effort on the part of nature to hold the balance between all her children and to bring success within the reach of the humblest as well as of the most exalted.
From apparently the basest metals we have the finest toned bells, and we are taught respect from simple manhood when we see how, from the various dregs of society, there come men who may well be regarded as the pride and as the watch towers of the race.
Steel is improved by laying on damp ground, and the rusty razor gets a keener edge after giving its dross to the dirt in which it has been allowed to lie neglected and forgotten. In like manner, too, humanity, though it lay among the ports, covered with the dust of neglect and poverty, may still retain the divine impulse and the element of improvement and progress. It is natural to revolt at squalor, but we may well relax our lip of scorn and contempt when we stand among the lowly and despised, for out of the rags of the meanest cradle there may come a great man and this is a treasure richer than all the wealth of the Orient.
Question
The discussion of the “greatest of poets and philosophers” in the third paragraph suggests that the author believes the audience of the speech will
Responses
recognize an implicit reference to Shakespeare and agree about his importance
recognize an implicit reference to Shakespeare and agree about his importance
respect the ideas of a philosopher but question the thinking of a poet
respect the ideas of a philosopher but question the thinking of a poet
consider Shakespeare to be among those who had “greatness thrust upon them” (paragraph 3)
consider Shakespeare to be among those who had “greatness thrust upon them” (paragraph 3)
object to the notion that “Some are born great” (paragraph 3)
object to the notion that “Some are born great” (paragraph 3)
hold a variety of opinions regarding the quality of Shakespeare’s work
recognize an implicit reference to Shakespeare and agree about his importance
(The following passage is excerpted from a speech delivered by a prominent African American activist and public speaker in 1872.)
The various conditions of men and the different uses they make of their powers and opportunities in life, are full of puzzling contrasts and contradictions. Here, as elsewhere, it is easy to dogmatize, but it is not so easy to define, explain and demonstrate. The natural laws for the government, well-being and progress of mankind, seem to be equal and are equal; but the subjects of these laws everywhere abound in inequalities, discords and contrasts. We cannot have fruit without flowers, but we often have flowers without fruit. The promise of youth often breaks down in manhood, and real excellence often comes unheralded and from unexpected quarters.
The scene presented from this view is as a thousand arrows shot from the same point and aimed at the same object. United in aim, they are divided in flight. Some fly too high, others too low. Some go to the right, others to the left. Some fly too far and others, not far enough, and only a few hit the mark. Such is life. United in the quiver, they are divided in the air. Matched when dormant, they are unmatched in action.
When we attempt to account for greatness we never get nearer to the truth than did the greatest of poets and philosophers when he classified the conditions of greatness: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.”* We may take our choice of these three separate explanations and make which of them we please, most prominent in our discussion. Much can certainly be said of superior mental endowments, and I should on some accounts, lean strongly to that theory, but for numerous examples which seem, and do, contradict it, and for the depressing tendency such a theory must have on humanity generally.
This theory has truth in it, but it is not the whole truth. Men of very ordinary faculties have, nevertheless, made a very respectable way in the world and have sometimes presented even brilliant examples of success. On the other hand, what is called genius is often found by the wayside, a miserable wreck; the more deplorable and shocking because from the height from which it has fallen and the loss and ruin involved in the fall. There is, perhaps, a compensation in disappointment and in the contradiction of means to ends and promise to performance. These imply a constant effort on the part of nature to hold the balance between all her children and to bring success within the reach of the humblest as well as of the most exalted.
From apparently the basest metals we have the finest toned bells, and we are taught respect from simple manhood when we see how, from the various dregs of society, there come men who may well be regarded as the pride and as the watch towers of the race.
Steel is improved by laying on damp ground, and the rusty razor gets a keener edge after giving its dross to the dirt in which it has been allowed to lie neglected and forgotten. In like manner, too, humanity, though it lay among the ports, covered with the dust of neglect and poverty, may still retain the divine impulse and the element of improvement and progress. It is natural to revolt at squalor, but we may well relax our lip of scorn and contempt when we stand among the lowly and despised, for out of the rags of the meanest cradle there may come a great man and this is a treasure richer than all the wealth of the Orient.
Question
In the context of the passage as a whole, the author’s comparison between the qualities of people and of metals (paragraphs 5-6) primarily serves to
Responses
explain why some people are seen as great starting from birth
explain why some people are seen as great starting from birth
show that it is unremarkable if a few people achieve more than expected
show that it is unremarkable if a few people achieve more than expected
limit the author’s earlier remarks about greatness to a certain subset of people
limit the author’s earlier remarks about greatness to a certain subset of people
challenge the audience’s likely belief that the world is inherently fair
challenge the audience’s likely belief that the world is inherently fair
reinforce the author’s overarching claim about ordinary people’s capacity for success
reinforce the author’s overarching claim about ordinary people’s capacity for success
(The following passage is excerpted from a speech delivered by a prominent African American activist and public speaker in 1872.)
The various conditions of men and the different uses they make of their powers and opportunities in life, are full of puzzling contrasts and contradictions. Here, as elsewhere, it is easy to dogmatize, but it is not so easy to define, explain and demonstrate. The natural laws for the government, well-being and progress of mankind, seem to be equal and are equal; but the subjects of these laws everywhere abound in inequalities, discords and contrasts. We cannot have fruit without flowers, but we often have flowers without fruit. The promise of youth often breaks down in manhood, and real excellence often comes unheralded and from unexpected quarters.
The scene presented from this view is as a thousand arrows shot from the same point and aimed at the same object. United in aim, they are divided in flight. Some fly too high, others too low. Some go to the right, others to the left. Some fly too far and others, not far enough, and only a few hit the mark. Such is life. United in the quiver, they are divided in the air. Matched when dormant, they are unmatched in action.
When we attempt to account for greatness we never get nearer to the truth than did the greatest of poets and philosophers when he classified the conditions of greatness: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.”* We may take our choice of these three separate explanations and make which of them we please, most prominent in our discussion. Much can certainly be said of superior mental endowments, and I should on some accounts, lean strongly to that theory, but for numerous examples which seem, and do, contradict it, and for the depressing tendency such a theory must have on humanity generally.
This theory has truth in it, but it is not the whole truth. Men of very ordinary faculties have, nevertheless, made a very respectable way in the world and have sometimes presented even brilliant examples of success. On the other hand, what is called genius is often found by the wayside, a miserable wreck; the more deplorable and shocking because from the height from which it has fallen and the loss and ruin involved in the fall. There is, perhaps, a compensation in disappointment and in the contradiction of means to ends and promise to performance. These imply a constant effort on the part of nature to hold the balance between all her children and to bring success within the reach of the humblest as well as of the most exalted.
From apparently the basest metals we have the finest toned bells, and we are taught respect from simple manhood when we see how, from the various dregs of society, there come men who may well be regarded as the pride and as the watch towers of the race.
Steel is improved by laying on damp ground, and the rusty razor gets a keener edge after giving its dross to the dirt in which it has been allowed to lie neglected and forgotten. In like manner, too, humanity, though it lay among the ports, covered with the dust of neglect and poverty, may still retain the divine impulse and the element of improvement and progress. It is natural to revolt at squalor, but we may well relax our lip of scorn and contempt when we stand among the lowly and despised, for out of the rags of the meanest cradle there may come a great man and this is a treasure richer than all the wealth of the Orient.
Question
Which of the following best describes the function of the first two clauses of the passage’s final sentence (“It is natural . . . despised”) in the context of the passage as a whole?
Responses
They suggest that there are certain limitations to the author’s argument about greatness.
They suggest that there are certain limitations to the author’s argument about greatness.
They imply that accepting the author’s argument will help his audience achieve greatness.
They imply that accepting the author’s argument will help his audience achieve greatness.
They restate the author’s argument in order to provide a fitting conclusion to the passage.
They restate the author’s argument in order to provide a fitting conclusion to the passage.
They urge a change in attitude that should follow logically from the author’s argument.
They urge a change in attitude that should follow logically from the author’s argument.
They emphasize the author’s argument by showing the dangers of pride.
They urge a change in attitude that should follow logically from the author’s argument.
(The following passage is excerpted from a book published by an American journalist and author in 1983.)
Even without the appropriate toys and clothes, lessons in the art of being feminine lay all around me and I absorbed them all; the fairy tales that were read to me at night, the brightly colored advertisements I pored over in magazines before I learned to decipher the words, the movies I saw, the comic books I hoarded, the radio soap operas I happily followed whenever I had to stay in bed with a cold. I loved being a little girl, or rather I loved being a fairy princess, for that was who I thought I was.
As I passed through a stormy adolescence to a stormy maturity, femininity increasingly became an exasperation, a brilliant subtle esthetic that was bafflingly inconsistent at the same time that it was minutely, demandingly concrete, a rigid code of appearance and behavior defined by do’s and don’t-do’s that went against my rebellious grain. Femininity was a challenge thrown down to the female sex, a challenge no proud, self-respecting young woman could afford to ignore, particularly one with enormous ambition that she nursed in secret, alternately feeding or starving its inchoate life in tremendous confusion.
“Don’t lose your femininity” and “Isn’t it remarkable how she manages to retain her femininity?” had terrifying implications. They spoke of a bottom-line failure so irreversible that nothing else mattered. The pinball machine was registered “tilt,” the game had been called. Disqualification was marked on the forehead of a woman whose femininity was lost. No records would be entered in her name, for she had destroyed her birthright in her wretched, ungainly effort to imitate a man. She walked in limbo, this hapless creature, and it occurred to me that one day I might see her when I looked in the mirror. If the danger was so palpable that warning notices were freely posted, wasn’t it possible that the small bundle of resentments I carried around in secret might spill out and place the mark on my own forehead? Whatever quarrels with femininity I had I kept to myself; whatever handicaps femininity imposed, they were mine to deal with alone, for there was no women’s movement to ask the tough questions, or so brazenly disregard the rules.
Femininity, in essence, is a romantic sentiment, a nostalgic tradition of imposed limitations. Even as it hurries forward in the 1980s, putting on lipstick and high heels to appear well dressed, it trips on the ruffled petticoats and hoopskirts of an era gone by. Invariably and necessarily, femininity is something that women had more of in the past, not only in the historic past of prior generations, but in each woman’s personal past as well—in the virginal innocence that is replaced by knowledge, in the dewy cheek that is coarsened by age, in the “inherent nature” that a woman seems to misplace so forgetfully whenever she steps out of bounds. Why should this be so? The XX chromosomal message has not been scrambled, the estrogen-dominated hormonal balance is generally as biology intended, the reproductive organs, whatever use one has made of them, are usually in place, the breasts of whatever size are most often where they should be. But clearly, biological femaleness is not enough.
Femininity always demands more. It must constantly reassure its audience by a willing demonstration of difference, even when one does not exist in nature, or it must seize and embrace a natural variation and compose a rhapsodic symphony upon the notes. Suppose one doesn’t care to, has other things on her mind, is clumsy or tone-deaf despite the best instruction and training? To fail at the feminine difference is to appear not to care about men, and to risk the loss of their attention and approval. To be insufficiently feminine is viewed as a failure in core sexual identity, or as a failure to care sufficiently about oneself, for a woman found wanting will be appraised (and will appraise herself) as mannish or neutered or simply unattractive, as men have defined these terms.
We are talking, admittedly, about an exquisite esthetic. Enormous pleasure can be extracted from feminine pursuits as a creative outlet or purely as relaxation; indeed, indulgence for the sake of fun, or art, or attention, is among femininity’s great joys. But the chief attraction (and the central paradox, as well) is the competitive edge that femininity seems to promise in the unending struggle to survive, and perhaps to triumph.
Question
Which of the following statements most directly expresses the author’s thesis in the passage?
Responses
“[L]essons in the art of being feminine lay all around me” (paragraph 1, sentence 1)
“[L]essons in the art of being feminine lay all around me” (paragraph 1, sentence 1)
“I loved being a little girl, or rather I loved being a fairy princess, for that was who I thought I was” (paragraph 1, sentence 2)
“I loved being a little girl, or rather I loved being a fairy princess, for that was who I thought I was” (paragraph 1, sentence 2)
“Femininity was a challenge thrown down to the female sex, a challenge no proud, self-respecting young woman could afford to ignore” (paragraph 2, sentence 2)
“Femininity was a challenge thrown down to the female sex, a challenge no proud, self-respecting young woman could afford to ignore” (paragraph 2, sentence 2)
“‘Isn’t it remarkable how she manages to retain her femininity?’ had terrifying implications” (paragraph 3, sentence 1)
“‘Isn’t it remarkable how she manages to retain her femininity?’ had terrifying implications” (paragraph 3, sentence 1)
“They spoke of a bottom-line failure so irreversible that nothing else mattered” (paragraph 3, sentence 2)
“Femininity was a challenge thrown down to the female sex, a challenge no proud, self-respecting young woman could afford to ignore” (paragraph 2, sentence 2)
(The following passage is excerpted from a book published by an American journalist and author in 1983.)
Even without the appropriate toys and clothes, lessons in the art of being feminine lay all around me and I absorbed them all; the fairy tales that were read to me at night, the brightly colored advertisements I pored over in magazines before I learned to decipher the words, the movies I saw, the comic books I hoarded, the radio soap operas I happily followed whenever I had to stay in bed with a cold. I loved being a little girl, or rather I loved being a fairy princess, for that was who I thought I was.
As I passed through a stormy adolescence to a stormy maturity, femininity increasingly became an exasperation, a brilliant subtle esthetic that was bafflingly inconsistent at the same time that it was minutely, demandingly concrete, a rigid code of appearance and behavior defined by do’s and don’t-do’s that went against my rebellious grain. Femininity was a challenge thrown down to the female sex, a challenge no proud, self-respecting young woman could afford to ignore, particularly one with enormous ambition that she nursed in secret, alternately feeding or starving its inchoate life in tremendous confusion.
“Don’t lose your femininity” and “Isn’t it remarkable how she manages to retain her femininity?” had terrifying implications. They spoke of a bottom-line failure so irreversible that nothing else mattered. The pinball machine was registered “tilt,” the game had been called. Disqualification was marked on the forehead of a woman whose femininity was lost. No records would be entered in her name, for she had destroyed her birthright in her wretched, ungainly effort to imitate a man. She walked in limbo, this hapless creature, and it occurred to me that one day I might see her when I looked in the mirror. If the danger was so palpable that warning notices were freely posted, wasn’t it possible that the small bundle of resentments I carried around in secret might spill out and place the mark on my own forehead? Whatever quarrels with femininity I had I kept to myself; whatever handicaps femininity imposed, they were mine to deal with alone, for there was no women’s movement to ask the tough questions, or so brazenly disregard the rules.
Femininity, in essence, is a romantic sentiment, a nostalgic tradition of imposed limitations. Even as it hurries forward in the 1980s, putting on lipstick and high heels to appear well dressed, it trips on the ruffled petticoats and hoopskirts of an era gone by. Invariably and necessarily, femininity is something that women had more of in the past, not only in the historic past of prior generations, but in each woman’s personal past as well—in the virginal innocence that is replaced by knowledge, in the dewy cheek that is coarsened by age, in the “inherent nature” that a woman seems to misplace so forgetfully whenever she steps out of bounds. Why should this be so? The XX chromosomal message has not been scrambled, the estrogen-dominated hormonal balance is generally as biology intended, the reproductive organs, whatever use one has made of them, are usually in place, the breasts of whatever size are most often where they should be. But clearly, biological femaleness is not enough.
Femininity always demands more. It must constantly reassure its audience by a willing demonstration of difference, even when one does not exist in nature, or it must seize and embrace a natural variation and compose a rhapsodic symphony upon the notes. Suppose one doesn’t care to, has other things on her mind, is clumsy or tone-deaf despite the best instruction and training? To fail at the feminine difference is to appear not to care about men, and to risk the loss of their attention and approval. To be insufficiently feminine is viewed as a failure in core sexual identity, or as a failure to care sufficiently about oneself, for a woman found wanting will be appraised (and will appraise herself) as mannish or neutered or simply unattractive, as men have defined these terms.
We are talking, admittedly, about an exquisite esthetic. Enormous pleasure can be extracted from feminine pursuits as a creative outlet or purely as relaxation; indeed, indulgence for the sake of fun, or art, or attention, is among femininity’s great joys. But the chief attraction (and the central paradox, as well) is the competitive edge that femininity seems to promise in the unending struggle to survive, and perhaps to triumph.
Question
In the first two paragraphs, the author describes experiences from her girlhood and early adulthood primarily to
Responses
show that attitudes toward femininity can change over time
show that attitudes toward femininity can change over time
imply that uncritically embracing femininity is immature
imply that uncritically embracing femininity is immature
argue that the strictures of femininity are less severe for young girls
argue that the strictures of femininity are less severe for young girls
foreground the comforting aspects of adhering to feminine ideals
foreground the comforting aspects of adhering to feminine ideals
introduce two different attitudes toward femininity
introduce two different attitudes toward femininity
(The following passage is excerpted from a book published by an American journalist and author in 1983.)
Even without the appropriate toys and clothes, lessons in the art of being feminine lay all around me and I absorbed them all; the fairy tales that were read to me at night, the brightly colored advertisements I pored over in magazines before I learned to decipher the words, the movies I saw, the comic books I hoarded, the radio soap operas I happily followed whenever I had to stay in bed with a cold. I loved being a little girl, or rather I loved being a fairy princess, for that was who I thought I was.
As I passed through a stormy adolescence to a stormy maturity, femininity increasingly became an exasperation, a brilliant subtle esthetic that was bafflingly inconsistent at the same time that it was minutely, demandingly concrete, a rigid code of appearance and behavior defined by do’s and don’t-do’s that went against my rebellious grain. Femininity was a challenge thrown down to the female sex, a challenge no proud, self-respecting young woman could afford to ignore, particularly one with enormous ambition that she nursed in secret, alternately feeding or starving its inchoate life in tremendous confusion.
“Don’t lose your femininity” and “Isn’t it remarkable how she manages to retain her femininity?” had terrifying implications. They spoke of a bottom-line failure so irreversible that nothing else mattered. The pinball machine was registered “tilt,” the game had been called. Disqualification was marked on the forehead of a woman whose femininity was lost. No records would be entered in her name, for she had destroyed her birthright in her wretched, ungainly effort to imitate a man. She walked in limbo, this hapless creature, and it occurred to me that one day I might see her when I looked in the mirror. If the danger was so palpable that warning notices were freely posted, wasn’t it possible that the small bundle of resentments I carried around in secret might spill out and place the mark on my own forehead? Whatever quarrels with femininity I had I kept to myself; whatever handicaps femininity imposed, they were mine to deal with alone, for there was no women’s movement to ask the tough questions, or so brazenly disregard the rules.
Femininity, in essence, is a romantic sentiment, a nostalgic tradition of imposed limitations. Even as it hurries forward in the 1980s, putting on lipstick and high heels to appear well dressed, it trips on the ruffled petticoats and hoopskirts of an era gone by. Invariably and necessarily, femininity is something that women had more of in the past, not only in the historic past of prior generations, but in each woman’s personal past as well—in the virginal innocence that is replaced by knowledge, in the dewy cheek that is coarsened by age, in the “inherent nature” that a woman seems to misplace so forgetfully whenever she steps out of bounds. Why should this be so? The XX chromosomal message has not been scrambled, the estrogen-dominated hormonal balance is generally as biology intended, the reproductive organs, whatever use one has made of them, are usually in place, the breasts of whatever size are most often where they should be. But clearly, biological femaleness is not enough.
Femininity always demands more. It must constantly reassure its audience by a willing demonstration of difference, even when one does not exist in nature, or it must seize and embrace a natural variation and compose a rhapsodic symphony upon the notes. Suppose one doesn’t care to, has other things on her mind, is clumsy or tone-deaf despite the best instruction and training? To fail at the feminine difference is to appear not to care about men, and to risk the loss of their attention and approval. To be insufficiently feminine is viewed as a failure in core sexual identity, or as a failure to care sufficiently about oneself, for a woman found wanting will be appraised (and will appraise herself) as mannish or neutered or simply unattractive, as men have defined these terms.
We are talking, admittedly, about an exquisite esthetic. Enormous pleasure can be extracted from feminine pursuits as a creative outlet or purely as relaxation; indeed, indulgence for the sake of fun, or art, or attention, is among femininity’s great joys. But the chief attraction (and the central paradox, as well) is the competitive edge that femininity seems to promise in the unending struggle to survive, and perhaps to triumph.
Question
In the final paragraph, the author concludes her argument by
Responses
proposing that femininity be reimagined as an artistic pursuit rather than a set of rules
proposing that femininity be reimagined as an artistic pursuit rather than a set of rules
acknowledging that not everyone enjoys the privilege of acting feminine
acknowledging that not everyone enjoys the privilege of acting feminine
suggesting that modern femininity requires women to oppose traditional roles
suggesting that modern femininity requires women to oppose traditional roles
highlighting the context in which women may choose to embrace femininity’s restrictions
highlighting the context in which women may choose to embrace femininity’s restrictions
lamenting the way that femininity encourages rivalries among women
highlighting the context in which women may choose to embrace femininity’s restrictions
(The passage below is a draft.)
(1) If you have ever felt overwhelmed by the barrage of e-mails, text messages, and social media notifications you receive every day, you are not alone. (2) Unsurprisingly, neuroscientists warn that the constant use of smartphones alters the brain.
(3) Most people can’t resist immediately checking their phones each time they buzz, chirp, or chime, and scientists believe that compulsion is caused by a brain chemical called dopamine. (4) The release of dopamine in the brain is pleasurable, so people tend to repeat behaviors that trigger it. (5) Researchers studying the effects of smartphone use found that each time people received a phone notification, their brains had a surge of dopamine. (6) Crucially, the anticipation of a reward (signaled by each ding of the phone) caused more pleasure than the reward itself (the e-mail or social media alert). (7) Our brains are aroused each time our phones buzz because of the unpredictability of what pops up on the screen: since any alert might signal something extraordinary, dopamine is released each time even though most alerts don’t amount to much.
(8) While dopamine rewards may cause the brain to crave these constant phone alerts, their effects on the body are harmful. (9) The incessant notifications cause the heart to beat faster, muscles to tighten, and breathing to get shorter—a fight-or-flight response. (10) And when we live in a perpetual state of stress, our prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls reasoning, stops functioning properly. (11) A vicious cycle ensues: people become addicted to constant phone interruptions even as those interruptions put stress on the body, making people more tired, anxious, and error prone. (12) They then crave more dopamine to feel better.
(13) So should people swear off smartphones? (14) Some have argued as much, citing studies that show links between excessive smartphone use and cognitive and social impairments. (15) Certainly, there are advantages to unplugging the devices—say, on weekends—to truly relax. (16) Nevertheless, abandoning the technology altogether would be difficult, if not impractical, in a world that values connectedness. (17) And smartphone use has undeniable benefits besides mere convenience, such as long-distance friendships and exposure to new ideas.
Question
The writer wants to add a sentence after sentence 1 to provide factual support for the introductory claim and focus the audience on the argument of the passage. Which of the following sentences best accomplishes this purpose?
Responses
Thanks to a process called neuroplasticity, the brain continually strengthens or weakens neural connections in response to stimuli from smartphones.
Thanks to a process called neuroplasticity, the brain continually strengthens or weakens neural connections in response to stimuli from smartphones.
Researchers at Columbia University argue that “[w]e are becoming symbiotic with our computer tools, growing into interconnected systems that remember less by knowing information than by knowing where the information can be found.”
Researchers at Columbia University argue that “[w]e are becoming symbiotic with our computer tools, growing into interconnected systems that remember less by knowing information than by knowing where the information can be found.”
According to a recent Gallup Poll, only 21 percent of Americans say they “rarely” or “never” feel mental or emotional strain in their day-to-day lives.
According to a recent Gallup Poll, only 21 percent of Americans say they “rarely” or “never” feel mental or emotional strain in their day-to-day lives.
A recent study found that 86 percent of Americans are stressed out from constantly checking their smartphones.
A recent study found that 86 percent of Americans are stressed out from constantly checking their smartphones.
Neuroscientist Susan Greenfield cautions that social media can become a platform for constructing an artificial identity to impress an audience of barely known “friends.”
A recent study found that 86 percent of Americans are stressed out from constantly checking their smartphones.
(The passage below is a draft.)
(1) If you have ever felt overwhelmed by the barrage of e-mails, text messages, and social media notifications you receive every day, you are not alone. (2) Unsurprisingly, neuroscientists warn that the constant use of smartphones alters the brain.
(3) Most people can’t resist immediately checking their phones each time they buzz, chirp, or chime, and scientists believe that compulsion is caused by a brain chemical called dopamine. (4) The release of dopamine in the brain is pleasurable, so people tend to repeat behaviors that trigger it. (5) Researchers studying the effects of smartphone use found that each time people received a phone notification, their brains had a surge of dopamine. (6) Crucially, the anticipation of a reward (signaled by each ding of the phone) caused more pleasure than the reward itself (the e-mail or social media alert). (7) Our brains are aroused each time our phones buzz because of the unpredictability of what pops up on the screen: since any alert might signal something extraordinary, dopamine is released each time even though most alerts don’t amount to much.
(8) While dopamine rewards may cause the brain to crave these constant phone alerts, their effects on the body are harmful. (9) The incessant notifications cause the heart to beat faster, muscles to tighten, and breathing to get shorter—a fight-or-flight response. (10) And when we live in a perpetual state of stress, our prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls reasoning, stops functioning properly. (11) A vicious cycle ensues: people become addicted to constant phone interruptions even as those interruptions put stress on the body, making people more tired, anxious, and error prone. (12) They then crave more dopamine to feel better.
(13) So should people swear off smartphones? (14) Some have argued as much, citing studies that show links between excessive smartphone use and cognitive and social impairments. (15) Certainly, there are advantages to unplugging the devices—say, on weekends—to truly relax. (16) Nevertheless, abandoning the technology altogether would be difficult, if not impractical, in a world that values connectedness. (17) And smartphone use has undeniable benefits besides mere convenience, such as long-distance friendships and exposure to new ideas.
Question
The writer wants to add information to the end of sentence 2 (reproduced below) to preview the line of reasoning in the passage.
Unsurprisingly, neuroscientists warn that the constant use of smartphones alters the brain.
Which version of the underlined portion of sentence 2 most effectively accomplishes this goal?
Responses
brain, the complexities of which have long fascinated psychologists and psychoanalysts
brain, the complexities of which have long fascinated psychologists and psychoanalysts
brain, potentially undermining people’s ability to focus on serious school- and work-related tasks
brain, potentially undermining people’s ability to focus on serious school- and work-related tasks
brain, with potentially serious physiological and emotional costs
brain, with potentially serious physiological and emotional costs
brain, which may have a profound impact on the still-maturing brains of young adults
brain, which may have a profound impact on the still-maturing brains of young adults
brain, which many researchers claim may still be evolving
brain, with potentially serious physiological and emotional costs
(1) People who learn another language as kids can sound like native speakers, but adult language learners often make noticeable grammatical mistakes. (2) But when exactly in a person’s life does it become difficult to master the rules that govern a language? (3) While previous theories speculated that people can only acquire a new language at a young age, new research supports a different perspective.
(4) Boston-area researchers found evidence that the time span for language acquisition lasts from infancy until early adulthood; this time span is known as the “critical period.” (5) Such a period also exists for the development of eyesight. (6) Prior studies had reached varying conclusions about the critical period: it closes just after birth; it stops around age 5; it lasts until age 13. (7) Dissatisfied with these studies’ small number of participants, the Boston researchers aimed for a large sampling of language users for a study of English grammar acquisition. (8) The researchers developed an online grammar quiz with follow-up questions about the quiz takers’ language background. (9) Getting nearly 700,000 responses, two-thirds from nonnative English speakers, the research team mapped the relationship between age and language fluency in detail.
(10) The accuracy of answers to the questions on the grammar quiz plummeted for those who began learning English after age 17. (11) Though this result indicates that the critical period for language acquisition lasts longer than previous studies suggested, the achievement of native-speaker-level fluency is out of reach for adult learners.
(12) However, adult second-language learners should remain optimistic. (13) The researchers found that optimal language learning doesn’t stop completely after the critical period: it continues for both native and nonnative speakers until around age 30. (14) What’s more, the fact that so many adult second-language learners did poorly on the researchers’ quiz can help other such learners be more realistic about their goals. (15) Letting go of a desire for complete mastery of a language’s grammar can enable an adult learner to strive for basic competence in communication—an outcome best achieved, the researchers note, via educational programs that immerse students in the experience of a second language rather than ones that focus on rote learning.
Question
The writer wants to add a sentence that introduces the topic of the passage. Which of the following sentences, if added to the beginning of the first paragraph, would most effectively accomplish this goal?
Responses
Language experts have long observed that children are better than adults at mastering a second language.
Language experts have long observed that children are better than adults at mastering a second language.
Scholars and journalists continue to debate whether studying a foreign language in college has any intrinsic value.
Scholars and journalists continue to debate whether studying a foreign language in college has any intrinsic value.
The development of young children’s brains is influenced both by children’s experience with their caregivers and by genetic factors.
The development of young children’s brains is influenced both by children’s experience with their caregivers and by genetic factors.
Being able to express one’s thoughts in grammatically correct and reasonably eloquent sentences during job interviews can significantly impact one’s employment prospects.
Being able to express one’s thoughts in grammatically correct and reasonably eloquent sentences during job interviews can significantly impact one’s employment prospects.
Though many teachers of English composition would likely oppose the practice of giving grammar quizzes, a group of researchers found out some truly valuable information thanks to a quiz they designed and administered.
Language experts have long observed that children are better than adults at mastering a second language.
