Cumulative Exam — Cumulative exam Answers

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21
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Read the excerpt from Elie Wiesel’s All Rivers Run to the Sea.Why were those trains allowed to roll unhindered into Poland? Why were the tracks leading to Birkenau never bombed? I have put these questions to American presidents and generals and to high-ranking Soviet officers. Since Moscow and Washington knew what the killers were doing in the death camps, why was nothing done at least to slow down their “production”? That not a single Allied military aircraft ever tried to destroy the rail lines converging on Auschwitz remains an outrageous enigma to me.How does Wiesel’s choice of genre prove beneficial in the excerpt?

A
It shows him trying to reconcile the events of his past in Poland so he can move on with his future in America.
B
It gives him the chance to question presidents and generals about their positions regarding the Holocaust.
C
It allows him a moment to reflect on why the world neglected to aid the Jewish people during their greatest time of need.
D
It provides him the opportunity to accuse American and Soviet leaders of keeping the Holocaust a secret.
22
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How are the views of the narrators similar in “Facing It” and “Not a Dove, But No Longer a Hawk”?

A
Both narrators discuss the negative impact of war on the innocent civilians.
B
Both narrators oppose American involvement in the Vietnam War.
C
Both narrators are critical of the treatment of veterans after the Vietnam War.
D
Both narrators are saddened by the harsh realities of the Vietnam War.
24

Read the excerpt from Brown v. Board of Education.Reargument was largely devoted to the circumstances surrounding the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868.The Supreme Court studies the Fourteenth Amendment to determine

A
the primary authors of the document.
B
whether its intent has been compromised.
C
how it has been interpreted in each state.
D
whether it needs to be repealed.
25

Read the excerpt from “Take the Tortillas Out of Your Poetry.”I do not believe we should have to leave out the crucial elements of our language and culture to contribute to American literature, but, unfortunately, this is a conclusion I am forced to reach. I have been writing for a quarter century, and have been a published author for eighteen years. As a writer, I was part of the Chicano Movement which created a new literature in this country. Which best describes how Anaya effectively uses rhetoric in the excerpt to convince readers that his conclusion is justified?

A
Anaya uses words with strong emotional connotations to present an anecdote from his life.
B
Anaya establishes his credibility as a published Chicano author by discussing his career experience.
C
Anaya presents factual evidence about the Chicano Movement creating a new literature.
D
Anaya gains readers’ sympathy by relating a story about his efforts to become a published author.
26

How does Sandra Cisneros capture the idea of multicultural voices with the title of the short story "Mericans"?

A
The characters are American, so the title describes them extremely well.
B
The dropping of the letter “A” more strongly emphasizes Mexican culture.
C
The word is a blend of both languages, and thus represents both cultures.
D
The misspelling of the word reveals that English is not the children’s home language.
27

Read the excerpt from "Mother Tongue."Lately, I’ve been giving more thought to the kind of English my mother speaks. Like others, I have described it to people as “broken” or “fractured” English. But I wince when I say that. It has always bothered me that I can think of no other way to describe it other than “broken,” as if it were damaged and needed to be fixed, as if it lacked a certain wholeness and soundness. How does Tan build a central idea of her story in the excerpt?

A
Tan discusses her thoughts about language to build the idea that the English language does not have words to match some Chinese terms.
B
Tan discusses her relationship with her mother to build the idea that mothers and daughters in all cultures often have misunderstandings.
C
Tan discusses her mother’s use of English to build the idea that a form of language can be purposeful and meaningful even if it is nonstandard.
D
Tan discusses the English language to build the idea that there is a lack of appropriate synonyms for the word “broken.”
28

Read the paragraph.Our school is considering mandating school uniforms next year. The student government supports school uniforms for a number of reasons. First, school uniforms save time. Students will not have to figure out what they will wear and thus will have more time to devote to their studies. They will be more focused on learning and less on appearance. Second, although there are up-front costs, uniforms will ultimately save families money. Finally, uniforms will promote a sense of equality because students are dressed the same regardless of economic status. This will encourage a greater sense of community at our school.What strategy does the author use in her choice of language to convey her message?

A
observational descriptions
B
sequence of events
C
logic and reason
D
real and imagined events
29

Read the excerpt from the play A Man's World.FRITZ—But you see you make dem talk when you do foolish things.FRANK—Foolish? You mean going out alone? Good Heavens! You don't supose I'm going to give up all my chances of seeing and knowing and understanding just because a few silly people are talking about me?FRITZ—But you are a woman. You must not expect people to trust you—too much.FRANK—I'm not going to spend my life explaining.Which feminist literary theme of the early- to mid-twentieth century is best reflected in this excerpt?

A
Women feel pressure to conform to society’s expectations.
B
Women experience fear when ignoring society’s expectations.
C
Women cannot achieve their career goals due to social pressure.
D
Women are isolated and do not have strong social support.
30

Read the sentence.It was difficult to extinguish because the fire was too hot.What is the best way to revise this sentence?

A
It was difficult to extinguish it because the fire was too hot.
B
The fire was difficult to extinguish because it was too hot.
C
The hot fire made it difficult to extinguish it.
D
The sentence is correct as written.
31

Read the excerpt from Jackie Robinson’s letter to President Eisenhower.I respectfully remind you sir, that we have been the most patient of all people. When you said we must have self-respect, I wondered how we could have self-respect and remain patient considering the treatment accorded to us through the years.The “treatment” that Robinson refers to is most likely the

A
oppression and segregation imposed upon African Americans.
B
president’s lack of involvement in the civil rights movement.
C
cruelty African Americans experienced during the latest integration efforts.
D
recent rioting and police brutality in the African American communities.
32

How did the rise of cities and mass culture affect writers such as Flannery O’Connor?

A
They became a lost generation, looking for the meaning behind all the suffering.
B
Their writing became regional, focusing on rural aspects of American life.
C
They wrote memoirs of their experiences in times of war and in times of peace.
D
They cut their hair, wore short skirts, and called themselves flappers.
33

Read the excerpt from Richard Wright’s Black Boy.My mother finally went to work as a cook and left me and my brother alone in the flat each day with a loaf of bread and a pot of tea. When she returned at evening she would be tired and sometimes dispirited and would cry a lot. Sometimes, when she was in despair, she would call us to her and talk to us for hours, telling us that we now had no father, that our lives would be different from those of other children, that we must learn as soon as possible to take care of ourselves, to dress ourselves, to prepare our own food; that we must take upon ourselves the responsibility of the flat while she worked.Why does Wright include this text?

A
to stress the importance of communicating with children
B
to encourage children to help around the house
C
to emphasize the hardships of single parenting
D
to inspire women to seek a rewarding career
41

Which sentence best describes George Bergeron’s characterization in "Harrison Bergeron"?

A
He is a static character, because he has become dehumanized by government controls.
B
He is a dynamic character, because he becomes angry with the police for arresting his son.
C
He is a static character, because he has only average intelligence.
D
He is a dynamic character, because he attempts to remove his handicap bag.
44

Which excerpt from A Man's World contains a stage direction?

A
FRITZ—You are tired to-night, Yah? Un?
B
FRANK—Now—now—Fritzie—if you get fidgety—
C
FRITZ—(Sitting at L. of desk.) No—but you—
D
FRANK—Kiddie will be the end of everything for me.
45

Read the excerpt from A Man's World.FRITZ—Oh—but de talk—de talk—I can't stand it for you. When you go out like dis people don't believe it is for your work. They say you have a lover—they say he writes your books.FRANK—That's very flattering. It means that they think they are too good for a woman to do.Which best describes why this excerpt is ironic?

A
Frank should be insulted that people say that a man writes her books, but she actually views it as a compliment.
B
Fritz feels that Frank should not go out alone, but Frank does not seem to care what other people think.
C
Frank actually has a man who writes her books, but she denies this fact because she does not want people to know.
D
Fritz warns Frank that people will question why she is going out alone at night, but it is actually Fritz himself who does not want her to go.
46

Read the sentence.The president of the company was attending the mandatory sales meeting.Which type of phrase or clause is underlined in the sentence?

A
noun clause
B
verb phrase
C
adjectival phrase
D
adverbial clause
47

Which excerpt from ”First Generation” of Dreaming in Cuban is the best example of magic realism?

A
The family split up and Minnie was raised by a grandmother who can quote the Bible chapter and verse and drives a beat-up Cadillac with a CB radio in it.
B
We camped out under a sapodilla tree and listened to the pygmy owls with their old women’s voices.
C
Four blocks from her home, Lourdes smells her father’s cigar behind a catalpa tree. “Mi hija, have you forgotten me?” Jorge del Pino chides gently.
D
She combs her daughter’s room for the Jimi Hendrix poster she made her take down and tacks it back on the wall.
48

Which statement best compares the structure of "Harlem" and "The Weary Blues"?

A
“Harlem” is short and happy, while “The Weary Blues” is longer and lyrical.
B
“Harlem” is short and urgent, while “The Weary Blues” is longer and lyrical.
C
“Harlem” is short and content, while “The Weary Blues” is longer and unhappy.
D
“Harlem” is short and curious, while “The Weary Blues” is longer and unhappy.
49

In “Ambush,” which sentence best reflects the idea that O’Brien is more concerned with emotional truth than factual truth?

A
I want to tell her exactly what happened, or what I remember happening.
B
He was a short, slender young man of about twenty.
C
Shortly after midnight we moved into the ambush site outside My Khe.
D
He wore black clothing and rubber sandals and a gray ammunition belt.

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