*DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PACKET*
Directions Read the following poem. Then answer questions 1-9 on your final in Galileo.
To the Fringed Gentian (1)
by William Cullen Bryant
1
Thou blossom bright with autumn dew,
And colored with the heaven's own blue,
That openest when the quiet light
Succeeds the keen and frosty night.
5
Thou comest not when violets lean
O'er wandering brooks and springs unseen,
Or columbines, in purple dressed,
Nod o'er the ground-bird's hidden nest.
10
Thou waitest late and com'st alone,
When woods are bare and birds are flown,
And frosts and shortening days portend
The aged year is near his end.
15
Then doth thy sweet and quiet eye
Look through its fringes to the sky,
Blue-blue-as if that sky let fall
A flower from its cerulean wall.
20
I would that thus, when I shall see
The hour of death draw near to me,
Hope, blossoming within my heart,
May look to heaven as I depart.
________________
(1) fringed gentian: North American plant with bright blue, open, bell-shaped flowers.
1.
What is the topic of "To the Fringed Gentian"?
a. Death
b. Change
c. Heaven
d. Gardening
2. What is the point of view in "To the Fringed Gentian"?
a. First Person
b. Second Person
c. Third Person- omniscient
d. Third Person- limited
3. What is the effect of the repetition of the word Thou in lines 1, 5, and 10?
a.
It reinforces the despair expressed by the speaker
b.
It distracts the reader from the subject of the poem.
c.
It indicates a third-person-omniscient point of view.
d.
It focuses attention on the flower the speaker addresses.
4. From information in stanza 3, it can be inferred that fringed gentians bloom
a. at night.
b.
in the fall.
c. with violets.
d.
in the spring.
5. What does the word thy in line 15 and the words thus and I in line 20 signal about point of view?
a. a shift to second-person narration
b. a change in attitude about the subject
c. a comparison between the flower and the speaker
d. a revelation of the speaker's feelings about the flower
6. What is the theme of "To the Fringed Gentian"?
a. the joy that the flowers of summer can inspire
b. the desire to approach the afterlife with hope
c. a celebration of nature in the countryside
d. a love of beauty in the natural world
Succeed (v), 1 [to achieve; to be successful] prosper, fulfill, do well, profit, triumph, be victorious, surmount, prevail. Ant.
fail, go awry, fall short. 2 [to follow] come after, ensue, supplant, replace, supersede, postdate.
7. What is the most likely meaning of succeeds as it is used in line 4 of "To the Fringed Gentian"?
a. Achieves
b. Prospers
c. Follows
d. Fails
8. A related form of succeeds is
a. Supercede
b. Success
c. Surmount
d. Succotash
9. Which synonym would best serve as a substitute for succeeds as it is used in line 4 of "To the Fringed Gentian"?
a. Fulfills
b. Profits
c. Prevails
d. Replaces
Directions Read the following poem. Then answer questions 10-15 on your final in Galileo.
Old Ironsides (1)
by Oliver Wendell Holmes
1
Ay, tear her tattered ensign(2) down!
Long has it waved on high,
And many an eye has danced to see
That banner in the sky;
5
Beneath it rung the battle shout,
And burst the cannon's roar;—
The meteor of the ocean air
Shall sweep the clouds no more!
Her deck, once red with heroes' blood
10
Where knelt the vanquished foe,
When winds were hurrying o'er the flood
And waves were white below,
No more shall feel the victor's tread,
Or know the conquered knee;—
15
The harpies(3) of the shore shall pluck
The eagle of the sea!
O, better that her shattered hulk
Should sink beneath the wave;
Her thunders shook the mighty deep,
20
And there should be her grave;
Nail to the mast her holy flag,
Set every thread-bare sail,
And give her to the god of storms,—
The lightning and the gale!
________________
(1) Old Ironsides: Nickname of the Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship of any navy in the world. It won a major battle against the British
during the War of 1812. During the battle, a sailor noticed ammunition from British guns bouncing off the sturdy sides of the wooden ship and
proclaimed that the ship had sides of iron. In 1830, the U.S. Navy declared the ship unseaworthy and ordered it to be destroyed. Holmes's poem
galvanized public sentiment. As a result, the ship was rebuilt and restored to services. Today it is docked in Charleston Navy Yard in Boston.
(2) ensign: a flag or banner, as a military or naval standard used to indicate nationality.
(2) harpies: ravenous, animals; greedy, predatory people; plunderers.
10. The imagery in lines 3–4, 9–10, 13–14, and 21–22 is intended to provoke what kind of emotional response from
readers?
a. Joy
b. Sadness
c. mixed emotions
d. patriotic feelings
11. In what way do the imperative verbs tear (line 1), nail (line 21), set (line 22), and give (line 23) communicate point
of view?
a. They describe the maneuvers of the ship's crew.
b. They describe actions the Navy plans to implement.
c. They express the sentiments of the speaker in the poem.
d. They indicate the contempt that the "harpies of the shore" have for the ship.
12. It can be inferred that the "harpies of the shore" in line 15 are
a. ravenous birds of prey that have followed the ship.
b. the individuals who ordered the dismantling of the ship.
c. dock workers who have been assigned to repair the ship.
d. special-interest groups protesting the planned demise of the ship.
13. In the last stanza, the speaker argues that the ship would be better off if it were
a. dismantled for scrap.
b. recommissioned for duty.
c. At the bottom of the ocean.
d. under private management.
14. The speaker's concluding suggestion in the last stanza
a.
is a bitter condemnation of the Navy.
b. reflects his true feelings about the ship.
c. contradicts the ideas expressed in the rest of the poem.
d.
is a harsh overstatement intended to draw public support.
15. What is the theme of "Old Ironsides"?
a. The planned dismantling of Old Ironsides is an insult to its glorious history.
b. The deterioration of Old Ironsides was inevitable in view of its sad history.
c. Warships are no match for the power of mighty nature on the open seas.
d. Warships that have outlived their usefulness are expendable.
Directions Read the following selection. Then answer questions 16-30 on your final in Galileo.
The following excerpt is from The Federalist Papers, a series of essays written in support of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution by
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.
from The Federalist No. 14
by James Madison
1
As the natural limit of a democracy is that distance from the central point which will just permit the most remote
citizens to assemble as often as their public functions demand, and will include no greater number than can join in those
functions; so the natural limit of a republic is that distance from the centre which will barely allow the representatives to
meet as often as may be necessary for the administration of public affairs. Can it be said that the limits of the United States
exceed this distance? It will not be said by those who recollect that the Atlantic coast is the longest side of the Union, that
during the term of thirteen years, the representatives of the States have been almost continually assembled, and that the
members from the most distant States are not chargeable with greater intermissions(1) of attendance than those from the
States in the neighborhood of Congress.
2
That we may form a juster estimate with regard to this interesting subject, let us resort to the actual dimensions of
the Union. The limits, as fixed by the treaty of peace, are: on the east the Atlantic, on the south the latitude of thirty-one
degrees, on the west the Mississippi, and on the north an irregular line running in some instances beyond the forty-fifth
degree, in others falling as low as the forty-second. The southern shore of Lake Erie lies below that latitude. Computing the
distance between the thirty-first and forty-fifth degrees, it amounts to nine hundred and seventy-three common miles;
computing it from thirty-one to forty-two degrees, to seven hundred and sixty-four miles and a half. Taking the mean for
the distance, the amount will be eight hundred and sixty-eight miles and three-fourths. The mean distance from the
Atlantic to the Mississippi does not probably exceed seven hundred and fifty miles. On a comparison of this extent with that
of several countries in Europe, the practicability of rendering our system commensurate to it appears to be demonstrable.
It is not a great deal larger than Germany, where a diet(2) representing the whole empire is continually assembled; or than
Poland before the late dismemberment, where another national diet was the depositary of the supreme power. Passing by
France and Spain, we find that in Great Britain, inferior as it may be in size, the representatives of the northern extremity of
the island have as far to travel to the national council as will be required of those of the most remote parts of the Union.
3
In the first place it is to be remembered that the general government is not to be charged with the whole power of
making and administering laws. Its jurisdiction is limited to certain enumerated objects, which concern all the members of
the republic, but which are not to be attained by the separate provisions of any. The subordinate governments, which can
extend their care to all those other subjects which can be separately provided for, will retain their due authority and
activity. Were it proposed by the plan of the convention to abolish the governments of the particular States, its adversaries
would have some ground for their objection; though it would not be difficult to show that if they were abolished the
general government would be compelled, by the principle of self-preservation, to reinstate them in their proper
jurisdiction.
4
A second observation to be made is that the immediate object of the federal Constitution is to secure the union of
the thirteen primitive States, which we know to be practicable(3); and to add to them such other States as may arise in
their own bosoms, or in their neighborhoods, which we cannot doubt to be equally practicable. The arrangements that may
be necessary for those angles and fractions of our territory which lie on our northwestern frontier, must be left to those
whom further discoveries and experience will render more equal to the task.
5
Let it be remarked, in the third place, that the intercourse throughout the Union will be facilitated by new
improvements. Roads will everywhere be shortened, and kept in better order; accommodations for travelers will be
multiplied and meliorated(4); an interior navigation on our eastern side will be opened throughout, or nearly throughout,
the whole extent of the thirteen States. The communication between the Western and Atlantic districts, and between
different parts of each, will be rendered more and more easy by those numerous canals with which the beneficence of
nature has intersected our country, and which art finds it so little difficult to connect and complete.
6
A fourth and still more important consideration is, that as almost every State will, on one side or other, be a
frontier, and will thus find, in regard to its safety, an inducement to make some sacrifices for the sake of the general
protection; so the States which lie at the greatest distance
from the heart of the Union, and which, of course, may partake least of the ordinary circulation of its benefits, will be at the
same time immediately contiguous(5) to foreign nations, and will consequently stand, on particular occasions, in greatest
need of its strength and resources. It may be inconvenient for Georgia, or the States forming our western or northeastern
borders, to send their representatives to the seat of government; but they would find it more so to struggle alone against
an invading enemy, or even to support alone the whole expense of those precautions which may be dictated by the
neighborhood of continual danger. If they should derive less benefit, therefore, from the Union in some respects than the
less distant States, they will derive greater benefit from it in other respects, and thus the proper equilibrium will be
maintained throughout.
7
I submit to you, my fellow-citizens, these considerations, in full confidence that the good sense which has so often
marked your decisions will allow them their due weight and effect; and that you will never suffer difficulties, however
formidable in appearance, or however fashionable the error on which they may be founded, to drive you into the gloomy
and perilous scene into which the advocates for disunion would conduct you. Hearken not to the unnatural voice which tells
you that the people of America, knit together as they are by so many cords of affection, can no longer live together as
members of the same family; can no longer continue the mutual guardians of their mutual happiness; can no longer be
fellow citizens of one great, respectable, and flourishing empire. Hearken not to the voice which petulantly tells you that
the form of government recommended for your adoption is a novelty in the political world; that it has never yet had a place
in the theories of the wildest projectors; that it rashly attempts what it is impossible to accomplish. No, my countrymen,
shut your ears against this unhallowed language. Shut your hearts against the poison which it conveys; the kindred blood
which flows in the veins of American citizens, the mingled blood which they have shed in defense of their sacred rights,
consecrate their Union, and excite horror at the idea of their becoming aliens, rivals, enemies. And if novelties are to be
shunned, believe me, the most alarming of all novelties, the most wild of all projects, the most rash of all attempts, is that
of rendering us in pieces, in order to preserve our liberties and promote our happiness. But why is the experiment of an
extended republic to be rejected, merely because it may comprise what is new? Is it not the glory of the people of America,
that, whilst they have paid a decent regard to the opinions of former times and other nations, they have not suffered a
blind veneration(6) for antiquity, for custom, or for names, to overrule the suggestions of their own good sense, the
knowledge of their own situation, and the lessons of their own experience? To this manly spirit, posterity will be indebted
for the possession, and the world for the example, of the numerous innovations displayed on the American theatre, in favor
of private rights and public happiness. Had no important step been taken by the leaders of the Revolution for which a
precedent could not be discovered, no government established of which an exact model did not present itself, the people
of the United States might, at this moment have been numbered among the melancholy victims of misguided councils,
must at best have been laboring under the weight of some of those forms which have crushed the liberties of the rest of
mankind. Happily for America, happily, we trust, for the whole human race, they pursued a new and more noble course.
They accomplished a revolution which has no parallel in the annals of human society. They reared the fabrics of
governments which have no model on the face of the globe. They formed the design of a great Confederacy, which it is
incumbent on their successors to improve and perpetuate. If their works betray imperfections, we wonder at the fewness
of them. If they erred most in the structure of the Union, this was the work most difficult to be executed; this is the work
which has been new modelled by the act of your convention, and it is that act on which you are now to deliberate and to
decide.
________________
1 intermissions: absences.
2 diet: legislature.
3 practicable: feasible.
4 meliorated: (a variant form of ameliorated) improved.
5 contiguous: next to.
6 veneration: respect.
16. In the first sentence of the essay, as and so are transition words that signal
a. the advantages of a democracy over a republic.
b. the similarities between a democracy and a republic.
c. a cause-effect relationship between a democracy and a republic.
d. a comparison of the limits of a democracy to the limits of a republic.
17. In paragraph 1, Madison supports his claim that America is within the limits necessary for forming a republic with
a. misleading evidence.
b. three interrelated reasons.
c. examples taken from antiquity.
d. a comparison of a democracy to a republic.
18. The facts and figures in paragraph 2 relating to the size of the Union
a. are an irrelevant distraction in the essay.
b. refute the argument presented in paragraph 1.
c. prove that a democracy would better serve the Union.
d. provide additional support for the argument in paragraph 1.
19. In paragraph 3, Madison argues that the general government created by the new constitution would
not have "the whole power of making and administering laws” in order to
a. affirm that a representative form of government is superior to a direct democracy.
b. refute counterarguments that the constitution would strip the states of powers.
c. acknowledge the weaknesses of the proposed new constitution.
d. point out that the new constitution was a work in progress.
20. Madison uses parallel structure in paragraph 5 in the form of passive voice verb phrases that begin with "will be" in
order to
a. connect his claim to supporting evidence.
b. point out the dangers of advocating disunion.
c. undercut the points being made in the paragraph.
d. distract from the inconsistencies in his argument.
21. Madison's argument in paragraph 6 that a proper equilibrium of benefits would be maintained within the Union is
based on what premise?
a. no state would allow another state to enjoy benefits denied to it
b. every state would share a boundary with a hostile foreign nation
c. no state would make unreasonable demands on the central government for benefits
d. every state would enjoy greater benefits in some respects and lesser benefits in others
22. In paragraphs 3–6, Madison structures the support for defending the viability of a unified republic with
a. a series of numbered points.
b. reasons arranged chronologically.
c. a series of pro and con statements.
d. comparisons to other forms of government.
23. What is the main purpose of paragraph 7?
a. to warn readers to be wary of the novelty of forming a republic
b. to ridicule the arguments presented by individuals who favor disunion
c. to encourage readers to give consideration to the preceding arguments
d. to present arguments opposed to adopting the proposed new constitution
24. With the sentences "… shut your ears against this unhallowed language. Shut your hearts against the poison which
it conveys" in paragraph 7, Madison employs parallel structure and repetition to persuade readers to reject the idea
that
a. a unified republic is possible.
b. a union of the states should be tolerated.
c. the people of America are bound by cords of affection.
d. the people of America can no longer be part of one great republic.
25. The rhetorical question in paragraph 7 that begins "Is it not the glory of the people of America …" is intended to
persuade readers that Americans
a. respect and admire the opinions of other nations.
b. have a poor understanding of the political opinions of other countries.
c. do not allow their respect for the ways of other nations to overrule their own ideas.
d. should model their own political practices on the lessons learned from other countries.
26. What tone is conveyed in the sentence that begins "Happily for America …" in paragraph 7?
a. Relieved
b. Somber
c. Patriotic
d. Satirical
27. Madison's conclusion at the end of the essay is based on the premise that
a. the confederacy formed by the leaders of the Revolution needs to be improved.
b. the confederacy formed by the leaders of the Revolution was perfect.
c. the leaders of the Revolution were seriously misguided in their efforts.
d. the proposed new constitution is a danger to the stability of the union.
For the next THREE questions, use context clues and your knowledge of specialized vocabulary to answer the following questions
about political words in The Federalist No. 14.
28. What is the most likely meaning of council as it is used in paragraph 2?
a. a club
b. a legislative body
c. a consulting group
d. a local chapter of an organization
29. What is the most likely meaning of jurisdiction as it is used in paragraph 3?
a.
legal judgment
b. territorial limits
c.
legislative power
d. area of expertise
30. What is the most likely meaning of Confederacy as it is used in paragraph 7?
a. the body formed by people united in a common purpose
b. the southern states that seceded from the United States
c. a conspiracy organized for unlawful purposes
d. a conference of eminent scholars
Revising and Editing Directions
Read the speech and answer questions 31-42 on your final in Galileo.
(1) Welcome to our annual Community Involvement appreciation dinner. (2) On behalf of the governing board, I
want to thank all of you for donating your time and resources so generously to the various programs we implement.
(3) It is appropriate also to issue a special welcome to the twenty four new volunteers we gained this year. (4) Allow
me to take time to acquaint you new members with some of the many services provided by our organization and to briefly
summarize a few of our accomplishments this past year.
(5) Community Involvement was created to provide additional support to the municipal departments that serve our
community. (6) As pseudo-employees of the city, our volunteers help maintain the parks and gardens, staff local poll sites,
plan holiday observances, and they promote a variety of cultural entertainments. (7) In the past year, for example,
volunteers repaired the bandstand in Central Park, created new signage identifying the city limits, planted flower beds in
front of the civic center, and served food at the pre-Thanksgiving luncheon for city employees. (8) Time does not permit me
to acknowledge the many other contributions our volunteers have made.
(9) On this occasion, we take the opportunity to pay tribute to an individual who has made a noteworthy
contribution to the programs we sponsor. (10) As president-elect for the coming year, it is my happy duty to announce that
tonight we honor Felicity Landford. (11) In recognition of her dedicated service to the civic and cultural-affairs committees,
the governing board is pleased to issue the following proclamation.
(12) "Whereas, Felicity Landford has worked tirelessly in the past year to schedule lectures at the library, by
coordinating the events for our annual summer festival, and in the creation of a programming partnership with neighboring
communities, therefore, be it resolved that we proclaim Felicity Landford to be Volunteer of the Year and to receive a
modest token of our appreciation.
(13) Signed: The governing board of Community Involvement."
(14) I should mention that Felicity will receive a copy of the proclamation at a special ceremony to be held
tomorrow afternoon in the meeting room of the senior center. (15) Those of you who are able to attend the ceremony are
cordially invited to do so.
(16) In closing, allow me to thank all of you again for your accomplishments this past year. (17) I trust that in the
coming year you will continue the good work to which you have dedicated yourselves. (18) As for the remainder of this
evening, chow down on a well-earned dinner, and enjoy the pleasurable company of your fellow volunteers.
31. Rewording the beginning of sentence 3 to read, "I especially want to welcome …" would
a. mock the new members.
b. make the welcome sound less formal.
c. spoil the celebratory mood of the occasion.
d. draw unnecessary attention to the new members.
32. Which two words in the second paragraph need to be joined by a hyphen?
a. special-welcome
b. new-volunteers
c. many-services
d. twenty-four
33. In sentence 6, the word pseudo-employees is an example of
a. overly formal language.
b. confusing technical jargon.
c. the speaker's attempt to flatter his audience.
d. a new word created by joining a prefix to an existing word.
34. Deleting the word they in sentence 6 would
a. correct an error in the parallel structure of the sentence.
b.
interrupt the smooth flow of the description of services.
c. obscure the main idea expressed in the sentence.
d. make the sentence sound less informal.
35. The word pre-Thanksgiving in sentence 7
a. should be connected to the word luncheon with a hyphen.
b. should be connected with a dash.
c. should be two separate words.
d.
is correctly hyphenated.
36. Which sentence in the third paragraph provides the best example of parallel structure?
a. sentence 5
b. sentence 6
c. sentence 7
d. sentence 8
37. The word president-elect in sentence 10 is an example of
a. a compound word
b.
incorrect hyphen usage.
c. domain-specific vocabulary.
d. complex and confusing syntax.
38. In sentence 11, the two compounds modifying the word committees are incorrectly hyphenated. Which revision
corrects the error?
a. civic and cultural affairs committees
b. civic– and cultural affairs committees
c. civic and cultural–affairs–committees
d. civic– and cultural–affairs committees
39. The use of the word Whereas and the phrase "therefore, be it resolved" in sentence 12 are examples of
a. vivid imagery.
b. faulty parallel structure.
c. appropriate formal style.
d. humorous exaggeration.
40. What would be an effective way to use parallel structure to improve the awkward wording in sentence 12?
a. to schedule lectures at the library, to coordinate the events for our annual summer festival, and to create a
programming partnership with neighboring communities
b. to schedule lectures at the library, by coordinating the events for our annual summer festival, and creating
a programming partnership with neighboring communities
c. scheduling lectures at the library, by coordinating the events for our annual summer festival, and to create
a programming partnership with neighboring communities
d. scheduling lectures at the library, coordinating the events for our annual summer festival, and in the
creation of a programming partnership with neighboring communities
41. Which revision best eliminates a jarringly informal element in the last sentence of the speech?
a. … dig into a well-earned dinner.
b. … don't be shy about enjoying a well-earned dinner.
c. … relax and enjoy the pleasurable company of fellow volunteers.
d. … enjoy a well-earned dinner and the pleasurable company of fellow volunteers.
42. The hyphen in the word well-earned in the last sentence of the speech
a.
joins parts of a compound modifier before a noun.
b. helps clarify the meaning of the noun dinner.
c.
is considered optional in informal writing.
d.
is an example of incorrect hyphen use.
Commonly Confused Words
Choose the word that best fits into the sentence below:
43. Sharon will turn in her application _____ next Friday.
a. Buy
b. Bye
c. By
d. No answer text provided.
44. He really wanted to _____ a new video game console but could not afford it yet.
a. Buy
b. Bye
c. By
d. No answer text provided.
45. Susan needed to say _____ to Alan before leaving because she wouldn't see him for a few more months.
a. Buy
b. Bye
c. By
d. No answer text provided.
46. Although Nora and Steve don't have a lot in common, _____ still really good friends.
a. There
b. Their
c. they're
d. No answer text provided.
47. Because _____ were no more courts available, Dante had to wait over an hour to play tennis.
a. There
b. Their
c. they're
d. No answer text provided.
48. The dancers let Sasha borrow _____ tap shoes so she could practice before the show.
a. There
b. Their
c. they're
d. No answer text provided.
49. _____ going to be very angry when you find out what happened to your car.
a. You're
b. Your
c. No answer text provided.
d. No answer text provided.
50. Go get _____ shoes on so we can get to the party on time.
a. You're
b. Your
c. No answer text provided.
d. No answer text provided.
Directions Read the following poem. Then answer questions 1-9 on your final in Galileo.
To the Fringed Gentian (1)
by William Cullen Bryant
1
Thou blossom bright with autumn dew,
And colored with the heaven's own blue,
That openest when the quiet light
Succeeds the keen and frosty night.
5
Thou comest not when violets lean
O'er wandering brooks and springs unseen,
Or columbines, in purple dressed,
Nod o'er the ground-bird's hidden nest.
10
Thou waitest late and com'st alone,
When woods are bare and birds are flown,
And frosts and shortening days portend
The aged year is near his end.
15
Then doth thy sweet and quiet eye
Look through its fringes to the sky,
Blue-blue-as if that sky let fall
A flower from its cerulean wall.
20
I would that thus, when I shall see
The hour of death draw near to me,
Hope, blossoming within my heart,
May look to heaven as I depart.
________________
(1) fringed gentian: North American plant with bright blue, open, bell-shaped flowers.
1.
What is the topic of "To the Fringed Gentian"?
a. Death
b. Change
c. Heaven
d. Gardening
2. What is the point of view in "To the Fringed Gentian"?
a. First Person
b. Second Person
c. Third Person- omniscient
d. Third Person- limited
3. What is the effect of the repetition of the word Thou in lines 1, 5, and 10?
a.
It reinforces the despair expressed by the speaker
b.
It distracts the reader from the subject of the poem.
c.
It indicates a third-person-omniscient point of view.
d.
It focuses attention on the flower the speaker addresses.
4. From information in stanza 3, it can be inferred that fringed gentians bloom
a. at night.
b.
in the fall.
c. with violets.
d.
in the spring.
5. What does the word thy in line 15 and the words thus and I in line 20 signal about point of view?
a. a shift to second-person narration
b. a change in attitude about the subject
c. a comparison between the flower and the speaker
d. a revelation of the speaker's feelings about the flower
6. What is the theme of "To the Fringed Gentian"?
a. the joy that the flowers of summer can inspire
b. the desire to approach the afterlife with hope
c. a celebration of nature in the countryside
d. a love of beauty in the natural world
Succeed (v), 1 [to achieve; to be successful] prosper, fulfill, do well, profit, triumph, be victorious, surmount, prevail. Ant.
fail, go awry, fall short. 2 [to follow] come after, ensue, supplant, replace, supersede, postdate.
7. What is the most likely meaning of succeeds as it is used in line 4 of "To the Fringed Gentian"?
a. Achieves
b. Prospers
c. Follows
d. Fails
8. A related form of succeeds is
a. Supercede
b. Success
c. Surmount
d. Succotash
9. Which synonym would best serve as a substitute for succeeds as it is used in line 4 of "To the Fringed Gentian"?
a. Fulfills
b. Profits
c. Prevails
d. Replaces
Directions Read the following poem. Then answer questions 10-15 on your final in Galileo.
Old Ironsides (1)
by Oliver Wendell Holmes
1
Ay, tear her tattered ensign(2) down!
Long has it waved on high,
And many an eye has danced to see
That banner in the sky;
5
Beneath it rung the battle shout,
And burst the cannon's roar;—
The meteor of the ocean air
Shall sweep the clouds no more!
Her deck, once red with heroes' blood
10
Where knelt the vanquished foe,
When winds were hurrying o'er the flood
And waves were white below,
No more shall feel the victor's tread,
Or know the conquered knee;—
15
The harpies(3) of the shore shall pluck
The eagle of the sea!
O, better that her shattered hulk
Should sink beneath the wave;
Her thunders shook the mighty deep,
20
And there should be her grave;
Nail to the mast her holy flag,
Set every thread-bare sail,
And give her to the god of storms,—
The lightning and the gale!
________________
(1) Old Ironsides: Nickname of the Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship of any navy in the world. It won a major battle against the British
during the War of 1812. During the battle, a sailor noticed ammunition from British guns bouncing off the sturdy sides of the wooden ship and
proclaimed that the ship had sides of iron. In 1830, the U.S. Navy declared the ship unseaworthy and ordered it to be destroyed. Holmes's poem
galvanized public sentiment. As a result, the ship was rebuilt and restored to services. Today it is docked in Charleston Navy Yard in Boston.
(2) ensign: a flag or banner, as a military or naval standard used to indicate nationality.
(2) harpies: ravenous, animals; greedy, predatory people; plunderers.
10. The imagery in lines 3–4, 9–10, 13–14, and 21–22 is intended to provoke what kind of emotional response from
readers?
a. Joy
b. Sadness
c. mixed emotions
d. patriotic feelings
11. In what way do the imperative verbs tear (line 1), nail (line 21), set (line 22), and give (line 23) communicate point
of view?
a. They describe the maneuvers of the ship's crew.
b. They describe actions the Navy plans to implement.
c. They express the sentiments of the speaker in the poem.
d. They indicate the contempt that the "harpies of the shore" have for the ship.
12. It can be inferred that the "harpies of the shore" in line 15 are
a. ravenous birds of prey that have followed the ship.
b. the individuals who ordered the dismantling of the ship.
c. dock workers who have been assigned to repair the ship.
d. special-interest groups protesting the planned demise of the ship.
13. In the last stanza, the speaker argues that the ship would be better off if it were
a. dismantled for scrap.
b. recommissioned for duty.
c. At the bottom of the ocean.
d. under private management.
14. The speaker's concluding suggestion in the last stanza
a.
is a bitter condemnation of the Navy.
b. reflects his true feelings about the ship.
c. contradicts the ideas expressed in the rest of the poem.
d.
is a harsh overstatement intended to draw public support.
15. What is the theme of "Old Ironsides"?
a. The planned dismantling of Old Ironsides is an insult to its glorious history.
b. The deterioration of Old Ironsides was inevitable in view of its sad history.
c. Warships are no match for the power of mighty nature on the open seas.
d. Warships that have outlived their usefulness are expendable.
Directions Read the following selection. Then answer questions 16-30 on your final in Galileo.
The following excerpt is from The Federalist Papers, a series of essays written in support of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution by
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.
from The Federalist No. 14
by James Madison
1
As the natural limit of a democracy is that distance from the central point which will just permit the most remote
citizens to assemble as often as their public functions demand, and will include no greater number than can join in those
functions; so the natural limit of a republic is that distance from the centre which will barely allow the representatives to
meet as often as may be necessary for the administration of public affairs. Can it be said that the limits of the United States
exceed this distance? It will not be said by those who recollect that the Atlantic coast is the longest side of the Union, that
during the term of thirteen years, the representatives of the States have been almost continually assembled, and that the
members from the most distant States are not chargeable with greater intermissions(1) of attendance than those from the
States in the neighborhood of Congress.
2
That we may form a juster estimate with regard to this interesting subject, let us resort to the actual dimensions of
the Union. The limits, as fixed by the treaty of peace, are: on the east the Atlantic, on the south the latitude of thirty-one
degrees, on the west the Mississippi, and on the north an irregular line running in some instances beyond the forty-fifth
degree, in others falling as low as the forty-second. The southern shore of Lake Erie lies below that latitude. Computing the
distance between the thirty-first and forty-fifth degrees, it amounts to nine hundred and seventy-three common miles;
computing it from thirty-one to forty-two degrees, to seven hundred and sixty-four miles and a half. Taking the mean for
the distance, the amount will be eight hundred and sixty-eight miles and three-fourths. The mean distance from the
Atlantic to the Mississippi does not probably exceed seven hundred and fifty miles. On a comparison of this extent with that
of several countries in Europe, the practicability of rendering our system commensurate to it appears to be demonstrable.
It is not a great deal larger than Germany, where a diet(2) representing the whole empire is continually assembled; or than
Poland before the late dismemberment, where another national diet was the depositary of the supreme power. Passing by
France and Spain, we find that in Great Britain, inferior as it may be in size, the representatives of the northern extremity of
the island have as far to travel to the national council as will be required of those of the most remote parts of the Union.
3
In the first place it is to be remembered that the general government is not to be charged with the whole power of
making and administering laws. Its jurisdiction is limited to certain enumerated objects, which concern all the members of
the republic, but which are not to be attained by the separate provisions of any. The subordinate governments, which can
extend their care to all those other subjects which can be separately provided for, will retain their due authority and
activity. Were it proposed by the plan of the convention to abolish the governments of the particular States, its adversaries
would have some ground for their objection; though it would not be difficult to show that if they were abolished the
general government would be compelled, by the principle of self-preservation, to reinstate them in their proper
jurisdiction.
4
A second observation to be made is that the immediate object of the federal Constitution is to secure the union of
the thirteen primitive States, which we know to be practicable(3); and to add to them such other States as may arise in
their own bosoms, or in their neighborhoods, which we cannot doubt to be equally practicable. The arrangements that may
be necessary for those angles and fractions of our territory which lie on our northwestern frontier, must be left to those
whom further discoveries and experience will render more equal to the task.
5
Let it be remarked, in the third place, that the intercourse throughout the Union will be facilitated by new
improvements. Roads will everywhere be shortened, and kept in better order; accommodations for travelers will be
multiplied and meliorated(4); an interior navigation on our eastern side will be opened throughout, or nearly throughout,
the whole extent of the thirteen States. The communication between the Western and Atlantic districts, and between
different parts of each, will be rendered more and more easy by those numerous canals with which the beneficence of
nature has intersected our country, and which art finds it so little difficult to connect and complete.
6
A fourth and still more important consideration is, that as almost every State will, on one side or other, be a
frontier, and will thus find, in regard to its safety, an inducement to make some sacrifices for the sake of the general
protection; so the States which lie at the greatest distance
from the heart of the Union, and which, of course, may partake least of the ordinary circulation of its benefits, will be at the
same time immediately contiguous(5) to foreign nations, and will consequently stand, on particular occasions, in greatest
need of its strength and resources. It may be inconvenient for Georgia, or the States forming our western or northeastern
borders, to send their representatives to the seat of government; but they would find it more so to struggle alone against
an invading enemy, or even to support alone the whole expense of those precautions which may be dictated by the
neighborhood of continual danger. If they should derive less benefit, therefore, from the Union in some respects than the
less distant States, they will derive greater benefit from it in other respects, and thus the proper equilibrium will be
maintained throughout.
7
I submit to you, my fellow-citizens, these considerations, in full confidence that the good sense which has so often
marked your decisions will allow them their due weight and effect; and that you will never suffer difficulties, however
formidable in appearance, or however fashionable the error on which they may be founded, to drive you into the gloomy
and perilous scene into which the advocates for disunion would conduct you. Hearken not to the unnatural voice which tells
you that the people of America, knit together as they are by so many cords of affection, can no longer live together as
members of the same family; can no longer continue the mutual guardians of their mutual happiness; can no longer be
fellow citizens of one great, respectable, and flourishing empire. Hearken not to the voice which petulantly tells you that
the form of government recommended for your adoption is a novelty in the political world; that it has never yet had a place
in the theories of the wildest projectors; that it rashly attempts what it is impossible to accomplish. No, my countrymen,
shut your ears against this unhallowed language. Shut your hearts against the poison which it conveys; the kindred blood
which flows in the veins of American citizens, the mingled blood which they have shed in defense of their sacred rights,
consecrate their Union, and excite horror at the idea of their becoming aliens, rivals, enemies. And if novelties are to be
shunned, believe me, the most alarming of all novelties, the most wild of all projects, the most rash of all attempts, is that
of rendering us in pieces, in order to preserve our liberties and promote our happiness. But why is the experiment of an
extended republic to be rejected, merely because it may comprise what is new? Is it not the glory of the people of America,
that, whilst they have paid a decent regard to the opinions of former times and other nations, they have not suffered a
blind veneration(6) for antiquity, for custom, or for names, to overrule the suggestions of their own good sense, the
knowledge of their own situation, and the lessons of their own experience? To this manly spirit, posterity will be indebted
for the possession, and the world for the example, of the numerous innovations displayed on the American theatre, in favor
of private rights and public happiness. Had no important step been taken by the leaders of the Revolution for which a
precedent could not be discovered, no government established of which an exact model did not present itself, the people
of the United States might, at this moment have been numbered among the melancholy victims of misguided councils,
must at best have been laboring under the weight of some of those forms which have crushed the liberties of the rest of
mankind. Happily for America, happily, we trust, for the whole human race, they pursued a new and more noble course.
They accomplished a revolution which has no parallel in the annals of human society. They reared the fabrics of
governments which have no model on the face of the globe. They formed the design of a great Confederacy, which it is
incumbent on their successors to improve and perpetuate. If their works betray imperfections, we wonder at the fewness
of them. If they erred most in the structure of the Union, this was the work most difficult to be executed; this is the work
which has been new modelled by the act of your convention, and it is that act on which you are now to deliberate and to
decide.
________________
1 intermissions: absences.
2 diet: legislature.
3 practicable: feasible.
4 meliorated: (a variant form of ameliorated) improved.
5 contiguous: next to.
6 veneration: respect.
16. In the first sentence of the essay, as and so are transition words that signal
a. the advantages of a democracy over a republic.
b. the similarities between a democracy and a republic.
c. a cause-effect relationship between a democracy and a republic.
d. a comparison of the limits of a democracy to the limits of a republic.
17. In paragraph 1, Madison supports his claim that America is within the limits necessary for forming a republic with
a. misleading evidence.
b. three interrelated reasons.
c. examples taken from antiquity.
d. a comparison of a democracy to a republic.
18. The facts and figures in paragraph 2 relating to the size of the Union
a. are an irrelevant distraction in the essay.
b. refute the argument presented in paragraph 1.
c. prove that a democracy would better serve the Union.
d. provide additional support for the argument in paragraph 1.
19. In paragraph 3, Madison argues that the general government created by the new constitution would
not have "the whole power of making and administering laws” in order to
a. affirm that a representative form of government is superior to a direct democracy.
b. refute counterarguments that the constitution would strip the states of powers.
c. acknowledge the weaknesses of the proposed new constitution.
d. point out that the new constitution was a work in progress.
20. Madison uses parallel structure in paragraph 5 in the form of passive voice verb phrases that begin with "will be" in
order to
a. connect his claim to supporting evidence.
b. point out the dangers of advocating disunion.
c. undercut the points being made in the paragraph.
d. distract from the inconsistencies in his argument.
21. Madison's argument in paragraph 6 that a proper equilibrium of benefits would be maintained within the Union is
based on what premise?
a. no state would allow another state to enjoy benefits denied to it
b. every state would share a boundary with a hostile foreign nation
c. no state would make unreasonable demands on the central government for benefits
d. every state would enjoy greater benefits in some respects and lesser benefits in others
22. In paragraphs 3–6, Madison structures the support for defending the viability of a unified republic with
a. a series of numbered points.
b. reasons arranged chronologically.
c. a series of pro and con statements.
d. comparisons to other forms of government.
23. What is the main purpose of paragraph 7?
a. to warn readers to be wary of the novelty of forming a republic
b. to ridicule the arguments presented by individuals who favor disunion
c. to encourage readers to give consideration to the preceding arguments
d. to present arguments opposed to adopting the proposed new constitution
24. With the sentences "… shut your ears against this unhallowed language. Shut your hearts against the poison which
it conveys" in paragraph 7, Madison employs parallel structure and repetition to persuade readers to reject the idea
that
a. a unified republic is possible.
b. a union of the states should be tolerated.
c. the people of America are bound by cords of affection.
d. the people of America can no longer be part of one great republic.
25. The rhetorical question in paragraph 7 that begins "Is it not the glory of the people of America …" is intended to
persuade readers that Americans
a. respect and admire the opinions of other nations.
b. have a poor understanding of the political opinions of other countries.
c. do not allow their respect for the ways of other nations to overrule their own ideas.
d. should model their own political practices on the lessons learned from other countries.
26. What tone is conveyed in the sentence that begins "Happily for America …" in paragraph 7?
a. Relieved
b. Somber
c. Patriotic
d. Satirical
27. Madison's conclusion at the end of the essay is based on the premise that
a. the confederacy formed by the leaders of the Revolution needs to be improved.
b. the confederacy formed by the leaders of the Revolution was perfect.
c. the leaders of the Revolution were seriously misguided in their efforts.
d. the proposed new constitution is a danger to the stability of the union.
For the next THREE questions, use context clues and your knowledge of specialized vocabulary to answer the following questions
about political words in The Federalist No. 14.
28. What is the most likely meaning of council as it is used in paragraph 2?
a. a club
b. a legislative body
c. a consulting group
d. a local chapter of an organization
29. What is the most likely meaning of jurisdiction as it is used in paragraph 3?
a.
legal judgment
b. territorial limits
c.
legislative power
d. area of expertise
30. What is the most likely meaning of Confederacy as it is used in paragraph 7?
a. the body formed by people united in a common purpose
b. the southern states that seceded from the United States
c. a conspiracy organized for unlawful purposes
d. a conference of eminent scholars
Revising and Editing Directions
Read the speech and answer questions 31-42 on your final in Galileo.
(1) Welcome to our annual Community Involvement appreciation dinner. (2) On behalf of the governing board, I
want to thank all of you for donating your time and resources so generously to the various programs we implement.
(3) It is appropriate also to issue a special welcome to the twenty four new volunteers we gained this year. (4) Allow
me to take time to acquaint you new members with some of the many services provided by our organization and to briefly
summarize a few of our accomplishments this past year.
(5) Community Involvement was created to provide additional support to the municipal departments that serve our
community. (6) As pseudo-employees of the city, our volunteers help maintain the parks and gardens, staff local poll sites,
plan holiday observances, and they promote a variety of cultural entertainments. (7) In the past year, for example,
volunteers repaired the bandstand in Central Park, created new signage identifying the city limits, planted flower beds in
front of the civic center, and served food at the pre-Thanksgiving luncheon for city employees. (8) Time does not permit me
to acknowledge the many other contributions our volunteers have made.
(9) On this occasion, we take the opportunity to pay tribute to an individual who has made a noteworthy
contribution to the programs we sponsor. (10) As president-elect for the coming year, it is my happy duty to announce that
tonight we honor Felicity Landford. (11) In recognition of her dedicated service to the civic and cultural-affairs committees,
the governing board is pleased to issue the following proclamation.
(12) "Whereas, Felicity Landford has worked tirelessly in the past year to schedule lectures at the library, by
coordinating the events for our annual summer festival, and in the creation of a programming partnership with neighboring
communities, therefore, be it resolved that we proclaim Felicity Landford to be Volunteer of the Year and to receive a
modest token of our appreciation.
(13) Signed: The governing board of Community Involvement."
(14) I should mention that Felicity will receive a copy of the proclamation at a special ceremony to be held
tomorrow afternoon in the meeting room of the senior center. (15) Those of you who are able to attend the ceremony are
cordially invited to do so.
(16) In closing, allow me to thank all of you again for your accomplishments this past year. (17) I trust that in the
coming year you will continue the good work to which you have dedicated yourselves. (18) As for the remainder of this
evening, chow down on a well-earned dinner, and enjoy the pleasurable company of your fellow volunteers.
31. Rewording the beginning of sentence 3 to read, "I especially want to welcome …" would
a. mock the new members.
b. make the welcome sound less formal.
c. spoil the celebratory mood of the occasion.
d. draw unnecessary attention to the new members.
32. Which two words in the second paragraph need to be joined by a hyphen?
a. special-welcome
b. new-volunteers
c. many-services
d. twenty-four
33. In sentence 6, the word pseudo-employees is an example of
a. overly formal language.
b. confusing technical jargon.
c. the speaker's attempt to flatter his audience.
d. a new word created by joining a prefix to an existing word.
34. Deleting the word they in sentence 6 would
a. correct an error in the parallel structure of the sentence.
b.
interrupt the smooth flow of the description of services.
c. obscure the main idea expressed in the sentence.
d. make the sentence sound less informal.
35. The word pre-Thanksgiving in sentence 7
a. should be connected to the word luncheon with a hyphen.
b. should be connected with a dash.
c. should be two separate words.
d.
is correctly hyphenated.
36. Which sentence in the third paragraph provides the best example of parallel structure?
a. sentence 5
b. sentence 6
c. sentence 7
d. sentence 8
37. The word president-elect in sentence 10 is an example of
a. a compound word
b.
incorrect hyphen usage.
c. domain-specific vocabulary.
d. complex and confusing syntax.
38. In sentence 11, the two compounds modifying the word committees are incorrectly hyphenated. Which revision
corrects the error?
a. civic and cultural affairs committees
b. civic– and cultural affairs committees
c. civic and cultural–affairs–committees
d. civic– and cultural–affairs committees
39. The use of the word Whereas and the phrase "therefore, be it resolved" in sentence 12 are examples of
a. vivid imagery.
b. faulty parallel structure.
c. appropriate formal style.
d. humorous exaggeration.
40. What would be an effective way to use parallel structure to improve the awkward wording in sentence 12?
a. to schedule lectures at the library, to coordinate the events for our annual summer festival, and to create a
programming partnership with neighboring communities
b. to schedule lectures at the library, by coordinating the events for our annual summer festival, and creating
a programming partnership with neighboring communities
c. scheduling lectures at the library, by coordinating the events for our annual summer festival, and to create
a programming partnership with neighboring communities
d. scheduling lectures at the library, coordinating the events for our annual summer festival, and in the
creation of a programming partnership with neighboring communities
41. Which revision best eliminates a jarringly informal element in the last sentence of the speech?
a. … dig into a well-earned dinner.
b. … don't be shy about enjoying a well-earned dinner.
c. … relax and enjoy the pleasurable company of fellow volunteers.
d. … enjoy a well-earned dinner and the pleasurable company of fellow volunteers.
42. The hyphen in the word well-earned in the last sentence of the speech
a.
joins parts of a compound modifier before a noun.
b. helps clarify the meaning of the noun dinner.
c.
is considered optional in informal writing.
d.
is an example of incorrect hyphen use.
Commonly Confused Words
Choose the word that best fits into the sentence below:
43. Sharon will turn in her application _____ next Friday.
a. Buy
b. Bye
c. By
d. No answer text provided.
44. He really wanted to _____ a new video game console but could not afford it yet.
a. Buy
b. Bye
c. By
d. No answer text provided.
45. Susan needed to say _____ to Alan before leaving because she wouldn't see him for a few more months.
a. Buy
b. Bye
c. By
d. No answer text provided.
46. Although Nora and Steve don't have a lot in common, _____ still really good friends.
a. There
b. Their
c. they're
d. No answer text provided.
47. Because _____ were no more courts available, Dante had to wait over an hour to play tennis.
a. There
b. Their
c. they're
d. No answer text provided.
48. The dancers let Sasha borrow _____ tap shoes so she could practice before the show.
a. There
b. Their
c. they're
d. No answer text provided.
49. _____ going to be very angry when you find out what happened to your car.
a. You're
b. Your
c. No answer text provided.
d. No answer text provided.
50. Go get _____ shoes on so we can get to the party on time.
a. You're
b. Your
c. No answer text provided.
d. No answer text provided.