ACT National July Administration: Comprehensive
Advanced Practice Examination a well detailed one
written and graded A+ upgraded
Comprehensive Advanced Practice Examination for
the Enhanced ACT (National July Administration)
— 150 High-Difficulty Multiple-Choice Questions
Covering English, Mathematics, Reading, and
Optional Science Sections with Detailed Answer
Explanations and Rationales for Optimal Test
Preparation
SECTION 1: ENGLISH TEST (Questions 1–38)
Passage Context (Questions 1–5): The following passage is adapted from a student essay about
urban planning.
The modern city presents a unique set of challenges for urban planners. (1) Planners must
balance the competing demands of economic development, environmental sustainability, and
social equity. The traditional approach to city planning, which prioritized automobile traffic
above all else, has (2) lead to sprawling suburbs, congested highways, and degraded air quality.
,In recent decades, however, a new paradigm has emerged. (3) This paradigm, known as "smart
growth," emphasizes walkable neighborhoods, public transportation, and mixed-use
development. Cities that have adopted these principles, such as Portland and Vancouver, have
(4) seen remarkable improvements in quality of life indicators. Yet implementing these changes
(5) is not without its challenges; community opposition, funding constraints, and political inertia
often impede progress.
Question 1
Which choice most effectively combines the underlined sentences at (1) while maintaining the
original meaning?
A) Planners must balance the competing demands of economic development, environmental
sustainability, and social equity, which is a challenge.
B) Planners, balancing the competing demands of economic development, environmental
sustainability, and social equity, must do so.
C) Planners must balance the competing demands of economic development, environmental
sustainability, and social equity.
D) The competing demands of economic development, environmental sustainability, and social
equity must be balanced by planners.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Option C is the most concise and effective revision. The original sentences are
already clear and complete; combining them unnecessarily adds wordiness or changes the
emphasis. Options A and B introduce redundancy, while D uses passive voice, which is generally
less direct and effective in formal writing.
Question 2
A) NO CHANGE
B) leaded
C) led
D) leading
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The verb "has" requires the past participle form of "lead," which is "led." "Lead"
(present tense) and "leaded" are incorrect forms. "Leading" would create a participial phrase
without a main verb.
,Question 3
The writer is considering deleting the underlined sentence. Should the sentence be kept or
deleted?
A) Kept, because it provides a necessary definition of the term introduced in the previous
sentence.
B) Kept, because it offers a specific example of the new paradigm.
C) Deleted, because it repeats information already stated earlier in the passage.
D) Deleted, because it introduces a tangent unrelated to the main argument.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The sentence defines "smart growth," a term introduced but not explained in the
previous sentence. This definition is essential for readers to understand the subsequent
discussion of cities that adopted these principles.
Question 4
A) NO CHANGE
B) had saw
C) have seen
D) were seeing
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: "Have seen" is the correct present perfect form, indicating an action that began in
the past and continues to have relevance. "Seen" is already the past participle; "had saw" is
grammatically incorrect, and "were seeing" suggests an ongoing action rather than a completed
observation.
Question 5
A) NO CHANGE
B) challenges; community
C) challenges, community
D) challenges: community
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: A semicolon correctly separates two independent clauses: "implementing these
changes is not without its challenges" and "community opposition, funding constraints, and
political inertia often impede progress." A comma would create a comma splice, and a colon is
inappropriate as the second clause does not directly explain or enumerate the first.
Question 6
Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion would be LEAST acceptable?
The committee's recommendation was predicated on the assumption that funding would be
available.
A) based on
B) contingent upon
C) dependent on
D) irrelevant to
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: "Predicated on" means "based on" or "dependent upon." Options A, B, and C are all
synonymous with this meaning. Option D ("irrelevant to") directly contradicts the meaning of
the original phrase.
Question 7
Although the experiment yielded unexpected results, the researchers were nonplussed by the
outcome.
A) NO CHANGE
B) perplexed
C) untroubled
D) excited
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: "Nonplussed" is commonly misused; its correct meaning is "unperturbed" or
"untroubled." In context, the word "Although" sets up a contrast: unexpected results should
cause concern, but the researchers were untroubled.
Question 8
Each of the students are required to submit their project by Friday.
Advanced Practice Examination a well detailed one
written and graded A+ upgraded
Comprehensive Advanced Practice Examination for
the Enhanced ACT (National July Administration)
— 150 High-Difficulty Multiple-Choice Questions
Covering English, Mathematics, Reading, and
Optional Science Sections with Detailed Answer
Explanations and Rationales for Optimal Test
Preparation
SECTION 1: ENGLISH TEST (Questions 1–38)
Passage Context (Questions 1–5): The following passage is adapted from a student essay about
urban planning.
The modern city presents a unique set of challenges for urban planners. (1) Planners must
balance the competing demands of economic development, environmental sustainability, and
social equity. The traditional approach to city planning, which prioritized automobile traffic
above all else, has (2) lead to sprawling suburbs, congested highways, and degraded air quality.
,In recent decades, however, a new paradigm has emerged. (3) This paradigm, known as "smart
growth," emphasizes walkable neighborhoods, public transportation, and mixed-use
development. Cities that have adopted these principles, such as Portland and Vancouver, have
(4) seen remarkable improvements in quality of life indicators. Yet implementing these changes
(5) is not without its challenges; community opposition, funding constraints, and political inertia
often impede progress.
Question 1
Which choice most effectively combines the underlined sentences at (1) while maintaining the
original meaning?
A) Planners must balance the competing demands of economic development, environmental
sustainability, and social equity, which is a challenge.
B) Planners, balancing the competing demands of economic development, environmental
sustainability, and social equity, must do so.
C) Planners must balance the competing demands of economic development, environmental
sustainability, and social equity.
D) The competing demands of economic development, environmental sustainability, and social
equity must be balanced by planners.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Option C is the most concise and effective revision. The original sentences are
already clear and complete; combining them unnecessarily adds wordiness or changes the
emphasis. Options A and B introduce redundancy, while D uses passive voice, which is generally
less direct and effective in formal writing.
Question 2
A) NO CHANGE
B) leaded
C) led
D) leading
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The verb "has" requires the past participle form of "lead," which is "led." "Lead"
(present tense) and "leaded" are incorrect forms. "Leading" would create a participial phrase
without a main verb.
,Question 3
The writer is considering deleting the underlined sentence. Should the sentence be kept or
deleted?
A) Kept, because it provides a necessary definition of the term introduced in the previous
sentence.
B) Kept, because it offers a specific example of the new paradigm.
C) Deleted, because it repeats information already stated earlier in the passage.
D) Deleted, because it introduces a tangent unrelated to the main argument.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The sentence defines "smart growth," a term introduced but not explained in the
previous sentence. This definition is essential for readers to understand the subsequent
discussion of cities that adopted these principles.
Question 4
A) NO CHANGE
B) had saw
C) have seen
D) were seeing
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: "Have seen" is the correct present perfect form, indicating an action that began in
the past and continues to have relevance. "Seen" is already the past participle; "had saw" is
grammatically incorrect, and "were seeing" suggests an ongoing action rather than a completed
observation.
Question 5
A) NO CHANGE
B) challenges; community
C) challenges, community
D) challenges: community
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: A semicolon correctly separates two independent clauses: "implementing these
changes is not without its challenges" and "community opposition, funding constraints, and
political inertia often impede progress." A comma would create a comma splice, and a colon is
inappropriate as the second clause does not directly explain or enumerate the first.
Question 6
Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion would be LEAST acceptable?
The committee's recommendation was predicated on the assumption that funding would be
available.
A) based on
B) contingent upon
C) dependent on
D) irrelevant to
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: "Predicated on" means "based on" or "dependent upon." Options A, B, and C are all
synonymous with this meaning. Option D ("irrelevant to") directly contradicts the meaning of
the original phrase.
Question 7
Although the experiment yielded unexpected results, the researchers were nonplussed by the
outcome.
A) NO CHANGE
B) perplexed
C) untroubled
D) excited
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: "Nonplussed" is commonly misused; its correct meaning is "unperturbed" or
"untroubled." In context, the word "Although" sets up a contrast: unexpected results should
cause concern, but the researchers were untroubled.
Question 8
Each of the students are required to submit their project by Friday.
