QUESTIONS (READING)2026
(1) The Players, coming out of their various kitchen doors and hesitating for a minute to
button their coats or pull on their gloves, would see a landscape in which only a few
very old, weathered houses seemed to belong; it made their own homes look as
weightless and impermanent, as foolishly misplaced as a great many bright new toys
that had been left outdoors overnight and rained on. (2) Their automobiles didn't look
right either—unnecessarily wide and gleaming in the colors of candy and ice cream,
seeming to wince at each splatter of mud, they crawled apologetically down the broken
roads that led from all directions to the deep, level slab of Route Twelve. (3) Once there
the cars seemed able to relax in an environment all their own, a long bright valley of
colored plastic and plate glass and stainless steel—KING KONE, MOBILGAS,
SHOPORAMA, EAT—but eventually they had to turn of, one by one, and make their
way up th - ANSWERS
The contrasts the narrator draws in sentences 1 and 2 between the Players' homes and
the houses in the "landscape" and between the Players' automobiles and the "roads"
are most likely meant to suggest that the Players' homes and automobiles are? -
ANSWERSA. old and neglected
B. modern and alien
C. small but expensive
D. grand but unappreciated
answer: B. modern and alien
Based on the passage, which of the following most accurately characterizes the claim
that "there was plenty of time to smooth the thing out" (sentence 8)? - ANSWERSA. A
comforting falsehood that the Players know to be untrue B. An outright lie that the
director persuades the Players to accept
C. An optimistic conclusion reached by outside observers watching an early rehearsal
D. A realistic appraisal offered by the director after careful analysis of the play's
shortcomings
answer: A. a comforting falsehood that the Players know to be untrue
The descriptive language in sentence 10 is mainly intended to reinforce the passage's
depiction of the Players' - ANSWERSA. growing resentment of the director's leadership
B. increasing reluctance to work as hard as they have been
C. lingering doubts about their fellow cast members
D. persistent mood of despair regarding the play
answer: D. persistent mood of despair regarding the play
, The narrator most strongly suggests that which of the following resulted in the
transformation described in the last paragraph? - ANSWERSA. The change in time of
day during which rehearsals were being held
B. The greater frequency with which rehearsals were being scheduled
C. The shift in the director's style from strict to more forgiving D. The break in routine
occurring the day before the first performance
answer: D. the break in routine occurring the day before the first performance
The main purpose of the last paragraph of Passage 1 is to offer? - ANSWERSA.
criticism
B. justification
C. exemplification
D. comparison
answer: B. justification
Which conclusion can reasonably be drawn about the status of the "lawnbot" issue at
the time of the writing of Passage 2? - ANSWERSA. The manufacturer has received a
waiver to operate within the National Radio Quiet Zone.
B. The manufacturer has changed the wavelength at which the lawnbot's beacons
transmit.
C. Astronomers have succeeded in getting GPS devices added to each lawnbot.
D. The manufacturer and astronomers have yet to resolve their conflict.
answer: D. the manufacturer and astronomers have yet to resolve their conflict
Which choice best describes the relationship between the two passages? -
ANSWERSA. Passage 1 mainly discusses the National Radio Quiet Zone in general,
while Passage 2 mainly discusses a particular threat to the zone's integrity.
B. Passage 1 focuses on Green Bank, West Virginia, while Passage 2 focuses on the
National Radio Quiet Zone surrounding the town.
C. Passage 1 evaluates the drawbacks of the National Radio Quiet Zone, while
Passage 2 evaluates the benefits of the zone. D. Passage 1 offers praise for
astronomers, while Passage 2 offers criticism of astronomers.
answer: A. passage 1 mainly discusses the National Radio Quiet Zone in general, while
Passage 2 mainly discusses a particular threat to the zone's integrity
Given the evidence in the passages, with which statement would the authors of both
passages most likely agree? - ANSWERSA. Radio telescopes could be used to
measure snowfall amounts.
B. The Green Bank Telescope can detect extremely small amounts of energy.
C. Increased sales of robotic lawnmowers may require the creation of more radio quiet
zones.