QUESTION: 89 Topic Exam A: Section 1 (English)

DIRECTIONS: In the passage below, certain phrases are underlined and numbered <x>. The question will present alternatives for the underlined part. In most cases, you are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole. If you think the original version is the best, choose "NO CHANGE".

Batman

[§1] Pow! Bam! Zap! Batman triumphs again, foiling evil-doers like the Joker, Penguin, and Catwoman to save the citizens of Gotham City. This superhero created in 1939 and known worldwide, continues <1> to be one of the most popular comic strip characters ever created.

[§2] Batman was the brainchild of comic book artist Bob Kane. Who was <2> just 22 years old when he was asked to create a new superhero for DC Comics. Superman was a phenomenal success, and DC Comics wanted another hero, just as powerful, to appeal to its readers. Kane's idea for Batman reportedly came from Leonardo da Vinci's famous sketch of a man flying with bat-like wings <3> and the masked heroes of the Shadow and Zorro series.

[§3] Kane's Batman was a big success <4> right from the start. The masked hero soon moved from comic books to its own newspaper strip, and in 1943, Batman episodes were aired on the radio. In 1966, live-action Batman shows hit the TV screen, giving ABC network the ratings boost it badly needed. The series was wildly popular, and the syndicated show still airs today on channels such as the Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon.

[§4] Why was Batman so popular? The answer may lie in the background Kane gave his character. Batman is really Bruce Wayne, a millionaire who witnessed the murder of his parents as a child. He vowed to avenge their deaths and the bringing of criminals <5> to justice. He didn't have any supernatural powers. Instead, he devotes <6> his life to training his body and mind to fight crime and used his wealth to develop high-tech tools and weapons, like his famous Batmobile, to aid him in his quest. Thus <7> Kane created a superhero who is just as human as the rest of us, one who <8> suffered and has dedicated himself to righting wrongs. In Batman, Kane gave us an image of our own superhero potential.

The writer introduces the passage with "Pow! Bam! Zap!" This is most likely done to:

set a light-hearted, silly tone for the essay.
demonstrate the effect of onomatopoeia and exclamation points.
establish a connection to the topic of a comic book hero.
show that in Batman episodes, there was typically a lot of fighting.

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

The introduction uses a comic book convention to make a connection between topic and structure. The tone is light-hearted, but not silly. The introduction does demonstrate the effect of onomatopoeia and exclamation points, but it has a more meaningful purpose. It is not intended to show that there is a lot of fighting in a typical Batman episode, as this is not a theme of the essay.

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QUESTION: 90 Topic Exam A: Section 1 (English)

DIRECTIONS: In the passage below, certain phrases are underlined and numbered <x>. The question will present alternatives for the underlined part. In most cases, you are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole. If you think the original version is the best, choose "NO CHANGE".

Batman

[§1] Pow! Bam! Zap! Batman triumphs again, foiling evil-doers like the Joker, Penguin, and Catwoman to save the citizens of Gotham City. This superhero created in 1939 and known worldwide, continues <1> to be one of the most popular comic strip characters ever created.

[§2] Batman was the brainchild of comic book artist Bob Kane. Who was <2> just 22 years old when he was asked to create a new superhero for DC Comics. Superman was a phenomenal success, and DC Comics wanted another hero, just as powerful, to appeal to its readers. Kane's idea for Batman reportedly came from Leonardo da Vinci's famous sketch of a man flying with bat-like wings <3> and the masked heroes of the Shadow and Zorro series.

[§3] Kane's Batman was a big success <4> right from the start. The masked hero soon moved from comic books to its own newspaper strip, and in 1943, Batman episodes were aired on the radio. In 1966, live-action Batman shows hit the TV screen, giving ABC network the ratings boost it badly needed. The series was wildly popular, and the syndicated show still airs today on channels such as the Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon.

[§4] Why was Batman so popular? The answer may lie in the background Kane gave his character. Batman is really Bruce Wayne, a millionaire who witnessed the murder of his parents as a child. He vowed to avenge their deaths and the bringing of criminals <5> to justice. He didn't have any supernatural powers. Instead, he devotes <6> his life to training his body and mind to fight crime and used his wealth to develop high-tech tools and weapons, like his famous Batmobile, to aid him in his quest. Thus <7> Kane created a superhero who is just as human as the rest of us, one who <8> suffered and has dedicated himself to righting wrongs. In Batman, Kane gave us an image of our own superhero potential.

The author wishes to add the following sentence in order to show why people like Batman and provide readers with more information about the plot of a typical Batman episode:

People loved seeing Batman rush in and save the day whenever a villain threatened Gotham City.

In order to accomplish this goal, it would be most logical and appropriate to place this sentence:

at the end of paragraph 2.
after the first sentence in paragraph 3.
after the second sentence in paragraph 3.
at the end of paragraph 3.

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

In this spot the sentence follows the general statement that Batman was a success; since the sentence provides a reason why the show was successful, this is a logical place to insert it.

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QUESTION: 91 Topic Exam A: Section 1 (English)

DIRECTIONS: In the passage below, certain phrases are underlined and numbered <x>. The question will present alternatives for the underlined part. In most cases, you are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole. If you think the original version is the best, choose "NO CHANGE".

Haiti

[§1] Although my friends and family were skeptical of whether <1> I would be safe, I boarded the plane in New York boldly <2> and flew to Haiti. My college roommate had agreed to take medical supplies to a rural clinic where his brother was a physician, and I agreed to go and help.

[§2] When me and my roommate <3> landed at the airport in the capital Port au Prince, the chaos inside the airport was frightening. Dozens of men approached us while gesturing to our luggage, and yelling at us in Creole. They wanted us to select their taxis. I was thrilled <4> when my roommate smiled at someone who called our names through the crowd.

[§3] Papi, our designated transporter, was a Haitian man in his early twenties who works <5> for the physician. He warmly welcomed us to his country, and seemed to have a great sense of humor. <6> He laughed nonstop during our ride through the capital city. Once we were on the open highway, Papi taught us basic Creole greetings to pass the time during our excessively long four-hour commute. <7>

[§4] The mountainous town where we would spend the week was beautiful, and I immediately fell in love with the place and its people. The views rocked! <8> Even though I could not fluently speak Creole, I made the most of my time with the land and its inhabitants. Several daily tasks kept me busy that week. The medical clinic was a modest two-room building, and their <9> staff needed help reorganizing the supply pantry. I removed, counted, sorted, and restocked supplies, <10> before adding the additional resources we brought from the United States. After I cleaned and organized the supply pantry, I assisted a visiting nutritionist with distributing vitamins to the locals. <11>

[§5] Each evening, two dozen young children would sit on the porch where my roommate and I stayed. They laughed constantly, they <12> always found joy in the simplest of things. They did teach <13> us to count in Creole and read children's stories to us in French. They invited us to kick balls with them and chase yard chickens. Even though they did not have many toys, the children entertained one another with conversation, laughter and storytelling.

[§6] When it was time to leave Haiti and return to New York, I was sad to say goodbye. Although my roommate and I delivered medical supplies to their community, the people gave us memories that will last the rest of our lives. <14>

<1>:

NO CHANGE
convinced that
doubting the very likelihood
not worried at all that

Answer(s): A

Explanation:

A is the correct answer because of clarity and wordiness. B and D are incorrect because their answers do not fit with the context of the sentence. C is incorrect because the answer is wordy.

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QUESTION: 92 Topic Exam A: Section 1 (English)

DIRECTIONS: In the passage below, certain phrases are underlined and numbered <x>. The question will present alternatives for the underlined part. In most cases, you are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole. If you think the original version is the best, choose "NO CHANGE".

Haiti

[§1] Although my friends and family were skeptical of whether <1> I would be safe, I boarded the plane in New York boldly <2> and flew to Haiti. My college roommate had agreed to take medical supplies to a rural clinic where his brother was a physician, and I agreed to go and help.

[§2] When me and my roommate <3> landed at the airport in the capital Port au Prince, the chaos inside the airport was frightening. Dozens of men approached us while gesturing to our luggage, and yelling at us in Creole. They wanted us to select their taxis. I was thrilled <4> when my roommate smiled at someone who called our names through the crowd.

[§3] Papi, our designated transporter, was a Haitian man in his early twenties who works <5> for the physician. He warmly welcomed us to his country, and seemed to have a great sense of humor. <6> He laughed nonstop during our ride through the capital city. Once we were on the open highway, Papi taught us basic Creole greetings to pass the time during our excessively long four-hour commute. <7>

[§4] The mountainous town where we would spend the week was beautiful, and I immediately fell in love with the place and its people. The views rocked! <8> Even though I could not fluently speak Creole, I made the most of my time with the land and its inhabitants. Several daily tasks kept me busy that week. The medical clinic was a modest two-room building, and their <9> staff needed help reorganizing the supply pantry. I removed, counted, sorted, and restocked supplies, <10> before adding the additional resources we brought from the United States. After I cleaned and organized the supply pantry, I assisted a visiting nutritionist with distributing vitamins to the locals. <11>

[§5] Each evening, two dozen young children would sit on the porch where my roommate and I stayed. They laughed constantly, they <12> always found joy in the simplest of things. They did teach <13> us to count in Creole and read children's stories to us in French. They invited us to kick balls with them and chase yard chickens. Even though they did not have many toys, the children entertained one another with conversation, laughter and storytelling.

[§6] When it was time to leave Haiti and return to New York, I was sad to say goodbye. Although my roommate and I delivered medical supplies to their community, the people gave us memories that will last the rest of our lives. <14>

<2>:

NO CHANGE
(place before I)
(place before boarded)
(place before in)

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

C is the correct answer because of modifiers. A single word modifier is placed next to the word it modifies. A, B, and D are incorrect because the answers place the modifier in the incorrect position.

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QUESTION: 89 Topic Exam A: Section 1 (English)

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QUESTION: 90 Topic Exam A: Section 1 (English)

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QUESTION: 91 Topic Exam A: Section 1 (English)

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QUESTION: 92 Topic Exam A: Section 1 (English)

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