Test Prep ACT Test Exam
American College Testing: English, Math, Reading, Science, Writing (Page 27 )

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".

The Real McCoy

[§1] "It's the real McCoy." You might have heard this expression before, but who ­ or what ­ is a McCoy, real or otherwise? The saying has been used for generations to declare its' <1> the genuine article, the original and best. [A] While its origin is disputed, many people believe the expression was inspired by the inventions of a Canadian American engineer named, <2> Elijah McCoy. McCoy, a railroad worker who, as a teenager, had formally studied mechanical engineering, revolutionized railroad and factory operations, affecting both incredibly <3> with his dozens of patented products.

[§2] While working for the Michigan Central Railroad in the 1870s, then <4> McCoy was assigned to work on the wheel bearings and axles of trains. <5> Trains needed to come to a halt after only a few miles of travel so that the moving parts could be oiled by hand ­ a tedious, time-consuming process. McCoy invented a device that released oil while a train was in motion, substantially reducing the number <6> of maintenance stops had the effect of making <7> travel more efficient. [B] This automatic lubricating device became the first of his fifty- seven patents.

[§3] McCoy applied the principles of this invention to other engineering challenges. Factories in the late 1800s, for example, <8> increasingly relied on steam engines to power factory machines. As with trains, therefore <9> many of the machines' parts had to be oiled manually. McCoy, recognizing <10> the similarities between train wheels and factory machines, designed automated oilers for steam engines. These innovations allowed factories to give machines a certain timelessness, <11> increasing factory productivity and, as a result, profits.

<12>

[§4] McCoy's inventions were an instant success. [C] Not surprisingly, other inventors inundated the market with similar ­ and usually inferior ­ devices. [D] Supposedly, factory owners who wanted a product proven to do it <13> would ask if their purchase was "the real McCoy." McCoy's inventions would continue to benefit industries in the United States well into the twentieth century, as his name became synonymous with quality and authenticity. <14>

Which choice best concludes the essay by reiterating its main idea? <14>

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".

Rio de Janeiro

[§1] Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is a fantastic place to visit. It's alarming <1> that Rio is called the "Wonderful City." Beaches, mountains, and forests await its visitors, who can tour for days and still not experience everything the city has to offer. When I visit, I always have a great time with my boyfriend. <2> At the end of a busy day exploring nature, gloomy <3> travelers can unwind at one of the beachfront hotspots for coconut water and live samba music.

[§2] Rio's most famed attractions are Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer statue. However, <4> these destinations welcome over 2.8 million international tourists each year. Sugarloaf Mountain is located in the city's south zone right near to the vast Atlantic Ocean. <5> Its peak is at 1300 feet, and accessible by two cable cars that take less than five minutes to arrive. Visitors enjoy 360-degree panoramic views of Rio, and can shop or dine at several locations on the mountain.

[§3] (1) Christ the Redeemer stands on the Corcovado Mountain, recently named one of the new seven wonders of the world. (2) With arms outstretched, the concrete Christ was built between 1922 and 1931, to resemble embracing the people of Rio. (3) Millions of tourists recreate the attraction by taking photos on its pedestal with their own arms outstretched. (4) The statue's pedestal is over 26 feet high, while the statue itself is nearly 100 feet <6>

[§4] There are so many amazing sites to see! <7> Fort Copacabana is a military base and history museum that sits at the south end of Copacabana beach and divides the neighborhood from Ipanema. Visitors explored <8> galleries filled with original military memorabilia from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. There are also exhibits featuring indigenous artwork from some of Brazil's 2000 native tribes. These relics are important for Brazilian history, and tourists are nevertheless blown away <9> at their historical significance.

[§5] Another great place to visit, and for learning about Brazilian history <10> is the Botanical Gardens, built in 1808 by King John VI of Portugal. Children especially enjoy this 346-acre park, which is home to 6500 species of plants and trees and 140 species of birds. Kid-friendly areas are designated for picnics and games, and monkeys that roam the grounds often entertain children by swinging from tree to tree or rummaging for leftover food in the park's trash bins. <11>

[§6] After a busy day of sightseeing Rio's natural settings, because <12> tourists sit at beachfront drink stands and enjoy coconut water sipped from the fruit. Local musicians wander the sands playing Brazilian samba music each night. The sounds of tamborims, surdos, and agogos delight visitors, who, dance <13> all night long to the sounds <14> under the Copacabana moonlight.

Would it fit with paragraph 5 for the author to include a sentence about the types of monkeys that live in the Botanical Gardens? <11>

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".

Rio de Janeiro

[§1] Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is a fantastic place to visit. It's alarming <1> that Rio is called the "Wonderful City." Beaches, mountains, and forests await its visitors, who can tour for days and still not experience everything the city has to offer. When I visit, I always have a great time with my boyfriend. <2> At the end of a busy day exploring nature, gloomy <3> travelers can unwind at one of the beachfront hotspots for coconut water and live samba music.

[§2] Rio's most famed attractions are Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer statue. However, <4> these destinations welcome over 2.8 million international tourists each year. Sugarloaf Mountain is located in the city's south zone right near to the vast Atlantic Ocean. <5> Its peak is at 1300 feet, and accessible by two cable cars that take less than five minutes to arrive. Visitors enjoy 360-degree panoramic views of Rio, and can shop or dine at several locations on the mountain.

[§3] (1) Christ the Redeemer stands on the Corcovado Mountain, recently named one of the new seven wonders of the world. (2) With arms outstretched, the concrete Christ was built between 1922 and 1931, to resemble embracing the people of Rio. (3) Millions of tourists recreate the attraction by taking photos on its pedestal with their own arms outstretched. (4) The statue's pedestal is over 26 feet high, while the statue itself is nearly 100 feet <6>

[§4] There are so many amazing sites to see! <7> Fort Copacabana is a military base and history museum that sits at the south end of Copacabana beach and divides the neighborhood from Ipanema. Visitors explored <8> galleries filled with original military memorabilia from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. There are also exhibits featuring indigenous artwork from some of Brazil's 2000 native tribes. These relics are important for Brazilian history, and tourists are nevertheless blown away <9> at their historical significance.

[§5] Another great place to visit, and for learning about Brazilian history <10> is the Botanical Gardens, built in 1808 by King John VI of Portugal. Children especially enjoy this 346-acre park, which is home to 6500 species of plants and trees and 140 species of birds. Kid-friendly areas are designated for picnics and games, and monkeys that roam the grounds often entertain children by swinging from tree to tree or rummaging for leftover food in the park's trash bins. <11>

[§6] After a busy day of sightseeing Rio's natural settings, because <12> tourists sit at beachfront drink stands and enjoy coconut water sipped from the fruit. Local musicians wander the sands playing Brazilian samba music each night. The sounds of tamborims, surdos, and agogos delight visitors, who, dance <13> all night long to the sounds <14> under the Copacabana moonlight.

<10>:

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".

Rio de Janeiro

[§1] Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is a fantastic place to visit. It's alarming <1> that Rio is called the "Wonderful City." Beaches, mountains, and forests await its visitors, who can tour for days and still not experience everything the city has to offer. When I visit, I always have a great time with my boyfriend. <2> At the end of a busy day exploring nature, gloomy <3> travelers can unwind at one of the beachfront hotspots for coconut water and live samba music.

[§2] Rio's most famed attractions are Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer statue. However, <4> these destinations welcome over 2.8 million international tourists each year. Sugarloaf Mountain is located in the city's south zone right near to the vast Atlantic Ocean. <5> Its peak is at 1300 feet, and accessible by two cable cars that take less than five minutes to arrive. Visitors enjoy 360-degree panoramic views of Rio, and can shop or dine at several locations on the mountain.

[§3] (1) Christ the Redeemer stands on the Corcovado Mountain, recently named one of the new seven wonders of the world. (2) With arms outstretched, the concrete Christ was built between 1922 and 1931, to resemble embracing the people of Rio. (3) Millions of tourists recreate the attraction by taking photos on its pedestal with their own arms outstretched. (4) The statue's pedestal is over 26 feet high, while the statue itself is nearly 100 feet <6>

[§4] There are so many amazing sites to see! <7> Fort Copacabana is a military base and history museum that sits at the south end of Copacabana beach and divides the neighborhood from Ipanema. Visitors explored <8> galleries filled with original military memorabilia from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. There are also exhibits featuring indigenous artwork from some of Brazil's 2000 native tribes. These relics are important for Brazilian history, and tourists are nevertheless blown away <9> at their historical significance.

[§5] Another great place to visit, and for learning about Brazilian history <10> is the Botanical Gardens, built in 1808 by King John VI of Portugal. Children especially enjoy this 346-acre park, which is home to 6500 species of plants and trees and 140 species of birds. Kid-friendly areas are designated for picnics and games, and monkeys that roam the grounds often entertain children by swinging from tree to tree or rummaging for leftover food in the park's trash bins. <11>

[§6] After a busy day of sightseeing Rio's natural settings, because <12> tourists sit at beachfront drink stands and enjoy coconut water sipped from the fruit. Local musicians wander the sands playing Brazilian samba music each night. The sounds of tamborims, surdos, and agogos delight visitors, who, dance <13> all night long to the sounds <14> under the Copacabana moonlight.

<9>:

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".

Rio de Janeiro

[§1] Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is a fantastic place to visit. It's alarming <1> that Rio is called the "Wonderful City." Beaches, mountains, and forests await its visitors, who can tour for days and still not experience everything the city has to offer. When I visit, I always have a great time with my boyfriend. <2> At the end of a busy day exploring nature, gloomy <3> travelers can unwind at one of the beachfront hotspots for coconut water and live samba music.

[§2] Rio's most famed attractions are Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer statue. However, <4> these destinations welcome over 2.8 million international tourists each year. Sugarloaf Mountain is located in the city's south zone right near to the vast Atlantic Ocean. <5> Its peak is at 1300 feet, and accessible by two cable cars that take less than five minutes to arrive. Visitors enjoy 360-degree panoramic views of Rio, and can shop or dine at several locations on the mountain.

[§3] (1) Christ the Redeemer stands on the Corcovado Mountain, recently named one of the new seven wonders of the world. (2) With arms outstretched, the concrete Christ was built between 1922 and 1931, to resemble embracing the people of Rio. (3) Millions of tourists recreate the attraction by taking photos on its pedestal with their own arms outstretched. (4) The statue's pedestal is over 26 feet high, while the statue itself is nearly 100 feet <6>

[§4] There are so many amazing sites to see! <7> Fort Copacabana is a military base and history museum that sits at the south end of Copacabana beach and divides the neighborhood from Ipanema. Visitors explored <8> galleries filled with original military memorabilia from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. There are also exhibits featuring indigenous artwork from some of Brazil's 2000 native tribes. These relics are important for Brazilian history, and tourists are nevertheless blown away <9> at their historical significance.

[§5] Another great place to visit, and for learning about Brazilian history <10> is the Botanical Gardens, built in 1808 by King John VI of Portugal. Children especially enjoy this 346-acre park, which is home to 6500 species of plants and trees and 140 species of birds. Kid-friendly areas are designated for picnics and games, and monkeys that roam the grounds often entertain children by swinging from tree to tree or rummaging for leftover food in the park's trash bins. <11>

[§6] After a busy day of sightseeing Rio's natural settings, because <12> tourists sit at beachfront drink stands and enjoy coconut water sipped from the fruit. Local musicians wander the sands playing Brazilian samba music each night. The sounds of tamborims, surdos, and agogos delight visitors, who, dance <13> all night long to the sounds <14> under the Copacabana moonlight.

<8>: