QUESTION: 109

The main purpose of this story is to appeal to the reader's interest in a subject which has been the theme of some of the greatest writers, living and dead--but which has never been, and can never be, exhausted, because it is a subject eternally interesting to all mankind. Here is one more book that depicts the struggle of a human creature, under those opposing influences of Good and Evil, which we have all felt, which we have all known.
It has been my aim to make the character of "Magdalen, " which personifies this struggle, a pathetic character even in its perversity and its error; and I have tried hard to attain this result by the least obtrusive and the least artificial of all means--by a resolute adherence throughout to the truth as it is in Nature. This design was no easy one to accomplish; and it has been a great encouragement to me (during the publication of my story in its periodical form) to know, on the authority of many readers, that the object which I had proposed to myself, I might, in some degree, consider as an object achieved.
Round the central figure in the narrative other characters will be found grouped, in sharp contrast-- contrast, for the most part, in which I have endeavored to make the element of humor mainly predominant. I have sought to impart this relief to the more serious passages in the book, not only because I believe myself to be justified in doing so by the laws of Art--but because experience has taught me (what the experience of my readers will doubtless confirm) that there is no such moral phenomenon as unmixed tragedy to be found in the world around us. Look where we may, the dark threads and the light cross each other perpetually in the texture of human life.
What is the overall purpose of this passage?

to explain the balance in Nature between Good and Evil
to identify the character of Magdalen as possessing Natural characteristics
to introduce the reader to a new work and explain his artistic rationale
to delineate the significance of the age-old battle between Good and Evil
to dimension the similarities between humor and tragedy

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

The author is taking an opportunity to explain to his readers directly as to why he has taken a particular approach to this new undertaking and explain his rationale for how he developed this main character, Magdalen.

Reveal Solution Next Question

QUESTION: 110

In compliance with the request of a friend of mine, who wrote me from the East, I called on good- natured, garrulous old Simon Wheeler, and inquired after my friend's friend, Leonidas W. Smiley, as requested to do, and I hereunto append the result. I have a lurking suspicion that Leonidas W. Smiley is a myth; that my friend never knew such a personage; and that he only conjectured that, if I asked old Wheeler about him, it would remind him of his infamous Jim Smiley, and he would go to work and bore me nearly to death with some infernal reminiscence of him as long and tedious as it should be useless to me. If that was the design, it certainly succeeded. I found Simon Wheeler dozing comfortably by the barroom stove of the old, dilapidated tavern in the ancient mining camp of Angel's, and I noticed that he was fat and bald-headed, and had an expression of winning gentleness and simplicity upon his tranquil countenance. He roused up and gave me good- day. I told him a friend of mine had commissioned me to make some inquiries about a cherished companion of his boyhood named Leonidas W.
Smiley--Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley--a young minister of the Gospel, who he had heard was at one time a resident of Angel's Camp. I added that, if Mr.
Wheeler could tell me anything about this Rev. Leonidas W.
Smiley, I would feel under many obligations to him.
In context, the word "garrulous" in1st paragraph most nearly means

rich.
friendly.
talkative.
rotund.
flamboyant.

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

We can look at a variety of context clues to figure out this simple vocabulary question. We are forewarned by the author that he suspects there to be a consequence of a long, drawn-out storytelling; the narrator even tells us that it did, in fact, happen as he had suspected. We know through reading that Wheeler was then talkative.

Reveal Solution Next Question

QUESTION: 111

In compliance with the request of a friend of mine, who wrote me from the East, I called on good- natured, garrulous old Simon Wheeler, and inquired after my friend's friend, Leonidas W. Smiley, as requested to do, and I hereunto append the result. I have a lurking suspicion that Leonidas W. Smiley is a myth; that my friend never knew such a personage; and that he only conjectured that, if I asked old Wheeler about him, it would remind him of his infamous Jim Smiley, and he would go to work and bore me nearly to death with some infernal reminiscence of him as long and tedious as it should be useless to me. If that was the design, it certainly succeeded.
I found Simon Wheeler dozing comfortably by the barroom stove of the old, dilapidated tavern in the ancient mining camp of Angel's, and I noticed that he was fat and bald-headed, and had an expression of winning gentleness and simplicity upon his tranquil countenance. He roused up and gave me good- day. I told him a friend of mine had commissioned me to make some inquiries about a cherished companion of his boyhood named Leonidas W.
Smiley--Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley--a young minister of the Gospel, who he had heard was at one time a resident of Angel's Camp. I added that, if Mr.
Wheeler could tell me anything about this Rev. Leonidas W.
Smiley, I would feel under many obligations to him.
What can we infer about what the author thinks of his friend from the East by the statement, "I have a lurking suspicion that Leonidas W. Smiley is a myth" 1st paragraph?

His friend is mistaken about the existence of Smiley.
His friend may be playing a practical joke on him.
He believes his friend wants revenge for some earlier misgivings.
His friend knows that Smiley and he will strike a friendship.
Smiley will, as a result of his friend referring him, will show him a rousing good time.

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

It appears from the language that our narrator has a fair amount of disbelief about what he is being told by his friend from the East. In fact, as he doubts the existence of the individual in question, it is reasonable to infer he believes his friend from the East is playing a practical joke on him

Reveal Solution Next Question

QUESTION: 112

In compliance with the request of a friend of mine, who wrote me from the East, I called on good- natured, garrulous old Simon Wheeler, and inquired after my friend's friend, Leonidas W. Smiley, as requested to do, and I hereunto append the result. I have a lurking suspicion that Leonidas W. Smiley is a myth; that my friend never knew such a personage; and that he only conjectured that, if I asked old Wheeler about him, it would remind him of his infamous Jim Smiley, and he would go to work and bore me nearly to death with some infernal reminiscence of him as long and tedious as it should be useless to me. If that was the design, it certainly succeeded. I found Simon Wheeler dozing comfortably by the barroom stove of the old, dilapidated tavern in the ancient mining camp of Angel's, and I noticed that he was fat and bald-headed, and had an expression of winning gentleness and simplicity upon his tranquil countenance. He roused up and gave me good- day. I told him a friend of mine had commissioned me to make some inquiries about a cherished companion of his boyhood named Leonidas W.
Smiley--Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley--a young minister of the Gospel, who he had heard was at one time a resident of Angel's Camp. I added that, if Mr.
Wheeler could tell me anything about this Rev. Leonidas W.
Smiley, I would feel under many obligations to him.
What information does the narrator relate prior to the retelling of the meeting of Simon Wheeler?

The story likely to be heard would feasibly be boring and long.
The information he might hear would be of no general interest to him.
Any story he might hear from Wheeler would likely be long.
It was a fact that all his suspicions regarding Wheeler proved true.
Somehow there might be a story about JimSmiley to be perhaps told by Wheeler.

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

All of the choices other than D speak of maybe or might. The narrator point-blank tells the reader that his suspicions regarding Wheeler did prove true.

Reveal Solution Next Question

Free SAT Section 1: Critical Reading Exam Braindumps (page: 28)

QUESTION: 109

Explanation:

QUESTION: 110

Explanation:

QUESTION: 111

Explanation:

QUESTION: 112

Explanation: