Free SAT Section 1: Critical Reading Exam Braindumps
Section One : Critical Reading Questions 86–90 (page: 19)

Updated On: 10-Feb-2026

When Rob became interested in electricity, his clear-headed father considered the boy's fancy to be instructive as well as amusing; so he heartily encouraged his son, and Rob never lacked batteries, motors, or supplies of any sort that his experiments might require.
He fitted up the little back room in the attic as his workshop, and from thence, a network of wires soon ran throughout the house. Not only had every outside door its electric bell, but every window was fitted with a burglar alarm; moreover, no one could cross the threshold of any interior room without registering the fact in Rob's work- shop. The gas was lighted by an electric fob; a chime, connected with an erratic clock in the boy's room, woke the servants at all hours of the night and caused the cook to give warning; a bell rang whenever the postman dropped a letter into the box; there were bells, bells, bells everywhere, ringing at the right time, the wrong time and all the time. And there were telephones in the different rooms, too, through which Rob could call up the different members of the family just when they did not wish to be disturbed. His mother and sisters soon came to vote the boy's scientific craze a nuisance; but his father was delighted with these evidences of Rob's skill as an electrician and insisted that he be allowed perfect freedom in carrying out his ideas.
Paragraph three performs which of the following functions?

  1. shows that mother and sister's input is valuable and heralded
  2. shows father is willing to listen and alter decisions if warranted
  3. postulates the notion that perhaps the experiments have gone too far
  4. demonstrates the continuing grip father has over the entire household
  5. warrants a rethinking of the continuous supplying of materials to Rob

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

Notwithstanding Rob's mother and sisters feel that the experiments are a nuisance, father still holds firm in his decision to allow things to continue, reinforcing the control father has over the entire house.



In conclusion, it seized first the corpse of the daughter, and thrust it up the chimney, as it was found; then that of the old lady, which it immediately hurled through the window headlong. As the ape approached the casement with its mutilated burden, the sailor shrank aghast to the rod, and, rather gliding than clambering down it, hurried at once home--dreading the consequences of the butchery, and gladly abandoning, in his terror, all solicitude about the fate of the Ourang-Outang. The words heard by the party upon the staircase were the Frenchman's exclamations of horror and affright, commingled with the fiendish jabberings of the brute.
I have scarcely anything to add. The Ourang-Outang must have escaped from the chamber, by the rod, just before the break of the door. It must have closed the window as it passed through it. It was subsequently caught by the owner himself, who obtained for it a very large sum at the Jardin des Plantes. Le Don was instantly released, upon our narration of the circumstances (with some comments from Dupin) at the bureau of the Prefect of Police. This functionary, however well disposed to my friend, could not altogether conceal his chagrin at the turn which affairs had taken, and was fain to indulge in a sarcasm or two, about the propriety of every person minding his own business.
The word "solicitude" in 1st paragraph most nearly means

  1. interest.
  2. curiosity.
  3. concern.
  4. anger.
  5. fear

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

The sailor, having seen the murderous scene, lost all concern for the well-being of his animal.



In conclusion, it seized first the corpse of the daughter, and thrust it up the chimney, as it was found; then that of the old lady, which it immediately hurled through the window headlong. As the ape approached the casement with its mutilated burden, the sailor shrank aghast to the rod, and, rather gliding than clambering down it, hurried at once home--dreading the consequences of the butchery, and gladly abandoning, in his terror, all solicitude about the fate of the Ourang-Outang. The words heard by the party upon the staircase were the Frenchman's exclamations of horror and affright, commingled with the fiendish jabberings of the brute.
I have scarcely anything to add. The Ourang-Outang must have escaped from the chamber, by the rod, just before the break of the door. It must have closed the window as it passed through it. It was subsequently caught by the owner himself, who obtained for it a very large sum at the Jardin des Plantes. Le Don was instantly released, upon our narration of the circumstances (with some comments from Dupin) at the bureau of the Prefect of Police. This functionary, however well disposed to my friend, could not altogether conceal his chagrin at the turn which affairs had taken, and was fain to indulge in a sarcasm or two, about the propriety of every person minding his own business.
The word "brute" at the end of 1st paragraph

  1. the fiend.
  2. the sailor.
  3. the Ourang-Outang.
  4. the party.
  5. the Frenchman.

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

The word "brute" refers back to the animal whose animal noises or "fiendish jabberings" were heard from the chamber.



In conclusion, it seized first the corpse of the daughter, and thrust it up the chimney, as it was found; then that of the old lady, which it immediately hurled through the window headlong. As the ape approached the casement with its mutilated burden, the sailor shrank aghast to the rod, and, rather gliding than clambering down it, hurried at once home--dreading the consequences of the butchery, and gladly abandoning, in his terror, all solicitude about the fate of the Ourang-Outang. The words heard by the party upon the staircase were the Frenchman's exclamations of horror and affright, commingled with the fiendish jabberings of the brute.
I have scarcely anything to add. The Ourang-Outang must have escaped from the chamber, by the rod, just before the break of the door. It must have closed the window as it passed through it. It was subsequently caught by the owner himself, who obtained for it a very large sum at the Jardin des Plantes. Le Don was instantly released, upon our narration of the circumstances (with some comments from Dupin) at the bureau of the Prefect of Police. This functionary, however well disposed to my friend, could not altogether conceal his chagrin at the turn which affairs had taken, and was fain to indulge in a sarcasm or two, about the propriety of every person minding his own business.

Which selection best rephrases "I have scarcely anything to add" starting of 2nd paragraph?

  1. I only have a little bit more to tell.
  2. I'm afraid of what I have left to tell.
  3. I'm concerned I can't add much more.
  4. I don't know anything else to add.
  5. I've told you everything I know.

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

"I have scarcely anything to add" is almost a euphemism but literally means, having solved the mystery, "I don't know anything else to add."



In conclusion, it seized first the corpse of the daughter, and thrust it up the chimney, as it was found; then that of the old lady, which it immediately hurled through the window headlong. As the ape approached the casement with its mutilated burden, the sailor shrank aghast to the rod, and, rather gliding than clambering down it, hurried at once home--dreading the consequences of the butchery, and gladly abandoning, in his terror, all solicitude about the fate of the Ourang-Outang. The words heard by the party upon the staircase were the Frenchman's exclamations of horror and affright, commingled with the fiendish jabberings of the brute.
I have scarcely anything to add. The Ourang-Outang must have escaped from the chamber, by the rod, just before the break of the door. It must have closed the window as it passed through it. It was subsequently caught by the owner himself, who obtained for it a very large sum at the Jardin des Plantes. Le Don was instantly released, upon our narration of the circumstances (with some comments from Dupin) at the bureau of the Prefect of Police. This functionary, however well disposed to my friend, could not altogether conceal his chagrin at the turn which affairs had taken, and was fain to indulge in a sarcasm or two, about the propriety of every person minding his own business.
Which selection best describes the action referred to by "break of the door" 2nd paragraph?

  1. The door was broken into by using a rod.
  2. The party broke down the door.
  3. The party entered through the door broken by the brute.
  4. The Ourang-Outang broke the door to gain entry.
  5. The sailor broke into the chamber allowing the Ourang-Outang to follow.

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

We know the Ourang-Outang did not break the door because it escaped from the window just before the door was broken. Since everyone else had already escaped or was dead, only someone from the outside could have broken the door. The party of people investigating the noises coming from the chamber had to break down the door to gain entrance.



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