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General Curriculum (03) Practice Test: Multi-SubjectRead the passage below from the story of Pecos Bill (1966); then answer the two questions thatfollow.What Bill planned to do was leap from his horse and grab the cyclone by the neck. But as he came nearand saw how high the top of the whirling tower was, he knew he would have to do something better thanthat. Just as he . . . came close enough to the cyclone to feel its hot breath, a knife of lightning streakeddown into the ground. It struck there, quivering, just long enough for Bill to reach out and grab it. As thelightning bolt whipped back up into the sky, Bill held on. When he was as high as the top of the cyclone,he jumped and landed astraddle its black, spinning shoulders.By then, everyone in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Oklahoma was watching. They saw Bill grabhold of that cyclone's shoulders and haul them back. They saw him wrap his legs around the cyclone'sbelly and squeeze so hard the cyclone started to pant. Then Bill got out his lasso and slung it around thecyclone's neck. He pulled it tighter and tighter until the cyclone started to choke, spitting out rocks anddust. All the rain that was mixed up in it started to fall.12.13.The story of Pecos Bill, like those of JohnHenry and Paul Bunyan, represents whichof the following literary genres?A.mythsB.fairy talesC.epicsD.tall tales11These paragraphs include examples ofwhich of the following literary r

General Curriculum (03) Practice Test: Multi-Subject14.Read the poem below, "To the Right Honorable William, Earl of Dartmouth" (1773) by PhillisWheatley; then answer the question that follows.Should you, my lord, while you pursue my song,Wonder from whence my love of Freedom sprung,Whence flow these wishes for the common good,By feeling hearts alone best understood,I, young in life, by seeming cruel fateWas snatch'd from Afric's fancy'd happy seat:What pangs excruciating must molest,What sorrows labour in my parent's breast?Steel'd was the soul and by no misery mov'dThat from a father seiz'd his babe belov'd.Such, such my case. And can I then but prayOthers may never feel tyrannic sway?By constructing her poem as an exchangewith a specific person, the poet representsfreedom and slavery as:15.A.abstract philosophical concepts.B.deeply personal experiences.C.divinely determined states.D.contentious political issues.Read the excerpt below from "The Raven" (1845), a poem by Edgar Allan Poe; then answer thequestion that follows.Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door." 'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door—Only this and nothing more."In this passage, the repetition of similarword sounds creates a mood of:A.carefree relaxation.B.mounting tension.C.cheery optimism.D.growing depression.12

General Curriculum (03) Practice Test: Multi-Subject16.17.Read the paragraph below; then answerthe question that follows.Janik Laskow's new play, The New Dawn,tells the story of a young woman whowakes up one morning to find herselfthe only person on the earth. What Ifound remarkable was the acting ofLeda Hanson. Incredible! Her abilityto use expressions and limited speakingto deliver such a powerful performancewas absolutely unbelievable. Laskow'swriting is wonderfully realistic andHanson delivered the lines flawlessly.Everyone should see this play. You willnot be disappointed by the performance.Get your tickets at the door.Given the style and content of the aboveparagraph, which of the following is mostlikely the intended audience of the author?A.readers of a national news magazineB.readers of a financial newspaperC.readers of a sports magazineD.readers of a local weekly newspaper18.13In which of the following ways did thelate twentieth-century women's movementin the United States differ most from thewomen's movement of the nineteenthcentury?A.by championing the belief thatwomen were capable of exercisingthe privileges and responsibilities ofcitizenshipB.by seeking to expand the range ofeducational opportunities open towomenC.by challenging the traditionalassumption that women mustchoose between motherhood anda professional careerD.by seeking to enlist women'sorganizations in the fight forexpanded rightsWhich of the following best describes theprimary reason that major political figuresof the early national period decided toreplace the Articles of Confederation withthe U.S. Constitution?A.to resolve growing tensions betweenthe northern and southern statesB.to ensure that state governmentswere based on the principle ofpopular sovereigntyC.to broaden the powers of thenational governmentD.to remove political obstacles to thecreation of territorial governmentsin the West

General Curriculum (03) Practice Test: Multi-Subject19.20.From 1848 to 1850, the nonindigenouspopulation of San Francisco rose fromfewer than 1,000 to more than 25,000people. Which of the following was mostdirectly responsible for this populationincrease?A.the gold rushB.railroad constructionC.the Mexican WarD.Chinese immigration21.Which of the following beliefs wasdominant in U.S. politics during boththe Progressive Era and the New Deal?A.The welfare of society should besupported through free-marketcapitalism.B.The problems of society shouldbe solved through governmentinitiatives.C.The distribution of wealth shouldbe promoted through decreasedgovernment.D.The unemployed should beprotected through the restrictionof immigration.Following World War II, the UnitedStates faced a new Red Scare based onclaims that:A.a fuel shortage was inevitable.B.a large number of governmentworkers were communists.C.an economic recession wasimminent.22.D.a growing base of federal powerwould limit the scope of civil rights.14Which of the following is a fundamentalpurpose of democratic government?A.providing for the common goodB.establishing a moral codeC.controlling the economyD.establishing a bureaucracy

General Curriculum (03) Practice Test: Multi-Subject23.25.A piece of legislation is passed by both theU.S. Senate and the House of Representatives, but the president vetoes it. Thislegislation can still become a law if:A.B.C.D.A.there is an overriding vote by five ofthe nine members of the SupremeCourt.to organize land, labor, and capitalfor productive purposesB.to maintain stability within differentindustriesthe Speaker of the House decides toapprove it.C.to coordinate relations amongdifferent sectors of the economythe majority of the president'scabinet approve it.D.to moderate fluctuations in thebusiness cyclethere is an overriding vote by atleast two-thirds of both houses ofCongress.26.24.Which of the following best describesthe main function of entrepreneurs in acapitalist economy?In the U.S. judicial system, the primaryrole of a grand jury is to:Which of the following forms of localself-government is the best example ofdirect democracy?A.give police officers permission tomake an arrest, seizure, or search inresponse to a suspected crime.A.council-manager form of citygovernmentB.sentence a defendant if and whenthat defendant is found guilty of afederal crime.B.commission form of governmentC.C.mayor-council form of citygovernmentdecide whether there is probablecause for believing that a defendanthas committed a federal crime.D.town meeting form of governmentD.attempt to get a defendant to pleabargain to save the time and cost ofa trial.15

General Curriculum (03) Practice Test: Multi-Subject27.28.29.Which of the following industries was thefirst to be transformed by the IndustrialRevolution in Great sUse the list below to answer thequestion that follows. the development of analytical,secular history the creation of a naturalistic artstyle the introduction of philosophicaldialogue the development of systematiclogicThe list above best describes the intellectual contributions of which of thefollowing civilizations?A.EgyptB.GreeceC.RomeD.India16Which of the following was a significantdifference between the early civilizationsof Mesoamerica and the early civilizationof the ancient Near East and China?A.Mesoamerican peoples relied oncorn, beans, and squash for protein.B.Mesoamerican peoples had largenumbers of domesticated animals.C.Mesoamerican peoples madeextensive use of metal tools.D.Mesoamerican peoples developedlong-distance trade networks.

General Curriculum (03) Practice Test: Multi-Subject30.31.Read the passage below; then answerthe question that follows.During the mid-1930s, farmers in northernIllinois and eastern Iowa became the firstU.S. food producers to adopt hybrid corn.Within a decade, the new seeds werebeing planted by corn growers throughoutmuch of the Midwest. By mid-century,use of the hybrid varieties had spread tonearly all corn-growing areas of theUnited States and southern Canada.The passage above best illustrates themeaning of which of the followinggeographic nceD.acculturation32.17Which of the following accuratelydescribes an important geographic featureof a major region of Massachusetts?A.Central Massachusetts receivesmore rainfall each year than anyother region of the state.B.The rolling plains of the Berkshiresare fed by numerous streams.C.The wooded hills of southeasternMassachusetts tower over thesurrounding landscape.D.The Connecticut River valley hassome of the most fertile land in thestate.A majority of the earth's humaninhabitants today live in which of thefollowing types of climates?A.cold high-latitude climatesB.humid low-latitude climatesC.warm mid-latitude climatesD.dry low-latitude climates

General Curriculum (03) Practice Test: Multi-Subject33.A.It serves as a division line betweentropic and temperate zones ofclimate.B.It provides a starting point for themeasurement of longitude.C.It serves as a division line betweenthe Eastern and WesternHemispheres.D.34.35.Which of the following describes a majorfunction of the prime meridian?Cells with high energy demands, such asmuscle cells, often contain several mitochondria. This is because mitochondriaare organelles where:A.the chemical energy contained incarbohydrates is transformed intoa form usable within the cell.B.electrons are stripped from fatmolecules and transferred for usein other parts of the cell.C.the potential energy in proteins istransformed into compounds neededfor cellular processes.D.atomic nuclei are split into neutronsand protons and the released energyis used in cellular processes.It provides a starting point for themeasurement of great circles.In 1922 Massachusetts began a projectto extend the water system that providedpotable water to the Greater Boston andMetropolitan West areas of the state. Thisproject led to the creation of which of thefollowing major physical features inMassachusetts?A.Lake QuinsigamondB.Quabbin ReservoirC.Knightville ReservoirD.Lake Cochituate18

General Curriculum (03) Practice Test: Multi-Subject36.37.38.Which of the following represents the simplified chemical equation for photosynthesis?AA.solar energy H2OCO2 O2 sugarB.minerals CO2 solar energyC.H2O sugar solar energyD.H2O CO2 solar energyAAAsugar O2CO2 O2sugar O2A significant difference between plant andanimal cells is that plant cells have:A.cellular membranes.B.cell walls.C.cytoplasm.D.ribosomes.Maple trees in midlatitude deciduousforests grow leaves in mid-May, shadingthe forest floor. Herbaceous floweringplants on the forest floor below thembegin to grow earlier and bloom in April.This example best illustrates how differentspecies:A.occupy separate niches within anecosystem to avoid competition.B.compete with each other for thesame resources.C.mutually benefit from theirrelationship.D.rely on different resources withinthe same ecosystem.19

General Curriculum (03) Practice Test: Multi-Subject39.A.B.40.41.A vegetable farmer has a problem witha particular type of insect pest. Everymonth during the growing season, thefarmer sprays a pesticide on the vegetablesto control the pest. After five years ofspraying, the farmer notices that thepesticide has become less effective atcontrolling the insect pest. This reductionin the pesticide's effectiveness is mostlikely due to:the evolution of a mechanism in theinsects to break down and excretethe pesticide.an increase in the number of eggslaid by each female insect inresponse to the pesticide exposure.C.the increasing proportion ofpesticide-resistant insects thathave survived in the population.D.a change in the feeding habits of theinsect so as to avoid the highestconcentrations of pesticide.42.Most of the chemical bonding that occursbetween elements during the formation ofmolecular compounds results from whichof the following?A.B.the exchange or combination ofprotons within the atomic nucleiof different atomsthe magnetic attraction between theopposite poles of different types ofatomsC.the transfer or sharing of the outermost electrons of two or more atomsD.the electrical attraction betweenprotons and neutrons in two or moredifferent types of atoms20Which of the following explains why ateaspoon of table salt (sodium chloride)dissolved in a cup of hot water does notincrease the volume of the water by anamount equal to the volume of the addedsalt?A.The crystal structure of the saltbreaks down as it dissolves,decreasing the distance betweenindividual salt particles.B.The ions of sodium and chloridefit between the water molecules,increasing the density of the saltwater solution.C.The addition of the salt decreasesthe surface tension of the watermolecules, increasing theevaporation rate.D.The chloride ions released from saltas it dissolves combine with watermolecules, reducing the mass of thedissolved crystals.Isaac Newton's law of inertia states that anobject will continue in its state of rest ormotion unless acted upon by an outsideforce. An object's inertia is directlyrelated to its:A.weight.B.momentum.C.mass.D.acceleration.

General Curriculum (03) Practice Test: Multi-Subject43.A.B.C.D.44.45.The temperature of water in a glass ismost directly related to which of thefollowing?the energy level of the electronsassociated with the water moleculesA.the shaking of rock caused bytectonic movementsthe strength of attractive forcesbetween the water moleculesB.the dissolving of rock byprecipitationthe movement of the watermoleculesC.the oxidation of minerals that arefound in rockthe heat generated by the evaporation of water moleculesD.the freezing of water in rockfracturesWhich of the following is the bestindication that the water cycle is balanced,with total evaporation and transpirationequaling total precipitation?A.B.Which of the following is the mostsignificant factor responsible for thephysical weathering of rock outcrops inthe northeastern United States?46.The total amount of fresh water onor under the land is equal to the totalamount of salt water in the oceans.The proportion of total annualprecipitation that falls as rain versusthe proportion that falls as snowdoes not change from year to year.C.The total amount of water vaporin the earth's atmosphere remainsrelatively constant.D.The proportion of water vaporin the atmosphere produced byevaporation is similar to thatproduced by transpiration.21The moon is located between the sun andthe earth during new moons and solareclipses. While new moons occurmonthly, solar eclipses are rare. This isbecause a solar eclipse only occurs:A.when the sun, the moon, and theearth are aligned in the same plane.B.during an equinox, when the earth'sNorthern and Southern Hemispheresreceive equal amounts of sunlight.C.when the moon's elliptical orbitbrings it closest to the earth.D.during the summer solstice, whenthe earth's Northern Hemisphere istilted toward the sun.

General Curriculum (03) Practice Test: Multi-Subject47.48.Which line of the table below accurately matches a planet with its characteristics?LinePlanet1VenusThe planet closest to the sun, this planet is almost the same size as theearth but lacks an atmosphere and rotates very slowly on its axis.2UranusThe fifth planet from the sun, this is the second-largest planet and has athick atmosphere that reflects sunlight and causes the planet to shinebrightly in the night sky.3JupiterThe planet that is farthest from the sun, this planet is the largest in the solarsystem and is composed primarily of water vapor and methane gas.4MarsThe fourth planet from the sun, this planet has a mass only one-tenth thatof the earth and has a thin atmosphere composed mostly of carbon dioxide.A.Line 1B.Line 2C.Line 3D.Line 4CharacteristicsAnnie Jump Cannon was an earlytwentieth-century astronomer whocatalogued the spectra of over 225,000stars. Her

This practice test for the General Curriculum multi-subject subtest is a sample test consisting of 55 multiple- choice questions and 1 open-response item assignment. To assist you in recording and evaluating your responses on the p