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Reading Passage

Directions: Read the following excerpt from Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. Then answer the questions below.

Note: There are six characters mentioned in the passage. Margaret, the youngest Dashwood sister, is only referred to once (line 1). The middle sister is named Marianne. Mrs. Dashwood is their mother, and “Miss Dashwood” (line 12) refers to the eldest sister, Elinor Dashwood. Edward, a male visitor to the Dashwood home, is also only mentioned once (line 105). The final character, Willoughby, is another male visitor to the Dashwood home.

3. Read the two paragraphs below. Then answer the question:

Which of the following provides the best transition from the first paragraph to the second paragraph?

Women first began wearing corsets in the sixteenth century, and some people still wear them today. Corsets have been criticised for the physical problems they can create: they can cause difficulty eating or breathing, and can restrict internal organs.

________________, there are also some advantages to corsets. They can help support a person’s back and improve their posture. They have even been known to relieve back pain!

4. Which is the best concluding statement for the following paragraph?

Testing products out on animals before they are available to purchase is a common practice in the United States. Animal testing can cause pain, permanent damage, and even death for the animals involved. Some people believe that testing products out on animals first is the best way to make sure they are safe for humans. Nevertheless, animals have just as many rights as people, and feel pain in the same way. For example, both animals and humans scream when they feel pain. In conclusion, ____________________________________.

5. Which of the following is the best way to introduce and refute a counterclaim in the following paragraph?

Sentencing violent criminals to death is a common practice in today’s society. The death penalty is a legitimate way to make sure murderers get what they deserve and are not set free to kill again. ____________________________________. Thus, the death penalty should continue as a legal, fair process that brings justice to victims and their families.

7. What is the best way to continue the story, based on the tone of the previous sentences?

Sarah was a pleasant, good-natured girl, but she was somewhat hard of hearing. This was the result of an unfortunate incident several years ago, during which her great-aunt Hilda had crashed a pair of cymbals next to her left ear while her great-aunt Helga had blared a trumpet next to her right ear. The poor girl hadn’t known carrot from parrot since. _________________________________________________________.

Directions: Play the audio for each segment when prompted. Then review the corresponding questions and answer choices. Play the audio a second time, then answer the corresponding questions.

Part 1: Listen carefully to “Studying for an Exam”.
As you listen, think about the topic and content of the conversation as well as the word choice, tone, and point of view of the speakers. Read through the questions and answer choices (#s 1-4), and then listen to the conversation a second time. Answer questions 1-4.

Part 2: Now listen to “Quit Smoking” and follow the same procedure for questions 5-7.

Part 3: Listen to the final audio clip, “Honeymoon Planning” and follow the same procedure for questions 8-10.