ACT Past Papers with Answers

It can most reasonably be inferred that Ihe narrator's grandp<irenls believed ihe Nuvels for Yoiir Readiiig Plea.¥ldl'e alzd Enlertainmgnt .8ei-ie.s consisted of texts that.. were essential leisure reading for educated people. were mediocre in quality. should have been taughi in classrooms. used sopEiistiLaled language.

Details in Lhe passagye niost strongly suggest that du i-l jig the .scli onl yeai-, tli e Tia ri'atoi- l ived w itli: other students at a private boarding school.

The passage characterizes the iiarrator's grandparents. work on the Novels for YoLir Reading PleasiirÉ and Enlertiiinnienl sei'ies as.. writing tlie novel.s a lid iiio,st of tlie esspLyS. editing tlic novels and ivriting cach of the essays. editing the novels and essays in addition to writing an occasion¢il essay. reading the novels in order to write essays that aiialy£eJ iliein.

The narrator specLilates that while his grandmother woi'ked witli the hrovels for Your Reading Plea,fure aiid Ftitei'tainment Scries, her feelings about the texts con- trasted with: the smile that she wore on her face. the comments about the series that she directed to the narrator's grandfather.

The narrator's reaction to his grandparents, arrange- ments for hirn to spend time with other families can best be described as: annoyance, because he disliked the neighboTS' childrcn. relief, because he found the time with his grand- parents to be isolating. friends on his own. acceptance, bccause he felt he owed his grand- parents for thcir cfforts.

As it is used in line 10, the word forthcoming most neaIly Jnedlls: willing. candid.

The Iilciin point ol the third pardgraph (lilies 40-46) is th at the n ai'i-ator's graiidiiiothei": authors. insisted that the narrator read books othcr than the ones included in Ihe Novels for Your Reading PILJa5'L4re an£1 Entertainmenl series, for her essays. referenced as many Swiss authors as possible in her work on the Novels.for Yoiir Reading Pleasure and Enlert£iinn2ent series.

The narrator indicates tliat he read the texts on the bound galleys: after his grandparents went to bed at night, whenever his grandparents asked him to help them edit. once ilie books were published. when he was years older. ACT.72E 31 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. Passage11 Passage B by Ihe editors of Scientilic American SOCIAL SCIENCE: Passage A is adaptad trom lh8 article °The Other Humans: Neanderthals Revealed" by Stephen S. Hall 102008 by The Nalional Geographio Socielyl. Passaga B is adapted froffl th8 editorial 'Fossils lor All. by the editors ol the journal Scientific American {02009 by Scigntific Amgrican, Inc.). 50 In June of 2009 the famed Lucy fossil arrived in New York City. The 3.2-million-year_old partial skele- ton of Au.ftralopitheGU.s afarensis could attract hundreds of thousands of visitors over the coursc of her four- month encyagement-part of a six-year tour. Passage A by stephen S. Hall 55 Before this toiii, Lucy had never been on public display outside ot Ethiopia. Onc might expcct scholars of human evolution to bc delighted by the opportunity ,to share the discipline's crown jewel with so rnany members of the science-interested public. But news 60 reports dnnoLincing her New York debiit iLicIuded the saine objectioiis tliat ail'ed when she first landed iii the U.S.: namcly, that the bones could sustain damage and that the tour takes a key specimen out of scientific cir- culation for too long. Indeed, some major museums 65 tiiriied Lhe exhibit aivay ill part foi- tliose reasoLIS. One of the longest and most heated controvei.sies in humaii evolution rages aroiind Llie genetic i-elation- sliip between Neanderthals and their European succes- sors. Did thc modern humans swceping out of Africa 5 beginning some 60,000 years ago completely replace the Neanderthals, or did they interbreed with thern? In 1997 the latleL- hypothesis was dealt a poiverfiil blow by geneticist Svante Paabo then at the University ot Munich-who used an arm bone from the original 10 Neandeithal man to deliver it. Paabo and his colleagues were able to exiract a tiny 378-letter snippet Dr llLiIu- chondrial DNA (a kiiid ol slioL'I (reIietic aLlI)eii(lix tn tlie main text in cacli ccll) from thc"40,000-)'car-old spcci- mcn, When they rcad out thc lettcrs of the code, they 15 found that the specimen's DNA differed froin living humans to a degree suggesting that the Ne£indei'thdl iind rnoaern hum¢iLI lineages Iiad begLlJI to divei'ge loiig befcii'e the iiioderii human migrati(Jii out of Africa. Thus thc two rcprcscnt scparatc gcographic and evolutionary 20 branches splitting from a common ancestor. If there was any interbreeding when they encountered each other later, it was too riire lo ledve ci Ir&iLe of Nedn- derthal Initoclioiidrial DNA iii tlie cells of living people. Thc objections rct'lcct a largcr problcm of posses- siveness in the field of human origins, Indeed, fossil hunters often block other scientists from studying their tiedsures, fearing dssessiiie.lits tlilil coiilLI scoop or dis- 70 agi-ee with theii. nwii. Iii sci doing, they ai-e takiiig the scicnce out ot palcoanthropology. Critics of such secrecy commonly point to the case of Ar<lEpiiheLt43 r(Imicliis, a 4.4-iiiillioii-year-ol(I human ance8toi- di,scovei-ed l)y Ti In White of tlie IIii iveL-sity of 75 California, Bcrkclcy. Fittccn ycars after Whitc announced thc first fossils of A. raiitidus and toutcd thc importance of this species for understanding human ori- gins, access to Ihe specimens remain5 highly restricted. 25 P&abo's genetic bombshell seemed to confirm thai Neanderthals were a separale speLies. White, for his part, has Said that he published only 80 an initlal rcport and that normal practicc is to limit access until publication of a full assessment. And he has noted that Ihe condition of a key specimen-a badly Li-U51ied skeleloii lii1S blowed ilie i'elease of ilie le¢llll'S detai led report. FIowever, 'During this time ot thc biological tran- sition,, says Erik frinkaus, a paleoanthTopologist at Washington University in St. Louis, 'the basic behavior 30 [of the two groups] is pretty much the same, and any differences are likely to liave been siibtle. Triiikaus believes they indeed May have mated occasionally. 14c sees evidcncc of admixtur¢ bctwecn Neanderthals and modern humans in certain fossils, such as a 24,500- 35 year-old skeleton of a child discovered dt the Por- tuguese site of Lagai Vellio, and a 32,000-year-old skull from a cave called Muierii in Romania. 85 The scientists who unearth the ren]nants of human- ity's past deserve first crack ac desciibing and analyz- ing iheLlI. But there should be cle(iL liiiiit5 on this peiiod of exclusivity. Othei'wise, the self-corrcctii]cy aspect of scicnce is impeded,, outsidc rescarchers can ncithcr 90 reproduce the discovery team's findings nor test new hypotheses. Katerina Hariiati, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, has used detailed 3-D measure- 40 rnents of Neanderthal and early modern human fossils to Predict exaLtly what hybrids between the two would have looked like, None of the fossils examined so far matches her predictions. Questions 11-13 ask about Passage A.

The rnain function of Ihe question in lines 4-6 is to: reveal the date when Neanderthals and early Iiiodern humans bec<ime separate species, accord- ing to Hall. outline a debate that likely has been resolved thIough the findings of Trinkaus. SU(Tgest the reasons early Tnodern humans eventu- ally replaced Neanderthals. beated controversies in the field of human eiiolution, The disagreement beLween Trinkaus and Harvati is 45 hardly the first time that two respected paleoanthropol- ogists have looked at the same set of bones and come up with mutually contradictory interpretations. Ponder- ing-and debating-the meaning of fossil anatomy will always play a role in understanding Neanderthals. AGT.72E 32 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.

As it is used in line 25, the term genetic bombshell most nearly refers to Paabo and his team's." innovative method of studying the Initochondrial DNA of Neanderthals. differs significantly from the DNA of living humans. suggestion that there is only a trace of Neanderthal mitochondrial DNA in Jiving humans. DNA sometii]]es resembles the DNA of living humans.

Harvati is described as using 3-D measureiiients of NeanderLhal and early rnodern human fossils primarily to: avoid Iiaving LO use actual fossil specimens for her re,scarcli, since tliey ale ofien unavaillible. B, prcdict what a tO,8.sil specimeii tliat is a hybi-id of the two beings would look liko, Vellio is ol <1 Neanderthal or an early modern hunian. crcatc skctchcs of Neandei-tlials aii(l eai-ly Enodern humans for othcr rcsccirclicrs to use. Questions 18-20 ask about both passages.

Passage B indicates tliat, in leiins of age, the Lucy tossil is., the oldcst fossil of a human ancestoi. tliat lias been found as of 2009. fouiiLI willi Ihe skLIII inlact as of 2009. not as old as tlie fo.￿51]S IhaL have been found of rainidus, not as old as fossil I"emnants of a hllman aiicestor that have been found in Romania.

As is it used in lines 87-88, the term period of gxcIu- sivity most nearly refers to the.. week when a scientist has to decide whether to keep a major fossil find private permanently. covery team is expected to file a report. new fossil specimens. fo,ssil specimeiis unearthed by other scientists.

The main purpose of the fifth paragraph of Passage B (lines 79-84) is to.. his actions. field of human origins. oil Iline PdleoanEhropologists' typical proccdure for repoi-ti ng 011 ¢1 Iiiajor linding.

Which statcmcnt provide,s the iiiost aLLurate compari- son of the tone of each passage'P tors of Scieiitifzc Anzerican arc cynical. Ainei-ic.aiF. al'e criliL<il and concerned. of Scientific Aniericaiz are forgiviiig. HaIl is sarcastic, whcrcas the cditors of Scieiilific Ainerican are reflective and patient. Questions 14-17 ask about Passage B.

The authors of botli i)¢Trssages would most likely agree tliat the discussion of human oritrins would best be fur- tliered tlii.ough scientists, willingness to., share fossils of human ancestors and debate ilieir Ineanings and significance with othcr cxpcrt.s. iiieiiioriLe the oldest research on Neanderthals and early modei-ii hLIIT)ans. explore new tcchnologics for creatiiig 3-D mea- surements of the bones of A. afai"eiisis. enLourage the generaI public to attend showings of fossils of hurnan ancestors.

Compaied to Passage A's discussion of the fossil of the original Neanderthal mail, Passage B's discussion of Ihe Lucy fossil can best be described as: more focused on outlining the details of the struc- ture and measurements of the fossil. niore focused on providing a survey of the work of scientists who have studied the fossil. in educating the public about paleoanthropology. in reseaich relating to human origins and genetics. ACT-72E 33 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. Passage111 In rnid-january, Spalding spent a few days in a state-of-the-art recording facility in New Jersey, over- 55 seeing the recording of the string arrangements for her new album, Chamber Music Society. Present at the ses- sions was Gil Goldstein, a jazz accordion player and Grammy-winning arranger and pi'oducer. Hired as an arranger for the project, Goldstein had twcaked 60 Spalding's string parts for the number "Apple Blos- som., Although the two had worked smoothly through most of the session, Spalding balked at the changes to the song. HUMANITIES: This passage is adapted from the articl8 "New Note: Esperanza Spalding's Music" by John Colapinto (Q2010 by Conda Nast). In 2008, thé prodigiously gifted bassist, singer, and composer Esperanza SpaIding released her major- label .début, Esperaizza, which she recorded as a twenty-thTee-year-old instructor at the Berklee College 5 of Music, in Boston. While the inusic was indisputably jazz, it suggested an alinost bewildering aFray of influ- ences fusion, funk, soul, rhythm and blues, Brazilian samba and Cuban soil, pop bajladry, chanted vocalese- with lyrics sung in Spalding's three languages., English, 10 Portuguese, and Spallish. An ebullient mash-up of sounds, styles, and tongues, the record seeined like soincthing ncw-jazz tor the iPod age-and it rose quickly to ￿,0. 3 on the Billboap'd jazz chart, and staycd on the chart for sixty-two weeks. The freshness and the 15 excilement of her approach hdve led, inevitably, to her being called tlie "new hope for ja7.7..' 'Your string parts are too busy." Spalding told 65 him, ds they sat on a sofa in the studio's control room. "Busy? Goldstein echoed, laugliing. "No way. 'It's so delicate-I don't want it to get too dcnse." ,8palding insisted on reverting to her earlier, sim- pler arrangement. Gold.stEiIi as.seiited, tlien weiit into 70 the soundproofcd studio and bcgan conductiiicr the trio of violin, cello, and viola. But Spalding ivas not hcaring what she wanted. She took the baton from Goldstein, WIIO SLirreiiLlered IL wiihouL cornplaint. (He later told me that he likes it when a Inii,siciaii kiiows wliat lie ur she 75 wants, and that it makcs for a bcttcr recording.) ,qlie put on headphones and, following the shcct music sprcad out in front of her on the conductor's podium, guided tlie iilLISILl¢ins Lhrou¥h the session. Ai one poini, she demanded a retake wlieii slie. waiited ilie vivliiiisL Iu 80 play a ccrtain. note with an upwai'd how niot1013, ratlie than a downstrokc. Latci., she askcd thc violini.8t to play a series of notes by pluckin(T the strings. Shc was unsat- isfied with Lhe sound. SpaldÈno born in 1984 in Portland, Oregon, to a single mother of African American, Asian, Native AmeriL(In, dnd Hispanic heritage, belongs to a growing 20 iiioveiment nf yoiing illLisicians wlio liave tdkeLI a less traditional approach to thc music. for years, young ja7Z musicians adopted a ncar 8Iavish devotion to sounding like players from jazz's golden ane (anywhere between the nineLeen-twenties and the arrival of the Beailes in 25 Americci, in 1964), rejecling ihe pop, rL)ck, dnd fusion experimentatinn tliat. caiiie iii the iiiiieteeii-.seveiities and cightics. 'I'hc mcmbcrs ot thc Young Lions movc- ment, with Wynton Marsalis the most visible among them, feiishized staunchly noncommercial "pure" jazz. 30 Aitendc1nce at ja7.7. concert.s has be.en declining for ycars; a hit jazz album today niight sell forty thousand copies worldwide. Espera7iza has so ftlr sold rnorc than a hundred thousand. This is, in part, because Spalding hews clogeT to dance rhythms than many of her contem- 35 porai'ies do. (TazT. lias becosiie iiicreasingly Lonipli- cated, piling on odd mctcrs and ab,strllse melodies.) It is also bec&use she sings; for audieiiccs put off by the cerebral rigois of instrurnental improvisation, her pliant alto voice giiies them something to hang on 10. But her 40 01-igiiial sorigs sacrifice noiie of the nieludic supliistica- tion and harmonic interest of jazz; and she is a.s tcchni- cally adept, and as serious a student of the music's history, as the most dutiful of the Young Lions. 'Maybe make that i)luck"ing Inoi'e like bells 85 ting, ting,, shc said. li17y, The violinist rnimicked the moiion she had mimed at tlie podiLliii and broughi oul <1 bell-like sound. 'Yesl?? Spalding said.

In general, the author presents Spalding as.. an accomplished. versatile Musician who is taking jazz in an excitino new directLOn. youLig and inspirintr musician whose explo- rations iii jazz Iiiay one day propel her out of her current obscurity. an overlooked but potentially influential musician who is discouraged by the decline of jazz. a creative persoll who stays within the limils of one musical genre, achieving spectacular resuIts as a resuIt of her focused efforts. Spaldiuty is passionate about bringing fresh influ- 45 ences, voices, aiid idionis to tlie inusic, to prevent jazz from becoming mcrely "a rnuseum piece,, as she put it. In the course of a year, she plays a hundred and fifty concert dates around the world. In 2009, she played at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, in OSIO, Norway. The 50 schediile sliarply limits the time she has for writing new rnaterial and practicing. She moved to Texas l ast fall in part becallse it offers seclusion for working and writing. ACT-72E 34 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.

Lines 53-56 rnark a shift in the passage from: a discussion of the impact Spalding has had on others to a discussion of the impact others have had on her. an overvicw of Spalding's career, phi1050phy, and experience to a description of an event that sup- ports the claims rnade in the overview. description of Spalding as a performer to a description of her a,s a sludent. a description of events in Spalding's recent past to a description of a defining moment early in her career.

It is ieasoiiable lo infei. that tlie sheet music iefeiTed to in line 76 was composed by: onc of S'palding's tcachcrs at J3crklec.

As preseiite(l in lines 68-88, ,81)aldiiig's iiiaiiner of wc)rL"intr with musician,% can be,8t be dcscribcd as: rcpctitivc, contradictory, and impaticnt. mild mannered, imaginative, and accepting.

As it is used in line 37, the expression piit off most nearly means.. repelled. released. iiiisplaced.

As it is usod in line 46, thc phrase 'a museum piece" is intended as a form of,. en¢L)uragement. inquiry.

According to the passage, how rnany concert dates does Spalding perforrn a year? A, A handful

The primai-y purpose of tlie passage is to discuss the: rnethods scientists use to track the numbers of pikas in sci'eral rcgions. role pika social behavior plays in their ability to adapt to changing conditions. causes of pika disappeaL-cillLes and scientists, pro- posed solutions to the disappearanLe5. the causes of thcir disappearanccs. 32, In lines 53-55, the author poses a question about the cause of pika disappearances that she: answers in the paragraphs that follow. uses to emphasizc the extent of pika disappearances. asks to highlight flaws in Beever's research. disappearaiices. AGT-72E 36 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.

Source question 32. Refer to the source image.

According to the passage, one of Beever's findings that supports island biogeooi.aphy thcory is". rallges that pikas had occupied in the twentieth century. more talus habitat available. size ot a pika population. isolated pika populations were more likely to sur- vive in varied habitats. 37, The pagsage indicates that the pcrfect sanctuary for a pika on a long winter night is located: on a hay pile near an alpine talus field. in an alpine meadow near a talus field. on the top of a moiintain adjacent to a talus field. in the interstices between rocks in an alpine talus field.

According to the pass&gc, the study published in Eco- logical Applicalions indicates that a pika population is most stressed by a summer wilh.. a higher th(in average anioiint of iainfall. sevei'<il iii(l iviclii¢l1 very liot days. ovei'all hottcr tcmperaturcs, slightly coolcr temperatures.

It can most re(1sonably be iiileLI-ed fi-oiii the pas.sage Ih<iL oiie i'easoii i)ika.8 ea,% ily overheat is that they,, are a high-cncrgy niammal. insulate themselves inside hay piles.

The P<iSSTrc ge iiidicates tliat cornpared to a talus ticld, scree habitats havc: morc tood. smaller rocks. END OF TEST3 STOP! DO NOT TURN THE PAGE UNTIL TOLD TO DO SO. DO NOT RETURN TO A PREVIOUS TEST. AGT-72E 37

Source question 37. Refer to the source image.

In the passage, the behavior of pikas during winter is characterized in part as: relatively rclaxed.

The Piissage Scales th<it biologists cliib inountaiEIlop habitat patches '.sky islaiids" becau,sE: any specie,s that Survivc on mountaintops arc com- plcteIy cut otf fron the rest of the mountain. most species. itable as the sea would bc tor nonmobilc alpine spccics. mobile species.

Tt cali nin8t reasnnably be infci'rcd from thc passagc that a5 coinparcd to pika populations on the top of a mountain, those at lower mountain elevations are rnore likely to., Lhrive. I-eiiiain iiiichaiiged. migratc to anothcr mountain rancle.