ACT Past Papers with Answers

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 2. Refer to the source image.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

G八en that all the choices are true, which one best introducesthemain subject of the essay? hostels. night. This was my first visit to New York City, and I had a difficult time finding the hostel. ACT-70A 2 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. : 1 1 It's been several years since that night, butI'm still friends with one of the students from Mexico On trips to other ho、tel、,I've made more friends 4 �a while, 1 cross paths with former hostel roommates. Hosteling isn'tjust friendly, it's inexpensive Hostel、can cost as little as $7 a ni�ht in rural area、and 7

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 4.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Given that all the choice、 are true, which one most clearly expresses an enthusiasm for and a commitment to hostelin沁 亡·,· t find solitude in a hostel.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

At this point, the writer is considering adding the fol­ lowing truestatement: Some hostels enforce curfews in order to ensure the safety and comfort of their guests Should the writer make this additionhere? tels are safer than hotels offer such low rate、 H. No, because it portrays hostel rules as unnecessar­ ily re山trictive for their guests sion of how much hostels cost just over江30in some of the largest citie、0 Compare that to Portland hotels, where the cheapest rooms arc $70!

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 7.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

At this point, the writer is considering adding the fol­ lowing true statement: The hostels in my hometown of Portland, Oregon, cost $22 a night. Should the writer make thi:、addition hcre'1 like to stay at hostelsin his hometown. thc next sentence. earlierin theessay about thenarrator's hometown. opinion into an essay that's otherwise objective ACT-70A 3 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. 1 1 霞 逼 渭 ｀ H(）山tels arcn't fancy but the beds are comfortable and everything i、clean. You usua趴have acce、s to a kitchen, which provides an alternative, to costly 10 and expensive restaurant meals. Many hostels also ······-�··- II offer fun activities for guests at no add山onal charge I气 ve participated in a Scrabble tournament at a hostel m San Francisco, �aken a hostel-sponsored tour of a med记｀ castle near Edinburgh in Scotland、hut watched the movie '， l2 Casablanca at a hostel on the Oregon coast Hostelers are explorers. And with thousands of hostels around the world, exploring is easy then you might

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Al this point, the writer is considering adding the fol­ lowing true statement: — you usually sleep in a dorm room and share bathroom fac.ilities Should the writer make th压addition here·) fac山ties R. Yes, beeause it provides spe口fie examples to illus­ trale the claim that hostels aren't fancy （::. No. bccau、e it provides a description that contra­ dICts de团ls gi_ver'. in. th� essay's ope�1�ngyaragraph hotels to hostels

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 10.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 11. 13 imagine. If you can think ofa place you want to go气 there's probably a hostel nearby. Though so111e people don't like 14 hosteling because of the lack of privacy, I consider this characteristic to be their main advanta2:e. The communal 15 nature of hosteling has given me the opportunity to meet peopleof all ages and nationalities who share my philosophy that is travel independently, live simply, and 16 discover the world.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

I亡 NO CHANGE （；今 or

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 13. HANGE

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion would NOT be acceptable? II. While

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 15. R. my

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 16. ACT-70A 4 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. 占 喜 善 也孚 － ，呈＿ ＿ 量 皇 1 1 PASSAGE II Stargazing One clear January night when I was eight yea吓 old, I had went stargazing with my father. We tramped through 17 the snow in the backyard, then turned our faces upward. The cold air was crisp and clear、 the stars brilliant against ｀ 一· ` ＂俨 l8 the black sky. Our breath appeared white above us霉 11]''And there's his 、word also, sec?" [2] He pointed out Orion to me, the first constellation l would know, the first commencement of a be叮nnin_g 七｝ 七 ＂ of a lifelong enchantment with the stars. [3)'·Megan.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 17.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion would NOT he acceptahle? II. clear, and the sta吓 were there's Orion's belt、“Dad said, he knecled so 1 could 20 spot the unmistakable row of three 、tars, perfectly aligned, at the end, of h!、pointing index finger 21 l4J Looking at the sword he showed me. l nodded in the dark as the winter skyreoriented itself forever in my mind meanwhile this celestial 22 I marker. Orion. \ n I was eager to learn as much as I could from my father. The B尽Dipper was next、with its grand 24 、weep of han _ dlc and bowl. Then came the Plciad心， a tight cluster of stars如� a bold smudge of 25 noticeable light above overhead. I absorbed the 26 information he shared: the order of the planets in our solar system, the shapes of galaxies, theories about how the universe began.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 19.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 20. 日．started to kneel

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 21.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 22.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

For th-e sake of the logie and coherence of this para­ graph, Sentenee l should be placed:

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 24.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 25.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 26. ACT-70A 5 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. 1 1 For all that space and distance fascinated 27 me. It takes light more than eight minutes to travel from the Sun to Earth, I learned. I tried to imagine the distance involved in a light-year, and failed. I was amazed to find out that some of the stars I gazed at were really visual ghosts of stars; their light took so long to travel to my eyes that the stars had long ago burned out. I couldn't take in ideas so incomprehensibly big, but the 28 effort was invigorating, like sledding down a steep hill or racing my sister across a snowy field. I live on my own now, but last week I was at my parents'house, and I l;lgain went outside to gaze at the night sky. I looked up into the dark at the thin slice of moon near the horizon, the steady glow of the planets, the twinkle of the stars in their familiar formations. I Jo □

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 27.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 28.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 29.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Which of the following true sentences, if added here, would most effectively conclude the paragraph and the essay by returning directly to several of the essay's earlier images? feel lonesome, and I thought about my childhood best friend. never appearing any different as time passes. the trees made the branches glimmer. remembered my father pointing in the dark on a cold, clear night. ACT-70A 6 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. 1 1 PASSAGE Ill The following paragraphs may or may not be in the most logical order. Each paragraph is num­ bered in brackets, and question 44 will ask you to choose where Paragraph 5 should most logically be placed. A Tennessee Tigcrbellc [1] These days气 with athletes winning up to eight gold medal、in one year's Olympic � easy to forget JI that at one time winning multiple gold medals were rare. 32 One of the first U.S. Olympic athletes to accomplish this was a young African American sprinter from Tennessee Wilma Rudolph was the first U.S. woman to win three gold medals, placing fi吓t in the l00- and 200-metcr dashes and 33 anchoring her team to ＼1ictory in the 4 x I00-meter rela:, l2] Born in 1940 near Clark、ville, Tennessee, Rudolph wa、山agno沁ed with polio at an early age. Her family \\』 as determined to help her fight this dise心e, which causes motor paralysi、and often leads to permanent physical disabilities. Every week, her family took her to Nashville for heat and water therapy. They also massaged her affected leg daiLy and helped her with physical therapy Largely as a re、ult, Rudolph no longer needed her 34 crutches, metal brace, or corrective 、hoes by the time she was a teenager.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 31. (,、 . game、,its

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 32.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 33.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

.F. NO CHANGE ACT-70A 7 GO ON TO THENEXT PAGE. 1 1 [3] Her athletic career began when she joined the junior high basketball team. therefore, that would impress one of the country's best 36 coaches. During her sophomore Tennessee State University's track coach, noticed that 38 Rudolph might possibly have some ability maybe as a 38 sprinter. was aware that her high school didn't have a track team, Temple invited Rudolph to attend a summer sports camp at the university. [4] Determined, Rudolph � even greater 40 success in the next Olympics. Her family encouraged her aspirations, as did Coach Temple. With their support, Rudolph attended college on a track scholarship and competed for the famous Tennessee State Tigerbelles track team then she moved on to win her three gold medals for the 1960 U.S. Olympic team. [5] It quickly became clear that there would be no stopping Rudolph. In 1956, Rudolph, then qualified to participate in the Olympic trials. ACT-70A

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 35.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 36. a fo h d o r d u e iti g x h o a, m na p ll l y e H. ,

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 37. T T T e e e m m m p p p i le— . 38. F. NO CHANGE possible potential ability

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 38. Refer to the source image.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 39.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Which choice most effectively emphasizes that Rudolph was determined?

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 41.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

If the writer were to delete the underlined portion (adjusting the punctuation as needed), the sentence would primarily lose information that: she was too young to enjoy it. scores Rudolph's talent by emphasizing her youth. information that detracts from the paragraph's focuson Rudolph's training. display talent at a young age. 8 GO ONTO THE NEXT PAGE. 1 1 She made the Olympic team. and in Melbourne. Ausrralia. She ran with the 4 x I00-meter relay ｀全＾＾＾＾＾＾＾＾＾＾＾＾ 4`} team that won a bronze medal

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 43. E Questions 44 and 45 ask aboutthe preceding passage as a whole

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

For the sake of the logic and coherence of the essay. Paragraph 5 should be placed

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Suppose the writer's goal had been to write an essay fo��sing on Coach T�·mple's i�fluence o� Rudolph<, career. Would this 心心ay accomp伈b that goal? �(1 rnympic athlete、 Rudolph to run for the Tennessee State Tigerbelles、 graphical information related to Rudolph's running career. Rudolph气 s basketball coaches had on Rudo]ph, not on Temple's influence PASSAGE IV The Astonishing Features of Woodpeckers Imagine a cross between an agile rock climber and a rugged construction worker, you will have some 46 idea of the astonishing traits of those small but nms_y 47 forestdweller the woodpecker. The little creature � and down vertical surfaces with 48 great skill and apparently no fear. Unlike most rock climbers气 ！his cr�ves so fast that the observer 抄 sometimes sees nothing but a blur. Feet with some toes pointing forward and others pointing to the side or back allow woodpeckers to seemingly defy gravity as.they move SO along at steep angles. Sturdy tails contribute significantly to their ability to propel themselves along tree trunks.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 46. II. and you

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 47.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 48. II. routinely travels, up .J. routinely, travels up

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 49.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion would NOT be acceptable? ACT-70A 9 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. 1 1 Woodpeckers have extremely strong 、kulls and specialized frontal bones that act as 、hock absorbers These bones protect the woodpecker's brain from harm when the bird drills into tree trnnks 51 with its chisel-shaped bill. On the 52 for t\VO reasons: to find food and to create nesting cavities. Once a hungry woodpecker has drilled into a tree for food, it uses its long, barbed tongue to explore the holes for a meal. A sticky substance cover、the woodpecker's tongue and contributes to the bird今 s success at catching ants, beetles, spiders. caterpillars气 and other in心心are caught 53 Woodpecker species that excavate extensively 54 have feathered or narrowed nostrils that protect the b叫 at times like these. In other words, the bird is outfitted 55 叭th the safety does to survive. Though widely known for the rapid tapping sound they make, 57 woodpeckers also make a big impression on experts and others, too. Many S8 woodpeckers have dazzling plumage. the bird drills the work, it 5l. A. N() （｀HANGI; （勹． damage

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 51. Refer to the source image.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 52. 日． Even so, the 53参 A. NO CHANGE ( 、 . make up its diet tence with a period.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 53. Refer to the source image.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

f: NO CHANGE 日．excavale, extensively

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Given that all the choices are true, which one provides the most specific information about the bird's hchawor'） 叫aptc.d (、． from inhaling the sawdust that it produces so prol 、 usely the bird.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 56. 、 . NO CHANGE IL gear, needed'to perform the work .J. gear needed to perform the work,

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 57.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Which choice most directly introducesthe topic of this paragraph? ACT-70A 10 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. j 1 1 The males of some specie、,such 心 the downy and the 59 hairy woodpeckers, sport eye-catching patches of red feathers on the neck or head. These cnmson accents contrast dramatically with the black and white on the 沁l of the bird's body. To see、or hear, a woodpecker is one of the joys of ajourney in the woods

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 59. Question 60 asks about the preceding passage as a whole. 已

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Suppose the writer's goal had been to write a brief essay focusing on the life cycle of woodpeckers Wouldthisessay succe、sfully fulfill that goa尸 of what makes woodpeckers fascinating to birdwatchers found in forests and feed on insects. hairy woodpeckers, not on all woodpeckers. doesn't discu、s their lifecycle PASSAGE V The Future of lVIusic By his early twenties哼 Bear McCreary had already created music for a fair number of films. In 2003, he 61 would begin contributing music to a remake of the l970s science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica and, in so doing, emerge as one of today's most exciting ＇ 、 composers. 二

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Which choice provides the mo、t spec山c indication of McCreary'searly achievement? n. numerous works in the medium of film.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

At this point, the writer is considering. adding the fol­ lowing true statement: A different version of Gala（:tica had aired decades earlier. Should the writer make this addition here? K Yes气 because it identifies the television series McCreary worked on. ing the music found in the two versions of Galactica. sion of Galactica, making a mention of the earlier series irrelevant. vided earlier in the paragraph. ACT-70A 11 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. 1 1 McCreary's work on Galacticu is fr心h and unconventional. With fellow, composer. Richard Gibbs, 旬 McCreary helped e寸tablish the show'、musical style. The minimalist, percussion-heavy 、ound track they created contrasts with the lush. brass-dominated sounds of earlier t,4 science fiction 、hows and movies, including Star Trek. Star Wars, and-— 、urprisingly enough—the original Cra{actzca 65 When Gibbs quit the show, McCreary took over the 66 composing duties \ B C D ． 3 6 NO CHANGE fellow compose1, fellow, composer fellow composer

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 63. Refer to the source image.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Given that all the choices are true, which one most effectively completes the contrast that the writer sets up earlier in the sentence'!

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Which choice m(）、t clearly c、tab伈h心 that Gibbs and McCreary wanted the new show to have a style differ­ ent from that of the original Un!actica'/

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion would NOT be acceptable? (;. (）Ut "World music" is traditional (or folk) music " 67 played by members of a particular culture. Taiku (Japanese 67 drums), the duduk (an Armenian woodwind instrument). and Irish bagpipes and whistles make appearances. Words chanted in Sanskrit accompany a battle in space, and vocals in Italian. Senegalese, and Latin grace other scene、 McCreary also employ、traditional Western orchestral instruments, these can be violins and cellos、as well as 68 modern synthesizers and electric guitars

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Given that all the choices arc true. which one most effectively introduces the subject of 、 the paragraph?

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

F. NO CHANGE two exami)les are such as these include ACT-70A 12 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. 1 1 Rather thanjust accompany on-screen action, McCreary's music also illuminates characters and 69

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 69. ideas. Certain themes become associated with particular 70 characters—for example, mournful Celtic music with a father and son. Sometimes the music even seems to shape the visuals that a viewercan see. One episode's opening montage, which consists of scenes from four story lines, is accompanied by a swirling . orchestral work set to a fairly slow dance rhythm. The piece, "Passacaglia," named for a type of composition that 73 consists of variations on the same theme. The repetition in the music helps weave the separate story lines together. The result in this episode and others, is music that enriches 74 the stories and told its own artful story as well. 75

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 70.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

The writer is considering changing the phrase "a fat尺 and son" in the preceding sentence to the following: an estranged father and son seeking 亡） reconciliation Assuming that the revised phrase would still be accu­ rate, should the writer make the revision or keep the phrase as it is? tributes to the paragraph's discussion of key scenes from the series. gests why mournful music is paired with these characters. sion is clearer and more concise. focuses mainly on music, not on characters.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 72.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 73.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 74.

Paper 53 · ACT December 2011 · Form 70A · English Test

Source question 75. to g l D. had d END OF TEST 1 STOP! DO NOT TURN THE PAGE UNTIL TOLD TO DO SO. 13