ACT Past Papers with Answers

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 2. novel, Amy Tan's rhe Kitchen God's Wife is boldly novel Amy Tan's The Kitchen God's Wife, is boldly, novel: Arny Tan's The Kitchen God's Wife. is boldly circled. O For Tan, the reward of writing is not found

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

At this point, the writer would like to corÉrast Tan's response to her accomplishments to her editor's response. Which of the following sentences (assuming all are true). if added here, would most successfully achieve this effect? in how many books she sells, but if she were to learn

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 4. in what she has learned if she would learn what'is she to learn about herself from writing them. [2] 0] 11] After college, she spent many unsatisfying years writing business articles for a variety

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

WhÉch of the following sentences (assuming all are true), if added here, would best introduce the new sub- ject of Paragraph 2? it. English. people. of American corporations. [2] Tan. finally realized that

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 6. her discontent stemmed not from the WTiting itself, but with the subject matter-she didn't care about business.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 7. [3] [1] At first, Tan originally tried to write her

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 8. stories from a non-chinese perspective, assuming that work from a Chillese-American point of view would never be published. [2] But trying to write from a non-chinese viewpoint proved unfulfilling. [3] Tan came to see that, for her, writing

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 9. written from a non-chinese viewpoint it was writing from a non-chinese viewpoint she was it was from this non-chinese viewpoint which proved was a kind of exploration, a way to examine her life. [4] Tan also realized that, whether her woik was published or not, one could only learn about oneself by io writing in her own, Chinese-American. voice. That distillc-

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 10. one could only learn about herself she could only learn about herself oneself could only be known tive voice is patt of what made her first novel, The Joy Luck Club, a best-seller. [5] In The Joy Luck Club, as in much of her writing, Tan explores the relationships between motheTS and daughters. Her interest in this theme grew directly from her once difficult relationship with heT mother and Tan describes her teen-aged self

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 11. mother.. Tan mother, and she also mother, Tan as "every mother, s nightmare." Writing about those years was given Tan a way of understanding her past-and of

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 12. gave J2 coming closer to her mother. [6J Tan, who once felt she could never live up to her mother, s, expectations now feels that her

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 13. mother, s expectations mothers, expectations, ' mother, s expectations. professional success has filled hei mother with pride. On the other hand. Tan says that if she were

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 14. 14 asked what the most important thing she has done in her life was, she would answer, "I made my motheT happy." Question 15 asks about the preceding passage as a whole.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

In reviewing notes, the writer discovers that the fol- lowing infonnation has been left out of the essay: She decided what she really wanted to do was write fiction. If added to the essay. the sentence would most logi- cally be placed after Sentence: PASSAGE 11 The following paragraphs may or may not be in the most logical order. Each paragraph is numbered in brackèts, and question 30 will ask you to choose the best. placement of Paragraph 6. Home Improvement, or Not? [1] Have you ever seen those home-irnprovernent shows on television? Beware. for they don, t tell the whole story. These shows portray remodeling projects under ideal conditions, not the conditions most of us must contend with. I recently added a second bathroom 16 to my house, doing all the work myself. Over an entire

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 16. summer, I learned a lot about plumbing, electrical wiring, and carpentry. I also learned about the four stages of remodeling. Ellthusiasrn, Despair, Adaptation, and Satisfaction. [2] The first stage. is marked by eagerness. One morning you tear into a wall, feeling a trickle of 17 enthusiasm as plaster crumbles beneath your wrecking bar.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Which of the choices would be inost appropriate here? a surge a twinge an ounce That enthusiasm sustains you for days as you take out the old to build the new. But the wall your intent to cut an arch 18 through turns out to be brick, not wood. Lifting the floorboards, you find a twisted mess of rusted pipe and rotting wire. About then the building inspector stops by, to ensure proper drainage, she says, you'll have to 19 landscape the lawn.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 18. you intended to.cut

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 19. [4] Despair, however, soon gives up on

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 20. adaptation. Work on the project gTOWS sporadic. You out of pound a few nails, maybe patch over that hole in the roof. You try to convince yourself things aren, t so bad. zi Ankle-deep in saw.dust. you wonder: bo I really need hot water?

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 21. convince, yourself convince yourself, . convince yourself; [5] Eventually. you recall that you once had an enjoyable life apart from powei tools and plumbing. You tackle the project once more, with enthusiasm- but by a moderation of enthusiasm with experience. 22

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 22. experience has moderated with enthusiasm. . with the experience of moderating enthusiasm. with enthusiasm moderated by experience. Before too long in the future, you're the proud owner

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 23. of a second bathroom. [6] You sink into despair, the house you

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 24. thought you owned has turned on its master. Worse yet. there, s no going back. the old hot water pipes have been ripped out, and a jagged. four-foot hole in the ro.of has turned into an unplanned and precarious skylight.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 25. Refer to the source image.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Which of the following sentences offers the best intro- duction to Paragraph 7 ? remodeling. ' J. When satisfaction arrives, savor it. bathroom, settle into, an easy chair, and enjoy a 27 well-deserved rest. You might want to watch a little televi-

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 27. settling into an easy chair and enjoying settling into an easy chair, you enjoy Sioll. If so keep the remote control handy. When one of those home-improvement shows come on, you'lk want to.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 28. comes are coming change channels quickly. Questions 29 and 30 ask about the preceding passage as a whole.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

What function does Paragraph 7 serve in relation to the rest of the essay. . essay, suggesting that those home-improvement shows are not wholly accurate. necessaTy lessons about doing home-improvement projects. remodeling project is so great that there are thoughts of another project. home-improvement shows r.eally can be quite informative.and helpful.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

For the sake of the unity and coherence of the essay, Paragraph 6 should be placed: where it is now. after Paragraph 2. afteT Paragraph 3. after Paragraph 4. PASSAGE 111 No Satisfaction Many people believe

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Which choice would most precisely sharpen the focus of this p.aragraph, in keeping with the way the writeT develops the argument in the rest of the essay . 31 that today's rock music lyrics are immoral. Even parents who grew up listening to early rock tunes often

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 32. in which todays todays need to wear earplugs when recent songs are played. Some parents have been moved by worries about the

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Which choice best Specifies 'the basis of some parents, claims that rock lyrics are. morally objectionable? admit their old favorites were.pretty tame by com- parison. notice the diff.erences in recent songs. lyrics, influence on their children to be motivated, to seek

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 34. seek ways of restricting access of songs they deplore. However, 35 our nation, s.,devotion to freedom of speech creates a

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 35. access by access to excess of dilemma for them: censorship, even in the.name.of protecting impressionable youth, is still censorship. Music has been practiced in man nations

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 36. and places throughout history. historical periods. and.historical eras. One possible solution to the censorship dileIi]ma is, to rate albums ,as we do 37

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 37. 'D. dilemma is, to rate albums. movies. Ratings for parents a rough guide to th¢

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

*. NO CHANGB to give parents nature of a recording, s contents. Recording companies

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 39. put on tape, comp4Ct disc, or Tecord. a recording's. on Tecord, compact disc, or tape, contents. compact disc, record, or tape. generally are willing to rat¢ their albums. Public officials seetn satisfied with ratings as a compromjse that mutes controversy. And recording aTtistS Temain free to sing whatever they want. Unfortunately, to adop.t a movie-style rating system.is to ignore crucial differences between music and movies. For one thing, when teenagers go to a theater, we must buy tickets" from a person presuTnably:

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 40. responsible enough to deny them admission by exclusion 41 if they're underage. Unless we're willing to deputize

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 41. and,not let them in every sales clerk in.every music store, or music ratings 42.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 42. store, store so store, then won, t be.enforced. Moreover, rock mugic, more than 43

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 43. film, expresses youthful rebellion. Label an album as one w.hose conteits won't delight Mom or Dad, and

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 44. ther¢ are millions of teens who will acquire it precisely foi that reason. Not surprisingly, there is no satisfactory method for governing rock ' n, roll. Parents can best exert responsibility for their children, s listening habits.by communicating their concerns to their children. By sharing their insights and values, pareDts and ieens can . discover precisely why certain kinds of lyrics provoke disagreement. The process of debate will in itself. do more to promote both moral growth arid mutual . understanding., than any arbitrary system of restraints on 45 . what rock fans hear.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 45. , understanding, than,. . understanding than understanding;, than PASSAGE IV A Creative Education N. C. Wyeth, gifted artist and illustrator, was

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 46. in the early twentieth century. He is celebrated for his vivid and haunting images by art historians, 47 many of which continue to be published in children'.s

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 47. rians, and haunting, . books for the young today. Yet those who knew him

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

. F. . NO CHANGE 49 "believe that Q. Because he worked at home, Wyeth was able. to devote much of his time and energy to their

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

The writer would like to link the information already presented, about'N. C: Wyeth to the topic discussed in the rest of Ihe essay. Assuming all are true, which of the following completions. of .this sentence best achieves this effect? cessful way caregiver of his five childTen five children most men did in those. days care and instruction. Rather than send his children to school, where, Wyeth believed, they would be "pruned to stumps, one resembling the other," during the day he oftfn tutored them at home, The children regularly engaged in activities stimulating their curiosity 50 and creativity, which were designed by Wyeth. He wanted . 50. F. NO CHANGE that would stimulate their curiosity as designed by Wyeth. curiosity. that were designed .by Wyeth to stimulate their curiosity. his chxldren to value time and to spend it productively. Even mealtimes were educational, devo.ted to discussions of current cvents and the woiks of famous writers and artists. The thildren's activities continued into the evenings, too. Each night. Wyeth would tell stOTies of elves and other n]agical creatures or would read from. the classics. The children's favorite stories that.they heard were those that he told while 51

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 50. Refer to the source image.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 51. that he told .standing at his easel sketching the giants monsters and

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 52. standing at his easel, sketching the giallts, mon- sters, standing, at his easel sketching the giants, mon- sters standing at his easel. sketching the giants, mon- sters, other fantastic creatures that inhabited his lively tales. The children were required to do more than sit arid listen quietly through

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 53. more, than sit and listen quietly, inore than sit and listen.quietly, more than sit,.and listen quietly 53 their "lessons." They were expected to keep scrupulously written journals containing sketches

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 54. written journals scrupulously containing . H. jour.nals, which were scrupulously Colltaining written scrupulously written journals, which were cop- taining and notesi and personal diaries they also kept. Wyeth .55 believed their richly textured childhood, both disciplined

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 55. also keeping personal diaries. as.well as personal diaries. and fanciful, would lay the foundation for, producti!¢ 56

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 56. were laying adult years. Child-rearing provides many subtle rewards.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Which of the choices provides the most effective intro- ductory sentence for the essay's concludiug p.ara- graph? Wyeth Taised a virtual dynasty of talent and achievement. Three of the children became successful artists, ai]oiher a compos.er, and one who was & scientist and inventor. All of them trace their accomplishments

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 58. one. becoming another being . to their remarkable childhood under tILe watchful eye of their father, s dedication and determination. 59 . 59. A. NO.CHANGE Question 60 asks about the pteceding passage as a whole. .60. Suppose the writer had been assign¢d to write a brief essay illustrating the influence of N. C. Wyeth'.s art- work on the subsequent artwork of his children. Would this essay. successfully fulfill, the assignment? children 'became successful., artists. his artwork to help foster creativity xn his children. - Wyeth, s creative child-rearing methods. of images Wyeth created. PASSAGE V In Katmandu The narIow cobbled streets and wide paved avenues of Katmandu, Nepal, buzzes with the interplay 61 of old and new way.s. In the months I spent in that central Asian capital, I was intrigued by the culture, having allowed local traditions'and modern

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 59. Refer to the source image.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 60. Refer to the source image.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 61. is buzzing

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 62. allowing ' which has allowed that it has allowed importations to flourish side by side. .The ancient tiered pagodas in the central square draw both worshipers and tourists. Merchants sell not only tsadiiional Crafts but also high-tech European flashlights from the temple steps. Japanese cars swerve around

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Given that all are tTue, which of the choices would best help complete an .example of the "interplay" described in the opening paragraph? religious articles of faith ancient artifacts found nearby donkeys, goats, and bicycles.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

The wnter wishes to include ano.ther example of tradi- tional Nepalese culture coexisting with, modern foreign influence. Which of the following true sentences, if inserted here, wollld.best fulfill that goal? weather crisp, h'ikers climb its,famous. mountains. ,in the world. . monkeys beg vlsitors for sweets. ,American soda pop.. [1] One afternoon, after the nourishment of some 65 Texas-style barbecued chicken and apple pie, I wandered

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 65. nourishing myself by w.ay of out into the streets. [2] Gar.landed with gold, masked with dramatic makeup, and barred from walking outside, she looked down at her changing city and my from a

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 66. my changing city and her me and her changing city ' mine and hers changing city second-floor window. [3] Suddenly aware of béing obseTved, I looked up into the face of a goddess-the Living Goddess, a child revered as divine. 67

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Which of the following sequences of sentences makes this paragraph rnost logical? Finally, I saw an old-fashioned 68 honey-gatherer selling wild honey

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 68. he had brought down from the tnountains. Honey is a. treat enjoyed in ttiost parts of the world.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 69. eTal factors. including the bees, foraging area. 'C. Did you know honey was even used in the mum- mification process back in ancient Egypt? From two great pots, which were tied to a poIe he carried across his shoulders, the man poured honey into 70 jars. O Barefoot, and singing to advertise his honty. he toured the city, filling even foreigners, jars with the

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

The writer wishes to add a detail.to the preceding sen- tence that will emphasize the meeting of traditional and modern cultures. Given that all are true, which of the following replacements foi jars would most directly accomplish this? 'F. jars his customers had that were empty. H, his customers, jars, which quickly filled with the sweet stuff. containers that were supplied by his customers. golden liquid. All over the city, I saw old Nepalese ways coexisting with modern Western ones. In a Tibetan neighborhood, Buddhist rnonks in their yellow robes played soccer with boys from a nearby neighborhood. 71

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Which of the descriptions of th¢ boys at play with monks who were dressed in traditional garb best emphasizes the central idea of the paragraph and the and joked with boys in the old courtyard. with boys wearing Superman T-shirts. with boys wearing traditionaI Nepalese caps.

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 72. In the same district in which dentists treat their patients using the latest methods, toothache sufferers may iry relieving the pain by driving a nail into a huge hunk of wood hung for that purpose in the public square. On Katmandus busiest commercial 73

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 73. avenue, it was under billboard advertisements for 74 toothpaste and movies, and a sidewalk artist chalked

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 74. avenue, under billboard ads for toothpaste and movies, a avenue and it was under billboard ads for tooth- paste and movies, a avenue that was under billboard ads for toothpaste and movies. A 74 heroes from the countty, s oldest myths. Katmandu has been influenced by change from outside, but its 75

Paper 83 · ACT January 2002 · Form 55C · English Test

Source question 75. Nepalese culture thrives. its, END OF TEST 1 STOPI DO NOT TURN THE PAGE UNTIL TOLD TO DO SO.