#1. Read the following passage: ‘The discovery of deep-sea hydrothermal vents in 1977 revolutionized our understanding of life on Earth. These underwater geysers, found along mid-ocean ridges, spew superheated water rich in minerals and chemicals. Remarkably, entire ecosystems thrive in these extreme environments, sustained not by sunlight but by chemosynthesis — a process in which bacteria convert chemical energy from hydrogen sulfide into organic compounds. These vent communities include giant tube worms, eyeless shrimp, and heat-resistant microbes, challenging the long-held assumption that all life depends on photosynthesis.’ What is the primary purpose of this passage?
#2. Based on the passage about hydrothermal vents, what does the word ‘sustained’ most closely mean in context?
#3. Based on the hydrothermal vent passage, which inference is best supported?
#4. Read the following passage: ‘Urban beekeeping has surged in popularity over the past decade, with rooftop hives appearing atop restaurants, hotels, and apartment buildings in cities worldwide. Proponents argue that city bees enjoy access to diverse flowering plants in parks and gardens, producing honey with complex flavors unavailable in monoculture farmland. However, critics warn that concentrating too many managed honeybee colonies in urban areas can overwhelm local ecosystems, outcompeting native pollinators such as bumblebees and solitary bees for limited floral resources.’ Which statement best describes the author’s approach in this passage?
#5. In the urban beekeeping passage, what organizational structure does the author primarily use?
#6. Read the following passage: ‘When Portuguese explorers reached the Spice Islands of Southeast Asia in the early 1500s, they encountered nutmeg — a spice so prized in Europe that a single cargo hold could make a merchant fabulously wealthy. Nutmeg was believed to cure plague, stimulate appetite, and ward off evil spirits. The fierce competition for control of the nutmeg trade eventually drew the Dutch, who in 1621 massacred the inhabitants of Banda Islands to secure a monopoly. This brutal chapter illustrates how the desire for a seemingly trivial commodity can drive nations to extraordinary violence.’ What is the author’s tone in the final sentence?
#7. Based on the nutmeg passage, which detail most directly supports the claim that nutmeg was extraordinarily valuable?
#8. Read the following passage: ‘The concept of universal basic income (UBI) — a government program providing every citizen with a regular, unconditional cash payment — has gained traction across the political spectrum. Pilot programs in Finland, Kenya, and Stockton, California, have shown that recipients generally do not stop working; instead, they invest in education, pay off debts, and start small businesses. Skeptics counter that scaling such programs nationally would require enormous tax increases and could fuel inflation. Nevertheless, as automation threatens to displace millions of workers, the conversation around UBI has shifted from whether it is desirable to whether it is inevitable.’ Which statement best summarizes the author’s conclusion?
#9. In the UBI passage, what rhetorical strategy does the author employ by mentioning pilot programs in Finland, Kenya, and Stockton?
#10. Read the following passage: ‘Coral reefs occupy less than one percent of the ocean floor yet support roughly twenty-five percent of all marine species. Often called the rainforests of the sea, these structures are built by tiny coral polyps that secrete calcium carbonate skeletons over centuries. Rising ocean temperatures cause coral bleaching, a stress response in which corals expel the symbiotic algae that provide them with color and up to ninety percent of their energy. Without intervention, scientists project that seventy percent of the world’s coral reefs could disappear by 2050.’ What is the relationship between coral polyps and the symbiotic algae described in the passage?
#11. Read the following passage: ‘In 1928, Alexander Fleming returned from vacation to find mold growing on a petri dish of Staphylococcus bacteria. The mold, later identified as Penicillium notatum, had created a clear zone where bacteria could not survive. Fleming published his findings but lacked the resources to develop the mold into a usable drug. It took another decade before Howard Florey and Ernst Chain at Oxford University successfully purified penicillin and demonstrated its life-saving potential during World War II.’ Based on the passage, why was there a gap between Fleming’s discovery and penicillin’s medical use?
#12. Read the following poem excerpt: ‘The crane stands still in shallow water, / a sentinel of patience carved from dawn. / It does not chase the silver flash below / but waits until the world delivers what it needs. / We could learn from standing still — / the art of letting time arrange its gifts.’ What does the crane most likely symbolize in this poem?
#13. Read the following passage: ‘Sleep deprivation among teenagers has reached epidemic proportions, with the American Academy of Pediatrics reporting that fewer than one in three adolescents gets the recommended eight to ten hours of sleep per night. Early school start times, excessive screen use, and heavy academic workloads conspire against healthy sleep habits. Research consistently links inadequate sleep to impaired memory consolidation, weakened immune function, and heightened anxiety. Several school districts that shifted to later start times have documented improvements in attendance, grades, and even reduced car accident rates among teen drivers.’ Which of the following would most strengthen the author’s argument for later school start times?
#14. In the sleep deprivation passage, the phrase ‘conspire against’ is used to suggest that the factors affecting teen sleep are:
#15. Read the following passage: ‘The tiny island nation of Nauru, once among the wealthiest countries per capita due to its phosphate deposits, serves as a cautionary tale in resource management. For decades, strip mining consumed nearly eighty percent of the island’s surface, leaving behind a barren moonscape of limestone pinnacles. When the phosphate ran out in the 1990s, Nauru faced economic collapse. The government resorted to desperate measures, including selling passports and hosting an offshore detention center for Australia. Today, Nauru struggles with diabetes rates exceeding forty percent and limited arable land.’ What is the author’s primary purpose in describing Nauru’s history?
#16. Which sentence best combines the following two sentences? ‘The museum renovation took three years to complete. The museum now features interactive exhibits that attract twice as many visitors.’
#17. Select the sentence that is punctuated correctly.
#18. Read the following sentence: ‘Neither the coach nor the players _____ satisfied with the referee’s decision.’ Which verb correctly completes the sentence?
#19. Which of the following sentences contains a dangling modifier?
#20. Read the following passage: ‘(1) The community garden has transformed the vacant lot into a vibrant gathering space. (2) Volunteers planted tomatoes, peppers, and herbs in raised beds along the fence. (3) The parking garage across the street was built in 2019. (4) Neighbors who had never spoken before now exchange gardening tips and share their harvest.’ Which sentence should be removed to improve the coherence of the passage?
#21. Which transition best completes the following sentence? ‘The experiment produced unexpected results; _____, the researchers decided to redesign the methodology and conduct additional trials.’
#22. Read the following draft paragraph: ‘Many colleges now offer mental health days as part of their attendance policies. Students can take designated days off without academic penalty when they feel overwhelmed. This policy recognizes that emotional well-being directly impacts academic performance. _______________’ Which sentence best concludes this paragraph?
#23. Which of the following sentences uses a semicolon correctly?
#24. Read the following sentence: ‘The committee submitted _____ report to the board, recommending that each department review _____ procedures.’ Which pair of words correctly fills the blanks?
#25. A student is writing a persuasive essay arguing that public libraries should expand digital lending programs. Which sentence provides the strongest supporting evidence?
#26. Which revision best improves the clarity of this sentence? ‘The reason the project failed is because the team did not communicate effectively and also they ran out of funding.’
#27. Read the following sentences: ‘The artist used bold colors and geometric shapes in her mural. She wanted to evoke the energy of the neighborhood’s street markets.’ Which revision best combines these sentences while maintaining the original meaning?
#28. Which sentence demonstrates correct parallel structure?
#29. Read the following paragraph: ‘The debate over year-round schooling continues to divide educators and parents. Supporters claim that shorter, more frequent breaks reduce the summer learning loss that disproportionately affects low-income students. Opponents argue that year-round schedules disrupt family vacations, summer employment opportunities for teens, and traditional camp experiences. _______________’ Which sentence best serves as a thesis statement if this paragraph were the introduction to an argumentative essay supporting year-round schooling?
#30. Read the following passage: ‘(1) The growth of telemedicine has accelerated since 2020, fundamentally altering how patients access healthcare. (2) Virtual consultations allow patients in rural areas to connect with specialists hundreds of miles away. (3) My cousin had a video appointment with her doctor last Tuesday. (4) Studies indicate that telemedicine reduces emergency room overcrowding by directing non-urgent cases to virtual platforms. (5) Despite connectivity challenges in some regions, telemedicine represents a significant step toward healthcare equity.’ Which sentence should be revised or removed because it shifts the tone and formality of the passage?
#31. A jar contains 8 red marbles, 12 blue marbles, and 5 green marbles. If one marble is drawn at random, what is the probability that it is NOT blue?
#32. A data set contains the values: 14, 18, 22, 22, 25, 30, 35. What is the interquartile range (IQR)?
#33. A survey of 200 employees found that 70 prefer remote work, 90 prefer hybrid work, and 40 prefer in-office work. If a pie chart is created, what central angle represents the hybrid work preference?
#34. Two fair six-sided dice are rolled. What is the probability that the sum equals 9?
#35. A class of 28 students has a mean test score of 78. If a new student joins and scores 92, what is the new class mean (rounded to the nearest tenth)?
#36. A store sells notebooks for $3.50 each. If a customer has $27.00, what is the maximum number of notebooks they can buy?
#37. A recipe that serves 6 people requires 2.5 cups of flour. How many cups of flour are needed to serve 15 people?
#38. A car’s value depreciates by 18% each year. If the car is worth $24,000 today, what will its approximate value be in 2 years?
#39. Which of the following is equivalent to the expression 3/8 + 5/12?
#40. A water tank holds 1,500 gallons when full. If it is currently 35% full and water is added at a rate of 12 gallons per minute, how many minutes will it take to fill the tank completely?
#41. Solve for x: 5(x – 3) + 2 = 3(x + 7)
#42. Which equation represents the line that passes through the points (2, -1) and (6, 7)?
#43. Factor completely: 2x² + 11x + 15
#44. Solve the system of equations: 3x + 2y = 16 and x – y = 2
#45. If f(x) = 4x² – 3x + 7, what is f(-2)?
#46. A rectangular garden has a length that is 4 feet more than twice its width. If the perimeter is 62 feet, what is the area of the garden in square feet?
#47. A right triangle has legs measuring 9 cm and 12 cm. What is the length of the hypotenuse?
#48. A cylinder has a radius of 5 inches and a height of 10 inches. What is its volume? (Use π ≈ 3.14)
#49. Two similar triangles have a scale factor of 3:5. If the area of the smaller triangle is 36 square units, what is the area of the larger triangle?
#50. A point is located at (-3, 4) on the coordinate plane. If it is reflected over the x-axis and then translated 5 units to the right, what are its new coordinates?
#51. Essay Prompt: Some educators argue that high schools should require students to complete a community service project as a graduation requirement, while others believe community service should remain voluntary. Should high schools mandate community service for graduation? Write a well-organized essay in which you take a clear position on this issue, support your argument with specific reasons and examples, and address a potential counterargument.
