Transcendentalism
Source: Corbett, S.P., Janssen, V., Lund, J.M., Pfannestiel, T., Waskiewicz, S., & Vickery, P. (2014)
1. C (factual information)
C is correct because the paragraph says, “They reacted against the age they lived in where people were encouraged to act the same as others and argued for greater individualism against conformity” and that “the transcendentalists” celebration of the uniqueness of individual feelings ”were affected by European romanticism”. Options A and B are incorrect because they actually “reacted against the age they lived in where people were encouraged to act the same as others” and “argued for greater individualism against conformity“. Option D is wrong because it’s false. The passage states, “transcendentalists believed that all people could attain an understanding of the world that goes past rational, sensory experience“.
2. D (negative factual information)
D is correct because it is untrue and this is a negative detail question. Ralph Waldo Emerson took a trip to Europe in 1832 and there “he met leading figures of romanticism“. Options A to C are incorrect because they are all facts from the paragraph.
3. C (rhetorical purpose)
C is correct because the author uses this phrase to show that Emerson’s ideas were inspired by romanticism, (which he learned about in Europe). Option A is wrong because nothing in the paragraph suggests his ideas were only “romantic“. Option B is incorrect because this phrase does not explain why he wrote his essays, though they may have been inspired by some of the “romanticism-influenced ideas“. Option D is wrong because the paragraph does not say or suggest that he did not have his own ideas.
4. B (vocabulary)
B is correct because “taken root” is closest in meaning to “established” in that “mass conformity” had established itself “in American life“. You probably know that the word “root” usually means the bottom of a tree or plant that moves down into the earth and holds the plant in place. If you know what roots are, then you can imagine how this word might be used as a symbol or metaphor. Options A and C can be eliminated because they are slightly similar in that they both mean “to go away from” or “disappear”. D is wrong because something can only “take root” after it’s been “discovered“.
5. A (factual information)
A is correct because the paragraph says, “Thoreau placed a special emphasis on the role of nature as a gateway to the transcendentalist goal of greater individualism“. Option B is wrong because the paragraph does not say that Thoreau was Emerson’s “closest friend, just that he was “his friend“. Option C is incorrect because Emerson suggested Henry David Thoreau “write about his own ideas”, not lecture about them. Option D is incorrect because the paragraph says that Henry David Thoreau “gave a lecture in which he argued that individuals must stand up to governmental injustice”, not that he “organized groups that protested” it.
6. D (negative factual information)
D is correct because it is untrue. The author says, “Fuller was a friend of Emerson and Thoreau, and other intellectuals of her day”, not that they met at Harvard. Options A, B, and C are incorrect because they are accurate facts from the paragraph.
7. C (inference)
C is correct because the information in the paragraph leads us to infer that her positions – in society and in the workplace – were rather uncommon for women to hold in her time. The fact that she advocated for women’s equality and that women couldn’t attend Harvard make it clear that her prominence in the transcendentalist movement and her position as editor for The Dial was likely very rare for her time. Option A is wrong because the paragraph says she “came to prominence as a leading transcendentalist”, not that she was “famous”, and this is an inference question. Option B is wrong because this is specifically stated in the paragraph and this is an inference question, not a detail question. Option D is incorrect because nothing in the paragraph allows us to infer that she chose to review only books she was interested in.
8. D (sentence simplification)
D is correct because this option correctly reiterates the main point of the sentence. Options A to C are incorrect because they either contain only a detail of the sentence, or they do not include the main point of the sentence.
9. A (insert text)
A is correct because the missing sentence best fits here. The transition word “however” at the beginning of the sentence indicates that it might be placed at the beginning of the paragraph as it contrasts a previous point and/or introduces a new topic. The missing word introduces “criticism” of transcendentalism, which is further discussed in the following sentences. Specifically, the next sentence says “some critics” and provides a specific example of what they criticized – this signals that the missing sentence should be placed before this sentence. Since the rest of the paragraph provides examples of specific critics and criticisms of the movement, the missing sentence does not fit anywhere else.
10. A, E, F (prose summary)
A, E, and F are correct because these choices deal with some of the main discussion points from the passage and are directly related to the summary sentence; they are elaborated on throughout the passage. On the other hand, options B, C, and D are incorrect because they are minor details not related to the summary sentence, nor do they provide critical information about the main topic of the passage.
Hydroculture
1. D (vocabulary)
Even if you don’t know the meaning of the word, after “severity”, the author states “…but most accept that the crisis is real…” and a crisis is a big, serious problem. Options A to C are not synonymous with “severity“.
2. B (factual information)
In the passage, the author states that “…a number of previously productive agricultural regions are no longer as fertile as they once were because of the weather“. A is incorrect because while the author does mention biofuels, they never mention limiting it as a solution. C is incorrect because “…major agricultural regions have become less fertile…“. is not an effect of the food crisis, but an effect of changing weather patterns. D is incorrect because the “…health of the world’s population…” is never mentioned.
3. B (reference)
You have to look at the previous sentence for these types of questions. It ends by stating that “…found that they can get a better return growing biofuels than raising crops“. So, “this end” refers to raising crops.
4. D (factual information)
It’s mentioned at the end of the paragraph that the plants need water, nutrients, and light. A is incorrect because the passage mentions that “…some believe…“. but not that it will actually happen. B is incorrect because the paragraph does say it’s cost-effective, but it doesn’t mention that it will cost less. C is incorrect because the goal of hydroponic farms is never mentioned.
5. D (inference)
The second sentence of the paragraph states that “…although it may seem like a technologically sophisticated form of agriculture,…” which implies that it’s not very complicated. A is incorrect because the author never mentions that distilled water has a negative impact on plants, only that it’s not as helpful when compared to nutrient-rich water. B is incorrect because while the passage does mention NASA, it never says that they want to create farms. C is incorrect because it’s never mentioned in the passage.
6. A (sentence simplification)
The essential information in the highlighted passage, that hydroponic farms are situated in a better location than traditional farms, is best summed up in choice A. B is incorrect because the sentence is not trying to give practical advice to farmers. C is incorrect because the location is not it’s main advantage, only another advantage. D is incorrect because the passage states that hydroponic farms are located much closer to the markets.
7. C (rhetorical purpose)
In this paragraph, the author is listing the benefits of hydroponics, and the fact that tropical vegetables, usually limited to a specific region, can be grown indoors is also an advantage. A is incorrect because the popularity of food is never mentioned. B is incorrect because tropical vegetables are not just one type of crop. D is incorrect because there is no argumentative tone in this passage, only the presentation of information.
8. D (negative factual information)
It’s the only choice that directly contradicts what was stated in the passage “…grow well hydroponically are relatively low in protein…“. A is incorrect because the author does mention that “…carrots, potatoes, and corn are either not suitable or hard to grow“. B is incorrect because the passage mentions that “…most herbs and vegetables thrive…“. C is incorrect because the author does say that hydroponic cultivation isn’t practical for staple crops.
9. D (insert text)
The last sentence of the paragraph states how aquaponics can produce the same quality of herbs, fruits, and vegetables as hydroponics, while also growing protein-rich products that hydroponic farms can’t produce. Therefore, it makes sense that the next sentence would discuss the future potential of aquaponics.
10. BOTH – A, D and E, AQUAPONICS ONLY – B and F (fill in a table)
Choices A, D, and E can all be found as details in paragraph four. Choices B and F can be found as details in the final paragraph about aquaponics. C is never used because both types of systems require little space when compared with traditional farming methods. G is never used because it explains the cause of the food crisis; it doesn’t describe either farming method.