(1) Leo Tolstoy was a Russian author widely regarded as one of the greatest writers of all time. (2) His great works include lengthy novels like War and Peace and Anna Karenina as well as short stories, novellas, plays, and essays. (3) Tolstoy being born in 1828 in the southwest of Russia. (4) Although he had the good fortune of being born into a privileged family, his parents died while he was very young. (5) As a young man, he spent most of his time in Moscow and St. Petersburg. (6) What he was doing in Moscow and St. Petersburg was gambling. (7) In 1851, Tolstoy joined the Russian army. (8) This was also around the time that he began his writing career. (9) It might be inferred that his military service accounts for the dramatic transition from irresponsible youth to virtuosic literary giant. (10) In the 1870s, Tolstoy underwent a serious ideological shift. (11) During this period he began a dedicated study of biblical teachings and became an avid Christian pacifist. (12) Even though he was born to an aristocratic family, he believed that the aristocracy was a burden to the poor. (13) His political writings influenced much Christian anarchist thought that followed. (14) Tolstoy also became a staunch believer in the economic theory of Georgism. (15) Georgism holds that the natural resources of the land should belong to the community, rather than to a single private owner. (16) Many of these philosophies are evident in his fiction, which often includes characters who work the land and long, rhapsodic passages celebrating the natural world. 

If the writer wanted to insert a sentence between sentences (4) and (5), which would fit best in the passage? 

Harrison had math test last Wednesday. He studied really well and thought that he did really good. When he walked into school today, Harrison’s teacher looked at him strangely. Harrison started to sweat, because he assumed the teacher’s expression meant he did poorly on the test. Harrison began to wonder wear he went wrong. The teacher walks around the room and handed out the graded assessments. Then the teacher, who had been walking around the room, paused in front of Harrison’s desk, and Harrison thought that he must of performed worst on the test than the rest of the class had. Then, to Harrison’s surprise, the teacher smiled, exclaiming that Harrison had scored one hundred percent. 

What is the most appropriate opening sentence for the passage?

(1) The recent years have provided an increase in what many are calling “disruptive technologies:” applications and websites that allow the average person to circumvent the traditional means of doing business with taxis, hotels, and other services. These businesses are appealing because they cost much less, on average, than traditional services and can provide equal experiences. (2) The people who use them and the people who profit from them are passionate about these companies. (3) They have created millions of entrepreneurs who get what they put into their enterprise, while making traditional businesses rethink customer service and stuff like that. The question isn’t whether these disruptive technologies will last, but what other companies and industries are waiting to be disrupted. (4) Some of the most prominent examples of disruptive companies include Soooper, the driving service, Stay'nLay, the house-sharing service, and DogVacationland, a dog-sitting service.

Where should sentence 4 be moved in order to best organize the paragraph?

(1) The film shows us the cultural phenomenon of rumspringa, a time in which Amish teens can metaphorically “run around” and explore the ways of the outside world without being punished for betraying their communities and families’ strict rules. (2) We see several young Amish partaking in unusual behavior, including drinking and smoking. As disturbing as some of the film are, the tumultuous period of rumspringa is educative because it results in education and is an enlightening experience. It gives the Amish a time to explore the “English” world and gain an understanding of what they will have to forego if they choose to join the Amish Church. (3) Amish teenagers get a chance to experience the clothes, music and lifestyles of the “English” and can judge for themselves how well suited they feel in those contexts.

The author is considering adding the following sentence:

"This footage is entirely uncharacteristic of the image of Amish life most people have--that is, meek and ascetic." 

What is the most logical position for this sentence in the paragraph?

      The rules of English grammar and writing are important to some poets. Proper grammar can help get the meaning of writing across to a wide audience. That is why many people were shocked with the inventive poetry of E.E. Cummings. He took risks and did all he could not to write in a single comprehensible English sentence. He E.E. Cummings lived an interesting and productive life. He is most widely known as “the poet who didn’t capitalize his name,” and his life, like his poetic style, was unique.

      Edward Estlin Cummings was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1894. He grew up with lenient, liberal parents. They supported his writing at an early age. Unlike many poets, he liked his parents and enjoyed his childhood. He attend public schools in Cambridge fore attending Harvard University, like his father. At Harvard, Cummings received a M.A. for English and Classical studies and graduated magna cum laude. He also helped found the Harvard Poetry Society.

Which of the following sentences would best conclude the second paragraph?

In one small town in California, [5] community leaders were worried about the next generation of kids growing up overweight because of the unhealthy food options. Local leaders decided to create a program in which [6] farmers taught kids how to cook healthy meals. In the six-week program, farmers taught kids how to grow fresh vegetables. In the newly-dug school gardens. [7] The kids were proud to eat tomatoes, lettuce, and beans that they had grown in their [8] own gardens. Plus, these vegetables can make delicious meals from all different cultures. [9]

Where does this sentence best belong?

1    The recruitment of elite athletes by American universities has recently reached new levels of both sophistication and it is very competitive. The benefits of having top-quality athletic programs are obvious: massive television revenues, marketing deals with major corporate sponsors, and increased alumni donations.  However, the desire to achieve these riches led many colleges to sanction practices that are both ethically and legally questionable.

2    Colleges have traditionally made allowances in their admission standards for athletes who might not have otherwise been academically qualified.  In recent years, however, several cases of outright academic fraud have been uncovered at major American universities.  These include fraudulent transcripts, fictitious online coursework, and the increasingly common practice of having a star athlete repeat a grade or two in order to achieve a higher grade point average.

3  The recruitment of potential college athletes is also starting at a much earlier age as it was before.  Some football and basketball players have been given scholarship offers before they enroll in high school.  The presence of various types of social media also plays a large role in the recruiting process.  Of course, the offers are non-binding, and oftentimes, the athletes in question do not actually attend the school at all.

4.  It would be a good idea for the leaders of American universities to remind themselves of the academic mission of their institutions before they allow the pursuit of money and fame  to corrupt them.  Success on the playing fields is a noble goal, but not if it comes at the cost ignoring the true purpose of higher education.

The writer is considering deleting the following sentence.

"The presence of various types of social media also plays a large role in the recruiting process."

Should the writer make this change?

(1) Yoga is an ancient practice. (2) It is a practice that originated in India. (3) Although many modern yoga practitioners think that yoga is mostly about stretching and exercise, its origins are much more closely related to meditation and spirituality. (4) One major text that forms a large portion of what we now know about yoga is The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.  (5) Hatha is the name of one style of yoga. (6) In The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, eight different components or “limbs” of yoga are introduced. (7) Only one of these “limbs” pertains to a physical yoga practice. (8) The other seven are related to moral virtuous behavior, breathing, and inward focus. (9) Yoga was first introduced to the west in the 19^th century and gained major mainstream popularity in the 20^th century. (10) In the United States and around the world, a wide variety of yoga styles have taken hold. (11) A few current popular yoga styles include vinyasa, ashtanga, bikram, and many others. (12) Many of these styles are quite different from the earlier forms of yoga. (13) In fact, many of the poses in contemporary yoga were actually influenced by calisthenics done by the British army. (14) Krishnamacharya, the yogi-in-residence in Mysore, India for much of the twentieth century, combined the earlier mystic elements of yoga with movements borrowed from gymnastics and military conditioning routines. (15) Often called “The Father of Modern Yoga,” Krishnamacharya personally instructed some of the most influential teachers who then went on to establish their own styles of teaching. 

Which sentence could most easily be removed from the passage without changing its meaning?

Dear Author,

Thank you for bringing the Harold Rodgers series into the world—your books have made my life so much better and more interesting. (1) Your books are just amazing. The characters and the plot spark my imagination and take me into a new world. (2) I just couldn’t put the books down once I read them they are so suspenseful. I think you should write another book. If you did, a lot of people would buy it. (3) When your previous books were published, the lines at the bookstore were out the door, and people were waited all night to get your book. You could make a lot of money selling your books to children and adults since so many people would buy it. (4) Everyone needs to make money to survive. Please consider writing another book for your fans. Thank you for taking time to read my request. 

Which sentence in the paragraph contains an irrelevant detail that should be deleted?

1    The recruitment of elite athletes by American universities has recently reached new levels of both sophistication and it is very competitive. The benefits of having top-quality athletic programs are obvious: massive television revenues, marketing deals with major corporate sponsors, and increased alumni donations.  However, the desire to achieve these riches led many colleges to sanction practices that are both ethically and legally questionable.

2    Colleges have traditionally made allowances in their admission standards for athletes who might not have otherwise been academically qualified.  In recent years, however, several cases of outright academic fraud have been uncovered at major American universities.  These include fraudulent transcripts, fictitious online coursework, and the increasingly common practice of having a star athlete repeat a grade or two in order to achieve a higher grade point average.

3  The recruitment of potential college athletes is also starting at a much earlier age as it was before.  Some football and basketball players have been given scholarship offers before they enroll in high school.  The presence of various types of social media also plays a large role in the recruiting process.  Of course, the offers are non-binding, and oftentimes, the athletes in question do not actually attend the school at all.

4.  It would be a good idea for the leaders of American universities to remind themselves of the academic mission of their institutions before they allow the pursuit of money and fame  to corrupt them.  Success on the playing fields is a noble goal, but not if it comes at the cost ignoring the true purpose of higher education.

Which choice best replaces the bolded and underlined phrase?