Purpose 1

(8.5)

Next morning I saw for the first time an animal that is rarely encountered face to face. It was a wolverine. Though relatively small, rarely weighing more than 40 pounds, he is, above all animals, the one most hated by the Indians and trappers. He is a fine tree climber and a relentless destroyer. Deer, reindeer, and even moose succumb to his attacks. We sat on a rock and watched him come, a bobbing rascal in blackish-brown. Since the male wolverine occupies a very large hunting area and fights to the death any other male that intrudes on his domain, wolverines are always scarce, and in order to avoid extinction need all the protection that man can give. As a trapper, Henry wanted me to shoot him, but I refused, for this is the most fascinating and little known of all our wonderful predators. His hunchback gait was awkward and ungainly, lopsided yet tireless. He advanced through all types of terrain without change of pace and with a sense of power that seemed indestructible. His course brought him directly to us, and he did not notice our immobile figures until he was ten feet away. Obviously startled, he rose up on his hind legs with paws outstretched and swayed from side to side like a bear undecided whether to charge. Then he tried to make off at top speed and watch us over his shoulder at the same time, running headlong into everything in his path.

The author’s chief purpose in writing this passage seems to be to

A) defend the wolverine from further attacks by man

B) point out the fatal weakness of the wolverine

C) show why the wolverine is scarce

D) characterize a rarely seen animal

E) criticize Henry’s action

As a whole, this passage suggests that the wolverine

A) is every bit as awesome as his reputation

B) will eventually destroy the deer herds

C) will one day be able to outwit man

D) does not really need the protection of man

E) is too smart for other animals

(11.4)

Shakespeare wrote four types of plays: histories, comedies, tragedies, and tragicomedies. Some scholars contend that Shakespeare’s choice of three of these types of dramatic forms reflects his various psychological states. As a young man making a name for himself in London, he wrote comedies. Then, saddened by the death of this son, he turned to tragedies. Finally, seasoned by life’s joys and sorrows, he produced tragicomedies. But a look at the theater scene of his day reveals that Shakespeare was not so much writing out of his heart as into his pocketbook. When comedies were the vogue, he wrote comedies; when tragedies were the rage, he wrote tragedies; and when tragicomedies dominated the stage, he produced tragicomedies.

The primary purpose of the passage is to

A) examine Shakespeare’s life in light of his dramatic works.

B) dispute a theory that attempts to explain why Shakespeare wrote the kinds of plays he did.

C) explain the terms “comedy,” “tragedy,” and “tragicomedy” as they are used in discussions of Shakespeare’s plays.

D) compare Shakespeare’s plays with the works of other dramatists of his day.

E) discuss what is known about Shakespeare’s psychological states.

(12.5)

The small hive beetle, Aethina tumida (Order Caleoptera; Family Nitidulidae), was first discovered in Florida in June of 1998 and has now been found in six other states, George, South Carolina, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Minnesota. To date, the beetle has not been found in Virginia, but the movement of migratory beekeepers from Florida may have transported the beetle to other states. Recent finding also indicate transport of the beetles in packages. The small hive beetle can be a destructive pest of honey bee colonies, causing damage to comp, stored honey, and pollen. If a beetle infestation is sufficiently heavy, they may cause bees to abandon their hive. The beetles can also be a pest of stored combs and honey (in the comb) awaiting extraction. Beetle larvae may tunnel through combs of honey, causing discoloration and fermentation of honey.

This passage was most likely written to

A) help customers understand how difficult it is to raise commercial honey

B) inform beekeepers about a menace that may be contaminating their hives

C) warn consumers that the price of honey is likely to raise

D) spark a federal bailout of the industry

E) convince the Pure Food and Drug Administration to take the problem more seriously