9th Grade Literature & CompositionSnow Day Makeup Packet

DIRECTIONS: Using a no. 2 pencil, fill out the provided scantron as you answer the questions below. This will be due the day we return from Spring Break and NO extension will be given for it. As this is a take-home packet, feel free to use online resources and study guides (found on my blog) to answer the questions. A digital copy of this packet can also be found on the class blog.

1. Alan wants to write his research paper for his class on whales. Which problem exists with his topic selection?A) It is too controversial.B) It is too broad.C) It is not an appropriate topic for a Biology class.D) It will be hard to find any information on his topic.

2. Sonya wants to write a report about the various types of poetry. Which source would probably provide Sonya with the MOST information on her topic?A) Great Poems of the Twentieth CenturyB) Robert Frost’s poem, “The Runaway”C) An interview with Gwendolyn Brooks- “A Prolific American Poet”D) Samples of Styles That Cross the Miles: Rhymes to Prose That Everyone Knows

3. Clarissa wants to find information on the Internet about what she can do to help the environment. Which keywords would probably help her find the MOST information?A) learning about the environmentB) activities for young peopleC) getting involvedD) ways to save the Earth

Use the bibliography card to answer the question below.

“Living in Cambodia.” Garrison, CharlesPosted: 10 February, 1999http://www.truelife.eduAccessed: 20 September, 2001

4. What is wrong with the format of this bibliography card?A) The card should not show the date accessed.B) The author should be listed first.C) The second and third line should not be indented.D) The title of the work should not be in quotes.

5. Which page from a book would MOST likely contain information about physical conditioning in the military?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction viiCodes of Conduct 1Drills and Ceremonies 6Fitness Training 13Field Hygiene 16First Aid 21Leadership 24Team Building 27

A) Page 1B) Page 6C) Page 13D) Page 16

6. Larry is finishing a report on Gwendolyn Brooks. Which of these should NOT be included on the first page of his report?A) The title of his reportB) The date his report was dueC) His nameD) A list of sources

7. Where should Corinne look to find out which pages discuss the childhood of Emily Dickinson in a biography of her life?A) The title pageB) The appendixC) The table of contentsD) The copyright page

Tim gave a report in class. Read the following excerpt from his report, and use it to answer questions 8 and 9.

The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest effort undertaken by both Russia and the United States to promote advancement in space exploration. While the ISS differs greatly from the space stations in science fiction movies, it still represents an incredible array of technological advances. Astronauts aboard the space station conduct micro-gravity experiments to develop new medicines, metals, crystals, and fabrics. State-of-the-art equipment monitors the Earth to offer improved weather studies. In addition, more studies than ever before have been conducted on the effects of space on animals and plants. The ISS may not be able to teleport anyone to another location, but it is still a great technological advance.

8. Choose the set of notes that MOST accurately reflects the main idea of this report?A) Space Station

-both United States and Russia-incredible array of advances-developing new medicines-differs from those in science fiction

B) International Space Station -largest effort by U.S. and Russia -micro-gravity experiments -improved weather studies -studies space effect on plants/animals

C) Space Station-by Russia and United States-improved weather studies-state-of-the-art equipment-not able to teleport anyone

D) International Space Station-largest effort by Russia and U.S.-differs from science fiction-developing new fabrics-conducting studies on plants

9. Which title BEST reflects the main topic of this report?A) Micro-Gravity Experiments in SpaceB) Effects of Space on AnimalsC) Cooperative Effort for Scientific ProgressD) State-of-the-Art Equipment

Use the notes below to answer question 10.The Romans had subdued much of the known world, but they still faced a dangerous enemy: the Parthians. The Parthians had a very different military strategy from that of the Romans. While the foot soldier was the building block of the Roman army, Parthian soldiers were more likely to be mounted on horseback, and more likely to abandon a battleground if the clash was not going their way.(pg. 120)

10. Which heading would be appropriate for these notes?A) The Roman Empire-Building ofB) The Parthians- Social Customs Observed byC) Roman and Parthian Army- Differences BetweenD) The Ancient World- Peoples of

11. Aaron wants to find the adjective form of the word amphitheater. Which of the following sources would BEST help him?A) An encyclopediaB) The Reader’s Guide to Periodical LiteratureC) An almanac

D) A dictionaryUse the paragraph below to answer questions 12 through 14.

1) Everybody’s always talking about the need for a good friend. 2) Procrastination is my best friend. 3) My friends and I often share books and magazines. 4) Procrastination follows me everywhere I go, into my room at night when it is time to do homework, to basketball practice, when it is time to do sprints, even to the Hamburger Hut on Saturday mornings when I show up late for my meeting with friends. 5) I don’t know what the attraction is, but Procrastination and I have had a longstanding relationship. 6) Now that I think about this, I realize the time has come to call it quits, to find another close companion and rid myself of Procrastination once and for all. 7) Hold on a minute now. 8) I’d better give this more thought.

12. Which sentence is the topic sentence of this paragraph?A) Sentence 1B) Sentence 2C) Sentence 3D) Sentence 4

13. Which sentence would BEST conclude the paragraph?A) Of course, I have a really good friend, John Jefferies.B) Tomorrow would be a better day to make such a life-altering decision!C) When I was younger, I had an incredible amount of energy.D) One time I was almost a half an hour late.

14. Which sentence in the paragraph is way off topic?A) Sentence 1B) Sentence 2C) Sentence 3D) Sentence 6

15. Which of these sentences would NOT be included in a letter expressing thanks?A) Maybe you can visit our English class again next year.B) I’m glad you could make it to the awards banquet.C) The players on our soccer team enjoyed your presentation.D) I sure was hoping for a different book.

16. From the words phonic and telephone, you can conclude that the root word phon relates toA) SpeechB) LearningC) TechnologyD) Children

17. Which sentence should NOT be included in a student’s critique of a classmate’s essay?A) The storyline could be helped by more specific transitions.B) Overall, the paper is adequate, but your grammar could use some work.C) This paper is poorly written; there’s not much you can do to improve it.D) Although your essay is interesting, not all the details seem relevant.\

18. How is the sentence below BEST revised?

I could really use some help and assistance in getting the very difficult project done.A) I could really use some assistance in getting this very difficult project done.B) I could really use some help in getting this very difficult project accomplished and done.C) I could really use some helpful assistance in getting this very difficult project done.D) I could really use some help in getting this very hard, difficult project done.

Use the paragraph below to answer questions 19 and 20.

1) Each morning, dew glistens on the grass. 2) The sun yawns, scanning the horizon for companion clouds. 3) Perched high in ancient oak trees, starlings and sparrows announce a new day.

19. This paragraph is an example of what type of writing?A) ExpositoryB) PersuasiveC) NarrativeD) Descriptive

20. Which sentence would BEST conclude the paragraph?A) It’s easy to mistake dew for rain.B) Clouds loom overhead, warning of the coming storm.C) Other kinds of birds may also be present.D) In towns along the highway, people slowly put away their dreams.

21. How should the fragment below BEST be revised?

Sleeping on its side, the mule twitching as it dreamed.

A) Sleeping on its side, the mule twitched as it dreamed.B) The mule was sleeping on its side, it twitched as it dreamed.C) Sleeping on its side. The mule twitched as it dreamed.D) The mule, sleeping on its side, twitching as it dreamed.

Use the letter below to answer questions 22 and 23.

Dear Ms. Collins:1) On behalf of the senior class at Lee High School, I would like to invite you to speak at our May 28

commencement exercise. 2) As a Lee graduate, your words will be particularly meaningful to the student body. 3) Please check your schedule and see if you are available the last week in May. 4) I will contact you again in another week to elaborate upon the details of graduation, i.e., time and location. 5) I hope you can find an opening in your busy schedule to share words of wisdom with the graduating class. 6) I look forward to hearing from you.

Bye for now,Sarah Rodriguez

22. Which sentence could BEST be added after sentence 2?A) Your outstanding contributions to the community have already inspired so many of us.B) Graduation was originally scheduled for May 25 but has now been changed.C) You can discuss the experiences at Lee that you hope never to relive.D) Do you have any fears about public speaking?

23. Which part of the letter is too informal?A) Dear Ms. Collins:B) Please check your schedule and see if you are available the last week in May.C) I look forward to hearing from you.D) Bye for now.

24. How is the sentence below BEST written?

Hector saw how the problem could be solved rapid and offered the astounded class his answer.A) Change saw to seenB) Change rapid to rapidlyC) Changed offered to offersD) Change his to them

25. Which of these sentences is correctly written?A) Of the three plans, I think Carla’s is the more efficient approach.B) Of the three plans, I think Carla’s is the efficienter approach.C) Of the three plans, I think Carla’s is the most efficientest approach.D) Of the three plans, I think Carla’s is the most efficient approach.

26. How should the sentence below be changed to correct the problem of capitalization?

Did you hear that Colonel Jeffries’ son will attend west point, the prestigious military academy in the North?

A) Use a lower case c in ColonelB) Use a capital W and P in west pointC) Use a capital M and A in military academyD) Use a lower case n in North

27. How is the sentence below correctly punctuated?

Ellen, I wonder if you would mind giving our new neighbor, Ms. Takashi a ride to work.A) Remove the comma after EllenB) Change the comma after neighbor to a dashC) Ass a comma after TakashiD) Change the period to a question mark

28. How is the sentence below BEST written?

The Edwards family will meet ______________ outside the auditorium about 8 o’clock.

A) she and meB) her and IC) her and meD) she and I

29. In the sentence below, what change must be made to correct the problem in capitalization?

The chinese designs on the living room rug fascinate Arnold, a student of the Far East.A) Use a capital c in chineseB) Use a capital L and R in living roomC) Use a capital s in studentD) Use a lower case f and e in Far and East

30. How is the sentence below correctly punctuated?

Although carbonated beverages can upset the stomach many people still drink them.A) Add a comma after AlthoughB) Add an apostrophe after beveragesC) Add a comma after stomachD) The sentence is punctuated correctly.

31. How is the sentence below BEST written?

Water satisfies your thirst even better than lemonade does.A) Change satisfies to satisfied.B) Change your to you’reC) Change then to thanD) Change better to more better

32. Which word, or words, will correctly fill in the blank?

In my opinion, Cecil Fountain is the ________ stand-up comic I have ever heard.A) more wittyB) wittierC) most wittiestD) wittiest

33. Which word in the following sentence is NOT correctly spelled?

To the child’s dissappointment, the father thoroughly enjoyed eating vegetables for dessert.A) dissappointment B) thoroughlyC) vegetablesD) dessert

34. How is the theme in a nocel or story best described?A) A reoccurring symbol or imageB) The big idea or what the story is aboutC) Phrases or sentences used over and over againD) Objects of characters appearing more than once

Use the paragraph below to answer question 35.

The proper word choice is as important as grammar, no matter what the genre. Whether we speak of poetry, stories, narratives, simple essays, or slang, the right word choice is important to meaning.

35. What is the term that is used for good word choice?A) DictionB) Writing ProcessC) Point of ViewD) Narrative Essay

Use the paragraph and poem below to answer question 36.

In Walt Whitman’s poem, “Passage to India,” there is a section speaking about sailing forth. The scene is about embarking on a voyage or sailing trip, but the author has much more in mind. Whitman builds word pictures using the senses, allowing the readers to see what he wants them to see, seeing what is not even seen with real eyes.

“Sail forth—steer for the deep waters only,Reckless O soul, exploring, I with thee, and thou with me,For we are bound where mariner has not yet dared to go,And we will risk the ship, ourselves and all.”-Walt Whitman

36. Choose the answer that BEST describes the imagery of this passage.A) The writer’s point is that any time we sail on a voyage, we are at risk, and we might lose the ship, so we

must be careful.B) The writer invites anyone who would dare go with him, seeing the dangers but daring to explore life, not

afraid to see deeper realms of thought.C) The writer says we should be reckless and pursue whatever we want, no matter what anyone else thinks,

regardless of the consequencesD) The writer asks that together the readers go on a journey to real places yet unknown, real adventures yet

unexplored.

37. Which if the following sentences or phrases is the best example of a comparison using a figure of speech or figurative language?A) Her voice was raspy because of her having a sore throat.B) He ran as fast as he could to catch the ball.C) The fog was very thick and it was hard to see.D) Darkness crept past the day as a cat across the alley.

38. When an object stands for or represents something else, what literary device is the writer using?A) Dramatic IronyB) AsideC) OnomatopoeiaD) Symbolism

39. Most stories, including a novel, short story, or drama, will have some kind of plot. How is plot BEST described?A) The dramatic elements and symbolism in a storyB) The action or sequence of events in a storyC) The author’s hidden meaning of a storyD) The climactic fall and resolution of a story

40. What is theBEST working definition of fiction?A) Narrative of something that really happenedB) Literature based on a person’s real life experienceC) Writing about true-life adventures of anotherD) Literature in which plot and characters are imaginary

41. A work of fiction will include many different elements. Which of the following is NOT a common literary device found in a fictional work?A) Humor, motif, and hyperboleB) Plot, symbolism, and a point of viewC) Rhyme scheme, lyrics, and stanzasD) Personification, alliteration, and allusion

42. If a famous person writes about his/her feelings and opinions, or his/her memories about his/her experiences, the characteristics of such writing would lead you to believe it is what kind of writing?A) BiographyB) NarrativeC) MemoirD) Poetic drama

43. “Peter picked a peck of pickled peppers” is a good example of what?A) OnomatopoeiaB) Hyperbole

C) AlliterationD) Personification

44. When a person writes a story or narrative about himself/herself and his/her personal life and experiences, what is it called?A) AutobiographyB) BiographyC) Contemporary LicenseD) Demonstrative Analogy

45. What literary term best describes when a word is spelled like it sounds?A) HyperboleB) SoliloquyC) OnomatopoeiaD) Consonance

46. What do we call a story told in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or drama?A) ResolutionB) Rising actionC) NarrativeD) Dramatic Irony

47. What is the highly musical poetry that expresses the observations and feelings or a single speaker?A) AlliterationB) OnomatopoeiaC) SoliloquyD) Lyric

48. What is the purpose of exposition?A) Tells a succession of events arranged in chronological orderB) Attempts to persuade the reader to accept the writer’s viewsC) Gives the reader specific imagery of a scene or characterD) Provides information and explanation to support a topic

49. The climax of a story can BEST be described asA) The final scene at which point the reader knows the entire storyB) The high point of interest or suspenseC) The starting point of the story that provides points of interestD) That point in the story in which it becomes dull and uninteresting

50. Which is NOT an example of dialogue in literature?A) One person talking to another, set off by quotation marksB) Two or more people talking, set off by quotation marksC) The narrator explains the story, set in parenthesisD) Various characters telling the story, set off by quotation marks

51. Which statement BEST describes rising action?A) Sequence of events in a story that lead to the conclusionB) Events and details of the narration that identifies plotC) Sub-plot and themes that compare the story to realityD) Sequence of events that build up to the climax

52. What literary device is defined by one character in a narrative giving a speech?A) MonologueB) DialogueC) DenoumentD) Exposition

53. In dramatic literature what term best describes a long speech expressing the thoughts or feelings of a character facing a difficult decision?A) DenoumentB) SoliloquyC) AsideD) Climax

Use the sentence below to answer question 54.

LADY MACBETH: “All perfumes of Arabia could not sweeten this little hand.”-from The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare

54. How is the term hyperbole defined or explained by this statement?A) A word play reflecting on England being so far away from ArabiaB) A comparison being drawn between the perfume and the handC) A context clue is seen in the sweetness of the perfumeD) A deliberate exaggeration used to achieve an effect

55. What is the best way to describe what a bibliography is and does?A) A literary work by an author who writes about the life experiences of another personB) A list of sources used in a literary research document that corresponds to quotes in the materialC) A literary device whereby a writer narrates a story from the perspective of another personD) A listing of all of the materials a writer will read before he/she begins a story

Use this passage from Robert Frost’s poem, “A Road Not Taken” to answer question 56.

“I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood and I-I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.”

56. Which statement BEST explains the metaphor in this passage?A) The poet is remembering a picnic with his sweetheart when he got lost on an unknown path.B) On a recent walk through the woods, the poet took a wrong turn and knew the event would be remembered

for a long time.C) The poem is not about roads at all but is about the poet making decisions about what to writeD) The poet is speaking about not taking the same path in life as everyone else and going one’s own way

57. Of the sentences listed below, which one does not incorporate active verbs in its structure?A) That issue is being looked into as soon as the paperwork is received.B) We are going to the store when the car returns home.C) The school bus was left stranded in front of the school.D) The classroom was quiet as preparations were being made.

58. Which of the sentences below does NOT use personification in its context?A) The car huffed and puffed up the hill.B) The tree limbs reached out to capture the falling squirrel.C) The frog talked his way out of being eaten by the seagull.D) The bird flew into the nest and began to fluff the inner wall.

59. Which sentence does NOT use imagery?A) It was so dark outside that you could not see your hand in front of your face.B) The smells in the house reminded me of Grandma’s homemade apple pie.C) The train wreck was so awful that it stopped traffic for over an hour.D) The chocolate cake with buttery frosting tasted fluffy and moist.

60. In literary terms, what is time and place called in a narrative?A) SettingB) ClimaxC) ExpositionD) Point of View

61. Choose the sentence below that is NOT grammatically correct in terms of subject-verb agreement.A) After we drives to the market, we will stop at the ice cream store for a soda.B) We go to the store and buy a bag of chips and a soft drink.C) He must drive to the church to pick up the flowers.D) Without the key, she cannot start the car to go to school.

62. Which sentence below is punctuated correctly?A) After the game, we all went outside; therefore, he could not have done it.B) After the game, we all went outside, therefore he could not have done it.C) After the game, we all went outside, therefore, he could not have done it.D) After the game we all went outside, therefore, he could not have done it.

63. How can personification best be explained?A) The distinct use of the author’s unique viewpoint for the story

B) Applying human qualities to nonhuman subjects or charactersC) When a person in a story is exaggerated to nonhuman featsD) Giving characters human qualities they ordinarily would not have

Read the passage below to answer questions 64 and 65.

Why Some Flowers Bloom at Night

When the earth was very young and all the plants were just beginning to find their way, all flowers bloomed whenever they pleased. There were no rules about flowers waking up with the dawn and closing tightly at sunset. Day and night, all gradens bloomed equally.

Sun and Moon were at odds often during that time. Sun didn’t understand why Moon sometimes appeared during the day. Moon was unhappy because Sun ruled every day, but Moon could only appear on some nights. They tried to settle their differences themselves, but their talks always gave way to arguments.Sun’s arguments revolved around his power. “I am much bigger than you, so I am more important. My heat makes the plants grow and the people happy. You should not be wandering into the sky during my time to shine,” he said.

Moon argued about fairness. “It’s not right that you get so much time in the sky, and I get so little. Yes, you give heat to the world, but I supply it with coolness and fresh breezes, which give people relief from their cares. I deserve to travel the sky whenever I want to.”

The quarrelsome pair decided to submit their problem to a higher authority. Because they travelled through Sky, they asked for her advice.

After listening to Sun and Moon, Sky was not certain what to do. “I think that you both make good points,” she said. “But I cannot decide between you. Find another way to settle this.”

So Sun and Moon asked Clouds for advice. Clouds, too, stepped away from the problem. “No, we are not meant to be your judges. If we choose for Sun, Moon will never light our path during the night, and if we favor Moon, Sun will dry us up. Please find another way to settle your problem!”

Sun and Moon were barely speaking to each other by now. They spent so much time fighting that they forgot their jobs, and the Earth became still and dark. The flowers could not bloom in the darkness. Finally, the plants on the Earth began to protest.

“It’s too cold here,” said the marigolds.

“Yes, we miss the Sun,” called out the roses.

The tulips and daffodils also spoke for the Sun, “Sun’s warmth always wakes us up from our winter’s sleep.”

“That’s true,” said the four o’clocks, “but we miss the early moonlight.”

“And I always wait for the evening breezes to send my sweet scent out,” said the evening primrose.

One pale, nameless flower was most outspoken for Moon. :My silvery white flowers match the moon. I cannot imagine blooming if I cannot see the Moon.”

Sun and Moon overheard the flowers’ complaints. “Perhaps the flowers can help us settle our quarrel,” they thought, so they asked the flowers to help them.

“It is in our best interest to settle this quarrel,” said a tall golden flower with a center full of seeds. The other flowers agreed. After listening to arguments for both Sun and Moon, the flowers decided they should vote on whether Sun or Moon should dominate the sky.

The tall golden flower ran to the front of the meeting. “I will be happy to count the votes. Bloom right now if you favor the Sun, and please hold your bloom while I count.”

Because the flowers had not bloomed for such a long time, most of them could hardly wait to show their petals. The meeting burst into color, and the golden flower spent most of the day counting the blossoms. By the time the votes were all counted, most of the flowers were tired and wilting on their stems.

Finally, the tall golden flower asked the flowers that favored the Moon to show their blossoms. Due to the lateness of the day, only a few flowers, including the pale, nameless flower, showed their support of Moon.

The tall golden flower rushed to tell Sun about the victory. “You shall rule the sky!” the flower exclaimed.

“Because you have given me such great news, you shall be my special flower. From today on, you shall be known as Sunflower,” said Sun. As Sun spoke, the flowers that had voted for Sun nodded their heads in victory. Sun thanked them and said, “You shall bloom all day long because of your loyalty to me.”

The flowers that voted for Moon gathered about him. “We are so sorry for your loss,” the nameless white flower said.

“Don’t worry,” said Moon. “I’ll stay out of Sun’s way most of the time, but I’ll find a way to show up in the daytime sky when I think he’s not looking. And as thanks for your faithfulness, all of you flowers shall bloom at night. And you, my special friend,” he said to the silvery white flower, “you shall be called Moonflower. I will bathe you with light that will show your beautiful color at its finest.”

And that is why most flowers bloom during the day, but some flowers bloom only at night.

64. Which element of the passage contributes MOST to moving the plot forward?A) The description of settingB) The narrator’s commentary and conclusionsC) The dialogue between the charactersD) The main character’s thoughts and feelings

65. How do the flowers help to develop the theme of democracy in the passage?A) By showing loyalty to a single strong leaderB) By representing the common people in a cultureC) By forming an authority that makes decisions for othersD) By representing opposite opinions for debate

Read this passage and answer the questions that follow.

How Do You Build a Better Mouse?As you read this, human factors engineers are at work trying to figure out ways to make our lives and work easier and more comfortable. Ergonomics, or human factors engineering, is the study of how humans interact with their world and their work environment. Why are some chairs more comfortable to work in? What is the best height for a keyboard to prevent neck and arm strain? What is the best height for one’s countertop workspace? The study of ergonomics seeks to answer these and other questions.

The inspiration to study ergonomics began late in the 1940s. Technology was advancing in many areas: transportation, household appliances, communications, and entertainment. The first computers were in their infancy. Scientists often developed inventions and improvements, however, without taking into account the people factor: the physical

interaction of the human being with the machine. As a result, the safety and effectiveness of these technologies was limited until designers began to consider such human variables as size, range of motion, visual acuity, and age in relation to the product itself. Thus, ergonomics was born.

One of the first ergonomic inquiries was the study of a lathe in a factory. A lathe is used for cutting designs into tubular wood or metal objects like a leg of a table. Engineers studies the relative positions of the controls on the lathe. They discovered that the lathe seemed designed for a person 4 ½ feet tall, with an arm span of 8 feet. The lathe operator had to stop and stoop down in order to manipulate the controls. They knew that if they could make the lathe easier to use, operators would experience fewer injuries and would become more productive.

No matter how they redesigned the lathe, it would not be perfect for everyone, but the goal of ergonomics is to maximize the comfort and productivity for as many people as possible. Anthropometry is the study of the variability in size, shape, and strength of people. Human factors engineers use anthropometric tables to improve the physical fit between people and the things they use, from hand tools to machinery to airplane cockpit designs.

Sometimes ergonomics are used to improve the designs of products that we already have, and sometimes the study of ergonomics leads to the development of completely new products. One such product is the computer mouse. Doug Engelbart came up with the idea for the first mouse in the early 1960s when he was a research scientist at the Stanford Research Institute in Menlo Park, California.

Engelbart was assigned to a major project whose broadly stated purpose was to “augment human intellect.” Basically, scientists were asked to develop as many ideas as possible to enable human beings to solve complex problems more efficiently and more creatively. At the time computers were just becoming essential technological tools in government and industry. One of Engelbart’s tasks was to improve the interaction between the computer and the user so that science could take full advantage of a computer’s capabilities.

At first scientists tested several devices such as the light pen, joysticks, and even a knee pedal, which provided control similar to the foot pedal controlling acceleration on a car. To decide which device was superior, they designed a series of simple tasks such as moving the cursor on the screen from one object to the next. They then timed a group of volunteers to perform these tasks with a variety of input devices. The light pen took too much time because the user had to pick it up each time. The mouse was clearly superior.

The first mouse was simple, with two discs mounted perpendicularly. The user could then move it vertically or horizontally. Most of today’s mice are still mechanical but contain a small round ball that allows the user to move the cursor quickly any direction. Human factors engineers have also redesigned the shape to be comfortable for the human hand. They have also added two button for quick access to computer functions.

The mouse is just one example of the myriad ways that ergonomics has improved our work and our lives. So the next time you pick up a phone, sit in a chair, or push a grocery cart, know that some ergonomic engineer has studied how people perform countless tasks and worked diligently to make these tasks easier and more comfortable to complete.

66. What is the central idea of the passage?A) Studies in the field of ergonomics have improved work and life for many peopleB) The computer mouse has become more complex since its invention.C) The redesign of the lathe was turning point in the development of ergonomicsD) Student and office workers should sit up straight in their chairs.

67. In paragraph 6, what does the word augment mean?A) CondenseB) IncreaseC) EnergizeD) Improve

Read this poem and answer the questions that follow.

DaffodilsBy William Wordsworth

I WANDER’D lonely as a cloudThat floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the tress,Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shineAnd twinkle on the Milky Way,

They stretch’d in never-ending lineAlong the margin of the bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,Tossing their heads in a sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but theyOut-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not be gay,In such jocund company:

I gaze – and gazed – but little thoughtWhat wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lieIn vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eyeWhich is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,And dances with the daffodils.

68. The simile in lines 1 and 2 of “Daffodils” mostly describes the speaker’sA) DreamsB) FeelingsC) MovementsD) Thoughts

69. In line 3, what does the poet achieve by referring to the daffodils as a “crowd”?A) Sets an active and upbeat toneB) Offers a neutral description of the settingC) Explains the reason for the speaker’s wanderingD) Introduces a solution to the speaker’s loneliness