Reading Questions (Don't Worry, it's short ;D)

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>Questions 6-10 are based on the following passages.
Passage 1
Every age, after his own, has gone in search of Shakespeare. The first biography was written in 1709. Now it is a poor year for the Shakespeare business when two or three more do not show up on bookstore shelves. We want to know who he was hoping that the narrative of his life will somehow explain the genius of his writing. But it never does. We find him but who we find only adds to the mystery. How is it that a man without a university education, a glover's son from a small Warwickshire market town, could have written the plays and poems that have spoken to generations of readers and theatergoers?</p>

<p>Passage 2
Stratford. Shakespeare's hometown, has become an almost sacred place of pilgrimage, with tourists waddling reverently around the spectacularly tasteless cathedral of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre. An impressionable few of them are even moved to doff their caps or discard their ice creams. Shakespeare's familiar high-domed head, an image that is quite possibly not him at all, has adorned everything from TV beer commercials to British currency. He is the presiding genius of the national spirit, a kind of hero in a neck ruff. Without him industries would crash and ideologies crumble. It is even rumored that he also wrote plays.</p>

<ol>
<li>Compared with the tone of Passage 1. the tone of Passage 2 is more
(A) optimistic
(B) appreciative
(C) impartial
(D) uncertain
(E) irreverent</li>
</ol>

<p>I picked c, it's e</p>

<ol>
<li>The final sentence in Passage 2 is best interpreted as
(A) a self-deprecating acknowledgment that the author is not an expert on Shakespeare
(B) a factual observation about the extent of the public's knowledge of literature
(C) a humorous admission that a great deal remains unknown about Shakespeare's life
(D) a derisive comment about the public's lack of real engagement with Shakespeare's work
(E) a snide commentary on the public's willingness to believe rumors</li>
</ol>

<p>Yeah.. I picked C, but it's D</p>

<ol>
<li>Both passages support the point that
(A) many of the generally accepted details about Shakespeare's life are probably inaccurate
(B) Shakespeare was a genius of the highest magnitude
(C) few people today actually read Shakespeare's work
(D) very little is known about certain periods of Shakespeare's life
(E) a thriving industry is dependent on Shakespeare's life and work</li>
</ol>

<p>Okay, so this one I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. I picked D because they both act so nonchalant and like they don't know. But then it could also be E Because the first passage talked about the books and the second talked about the hometown. But the correct answer is E</p>

<p>And if you guys have the SAT test packet with this, can you help me with question 12 also on section 2.. I think I get it, but not really</p>

<p>thanks! :D</p>

2

<p>I would help you, but I chose the exact same wrong answers you went for. FFFFUUUUUU</p>

3

<p>LOL! Really?</p>

4

<p>Yeah, unfortunately. The more practice tests I do, the more I get the feeling that good performance on CR is more innate than it is acquired: it probably needs a very high literary intelligence. Oh well.</p>

5

<p>Where are these passages from?</p>

6

<p>Thankfully, I got all three correct… :)</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Passage 2 seems to be a little bit jocular. I sensed some sarcasm in the writing. Therefore, E seems to be correct for #7.</p></li>
<li><p>Look at the last sentence: “It is even rumored that he also wrote plays”. There is a contrast between the content of the last sentence and the previous sentences. The previous sentences are nothing about Shakespeare’s works, which Shakespeare is most known for. The author makes fun of the public’s failure to recognize the real reason to appreciate Shakespeare, or his works. I can only imagine choosing C if you didn’t get the sarcasm in Passage 2.</p></li>
<li><p>Again, I think you chose D for the same reason. You didn’t catch the sarcastic elements in Passage 2.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>The key to these questions was catching the subtle sarcasm in Passage 2. The last sentence of Passage 2 is almost ludicrous; who doesn’t know about Shakespeare?</p>

7

<p>Okay, How is 7 more irrelevant? Just because it’s less sarcastic??</p>

<p>JeffereyJung, I appreciate the help, but I’m so lost… >.<</p>

8

<p>It’s not irrelevant, but irreverent, which means “disrespectful” or “not serious”.</p>

9

<p>Passage 1 is about the thriving industry of biographies and narratives about Shakespeare.
Passage 2 talks about the thriving industry of anything about Shakespeare(his hometown, picture of him, just anything!). The last sentence(and perhaps several key words) reveals the ironic/sarcastic tone of Passage 2. There is a implication that the public has forgotten the real reason to appreciate Shakespeare’s works. It should not be about Shakespeare, but rather his works. This is apparent in the last sentence: “It is even rumored that he also wrote plays.” The author is NOT serious. He’s making fun of the situation.</p>

10

<p>OHHHHH. I get it nowwww. Thank you so much!</p>