OSAS English Language Arts — Grade 11

Read the following passage: The old house at the end of Maple Street had been empty for years, but every evening a light appeared in the upstairs window. Maria had watched it from her bedroom since childhood, imagining who might live there. When she finally knocked on the door one October afternoon, she found only a timer connected to a bare bulb, clicking on and off in the gathering dark. Which statement best expresses a theme of this passage?

• ACuriosity can lead to unexpected discoveries that reshape one's understanding.
• BOld houses are dangerous and should be avoided by children.
• CTechnology has made modern life less meaningful.
• DIt is important to maintain one's childhood home.

Read the following passage: The old house at the end of Maple Street had been empty for years, but every evening a light appeared in the upstairs window. Maria had watched it from her bedroom since childhood, imagining who might live there. When she finally knocked on the door one October afternoon, she found only a timer connected to a bare bulb, clicking on and off in the gathering dark. Which line from the passage best supports the idea that Maria had long been curious about the house?

• AMaria had watched it from her bedroom since childhood, imagining who might live there.
• BThe old house at the end of Maple Street had been empty for years.
• CWhen she finally knocked on the door one October afternoon.
• Dshe found only a timer connected to a bare bulb.

Read the following passage: The old house at the end of Maple Street had been empty for years, but every evening a light appeared in the upstairs window. Maria had watched it from her bedroom since childhood, imagining who might live there. When she finally knocked on the door one October afternoon, she found only a timer connected to a bare bulb, clicking on and off in the gathering dark. What most likely motivates Maria to finally knock on the door?

• AYears of wondering and imagining about the house overcome her hesitation.
• BShe needs a place to live and considers moving into the empty house.
• CShe wants to prove to her neighbors that the house is haunted.
• DShe is looking for the owner to ask about buying the property.

Read the following passage: In his junior year, David joined the debate team because he liked winning arguments. By the state tournament, however, he had learned to listen as carefully as he spoke. After losing a close round to a quieter opponent, David realized that the best debaters were not the loudest but the most attentive. He began taking notes during his opponents' speeches, a habit he had once dismissed as unnecessary. How does David's character develop over the course of this passage?

• AHe shifts from valuing dominance to valuing attentiveness and self-awareness.
• BHe becomes discouraged and decides debate is not worth his time.
• CHe learns that winning is the only thing that matters in debate.
• DHe grows resentful of quieter opponents who defeat him.

Read the following passage: Elena set the letter on the kitchen table and waited. When her father came home, he read it without expression and placed it face down. "You applied without telling me," he said, not as a question. Elena straightened. "I wanted it to be real before I talked about it." He nodded once, slowly, and she could not tell if the nod meant approval or simply that he had heard her. What does the interaction between Elena and her father reveal about their relationship?

• ATheir relationship is marked by restraint and unspoken emotions, making communication ind…
• BTheir relationship is openly hostile, with frequent shouting and confrontation.
• CTheir relationship is completely supportive, with her father immediately praising her dec…
• DTheir relationship is distant because her father is indifferent to her life choices.

Read the following passage: The courtroom was silent when the verdict was read. Later, in the parking lot, Maya's mother cried for the first time in years. Before all of that, there had been twelve weeks of testimony, sixty-three exhibits, and four expert witnesses. And before that, a phone call at 3 a.m. on a night when Maya was studying for finals. How does the author's structural choice affect the passage's impact?

• ABeginning with the verdict and then moving backward creates suspense and emphasizes how a…
• BTelling the events in chronological order would have been more effective for conveying th…
• CStarting with the verdict removes all tension because the outcome is revealed immediately.
• DThe structure is random and serves no clear narrative purpose.

Read the following passage: You walk into the classroom and every head turns. The teacher has not arrived yet. You find the only empty seat, between a girl with red braids and a boy who is already asleep. You set your bag down and try to look like someone who belongs here, even though you transferred in mid-semester and nobody has said a word to you. What is the effect of the second-person point of view in this passage?

• AIt places the reader directly in the position of the new student, heightening empathy and…
• BIt creates distance between the reader and the narrator, making the scene feel abstract.
• CIt allows the author to comment on the action from an omniscient perspective.
• DIt emphasizes the perspectives of the other students rather than the new student.

Read the following line from a short story: "The silence in the room was a living thing, pressing against the walls, breathing in the corners." What type of figurative language is used in this line, and what is its primary effect?

• APersonification, which makes the silence feel oppressive and inescapable.
• BSimile, which compares silence to a living thing using 'like' or 'as.'
• CHyperbole, which exaggerates the size of the room for comic effect.
• DMetonymy, which substitutes 'walls' and 'corners' for the entire house.

Read the following passage: The coach described Marcus as a 'persistent' defender. The rival coach called him a 'stubborn' one. How do the connotations of 'persistent' and 'stubborn' differ in this context?

• A'Persistent' carries a positive connotation of admirable determination, while 'stubborn'…
• BBoth words are neutral synonyms with no difference in connotation.
• C'Persistent' suggests inflexibility, while 'stubborn' suggests admirable resolve.
• D'Persistent' is a more formal word, while 'stubborn' is slang.

Read the following passage: The wind scraped across the empty lot. Dead leaves skittered over cracked concrete. Somewhere behind the boarded windows, a pipe groaned, and the sound died in the gray afternoon. What is the cumulative impact of the author's word choices on the tone of the passage?

• AWords like 'scraped,' 'skittered,' 'cracked,' and 'groaned' create a bleak, desolate tone.
• BThe words create a cheerful, energetic tone by emphasizing movement and sound.
• CThe words create a tense, frightening tone by suggesting supernatural danger.
• DThe words create a nostalgic tone by evoking memories of autumn.

Read the following passage: The photograph shows a woman standing at a train platform, one hand raised as if waving, the other gripping a suitcase. That was 1957. Now the platform is a parking lot, and the woman has been gone for thirty years. But in the photograph she is still twenty-three, still waving, still about to board a train that will take her to a city where nobody knows her name. How does the nonlinear structure of this passage contribute to its meaning?

• ABy juxtaposing the frozen moment in the photograph with the present-day reality, the stru…
• BThe structure confuses the timeline and makes it difficult to understand when events occu…
• CThe structure is purely chronological, moving from 1957 to the present in order.
• DThe structure emphasizes the parking lot as the most important element of the passage.

Read the following passage: A king divides his kingdom among his three daughters based on how well each declares her love for him. The two eldest offer extravagant speeches, while the youngest says only that she loves him according to her bond, no more and no less. The king, displeased, disinherits the youngest. One interpretation of this story is that the king values flattery over honesty. Which alternative interpretation is also well supported by the text?

• AThe king's need for public affirmation of love reveals an insecurity that makes him unfit…
• BThe youngest daughter is deliberately insulting her father and deserves her punishment.
• CThe eldest daughters are genuinely more loving than the youngest.
• DThe story is primarily about the duties of younger siblings toward their parents.

Read the following passage: Reverend Hale studied the proceedings with growing unease. He had come to Salem certain of his authority, armed with weighty books and the confidence of a scholar called to a crisis. But by the third act, he was urging the accused to confess to crimes he knew they had not committed, not because he believed them guilty, but because he could no longer trust the court to spare the innocent. What makes Reverend Hale a complex character in this passage?

• AHis beliefs and actions contradict each other, revealing internal conflict between his pr…
• BHe is a flat character who never changes his mind throughout the narrative.
• CHe is purely villainous, deliberately engineering the false confessions for personal gain.
• DHe is entirely heroic from the beginning and never experiences doubt.

Read the following passage: As a child, Claire collected shells from every beach she visited, arranging them by color on her windowsill. As a teenager, she collected friends the same way, surrounding herself with people who matched her mood. In her twenties, she realized that the shells had faded in the sun and the friends had drifted, and she wondered if she had ever truly known either the shells or the people, or merely liked the way they looked from a distance. How does the author develop the theme of the passage over its course?

• AThe parallel between collecting shells and collecting friends builds to a realization tha…
• BThe theme shifts from environmental conservation to interpersonal relationships without c…
• CThe passage argues that collecting things is always a harmful habit.
• DThe theme is primarily about the physical properties of seashells.

Read the following passage: In the garden, the roses had always been her grandmother's pride. After the funeral, Mei found the pruning shears still rusting on the bench, the gloves stiff with dried soil. She picked up the shears and began cutting back the dead canes, her hands moving before her mind could object. By dusk, the bushes were bare and the pile of cuttings was taller than she was. Which detail provides the strongest evidence that Mei's gardening is an emotional response to grief rather than a practical task?

• Aher hands moving before her mind could object
• Bthe roses had always been her grandmother's pride
• Cthe pruning shears still rusting on the bench
• Dthe gloves stiff with dried soil

Read the following passage: Every morning, Jonah ran the same route through the park. Every morning, the old man on the bench nodded at him, and Jonah nodded back without stopping. One day the bench was empty. Jonah slowed, then stopped, then sat down. He sat for a long time, watching the path where he had never once paused, and saw a cardinal land on the fence, and three children racing a dog, and the light changing on the water. What theme does this passage best support?

• ASlowing down allows a person to notice beauty and connection that routine obscures.
• BRunning is bad for one's health and should be replaced with sitting.
• COld men in parks are always wise and should be sought out for advice.
• DRoutine is the most important thing a person can maintain.

Read the following passage opening: If you had told sixteen-year-old me that I would one day be grateful for the worst summer of my life, I would have laughed in your face and then gone back to my bedroom to sulk. How does the narrator's point of view shape the tone of this opening?

• AThe adult narrator looking back on their teenage self creates a wry, self-deprecating ton…
• BThe narrator's perspective is purely bitter and resentful about the past.
• CThe point of view creates a solemn, tragic tone by focusing on suffering.
• DThe narrator maintains a neutral, objective tone without emotional coloring.

Read the following passage: The bus station at midnight was a country of its own. Fluorescent light buzzed overhead, turning every face the same gray-green. A vending machine hummed in the corner, its chocolate bar hanging at an angle, stuck. Outside, rain tapped the windows like someone who had forgotten why they had come. What contribution does the setting make to the atmosphere of the passage?

• AThe late-night bus station creates a liminal, suspended atmosphere of waiting and anonymi…
• BThe bus station creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere that contrasts with the rain.
• CThe setting is purely decorative and has no effect on atmosphere.
• DThe bus station creates a frantic, fast-paced atmosphere of constant motion.

Read the following passage: At the beginning of the novel, Lina receives a key from her grandmother with no explanation. Throughout the story, she carries it in her pocket, trying it in every lock she encounters. In the final chapter, she discovers it opens a box her grandmother left in a bank vault, and inside is a letter and a deed to a house Lina has never seen. Which interpretation of the key's symbolism is best supported by the passage?

• AThe key symbolizes the search for identity and inheritance, representing Lina's journey t…
• BThe key is a literal object with no symbolic meaning in the novel.
• CThe key symbolizes the danger of materialism and the pursuit of wealth.
• DThe key represents Lina's desire to become a locksmith.

Read the following passage: The letter begins: Dear Tomas, I have waited twenty years to write this. The second paragraph describes the day he left. The third jumps to a hospital room in 2019. The fourth returns to the desk where the writer sits now, pen in hand, still unable to say the one thing the letter was meant to say. The fifth and final paragraph is a single sentence: I hope you are well. How does the structure of the letter reinforce its central theme?

• AThe repeated shifts and the anticlimactic ending reinforce the theme that some things rem…
• BThe structure is disorganized and shows that the writer is a poor letter-writer.
• CThe chronological jumps show that the writer has a poor memory.
• DThe structure reinforces the theme that letters are an outdated form of communication.

Read the following passage: Urban beekeeping has surged in popularity across American cities, with hives appearing on rooftops, balconies, and community gardens. Proponents argue that urban bees help pollinate neighborhood plants and produce hyperlocal honey. However, some ecologists warn that dense concentrations of honeybees can outcompete wild native bee species, which are already in decline. The tension between supporting pollinators and protecting biodiversity remains unresolved. What is the central idea of this passage?

• AUrban beekeeping presents both benefits and ecological concerns, creating an unresolved t…
• BUrban beekeeping is entirely beneficial and should be expanded in all cities.
• CUrban beekeeping is harmful and should be banned in cities.
• DUrban beekeeping is impossible in cities due to lack of space.

Read the following passage: Urban beekeeping has surged in popularity across American cities, with hives appearing on rooftops, balconies, and community gardens. Proponents argue that urban bees help pollinate neighborhood plants and produce hyperlocal honey. However, some ecologists warn that dense concentrations of honeybees can outcompete wild native bee species, which are already in decline. The tension between supporting pollinators and protecting biodiversity remains unresolved. Which detail from the passage best supports the claim that urban beekeeping has ecological drawbacks?

• Asome ecologists warn that dense concentrations of honeybees can outcompete wild native be…
• BUrban beekeeping has surged in popularity across American cities
• CProponents argue that urban bees help pollinate neighborhood plants
• DThe tension between supporting pollinators and protecting biodiversity remains unresolved

Read the following excerpt from the Declaration of Independence (1776): We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Which rhetorical feature is most prominent in this excerpt?

• AThe use of parallel declarative clauses to establish premises as foundational and undenia…
• BThe use of metaphor to compare rights to physical objects.
• CThe use of rhetorical questions to engage the reader in debate.
• DThe use of irony to undermine the idea of equality.

Read the following excerpt from the Declaration of Independence (1776): Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed. What is the primary function of this sentence within the document's argument?

• AIt acknowledges a counterargument, that revolution should not be undertaken casually, to…
• BIt concedes that the colonists have no right to rebel against the British government.
• CIt argues that all established governments should be overthrown regularly.
• DIt shifts the focus from political reasoning to emotional appeal.

Read the following passage from a student essay: Social media platforms should be required to verify the age of all users. Research shows that exposure to certain content at a young age can affect cognitive development. Furthermore, minors are less equipped to evaluate the credibility of the information they encounter online. Some argue that verification is impractical, but the safety of children must outweigh convenience. What is the main claim of this argument?

• ASocial media platforms should be required to verify the age of all users.
• BSocial media is harmful to all users regardless of age.
• CAge verification is impractical and should not be implemented.
• DChildren are unable to evaluate online information.

Read the following passage from an editorial: The city should ban single-use plastic bags. After all, my neighbor uses at least fifty plastic bags every month, and most of them end up in the trash. If everyone in our neighborhood does the same, that is thousands of bags per year. Which statement best evaluates the sufficiency of the evidence in this argument?

• AThe evidence is insufficient because it relies on a single neighbor's behavior to general…
• BThe evidence is sufficient because it includes specific numbers.
• CThe evidence is sufficient because plastic bags are known to be harmful.
• DThe evidence is insufficient because it does not mention paper bags.

Read the following excerpt from the Gettysburg Address (1863): Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. What is the primary rhetorical purpose of this opening line?

• ATo situate the current conflict within a historical framework that invokes the nation's f…
• BTo provide a precise historical timeline of the Civil War.
• CTo announce a new political philosophy distinct from the nation's founding.
• DTo criticize the founding fathers for their failures.

Read the following passage from an editorial: If a school library restricts student access to certain books, then students cannot fully develop the critical thinking skills they need. Therefore, restricting library access undermines the educational mission of the school. What is the unstated premise on which this argument depends?

• ADeveloping critical thinking skills is a core part of a school's educational mission.
• BStudents do not need critical thinking skills after graduation.
• CAll books in school libraries are appropriate for all students.
• DSchool libraries should not have any restrictions at all.

Read the following excerpt from Frederick Douglass's speech 'What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?' (1852): What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity. How does Douglass use contrast to strengthen his argument?

• ABy juxtaposing the language of American celebration with the reality of enslavement, Doug…
• BBy comparing different holidays to show that the Fourth of July is the most important one.
• CBy contrasting the North and the South to argue that only the South is responsible for sl…
• DBy comparing past and present to show that conditions have improved for enslaved people.

Read the following argument: Every student who scored above 700 on the SAT was admitted to a top-tier college. Therefore, scoring above 700 on the SAT guarantees admission to a top-tier college. What is the primary flaw in this argument's reasoning?

• AIt confuses a correlation with a guarantee, treating an observed pattern as an absolute r…
• BIt fails to define what 'top-tier college' means.
• CIt relies on outdated SAT scores.
• DIt does not mention GPA or extracurricular activities.

Read the following passage: The migration of monarch butterflies is one of the most remarkable phenomena in the natural world. Each fall, millions of monarchs travel up to 3,000 miles from North America to overwintering sites in central Mexico. What makes this journey extraordinary is that no single butterfly completes it: the monarchs that arrive in Mexico are the great-great-grandchildren of those that left the previous spring. How they find their way to the same groves their ancestors left remains a subject of active research. What is the central idea of this passage?

• AThe monarch butterfly migration is remarkable because it spans generations and its naviga…
• BMonarch butterflies are endangered and need immediate conservation efforts.
• CMonarch butterflies travel 3,000 miles because they cannot survive cold weather.
• DScientists have fully explained how monarch butterflies navigate to Mexico.

Read the following passage: Sleep researchers have identified three stages of non-REM sleep, each progressively deeper, followed by REM sleep, when most dreaming occurs. A complete sleep cycle lasts roughly 90 minutes and repeats throughout the night, with REM periods growing longer in later cycles. Disruptions to this cycle, whether from noise, stress, or technology use before bed, can impair memory consolidation and cognitive function the following day. Which statement best summarizes this passage?

• ASleep consists of repeating cycles of non-REM and REM stages, and disruptions to these cy…
• BPeople should avoid using technology before bed to improve their sleep quality.
• CREM sleep is the most important stage of sleep for dreaming and memory.
• DSleep cycles last exactly 90 minutes and never vary between individuals.

Read the following excerpt from a speech: We are not here to celebrate a victory. We are here because the battle is not yet won, because children in this city still go to bed hungry, because schools are still crumbling, and because hope, without action, is merely a word. Which rhetorical strategy does the speaker primarily use in this passage?

• AAnaphora, repeating 'because' to build a cumulative case for urgency and action.
• BMetaphor, comparing hope to a battlefield weapon.
• CIrony, praising a victory while actually condemning a defeat.
• DHyperbole, exaggerating the number of hungry children.

Read the following sentence: The senator's speech was notable for its restraint; while her opponents issued fiery denunciations, she offered a measured response that focused on policy rather than personality. As used in this sentence, what does 'measured' most nearly mean?

• ACarefully considered and deliberately moderate in tone
• BQuantified using specific numerical data
• CEqual in length to her opponents' speeches
• DReluctant or hesitant, suggesting uncertainty

A student is writing an argument that schools should replace letter grades with narrative evaluations. Read the two statements: Statement A: "Narrative evaluations give teachers room to describe a student's growth in detail, but they require significant time to write and may confuse colleges accustomed to GPAs." Statement B: "Letter grades are bad and should be eliminated everywhere because they hurt students." Which statement most precisely presents both a claim and a fair opposing claim?

• AStatement A, because it identifies a benefit of narrative evaluations while acknowledging…
• BStatement B, because it takes a clear position without any hesitation.
• CStatement A, because it argues that narrative evaluations are worthless and grades should…
• DStatement B, because it provides detailed evidence about why grades harm students.

A student is drafting an argumentative essay about whether the school day should start later. Read the draft thesis and answer the question. Draft thesis: "Although some parents worry about later dismissal times, high schools should start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. because adolescent sleep cycles make early starts harmful to health and learning." Which revision best clarifies the claim and distinguishes it from the opposing view?

• ASome parents oppose later start times on logistical grounds, but the documented harm that…
• BLots of parents don't like the idea, but starting school later is obviously better for ev…
• CSchool start times are an interesting topic that has many different sides, and people sho…
• DParents are wrong to oppose later start times, and their concerns about dismissal are com…

A student is writing an informative essay about the effects of the 19th Amendment. The essay contains the following four body paragraphs in the order shown: 1. A description of the amendment's ratification in 1920. 2. An analysis of persistent barriers to voting after 1920. 3. Background on the decades-long suffrage movement. 4. A discussion of the amendment's lasting significance today. Which reordering presents the ideas in the most logical sequence?

• A3, 1, 2, 4 — background, ratification, subsequent barriers, lasting significance.
• B1, 3, 2, 4 — ratification, background, barriers, significance.
• C4, 3, 2, 1 — significance, background, barriers, ratification.
• D2, 1, 4, 3 — barriers, ratification, significance, background.

A student writes this claim: "Community gardens improve urban neighborhoods by increasing residents' access to fresh food." Which piece of evidence would best support this claim?

• AA study showing that neighborhoods with community gardens consume 28% more fresh vegetabl…
• BA survey finding that most people enjoy looking at flowers.
• CA report that community gardens require an average of two hours of weekly maintenance.
• DAn article stating that urban neighborhoods have many problems that need solutions.

Read the following sentence and identify the version that corrects all errors in clause structure and punctuation. Original: "Because the proposal was submitted late the committee could not review it, however they agreed to consider it next month."

• ABecause the proposal was submitted late, the committee could not review it; however, they…
• BBecause the proposal was submitted late the committee could not review it, however they a…
• CBecause the proposal was submitted late, the committee could not review it, however they…
• DBecause the proposal was submitted late, the committee could not review it; however they…

Read the following paragraph from a student draft: "The experiment was successful. The experiment was repeated three times. The results were consistent each time. The researchers published their findings. The researchers were confident in their conclusions." Which revision best varies sentence structure to improve the paragraph?

• ABecause the experiment was successful and the results were consistent across three trials…
• BThe experiment was successful, and the experiment was repeated three times, and the resul…
• CSuccessful. Repeated three times. Consistent results. The researchers published their fin…
• DThe experiment, which was successful, was repeated three times, with results that were co…

Read the following sentences from an essay: "Remote work can reduce overhead costs for businesses. ________, employees often report improved focus and fewer interruptions when working from home." Which transition best fits the blank?

• AIn addition,
• BFor example,
• CHowever,
• DAs a result,

An argumentative essay makes the following claim and supports it with evidence about civic education: "High schools should require a semester of civics because informed participation sustains a healthy democracy." Which conclusion best avoids introducing new evidence while reinforcing the argument?

• ARequiring civics education will not, by itself, fix every problem in civic life, but it i…
• BA 2023 study by the Pew Research Center found that only 23% of students could name all th…
• CIn conclusion, civics is very important and everyone should agree that it should be taugh…
• DTherefore, civics should be required, and also schools should add financial literacy, med…

Read the following sentence and choose the version that corrects errors in parallel structure. "The new policy was designed to reduce waste, to lower costs, and improving efficiency."

• AThe new policy was designed to reduce waste, to lower costs, and to improve efficiency.
• BThe new policy was designed to reduce waste, lower costs, and improving efficiency.
• CThe new policy was designed for reducing waste, to lower costs, and to improve efficiency.
• DThe new policy was designed to reduce waste and to lower costs and improving efficiency.

Read the following passage from a student's informative report on ocean currents and choose the revision that best establishes an objective, formal tone. Original: "So basically ocean currents are like these huge rivers in the sea, and they move warm water from the equator up to the poles, which is pretty crazy when you think about it."

• AOcean currents function as large-scale flows that transport warm water from the equator t…
• BOcean currents are basically huge rivers in the sea, and they move warm water from the eq…
• CYou won't believe how ocean currents work: they carry warm water all the way from the equ…
• DOcean currents, like, move warm water around, and it's kind of a big deal for the climate.

Read the following passage: Theodore Roosevelt's conservation record remains unmatched in presidential history. During his tenure, he established five national parks, eighteen national monuments, and one hundred fifty national forests, protecting roughly two hundred and thirty million acres of public land. He believed that natural resources belonged to all Americans, not merely to the wealthy interests seeking to exploit them. What is the central idea of this passage?

• ARoosevelt used presidential authority to protect public lands on an unprecedented scale,…
• BRoosevelt was the most important president in all of American history.
• CNational parks were created solely to prevent industrial development.
• DRoosevelt's conservation efforts were unpopular with the American public.

Read the following passage: Theodore Roosevelt's conservation record remains unmatched in presidential history. During his tenure, he established five national parks, eighteen national monuments, and one hundred fifty national forests, protecting roughly two hundred and thirty million acres of public land. He believed that natural resources belonged to all Americans, not merely to the wealthy interests seeking to exploit them. Which piece of evidence from the passage best supports the claim that Roosevelt's conservation efforts were unprecedented in scale?

• AHe protected roughly two hundred and thirty million acres of public land.
• BHe believed that natural resources belonged to all Americans.
• CRoosevelt's conservation record remains unmatched in presidential history.
• DWealthy interests sought to exploit natural resources.

Read the following excerpt from the Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. What rhetorical strategy does the phrase "We hold these truths to be self-evident" primarily employ?

• AIt establishes shared premises through a collective assertion, positioning the document's…
• BIt introduces a conditional argument that depends on the reader's agreement with the prem…
• CIt undermines the authority of the government by using sarcastic language.
• DIt appeals to emotion by describing the suffering of the colonists.

Read the following excerpt from the Declaration of Independence: Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing forms to which they are accustomed. What is the logical function of this sentence within the Declaration's overall argument?

• AIt establishes a presumption against revolution to make the subsequent list of abuses nec…
• BIt concedes that the colonists are accustomed to British rule and therefore should not re…
• CIt argues that all established governments should never be changed under any circumstance…
• DIt introduces a personal anecdote about the author's experience with government.