The narrator of this passage from a novel is Nasarian, a woman who was born in Kenya and now lives in New York City. (1) Looking at her makes me remember. (2) I can almost feel the heat rising, riding the backs of broken cobblestones, gray and scraped smooth by a ceaseless parade of tired, black, sandaled feet. (3) But that was far away and long ago. (4) Here, this woman peers almost timidly around the curving, splintered wood of the brownstone door, blinking furiously now as the wind and rain whip her face. (5) I stare, and a sudden longing whistles through my mind, dancing around me on each restless gust of cold, wet wind that slams into my chest as I walk down 132nd Street in Harlem. (6) Harlem. (7) So far from my home. (8) So far from the endless Kenyan plains that I still dream about each night. (9) The rain pelts my face, and I shiver as it shimmies down my neck and creeps underneath the thick, scratchy collar of my coat. (10) I cannot stop staring into this woman's face, this African mother draped from brow to ankle in gold and wind-crushed linen. (11) As she descends the stairs, the rain seems to disappear around her. (12) Now that she has committed herself, she does not blink or falter. (13) If anything, the rain has become a tightly woven fruit basket bearing down on the crown of her head, under which her pride demands that she stand erect. (14) The only concession she gives is to pull her head wrap up out of the folds of her long, dark cloak and clutch it tightly underneath her chin. (15) The scarf is a replica of the same gilded hijab my mother wore as a child, long before she became my mother. (16) I know this because it is the outfit that she chooses when she comes to me at night in my dreams. (17) This woman looks nothing like my mother, yet somehow my heart tells me that they are almost exactly the same. (18) She tucks her curling braids underneath the edges of the wrap, attempting to cover the wildness embroidered in her hair. (19) I don't understand why, modesty is no kin to women like her. (20) She cannot help but walk like a mountain's peak through the raunchy streets of Harlem, wearing her continent on the high bridge of her nose, with the valleys curving round like clattering rings into her nostrils. (21) Her exposed heels are lined with the deep furrows of an elephant's trunk. (22) She wears sandals in the November cold, in the hard, trash-swilling rain because the thirsty leather straps remind her of deserts and home (at least that's why I do so).
In sentence 13, the narrator most likely uses the image of 'a tightly woven fruit basket' to suggest that the rain is:
- A. a physical challenge that must be endured
- B. falling so heavily that she can barely see through it
- C. a reminder of the weather in harvest season
- D. important because it allows crops to survive
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
The image of "a tightly woven fruit basket" conveys the idea of resilience and endurance, suggesting that the rain is a challenge that must be faced. This metaphor implies that just like a tightly woven basket holds its contents together despite external pressures, the narrator must endure the rain's intensity. Option B misinterprets the imagery; while heavy rain can obscure vision, the metaphor focuses more on endurance than visibility. Option C incorrectly links the rain to harvest season, which is not implied in the context. Option D, while true about rain's importance for crops, does not capture the struggle suggested by the basket imagery.
The image of "a tightly woven fruit basket" conveys the idea of resilience and endurance, suggesting that the rain is a challenge that must be faced. This metaphor implies that just like a tightly woven basket holds its contents together despite external pressures, the narrator must endure the rain's intensity. Option B misinterprets the imagery; while heavy rain can obscure vision, the metaphor focuses more on endurance than visibility. Option C incorrectly links the rain to harvest season, which is not implied in the context. Option D, while true about rain's importance for crops, does not capture the struggle suggested by the basket imagery.
Other Related Questions
It can most reasonably be inferred from the passage that the music products industry would have a higher share of the e-commerce market if:
- A. entry-level school music instruments were sold to schools' music directors rather than directly to students
- B. the consumer market were to place less value on convenience and variety and more on competitive pricing
- C. a few types of music products sold predominantly in brick-and-mortar stores were excluded from the calculation
- D. brick-and-mortar store managers improved customer service and provided better training for their installation experts
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
The inference about the music products industry’s higher e-commerce market share hinges on the exclusion of certain products sold mainly in physical stores. If these items are not considered, the e-commerce segment could appear more dominant. Option A suggests a shift in sales strategy, but it doesn’t directly impact the overall market share dynamics. Option B misplaces the focus on consumer preferences, which does not inherently increase e-commerce share. Option D addresses customer service improvements in physical stores, which would not enhance online sales. Thus, excluding certain products from the calculation is the most logical inference for a higher e-commerce share.
The inference about the music products industry’s higher e-commerce market share hinges on the exclusion of certain products sold mainly in physical stores. If these items are not considered, the e-commerce segment could appear more dominant. Option A suggests a shift in sales strategy, but it doesn’t directly impact the overall market share dynamics. Option B misplaces the focus on consumer preferences, which does not inherently increase e-commerce share. Option D addresses customer service improvements in physical stores, which would not enhance online sales. Thus, excluding certain products from the calculation is the most logical inference for a higher e-commerce share.
The final paragraph suggests that seeing the woman has caused the narrator to:
- A. face the negative feelings she has about her new home
- B. realize that she misses her mother more than she admits
- C. think about her own feelings about her family and background
- D. remember the reason she moved away from her home country
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
The final paragraph emphasizes the narrator's introspection triggered by seeing the woman, leading her to reflect on her own feelings about family and background. This deep connection to identity is central to her experience. Option A misinterprets the focus; while negative feelings may exist, the emphasis is on personal reflection rather than facing negativity. Option B suggests a specific emotion related to her mother, which is not explicitly indicated in the text. Option D implies a recollection of her reasons for moving, but the paragraph centers more on her current emotional state rather than past motivations.
The final paragraph emphasizes the narrator's introspection triggered by seeing the woman, leading her to reflect on her own feelings about family and background. This deep connection to identity is central to her experience. Option A misinterprets the focus; while negative feelings may exist, the emphasis is on personal reflection rather than facing negativity. Option B suggests a specific emotion related to her mother, which is not explicitly indicated in the text. Option D implies a recollection of her reasons for moving, but the paragraph centers more on her current emotional state rather than past motivations.
The author of Passage 1 uses the phrase 'That's right' in order to:
- A. acknowledge that a claim may be surprising
- B. confirm that a prediction was accurate
- C. concede that a criticism has merit
- D. emphasize that a debate has been settled
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
The phrase "That's right" is used to acknowledge a statement or claim, often indicating that it may be unexpected or surprising to the audience. This aligns with option A, as it highlights an awareness of the potential shock value of the claim. Option B is incorrect because confirming a prediction implies certainty and agreement with a prior statement, which is not the intent of the phrase. Option C misinterprets the phrase's meaning; conceding a criticism suggests acceptance of fault, which does not fit the context. Option D also misses the mark, as emphasizing a settled debate would imply finality, whereas "That's right" suggests an ongoing dialogue rather than closure.
The phrase "That's right" is used to acknowledge a statement or claim, often indicating that it may be unexpected or surprising to the audience. This aligns with option A, as it highlights an awareness of the potential shock value of the claim. Option B is incorrect because confirming a prediction implies certainty and agreement with a prior statement, which is not the intent of the phrase. Option C misinterprets the phrase's meaning; conceding a criticism suggests acceptance of fault, which does not fit the context. Option D also misses the mark, as emphasizing a settled debate would imply finality, whereas "That's right" suggests an ongoing dialogue rather than closure.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the passage?
- A. The passage examines the effect of decreased environmental awareness on some animals' predation risk and then describes the strategies those animals use to increase their environmental awareness while sleeping.
- B. The passage distinguishes between bihemispheric slow-wave sleep (BSWS) and unihemispheric slow-wave sleep (USWS) and then explains why USWS is less beneficial than BSWS for animals such as mallards and penguins.
- C. The passage discusses the advantages for some animals of sleeping at the center of a group and then questions whether those advantages extend to colonial birds.
- D. The passage provides an extended description of how mallards typically sleep and then compares sleeping behaviors in mallards to those in penguins.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
Choice C accurately captures the passage's structure, which begins by exploring the benefits of group sleeping for certain animals and then raises a critical inquiry regarding the applicability of these benefits to colonial birds. This dual focus on advantages and questioning reflects a balanced examination of the topic. Option A misrepresents the content by suggesting a focus on predation risk and strategies for environmental awareness, which is not the main theme. Option B incorrectly centers on a comparison of sleep types, neglecting the broader discussion of group sleeping benefits. Option D inaccurately emphasizes a detailed comparison of mallards and penguins, rather than the initial exploration of group sleeping advantages.
Choice C accurately captures the passage's structure, which begins by exploring the benefits of group sleeping for certain animals and then raises a critical inquiry regarding the applicability of these benefits to colonial birds. This dual focus on advantages and questioning reflects a balanced examination of the topic. Option A misrepresents the content by suggesting a focus on predation risk and strategies for environmental awareness, which is not the main theme. Option B incorrectly centers on a comparison of sleep types, neglecting the broader discussion of group sleeping benefits. Option D inaccurately emphasizes a detailed comparison of mallards and penguins, rather than the initial exploration of group sleeping advantages.