Victory for the ACT Student Text 15e

E NGLISH Q UIZZES • 57

Items #14–17 ask about the preceding passage as a whole. 14. What assumption is the essay’s author making? F. Everyone believes Shakespeare is a good writer. G. No one has ever heard of Shakespeare. H. An accurate representation of human nature is important for great art. J. We could not understand Shakespeare’s characters in the twentieth century. 15. Š‡”‡ ‹‰Š– ›‘— ϐ‹† –Š‹• ‡••ƒ› ’—„Ž‹•Š‡†ǫ A. In a book of literary criticism B. In a journal for Renaissance scholars C. In a Shakespeare biography D. In a sociology textbook 16. Which of the following is NOT a strategy the author uses to make his/her point? F. Comparison G. Argument H. Examples J. Personal anecdote Which of the following would most strengthen the author’s argument that Shakespeare is the poet of human nature? A. A discussion of Shakespeare’s poetry B. An analysis of the characters Hamlet and Othello C. Biographical background on Shakespeare D. A description of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater 17.

EXPLANATIONS

14. (H) English/Production of Writing/

Organization/Passage-Level Structure  –Š‡ ϐ‹”•– ’ƒ”ƒ‰”ƒ’Šǡ –Š‡ ƒ—–Š‘” commends Shakespeare for accurately representing human nature.

Passage Perfect Were you paying attention to the content of the passage as you read? That’s what these last few questions are measuring. Don’t be afraid to go back and skim through the passage again, but remember not to get bogged down answering a single question.

15. (A) English/Production of Writing/ Strategy/Audience

The topic of the passage is a favorable analysis of Shakespeare’s plays. The passage is a form of literary criticism. Organization/Passage-Level Structure The author compares Shakespeare to other playwrights and argues that his work is superior. Additionally, the author •’‡…‹ϐ‹…ƒŽŽ› ‡–‹‘• –Š‡ ‡šƒ’Ž‡• ‘ˆ Hamlet and Othello. Strategy/Appropriate Supporting Material The author mentions Hamlet and Othello as Shakespearean characters ™Š‘ ”‡ϐŽ‡…– Š—ƒ ƒ–—”‡Ǥ  ƒƒŽ›•‹• of those characters with an eye toward demonstrating the ways in which they ”‡ϐŽ‡…– Š—ƒ ƒ–—”‡ ™‘—Ž† •–”‡‰–Š‡ the argument of the passage.

16. (J) English/Production of Writing/

17. (B) English/Production of Writing/