ACT-English-1

Directions: Following are four paragraphs containing underlined portions. Alternate ways of stating the underlined portions follow the paragraphs. Choose the best alternative. If the original is the best way of stating the underlined portion, choose NO CHANGE. You also see questions that refer to the passage or ask you to reorder the sentences within a passage. These questions are identified by a number in a box. Choose the best answer.

⑴Marian Anderson possibly will have the greatest influence opening doors and gaining well-deserved opportunities for other African American singers than anyone else to date so far. ⑵Anderson, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, had an early interest in music. ⑶She learns to play the piano and was singing in the church at the age of six. ⑷She gave her first concert at age eight, when she was still a young child. ⑸In 1925, Anderson won a concert hosted by the New York Philharmonic, beating out no less than 300 singers. ⑹It launched her career but, America was not quite ready for her fantastic voice, personality, or racial heritage.

In 1936, the White House asking her to give a performance. She confessed that this occasion was different than other concerts because she was very nervous. She and Eleanor Roosevelt became close friends, but this friendship between she and the First Lady became evident when Anderson was snubbed by the daughters of the American Revolution(DAR). The DAR refused to let Anderson perform in Constitution Hall in 1939, the White house made arrangements for Ms.Anderson to sing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial instead.⒀

In 1977, First Lady Rosalynn Carter presented Marian Anderson with a congressional Gold Medal, making Ms. Anderson the first African American to receive such an honor. Later she was inducted into the Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Fall, New York.⒂

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English 1. A. NO CHANGE

B. has had

C. has

D. is having

2. F. NO CHANGE

G. a greater

H. one of the greatest

J. a great

3. A. NO CHANGE

B. dating so far

C. so far dated

D. OMIT the underlined portion

4. F. NO CHANGE

G. has been learning

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ACT

English H. learned

J. is learning

5. A. NO CHANGE

B. still a young child

C. still young

D. OMIT the underlined portion and end the sentence with a period.

6. F. NO CHANGE

G. less than

H. fewer than

J. no fewer than

7. A. NO CHANGE

B. Launching her career

C. Her career was launched, but

D. Upon launching it (her career),

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ACT

English 8. F. NO CHANGE

G. asked her

H. was asking her

J. asking

9. A. NO CHANGE

B. different from

C. differed from

D. more different than

10. F. NO CHANGE

G. close friends, and

H. close friends - which

J. close and friendly

11. A. NO CHANGE

B. between the First Lady and she became

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ACT

ACT English Feb.27,2013

C. between her and the First Lady became

D. OMIT the underlined portion.

12. F. NO CHANGE

G. in 1939; however, the White House

H. in 1939 but the White House

J. in 1939. Although the White House

13. The author is considering inserting a sentence that presents a short list of other venues where Marian Anderson performed during her career. Would that insertion be appropriate here?

A. Yes, because the primary purpose of this paragraph is to emphasize the great number of places where Marian Anderson performed.

B. Yes, because it’s always better to include many specific examples to advance an idea.

C. No, because the paragraph is about the obstacles that Marian Anderson had to overcome rather than the number of concert halls she performed in.

D. No, because providing a list of examples is never appropriate in an essay about a person’s life.

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ACT English Feb.27,2013

14. F. NO CHANGE

G. Medal, being the first African American

H. Medal; the first African American

J. Medal, the first African American

15. If the author of this passage were to add the following lines to the article, when would they be most logically placed?

It was an era of racial prejudice, a time when people were still legally excluded from jobs, housing, and even entertainment merely because of their race. Thus, the early promise of success seemed impossible until something amazing for the times happened.

A. After Sentence 2

B. After Sentence 6

C. After Sentence 3

D. After Sentence 5

Spotting Mistakes: Commonly Tested Errors (Part I)

Pronoun errors

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ACT English Feb.27,2013

➢

and he purchased a candy bar.

Bob and Tom went to the store,

➢

of citrus by handling them and noting their color.

You can determine the ripeness

➢ Amy is taller than me.

➢ night.

Him and me saw a movie last

➢ every day.

Jessie eats lunch with Dave and I

➢

secretary and myself.

Please return the forms to the

➢

pulled me over yesterday.

There’s the police officer which

Verbs errors

➢ Terry’s continual quest to

embellish his truck with a ton of amenities make it hard for him to stick to a budget.

➢ A symphony and a fugue is

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ACT English Feb.27,2013

beautiful.

➢ ACT,

Few students enjoys taking the

➢

his own opinion.

The boys rarely agree. Each have

➢ Everyone eat coconuts.

➢

attend college.

Most of the graduates plans to

➢ out-of-state.

Some of the group plan to go

➢

when my friends invite me to see a movie.

I had read 300 pages in the book

➢ hours.

The dog is sleeping for seneral

Notes:

 Verb tenses you need to know

for ACT English test: present, past, future, present perfect and past perfect

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ACT English 

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