501 Critical Reading Questions

Critical Reading Questions
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2 4 3
453.
b. In lines 10–12 of Passage 1 the narrator states that the yacht is a
particular type of ship known as a cutter. In lines 14–15 of Pas-
sage 2, the Captain explains to his nephew that the Alba is cut-
ter, as well. In that same conversation the nephew learns that all
cutters share a similar trait: they possess only a single mast (line
15). Therefore, choice b is the correct answer.
454.
d. When answering this question, the key is to be sure to find the
only choice that is supported by specific examples from the text.
Nowhere in the text of Passage 1 does it state that the yacht car-
ries cargo, but on the other hand it never mentions the fact that
it does not. The same reasoning goes for choices b, c, and e.
The yacht may be bigger and faster than the Alba, and the Alba
may carry only crew, but these facts are never mentioned in the
texts so we can’t know for sure. That leaves only one possible
answer: choice d. The yacht is most certainly more luxurious
than the Alba, and this statement is backed by both nar-
rators’s descriptions of the their respective vessels.
455.
e. The captain knew it was important that the crew understood
the boy was no more privileged than anyone else aboard the
Alba. Evidence for this choice is found in the narrator’s state-
ment in lines 10–11: because I was his nephew, I would probably
have to work twice as hard as the others to prove my worth. All the
other choices do not make sense or are not backed by specific
examples from the text.
456.
a. As used inPassage 1, line 26, the verb repair most closely means
take themselves, or more simply, go. Today, repair is most com-
monly used as a verb that means to fix something (choice b).
However, in the context of the sentence, this makes no sense.
The easiest way to answer this question is to replace repair in
the sentence with each the answer choices, and see which one
fits best in context. By doing this you should narrow down your
choice to just one: choice a.
457.
c. The narrator’s familiarity with yachts and the harbor at Ply-
mouth (lines 1–12) in Passage 1 seems to indicate that he is an
experienced yachtsman. He reveals his passion for yachting in
lines 17–18, when he declares, Of all amusements, give me yacht-
ing. All the other answer choices either do not make sense or
are not supported by specific examples from the text.
458.
e. Nigel probably had rotten or missing teeth. The narrator of Pas-
sage 2 chose to describe Nigel’s smile as a graveyard of yellow sin-
cerity, describing his yellow teeth as tombstones in a graveyard.
When a writer uses a descriptive word or phrase in place of
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