Cathedral High School Academic Quiz Bowl English/Language Arts Test
Attention:
1. Please write your name and school on your
answer sheet.
2. Please write Language Arts in the Subject space.
Directions:
Chose the best answer for each of the following multiple choice questions
and darken the appropriate space on the scantron answer sheet. You will
receive 1 point for each correct answer. The highest, second highest,
and third highest score will receive a bonus of 20, 10, and 5 points
respectively.
Good Luck!
Part I: Questions 1-20
Directions: The following sentences test correctness and effectiveness of expression.
Part of each sentence is missing; beneath each sentence are five ways of
completing the sentence. Select the letter of the choice that makes the best
sentence and mark that letter on your scantron answer sheet.
1. Kaitlyn was nearly as talented a painter as she was at singing.
(A) nearly as talented a painter as she was at singing
(B) nearly as talented a painter as she was a singer
(C) nearly as talented a painter as at singing
(D) nearly as talented at painting and singing
(E) nearly talented as a painter and a singer
2. Professor Samson wrote short stories, they speak of very interesting events.
(A) wrote short stories, they speak of
(B) writing short stories, they speaking of
(C) wrote short stories, and speaking of
(D) writing short stories, and they speak of
(E) wrote short stories that speak of
Cathedral High School Academic Quiz Bowl English/Language Arts Test
3. Global warming issues could be alleviated if everyone insulated their homes,
invested in energy-efficient appliances, and carpooled to work.
(A) invested in energy-efficient appliances
(B) investing in energy-efficient appliances
(C) and invested in energy-efficient appliances
(D) invested in appliances that are energy-efficient
(E) and investing in energy-efficient appliances
4. Aside from them we addressed during the final club meeting, no other issues
remained.
(A) Aside from them we addressed during the final club meeting
(B) Other than them we had addressed at the final club meeting
(C) Aside from those we addressed during the final club meeting
(D) Besides them we addressed during the club’s final meeting
(E) Aside from them that we addressed during the final club meeting
5. Reaching an internal temperature of 250 degrees, the firefighters scrambled to put
out the blazing inferno with buckets of water.
(A) the firefighters scrambled to put out the blazing inferno
(B) the firefighters scrambled the blazing inferno
(C) the firefighters had scrambled to put out the blazing inferno
(D) the blazing inferno was put out by the scrambling firefighters
(E) the blazing inferno put out the scrambled firefighters.
6. Many adults prefer going to the movies over renting a DVD, another preference is
that adults prefer eating out over cooking.
(A) movies over renting a DVD, another preference is that adults prefer
eating out over
(B) movies over renting a DVD; another preference is that adults prefer
eating out over
(C) movies over renting a DVD; another adult preference is for eating
out over
(D) movies over renting a DVD, another adult preference is eating out over
(E) movies over renting a DVD, which also is a preference for eating out
over
7. Suzanne scolded her disobedient son, which was covered with mud.
(A) son, which was covered with mud
(B) son, who was covered with mud
(C) son, whom was covered with mud
(D) son, who covers mud
(E) son, that was covered with mud
8. Dependent upon its services, Mount Nittany Medical Center is a hospital that
Cathedral High School Academic Quiz Bowl English/Language Arts Test
many people visit.
(A) Dependent upon its services, Mount Nittany Medical Center is a
hospital that many people visit.
(B) A hospital visited by many people dependent upon their services is
Mount Nittany Medical Center.
(C) Dependent upon its services, the hospital Mount Nittany Medical
Center is a place that many people visit.
(D) Dependent upon its services ,many people visit Mount Nittany
Medical Center hospital.
(E) Many people dependent on Mount Nittany Medical Center and visiting
it.
9. The exquisite texture of fine Italian cuisine can be experienced in either Bell’s or
Beagleman’s pizza.
(A) in either Bell’s or Beagleman’s
(B) either Bell’s or Beagleman’s
(C) either in Bell’s or in Beagleman’s
(D) in Bell’s or Beagleman’s
(E) either in Bell’s nor in Beagleman’s
10. Professor Epstain spent many years researching the theory of genetic mutation,
which he was fascinated by, and these are his results that are included in his latest
scientific journal.
(A) these are his results that are included in
(B) the inclusion of these, his results is in
(C) his results having been included in
(D) his inclusion of these results in
(E) included his results in
11. The topic we discussed that was whether or not our club should take a field trip
later this month.
(A) that was whether or not our club should take a field trip
(B) was the decision of whether or not a field trip should be taken by our
club
(C) was whether or not a field trip should be taken by our club
(D) was whether our club should take a field trip
(E) whether our club should take a field trip
12. James’ ambition was not only to study but also mastering the craft of journalism.
(A) not only to study but also mastering
(B) not only studying but to try and master
(C) not studying only, but also mastering
(D) not only to study but also to master
(E) to study and as well to master
13. The Islandian government, under pressure to satisfy the needs of consumer, and
Cathedral High School Academic Quiz Bowl English/Language Arts Test
loosening its control of the economy.
(A) and loosening its
(B) by loosening its
(C) is loosening their
(D) but loosening their
(E) is loosening its
14. To the surprise of the school’s staff, the new freshman class at Ridgewood High
being larger than last year’s.
(A) being larger than last year’s
(B) is large, more so than last year
(C) which is larger than the one last year
(D) is larger than last year’s
(E) by far larger than the last
15. Night shift workers lead a strange life, working while the rest of us are sleeping,
then sleeping while the rest of us are working.
(A) then sleeping
(B) after which they sleep
(C) then they sleep
(D) until they go to sleep
(E) but soon they are sleeping
16. The young couple eventually returned to the grassy spot where they had left their
sandwiches, strolling hand in hand.
a. The young couple eventually returned to the grassy spot where they had
left their sandwiches, strolling hand in hand.
b. Eventually, the young couple returned to the grassy spot where they had
left their sandwiches, strolling hand in hand.
c. Strolling hand in hand, the grassy spot where they had left their
sandwiches was returned to by the young couple.
d. The young couple, returning to the grassy spot where they had left their
sandwiches, while strolling hand in hand.
e. Strolling hand in hand, the young couple eventually returned to the
grassy spot where they had left their sandwiches.
17. Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary, published in 1755, was neither the first in English
nor the largest, but its quotations illustrating definitions made it the best for many
decades.
a. was neither the first in English nor the largest
b. neither was it the first in English nor the largest
c. neither was the first in English nor the largest
d. neither was the first in English, and it was not the largest either
e. was neither the first in English, now was it the largest
18. In the mIddle Ages, when astronomical phenomena were poorly understood, the
Cathedral High School Academic Quiz Bowl English/Language Arts Test
comets that seemed to portend military conflicts or other social crises.
a. The comets that seemed to portend
b. the comets seeming to portend
c. the comets seemed to portend
d. the comets apparently portending
e. and when the comets seemed to portend
19. Unusual numbers of playwrights and artists flourishing in the England of
Shakespeare’s time and the Italy of Michelangelo’s day, when cultural conditions
were particularly conducive to creativity.
a. flourishing in the England of Shakespeare’s time
b. by flourishing in the England of Shakespeare’s time
c. while flourishing in Shakespeare’s England
d. flourished in the England of Shakespeare’s time
e. having flourished in Shakespeare’s England
20. In War and Peace, Tolstoy presented his theories on history and illustrated them
with a slanted account of actual historical events.
a. illustrated them
b. also illustrating them
c. he also was illustrating these ideas
d. then illustrated the theories also
e. then he went about illustrating them
For Questions 21-30, each sentence below will have one or two blanks. Each blank
indicates that something has been omitted. Beneath the sentence are five words or sets of
words labeled A through E. Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the
sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
21. Desiring to _____ his taunting friends, Mitch gave them taffy in hopes it would keep
their mouths shut.
a. eliminate
b. satisfy
c. overcome
d. ridicule
e. silence
22. Unlike her award winning first book, Roberta’s new volume can only be considered a
_______ effort
a. significant
b. mediocre
c. whimsical
d. feasible
e. laudable
23. Most animals respond to ________ with excessive violence; in contrast, some remain
Cathedral High School Academic Quiz Bowl English/Language Arts Test
______ when facing serious physical danger.
a. kindness...calm
b. peril...aggressive
c. sympathy...impassive
d. neutrality...belligerent
e. threats...placid
24. Unfortunately, many of Aristotle’s works are _____ to us, since they were _____
along with the ancient library at Alexandria.
a. unknown...promoted
b. lost...destroyed
c. meaningless...investigated
d. important...chastised
e. clear...suppressed
25. Engineers attribute the building’s _____during the earthquake, which destroyed more
rigid structures, to the surprising _____ of its steel girders.
a. obliteration...strength
b. damage...weakness
c. survival...inadequacy
d. endurance...suppleness
e. devastation...inflexibility
26. Prior to the discovery of one intact ancient burial site in central America, it had been
thought that all of the Mayan tombs had been _____ thieves.
a. leviated
b. exacerbated
c. inculpated
d. delayed
e. desecrated
27. Although the first viewers of Waiting for Godot jeered and called the play _____,
later audiences came to recognize the _____ of the piece, and it soon became one of the
classics of world theatre.
a. abominable...impenetrability
b. complicated...fickleness
c. lenient...unpleasantness
d. melancholy….triteness
e. preposterous...subtlety
28. In his later works, Langston Hughes’s discussions of ethnic issues in America became
increasingly ____, as he relied less on veiled criticism and more on direct confrontation.
a. concrete
b. coherent
c. forthright
d. confused
Cathedral High School Academic Quiz Bowl English/Language Arts Test
e. delineated
29. Few would call the company president _____; in fact, he would often _____ the ideas
of his subordinates, alleging that they were his own.
a. xenophobic...exemplify
b. original...expropriate
c. innovative...inculcate
d. duplicitous...arrogate
e. egregious...steal
30. The scientific community was ____when a living specimen of the coelacanth, which
ichthyologists had feared was _____, was discovered by deep-sea fishermen.
a. perplexed...common
b. overjoyed...dangerous
c. unconcerned...exterminated
d. astounded...extinct
e. dismayed...alive
Grammar Rules: For questions 31-40 select the correct answer for the corresponding
questions.
31. Identify the noun or pronoun being described by the underlined adjective clause:
If you buy the watch that winds itself, you will never need batteries.
a. you
b. that
c. winds
d. itself
e. watch
32. Identify the noun or pronoun being described by the underlined adjective clause:
Of all the insects, the one that jumps the farthest for its size is the flea.
a. insects
b. flea
c. one
d. size
e. farthest
33. Identify the noun or pronoun being described by the underlined adjective clause:
When Sally shops, she buys the fruits that look freshest.
a. buys
b. when
c. fruits
d. Sally
e. you
34. An adverb clause of _____ answers the question “when?”, and an adverb clause of
Cathedral High School Academic Quiz Bowl English/Language Arts Test
_____ answers the question “where?”
a. reason/manner
b. degree/comparison
c. time/location
d. distance/area
e. none of the above
35. An adverb is a/an ________ clause, which means it _______ be a full sentence.
a. independent/can
b. independent/cannot
c. dependent/can
d. dependent/cannot
e. full/will
36. Identify the simple subject/s from the choices provided:
Why would a baby elephant be eating leaves?
a. why
b. baby
c. baby elephant
d. leaves
e. elephant
37. Identify the simple subject/s from the choices provided:
Will Greg and his sister be in the play?
a. Greg
b. Greg and his sister
c. Greg, his sister
d. Greg, sister
e. sister
38. An indirect object cannot be a/an _________
a. pronoun
b. noun
c. number
d. name
e. phrase
39. Look at the following sentences and identify the indirect objects:
Our dad read us the newspaper article.
a. us
b. dad
c. newspaper
d. article
e. our
40. What are the two parts of a conditional sentence?
Cathedral High School Academic Quiz Bowl English/Language Arts Test
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Main clause and conditional clause
Subject and main clause
Verb and conditional clause
Only the conditional clause
Only a subject and verb in agreement
Questions 41-50 are based on the following passages and supplementary material. The
questions are referred to in the superscripts within the passages:
Reefs at Risk
[1] 41 Coral reefs contain more than one quarter of all marine life and help reduce storm
damage to coastal lands. [2] 42 Ultimately, about ten percent of the world’s coral reefs
have been destroyed and about sixty percent of the remaining reefs are in danger. [3]
Many people enjoy snorkeling and fishing near coral reefs. [4] 43 A coral reef is formed
by a community of very small plants and animals; these plants and animals are known as
algae and polyps. [5] The algae use sunlight to produce their own food for energy and
growth. [6] The polyps eat other small animals that come to feed on the algae. [7] They
also make a hard substance, called limestone, which eventually builds to form a reef.
41. Which sentence should be removed in order to improve the focus of this paragraph?
a. Sentence 1
b. Sentence 3
c. Sentence 6
d. Sentence 7
42.
a. No Change
b. Unfortunately,
c. Consequently,
d. Inevitably,
43.
a. No Change
b. Very small plants and animals, known as algae and polyps, make up the
community that forms a coral reef.
c. A coral reef is formed by a community of very small plants and animals called
algae and polyps.
d. Known as algae and polyps, very small plants and animals forma community
that is called a coral reef.
The health of a coral reef depends on having clean water and sunlight, but human
activities can threaten these 44 basic resources. Oil or chemical spills in the water near the
reefs can harm the polyps, and chemical runoff into streams from mines and farms can
also destroy the polyps and algae.
45
Fishing and boating are popular sports near coral reefs. People who fish for a
living often use explosives to catch the many fish that are attracted to coral reefs, causing
significant damage. Boats also destroy reefs with their anchors, and tourists who swim in
Cathedral High School Academic Quiz Bowl English/Language Arts Test
coral reefs often beak coral off to keep as a souvenir.
Development along a coast, such as cutting down trees and building roads or
parking lots, 46 increased the amount of dirt and sand that washes into the ocean and
settles on the bottom. This covers the coral and blocks sunlight. Without sunlight, the
algae cannot grow, and in turn, the polyps lack the energy needed to produce limestone
and build up the reef.
44.
a. No Change
b. elusive
c. committed
d. vital
45. Which choice most effectively establishes the paragraph’s central idea?
a. No Change
b. People who participate in activities near coral reefs often cause damage.
c. Boats are dangerous to the health of coral reefs.
d. Coral reefs are fragile, and people should be careful around them.
46.
a. No Change
b. increases
c. increasing
d. increase
[1] Marine biologists have found that small crabs living in coral reefs can help
prevent the damage caused by coastal development. [2] They remove particles of dirt and
sand that settle on the coral and 47 stop sunlight. [3] The crabs also eat some of the
polyps, which 48 would probably suggest that the crabs might also be a threat to the coral.
[4] The crabs help the coral survive 49 but benefit from the relationship as well. [5] The
crabs living on the coral have a steady source of food, and the reef provides the crabs
with shelter from predators. [6] However, when the biologists removed crabs form
sections of coral, less coral survived than in the sections where crabs remained. 50
The destruction of coral reefs does not have to continue. Recognizing the part that
local animals, such as crabs, can play to reduce the amount of damage will help to slow
the loss of coral reefs and may provide better ways to protect them.
47.
a. No Change
b. hinder
c. obstruct
d. cover
48.
a. No Change
b. would suggest
c. maybe suggests
d. almost certainly suggests
49.
a. No Change
Cathedral High School Academic Quiz Bowl English/Language Arts Test
b. but are one of millions of animals that live in coral reefs.
c. and can be very large or very small in size.
d. and are found on coral reefs all over the world.
50.
a. where it is now
b. before sentence 1
c. after sentence 2
d. after sentence 3