The old man’s words stayed with her as she drove up into the mountains. She began to feel shaky. This was the first time she had driven outside of Los Angeles. Still, last night she had poured over maps and written everything down; she knew exactly where she was going. So far, everything had been all right.Even getting away from home this morning hadn’t been too bad. It was spring vacation, and her mom and stepfather were away on business. The only person she had to explain to was the neighbor woman who looked in on her. The hard part had been figuring what to say to her mother. She had sat staring at a blank sheet of paper for a long time.She knew what she wanted to write: “Dear Mother, It was bad enough after the divorce, being without Dad, I mean. After a couple of years I got used to seeing him mostly on weekends, but now it’s worse. Because he’s dead. Three whole months and I still can’t believe it. Maybe you can’t help being away so much, but with both of you gone it’s awfully lonely. Sure, there’s been school, and I did have dinner at Mim’s house and a move with Lorena on Saturday. But the good things are missing. Dad. Dad. Dad. I don’t feel that I’m part of a family anymore. Jase is a good enough stepfather, but I told you both how I felt about that condo in downtown L.A. and you guys went ahead and bought it. It’s a terrible place. All there is to breathe inside is processed air and outside, car exhaust. My vote doesn’t count, does it, Mom?”That’s what she wanted to say, but didn’t. “Mom,” she finally wrote, “I’ve gone to Twisted Creed. Papacito said he’d be there if I needed him. He won’t mind. After all, he is my only living grandparent. I’ll drive carefully, I promise. Please, please don’t be mad at me.” Then she had shoved two more sweaters into her suitcase, picked up her paint box and favorite brushes, and left. Once she was out of the city traffic, she had relaxed. But now . . .18Select the correct answer.What can the reader infer about Maggie's character in the excerpt? A. Maggie did not have any friends in Los Angeles. B. Maggie left home because she misses her grandparent. C. Maggie has not driven by herself before. D. Maggie left home because she was unhappy there.

by Ofelia Dumas Lachtman (excerpt)The old man’s words stayed with her as she drove up into the mountains. She began to feel shaky. This was the first time she had driven outside of Los Angeles. Still, last night she had poured over maps and written everything down; she knew exactly where she was going. So far, everything had been all right.Even getting away from home this morning hadn’t been too bad. It was spring vacation, and her mom and stepfather were away on business. The only person she had to explain to was the neighbor woman who looked in on her. The hard part had been figuring what to say to her mother. She had sat staring at a blank sheet of paper for a long time.She knew what she wanted to write: “Dear Mother, It was bad enough after the divorce, being without Dad, I mean. After a of couple years I got used to seeing him mostly on weekends, but now it’s worse. Because he’s dead. Three whole months and I still can’t believe it. Maybe you can’t help being away so much, but with both of you gone it’s awfully lonely. Sure, there’s been school, and I did have dinner at Mim’s house and a move with Lorena on Saturday. But the good things are missing. Dad. Dad. Dad. I don’t feel that I’m part of a family anymore. Jase is a good enough stepfather, but I told you both how I felt about that condo in downtown L.A. and you guys went ahead and bought it. It’s a terrible place. All there is to breathe inside is processed air and outside, car exhaust. My vote doesn’t count, does it, Mom?”24Select the correct answer from each drop-down menu.Read the excerpt. Then choose the correct way to complete the sentence.The underlined sentence in the excerpt has the effect of setting up to show why .

by Ofelia Dumas Lachtman (excerpt)The gas station attendant kicked a couple of tires. “Guess it’ll make it,” he said. “But last I heard that road was bad. Watch yourself.”The old man’s words stayed with her as she drove up into the mountains. She began to feel shaky. This was the first time she had driven outside of Los Angeles. Still, last night she had poured over maps and written everything down; she knew exactly where she was going. So far, everything had been all right.1Select the correct answer from the drop-down menu.Read the excerpt. Then choose the correct way to complete the sentence.The author uses the gas station attendant’s warning to create tension by foreshadowing that .Reset Next

The poet shares his feelings regarding the relationship with his son. The poet explains they he and his son have spent many years in the same house. However, in spite of spending so many years together, the father still doesn’t understand his son. Furthermore, the father doesn’t know anything about his son. He doesn’t know what his son likes or what he dislikes. The father made an effort to build up a relationship with his son since he was small. However, over the years, change has come in his son. As a grown-up man, his son certainly has changed.The father acknowledges his role in the communication gap between him and his son. He explains that despite his efforts, things are not turning to his side.  He says that his son was in a place that he could not access.  Furthermore, the father tells us that their communication is like the communication of strangers. It seems there is not much attachment between the two. Moreover, there has been no signs of understanding between the father and son. His child had a resemblance in appearance with his father. However, in spite of this resemblance in appearance, the father didn’t know what his son loved.There is a silence between the father and the son. As a child, his son was of a prodigal nature. His father had a desire for his son to return home, the one he knew. The father does not want his son to move around in the world and make his own world. The father was willing to express his forgiveness to his son. Furthermore, the father was willing to let go of the sorrows that he had inside of him due to the existing distance between them. The father certainly had a desire to love him again.Now, the son speaks for the first time and expresses his feelings. Furthermore, the son has a feeling of sadness about the distance between them. Furthermore, the son tells that he is at a point in his life where he does not understand himself. Moreover, the son explains that his anger is due to sadness. Hence, it becomes pretty clear that both the father and son feel the same frustration due to this gap in the relationship. Also, both the father and son are willing to forgive each other. However, they are failing to find a solution to their problem. Both of them put out an empty hand for each other but in futility.

The following text is adapted from "Elder Brown's Backslide" by Harry Stillwell Edwards.Elder Brown told his wife good-by at the farmhouse door as mechanically as though his proposed trip to Macon, ten miles away, was an everyday affair, while, as a matter of fact, many years had elapsed since unaccompanied he set foot in the city. He did not kiss her. Many very good men never kiss their wives. But small blame attaches to the elder for his failure on this occasion, since his wife had long ago discouraged all amorous demonstrations on the part of her husband, and at this particular moment was filling the parting moments with a rattling list of directions concerning thread, buttons, hooks, needles, and all the many important bits of an industrious housewife’s basket. The elder was laboriously committing these items to his memory, well knowing that to return with any one of them neglected would cause trouble in the family circle.According to the text, what is true about Elder Brown's wife?Elimination ToolSelect one answerAShe is a homebody and refuses to travel to town with her husband.BShe is using Elder's trip to Macon to procure specific household supplies that she wants.CShe feels discouraged that her husband no longer kisses her or otherwise shows affection.DShe has plenty of hooks, buttons, and thread, but is in need of new basket.

PART A: In the story, what causes the conflict between the narrator and the old man?A. The narrator and the old man resent having to live together because of the narrator's disease, and so the narrator decides to murder the old man.B. The narrator is driven mad by the sound of a heart beating beneath the floorboards, and this causes him to kill the old man.C. The narrator watches the old man sleep, and when the terrified old man discovers this, the narrator kills him to keep his madness hidden.D. The narrator is terrified of the old man's blue eye and overwhelmed by the sound of his heartbeat, so the narrator kills the old man.