CBEST English Prep Questions with Correct Answers Mark Twain, "How to Tell a Story" There are several kinds of stories, but only one difficult kind --the humorous... The humorous story is American, the comic story is English, the witty story is French. The humorous story depends for its effect upon the MANNER of the telling; the comic story upon the MATTER. The humorous story may be spun out to great length, and may wander around as much as it pleases, and arrive nowhere in particular; but the comic and witty stories must be brief and end with a point. The humorous story bubbles gently along, the others burst. The humorous story is strictly a work of art --high and delicate art--and only an artist can tell it; but no art is necessary in telling the comic and the witty story; anybody can do it. The art of telling a humorous story --understand, I mean by word of mouth, not print --was created in America, and has remained at home. The humorous story is told gravely; the te - Answer - Which of the following best describes how the author organizes his main argument? A. By comparing and contrasting the difference between story types, then illustrating successful examples of each one. B. By identifying a distinction in storytelling, and then elaborating one's merits over the other's weaknesses. C. By claiming not to take a side, but subtly employing the conventions of humorous storytelling to show its superiority over the comic. D. By defining a cultural distinction, then giving an inventory of what each story type brings to the craft of oral tradition and performance. E. By neutrally juxtaposing the strengths and weaknesses of each story type, then states a preference. - Answer -B Based on the information in the passage, we can most strongly infer that the author believes what about humorous storytellers? A. They are a more grave and serious type of person than other story -tellers. B. They are always more skilled speakers than comedians and joke-tellers. C. The distinctly American origin of their medium generally prohibits French and British humorists from attaining the same sophistication in delivery. D. They cannot be trusted. E. They must use greater finesse and artistry to elicit laughter from an audience than a comic story -teller must. - Answer -E "Perfection" 1Perfection is a state defined by its capacity to accommodate for any available variables, whether it does this by eliminating unwanted variables or adjusting for them. 2This means there are a few types of perfection. 3The first is controlled perfection, in that it relies on controlling every variable possible in order to retain its reliability and further fine-tune the processes involved. 4The second is transient perfection, wherein the processes are altered so as to achieve the maximum effect and efficiency while allowing as many variables as is reasonable to remain uncontrolled. 5A good example of controlled perfection is found in cars; most older cars have wide tolerances on size and their parts can be manufactured within any of the large sizes in the given range. 6However, as cars and machining techniques have been becoming more accurate and reliable, we have been seeing the tolerances decrease subs - Answer - How does sentence 11 function within the overall logic of the author's argument? A. It concludes the author's argument by showing the interdependence of both types of perfection. B. It illustrates a relationship between the types of perfection with a concrete example. C. It concludes which type of perfection is superior, based on the author's stated evidence. D. It clarifies the qualities of the author's 'perfection' by differentiating it from a more common definition. E. It supports the author's argument by paradoxically conceding one exception to the stated rule of perfection. - Answer -D Which of the following is a persuasive technique used in the passage? A. Questioning the credibility of the argument's opponent. B. Citing an industry expert's conclusions to appeal to authority. C. Citing industry statistics to support the author's argument. D. Giving a real-life example of an abstract idea. E. Describing a past situation and comparing it to present circumstances. - Answer -D Which of the following statements best summarizes the author's main point? A. Cars illustrate the most widespread form of controlled perfection in manufacturing. B. There is more than one kind of perfection, depending on the strict definition of the term. C. With diverging approaches towards unwanted variables, transient and controlled perfection effect efficiency in very different ways. D. That which is perfect is not necessarily good, as illustrated in cars. E. In seeking to avoid inefficiency, transient and controlled perfection have complementary but ultimately irreconcilable visions of efficiency. - Answer -C Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass The idea as to how I might learn to write was suggested to me by being in Durgin and Bailey's ship -yard, and frequently seeing the ship carpenters...write on the timber the name of that part of the ship for which it was intended... A piece for the larboard side forward, would be marked thus -- "L. F..." For starboard aft, it would be marked thus -- "S. A." I soon learned the names of these letters, and for what they were intended when placed upon a piece of timber in the ship -yard. I immediately commenced copying them, and in a short time was able to make the four letters named. After that, when I met with any boy who I knew could write, I would tell him I could write as well as he. The next word would be, "I don't believe you. Let me see you try it." I would then make the letters which I had been so fortunate as to learn, and ask him to beat that. In this way I got a good - Answer - From the information above, it is possible to conclude which of the following about the author? A. He had tried to obtain reading lessons earlier at school, but was turned away because of his social status. B. He did not begin to read simple words until he had memorized all the letters of the alphabet. C. He preferred the private review of knowledge to literacy activities designed around group learning. D. He had a greater appreciation of education than children who had free access to it. E. He could understand certain terms in shipping without being able to spell them out. - Answer -E "All About Coffee," William H. Ukers The Arabian method of preparing coffee is described by Mr. Fellows: Each cup is made separately, the little saucepan or ladle in which it is prepared being about an inch wide and two deep; this is more than half filled with coffee, finely pounded with a pestle and mortar, and then filled up with water; after being placed for a few seconds on the fire, the contents are poured, or rather shaken, out (being much thicker than chocolate) without the addition of cream or sugar, into a china cup of the size and shape of half an egg -shell, which is inclosed in one of ornamented metal for convenience of holding in the hand. Later, the Turks sought to improve the method by adding sugar (a concession to the European sweet tooth) during the boiling process. The improved Turkish recipe: First boil the water. For two cups of the beverage add three lumps of sugar and return the boiler to the - Answer - Based on the information in the passage, which of the following best describes a major difference between the two styles of preparation? A. The Arabian method is inevitably faster, as it only boils the coffee once. B. The Arabian method is generally faster, as it insists on not generating froth. C. The Turkish method removes more impurities by boiling the coffee four times. D. The Arabian method derives its sweetness from its chocolate consistency, rather than from boiling with lumps of sugar. E. The Turkish method potentially allows for the addition of cream and sugar - Answer -E Mineral Extraction The need for mineral extraction and production is an essential activity of any technically proficient society. As minerals are produced from within a naturally occurring environment, disturbance of the environment as a result of mineral production is a given. Modern mining engineers must be concerned not only with the production and processing of mineral commodities, but also with the mitigation of damage or changes to an environment as a result of that production and processing.
