The following text is from The Sapphire Fountain by Clara Montrose. Oliver is a city-dwelling architect who has recently moved to a small, coastal village.Oliver was a pragmatic, modern-minded man who enjoyed the comfort of predictability. However, the allure of a slow-paced, coastal life started to have a calming effect on his restless spirit. He spent long hours wandering the shores, fascinated by the endless dance of the waves against the sandy stretch. Each day spent in this quaint village seemed to unwind a thread of serenity within his soul.11Mark for ReviewABCWhat is the main idea of the text?AOliver regrets his decision to move to the coastal village.BOliver feels disconnected from the simple villagers.COliver's tranquil encounters with the sea are starting to transform his outlook on life.DOliver is planning to introduce modern architectural designs to the village.

Select the correct text in the passage.Which detail builds on the themes that a person's environment can shape his or her view of life and that people can bear difficult circumstances for a long time?adapted from Life in the Iron Millsby Rebecca Harding Davis     A cloudy day—do you know what that is in a town of iron works? The sky sank down before dawn—muddy, flat, and immovable; the air is thick—clammy with the breath of crowded human beings, and it stifles me. I open the front window and can scarcely see through the rain the grocer's shop opposite, and I can detect the scent through all the foul smells ranging loose in the air.     The idiosyncrasy of this town is smoke as it rolls sullenly in slow folds from the great chimneys of the iron foundries and settles down in black, slimy pools on the muddy streets. Smoke on the wharves, smoke on the dingy boats, on the yellow river clinging in a coating of greasy soot to the house, the two faded poplars, the faces of the passerby—smoke everywhere! A dirty canary chirps desolately in a cage beside me; its dream of green fields and sunshine is a very old dream—almost worn out, I think.     From the back window, I can see a narrow brickyard sloping down to the riverside, where the river—dull and tawny-colored—drags itself sluggishly along, tired of the heavy weight of boats and barges. When I was a child, I used to fancy a look of weary, dumb appeal upon the face of the river, bearing its burden day after day. Something of the same idle notion comes to me today, when I look on the slow stream of human life creeping past, night and morning, to the great mills. Masses of men with dull, besotted faces bent to the ground, sharpened here and there by pain or cunning; skin and muscle and flesh begrimed with smoke and ashes; stooping all night over boiling cauldrons of metal; breathing from infancy to death an air saturated with grease and soot—vileness for soul and body. What do you make of a case like that, amateur psychologist? You call it an altogether serious thing to be alive: to these men it is a jest, a joke—horrible to angels perhaps, but to them commonplace enough.

The following passage is from Mina Lancaster's 1894 novel Moorland Reverie. Grace, the protagonist, is a young artist living in the bustling city of Manchester.As I wandered through the crowded streets of Manchester, my thoughts drifted to the canvas waiting back in my studio—untouched and blank as the new fallen snow. Amid the chaos of the city, I found myself dreaming of the wild moors of Yorkshire, where the vast, open landscapes seemed to beckon my soul. These yearnings for a quieter, more solitary place often caught me by surprise, leaving me to question whether the city’s vibrant pulse was truly where my art—and heart—belonged.7Mark for ReviewABCWhich choice best states the main purpose of the text?ATo contrast the serene allure of the Yorkshire moors with the vibrant energy of Manchester.BTo convey Grace's nostalgia for her family and friends from her hometown.CTo highlight Grace’s internal debate over her sense of belonging and source of creative inspiration.DTo underscore the impact of environment on Grace's artistic expression and personal fulfillment.

The picturesque village nestled in the valley was enveloped by a serene atmosphere. The lush, emerald hills surrounding it stood as a testament to the area's natural beauty. The quaint cottages, each with its unique charm, exuded a rustic appeal. A babbling brook meandered through the village, its glistening waters reflecting the golden rays of the setting sun.Find a synonym for "glistening" as used in the passage.*ShiningDullMatteTransparent

How does the author show the emergence of the text's theme: being alone in an unfamiliar setting can bring feelings of sadness and isolation?A The author uses the line "The men employed in the indigo factory had no leisure; moreover, they were hardly desirable companions," to suggest the postmaster was too occupied with work to befriend the workers. B The author uses the line "Oh, if only some kindred soul were near-" to illustrate his regret of having no one to share his deepest feelings. C The author uses the line "He felt like a fish out of water in this remote village." to reveal that the postmaster feels out of place and has trouble connecting with the villagers. D The author uses the line "The postmaster's salary was small" to contrast the poverty of the postmaster to the wealth of the villagers.

The sea is calm tonight.    The tide is full, the moon lies fair    Upon the straits; on the French coast the light    Gleams and is gone; the cliffs of England stand,5   Glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay.    Come to the window, sweet is the night-air!    Only, from the long line of spray    Where the sea meets the moon-blanched land,    Listen! you hear the grating roar10   Of pebbles which the waves draw back, and fling,    At their return, up the high strand,    Begin, and cease, and then again begin,    With tremulous cadence slow, and bring    The eternal note of sadness in.2Select the correct answer.In the passage, what is the figurative meaning of the phrase “the waves”? A. circumstances B. destiny C. finances D. emotions