This excerpt is an adaptation of Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. My gentleness and good behavior had gained so far on the emperor and his court, and indeed upon the army and people in general, that I began to conceive hopes of getting my liberty in a short time. I took all possible methods to cultivate this favorable disposition. The natives came, by degrees, to be less apprehensive of any danger from me. I would sometimes lie down, and let five or six of them dance on my hand; and at last the boys and girls would venture to come and play at hide-and-seek in my hair. I had now made good progress in understanding and speaking the language. The emperor had a mind one day to entertain me with several of the country shows, wherein they exceed all nations I have known, both for dexterity and magnificence. I was diverted with none so much as that of the rope-dancers, performed upon a slender white thread, extended about two feet, and twelve inches from the ground. Upon which I shall desire liberty, with the reader's patience, to enlarge a little. This diversion is only practiced by those persons who are candidates for great employments, and high favor at court. They are trained in this art from their youth, and are not always of noble birth, or liberal education. When a great office is vacant, either by death or disgrace (which often happens,) five or six of those candidates petition the emperor to entertain his majesty and the court with a dance on the rope; and whoever jumps the highest, without falling, succeeds in the office. Very often the chief ministers themselves are commanded to show their skill, and to convince the emperor that they have not lost their faculty. FlyNap, the treasurer, is allowed to cut a caper on the straight rope, at least an inch higher than any other lord in the whole empire. I have seen him do the somersault several times together, upon a trencher fixed on a rope which is no thicker than a common packthread in England. My friend Reldresal, principal secretary for private affairs, is, in my opinion, if I am not partial, the second after the treasurer; the rest of the great officers are much upon a par.
1. Which of the following statements best summarizes the central purpose of this text?
A. Gulliver details his experiences and interactions with the natives of the new land.
B. Gulliver observes the unique customs and traditions of the society he encounters.
C. Gulliver becomes acquainted with the people and practices of his new surroundings.
D. Gulliver reflects on the cultural differences between his homeland and the new land.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C because the text describes how Gulliver becomes familiar with the customs and practices of the new society he finds himself in. He interacts with the natives, learns their language, and participates in their shows, indicating his growing understanding and acceptance of the new culture. Choice A is incorrect because the text goes beyond detailing his experiences to focus on his growing familiarity with the society. Choice B is incorrect because Gulliver not only observes but actively engages with the customs. Choice D is incorrect as the focus is on Gulliver's adaptation rather than reflecting on cultural differences.
Extract:
This excerpt is an adaptation of Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. My gentleness and good behavior had gained so far on the emperor and his court, and indeed upon the army and people in general, that I began to conceive hopes of getting my liberty in a short time. I took all possible methods to cultivate this favorable disposition. The natives came, by degrees, to be less apprehensive of any danger from me. I would sometimes lie down, and let five or six of them dance on my hand; and at last the boys and girls would venture to come and play at hide-and-seek in my hair. I had now made good progress in understanding and speaking the language. The emperor had a mind one day to entertain me with several of the country shows, wherein they exceed all nations I have known, both for dexterity and magnificence. I was diverted with none so much as that of the rope-dancers, performed upon a slender white thread, extended about two feet, and twelve inches from the ground. Upon which I shall desire liberty, with the reader's patience, to enlarge a little. This diversion is only practiced by those persons who are candidates for great employments, and high favor at court. They are trained in this art from their youth, and are not always of noble birth, or liberal education. When a great office is vacant, either by death or disgrace (which often happens,) five or six of those candidates petition the emperor to entertain his majesty and the court with a dance on the rope; and whoever jumps the highest, without falling, succeeds in the office. Very often the chief ministers themselves are commanded to show their skill, and to convince the emperor that they have not lost their faculty. Flimnap, the treasurer, is allowed to cut a caper on the straight rope, at least an inch higher than any other lord in the whole empire. I have seen him do the somersault several times together, upon a trencher fixed on a rope which is no thicker than a common packthread in England. My friend Reldresal, principal secretary for private affairs, is, in my opinion, if I am not partial, the second after the treasurer; the rest of the great officers are much upon a par.
2. What does the word 'principal' refer to in the following text?
A. Primary or chief
B. An acolyte
C. An individual who provides nurturing
D. One in a subordinate position
Correct answer: A
Rationale: In this context, the word 'principal' refers to the primary or chief role that Reldresal holds as the principal secretary for private affairs. This term signifies his significant position and authority within the hierarchy. The other choices are incorrect because 'principal' does not mean 'an acolyte' (a follower or assistant), 'an individual who provides nurturing,' or 'one in a subordinate position.'
Extract:
<p>This excerpt is an adaptation of Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World.<p> My gentleness and good behavior had gained so far on the emperor and his court, and indeed upon the army and people in general, that I began to conceive hopes of getting my liberty in a short time. I took all possible methods to cultivate this favorable disposition. The natives came, by degrees, to be less apprehensive of any danger from me. I would sometimes lie down, and let five or six of them dance on my hand; and at last the boys and girls would venture to come and play at hide-and-seek in my hair. I had now made good progress in understanding and speaking the language. The emperor had a mind one day to entertain me with several of the country shows, wherein they exceed all nations I have known, both for dexterity and magnificence. I was diverted with none so much as that of the rope-dancers, performed upon a slender white thread, extended about two feet, and twelve inches from the ground. Upon which I shall desire liberty, with the reader's patience, to enlarge a little. This diversion is only practiced by those persons who are candidates for great employments, and high favor at court. They are trained in this art from their youth, and are not always of noble birth, or liberal education. When a great office is vacant, either by death or disgrace (which often happens,) five or six of those candidates petition the emperor to entertain his majesty and the court with a dance on the rope; and whoever jumps the highest, without falling, succeeds in the office. Very often the chief ministers themselves are commanded to show their skill, and to convince the emperor that they have not lost their faculty. Flimnap, the treasurer, is allowed to cut a caper on the straight rope, at least an inch higher than any other lord in the whole empire. I have seen him do the somersault several times together, upon a trencher fixed on a rope which is no thicker than a common packthread in England. My friend Reldresal, principal secretary for private affairs, is, in my opinion, if I am not partial, the second after the treasurer; the rest of the great officers are much upon a par.
3. What can the reader infer from this passage? I would sometimes lie down, and let five or six of them dance on my hand; and at last the boys and girls would venture to come and play at hide-and-seek in my hair.
A. The children tortured Gulliver.
B. Gulliver traveled to meet new people.
C. Gulliver is considerably larger than the children playing around him.
D. Gulliver has a genuine love and enthusiasm for people of all sizes.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C. The reader can infer from the passage that Gulliver is considerably larger than the children playing around him. This is evident from the fact that the children dance on his hand and play hide-and-seek in his hair, indicating a significant size difference between Gulliver and the children. Choice A is incorrect because there is no mention or implication of the children torturing Gulliver in the passage. Choice B is incorrect because Gulliver's reason for traveling is not mentioned in the provided excerpt. Choice D is incorrect as there is no explicit indication of Gulliver having a genuine love and enthusiasm for people of all sizes; the passage primarily focuses on the interaction between Gulliver and the children in terms of size and playfulness.
4. What is the significance of the word 'mind' in the following passage? The emperor had a mind one day to entertain me with several of the country shows, wherein they exceed all nations I have known, both for dexterity and magnificence.
A. The ability to think
B. A collective vote
C. A definitive decision
D. A mythological question
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The word 'mind' in this context refers to a definitive decision or desire by the emperor. In the passage, the emperor had a specific intention or choice to entertain the narrator with country shows, indicating a clear decision rather than just the ability to think (Choice A), a collective vote (Choice B), or a mythological question (Choice D). The emperor's 'mind' here represents a deliberate and decisive plan to host the narrator for the country shows.
5. What is the main point of the passage?
A. The narrator is gaining favor with the emperor and his court and experiencing cultural entertainment.
B. The emperor is hosting a dance competition to determine high-ranking officials.
C. The candidates for high offices are trained in rope-dancing to display their skills.
D. The emperor's court engages in various entertainments to showcase their talents.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The main point of the passage is that the narrator, through his gentleness and good behavior, is gaining favor with the emperor and his court. He describes how he interacts with the natives and experiences the country's shows, such as the rope-dancers. The passage focuses on the narrator's progress in understanding the language and his experiences with the cultural entertainment of the emperor's court. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as they focus on specific details mentioned in the passage rather than the overall main point.
