2026 Practice Test B English

What is the effect of comparing groups of bristlecone pines to “a city within a cemetery” (paragraph 2)?

In paragraph 4, the idea that the bristlecone pine can withstand difficult conditions is illustrated mainly through

Read this sentence from paragraph 5. Empires rose and fell; wars raged;… and the tree from 2500 B.C. continued its implacable slow-motion existence, adding about two-hundredths of an inch to…

Which claim is best supported by the details in paragraph 5 about the bristlecone pine’s tree-ring record?

The phrases “clings to life” and “stripped of bark” in paragraph 6 are used to highlight

What is the best summary of the bristlecone pine’s life cycle?

Throughout the excerpt, the author conveys his point of view mainly by

The words “feat,” “humanly impossible,” and “impenetrable barrier” in paragraph 1 affect the tone of the paragraph because they

Read these sentences from paragraph 7. Bannister said, “I felt that the moment of a lifetime had come. There was no pain, only a great unity of movement and aim.”…

Which sentence best supports the idea that Bannister needed an alternative to “logical planning” (paragraph 3) in order to accomplish his goal?

Which sentence from the passage indicates that Bannister nearly made a mistake that would have cost him the world record?

Bannister’s loss in the 1952 Olympics influenced his decision to pursue breaking the four-minute-mile barrier by

How did interval training affect Bannister’s performance?

Read paragraph 2 from the excerpt. To the proprietors of… mangy lynxes, moth-eaten coyotes, and dancing bears I returned courteous but uncompromising refusals—of course, first submitting all such letters, together…

Read this sentence from paragraph 3. The professor, who was sitting at his desk before a pile of letters and replies submitted for approval by me, pushed his glasses down…

How does the exchange between the professor and the narrator in paragraphs 8–11 contribute to the development of the characters?

The professor’s observations in paragraphs 15–17 create tension in the excerpt by causing the narrator to feel

How does the interaction between the narrator and the professor in paragraphs 26–28 contribute to the development of the theme?

Which sentence from the excerpt best explains why the professor is eager to send the narrator on an expedition?

How does paragraph 34 help develop the plot of the excerpt?

Which sentence best demonstrates the professional relationship between the narrator and the professor?

How does the author develop the contrast between the narrator’s point of view and the professor’s point of view?

Read lines 5–8 from the poem. So beneath the level of molecules are atoms, and beneath the level of atoms, we find protons, electrons, neutrons; and beneath that— what, exactly?…

The main purpose of the comparison in lines 23–24 of the poem is to show

Read lines 27–28 from the poem. And there, in the explosion, in the darkness, briefly incandescent, they appear: The imagery in the lines reveals that the speaker

Read lines 30–32 from the poem. Their names sound like dinosaurs or maybe bands playing terrible music in someone’s garage. The speaker refers to familiar objects and events in the…

Read lines 36–39 from the poem. both together and apart, what keeps together the pencil in your hand right now as well as separate from, say, Jupiter. The poet includes…

Read lines 39–44 from the poem. They spin, and it is only down there in the darkness—in the vast garage where physicists jot down what they can, whatever seems most…

According to the passage, how did fires started by natural causes prompt American Indians to begin practicing controlled burns?

Targeting red cedar trees in controlled burns affects the animals that live on the prairie mostly by

Read this sentence from paragraph 6. The patch-burn system is so successful that the conservationists at the preserve provide training to prairie farmers about conducting controlled burns on their own…

Which sentence supports the idea that farmers and people who manage land may be concerned about using fire as a way to benefit the land?

Read this sentence from paragraph 6. Burning land to make it healthy may seem counterintuitive, but strategic controlled fires have helped the prairie sustain life for hundreds of years and,…

With which statement would the author most likely agree?

How do the diagram and its text provide additional support for the topic presented in the passage?

How does the structure of the poem affect the poem’s meaning?

Which lines support the idea that a change in the weather will lessen the speaker’s appreciation for the city?

Read lines 5–6 from the poem. The weather will turn cold. But that all happens later. How do the lines develop a central theme of the poem?

Read lines 7–9 from the poem. For now it is the early edge of fall, leaves green still while the air narrows, is slightly crisp, The word choice in the…

Which idea does the comparison of the brownstone houses to “a pop-up picture book I could have had as a child, / but didn’t” in lines 20–21 convey?

Read these lines from the poem. I can already see how this will end. (line 1) How Brooklyn makes me nostalgic for the moment I am walking inside of. (lines…

The speaker’s thoughts throughout the poem develop a theme by showing that

Which sentence should follow sentence 3 to best introduce the topic of the passage?

Which word should be added to the beginning of sentence 8 to provide a better transition to the third paragraph (sentences 8–11)? Move the correct answer to the box. (8)…

Which revision of sentence 11 best maintains the formal style established in the passage?

Read this sentence. One of Opportunity’s major contributions was finding possible evidence of the presence of water on Mars. Where should the sentence be added to the passage?

What is the best way to combine sentences 12 and 13?

In September 2016 the National Museum of African American History and Culture opened as part of the Smithsonian Institution, the museum is already the Smithsonian’s third most popular site. Experts…

Read these sentences. (1) Flyby missions near Jupiter have been happening since 1973. (2) Flyby missions allow scientists to collect data about Jupiter and its moons. What is the best…

Which sentence in the paragraph contains an error in construction and should be revised? (1) On the evening of July 13, 2019, a major power outage affected the Upper West…

How should the paragraph be revised? (1) Danielle spent several hours preparing for an upcoming audition for a play at the community theater. (2) First she did vocal exercises to…