DIRECTIONS: In the passages that follow, some words and phrases are underlined and numbered. In the answer column, you will find alternatives for the words and phrases that are underlined. Choose the alternative that you think is best, and fill in the corresponding bubble on your answer sheet. If you think that the original version is best, choose “NO CHANGE,” which will always be either answer choice A or F. You will also find questions about a particular section of the passage, or about the entire passage. These questions will be identified either by an underlined portion or by a number in a box. Look for the answer that clearly expresses the idea, is consistent with the style and tone of the passage, and makes the correct use of standard written English. Read the passage through once before answering the questions. For some questions, you should read beyond the indicated portion before you answer.
An Island Speaks
For some, backpacking is the ultimate vacation. The wilderness has a way of cleansing the spirit. What was once a tedious, tiring activity, for me, is Q1 now an essential part of my summer recreation. My passion for backpacking took hold many years ago when I crossed paths with a hiker in the backcountry of Isle Royale National Park. Q2
The excitement in his eyes needless to say was Q3 infectious as he gazed out over Lake Superior. “By the shores of Gitche Gumee,/By the shining Big-Sea-Water,/Stood the wigwam of Nokomis,/Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis.” He continued with more verses. “Have you read Longfellow’s Song of Hiawatha?” he asked, inquiring me. Q4
I had not. “Read it,” he replied, “and you have felt Q5 the passion that the native people had for this lake, this land. It was their lifeblood.” I understood what he meant. In the wilderness both physical and spiritual sustenance can be found, so every step along the trail brings you, closer to peace. Q1 My goal in backpacking is no longer the destination. However, like Q7 the people in Longfellow’s epic, I now seek harmony with the Earth through immersion in its scenic riches.
After many summers on the trail, I’ve established my preferred Q8 routine. I rise and retire with the sun. Sunrises and sunsets are time with Q9 calm reflection. After breakfast and before dinner, I slowly walk around the area near my tent, taking note of the plants, animals, and minerals that surround me. If I’m lucky, there is a creek, or a pond, Q10 to discover. Sometimes I find a fallen log or a huge boulder perfect for sitting upon and reflecting. In these times I surrender myself to the wilderness, allowing the sights, sounds, and smells to pass through me. Q11
Sometimes what I write in the wilderness is poetry, other time’s Q12 it’s prose. Years later I can look at my notepads to stir up vivid memories of my travels. This creative process has made backpacking more than immeasurably Q13 rewarding. The backcountry stimulates both my primal instincts and high levels of creativity.
Nowhere else do I feel as rawly human. When others snap Q14 photographs, I write. Therefore, Q15 a picture isn’t worth a thousand words. A journal of reflections imbued with nature’s spectacle is far more valuable.