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2,500+ ACT Practice Questions
Question
A restaurant has an outdoor patio that is open only in favorable weather conditions. Based on the weather forecast, there is a 90% chance that the patio will be open on Saturday and a 60% chance that the patio will be open on Sunday. Assuming that the chance that the patio is open due to weather is independent of the day, what is the probability that the patio will be open on Saturday and closed on Sunday?
| A. 0.06 | |
| B. 0.36 | |
| C. 0.54 | |
| D. 0.65 |
Hint :
To find the probability that two independent events occur, multiply together their individual probabilities.
Explanation
It is given that the weather is independent of the day, so the patio being open on Saturday and closed on Sunday are independent events.
To find the probability that two independent events occur, multiply together their individual probabilities.
To use a probability given as a percent in a calculation, convert it to a decimal value. To find the probability that the patio is open each day, divide the percent chance that the patio is open by 100 to convert to a decimal.
The question asks for the probability that the patio is open on Saturday and is closed on Sunday. The event that the patio is closed is the complement of the event that the patio is open.
The probability of the complement of an event is 1 minus the probability of the event. Therefore, the probability that the patio is closed is 1 minus the probability that the patio is open.
To find the probability that the patio will be closed on Sunday, plug the probability that it will be open on Sunday (0.6) into the complement probability formula.
| P(Sun. closed) = 1 − P(Sun. open) | Complement formula |
| P(Sun. closed) = 1 − 0.6 | Plug in value |
| P(Sun. closed) = 0.4 | Subtract |
The probability that the patio will be open on Saturday is 0.9 and the probability that it is closed on Sunday is 0.4.
Multiply these probabilities together to find the probability that the patio will be open on Saturday and closed on Sunday.
| 0.9 × 0.4 | P(Sat. open) × P(Sun. closed) |
| 0.36 | Multiply |
The probability that the patio will be open on Saturday and closed on Sunday is 0.36.
(Choice A) 0.06 is the probability that the patio will be closed on Saturday and open on Sunday, but the question asks for the probability that the patio will be open on Saturday and closed on Sunday.
(Choice C) 0.54 is the probability that the patio will be open both days, but the question asks for the probability that the patio will be open on Saturday and closed on Sunday.
(Choice D) 0.65 may result from mistakenly calculating the average of the probabilities that the patio will be open on Saturday and closed on Sunday, but it is necessary to multiply the probabilities of individual independent events to find the probability that they occur.
Things to remember:
- To find the probability that two independent events occur, multiply together their individual probabilities.
- The complement of an event A is the event that A does NOT occur. The probability that an event A does NOT occur, P(not A), is equal to 1 minus the probability that it does occur, P(A).
P(not A) = 1 − P(A)
Question
If a motorcycle travels at a constant speed of 40 miles per hour, how many minutes will it take to travel 150 miles?
(Note: There are 60 minutes in 1 hour.)
| A. 16 | |
| B. 100 | |
| C. 110 | |
| D. 225 |
Hint :
An object moving at a constant speed travels a distance equal to the product of its speed and the time of travel.
Explanation
An object moving at a constant speed travels a distance equal to the product of its speed and the time of travel.
It is given that the motorcycle travels at a constant speed of 40 miles per hour, and the question asks for the time in minutes. Use the given values to first find the time in hours and then convert hours to minutes.
Let the time in hours be t, and plug the given and defined values for distance (150), speed (40), and time (t) into the distance equation above.
Now multiply both sides by the reciprocal of 40 miles per hour to isolate t, the time in hours.
It will take the motorcycle 3.75 hours to travel 150 miles.
The question asks for the time in minutes, so use the given conversion to convert hours to minutes. To convert from one unit to another, multiply by a conversion factor that cancels the old unit and replaces it with the new unit.
To convert from hours to minutes, multiply the number of hours by a fraction with minutes in the numerator and hours in the denominator.
It is given that there are 60 minutes in 1 hour, so the conversion factor is 60 minutes / 1 hour. Multiply the time it takes the motorcycle to travel 150 miles in hours (3.75) by this fraction to find the time in minutes.
It will take 225 minutes for the motorcycle to travel 150 miles.
Note: It is also possible to convert the speed from miles per hour to miles per minute and then use the distance in miles to calculate the time in minutes.
(Choice A) 16 may result from mistakenly dividing the given speed by the given distance (instead of dividing distance by speed) when attempting to solve for time in hours.
(Choice B) 100 may result from mistakenly multiplying (instead of dividing) the distance (150) by the speed (40) when attempting to solve for the time in hours and then using an incorrect conversion factor when converting to minutes.
(Choice C) 110 may result from mistakenly subtracting the given speed (40) from the given distance (150), but it is necessary to use the distance formula to solve for time.
Things to remember:
-
An object moving at a constant speed travels a distance equal to the product of its speed and the time of travel.
-
To convert from one unit to another, multiply by a conversion factor that cancels the old unit and replaces it with the new unit.
Question
A coin flip game at a carnival consists of 2 rounds. The probability that a player wins the first round is , and the probability that the player wins the second round is . Assuming the outcome of each round is independent of the other, what is the probability that a player will win the first round and lose the second round?
(Note: Each round must be either won or lost.)
| A. | |
| B. | |
| C. | |
| D. |
Hint :
To find the probability that two independent events occur, multiply together their individual probabilities.
Explanation
It is given that the outcome of each round is independent of the other, so winning the first round and losing the second round are independent events.
To find the probability that two independent events occur, multiply together their individual probabilities.
The question asks for the probability that a player wins the first round and loses the second round, but the given probabilities are that the player wins each round.
| 1st round | 2nd round | |
| P(win) |
The event that a player loses a round is the complement of the event that the player wins the round.
The probability of the complement of an event is 1 minus the probability of the event. Therefore, the probability that a player loses a round is 1 minus the probability that the player wins the round.
To find the probability that a player loses the second round, plug the probability that the player wins the second round into the complement probability formula.
| Complement formula | |
| Plug in P(win 2nd) | |
| Subtract: |
The probability that the player will win the first round is , and the probability that the player will lose the second round is .
Multiply these probabilities together to find the probability that the player will win the first round and lose the second round.
| P(win 1st) · P(lose 2nd) | |
| Multiply |
The probability that a player will win the first round and lose the second round is .
(Choice A) may result from a combination of mistakenly finding the probabilities that the player will lose the first round and win the second (instead of win the first and lose the second) and the error described in Choice B.
(Choice B) may result from mistakenly calculating the average of the probabilities that the player will win the first round and lose the second round, but it is necessary to multiply the probabilities of individual independent events to find the probability that they both occur.
(Choice C) is the probability that the player will win both rounds, but the question asks for the probability that the player will win the first round and lose the second round.
(Choice D) is the probability that the player will lose the first round and win the second round, but the question asks for the probability that the player will win the first round and lose the second round.
Things to remember:
- To find the probability that two independent events occur, multiply together their individual probabilities.
-
The complement of an event A is the event that A does NOT occur. The probability that an event A does NOT occur,
P(not A), is equal to 1 minus the probability that it does occur, P(A):
Question
Navreet wants to buy a computer that costs $620, including tax. Navreet opens a savings account with an initial deposit of $80 and deposits $95 at the end of each week. What is the minimum number of weeks Navreet will need to make deposits until he has enough money in his account to buy the computer?
| A. 5 | |
| B. 6 | |
| C. 7 | |
| D. 8 |
Hint :
Let n be the number of weeks, and use the given weekly deposit ($95) and initial deposit ($80) to create an expression for the total amount saved. Set the savings greater than or equal to the $620 cost of the computer.
Explanation
To find the minimum number of weeks Navreet must save to buy the computer, first let n be the number of weeks Navreet saves and create an expression for his total savings.
Navreet's total savings is the sum of his initial deposit and his additional deposits after n weeks. His savings must be greater than or equal to (≥) the cost of the computer.
The additional savings after n weeks equals the amount deposited per week multiplied by the number of weeks (n).
Plug in the initial deposit ($80), weekly deposit ($95), and cost of the computer ($620) to create an inequality for n.
Now solve the inequality for n.
| 80 + 95n ≥ 620 | |
| 95n ≥ 540 | Subtract 80 from both sides |
| n ≥ 5.684… | Divide by 95 |
The number of weeks must be a whole number greater than or equal to 5.684…, so the minimum number of weeks Navreet must save is 6.
(Choice A) 5 may result from solving the inequality 80 + 95n ≤ 620 instead of 80 + 95n ≥ 620.
(Choice C) 7 may result from mistakenly switching the values for the initial deposit and deposit per week to get 95 + 80n ≥ 620.
(Choice D) 8 may result from incorrectly adding (instead of subtracting) 80 to the right side of the inequality 80 + 95n ≥ 620 to get 95n ≥ 700.
Things to remember:
To solve for a variable in an inequality (ex. 2x + 1 > 10), perform the same operations on both sides.
Alternate Method
It is also possible to calculate the total savings for each answer choice. First create an expression for the total savings in terms of the number of weeks, n.
| 80 + 95n | Navreet's total savings after n weeks (see main explanation) |
Each answer choice represents a number of weeks Navreet saves, so plug each choice into the expression for total cost to find the minimum number of weeks that the savings is greater than $620 (cost of the computer).
The minimum number of weeks Navreet will need to make deposits until he has enough money to buy the computer is 6.
Things to remember:
When a question asks for a minimum value, the smallest answer choice that satisfies the inequality must be the minimum.
Passage
The problem of "fake news"—media outlets adopting sensationalism to the point of fantasy—is nothing new. Although the peddling of public lies for political or financial gain can be found throughout history, the late 19th century is when "yellow journalism" first began.
Why yellow? The reasons are not totally clear. Some sources point to the yellow ink the publications would sometimes use; for example, it more likely stems from the popular Yellow Kid cartoon that first ran in The New York World and The New York Journal.
These days, Joseph Pulitzer is associated with journalism of the highest standards. During his life, his reputation, that is, was very different. Not long after purchasing The New York World in 1884 and increasing circulation by publishing sensationalist stories, he earned the dubious honor of being the pioneer of tabloid journalism. He gained a competitor in the field when William Randolph Hearst, who acquired The New York Journal.
The rivalry reached its height in the lead-up to the Spanish-American War, a conflict that some dubbed "The Journal's War" due to Hearst's influence in promoting anti-Spanish sentiment. Much of the coverage was tainted by unsubstantiated claims, sensationalist propaganda, and outright factual errors. In The Journal when the USS Maine exploded and sank in February of 1898, huge headlines blamed Spain with no evidence at all. The Spanish-American War began later that year.
As we've witnessed recently, the use in the media of the term "fake news" has strayed from describing factually incorrect reporting. It now includes any unflattering news. Although the "yellow journalism" of the 19th century ended as Pulitzer and Hearst became haunted by the consequences of their sensationalist reporting, today's "fake news" has yet to reach its conclusion.
Question
Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?
| A. NO CHANGE | |
| B. War, which it was a conflict | |
| C. War, the conflict was one | |
| D. War conflicted |
Explanation
The rivalry reached its height in the lead-up to the Spanish-American War, a conflict that some dubbed "The Journal's War" due to Hearst's influence in promoting anti-Spanish sentiment.
An appositive is a phrase that gives extra description for a noun in the sentence. The appositive is usually written immediately before or after the noun it describes.
|
When a nonessential appositive ends the sentence, it is set off with a comma. |
In this sentence, the Spanish-American War is given extra description with the phrase beginning with "a conflict." This phrase renames the War as "The Journal's War" and tells why. The correct answer joins this appositive with just a comma and no additional words: War, a conflict. Therefore the correct answer is NO CHANGE.
(Choice B) A clause that begins with "which" does not have a subject following it because "which" is considered the subject (ex. Today I have chemistry, which is my least favorite class). Including the word "it" after "which" makes this choice incorrect.
(Choice C) Beginning with "the conflict was one" makes the second part of the sentence an independent clause all its own. It is incorrect to join two independent clauses with just a comma between them.
(Choice D) "War" is the object of the prepositional phrase "to the Spanish-American War." However, the object of the preposition cannot also be the subject of "conflicted," so this answer is not grammatically correct.
Things to remember:
When a nonessential appositive ends a sentence, connect it to the noun it describes with just a comma and no additional words.
Literary Narrative
This passage is adapted from the novel Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (©1925 by Virginia Woolf).
The crush was terrific for the time of day. Lords, Ascot, Hurlingham, what was it? She wondered, for the street was blocked. It is probably the Queen, thought Mrs. Clarissa Dalloway, coming out of Mulberry's with her flowers; the Queen. And for a second she wore a look of extreme dignity standing by the flower shop in the sunlight while the car passed at a foot's pace, with its blinds drawn. The Queen going to some hospital; the Queen opening some bazaar, thought Clarissa.
The British middle classes sitting sideways on the tops of omnibuses with parcels and umbrellas, yes, even furs on a day like this, were, she thought, more ridiculous, more unlike anything one could conceive; and the Queen herself held up; the Queen herself unable to pass. Clarissa was suspended on one side of Brook Street; Sir John Buckhurst, the old Judge on the other, with the car between them when the chauffeur, leaning ever so slightly, said or showed something to the policeman, who saluted and raised his arm and jerked his head and moved the omnibus to the side and the car passed through. Slowly and very silently it took its way.
As she observed the events taking place, Clarissa knew, of course, she had seen something white, magical, circular, in the footman's hand, a disc inscribed with a name—the name of the Queen's, the Prince of Wales's, or the Prime Minister's?—which, by force of its own lustre, burnt its way through to blaze among the candelabras, glittering stars, and the gentlemen of England present that night in Buckingham Palace. Clarissa saw the car diminishing, disappearing. She stiffened a little; so she would stand at the top of the stairs.
The car had gone, but it had left a slight ripple that flowed through glove shops and hat shops and tailors' shops on both sides of Bond Street. For thirty seconds all heads were inclined the same way—to the window. Choosing a pair of gloves—asking should they be to the elbow or above it, lemon or pale grey?—ladies suddenly stopped; something had happened. Something so trifling in single instances that no mathematical instrument, though capable of transmitting shocks in China, could register the vibration; yet in its fullness rather formidable and in its common appeal emotional; for in all the hat shops and tailors' shops strangers looked at each other and thought of the dead; of the flag; of Empire. For the surface agitation of the passing car as it disappeared grazed something very profound.
Gliding across Piccadilly, the car turned down St. James's Street. Tall men, men of robust physique, well-dressed men with their tail-coats and their hair raked back who, for reasons difficult to discriminate, were standing in the bow window of Brooks's with their hands behind the tails of their coats, looking out, perceived instinctively that greatness was passing, and the pale light of the immortal presence fell upon them as it had fallen upon Clarissa Dalloway. At once they stood even straighter, and removed their hands, and seemed ready to attend their Sovereign, if need be, in front of the cannon's mouth, as their ancestors had done before them. The white busts and the little tables in the background covered with copies of the Tatler and syphons of soda water seemed to approve; seemed to indicate the flowing corn and the manor houses of England; and to return the frail hum of the motor wheels. Shawled Moll Pratt with her flowers on the pavement wished the dear boy well (it was the Prince of Wales, for certain) and would have tossed the price of a pot of beer—a bunch of roses—into St. James's Street out of sheer light-heartedness and contempt of poverty had she not seen the constable's eye upon her, discouraging an old Irishwoman's loyalty. The sentries at St. James's saluted; Queen Alexandra's policeman approved.
A small crowd, meanwhile, had gathered at the gates of Buckingham Palace. Listlessly, yet confidently, poor people all of them, they waited; looked at the Palace itself with the flag flying; at Victoria, billowing on her mound, admired her shelves of running water, her geraniums; singled out from the motor cars in the Mall first this one, then that; bestowed emotion, vainly, upon commoners out for a drive; recalled their tribute to keep it unspent while this car passed and that; and all the time let rumour accumulate in their veins and thrill the nerves in their thighs at the thought of Royalty looking at them; the Queen bowing; the Prince saluting; at the thought of the heavenly life divinely bestowed upon Kings.
Question
As it is used in line 9, the word pass most nearly means:
| A. elapse. | |
| B. proceed. | |
| C. transcend. | |
| D. approve. |
Explanation
P1: "…the street was blocked."
P2: "…the Queen herself held up; the Queen herself unable to pass."
To determine what a word "most nearly means" within a sentence, examine the surrounding words and phrases to better understand the general topic (context). Then select the answer that best fits in that context.
P1 describes the crowd that caused the street to be "blocked." P2 continues to examine the crowd gathering as someone (believed to be the Queen) passes through. This crowd causes the Queen to be "held up" and "unable to pass." In this context, the Queen could not move forward or advance, so she was delayed until she could proceed.
(Choice A) "Elapse" describes time as moving forward or slipping by. Because the sentence with "pass" is about the Queen (a person, not an amount of time), this answer doesn't make sense.
(Choice C) To "transcend" is to rise above something. In the sentence with "pass," the Queen is delayed and unable to move forward, not unable to rise above the blocked street.
(Choice D) To "approve" is to endorse or support something. The Queen isn't supporting anything, so this answer choice doesn't make sense.
Things to remember:
Examine the surrounding words and phrases for clues about a word's meaning. Then substitute the answer choices to see which makes sense in the sentence given the context.
Passage A by Kate Flint
All photography requires light, but the light used in flash photography is unique—shocking, intrusive, and abrupt. Unlike the light that comes from the sun, or even from ambient illumination, flash explodes suddenly into the darkness.
In the early days of flash photography, a sense of quasi-divine revelation was invoked by some flash photographers, especially when documenting deplorable social conditions. The filthy darkness in which the urban poor lived could not have been photographed otherwise. Jacob Riis, working in New York in the late 1880s, used spiritual language to underscore flash's significance as an instrument to expose—and hopefully rectify—the horrid conditions of those living in urban squalor.
It's in relation to documentary photography that we most starkly encounter flash's contradictory aspects. It makes visible that which would otherwise remain in darkness; to do so requires an intrusion, a rupturing of private lives and interiors. Yet flash brings a form of democracy to the material world. Formerly insignificant details take on unplanned prominence, as we see in the work of those Farm Security Administration (FSA) photographers who used flash in the 1930s and laid bare the reality of poverty during the Depression. A sudden flare of light reveals each dent on a kitchen utensil and the label on each carefully stored can; each cherished ornament on the mantle; each wrinkle of the skin.
These FSA photographers used flash bulbs, not powder. Pioneered in the late 1920s, these bulbs became generally available around 1930, their ease and portability transforming the abilities of press photographers, documentarians, even police photographers, who could now record evidence of crimes committed under the cover of darkness. But the history of flash photography is about speed as well as light. The breathtaking, high-speed images produced by Harold Edgerton in the mid-20th century, enabled by very high-speed bursts of light from electrically-controlled neon tubes, created the illusion of stopped motion: bullets piercing playing cards or balloons; golfers and tennis players swinging at balls. The ordinary became strange and beautiful through stroboscopic flash.
These examples challenge the bad press that flash photography has received over the century and a half since its invention. Sudden and surprising light continues to be imaginatively deployed by inventive photographers, once again making luminous something of the original wonder that attended flash.
Passage B by Kate Flint
Susan Sontag was deliberately provocative when she coupled photography with violence. There is, she wrote in 1977, "something predatory in the act of taking a picture." She pointed out that we speak casually about "loading" and "aiming" a camera: "Just as the camera is a sublimation of a gun, to photograph someone is a sublimated violation of privacy." Sontag's hyperbole prodded her readers to consider the identity-freezing that is implicit in each portrait that is shot.
But it is less of an exaggeration to couple violence with one particular photographic technology: flash. From the earliest decades of flash photography, when limelight or magnesium was used to illuminate darkness, flash was associated with explosive unpredictability. Even after flash powder was invented in 1887, accidents were commonplace, maiming and injuring photographers. Not until flash bulbs were introduced around 1930 did the means for producing sudden blasts of artificial light become easier and more dependable, and this increased with the advent of the Speedlite and other electronic flash guns.
"Flash gun"—that nomenclature takes us full circle, since some of the early contraptions for igniting flash powder indeed looked much like a revolver. The name, and the linkage to violence and weaponry, stuck. The allusion is clear in the black humor of the words that decorated some military gun barrels in World War II: "Smile. Wait for flash." Weaponry and photography work in consort in Alfred Hitchcock's film Foreign Correspondent, in which a man posing as a news photographer fires a weapon at the same moment that he sets off his camera flash.
Flash can also enact a form of ethical violence. Among those who worked for the Farm Security Administration during the Depression, Dorothea Lange saw its use as invasive, and Ben Shahn expressed his doubts--both about photographing someone else's private space and about flash's aesthetics. "When some of the people came in and began to use flash I thought it was immoral," he said. "You know, you come into a sharecropper's cabin and it's dark. But a flash destroyed that darkness." Another photographic artist, Henri Cartier-Bresson, also shunned the flash, in part due to its association with newsmen and detective work. No one more famously brought flash and crime together than the man known as Weegee, working in mid-20th-century New York to record criminal activity. "A photographer is a hunter with a camera," he said, anticipating Sontag.
Nowhere has this determined violation and exploitation been more apparent than in the work of paparazzi. Popping flash bulbs have become visual shorthand for the achievement of notoriety, as well as the price paid for that fame. Think of King Kong—captured, brought to New York City, exhibited on stage, and then startled into destructive rage by newspaper photographers. Whether viewed as exposure or exploitation, flash photography is historically, and disconcertingly, inseparable from violence.
Question
This question asks about Passage B
In the context of Passage B, the statement "Popping flash bulbs have become visual shorthand for the achievement of notoriety" (lines 51–52) most nearly refers to how flash photography has come to be:
| A. identified as a symbol of the attainment of celebrity status. | |
| B. the preferred medium for newspaper photographers. | |
| C. viewed as an obstacle to becoming a public figure. | |
| D. universally adopted, making it largely overlooked by the public. |
Explanation
P5: Popping flash bulbs have become visual shorthand for the achievement of notoriety...
To understand the meaning of a phrase, first locate and read the entire sentence in which the phrase appears. Use the context of the full sentence to interpret the meaning of the phrase in question.
P5 says that "Popping flash bulbs" (flash photography) is "visual shorthand" (an image or symbol) of "notoriety" (fame) and "the price paid for that fame." Therefore, flash photography has come to be identified as a symbol of the attainment of celebrity status.
(Choice B) P5 does not discuss if "popping flash bulbs" are preferred by newspaper photographers. Also, this answer doesn't relate to the "achievement of notoriety."
(Choice C) The passage notes that flash photography is a symbol of "the price paid for that fame." The context indicates that flash photography symbolizes an effect of, not an obstacle to, becoming a recognizable figure.
(Choice D) The passage's context indicates that people quickly recognize "popping flash bulbs" as a symbol of the famous. It is not true, then, that flash photography was largely overlooked (not noticed) by the public.
Things to remember:
Interpret the meaning of phrases by using the surrounding context in the sentence and paragraph to understand what the phrase adds to the passage.
Passage
INFORMATIONAL: This passage is adapted from the article "Octopuses are Smart Suckers!?" by Jennifer Mather (© 2000 by Jennifer Mather).
While watching an octopus in Bermuda, animal behaviorist Jennifer Mather observed it sitting in its sheltering den after a foraging expedition, where it caught several crabs, took them home, and ate them. Suddenly it jetted out directly to a small rock about six feet away, tucked it under its spread arms and jetted back. Going out three times more in different directions, it took up three more rocks and piled the resulting barrier in front of the entrance to its den and went to sleep. To Dr. Mather, this didn't look like random action.
An octopus is very different from a mammal. It lives only about two years. It has much less opportunity to gain and use knowledge than an elephant, which has a 50-year lifespan and three generations of a family to learn from. The young octopus learns on its own with minimal contact with other octopuses and no influences of parental care or sibling rivalry. This may be because the octopus has a large brain with vertical and sub-frontal lobes dedicated to storing learned information: it has the anatomy for a robust, built-in intelligence.
But it is not enough to know that anatomy predicts an animal to be intelligent without some idea of how it uses this ability. Investigations at Naples in the 1950s and 1960s found that octopuses can learn a wide array of visual patterns, encoding information mostly by comparing edges, orientations, and shapes. They also learn by touch, and that tactile information is stored in a different area of the brain. Intent on just demonstrating learning abilities at first, researchers did not follow up to find what octopuses were doing with this learning in their ocean home. As concerns about direct experimentation in laboratories on intelligent animals began to emphasize observation of natural behavior in the field, the Naples studies ended, and no link was made between abstract information storage and the use of learning in daily life. In 1996, the works of Roger Hanlon and John Messenger provided an overview of cephalopod behavior in their natural habitat, studying areas such as prey manipulation, personality, and even play in the octopus.
What were octopuses doing with the information that learning studies said they could acquire? One study Mather and Roland C. Anderson undertook in 1999 centered on the "Packaging Problem." The problem posed was how an octopus could get at the soft, delectable clam enclosed in its hard shell. Many predators have evolved means of penetrating the clam's hard shell—sea stars pull the valves apart, seabirds pry them apart, snails drill a hole into the shell, and gulls drop the clam from a carefully calculated height onto rocks or road pavement.
But the octopus does even better than these predators in that it can use an arsenal of different solutions for use in feeding. It has the holding ability of hundreds of suckers and the pulling power of eight muscular arms, flexible because they are boneless. Underneath, inside the mouth at the junction of the arms, it has a parrot-like twin beak for biting. Inside are also two more useful structures, the radula with teeth for rasping and the extendible salivary papilla that delivers cephalotoxin, a neuromuscular function-blocker that can kill a crab in several minutes. Fortunately for Mather and Anderson, only the venom of blue-ringed octopuses has proven fatal to humans.
Since octopuses are well set up to recover and use information for solving the problem of the clam's protection, Mather and Anderson set out to determine what the giant Pacific octopus would do to get at three types of bivalves. Prey species were each opened differently. The fragile mussel shells were simply broken, and the stronger Venus clams were pulled apart. Thick-shelled Protothaca clams were drilled with the octopuses' radula and salivary papilla, or chipped with the beak, then injected with venom, which weakened the muscle holding the valves together. When they were offered the clams opened on the half shell, the octopuses changed preference and consumed both clam species, but hardly any mussels. When they didn't have to work hard for the clam meat, they liked Protothaca. Octopuses could also shift their penetration strategies. When live Venus clams were wired shut with stainless steel wire, the octopuses couldn't pull the valves apart, so they then tried drilling and chipping. Given empty-weighted shells glued shut, the octopuses ignored them; they were on to that trick right away.
Perhaps this individual sensitivity to change, honed by intelligence and variability, has been the key to solving the puzzle of the success of both the cephalopods and the higher vertebrates. Similarities that could lead us to understand the evolution of intelligence in octopuses and humans are few but thought-provoking. Neither group has the protection of a hard exoskeleton. Both have evolved in complex environments; the octopuses in the tropical coral reef and the hominid in the savanna edge. Both have considerable variability among individuals and the ability to change their behavior to help them survive. So, perhaps looking at octopuses through their intelligence, as witnessed by their feeding flexibility, helps us also look at aspects of ourselves as we continue to unpack the evolution of intelligence.
Question
As it is used in line 7, the word gain most nearly means:
| A. recover. | |
| B. earn. | |
| C. produce. | |
| D. acquire. |
Explanation
P2: [An octopus] lives only about two years. It has much less opportunity to gain and use knowledge than an elephant, which has a 50-year lifespan and three generations of a family to learn from. The young octopus learns on its own with minimal contact with other octopuses….it has the anatomy for a robust, built-in intelligence.
To find a word's meaning, use context clues to understand how the word is used and pick the answer with a meaning that matches that usage.
|
|
Read the sentences before and after the referenced line to fully understand the context. |
The sentences around the referenced line mention that because of its short lifespan, an octopus has little opportunity to "gain and use" knowledge. Thus, the word "gain" must refer to something that is usually done over a long period of time, like getting or acquiring knowledge by learning.
Therefore, as used here, "gain" most nearly means acquire.
(Choice A) Recover = to get back. The context doesn't suggest that an octopus loses knowledge that it must then get back, so this choice doesn't fit the context.
(Choice B) Earn = to receive in return for effort or work done. The passage doesn't indicate that an animal receives knowledge in return for specific work or effort.
(Choice C) Produce = to manufacture, create, or cause. Knowledge is found, not made or manufactured, so this definition is inaccurate.
Things to remember:
Determine a word's meaning by replacing the word with your own and selecting the answer with a meaning similar to that of your replacement.
Strengthen Your ACT Performance With Smarter Tools
Personalized ACT Study Planner
UWorld's personalized ACT study planner creates a prep schedule built around your goals, timeline, and study habits. Stay consistent, focus on the areas that need the most attention, and prepare with a clear plan designed to keep your ACT prep organized and moving forward.
- Start with a diagnostic test to measure your baseline
- Set a target ACT score and track your progress
- Create a realistic weekly ACT study schedule
- Focus more time on weaker subjects and skills
Smart ACT Flashcards
Master key ACT concepts faster with digital flashcards designed for efficient, high-impact review. UWorld's ACT flashcards help you memorize essential formulas, grammar rules, and vocabulary using proven learning techniques that strengthen retention and build confidence.
- Review essential grammar rules and vocabulary
- Memorize key Math formulas and strategies
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- Study anytime with mobile-friendly flashcards
ACT Performance Analytics
UWorld's ACT prep course gives you real-time performance insights that track your progress as you practice, helping you spot weak areas, strengthen key skills, and focus on the topics that will have the biggest impact on your score.
- Live ACT score projections updated after every session
- Timing insights to improve speed and pacing
- Progress tracking across ACT practice tests
- Personalized recommendations for weaker subjects
Your ACT Prep, Anytime Anywhere
UWorld's ACT prep is available anytime, anywhere with seamless access across all your devices. Whether you are practicing between classes or reviewing on the go, your progress stays synced so you can prep without interruption.
- Study anytime with the UWorld ACT mobile app
- Practice with realistic ACT-style questions
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Real Students, Real Score Improvements
Stand Out
With a Top Score on the ACT
Get our all-in-one ACT course today!
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Focused ACT VideosLearn tough ACT concepts faster with engaging video lessons. Expert instructors break down Math, English, and Reading topics using clear visuals, simple explanations, and proven strategies.
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Print & Digital Study GuideStudy your way with both print and digital ACT guides. Review key concepts, formulas, grammar rules, and test-taking strategies with easy-to-follow lessons and colorful visuals.
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2500+ Exam-Style Practice QuestionsPractice with ACT questions that feel like the real test. Every question includes detailed explanations and visual breakdowns so you can learn from every answer.
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Customizable ACT Quiz GeneratorCreate your own ACT quizzes by subject, topic, or difficulty level. Focus on your weaker areas, review specific concepts, or challenge yourself with harder questions.
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Personalized ACT Study PlannerBuild a study plan that fits your schedule, test date, and score goals. Stay organized and know exactly what to study each day.
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Realistic Timed Test SimulationGet comfortable with the ACT before test day. Take full-length timed practice tests that match the format, pacing, and pressure of the real exam.
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Colorful Visual ExplanationsUnderstand difficult concepts faster with step-by-step explanations, diagrams, and visuals that make learning easier.
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Progress DashboardTrack your scores, pacing, strengths, and areas for improvement. See your progress over time and focus on what matters most.
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Smart FlashcardsReview formulas, grammar rules, vocabulary, and key strategies with digital flashcards designed for quick study sessions.
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Digital Notebook & Study ToolsSave explanations, bookmark important concepts, and keep all your notes in one place for easy review whenever you need it.
Get our all-in-one SAT course today!
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Focused SAT VideosExpert SAT tutors simplify difficult concepts with engaging visuals and easy-to-follow explanations, helping you truly understand challenging topics.
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Print & Digital Study GuideA complete SAT prep book set that complements your videos and practice questions organized, clear, and easy to use anywhere.
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1700+ Exam-Style Practice QuestionsMaster the SAT with realistic practice questions that mirror the actual exam, each with detailed, visual explanations.
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Score-Predicting SAT Mock TestSimulate the real SAT experience and receive an estimated score to gauge your readiness before test day.
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Customizable Quiz GeneratorDesign quizzes tailored to your weak areas. Choose between timed exams or quick topic drills for flexible, focused practice.
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Adjustable Study PlannerInput your schedule and let the planner create a custom study path that keeps you organized and on pace.
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Realistic Timed Test SimulationExperience true SAT conditions with a full-length, timed exam interface that mirrors the official test format.
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Colorful Visual ExplanationsVivid illustrations and visuals turn complex ideas into simple, easy-to-grasp concepts.
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Progress DashboardTrack your strengths, weaknesses, and improvement across tests and quizzes to focus where it matters most.
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Smart FlashcardsStudy smarter with interactive flashcards designed for mobile use and efficiency.
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Digital NotebookTake organized, personalized notes directly within your course for effortless review later.
ACT + SAT Prep Course Bundle
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4200+ Combined SAT + ACT Practice QuestionsPractice with thousands of SAT and ACT questions that feel like the real test. Every question includes step-by-step explanations and answer breakdowns so you understand exactly what you got right—and wrong.
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Custom Quiz & Practice Test GeneratorCreate your own quizzes by subject, topic, question type, or difficulty level. Focus on what you need most and fit studying into your schedule.
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Progress Tracking DashboardSee how you're improving with easy-to-read performance reports. Track your accuracy, pacing, strengths, and areas to focus on next.
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Pick Your Study Topics (SAT & ACT)Choose exactly what you want to study, from ACT English to SAT Math. Spend more time on weaker areas and skip topics you've already mastered.
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Smart Study PlannerBuild a personalized study plan based on your test date, schedule, and score goals. We'll organize your lessons, practice, and review so you always know what to do next.
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Score-Predicting Full-Length Mock ExamsTake realistic SAT and ACT practice tests with built-in timers and score predictions. See where you stand and what to focus on before test day.
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Expert-Led ACT & SAT Video LessonsLearn tough concepts faster with short, engaging video lessons. Our expert instructors use clear visuals and simple explanations to make difficult topics easier to understand.
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Complete ACT + SAT Study Guide Sets (Print + Digital)Get both print and digital study guides for the SAT and ACT. The books work alongside your video lessons to keep your studying organized and on track.
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Concept-Check Questions (for both exams)Test your understanding after each lesson with quick concept-check questions. Build confidence with the basics before moving on to harder exam-style practice.
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Exclusive Book-Only Practice QuestionsGet hundreds of bonus SAT and ACT questions available only in the study guides. Each one includes detailed explanations and visuals to help you learn faster.
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Smart Flashcards & Digital NotebookReview key formulas, vocabulary, and strategies with built-in flashcards and note-taking tools. Study anywhere and keep everything in one place.
Why Students Choose UWorld for ACT Success
| Feature | UWorld ACT Courses | Other Providers |
|---|---|---|
|
Expert-Led Video Lessons
|
Short, topic-specific videos for every ACT concept. | Long sessions covering broad topics without focus. |
|
Comprehensive Study Guides
|
Print and digital guides with built-in knowledge checks. | Static guides with no reinforcement or self-testing. |
|
Exam-Style Practice Questions
|
2,500+ questions that mirror real ACT style and difficulty. | Fewer questions with lower exam accuracy. |
|
Step-by-Step Answer Explanations
|
Visual step-by-step breakdowns that teach the concept. | Answer revealed with no explanation of why. |
|
Build-Your-Own Quizzes
|
Build targeted quizzes by subject, topic, or difficulty. | Fixed practice sets with no customization options. |
|
Realistic Test Simulations
|
Full-length timed tests that replicate real ACT conditions. | Basic or no timed simulation available. |
|
Personalized Study Planner
|
Personalized schedule built around your target score and timeline. | Generic plans with no score-based customization. |
|
Performance Analytics
|
Dashboard highlights weak areas by subject and topic. | Basic score summaries with no actionable insights. |
|
Built-In Flashcard System
|
Smart flashcards built into the course, available on any device. | Not included. Requires separate third-party tools. |
Expert-Led Video Lessons
Short, topic-specific videos for every ACT concept.
Long sessions covering broad topics without focus.
Comprehensive Study Guides
Print and digital guides with built-in knowledge checks.
Static guides with no reinforcement or self-testing.
Exam-Style Practice Questions
2,500+ questions that mirror real ACT style and difficulty.
Fewer questions with lower exam accuracy.
Step-by-Step Answer Explanations
Visual step-by-step breakdowns that teach the concept.
Answer revealed with no explanation of why.
Build-Your-Own Quizzes
Build targeted quizzes by subject, topic, or difficulty.
Fixed practice sets with no customization options.
Realistic Test Simulations
Full-length timed tests that replicate real ACT conditions.
Basic or no timed simulation available.
Personalized Study Planner
Personalized schedule built around your target score and timeline.
Generic plans with no score-based customization.
Performance Analytics
Dashboard highlights weak areas by subject and topic.
Basic score summaries with no actionable insights.
Built-In Flashcard System
Smart flashcards built into the course, available on any device.
Not included. Requires separate third-party tools.
UWorld ACT Prep Courses: FAQs
What makes UWorld's ACT prep course different from other options?
UWorld’s ACT prep course follows a proven Watch, Read, Practice method that connects expert-led video lessons, interactive study guides, and 2,500+ exam-style practice questions into one seamless experience. Most prep courses sell instruction and practice separately, leaving students to piece things together on their own. UWorld eliminates that entirely. Every component is built by education experts, continuously updated to reflect the current ACT, and designed so each part reinforces the next.
What sets UWorld apart is what happens after a wrong answer. Instead of just showing the correct choice, UWorld provides visual step-by-step explanations that teach the concept behind every mistake. Combined with a personalized study planner, customizable quizzes, full-length timed tests, and a performance dashboard that tracks progress by subject and topic, UWorld gives students a faster, smarter path to a higher score.
How UWorld compares:
- UWorld vs. Kaplan: Kaplan’s instruction and practice feel disconnected and explanations rarely go beyond the correct answer. UWorld integrates everything and teaches the concept behind every mistake.
- UWorld vs. The Princeton Review: Princeton Review focuses on test-taking tricks rather than genuine concept mastery. UWorld builds real understanding through visual explanations and personalized analytics.
- UWorld vs. Khan Academy: Khan Academy is not built for the ACT. It lacks timed simulations, ACT-aligned questions, and the structured course experience needed for serious score improvement.
- UWorld vs. Official ACT Materials: Official materials provide authentic practice tests but no instruction, no concept-level explanations, and no tools to track progress or target weak areas. UWorld provides the instruction, explanations, and progress tools that official materials simply do not offer.
What is included in UWorld's ACT prep course?
UWorld’s ACT prep course includes everything students need to prepare efficiently and improve their composite score:
- Engaging video lessons that break down difficult ACT topics across Math, English, and Reading
- Interactive print and digital ACT study guides with built-in knowledge checks
- Exam-style ACT practice questions with step-by-step visual explanations
- Realistic timed test simulation with full-length ACT practice exams
- Smart performance tracking and diagnostic reporting
- Personalized ACT study planner built around your goals and test date
- Smart flashcards for formulas, grammar rules, and key strategies
- Digital notebook for saving explanations and organizing study notes
- Built-in digital calculator for ACT Math practice
- Mobile access across all devices with full progress syncing
A 7-day free trial is available for students who want to explore before subscribing.
When should I start using an ACT prep course?
Most students benefit from starting ACT prep 8 to 12 weeks before their test date, but UWorld works just as well for students on a tighter schedule. Starting early gives you more time to work through every core section at a steady pace, identify weak areas through diagnostics, and build confidence gradually without last-minute pressure.
Students with four to six weeks before test day can still make meaningful improvements with a focused, consistent study plan. UWorld’s personalized ACT study planner adapts to your timeline and helps you prioritize the topics that will have the biggest impact on your composite score.
How will this ACT course improve my score?
UWorld’s ACT course helps students build stronger ACT skills through targeted instruction, realistic practice, and data-driven review. Students learn challenging concepts with clear lessons, reinforce what they’ve learned through study guides and knowledge checks, and apply those skills with exam-style questions and step-by-step explanations.
Performance reporting helps students identify weak areas, track progress, and focus their study time where it matters most. With consistent practice and regular review, students can improve accuracy, pacing, and confidence for test day.
Are your ACT prep materials up to date?
Yes. All content in UWorld’s ACT prep course is fully current and aligned with the official ACT exam, including the latest updates to the English, Math, and Reading sections. The UWorld content team continually reviews official ACT test trends, question formats, and domain updates so the video lessons, study guides, and practice questions always reflect what students will see on exam day.
How does UWorld help with ACT Math, English, and Reading?
UWorld’s ACT prep course supports all three scoring sections with expert-led instruction, realistic practice questions, and targeted review tools designed to strengthen skills and build confidence.
- ACT Math: Covers pre-algebra, algebra, coordinate geometry, plane geometry, and trigonometry. Expert video lessons break down complex problem types step by step, and detailed explanations show the fastest solution path so students learn to work efficiently under timed conditions
- ACT English: Covers grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, rhetorical skills, and argumentative passages. Explanations teach students to recognize error patterns and apply grammar rules consistently rather than memorizing isolated facts
- ACT Reading: Covers literary narrative, social science, humanities, and natural science passages with strategies for inference, main idea, vocabulary in context, and evidence-based questions. Students learn to navigate passages efficiently under the section’s time limit
Can I customize the ACT course to focus on my weak areas?
Yes. UWorld’s ACT prep course includes a customizable quiz generator, smart performance tracking, and diagnostic reporting that identify weak spots and help students focus where improvement will be fastest. Students spend less time on what they already know and more time on the skills most likely to raise their composite score.
Does UWorld's ACT prep course work for all score levels?
Yes. The course is designed for students at every level. Whether you are building a stronger foundation or pushing toward a top composite score, the course adapts to your needs through targeted instruction, guided review, realistic ACT practice, and performance reporting.
Are ACT prep courses worth it?
Yes, especially for students aiming for scholarships, selective college admissions, or a meaningful composite score increase. A strong ACT score can open doors to merit-based scholarships, honor programs, and competitive universities.
Here is where a structured ACT prep course makes the difference:
- Focused, efficient studying: A clear study path with targeted practice, organized lessons, and performance tracking keeps prep on track
- Exam-like practice: Realistic ACT questions that mirror the format, difficulty, and pacing of the actual exam build familiarity before test day
- Data-driven improvement: Performance analytics identify weak areas quickly so students focus on the topics most likely to raise their score
- Flexible access: Mobile access, a personalized ACT study planner, and self-paced lessons let students prep consistently without disrupting school or other commitments
Does UWorld offer a free trial for the ACT prep course?
Meet Our Expert ACT Teachers
Suzanne Dilday
Curriculum Manager
Peter Kenny
Content Developer
Melanie White
Senior Content Developer
Anne Hellerman
Senior Content Developer
Jessica Meyer
Senior Content Developer
Joan Lester
Senior Content Developer
Lauren Stevenson
Senior Content Developer
Rebecca Plourde
Senior Content Developer
Awards & Recognition
