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Communication and Literacy Assessment®

VIRGINIA

PRACTICE TEST

EVALUATION SYSTEMS

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Reading Subtest (091)

National Evaluation Systems is now the Evaluation Systems group of Pearson.

VA-PT-FLD091-01

Table of Contents

GETTING STARTED...............................1

Reviewing the Test Content ................................... 1

Taking the Practice Test ....................................... 1

MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTION SET...............2

Multiple-Choice Answer Sheet................................. 2

Multiple-Choice Questions ..................................... 3

EVALUATING YOUR PERFORMANCE......... 27

Answer Key ......................................................28

Results Worksheet..............................................29

Readers should be advised that this practice test, including many of the excerpts used herein,is protected by federal copyright law.

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved.Evaluation Systems, Pearson, P.O. Box 226, Amherst, MA 01004

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Pearson and its logo are trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries of Pearson Education Inc. or its affiliate(s).

Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment Practice Test—Reading SubtestCopyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved.

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GETTING STARTED

The Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment® (VCLA™) is composed of two subtests—areading subtest and a writing subtest. This document provides a full-length sample VCLA readingsubtest consisting of 40 multiple-choice questions.

A practice test for the writing subtest is also available; see the VCLA Web site atwww.va.nesinc.com.

Reviewing the Test ContentThe content of each VCLA subtest is documented in the test blueprint, which consists of a set of testobjectives. The content of the VCLA reading subtest is defined by the objectives in the "Subtest I—Reading Comprehension and Analysis" section of the test blueprint.

The test blueprint for the VCLA is available on the VCLA Web site at www.va.nesinc.com.

Taking the Practice TestTo take the practice test, follow these steps:

Read each multiple-choice question carefully and choose the ONE best answer outof the four answer choices provided.

Record your answer to each question on the Multiple-Choice Answer Sheetprovided.

Follow the instructions in "Evaluating Your Performance" to score your test andevaluate and interpret your results.

You may wish to monitor how long it takes you to complete the practice test. When taking the actualVCLA, you will have a four-hour test session. Keep in mind that if you are taking both VCLA subtestsat one administration, you will be assigned to complete both subtests during one four-hour testsession. If you are taking only one subtest, you will have the full four-hour test session to completethe subtest.


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MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTION SET

Multiple-Choice Answer SheetUse the space provided below to record your responses to the multiple-choice questions that follow.

QuestionNumber Your Response Question

Number Your Response

1 21

2 22

3 23

4 24

5 25

6 26

7 27

8 28

9 29

10 30

11 31

12 32

13 33

14 34

15 35

16 36

17 37

18 38

19 39

20 40

Multiple-Choice Question Set


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Multiple-Choice Questions

Use the passage below to answer the five questions that follow.

Bollywood

1 When asked to name the film capitalof the world, most Americans wouldunhesitatingly answer, "Hollywood,California!" However, there is another citythat has long exceeded Hollywood in termsof annual output. Mumbai, India, is a SouthAsian motion picture center known as"Bollywood" that produces almost 1,000films a year in twenty different languages.

2 The structure and style of Bollywoodfilms reflect a belief that movies shouldprovide audiences with a complete enter-tainment experience. Generally three to fourhours long, Bollywood pictures often havea fifteen-to-twenty minute intermission forviewers to purchase concessions and to dis-cuss what they have been watching. Ratherthan adhere to a single genre, many of thesefilms are called masala movies. Masala is aHindi word for a spice mixture, and the typicalmasala film borrows elements from familydramas, love stories, action adventures,comedies, sports features, and, of course,musicals. No Bollywood picture would becomplete without a handful of extravagantlystaged musical numbers in which charactersexpress their feelings through song and dance.

3 The Bollywood style first emerged duringthe early 1930s. With the introduction ofsound in motion pictures, singing and dancingquickly became an integral part of Indianmovies. Although filmmakers initially had

difficulty locating actors who could sing, theadoption of "playback singing" in 1935 solvedthe problem. This innovation allowed actorsto lip-synch songs recorded in advance offilming. A small group of Indian vocalistsdominated playback singing for many years,recording thousands of songs and rising to thestatus of national celebrities.

4 By 1940, the Indian film industry hadcome into its own, with domestic productionsaccounting for 90 percent of the movies inIndian theaters. This paved the way for thecreative advances of the 1950s and 1960s, aperiod that is now considered the "golden age"of Indian cinema and that strongly shaped theBollywood cinema of today. It was duringthis era that movies began using songs anddialogue to promote Indian national identity,an emphasis that has continued to the present.Another "golden age" influence can be seen inthe names of leading actors. Bollywood is afamily business, and many of today's starsare related to idols of the past. It is notuncommon for two or three generations ofactors to appear in a movie that is directed byyet another member of the family.

5 In the past decade, the audience forBollywood movies has expanded consid-erably. Long confined largely to South Asianand Middle Eastern theaters, these films arenow being screened all over the world. Thereare also signs that the gap between Bollywood



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and Hollywood may be shrinking. Since themid-1990s, budgets for Bollywood films havebeen steadily increasing as a consequence ofactors' rising salaries and improved produc-tion values. Although this puts pressure onfilmmakers to produce blockbusters to recoupinvestments, lovers of Bollywood need not

worry about the pictures losing any of theelements that make them unique. Recent big-budget releases have boasted more singing,more dancing, more extravagant shootinglocations, and more of everything else thatmakes Bollywood a true masala feast.

1. Which of the following is the bestsynonym for the word screened as it isused in the fifth paragraph of the passage?

A. watched

B. shown

C. produced

D. shipped

2. Which of the following best describes theauthor's main purpose in this passage?

A. to demonstrate the superior qualityof Indian films

B. to analyze the Indian star system

C. to describe the evolution of Indianfilmmaking

D. to defend the Indian film industry

3. Information presented in the passagebest supports which of the followingconclusions?

A. Most Bollywood movies addressimportant contemporary issues.

B. There is a larger global marketfor Bollywood films than forHollywood movies.

C. Bollywood actors now earn morethan their Hollywood counterparts.

D. Bollywood films have helped influ-ence the development of Indiannational culture.



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4. Which of the following statements fromthe passage best represents the author'sattitude toward Bollywood films?

A. Mumbai, India, is a South Asianmotion picture center known as"Bollywood" that produces almost1,000 films a year in twentydifferent languages.

B. No Bollywood picture would becomplete without a handful ofextravagantly staged musicalnumbers in which characters expresstheir feelings through song anddance.

C. Bollywood is a family business, andmany of today's stars are related toidols of the past. It is not uncom-mon for two or three generations ofactors to appear in a movie that isdirected by yet another member ofthe family.

D. Recent big-budget releases haveboasted more singing, moredancing, more extravagant shootinglocations, and more of everythingelse that makes Bollywood a truemasala feast.

5. Which of the following best represents theorganization of the major topics addressedin the passage?

A. • The structure and style ofBollywood films

• Major developments in theIndian film industry, 1930–1970

• Recent advances in thedistribution and production ofBollywood films

B. • The number of Bollywood filmsproduced each year

• A description of masala movies• The "golden age" of Indian

cinema

C. • Reasons why Bollywood filmsare usually three to four hourslong

• The introduction of "playbacksinging" in Indian cinema

• Dominance of the Indian filmindustry by a small group offamilies

D. • A comparison of Hollywood andBollywood

• The significance of dance andsong in Bollywood productions

• Rising production costs in theIndian film industry



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Kosher Food

1 Moving to an unfamiliar country is anexperience that requires a great deal ofcourage and resourcefulness. As part of theadjustment process, immigrants often go togreat lengths to preserve aspects of their homeculture. This is not always easy. Somethingas simple as preparing a favorite family recipecan become a monumental task: a crucialingredient may be unavailable, the altitudemay affect how quickly the dough rises, orlocal spices may possess slightly differentflavors than those customarily used. EarlyJewish immigrants to the United States facedgreater difficulties than most in this regard.In addition to being in an unfamiliar environ-ment, they had to balance their strict dietarylaws with the foods and lifestyles of their newcountry.

2 Originally taken from the Hebrew Bible,Jewish dietary laws dictate how to select,prepare, and consume food to ensure that it iskosher (i.e., acceptable for eating). Althoughthe laws permit almost all fruits and vegeta-bles, meat and animal products are much morestrictly regulated. Only those fish that haveboth fins and scales (i.e., not shellfish), certainbirds, and mammals that chew the cud andhave cloven feet are acceptable (e.g., not pigs).Additional rules govern the slaughter ofanimals and the preparation of their meat.Because the Hebrew Bible states that a younganimal should never be cooked in its mother'smilk, meat and dairy products are alwayscooked and eaten separately.

3 Early Jewish settlers in the United Statesoften had great difficulty finding food that metkosher standards. Meat, in particular, was

extremely scarce. By the time a wider varietyof foods became readily accessible, manysettlers had begun making adjustments to theirtraditional lifestyles. As these small shifts inpractice gradually accumulated, a less rigidform of Judaism was born. Led by RabbiIsaac Mayer Wise, Reform Judaism calledfor changes in the dietary laws and othertraditions that were not practical for AmericanJews. Although most Jews retained someaspects of a kosher diet, the reforms broad-ened the range of acceptable diets and cookingstyles.

4 It was not until the late 1920s that kosherfood products finally became available com-mercially. The first major breakthroughoccurred when Joshua Epstein, an advertisingexecutive and Orthodox Jew, convinced theHeinz Company to begin manufacturingvegetarian baked beans. Epstein also workedwith the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congre-gations of America to create a symbol thatcould be used to certify foods as kosher. Ascompanies increased their output of kosherfoods, Jewish consumers soon learned torecognize the discreet Orthodox Union symbolon packaging. Today, the Orthodox Uniontrademark appears on thousands of productsand remains the most widely recognizedsymbol of kosher certification in the world.

5 There is little question that a kosher dietis much easier to maintain today than it wasa hundred years ago. The number of kosherfoods on the market has never been greater,and new products are regularly being intro-duced. Whereas the difficulty of keepingtraditional dietary laws once contributed to



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the emergence of the Reform movement,today the opposite is occurring. A substantialnumber of nonobservant Jews have returnedto the Orthodox faith, embracing all of thedietary strictures once honored by their

ancestors. Thus, at long last, one of thechallenging cultural transitions undertakenby the nation's earliest Jewish settlers hascome full circle.

6. Which of the following best defines theword strictures as it is used in the fifthparagraph of the passage?

A. ingredients

B. reforms

C. prohibitions

D. practices

7. Which of the following parts of thepassage best supports the author'scontention that, compared with mostother immigrant groups, early Jewishimmigrants to the United States facedgreater difficulties maintaining theirtraditional customs?

A. the discussion in the first paragraphabout the problems encounteredpreparing traditional foods in a newenvironment

B. the discussion in the secondparagraph about kosher food andJewish dietary laws

C. the discussion in the third paragraphabout the emergence of the Reformmovement in American Judaism

D. the discussion in the fourthparagraph about the creation of theOrthodox Union symbol for kosherfoods

8. According to information presented in thepassage, there was a cause-and-effectrelationship between the:

A. use of the Orthodox Uniontrademark and increased purchasesof kosher foods by Jewishconsumers.

B. formation of the Heinz Companyand the creation of the OrthodoxUnion trademark.

C. emergence of a Reform movementin American Judaism and com-mercial production of kosher foodproducts.

D. activities of Jacob Epstein and theformation of the Union of OrthodoxJewish Congregations of America.



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9. Which of the following statements fromthe passage represents the author's opinionrather than a statement of fact?

A. Led by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise,Reform Judaism called for changesin the dietary laws and othertraditions that were not practicalfor American Jews.

B. It was not until the late 1920s thatkosher food products finally becameavailable commercially.

C. Today, the Orthodox Union trade-mark appears on thousands ofproducts and remains the mostwidely recognized symbol of koshercertification in the world.

D. Thus, at long last, one of thechallenging cultural transitionsundertaken by the nation's earliestJewish settlers has come full circle.

10. Which of the following best representsthe organization of major topics in thepassage?

A. I. Early Jewish immigration tothe United States

II. The Hebrew Bible and Jewishfood traditions

III. Jacob Epstein, the HeinzCompany, and the productionof kosher foods

IV. The development of a broaderrange of kosher foods

B. I. The difficulty for immigrantsof keeping to Jewish dietarylaws

II. Reform Judaism and changesin Jewish dietary customs

III. Increased production of kosherfoods and the creation of theOrthodox Union trademark

IV. Renewed adoption of tradi-tional dietary laws and theresurgence of OrthodoxJudaism

C. I. A comparison of immigrantfood traditions

II. Jewish immigrant adjustmentsto new lifestyles

III. Growing commercialproduction of kosher foods

IV. The contemporary dietarypractices of Orthodox Jews inthe United States

D. I. The problems for immigrantsassociated with cookingtraditional foods in anunfamiliar environment

II. Ways of selecting, preparing,and consuming kosher foods

III. The creation of a less rigidform of Judaism by RabbiIsaac Mayer Wise

IV. The policies of the Unionof Orthodox JewishCongregations of Americaconcerning dietary laws



9


Preservation Wars

1 Next time you are in a library, be carefulnot to mention the name "Nicholson Baker."His book, Double Fold: Libraries and theAssault on Paper (2001), caused an uproar inthe usually quiet world of bookshelves andcirculation desks. In Double Fold, Bakerexamined the practice of "destroying topreserve," the procedure by which oldbooks and newspapers are cut apart to bephotographed for microfilm. Accordingto Baker, librarians' justifications for thisdestruction are based on flawed analysisand—in certain cases—blatant deception.

2 Most often, library officials cite thedeterioration of old books and newspapers asthe reason for converting them to microfilm.This became a major issue during the late1980s, when concern spread that a largepercentage of library collections were brittleand in need of immediate attention. PatriciaBattin, the former president of the Commissionon Preservation and Access, played a leadingrole in creating this apprehension.In journal articles, lectures, and mediainterviews, she spoke repeatedly of booksliterally turning to dust. Although clearlyan exaggeration, the rhetoric helped securefunding for twenty prominent libraries tomicrofilm 7,500 volumes a year for twentyyears.

3 As more federal funding became avail-able, libraries turned to a simple test createdin the 1950s to determine which books shouldbe transferred to microfilm and retired from

circulation. The corner of one of a book'spages is folded back and forth—sometimes asmany as five times—to see if it will break; incertain cases, examiners even give a gentle tugon the folded corner. Librarians opposed tothe "double-fold" test argue that it subjects thebook to a trial that it would never face duringregular use. Books that fail the test may stillbe able to withstand thousands of individualpage turns, they add, which makes the practiceseem more like an excuse for clearingmaterials from the shelves than a genuineexamination of which books are too brittle tobe handled.

4 Moreover, while conversions may createshelf space for libraries that are running out ofroom, there is a cost. Microfilming—themethod still favored by preservationists—isexpensive, typically exceeding $150 to filmone year of a newspaper collection, a sum thatwould cover the storage costs of thirty paperyears for an indefinite period of time. Anotherconcern is the substantial loss of detail thatoccurs in the conversion process. Newspaperssuch as Joseph Pulitzer's New York Worldwere full of colorful illustrations—maps,political cartoons, murder diagrams, children'spuzzles, and even needlepoint patterns. Onmicrofilm, many of these illustrations arereduced to cloudy black blurs. Nor is ituncommon for portions of text to be blackedout or otherwise rendered illegible. A possiblesolution, and one urged by Nicholson Baker, isto keep both the original printed materials andthe microfilm copies.



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5 Ultimately, the conflict over the preser-vation of library materials can be attributed toa difference in philosophy. Preservationistswho agree with Baker envision an ideal librarywith an infinite amount of storage space thatalso serves as an archive and museum.Regardless of whether they share Baker'svision, most librarians point to what they

consider to be a higher priority: the creationand maintenance of facilities that welcomethe public for daily use. Until these prioritiesare reassessed and sorted out, the added spaceand ease of access provided by microfilmingwill continue to advance, but at a price noteveryone is willing to pay.

11. Which of the following best defines theword apprehension as it is used in thesecond paragraph of the passage?

A. confusion

B. disagreement

C. argument

D. uneasiness

12. Which of the following statements bestexpresses the main idea of paragraph 3of the passage?

A. The double-fold test has been astandard procedure in U.S. librariessince the 1950s.

B. Once increased federal fundingmade conversion to microfilm a realoption, the double-fold test cameinto widespread use.

C. Double-folding is used todayprimarily to determine whichmaterials need conversion tomicrofilm.

D. Many librarians consider the resultsof the double-fold test not realisticenough to be reliable.

13. According to information presented in thepassage, differences over the preservationof library materials can best be seen as aconflict between:

A. those most concerned about thedestruction of books and those mostconcerned about library space andaccess.

B. two different ideas about the valueof books and periodicals.

C. those who are responsible forfunding book preservation and thosewho are responsible for conductingthe work required.

D. two different approaches to preser-vation with two different price tags.



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14. The author's argument in the passage isbased on the assumption that the mostimportant step in the decision-makingprocess is to:

A. gather and assess information.

B. define terms that requireclarification.

C. identify and rank goals.

D. determine alternative coursesof action.

15. Which of the following statements bestsummarizes the main points of thepassage?

A. Nicholson Baker's book, DoubleFold: Libraries and the Assault onPaper, met considerable oppositionfrom librarians. Baker does,however, make a number oflegitimate points in the book.

B. Although the practice of "destroyingto preserve" creates needed shelfspace for libraries, it has real costs.The conflict over creating a betterway to preserve library materialswill not be resolved until thoseinvolved in the process establishclear priorities.

C. Microfilming old library materials ismuch more expensive than manypeople realize. Nicholson Baker hasaddressed this and related questionsin his book on the problem.

D. The "double-fold" test fordetermining which old books andnewspapers should be microfilmedhas resulted in the destruction ofmany valuable library materials.Joseph Pulitzer's New York World isa good example of what is beinglost.



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Private Investigators in Fiction and Fact

1 Shortly after I graduated from collegeand was looking for a job, a newspaperemployment ad caught my eye—Wanted:Private Investigator. Good research skillsessential. It sounded interesting, evenexciting, and I sent in a résumé. To mysurprise, I was called for an interview andfound myself seated in the lobby of a large,nondescript office building alongside a dozenother hopeful job-seekers. When my turncame to be interviewed, I quickly discoveredthat the job was for a store detective. Dutiesincluded watching for shoplifters and trackingthe legally or ethically questionable actions ofstore employees. Being a shy person, moreinterested in books than in people, I told theinterviewer, "I don't think this job is for me."He agreed, and that was that.

2 The interview was my first hint that real-life private investigators were not like thecharacters one encountered in movies ormystery novels—plain-talking, hard-boileddetectives such as Raymond Chandler's PhilipMarlowe or Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade,whose tough exteriors belie their soft-heartednatures. They track down criminals and solvecrimes in the most dangerous of circum-stances, not letting anything get in their way.These heroic figures exude a tough realismand adhere to an incorruptible code ofpersonal morality that enables them tosurmount the most formidable obstacles asthey apprehend criminals and restore orderto society.

3 That is one vision of detective work.Another image comes out of a more playfultradition of mystery writing that includescharacters such as Sherlock Holmes, thefictional genius who solves complex crimes—sometimes without leaving his comfortablearmchair. Holmes approaches crime as ifit was a crossword puzzle missing a fewessential letters that, once supplied, makethe motive for a crime and the identity of itsperpetrator clear to all concerned. In this veinof detective fiction one also finds AgathaChristie's Miss Jane Marple, an individualwith a keen eye and equally keen intelligence,who always happens to be in the right spotwhen a crime is committed. Using her witsand courage, she invariably ferrets out theneeded evidence and quickly solves the crime.

4 In fact, all this is a far cry from the worldof real-life detectives. Modern private inves-tigators sometimes do monitor potentialshoplifters, but more often are involved inactual investigations. Typical assignmentsmight include doing background checks onpeople or tracking down missing persons atthe request of a family member, an acquain-tance, or an interested business party. Themodern-day private investigator, however,spends less time on his or her feet andconsiderably more time on the computerconducting Internet research, retrieving andexamining credit references, or verifyingdriver's licenses, marriage certificates, andbirth records. Although the work is routine,the end result of such inquiries might leadto the reuniting of siblings separated sincechildhood or to the criminal investigation ofa company's business practices.



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5 Even at its most exciting, the work ofmodern-day private investigators is rarelyglamorous. It is much more likely to involvethe careful analysis of data than a high-speedcar chase. Detail oriented, methodical, andoften mundane, such tasks as today's privatedetectives typically perform are hardly the

stuff of the romantic, action-packed thrillersthat I enjoyed so much as a young adult. Butfor those who like to solve puzzles, for thosewho like to find what's missing or figure outwhat someone may be up to, real privateinvestigation still appeals to the detectivein all of us.

16. Which of the following is the bestsynonym for the expression ferrets out asit is used in the third paragraph of thepassage?

A. assembles

B. analyzes

C. uncovers

D. evaluates

17. Which of the following best describes theauthor's main purpose in this passage?

A. to compare characters from twomajor traditions of mystery writing

B. to show how the work of real-lifedetectives differs from the way theirwork is portrayed in books andmovies

C. to describe a typical day in the lifeof a contemporary private detective

D. to analyze the impact that recentinnovations in computer technologyhave had on the work of modernprivate investigators

18. Information presented in the passagebest supports which of the followingconclusions?

A. The work of real-life privatedetectives requires discipline andconcentration.

B. Real private detectives are more likeSam Spade than Sherlock Holmes.

C. Advances in technology have takenthe fun out of private detectivework.

D. The work of today's privatedetectives is different from theirpredecessors.



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19. Which of the following best expresses theauthor's opinion?

A. Private detective work is complexand highly demanding.

B. For the most part, private detectivework is demeaning and morallydubious.

C. While generally unexciting, thework of a private investigator isoften very useful.

D. The job of a modern privatedetective is tedious andunrewarding.

20. Which of the following best organizes themain topics addressed in the passage?

A. • The portrayal of privatedetectives in the movies

• The portrayal of privatedetectives in literature

• The portrayal of privatedetectives in today's media

B. • The main duties of storedetectives

• Detectives in the mystery novelsof Raymond Chandler andDashiell Hammett

• The main duties of real-lifeprivate investigators

C. • Seeking work as a privateinvestigator

• Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade• Sherlock Holmes and Miss Jane

Marple

D. • The hard-boiled realist image ofdetective work

• The sharp-witted intellectualimage of detective work

• The kinds of work performed byreal-life private detectives



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The Law of Unintended Consequences

1 Actions intended to solve one problemoften end up creating a different problem.This is the negative version of the Law ofUnintended Consequences, a basic principle ofeconomics. We encounter its workings whenwe deal with child-proof bottle caps that areintended to protect children but prove frus-trating to everyone else. We meet it againwhen we struggle mightily to open CDs andDVDs that have been shrink-wrapped todiscourage theft. The Law of UnintendedConsequences further mocks us when, in orderto spare our fingernails, we are forced to carryaround lever-like devices to pry open drinkcans with tab tops invented to make suchdevices unnecessary.

2 The Law of Unintended Consequencesoperates most cruelly when a cleverlydesigned solution actually worsens the veryproblem that it was intended to remedy. Thepublic waste bin is a good example. Yearsago, public waste bins were steel baskets withmesh sides that enabled waste removers todetermine when the bins were full. Their sizeand shape allowed for easy emptying, whichtypically involved picking up the receptacleand overturning it into the back of a trashtruck.

3 Unfortunately, the waste bins hadproblems such as unsightliness, bad odors, andmessiness. The bins might contain organicwaste or leftover liquids in carelessly disposedcups, cans, and bottles. These liquids pro-duced a sticky sludge that dripped to thebottom of bins, leaving a malodorous puddlewhen the containers were picked up and asyrupy trail when taken to the trash truck.With the development of thin, flexible plas-tics, however, a solution seemed to be at hand.

4 Public waste bins were soon fitted withlarge plastic bags that would hold the trashsecurely for simple and clean removal. Wasteremovers had merely to lift out the old bag,replace it with a new bag, and carry the oldbag to the truck. It was then that the Law ofUnintended Consequences intervened. Noone, it seems, anticipated the effect that theplastic bags would have on people's waste-disposal behavior. Anything could now bediscarded, with no worry about spillage, sopeople casually tossed in soft drink cans,bottles, and paper cups, whether empty or full,upright or inverted. Food in any form—half-eaten doughnuts, pizza crusts, multilayeredsandwiches, five-course takeout dinners—wassimply thrown into the bin.

5 In theory, none of this should have been aproblem. After all, what went into the bagstayed in the bag. It soon became apparent,however, that something had gone wrong. Nomatter how carefully the full, sloshing plasticbags were removed from the bins, they wouldfrequently develop leaks and start releasingtheir contents in the back of trash trucks wellbefore the vehicles reached their intendeddestination. Furthermore, the bags werevulnerable to squirrels and other rodents whocould easily chew holes in them and releasetheir liquid contents onto the ground beforeremoval hour. Instead of well-maintained,plastic-lined disposal bins—or even thesomewhat untidy mesh bins that precededthem—public spaces now overflowed withfoul-smelling, messy, sticky, and rodent-infested heaps of muck. The Law ofUnintended Consequences had struck again.



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21. Which of the following best defines theword malodorous as it is used in the thirdparagraph of the passage?

A. unhealthy

B. filthy

C. bad

D. stinking

22. Which of the following excerpts from thepassage best expresses the main idea ofthe passage?

A. Actions intended to solve oneproblem often end up creating adifferent problem. This is thenegative version of the Law ofUnintended Consequences, a basicprinciple of economics.

B. The Law of UnintendedConsequences operates most cruellywhen a cleverly designed solutionactually worsens the very problemthat it was intended to remedy.

C. No one, it seems, anticipated theeffect that the plastic bags wouldhave on people's waste-disposalbehavior.

D. Instead of well-maintained, plastic-lined disposal bins—or even thesomewhat untidy mesh bins thatpreceded them—public spaces nowoverflowed with foul-smelling,messy, sticky, and rodent-infestedheaps of muck.

23. According to information presented in thepassage, the plastic bag solution to thewaste-removal problem proved ineffectivelargely because of:

A. the carelessness of waste removers.

B. changes in people's eating anddrinking habits.

C. the poor quality of the bags.

D. changes in people's waste-disposalbehavior.



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24. Which of the following best describes thelogical structure of the author's argumentin the passage?

A. The author identifies a concept, thenintroduces a case study to illustratethat concept.

B. The author describes a problem,then explores various factorscontributing to that problem.

C. The author examines potential solu-tions to a problem, then explainswhy none of the solutions worked.

D. The author identifies the positiveresults of a given action, thendescribes the negativeconsequences.

25. Which of the following statements bestsummarizes the main points of thepassage?

A. The placement of plastic bagswithin public waste bins promisedto make the work of waste removerseasier than it was before the intro-duction of the bags. This remainsdifficult work, however, and heapsof messy, slick, and foul-smellingmuck still litter public spaces inmany of the nation's communities.

B. The Law of UnintendedConsequences is a basic principle ofeconomics. As numerous examplesdemonstrate, the operation of thelaw can have negative as well aspositive consequences.

C. The placement of plastic bagswithin public waste bins is a goodexample of the negative versionof the Law of UnintendedConsequences. Because no oneanticipated the effect the bags wouldhave on people's waste-disposalbehavior, or their vulnerability torodents, introducing them worsenedthe problem it was intended toremedy.

D. People have long been troubled bythe unsightliness, foul odors, andgeneral messiness of public wastebins. Thus far, efforts to correctthe problem have been largelyunsuccessful because most peoplerefuse to change their waste-disposal behavior.



18


The Rise and Fall of the Drive-in Theater

1 The contemporary megaplex theaters,with their twelve, twenty-four, or even thirtyindividual screens, provide a far differentexperience for the movie-going public than thetraditional single-screen movie theaters thatdominated the film industry from the 1920s tothe 1980s. The megaplexes are even furtherremoved, however, from drive-in theaters—those unique expressions of American popularculture at the middle of the twentieth centurythat have since become an endangeredcinematic species.

2 The drive-in was born at the Camden,New Jersey, home of Richard Hollingshead.In 1932, Hollingshead developed his idea foran open-air movie theater by conductingexperiments in his backyard. He mounted aprojector atop his car, tacked a screen across acouple of trees, and used a radio behind thescreen to monitor sound levels. With thisbasic framework in place, Hollingsheadmoved on to more specific tests, exploringeverything from the effects of differentweather conditions to how vehicles could bespaced to obtain optimum sight lines. By thesummer of 1933, Hollingshead had obtained apatent for his invention and opened the world'sfirst drive-in movie theater.

3 The drive-in concept spread slowly atfirst, but by the late 1950s over 4,000 drive-insexisted nationwide. Some accommodated asmany as 2,500 cars, others as few as fifty.One particularly innovative owner formed apartnership with a local airfield to create acombination drive-in and fly-in theater. Asidefrom the novelty of watching movies withoutleaving one's car, the main attraction of the

drive-in theater was its informality. Unlikeindoor theaters, patrons could dress howeverthey liked, and there were numerous seatingoptions. Some people sat in their cars, otherssat on their cars, while still others could bespotted relaxing on blankets or sitting in lawnchairs. For many, the drive-in's most popularfeature was the snack bar. All of the classicstaples were present—hamburgers, hot dogs,french fries, soda, popcorn, pizza, candy, snowcones—often accompanied by interestingregional specialties, such as chop suey, lobsterrolls, barbecue, and tacos. Some theaters evendelivered food directly to the cars.

4 Yet by 2007, the number of drive-ins inthe United States had dwindled to no morethan a few hundred theaters. A number offactors have been responsible, beginning withrising land values. Drive-ins built on theoutskirts of cities quickly found themselvesright in the middle of suburban developments.The pressure on owners to sell their propertywas immense, especially when they facedincreased insurance costs and competitionfrom new multiplex theaters. Meanwhile,growing numbers of consumers chose either tostay home and watch television or to patronizeindoor theaters that offered wider screens andimproved sound. Families also began to stayaway, turned off by rowdy patrons and R-ratedmovies. Even changing automobile trendsworked against the drive-in, as the spaciouscars of the 1950s that had made the experiencefeel so luxurious were replaced by smaller,more fuel-efficient vehicles. When the homevideo market arrived in the 1980s, it was thefinal nail in the coffin. Many celebrated drive-ins went dark for the last time.



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5 Although it is easy to dismiss drive-intheaters as a relic of the past, there is asubstantial audience that yearns for theirreturn. Several groups have even organizedguerrilla drive-ins that are publicized over theInternet. Someone in the group finds a goodlocation to project a movie, the place and time

are announced on a Web site, and within hourshundreds of people show up for an instantdrive-in experience. A visit to one of thesegatherings makes it clear that, despite thedisappearance of most open-air cinemas, thefree spirit of the drive-in is alive and well.

26. Which of the following best defines theword mounted as it is used in the secondparagraph of the passage?

A. to fix in place

B. to ascend

C. to furnish

D. to prepare for

27. Details presented in which of thefollowing paragraphs best support theauthor's contention that drive-in theatersoffered a more liberated way of experi-encing a movie?

A. Paragraph 1

B. Paragraph 2

C. Paragraph 3

D. Paragraph 4



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28. According to information presented inthe passage, suburban developmentmost influenced the decline of drive-intheaters by:

A. prompting increased sales of small,fuel-efficient vehicles.

B. forcing theater owners to obtainadded insurance.

C. increasing the value of land onwhich theaters were located.

D. contributing to the growth oftelevision ownership.

29. Which of the following statements bestrepresents the author's attitude towarddrive-in theaters?

A. The author thinks the negativefeatures of drive-ins outweighedtheir virtues.

B. The author yearns for the return ofdrive-ins.

C. The author believes the food servicewas the best thing about drive-ins.

D. The author considers drive-ins relicsof the past.

30. Data on the changing number of drive-insin the United States between 1950 and2007 could be most clearly presentedusing which of the following graphicforms?

A. a flowchart

B. a circle graph

C. a timeline

D. a line graph



21


Native American Snowshoe Designs

1 Native peoples in the most northerlyregions of the North American continent havelong relied on snowshoes to facilitate travel.The snowshoes they developed had four maindesigns that varied according to differentneeds, topographical conditions, and kindsof snow.

2 In what are now the Canadian provincesof Quebec and Labrador, which often expe-rienced an abundance of dry, deep snow,Native Americans used the Beavertailsnowshoe, consisting of a large, almostcircular main portion and a smaller, roundedtail. The relatively short length of theBeavertail snowshoes made them well suitedfor climbing and descending hilly terrain andfor quick maneuvering while doing campchores, checking traplines, or traveling overrough ground. Native hunters could alsofollow their prey and then transport the meatback home, taking advantage of the stabilityof the wide Beavertails.

3 In Alaska and the Yukon, another kindof shoe developed. This was the Alaskansnowshoe, a narrow and extremely long pieceof footgear that measured up to seven feetfrom head to tail and featured an upward-curving, rounded head. The narrowness andlength were well adapted for high-speed travelon the open plains of Alaska and the CanadianNorthwest. Although difficult to turn aroundin, the shoe was often used in conjunction withdogsleds for breaking trail through soft snowin front of the dog teams.

4 Where brush was common, or where thesnow was firmer, native peoples created adesign that took its name from the Ojibwapeople of the Great Lakes region. The Ojibwasnowshoe was narrow, long, and pointed atboth ends, features that combined speed witha maneuverability that enabled travelers tochange direction quickly in order to avoidbrush, rocks, and other obstructions. Thepoints at either end of the shoe made itpossible to cut through crusty snow and lowbrush; the shoes could even be propelledbackward if an individual was unable to workaround an obstruction. Native Americans inManitoba, Canada, used these snowshoes tofollow fast game animals through changinglandscapes of rivers, forests, and lakes.Ojibwa shoes, however, were less stable thanwider designs and thus unsuitable for carryingor pulling heavy loads.

5 In heavily forested areas, such as arecommon in eastern Canada, native peoplesfashioned a different kind of snowshoe knownas the Bear Paw, because of its resemblance tothe rounded print of a bear's foot. Bear Pawsnowshoes were short, oval shaped, and hadno tail whatsoever. This design made themthe most versatile of all four kinds of snow-shoes. A person could easily turn, trackaround trees, and climb over rocks and downuneven slopes while traveling in deep snow.In addition to being easy to make, the BearPaw had a width that provided sufficientstability for carrying heavy loads. Of course,the rounded shape, coupled with the lack oftail, caused these snowshoes to be slow andunsuited for traveling long distances in openspaces. Their shape also put a practical limiton the weight of users: the heavier the person,the larger the oval had to be to prevent thewearer from sinking into the snow.



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6 The development of these differentsnowshoe designs demonstrated the creativityand versatility of native peoples in confrontingthe often forbidding environment of theregions in which they lived. Not surprisingly,the English and French who arrived in the1600s quickly adopted the technology, and inthe four centuries since their appearance, the

snowshoe design has continued to evolve.Yet even with the advantage of computermodeling and high-tech materials, today'ssnowshoe designs are based on the sameprinciples that Native Americans employedcenturies ago to survive in the deep snowof North American winters.

31. Which of the following best defines theword facilitate as it is used in the firstparagraph of the passage?

A. to expand

B. to make easier

C. to promote widely

D. to inspire

32. Which of the following best describes theauthor's main purpose in the passage?

A. to compare major snowshoe designscreated by native peoples innorthern regions of North America

B. to analyze the influence of snow-shoes on the development of nativecultures in North America

C. to demonstrate why snowshoescontinue to be used in the northerlyregions of North America

D. to compare traditional NativeAmerican snowshoes with modernsnowshoe designs

33. From the information in the passage, it isreasonable to conclude that:

A. snowshoes developed in one part ofNorth America were unknown inother parts of North America.

B. the design of snowshoes was asource of competition among theNative Americans.

C. snowshoes designed for one purposewere generally less useful for otherpurposes.

D. snowshoes were unfamiliar toEuropeans because they were aNorth American invention.



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34. Which of the following statements fromthe passage represents the author's opinionrather than a statement of fact?

A. The narrowness and length werewell adapted for high-speed travelon the open plains of Alaska and theCanadian Northwest.

B. The Ojibwa snowshoe was narrow,long, and pointed at both ends,features that combined speed witha maneuverability that enabledtravelers to change direction quicklyin order to avoid brush, rocks, andother obstructions.

C. Ojibwa shoes, however, were lessstable than wider designs and thusunsuitable for carrying or pullingheavy loads.

D. The development of these differentsnowshoe designs demonstrated thecreativity and versatility of nativepeoples in confronting the oftenforbidding environment of theregions in which they lived.

35. Which of the following best represents theorganization of the major topics addressedin the passage?

A. I. A comparison of Beavertailand Alaskan snowshoes

II. A comparison of Ojibwa andBear Paw snowshoes

III. Reasons for the superiority ofBear Paw snowshoes

IV. Adoption of snowshoes byEuropeans

B. I. Winter travel in the mostnortherly regions of NorthAmerica

II. The influence of terrain andclimate on snowshoe design

III. Designing snowshoes to huntgame and transport goods

IV. Recent developments insnowshoe design

C. I. Reliance of Native Americanson snowshoes

II. Major features and uses ofBeavertail and Alaskansnowshoes

III. Major features and uses ofOjibwa and Bear Pawsnowshoes

IV. Continuing enhancements to abasic design

D. I. Snowshoes in Alaska and theYukon

II. Snowshoes in the Great Lakesregion

III. Designing snowshoes for speedand stability

IV. The evolution of snowshoedesign since 1600



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Volcanoes

1 Volcanoes are formed when materialsfrom deep inside the earth, such as moltenrock, hot ash, and gases, escape through anopening in the earth's crust. Such openings arecalled volcanic vents. Some volcanoes haveonly a single vent; others may have a mainvent along with numerous subsidiary vents.Geologists typically classify volcanoes intofour types: cinder cones, shield volcanoes,lava domes, and composite volcanoes. Eachtype has a characteristic eruption pattern anda characteristic shape.

2 Cinder cones are the simplest kind ofvolcano. They are formed when pieces ofmolten rock saturated with gases explode froma widening volcanic vent. Cinders result whenthe particles harden and drop to the earth. Therain of cinders during an eruption eventuallycreates a very steep-sided cone of loosematerial. Rarely more than 1,000 feet inheight and with broad craters at the top, cindercones erupt only once and are often groupedaround a larger volcano. One of the most wellknown and highest cinder cones is Paricutín inMexico, which erupted in 1943 from a smallvent that appeared in a farmer's cornfield. Thefissure quickly expanded, spewing moltenrock into the air. Over a period of nine years,the volcano grew continuously until it hadreached 3,000 feet in height and had blanketed100 square miles with ash.

3 By contrast, shield volcanoes are formedalmost entirely from molten rock flows calledlava. Their shape, as suggested by their name,resembles a broad, slightly domed warrior'sshield. Repeated eruptions of lava over manythousands of years can create formations ofhuge size. For example, Mauna Loa in Hawaiirises almost 30,000 feet from its base on theseafloor to its summit. Many Pacific islands

originated from shield volcanoes, as did manymountains in California and Oregon. Shielderuptions typically spurt fountains of lava orooze lava from central or peripheral vents inthe mountain. The lava flows downslope,traveling up to ninety miles before hardeninginto a thin layer of rock. Because these lavaflows generally move slowly, shield volcanoesare usually less dangerous than othervolcanoes.

4 When the lava is too thick to flow anydistance, lava domes are formed. Thehardening lava piles up over the volcano'scentral vent, creating an irregular dome thatgradually expands from lava continuing towell up from inside the earth. Meanwhile, thedome's exterior often cracks and sheds largefragments of stone. Lava domes are foundsingly and in groups, as independentvolcanoes or as spin-off structures in thecraters of composite volcanoes. Their initialeruption can be extremely violent, as was thecase at Mount Pelée in Martinique, where anexplosive eruption in 1902 killed all but twoof the 28,000 inhabitants of the town of St.Pierre.

5 Composite volcanoes, which are formedby lava and by ejected volcanic materials, areprobably the most familiar form of volcano.They can reach great heights and have wide,gently sloping bases culminating in steep-sided, symmetrical summits. They also havean internal system of vents that bring moltenrock to the surface from deep in the earth.Well-known volcanoes of this type includeMount Rainier in the state of Washington andMount Fuji in Japan. Composite volcanoesmay erupt violently and without warning,sending molten rock thousands of feet intothe air and blanketing miles of adjacent



25

countryside with burning ash. When the ashis mixed with superheated gases, the result iscatastrophic: a glowing cloud rushes down thevolcano and destroys everything in its pathover distances up to sixty miles.

6 In sum, two basic processes are involvedin volcano formation: the flow of lava and theviolent ejection of volcanic materials. Shield

volcanoes and lava domes are primarily builtfrom lava flows, while cinder cones resultmainly from explosive episodes. Compositevolcanoes represent a fusion of these twobasic processes. The kind of volcano-buildingprocess in turn dictates the shape of each typeof volcano, as well as the danger posed to thesurrounding countryside and the people wholive there.

PacificOcean

AtlanticOcean

IndianOcean

Major Volcano

Key

36. Which of the following is best synonymfor the phrase well up as it is used in thefourth paragraph of the passage?

A. rise

B. expand

C. explode

D. circulate



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37. According to the passage, which of thefollowing most accurately lists thesequence of events during the eruptionof a cinder cone volcano?

A. 1. formation of cinders2. expansion of the volcanic vent3. creation of a cinder cone4. spewing of molten rock into

the air

B. 1. spewing of molten rock intothe air

2. formation of cinders3. creation of a cinder cone4. expansion of the volcanic vent

C. 1. formation of cinders2. spewing of molten rock into

the air3. expansion of the volcanic vent4. creation of a cinder cone

D. 1. expansion of the volcanic vent2. spewing of molten rock into

the air3. formation of cinders4. creation of a cinder cone

38. From the information presented in thepassage, it is reasonable to conclude thatpeople generally have the greatest amountof time to respond to eruptions involvingwhich of the following types ofvolcanoes?

A. lava dome volcanoes

B. cinder cone volcanoes

C. shield volcanoes

D. composite volcanoes

39. Which of the following assumptions mostinfluenced the author's argument in thepassage?

A. Most natural disasters occursuddenly and with little warning.

B. Volcanoes cause much greaterdestruction than most peopleimagine.

C. No spectacle on Earth is asawesome as a volcanic eruption.

D. Many natural processes haveconsistent and identifiable patterns.

40. The information on the map best supportswhich of the following conclusions?

A. The coastal regions that surroundthe Pacific Ocean are among themost volcanically active on Earth.

B. There is no region of the worldwithout volcanic activity.

C. Throughout the world, volcanoes ofthe same type are typically foundtogether.

D. More volcanic eruptions occur inthe sea than on the land.


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EVALUATING YOUR PERFORMANCE

This section describes how to evaluate your performance on this practice test for the VCLA readingsubtest. Your practice test results may provide helpful information regarding your preparedness inthe content tested on the actual VCLA reading subtest.

In this section you will find:

an Answer Key providing the correct response for each multiple-choice question and acolumn for tracking your results

a Results Worksheet organized by objective that will help you interpret your multiple-choicequestion results

Use the resources provided in this section and the VCLA test blueprint (available free of charge atwww.va.nesinc.com) to help determine your preparedness for the actual VCLA reading subtest.Although your results on this practice test cannot be used to determine your score on the actualsubtest, your results may help you gauge your readiness to test and help identify any areas forfurther study.

Evaluating Your Performance


28

Answer KeyDetermine which multiple-choice questions you answered correctly and incorrectly by comparing theanswers you recorded on your Multiple-Choice Answer Sheet to the correct responses listed in theAnswer Key below. Circle "Y" or "N" in the "Correct?" column to keep track of your results. For thequestions you answered incorrectly, review these questions and their correct responses.

QuestionNumber

CorrectResponse Correct? Question

NumberCorrect

Response Correct?

1 B Y N 21 D Y N

2 C Y N 22 B Y N

3 D Y N 23 D Y N

4 D Y N 24 A Y N

5 A Y N 25 C Y N

6 C Y N 26 A Y N

7 B Y N 27 C Y N

8 A Y N 28 C Y N

9 D Y N 29 B Y N

10 B Y N 30 D Y N

11 D Y N 31 B Y N

12 D Y N 32 A Y N

13 A Y N 33 C Y N

14 C Y N 34 D Y N

15 B Y N 35 C Y N

16 C Y N 36 A Y N

17 B Y N 37 D Y N

18 A Y N 38 C Y N

19 C Y N 39 D Y N

20 D Y N 40 A Y N

Evaluating Your Performance


29

Results WorksheetUse the Results Worksheet below and the VCLA test blueprint to determine whether there areobjectives for which you should further prepare before taking the actual VCLA reading subtest.

Transfer your results from the Answer Key to the Results Worksheet by totaling the number ofquestions you answered correctly for each objective.

Refer to the VCLA test blueprint to assist you in evaluating your performance. The test blueprintcontains the objectives and descriptive statements that describe the content assessed by the VCLA.

Objective Questions Number Correctby Objective

1. Understand the meaning of words andphrases.

1, 6, 11, 16, 21, 26, 31, 36 of 8

2. Understand the main idea andsupporting details in written material.

2, 7, 12, 17, 22, 27, 32, 37 of 8

3. Analyze the relationship among ideas inwritten material.

3, 8, 13, 18, 23, 28, 33, 38 of 8

4. Use critical-reasoning skills to evaluatewritten material.

4, 9, 14, 19, 24, 29, 34, 39 of 8

5. Apply skills for summarizing, outlining,and visually representing writtenmaterials and for interpreting informationpresented in graphic form.

5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 of 8

Performance on Reading Subtest: Total of 40