ACT English Quiz: Topic Development

A student writes this paragraph about citizen science projects that track birds:

Birdwatchers contribute to science by recording sightings on apps and websites. When thousands of participants submit observations, researchers can map migration routes and see how timing changes from year to year. Because the data come from many skill levels, projects often include built-in photo guides and prompts that encourage careful identification. The result is a large, continuously updated dataset that would be difficult for a small research team to collect alone.

The writer wants to add a sentence after the third sentence that explains how projects improve data reliability. Which choice best accomplishes this?

A student is drafting a short essay about the value of translating poetry. The draft reads:

[1] Translating a poem is not the same as swapping each word for its dictionary equivalent. [2] A translator has to decide which features to preserve—sound, rhythm, imagery, or literal meaning—when not all of them can survive the move into another language. [3] Some translators add brief notes to explain cultural references that would otherwise be confusing. [4] Poetry has existed for a long time in many cultures. [5] Even when a translation cannot match every nuance, it can still carry a poem's central emotion to new readers.

The writer wants Sentence 4 to elaborate on the challenge described in Sentences 1–3 without drifting into a broad, unfocused statement. Which choice best replaces the underlined sentence?

A student writes a paragraph about why some companies are switching to four-day workweeks:

Several businesses have experimented with four-day workweeks without reducing pay. Supporters argue that a shorter week can improve focus by encouraging teams to plan meetings more carefully and limit distractions. In some trials, companies reported that productivity stayed the same or even increased. Employees also reported lower stress and fewer sick days.

The student wants to add a sentence after the third sentence that provides the most relevant evidence for the claim about productivity. Which choice best accomplishes this?

A writer is drafting a paragraph about a city program that plants trees to reduce summer heat. Read the draft.

[1] In the hottest months, some neighborhoods can be several degrees warmer than others because they have fewer trees and more dark pavement. [2] To address this, the city is planting hundreds of street trees and prioritizing blocks with little existing shade. [3] The program also trains residents to water young trees during their first two summers, when roots are still developing. [4] Tree leaves come in many shapes, including needles, lobes, and smooth ovals. [5] Over time, increased shade can lower surface temperatures and make walking and waiting at bus stops more comfortable.

The writer wants to replace Sentence 4 with a detail that directly supports the paragraph's discussion of neighborhood heat and shade. Which choice is best?

PASSAGE IV The Violin Doctor [1] In a small, dust-mote-filled workshop in Chicago, Elena creates voices. She is a luthier, a craftsperson [36] who specializes in the repair and restoration of stringed instruments. While the world is full of mass-produced violins, Elena works on the "sick" ones—antique instruments that have suffered centuries of wear, weather, and neglect. Her patients are often older than the country she lives in. [2] To the untrained eye, a crack in a violin's body looks like a simple fracture in wood. To Elena, it is a wound in the instrument's soul. [37] Fixing it requires more than just glue, it demands an understanding of physics, chemistry, and history. She begins by removing the top plate, a delicate operation performed with a thin, heated knife. Once the instrument is open, she can see the internal architecture: the bass bar, the soundpost, and the lining strips. [3] [38] Elena's most recent project was a cello from 1790. It had been crushed in a shipping accident, its ribs splintered and its varnish scarred. Most luthiers would have declared it a total loss. Elena, [39] however, saw potential. She spent three months humidifying the wood to restore its shape. Then, using tiny "cleats"—small squares of spruce—she reinforced the cracks from the inside. [40] Each cleat had to be carved by hand to match the grain of the original wood. [4] The final step is the varnish. Modern synthetic varnishes are durable, but they stifle the sound. Elena mixes her own recipes using natural resins like amber, mastic, and sandarac. She applies the varnish in microscopic layers, [41] polishing each one with a cloth dipped in olive oil and rottenstone. This process can take weeks, but it is essential. The varnish must protect the wood while allowing it to vibrate freely, a paradox that has challenged makers for centuries. [5] When the cello was finally strung and tuned, Elena played a single low note. The sound was rich and dark, filling the small room with a resonance that felt physical. It was no longer a broken collection of wood; it was a living thing again. [42] Elena smiled, wiping the rosin dust from her hands. She isn't just fixing instruments; she is preserving history, one note at a time. [43]

Which choice provides the most effective transition from the previous paragraph?

PASSAGE V: The River of Grass

¹ In the early twentieth century, the general consensus regarding the Florida Everglades was that it was a useless, disease-ridden swamp. Developers and politicians viewed the millions of acres of wetlands as a problem to be solved. They embarked on massive drainage projects, digging canals and building levees to convert the marsh into dry, arable land for farming and real estate. For decades, the destruction of the Everglades was celebrated as a triumph of human engineering over nature. (41)

² One woman, (42) however, saw the Everglades differently. Marjory Stoneman Douglas, a freelance writer and journalist, moved to Miami in 1915. She spent years exploring the vast wetlands, observing the intricate balance of the ecosystem. In 1947, she published a groundbreaking book titled The Everglades: River of Grass.

³ The title itself was revolutionary. By calling it a "river," Douglas completely reframed how the public understood the region. She explained that the Everglades was not a stagnant swamp, but a wide, shallow sheet of water flowing imperceptibly slowly from Lake Okeechobee southward to the Florida Bay. (43) This sheet of water, rarely more than knee-deep, supported a staggering diversity of wildlife. Douglas vividly described the sawgrass marshes, the cypress domes, and the delicate wading birds that relied on the seasonal floods.

⁴ Douglas's book was a bestseller, (44) and it catalyzed the early environmental movement. She fiercely argued that draining the wetlands was ecological suicide. Without the slow flow of freshwater, the underground aquifers that supplied South Florida's drinking water would dry up or become contaminated by saltwater intrusion from the ocean. (45) In addition, the dry peat soil of the drained marshes became highly flammable, leading to massive, uncontrollable muck fires.

⁵ Despite the success of her book, the drainage projects continued. (46) Infuriated by the government's inaction, Douglas founded the Friends of the Everglades in 1969, when she was 79 years old. For the next thirty years, she was a relentless advocate for the wetlands. She attended public hearings, organized protests, and famously stated, "The Everglades is a test. If we pass it, we may get to keep the planet."

⁶ Today, the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan is the largest environmental restoration project in history. Engineers are currently working to undo the damage of the past century by filling in canals and allowing the water to flow naturally once again. (47) While the ecosystem is still threatened by pollution and climate change. (48) It is widely acknowledged that the Everglades would likely have been paved over completely if not for Marjory Stoneman Douglas. (49) Her legacy is a reminder that a single voice, armed with a profound understanding of nature, can change the course of history. (50)

Which choice most effectively concludes the essay?

A student is drafting an essay about how city parks can support wildlife. The draft reads:

[1] In many cities, parks are designed mainly for people: open lawns, paved paths, and bright nighttime lighting. [2] But small design changes can make these spaces friendlier to birds and insects without reducing their usefulness for visitors. [3] For example, replacing some lawn with native plants provides food and shelter for pollinators. [4] Leaving a few fallen logs in an out-of-the-way corner can create habitat for beetles and fungi. [5] There are many different kinds of parks in the world.

The writer wants to add a concluding sentence that reinforces the paragraph's main idea (specific design changes that help wildlife). Which choice best replaces the underlined sentence?

PASSAGE I: The Invisible Art of Noise

¹ When watching a movie, audiences usually focus on the actors' dialogue or the sweeping musical score. Rarely do they consider the crunch of footsteps in snow, the rustle of a silk dress, or the squeak of a saddle. Most viewers assume these sounds were recorded on set during filming. In reality, however, microphones are designed to pick up dialogue, not background noise. Most of the detailed sounds you hear (1) has been created weeks later in a studio by a specialized craftsperson known as a Foley artist.

² Named after Jack Foley, a sound editor at Universal Studios in the 1920s, the profession requires a unique blend of creativity and athleticism. Foley artists work on specialized stages containing recessed areas called "Foley pits." These pits hold different surfaces—gravel, dirt, hardwood, and more—that mimic real-world textures. To recreate the sound of a character walking, the artist watches the screen and mimics the actor's steps, (2) wearing the shoes that match the character's footwear. If the character is walking on broken glass, the artist steps on scattered ceramic tiles. (3) Having carefully selected the proper materials, the realistic sound is created.

³ The work involves more than just footsteps. Foley artists must be inventive to (4) generate sounds that do not exist in the real world. For a science fiction film, the sound of an alien egg hatching (5) might be created by squishing a honeydew melon. (6) On the other hand, the bone-crunching impact of a fistfight is often simulated by breaking stalks of celery or snapping carrots wrapped in a towel. The goal is realistic audio, even if the source is decidedly artificial.

⁴ Precision is critical. The sound must sync perfectly with the visual action. If a sword is drawn from a sheath one second too late, the illusion is shattered. Foley artists often perform "wild tracks," recording sounds without watching the picture, (7) but for complex scenes, they must perform in real-time, matching their movements to the actor's rhythm.

⁵ Despite their importance, Foley artists often go unrecognized. Their work is successful only when it goes unnoticed. (8) If the audience realizes the sound of a horse's hooves is actually two halves of a coconut shell being banged together, the magic is lost. Like a magician's trick, the art of Foley relies on misdirection.

⁶ Today, digital libraries offer thousands of pre-recorded sound effects. Many directors still prefer the custom touch of a human artist. A canned sound effect is static and repetitive, (9) whereas a Foley performance is organic. It breathes life into the visual image, giving weight and texture to the world on screen. (10) The next time you watch an old horror movie, remember that someone might be standing in a studio, slowly twisting an old rusty hinge.(11)

The writer is considering deleting the underlined sentence. Should the writer do this?

PASSAGE I: The Invisible Art of Noise

¹ When watching a movie, audiences usually focus on the actors' dialogue or the sweeping musical score. Rarely do they consider the crunch of footsteps in snow, the rustle of a silk dress, or the squeak of a saddle. Most viewers assume these sounds were recorded on set during filming. In reality, however, microphones are designed to pick up dialogue, not background noise. Most of the detailed sounds you hear (1) has been created weeks later in a studio by a specialized craftsperson known as a Foley artist.

² Named after Jack Foley, a sound editor at Universal Studios in the 1920s, the profession requires a unique blend of creativity and athleticism. Foley artists work on specialized stages containing recessed areas called "Foley pits." These pits hold different surfaces—gravel, dirt, hardwood, and more—that mimic real-world textures. To recreate the sound of a character walking, the artist watches the screen and mimics the actor's steps, (2) wearing the shoes that match the character's footwear. If the character is walking on broken glass, the artist steps on scattered ceramic tiles. (3) Having carefully selected the proper materials, the realistic sound is created.

³ The work involves more than just footsteps. Foley artists must be inventive to (4) generate sounds that do not exist in the real world. For a science fiction film, the sound of an alien egg hatching (5) might be created by squishing a honeydew melon. (6) On the other hand, the bone-crunching impact of a fistfight is often simulated by breaking stalks of celery or snapping carrots wrapped in a towel. The goal is realistic audio, even if the source is decidedly artificial.

⁴ Precision is critical. The sound must sync perfectly with the visual action. If a sword is drawn from a sheath one second too late, the illusion is shattered. Foley artists often perform "wild tracks," recording sounds without watching the picture, (7) but for complex scenes, they must perform in real-time, matching their movements to the actor's rhythm.

⁵ Despite their importance, Foley artists often go unrecognized. Their work is successful only when it goes unnoticed. (8) If the audience realizes the sound of a horse's hooves is actually two halves of a coconut shell being banged together, the magic is lost. Like a magician's trick, the art of Foley relies on misdirection.

⁶ Today, digital libraries offer thousands of pre-recorded sound effects. Many directors still prefer the custom touch of a human artist. A canned sound effect is static and repetitive, (9) whereas a Foley performance is organic. It breathes life into the visual image, giving weight and texture to the world on screen. (10) The next time you watch an old horror movie, remember that someone might be standing in a studio, slowly twisting an old rusty hinge.(11)

Suppose the writer's primary goal had been to explain the technical equipment used in modern sound recording. Would this essay accomplish that goal?

PASSAGE IV: The Accidental Toy

¹ Many of the world's most popular inventions were created by accident. In 1943, a naval engineer named Richard James (31) is trying to invent a set of tension springs that could keep sensitive ship equipment steady at sea. During a test in his laboratory, he accidentally knocked one of the coiled springs off a shelf. Instead of simply crashing to the floor, the steel spring "stepped" in a series of arcs from a stack of books, to a tabletop, and finally down to the ground, where it neatly coiled itself back up.

² James was mesmerized by the fluid, walking motion of the metal. He immediately realized the spring had potential as a novelty item. (32) After calculating the exact amount of tension required to make the spring walk smoothly, he spent the next year perfecting the formula. His wife, (33) Betty named the toy the "Slinky" after finding the word in a dictionary; she felt the word perfectly described the graceful, sinuous movement of the spring.

³ In 1945, Richard and Betty James manufactured the first batch of four hundred Slinkys. They convinced the manager of Gimbels Department Store (34) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to allow them to set up a display during the Christmas shopping season. (35) Initially, the toys sat unsold for days. However, once Richard set up an inclined board and demonstrated how the metal spring could walk down the ramp on its own, a crowd quickly gathered. Within ninety minutes, all four hundred Slinkys had been sold.

⁴ The Slinky became a massive success, but its simple design presented a unique manufacturing challenge. To keep the cost low, the factory had to cut and coil the steel wire with absolute precision. (36) Because each of the springs needed to have exactly ninety-eight coils. If the tension was even slightly off, the Slinky would not walk.

⁵ Despite these challenges, the James family eventually expanded their production to include plastic versions of the toy. The plastic models could be dyed in bright, vibrant colors, making them even more appealing to young children. (37) Meanwhile, the Slinky remains one of the best-selling toys in American history. Over 300 million units have been sold worldwide. The incredible popularity of this simple coil of wire proves that (38) a toy that is fun and enjoyable to play with doesn't need batteries or microchips to capture the imagination. (39)

Suppose the writer had intended to write a brief essay exploring how the materials used to make children's toys changed during the 1950s. Would this essay successfully fulfill that goal?

PASSAGE V: Return of the Tallgrass

¹ Two centuries ago, the tallgrass prairie covered over 170 million acres of North America. It was a vast, emerald sea that stretched from Canada to Texas, supporting millions of bison, elk, and antelope. Today, less than 4% of this ecosystem remains. Most of the fertile soil was plowed under for corn and soybean farming. However, a new movement of "prairie restoration" is attempting to turn back the clock.

² Restoring a prairie is not as simple as planting grass seed. It requires a fundamental restructuring of the land. The first step is often (44) burning, the ground, to remove invasive species. Native prairie plants, such as big bluestem and switchgrass, have deep root systems that survive fire, (45) while invasive weeds are destroyed. This "prescribed burning" mimics the natural wildfires that historically kept the ecosystem healthy.

³ Once the invasive plants are removed, diversity is key. A healthy prairie contains hundreds of species of wildflowers and grasses. (46) For example, restorationists must harvest seeds from surviving remnant prairies—small patches of land along railroad tracks or in pioneer cemeteries that were never plowed. These seeds are precious. They represent the genetic memory of a landscape that has almost vanished.

⁴ (47) Let us not forget about the story of the bison. At the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa, the reintroduction of bison has accelerated the recovery process. Bison are "keystone species." As they graze, they clip the grass at different heights, creating niches for ground-nesting birds. (48) Their hooves disturb the soil, allowing new seeds to germinate. Even their wallowing pits—depressions made by rolling in the dirt—fill with rainwater and become temporary ponds for amphibians.

⁵ The goal of these projects is not just nostalgia; it is resilience. Prairie plants have roots that can extend twelve feet underground, (49) making them incredibly efficient at carbon storage and water filtration. In an era of climate change and soil erosion, the ancient technology of the prairie may be exactly what the future needs. (50)

The writer is considering adding the following sentence at this point in Paragraph 5:

Some ecologists predict that restored prairies could sequester enough carbon to offset the emissions of entire cities.

Should the writer make this addition?

PASSAGE V: The Yellowstone Effect

¹ For nearly seventy years, the gray wolf was completely absent from Yellowstone National Park. Hunted to local extinction in the 1920s, the predator's removal triggered a cascade of negative ecological consequences. Without wolves to keep them in check, the park's elk population exploded. (41) Elk which had overpopulated the park grazed heavily on young willow and aspen trees. As the trees disappeared, so did the songbirds and beavers that relied on them for habitat. By the late twentieth century, Yellowstone's ecosystem was severely unbalanced. (49)

² In 1995, wildlife biologists initiated a controversial program to reintroduce the gray wolf to the park. The scientists predicted that the wolves would cull the elk herds, but what happened next surprised even the most optimistic ecologists. The wolves triggered a phenomenon known as a "trophic cascade," where an apex predator's presence creates a ripple effect throughout the entire food web. (42)

³ The wolves began hunting the elk, which significantly reduced the grazing pressure on the valleys and gorges. (43) Growing along the riverbanks, the elk avoided the open areas where they were most vulnerable. Because the elk were constantly on the move, the young willow and aspen saplings finally had a chance to mature.

⁴ As the forests (44) had recovered, the ecosystem began to transform. The renewed tree growth provided ample wood for beavers, whose population rapidly increased. The beavers built dams, creating deep, cold pools of water that provided ideal habitats for fish, otters, and muskrats. Furthermore, the carcasses of elk hunted by wolves provided a reliable food source for scavengers, including ravens, bald eagles, and grizzly bears. (45) As a result of the consequence of this, the entire biodiversity of the park stabilized.

⁵ Perhaps the most astonishing consequence of (46) the wolfs return was the alteration of Yellowstone's physical geography. Because the stabilizing vegetation prevented soil erosion, the park's rivers actually changed course, becoming deeper and more fixed in their channels. The intricate web of predator and prey relationships (47) are fascinating, proving that sometimes, introducing a fearsome predator is the only way to heal a broken landscape. (48)

In Paragraph 2, should the following phrase be kept or deleted from the sentence about trophic cascades?

where an apex predator's presence creates a ripple effect throughout the entire food web

"Turn Right at the Big Pine\n\n¹ My father believed that road maps were for people who lacked a sense of adventure. He preferred to navigate by instinct, landmark, and the occasional contradictory tip from a gas station attendant. Consequently, [19] our annual family trips to the Cedar Creek campground were rarely straight lines; they were sprawling, improvisational loops through the backroads of Oregon.\n\n² I was ten years old, sitting in the backseat of our station wagon, squeezed between a cooler full of soda and my sleeping brother. The air outside was thick with the scent of pine and dust. We had been driving for six hours, [20] but according to Dad, we were "just around the river bend." He pointed to a massive, gnarled tree standing sentinel at a fork in the road. "That's the Big Pine," he declared with the confidence of a ship captain spotting land. "We turn right here."\n\n³ We turned right. The pavement immediately gave way to gravel, and the road narrowed until the blackberry bushes were scraping the sides of the car. My mother, who had been quietly reading a novel, looked up. "Honey," she said, her voice dropping an octave, "I don't think this is the way to the campsite." Dad waved a hand dismissively. He insisted that this was a shortcut he had discovered years ago. [21]\n\n⁴ Ten minutes later, the road ended abruptly at a rusted gate marked "Private Property." A cow stared at us blankly from the other side. Silence filled the car. The cow chewed its cud, looking entirely unimpressed by our arrival. [22] Without a word, Dad shifted the car into reverse. As we backed down the dusty trail, he caught my eye in the rearview mirror and winked. "Well," he said, "now we know what's down that road." For him, the wrong turn wasn't a mistake; it was just another part of the story. [23]\n\n⁵ [1] We eventually found the campsite, arriving just as the sun was setting behind the mountains. [2] I realized then that the destination mattered less to him than the wandering it took to get there. [3] Years later, when I drive [25] my own kids on vacation, I keep a GPS on the dashboard. [4] But sometimes, when I see a strange road winding off into the trees I feel [24] a familiar tug to turn the wheel."

Which choice best concludes the paragraph by connecting the specific event to the father's general philosophy?

"The Vertical Forests of Milan\n\n¹ In 2014, the skyline of Milan, Italy, began to change in a way that surprised many observers. Two residential towers, known as Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest), rose above the Porta Nuova district. At first, [1] Italian architect Stefano Boeri envisioned these structures, critics were skeptical. They claimed that planting trees on balconies was a gimmick that would cause structural issues. Boeri, however, believed the naysayers were totally wrong. [2]\n\n² Boeri's design called for the towers to host 900 trees, 5,000 shrubs, and 11,000 floral plants. This "living facade" not only improves air quality but also regulates temperature. The vegetation, which includes oak, beech, and larch trees act [3] as a natural shield against the intense Mediterranean sun. To ensure the safety of the structure, botanists tested the wind resistance of the trees in a wind tunnel. Similarly, [4] the engineering team reinforced the concrete balconies with steel to support the immense weight of the soil.\n\n³ The result is a self-sufficient ecosystem that changes colors with the seasons. In autumn, the leaves turn golden and red; in winter, they fall to let in sunlight. [5] Residents live nestled among the branches, enjoying a connection to nature rarely found in urban environments. Boeri's work has inspired similar projects in China and the Netherlands, proving that architecture and ecology can collaborate [6] to create sustainable cities. As cities grow denser, the Vertical Forest offers a blueprint for a greener future, demonstrating that nature need not be pushed, to the margins, [7] of urban life.\n\n⁴ The project's success suggests a new path forward for urban planning. [8] By integrating living systems into high-rise buildings, architects can help reduce the carbon footprint of cities. [9]"

The writer is considering deleting the underlined sentence. Should the sentence be kept or deleted?

A student is writing a report about how scientists study glaciers:

To track how glaciers change over time, researchers compare satellite images taken years apart. They also place GPS stakes on the ice to measure how quickly it flows downhill. In addition, scientists drill narrow cores to examine trapped air bubbles, which can reveal past atmospheric conditions. These methods together help explain how glaciers respond to shifts in temperature and snowfall.

The student wants to add a sentence at the end of the paragraph that provides a specific example of how the data are used. Which choice best accomplishes this?

A student writes the following paragraph for a school magazine about community repair events:

At a repair café, volunteers help neighbors fix broken items instead of throwing them away. People bring everything from lamps with loose wires to jackets with torn seams, and the volunteers explain each step so visitors can learn basic skills. The events reduce waste while also making repair feel less intimidating. Many cafés keep a box of spare parts—buttons, screws, and cords—so small fixes can happen on the spot.

The student wants to add a sentence after the third sentence that elaborates on how the events make repair feel less intimidating. Which choice best accomplishes this?

A student is revising a paragraph about why libraries lend more than books. The draft reads:

[1] Many libraries now lend items such as sewing machines, Wi-Fi hotspots, and board games. [2] These collections can make expensive or specialized resources available to people who might otherwise go without them. [3] Libraries have long been places where people can find information. [4] For instance, a hotspot loan can help a student complete online homework when home internet is unreliable. [5] A sewing machine loan can help someone mend clothing instead of replacing it.

The writer wants to keep Sentence 3 but make it more clearly connected to the paragraph's main idea (lending non-book items to expand access). Which choice best revises the underlined sentence?

PASSAGE II: Defeat from Above

¹ In late 1932, the Australian government faced a unique crisis. Following the Great Depression, struggling wheat farmers in Western Australia were besieged by a migrating force of 20,000 emus. These flightless birds, standing up to six feet tall, (13) devastated crops and destroyed fences. Desperate for help, the farmers, many of (14) whom were veterans of World War I, petitioned the government for military aid. The Minister of Defence, Sir George Pearce, agreed to deploy troops. He believed the birds would be easy targets for modern weaponry. (22)

² (15) Commanded by Major G.P.W. Meredith, the plan was simple. Two soldiers armed with Lewis machine guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition would cull the population. The media dubbed the operation "The Great Emu War." However, the emus proved to be (16) a formidable and surprisingly strategic adversary.

³ The first engagement took place on November 2. The soldiers spotted a group of fifty emus and opened fire from a distance. The birds, (17) however, scattered instantly. They ran in every direction, making it nearly impossible to aim. Meredith noted that the emus seemed to have a leader who kept watch while the others ate, warning the flock of approaching danger. Later, the soldiers attempted to ambush a larger group of 1,000 emus near a dam. They waited until the birds were at point-blank range before firing. The gun jammed after only a dozen shots, and the flock escaped.

⁴ Meredith was astounded by the birds' resilience. "If we had a military division with the bullet-carrying capacity of these birds," he wrote, "it would face any army in the world." (18) The emus' speed and guerrilla tactics rendered the machine guns useless. By the time the operation was withdrawn, the military had expended thousands of rounds of ammunition (19) to take down only a fraction of the birds.

⁵ The "war" was a humiliation for the government. It highlighted the unpredictability of nature and the limits of military force. Ultimately, the farmers found a better solution: the bounty system. By 1934, over 57,000 bounties had been claimed, proving that local incentive was more effective than heavy artillery. The Great Emu War remains a curious footnote in history, a time when humans fought the (20) birds, it was the birds who won.

The writer is considering deleting Sentence 6 in Paragraph 1 ("He believed the birds would be easy targets..."). Should the writer do this?

A student is revising an informational paragraph about a town's annual marathon:

[1] The Pine Ridge Marathon draws runners of many experience levels. [2] Some athletes aim for a personal record, while others run to raise money for local charities. [3] The race begins at 7:00 a.m. near the river and ends downtown. [4] Along the route, volunteers hand out water and cheer, helping participants push through difficult miles.

Given that all choices are true, which option provides information most relevant to add after Sentence 2 to develop the idea that runners participate for different reasons?

A writer is drafting an informational paragraph about why some libraries lend out "seed packets" for home gardeners. Read the draft.

[1] The Oakview Library's newest collection isn't made of books at all. [2] Instead, patrons can "check out" small packets of vegetable and herb seeds. [3] The program is designed to make gardening less expensive for beginners and to encourage residents to try growing food in containers or small yards. [4] The library also offers quiet study rooms that can be reserved online. [5] At the end of the season, participants are invited to save seeds from their strongest plants and return a portion to the library for next year.

The writer wants to replace Sentence 4 with a detail that better develops the paragraph's main idea. Which choice best accomplishes that goal?