Mtel English Practice Test
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Which of the following descriptionsof a car accident is written in the mostappropriate style for the lead of anewspaper article?
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It was only a matter of time before a serious accident occurred at this notorious intersection, and yesterday it happened—two cars collided at Summer and Main Streets, injuring five people.
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The unmistakable sound of metal against metal was heard yesterday as two cars smashed into each other at the town's most dangerous intersection.
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A two-car collision yesterday at the intersection of Summer and Main Streets sent five people to the hospital and shut down traffic for almost two hours.
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Passersby were shocked as they witnessed a collision in the center of town yesterday; several went to the aid of the occupants of the two cars as others tried to divert traffic.
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This MTEL English practice test includes questions on literature, ethical concerns, cultural conflicts, and journalistic style, aimed at assessing knowledge and aptitude for English teaching certification.
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- 2.
Read the traditional Zen parable "The Tigers and the Strawberry" (ca. 1400 C.E.) below; then answer the question that follows. A man was walking across a field when he saw a tiger. He fled, but the tiger ran after him. Coming to the edge of a cliff, he spied the root of a wild vine. Grabbing on to it, he swung himself down over the edge, out of reach of the tiger. He was safe! The tiger came to the edge and sniffed at him from above. Trembling, the man looked down and saw another ferocious tiger prowling below. Only the thin vine held him. Two mice, one white and one black, scurried out of a nearby nest in the cliff and began gnawing at the vine. As they chewed, the man saw a luscious strawberry on a nearby ledge. Grasping the vine with one hand, he plucked the strawberry with the other. Ah, how sweet it tasted! The above parable most reflects the Zen sensibility in its depiction of an individual:
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Facing insurmountable challenges with resignation.
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Finding joy and presence in the moment despite life’s dangers.
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Attempting to escape inevitable death through desperate means.
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Seeking enlightenment through contemplation and isolation.
Correct Answer
A. Finding joy and presence in the moment despite life’s dangers.Explanation
The Zen parable "The Tigers and the Strawberry" illustrates the importance of living in the present moment and finding joy even amidst life's dangers and uncertainties. The man, despite being trapped between two tigers and the threat of the vine being gnawed away, chooses to savor the strawberry he finds. This reflects the Zen teaching of appreciating the present moment and experiencing life fully, regardless of the circumstances.Rate this question:
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- 3.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight mostclearly reflects which of the followingconcerns of the medieval period inBritain?
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The decline of feudalism
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The ethical conduct of the nobility
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The role of the Crusades
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The authority of the Church
Correct Answer
A. The ethical conduct of the nobilityExplanation
In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, one of the main concerns of the medieval period in Britain that is reflected is the ethical conduct of the nobility. The poem explores the chivalric code and the expectations placed on knights to uphold virtues such as honor, loyalty, and integrity. Gawain's journey and his encounters with the Green Knight and Lady Bertilak test his moral character and highlight the importance of living up to one's word and maintaining one's honor. This theme of ethical conduct and the moral dilemmas faced by the nobility is a central focus in the poem.Rate this question:
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- 4.
In this excerpt, the narrator's attitudetoward the setting can best bedescribed as:
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Nostalgia for the landscape that defined the narrator's childhood.
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A combination of respect and dread for the power of the land.
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Regret at failing to appreciate the prairie's underlying beauty.
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Veneration of the scale and beauty of the prairie.
Correct Answer
A. A combination of respect and dread for the power of the land.Explanation
The narrator's attitude towards the setting can be inferred as a combination of respect and dread for the power of the land. This can be seen through the use of words like "respect" and "dread" which indicate a mixture of admiration and fear towards the landscape. The narrator's feelings towards the setting are not solely nostalgic, regretful, or venerating, but rather a combination of these emotions.Rate this question:
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- 5.
The literature of Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, and other twentieth-century African writers frequently examines conflicts between:
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Traditional values and modern Western ways of life.
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Individual desire and conscience
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Women's rights and traditional patriarchal society.
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Government policy and tribal unity.
Correct Answer
A. Traditional values and modern Western ways of life.Explanation
The literature of Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, and other twentieth-century African writers often explores the tensions and conflicts between traditional African values and the influences of modern Western ways of life. Their works delve into the impacts of colonialism, cultural changes, and the challenges of balancing heritage with contemporary societal shifts.Rate this question:
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- 6.
Read the paragraph below; then answer the two questions that follow.1Some writers produce early works that foreshadow future masterpieces. 2At the tender age of thirteen, H. G. Wells wrote an entire novella, The Desert Daisy, complete with a map and illustrations. 3Virginia Woolf, at age ten, wrote a journal entry and gave it the title "To the Lighthouse." 4As a nine-year-old, Helen Beatrix Potter's drawings of wild flowers won acclaim; by the time she was a teenager, Potter's descriptive prose was as beautiful as her drawings. 5By age sixteen, T. S. Eliot had written a South Seas vignette and a lovely poem called "A Lyric."7. Which of the following sentences in theparagraph shown above should be revisedto eliminate the use of a cliché?
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Sentence 2
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Sentence 3
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Sentence 4
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Sentence 5
Correct Answer
A. Sentence 2Explanation
Sentence 2 should be revised to eliminate the use of a cliché.Rate this question:
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Jul 29, 2024Quiz Edited by
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Jul 13, 2009Quiz Created by
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