ACT Practice Questions - Reading, Set 2

Note: The following passage is taken from the short story "2 B R 0 2 B" by
Kurt Vonnegut (originally published in Worlds of If, January 1962).
1. Given the tone of the conversation later in the passage, it could be reasonably inferred
the tone of the first sentence is:

A. exaggerated
B. ironic
C. excited
D. humorous

2. Considering how it is used in line 61, the closest synonym for the word "sobriquets"
would likely be:

A. substitutes
B. acronyms
C. nicknames
D. competitors

3. The title of the story, "2 B R 0 2 B," is a play on a famous line from William
Shakespeare's play Hamlet. This type of reference is commonly known as:

A. allusion
B. entendre
C. quotation
D. metonym

4. It would be reasonable to infer from the conversation in lines 45-56 that the painter has a
low opinion of his commission because:

A. he feels his compensation is inadequate

B. he does not like the hospital administration
C. he feels the mural is a poor representation of life
D. he feels his work is of lesser quality than usual

5. It can be reasonably deduced that the cure for aging has been around for at least:

A. 150 years
B. 155 years
C. 160 years
D. 165 years

6. The passage suggests that one of the major causes of people wanting to commit suicide
in the world described in the passage is:

A. overpopulation
B. diminished resources
C. boredom
D. government pressure

7. As it is used in line 9, the word "stripling" most nearly means:

A. young person
B. expectant father
C. unremarkable
D. thin and reedy
8. It would be reasonable to infer, based on this passage, that members of the Federal
Bureau of Termination would be most commonly recognized by their:

A. formal badges
B. purple uniforms
C. informal insignia
D. green uniforms

9. Based on the first section of the passage focusing on the expectant father, what
conclusion could be reasonably inferred concerning the birth rate?

A. Unknown
B. High
C. Unchanged
D. Low

10. According to the passage, what nations could be considered as having developed artful
gardening methods?

I. Holland
II. Japan
III. United States

A. I only
B. I and II
C. II and III
D. I and III