1 “Let’s have a look beyond that door, David,” he cried. 2 Together we stepped out to stand in silent contemplation of a landsca
pe at once weird and beautiful. Before us a low and level shore stretched down to a silent sea. As far as the eye could reach the surface of the water was dotted with countless tiny isles—some of towering, barren, granitic rock—others resplendent in gorgeous trappings of tropical vegetation, myriad starred with the magnificent splendor of vivid blooms. 3 Behind us rose a dark and forbidding wood of giant arborescent ferns intermingled with the commoner types of a primeval tropical forest. Huge creepers depended in great loops from tree to tree, dense under-brush overgrew a tangled mass of fallen trunks and branches. Upon the outer verge we could see the same splendid coloring of countless blossoms that glorified the islands, but within the dense shadows all seemed dark and gloomy as the grave. 4 And upon all the noonday sun poured its torrid rays out of a cloudless sky. 5 “Where on earth can we be?” I asked, turning to Perry. 6 For some moments the old man did not reply. He stood with bowed head, buried in deep thought. But at last he spoke. 7“David,” he said, “I am not so sure that we are ON earth.” 8 “What do you mean, Perry?” I cried. “Do you think that we are dead, and this is heaven?” He smiled, and turning, pointing to the nose of the prospector protruding from the ground at our backs. 9 “But for that, David, I might believe that we were indeed come to the country beyond the Styx. The prospector renders that theory untenable—it, certainly, could never have gone to heaven. However I am willing to concede that we actually may be in another world from that which we have always known. If we are not ON earth, there is every reason to believe that we may be IN it.” Read the passage on the left to answer the following questions: 17) From National Geographic's online encyclopedia: The Earth has three major layers. All known life exists on the solid outer layer, called the crust. Beneath the crust is the mantle, a gooey, hot layer of magma and other semi-solid rocks and minerals. Movement in the mantle leads to tectonic activity, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, on the crust. The core, beneath the mantle, is the deepest and hottest layer of the Earth. It is made almost entirely of metal. The core is made of two layers: the outer core, which borders the mantle, and the inner core. The inner core is shaped like a ball. Scientists say the outer core is made mostly of iron and nickel. Iron and nickel are two important metals found everywhere on the planet. (On the surface of the Earth, these metals are found in solid form.) Iron and nickel in the outer core form an alloy, or a mixture of metallic elements. The outer core is approximately 2,300 kilometers (1,430 miles) thick. The alloy of the outer core is very hot, between 4,000 and 5,000 degrees Celsius (7,200 and 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit). What theme, or topic, do both passages have in common? A) Both question the full reliability of science. B) Both question the role that imagination plays in discovery. C) Both share a similar setting, and include a description of that setting. D) Both suggest a kind of complementary relationship between science and imagination. 18) This excerpt involves David, who travels with an inventor named Perry. They test their experimental invention, a vehicle that burrows into the Earth's crust. Which statement BEST reflects the human experience that is represented in this excerpt? A) Humans are not always reliable guides. B) Humans desire wealth and a life of ease. C) Humans are drawn to explore and experiment. D) Humans attempt to conquer and control nature. 19) 4 And upon all the noonday sun poured its torrid rays out of a cloudless sky. 5 “Where on earth can we be?” I asked, turning to Perry. 6 For some moments the old man did not reply. He stood with bowed head, buried in deep thought. But at last he spoke. 7“David,” he said, “I am not so sure that we are ON earth.” 8 “What do you mean, Perry?” I cried. “Do you think that we are dead, and this is heaven?” He smiled, and turning, pointing to the nose of the prospector protruding from the ground at our backs. The novel At the Earth's Core includes characters David, a mining heir, and his elderly friend and inventor, Perry. In this excerpt, what comment does the author seem to make with the dialogue between them? A) Everyone fears death. B) With age comes insight and wisdom. C) Today's youth are spoiled and rash. D) Advancing years clouds one's judgment. 20) Which statement BEST reflects the human experience that is represented in this excerpt? A) Humans desire to control nature. B) Humans are frightened by nature. C) Humans are fascinated by nature. D) Humans cannot understand nature.
