Test Prep ACT Test Exam (page: 23)
Test Prep American College Testing: English, Math, Reading, Science, Writing
Updated on: 09-Feb-2026

DIRECTIONS: In the passage below, certain phrases are underlined and numbered <x>. The question will present alternatives for the underlined part. In most cases, you are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole. If you think the original version is the best, choose "NO CHANGE".

A K.Rowling [§1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life-changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1> over the next five years. The Philosopher's Stone was the first of seven children's books published under her pen name J.K.. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek. <2> [§2] When the Philosopher's Stone was published <3> in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It's <4> first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling's seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children's literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5> a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.

<6>

[§3] Today, Rowling spends much <7> of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8> She founded <9> the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10> vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80 % of orphaned children have living relatives which <11> cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos' long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12> families, either biological or adoptive.

[§4] Rowling once said, "Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light". <13> J.K.Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make-believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope. <14>
The most appropriate sentence to place at the end of paragraph 2 <6> as a transition to paragraph 3 is:

DIRECTIONS: In the passage below, certain phrases are underlined and numbered <x>. The question will present alternatives for the underlined part. In most cases, you are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole. If you think the original version is the best, choose "NO CHANGE".

A K.Rowling [§1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life- changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1> over the next five years. The Philosopher's Stone was the first of seven children's books published under her pen name J.K.. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies
worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek. <2> [§2] When the Philosopher's Stone was published <3> in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It's <4> first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling's seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children's literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5> a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.

<6>

[§3] Today, Rowling spends much <7> of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8> She founded <9> the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10> vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80 % of orphaned children have living relatives which <11> cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos' long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12> families, either biological or adoptive.
[§4] Rowling once said, "Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light". <13> J.K.Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make-believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope. <14>

<7>:

DIRECTIONS: In the passage below, certain phrases are underlined and numbered <x>. The question will present alternatives for the underlined part. In most cases, you are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole. If you think the original version is the best, choose "NO CHANGE".

A K.Rowling [§1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life- changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1> over the next five years. The Philosopher's Stone was the first of seven children's books published under her pen name J.K.. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek. <2> [§2] When the Philosopher's Stone was published <3> in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It's <4> first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling's seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become
the woman who put a new face on children's literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5> a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.

<6>

[§3] Today, Rowling spends much <7> of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8> She founded <9> the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10> vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80 % of orphaned children have living relatives which <11> cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos' long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12> families, either biological or adoptive.

[§4] Rowling once said, "Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light". <13> J.K.Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make-believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope. <14>
If the writer were to omit the underlined portion <8> (adjusting the punctuation as necessary), the sentence would primarily lose:

DIRECTIONS: In the passage below, certain phrases are underlined and numbered <x>. The question will present alternatives for the underlined part. In most cases, you are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole. If you think the original version is the best, choose "NO CHANGE".

A K.Rowling [§1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life- changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1> over the next five years. The Philosopher's Stone was the first of seven children's books published under her pen name J.K.. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek. <2> [§2] When the Philosopher's Stone was published <3> in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It's <4> first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling's seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children's literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5> a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.

<6>

[§3] Today, Rowling spends much <7> of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a
spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8> She founded <9> the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10> vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80 % of orphaned children have living relatives which <11> cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos' long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its <12> families, either biological or adoptive.

[§4] Rowling once said, "Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light". <13> J.K.Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make-believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope. <14>
The underlined word <9> most closely means:

DIRECTIONS: In the passage below, certain phrases are underlined and numbered <x>. The question will present alternatives for the underlined part. In most cases, you are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole. If you think the original version is the best, choose "NO CHANGE".

A K.Rowling [§1] While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life- changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life <1> over the next five years. The Philosopher's Stone was the first of seven children's books published under her pen name J.K.. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek. <2> [§2] When the Philosopher's Stone was published <3> in 1997, the book industry had given up on young readers. It's <4> first edition was a mere 500 books, and most copies were sent to public libraries across England. By the time Rowling's seventh Harry Potter novel was published in 2007, Rowling had already become the woman who put a new face on children's literacy. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final installation, has <5> a word count of nearly 1.1 million words, and sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release.

<6>

[§3] Today, Rowling spends much <7> of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. <8> She founded <9> the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she <10> vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80 % of orphaned children have living relatives which <11> cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos'
long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its
<12> families, either biological or adoptive.

[§4] Rowling once said, "Happiness can be found in the darkest places if one only remembers to turn on the light". <13> J.K.Rowling has created happiness for millions of children through make-believe stories of triumph and real-life stories of hope. <14>

<10>: