CAEC Reading Practice Test

All 50 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

1. Choose the correct revision: "Neither the forms nor the receipt WERE in the folder."

   1. are
   2. have been
   3. were
   4. was

2. The night before her first day at the warehouse, Rosa laid out her clothes the way she used to lay out her children's school clothes: jeans, a grey sweatshirt, the steel-toed boots that still smelled of the store. She was forty-six. She had not had a paycheque of her own in nineteen years. At six-thirty the next morning, the supervisor, a tall man named Okafor, handed her a scanner the size of a brick. "Every box has a story," he said. "This tells you where it's going." Rosa nodded as if she understood. The scanner beeped at her like an impatient bird. By ten o'clock her feet ached and she had sent two boxes to the wrong bay. A young worker named Dylan, who could not have been older than her son, showed her how to tilt the scanner so the red line caught the label. "Took me a week," he said. She doubted that, but she was grateful he said it. At lunch she sat alone in her car and ate the sandwich she had made at five. Through the windshield she watched the trucks back up to the loading doors, one after another, patient as cattle. She thought about driving home. Instead, she went back inside. In the afternoon the scanner stopped sounding like a bird and started sounding like a yes. When the whistle blew at three, Okafor checked her numbers and raised his eyebrows. "Not bad for day one," he said. Rosa drove home with the window down, even though it was October.

   In the warehouse story, why does Rosa doubt Dylan's comment "Took me a week"?

   1. She thinks he is boasting about learning slowly
   2. She knows he started working only that morning
   3. She believes the scanner is impossible to learn
   4. She suspects he said it to make her feel better

3. Bay Road Bridge to Close for Repairs The Bay Road bridge over Mill Creek will close to all traffic from May 5 to August 29 while crews replace its deck, the county announced Tuesday. The bridge, built in 1964, carries about 6,000 vehicles a day. A county inspection last fall found that salt and freeze-thaw cycles had cracked the concrete deck. "The bridge is safe today, but it will not stay safe without this work," said county engineer Hana Sato. During the closure, drivers will be detoured along Route 9 and Pine Street, adding about seven minutes to a typical trip. A temporary footbridge will let pedestrians and cyclists continue to cross. Some business owners on Bay Road are worried. "Summer is our busiest season," said Luis Ortega, who runs a bakery near the bridge. "If people can't drive past, they won't stop." The county says it chose the summer because concrete cures best in warm weather. The $3.2-million project is funded jointly by the county and the province.

   Why does the Bay Road bridge article include Luis Ortega's comments?

   1. To prove that the county chose the wrong season
   2. To show a concern of people affected by the closure
   3. To explain how concrete cures in warm weather
   4. To give the official cost of the project

4. Choose the correct pronoun: "The supervisor thanked Lena and ___ for staying late."

   1. me
   2. mine
   3. myself
   4. I

5. Ice Road Each February my grandfather drove the ice road across the lake to the far shore, the truck groaning, the whole white world holding its breath beneath the tires. He said the ice talks if you listen: a long crack like a door far off, a hum that settles in your teeth. Most people hear danger. He heard a map. I rode beside him once, nine years old, my mittens pressed against the dashboard, counting the orange flags that marked the safe path until the far trees grew from a pencil line into pines with snow on their shoulders. Now the winters come late and leave early. The road opens for weeks, not months. I still listen to ice. It says less every year.

   In the poem "Ice Road," what marked the safe path across the lake?

   1. Cracks in the ice
   2. A pencil line
   3. Pine trees
   4. Orange flags

6. To: All warehouse staff From: Priya Nandakumar, Operations Manager Subject: New shift schedule starting March 3 Starting Monday, March 3, we are moving from two shifts to three so that orders can ship within 24 hours. Day shift: 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Evening shift: 2:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Night shift: 10:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. The 30-minute overlap between shifts is for handover. Outgoing team leads will brief incoming leads on unfinished orders and any equipment problems. Night-shift staff will receive a premium of $2.00 per hour on top of their regular wage. Shift choices will be offered by seniority. Please submit your first and second choices on the form in the break room by Friday, February 21. If you have child-care or transportation needs that affect your availability, please speak with Human Resources before February 21 so we can take them into account. Thank you for helping us serve our customers faster.

   What can a reader conclude from the paragraph about child-care and transportation needs in the shift memo?

   1. The company is willing to consider personal circumstances
   2. Human Resources will choose every worker's shift
   3. Workers with children cannot work the night shift
   4. Transportation to the warehouse will be provided

7. Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

   1. The clinic opens at 8 a.m.; however, appointments start at 9.
   2. The clinic opens at 8 a.m., however, appointments start at 9.
   3. The clinic opens at 8 a.m. however; appointments start at 9.
   4. The clinic opens at 8 a.m.; however appointments, start at 9.

8. Ice Road Each February my grandfather drove the ice road across the lake to the far shore, the truck groaning, the whole white world holding its breath beneath the tires. He said the ice talks if you listen: a long crack like a door far off, a hum that settles in your teeth. Most people hear danger. He heard a map. I rode beside him once, nine years old, my mittens pressed against the dashboard, counting the orange flags that marked the safe path until the far trees grew from a pencil line into pines with snow on their shoulders. Now the winters come late and leave early. The road opens for weeks, not months. I still listen to ice. It says less every year.

   In "Ice Road," which phrase gives the world a human action?

   1. "my mittens pressed against the dashboard"
   2. "The road opens for weeks, not months"
   3. "counting the orange flags"
   4. "the whole white world / holding its breath"

9. Let Our Libraries Lend More Than Books When the Riverside branch library began lending tools last spring, some councillors called it a gimmick. They were wrong. In its first six months, the library lent out drills, ladders and sewing machines more than 1,400 times, according to the library's own report. Think about what that means. A family that needs a ladder twice a year no longer has to buy one for $150 and store it in a crowded apartment. A student fixing a bike can borrow a wrench set instead of paying for a repair. Every tool lent is money that stays in a household budget. Critics say the city should not be in the hardware business. But libraries have always lent things people need and cannot easily afford. A century ago that meant books. Today it can also mean a stud finder. The program costs about $12,000 a year, less than one per cent of the library's budget. Council will vote on its future next month. I believe it should not only keep the program but expand it to every branch in the city. A library that lends a ladder is still doing what libraries do best: sharing.

   What is the writer's main purpose in the editorial about the library tool-lending program?

   1. To advertise tools for sale at a local store
   2. To persuade council to keep and expand the program
   3. To explain how to use a stud finder safely
   4. To report on the history of public libraries

10. Choose the correct revision of the words in capitals: "The box of old photos WERE stored in the attic."

    1. was
    2. are being
    3. were
    4. have been

11. The night before her first day at the warehouse, Rosa laid out her clothes the way she used to lay out her children's school clothes: jeans, a grey sweatshirt, the steel-toed boots that still smelled of the store. She was forty-six. She had not had a paycheque of her own in nineteen years. At six-thirty the next morning, the supervisor, a tall man named Okafor, handed her a scanner the size of a brick. "Every box has a story," he said. "This tells you where it's going." Rosa nodded as if she understood. The scanner beeped at her like an impatient bird. By ten o'clock her feet ached and she had sent two boxes to the wrong bay. A young worker named Dylan, who could not have been older than her son, showed her how to tilt the scanner so the red line caught the label. "Took me a week," he said. She doubted that, but she was grateful he said it. At lunch she sat alone in her car and ate the sandwich she had made at five. Through the windshield she watched the trucks back up to the loading doors, one after another, patient as cattle. She thought about driving home. Instead, she went back inside. In the afternoon the scanner stopped sounding like a bird and started sounding like a yes. When the whistle blew at three, Okafor checked her numbers and raised his eyebrows. "Not bad for day one," he said. Rosa drove home with the window down, even though it was October.

    What does the last line of the warehouse story, driving "with the window down, even though it was October," suggest?

    1. Rosa's car heater is broken
    2. Rosa feels free and proud after the day
    3. Rosa wants to hear the trucks again
    4. Rosa is worried about the cold weather

12. To: All warehouse staff From: Priya Nandakumar, Operations Manager Subject: New shift schedule starting March 3 Starting Monday, March 3, we are moving from two shifts to three so that orders can ship within 24 hours. Day shift: 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Evening shift: 2:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Night shift: 10:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. The 30-minute overlap between shifts is for handover. Outgoing team leads will brief incoming leads on unfinished orders and any equipment problems. Night-shift staff will receive a premium of $2.00 per hour on top of their regular wage. Shift choices will be offered by seniority. Please submit your first and second choices on the form in the break room by Friday, February 21. If you have child-care or transportation needs that affect your availability, please speak with Human Resources before February 21 so we can take them into account. Thank you for helping us serve our customers faster.

    A worker earns $19.50 an hour. Using the shift-schedule memo, what would the hourly pay be on the night shift?

    1. $19.50
    2. $21.00
    3. $23.50
    4. $21.50

13. Which sentence uses parallel structure?

    1. The job requires to answer phones, filing reports and visitors to greet.
    2. The job requires answering phones, to file reports and greeting visitors.
    3. The job requires answering phones, filing reports and greeting visitors.
    4. The job requires answering phones, reports to file and to greet visitors.

14. Ice Road Each February my grandfather drove the ice road across the lake to the far shore, the truck groaning, the whole white world holding its breath beneath the tires. He said the ice talks if you listen: a long crack like a door far off, a hum that settles in your teeth. Most people hear danger. He heard a map. I rode beside him once, nine years old, my mittens pressed against the dashboard, counting the orange flags that marked the safe path until the far trees grew from a pencil line into pines with snow on their shoulders. Now the winters come late and leave early. The road opens for weeks, not months. I still listen to ice. It says less every year.

    In "Ice Road," what does the line "Most people hear danger. He heard a map." mean?

    1. The grandfather thought driving on ice was dangerous
    2. The grandfather carried a paper map in the truck
    3. The grandfather could not hear the ice cracking at all
    4. The grandfather used the ice's sounds to judge where to drive

15. Bay Road Bridge to Close for Repairs The Bay Road bridge over Mill Creek will close to all traffic from May 5 to August 29 while crews replace its deck, the county announced Tuesday. The bridge, built in 1964, carries about 6,000 vehicles a day. A county inspection last fall found that salt and freeze-thaw cycles had cracked the concrete deck. "The bridge is safe today, but it will not stay safe without this work," said county engineer Hana Sato. During the closure, drivers will be detoured along Route 9 and Pine Street, adding about seven minutes to a typical trip. A temporary footbridge will let pedestrians and cyclists continue to cross. Some business owners on Bay Road are worried. "Summer is our busiest season," said Luis Ortega, who runs a bakery near the bridge. "If people can't drive past, they won't stop." The county says it chose the summer because concrete cures best in warm weather. The $3.2-million project is funded jointly by the county and the province.

    In the Bay Road bridge article, why is the quotation from Hana Sato included?

    1. To describe the bakery's summer sales
    2. To explain why the repair is needed now
    3. To announce the detour route for drivers
    4. To show that the bridge is already unsafe

16. Which sentence is spelled correctly?

    1. The government will receive the aplications in Febuary.
    2. The government will receive the applications in February.
    3. The government will recieve the applications in Febuary.
    4. The goverment will recieve the applications in February.

17. MARCUS: (holding up a letter) They accepted me. The welding program at the college. Starts in January. DENISE: (not looking up from the stove) January. That's the month the shop needs you most. MARCUS: Mr. Pereira said he'd keep my Saturdays. DENISE: Saturdays. And what do we do about rent with Saturdays? MARCUS: There's a grant, Mom. I applied. It covers tuition, and there's a little extra. DENISE: (turns off the burner, finally faces him) A little extra. You've been planning this. MARCUS: Since March. DENISE: Since March. (A pause.) Your father wanted to be a welder. Did you know that? MARCUS: (quietly) No. DENISE: He used to watch them build the bridge over the river. Said it was like watching people sew with fire. (She takes the letter, reads it slowly.) January. MARCUS: January. DENISE: (folding the letter carefully and putting it on the fridge under a magnet) Then you'll need proper boots.

    In the scene about Marcus's acceptance letter, what is the purpose of the stage direction "turns off the burner, finally faces him"?

    1. It shows Denise now giving Marcus her full attention
    2. It shows Marcus taking over the cooking
    3. It shows that dinner is finished and ready to serve
    4. It shows that Denise is angry and leaving the room

18. Northgate Community Centre — Winter Programs Registration opens Monday, January 6, at 9 a.m. online or at the front desk. Residents of Northgate register first; non-residents may register starting January 13. Learn to Skate (ages 4–8) Saturdays, 10:00–10:45 a.m., 8 weeks. $64. Helmets are required; CSA-approved hockey helmets are accepted. Adult Conversational French Tuesdays, 7:00–8:30 p.m., 10 weeks. $90. Beginner level; no textbook needed. Seniors' Chair Yoga (ages 60+) Mondays and Thursdays, 1:00–2:00 p.m., 8 weeks. $48 for both days or $28 for one day per week. Fee assistance: Households with low incomes may apply for a 50% reduction on program fees. Apply at the front desk with proof of income before registering. Cancellations: Full refunds are given up to seven days before a program starts. After that, refunds are given only with a medical note.

    According to the Northgate Community Centre brochure, when may non-residents start registering?

    1. Seven days before a program
    2. Any time after 9 a.m.
    3. January 6
    4. January 13

19. Which sentence uses commas correctly?

    1. My sister, who lives in Halifax is a nurse.
    2. My sister who lives in Halifax, is a nurse.
    3. My sister, who lives in Halifax, is a nurse.
    4. My sister who, lives in Halifax, is a nurse.

20. Ice Road Each February my grandfather drove the ice road across the lake to the far shore, the truck groaning, the whole white world holding its breath beneath the tires. He said the ice talks if you listen: a long crack like a door far off, a hum that settles in your teeth. Most people hear danger. He heard a map. I rode beside him once, nine years old, my mittens pressed against the dashboard, counting the orange flags that marked the safe path until the far trees grew from a pencil line into pines with snow on their shoulders. Now the winters come late and leave early. The road opens for weeks, not months. I still listen to ice. It says less every year.

    What is the most likely meaning of the last line of "Ice Road," "It says less every year"?

    1. People have stopped using the road completely
    2. The ice is getting thinner and lasting less time
    3. The speaker's hearing is getting worse with age
    4. The grandfather no longer tells stories about ice

21. Northgate Community Centre — Winter Programs Registration opens Monday, January 6, at 9 a.m. online or at the front desk. Residents of Northgate register first; non-residents may register starting January 13. Learn to Skate (ages 4–8) Saturdays, 10:00–10:45 a.m., 8 weeks. $64. Helmets are required; CSA-approved hockey helmets are accepted. Adult Conversational French Tuesdays, 7:00–8:30 p.m., 10 weeks. $90. Beginner level; no textbook needed. Seniors' Chair Yoga (ages 60+) Mondays and Thursdays, 1:00–2:00 p.m., 8 weeks. $48 for both days or $28 for one day per week. Fee assistance: Households with low incomes may apply for a 50% reduction on program fees. Apply at the front desk with proof of income before registering. Cancellations: Full refunds are given up to seven days before a program starts. After that, refunds are given only with a medical note.

    Using the Northgate brochure, what would a low-income household pay for Learn to Skate after fee assistance?

    1. $48
    2. $64
    3. $32
    4. $28

22. Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?

    1. The children's coats are hanging by the door.
    2. The childrens coats are hanging by the door.
    3. The children's coat's are hanging by the door.
    4. The childrens' coats are hanging by the door.

23. Ice Road Each February my grandfather drove the ice road across the lake to the far shore, the truck groaning, the whole white world holding its breath beneath the tires. He said the ice talks if you listen: a long crack like a door far off, a hum that settles in your teeth. Most people hear danger. He heard a map. I rode beside him once, nine years old, my mittens pressed against the dashboard, counting the orange flags that marked the safe path until the far trees grew from a pencil line into pines with snow on their shoulders. Now the winters come late and leave early. The road opens for weeks, not months. I still listen to ice. It says less every year.

    How does the poem "Ice Road" shift in its last stanza?

    1. From the present to a story about the future
    2. From a sad tone to a joke about the grandfather
    3. From describing a lake to describing a city
    4. From a childhood memory to a worry about shorter winters

24. To: All warehouse staff From: Priya Nandakumar, Operations Manager Subject: New shift schedule starting March 3 Starting Monday, March 3, we are moving from two shifts to three so that orders can ship within 24 hours. Day shift: 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Evening shift: 2:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Night shift: 10:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. The 30-minute overlap between shifts is for handover. Outgoing team leads will brief incoming leads on unfinished orders and any equipment problems. Night-shift staff will receive a premium of $2.00 per hour on top of their regular wage. Shift choices will be offered by seniority. Please submit your first and second choices on the form in the break room by Friday, February 21. If you have child-care or transportation needs that affect your availability, please speak with Human Resources before February 21 so we can take them into account. Thank you for helping us serve our customers faster.

    According to the shift-schedule memo, how will shifts be assigned?

    1. By each team lead choosing the people they want
    2. By the order in which staff hand in their forms
    3. By seniority, using staff members' first and second choices
    4. By a random draw that managers will hold on March 3

25. Choose the correct revision: "Every applicant must bring THEIR OWN resumes to the interview."

    1. their own resume
    2. their owns resumes
    3. they're own resume
    4. there own resumes

26. MARCUS: (holding up a letter) They accepted me. The welding program at the college. Starts in January. DENISE: (not looking up from the stove) January. That's the month the shop needs you most. MARCUS: Mr. Pereira said he'd keep my Saturdays. DENISE: Saturdays. And what do we do about rent with Saturdays? MARCUS: There's a grant, Mom. I applied. It covers tuition, and there's a little extra. DENISE: (turns off the burner, finally faces him) A little extra. You've been planning this. MARCUS: Since March. DENISE: Since March. (A pause.) Your father wanted to be a welder. Did you know that? MARCUS: (quietly) No. DENISE: He used to watch them build the bridge over the river. Said it was like watching people sew with fire. (She takes the letter, reads it slowly.) January. MARCUS: January. DENISE: (folding the letter carefully and putting it on the fridge under a magnet) Then you'll need proper boots.

    In the scene about Marcus's acceptance letter, what does Denise's final line, "Then you'll need proper boots," show?

    1. She wants him to work more shifts at the shop
    2. She is changing the subject to avoid the issue
    3. She has accepted and now supports his decision
    4. She thinks the college will not accept him

27. To: All warehouse staff From: Priya Nandakumar, Operations Manager Subject: New shift schedule starting March 3 Starting Monday, March 3, we are moving from two shifts to three so that orders can ship within 24 hours. Day shift: 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Evening shift: 2:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Night shift: 10:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. The 30-minute overlap between shifts is for handover. Outgoing team leads will brief incoming leads on unfinished orders and any equipment problems. Night-shift staff will receive a premium of $2.00 per hour on top of their regular wage. Shift choices will be offered by seniority. Please submit your first and second choices on the form in the break room by Friday, February 21. If you have child-care or transportation needs that affect your availability, please speak with Human Resources before February 21 so we can take them into account. Thank you for helping us serve our customers faster.

    According to the memo about the new shift schedule, why is the warehouse adding a third shift?

    1. So orders can ship within 24 hours
    2. Because equipment keeps breaking down
    3. So staff can work fewer hours each week
    4. Because the night shift pays more

28. Which sentence is the clearest and most concise?

    1. It was on Monday that approval of the budget was given by the committee.
    2. The committee approved the budget on Monday.
    3. On Monday, the budget was approved by the committee, which approved it.
    4. The committee, on the day of Monday, gave approval to the budget plan.

29. The night before her first day at the warehouse, Rosa laid out her clothes the way she used to lay out her children's school clothes: jeans, a grey sweatshirt, the steel-toed boots that still smelled of the store. She was forty-six. She had not had a paycheque of her own in nineteen years. At six-thirty the next morning, the supervisor, a tall man named Okafor, handed her a scanner the size of a brick. "Every box has a story," he said. "This tells you where it's going." Rosa nodded as if she understood. The scanner beeped at her like an impatient bird. By ten o'clock her feet ached and she had sent two boxes to the wrong bay. A young worker named Dylan, who could not have been older than her son, showed her how to tilt the scanner so the red line caught the label. "Took me a week," he said. She doubted that, but she was grateful he said it. At lunch she sat alone in her car and ate the sandwich she had made at five. Through the windshield she watched the trucks back up to the loading doors, one after another, patient as cattle. She thought about driving home. Instead, she went back inside. In the afternoon the scanner stopped sounding like a bird and started sounding like a yes. When the whistle blew at three, Okafor checked her numbers and raised his eyebrows. "Not bad for day one," he said. Rosa drove home with the window down, even though it was October.

    In the warehouse story, which literary device is used in "patient as cattle"?

    1. Simile
    2. Alliteration
    3. Metaphor
    4. Personification

30. Bay Road Bridge to Close for Repairs The Bay Road bridge over Mill Creek will close to all traffic from May 5 to August 29 while crews replace its deck, the county announced Tuesday. The bridge, built in 1964, carries about 6,000 vehicles a day. A county inspection last fall found that salt and freeze-thaw cycles had cracked the concrete deck. "The bridge is safe today, but it will not stay safe without this work," said county engineer Hana Sato. During the closure, drivers will be detoured along Route 9 and Pine Street, adding about seven minutes to a typical trip. A temporary footbridge will let pedestrians and cyclists continue to cross. Some business owners on Bay Road are worried. "Summer is our busiest season," said Luis Ortega, who runs a bakery near the bridge. "If people can't drive past, they won't stop." The county says it chose the summer because concrete cures best in warm weather. The $3.2-million project is funded jointly by the county and the province.

    According to the Bay Road bridge article, how will pedestrians cross Mill Creek during the closure?

    1. By a free shuttle bus
    2. On a temporary footbridge
    3. By the Route 9 detour
    4. They will not be able to cross

31. Which transition best fits? "The apartment is small. ___, it is close to the subway and the rent is low."

    1. As a result
    2. On the other hand
    3. In addition
    4. For example

32. The night before her first day at the warehouse, Rosa laid out her clothes the way she used to lay out her children's school clothes: jeans, a grey sweatshirt, the steel-toed boots that still smelled of the store. She was forty-six. She had not had a paycheque of her own in nineteen years. At six-thirty the next morning, the supervisor, a tall man named Okafor, handed her a scanner the size of a brick. "Every box has a story," he said. "This tells you where it's going." Rosa nodded as if she understood. The scanner beeped at her like an impatient bird. By ten o'clock her feet ached and she had sent two boxes to the wrong bay. A young worker named Dylan, who could not have been older than her son, showed her how to tilt the scanner so the red line caught the label. "Took me a week," he said. She doubted that, but she was grateful he said it. At lunch she sat alone in her car and ate the sandwich she had made at five. Through the windshield she watched the trucks back up to the loading doors, one after another, patient as cattle. She thought about driving home. Instead, she went back inside. In the afternoon the scanner stopped sounding like a bird and started sounding like a yes. When the whistle blew at three, Okafor checked her numbers and raised his eyebrows. "Not bad for day one," he said. Rosa drove home with the window down, even though it was October.

    In the warehouse story, what is the most likely reason Rosa thinks about driving home at lunch?

    1. She forgot her lunch and needs to get it
    2. She feels discouraged after a difficult morning
    3. Okafor told her to take the afternoon off
    4. Her shift ended earlier than expected

33. Northgate Community Centre — Winter Programs Registration opens Monday, January 6, at 9 a.m. online or at the front desk. Residents of Northgate register first; non-residents may register starting January 13. Learn to Skate (ages 4–8) Saturdays, 10:00–10:45 a.m., 8 weeks. $64. Helmets are required; CSA-approved hockey helmets are accepted. Adult Conversational French Tuesdays, 7:00–8:30 p.m., 10 weeks. $90. Beginner level; no textbook needed. Seniors' Chair Yoga (ages 60+) Mondays and Thursdays, 1:00–2:00 p.m., 8 weeks. $48 for both days or $28 for one day per week. Fee assistance: Households with low incomes may apply for a 50% reduction on program fees. Apply at the front desk with proof of income before registering. Cancellations: Full refunds are given up to seven days before a program starts. After that, refunds are given only with a medical note.

    A senior wants Chair Yoga only on Thursdays. According to the Northgate brochure, what is the fee?

    1. $28
    2. $14
    3. $48
    4. $56

34. Which sentence is a complete sentence?

    1. Although the store was busy all afternoon.
    2. The cashier, who stayed calm although busy.
    3. Staying calm while the store was very busy.
    4. Although the store was busy, the cashier stayed calm.

35. The night before her first day at the warehouse, Rosa laid out her clothes the way she used to lay out her children's school clothes: jeans, a grey sweatshirt, the steel-toed boots that still smelled of the store. She was forty-six. She had not had a paycheque of her own in nineteen years. At six-thirty the next morning, the supervisor, a tall man named Okafor, handed her a scanner the size of a brick. "Every box has a story," he said. "This tells you where it's going." Rosa nodded as if she understood. The scanner beeped at her like an impatient bird. By ten o'clock her feet ached and she had sent two boxes to the wrong bay. A young worker named Dylan, who could not have been older than her son, showed her how to tilt the scanner so the red line caught the label. "Took me a week," he said. She doubted that, but she was grateful he said it. At lunch she sat alone in her car and ate the sandwich she had made at five. Through the windshield she watched the trucks back up to the loading doors, one after another, patient as cattle. She thought about driving home. Instead, she went back inside. In the afternoon the scanner stopped sounding like a bird and started sounding like a yes. When the whistle blew at three, Okafor checked her numbers and raised his eyebrows. "Not bad for day one," he said. Rosa drove home with the window down, even though it was October.

    In the story about Rosa's first day at the warehouse, how long had it been since she earned her own paycheque?

    1. Forty-six years
    2. Six years
    3. One week
    4. Nineteen years

36. Let Our Libraries Lend More Than Books When the Riverside branch library began lending tools last spring, some councillors called it a gimmick. They were wrong. In its first six months, the library lent out drills, ladders and sewing machines more than 1,400 times, according to the library's own report. Think about what that means. A family that needs a ladder twice a year no longer has to buy one for $150 and store it in a crowded apartment. A student fixing a bike can borrow a wrench set instead of paying for a repair. Every tool lent is money that stays in a household budget. Critics say the city should not be in the hardware business. But libraries have always lent things people need and cannot easily afford. A century ago that meant books. Today it can also mean a stud finder. The program costs about $12,000 a year, less than one per cent of the library's budget. Council will vote on its future next month. I believe it should not only keep the program but expand it to every branch in the city. A library that lends a ladder is still doing what libraries do best: sharing.

    In the tool-lending editorial, why does the writer mention that a ladder costs $150?

    1. To argue that ladders are too expensive to make
    2. To compare prices at different hardware stores
    3. To show how borrowing saves families money
    4. To prove that the program loses money

37. Choose the correct word: "The new policy will ___ everyone who works the night shift."

    1. effective
    2. effect
    3. affection
    4. affect

38. MARCUS: (holding up a letter) They accepted me. The welding program at the college. Starts in January. DENISE: (not looking up from the stove) January. That's the month the shop needs you most. MARCUS: Mr. Pereira said he'd keep my Saturdays. DENISE: Saturdays. And what do we do about rent with Saturdays? MARCUS: There's a grant, Mom. I applied. It covers tuition, and there's a little extra. DENISE: (turns off the burner, finally faces him) A little extra. You've been planning this. MARCUS: Since March. DENISE: Since March. (A pause.) Your father wanted to be a welder. Did you know that? MARCUS: (quietly) No. DENISE: He used to watch them build the bridge over the river. Said it was like watching people sew with fire. (She takes the letter, reads it slowly.) January. MARCUS: January. DENISE: (folding the letter carefully and putting it on the fridge under a magnet) Then you'll need proper boots.

    In the scene about Marcus's acceptance letter, what is Denise's first concern?

    1. How the family will manage financially
    2. Whether Marcus is old enough to go to college
    3. How far the college is from their home
    4. Whether Marcus will miss his friends

39. To: All warehouse staff From: Priya Nandakumar, Operations Manager Subject: New shift schedule starting March 3 Starting Monday, March 3, we are moving from two shifts to three so that orders can ship within 24 hours. Day shift: 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Evening shift: 2:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Night shift: 10:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. The 30-minute overlap between shifts is for handover. Outgoing team leads will brief incoming leads on unfinished orders and any equipment problems. Night-shift staff will receive a premium of $2.00 per hour on top of their regular wage. Shift choices will be offered by seniority. Please submit your first and second choices on the form in the break room by Friday, February 21. If you have child-care or transportation needs that affect your availability, please speak with Human Resources before February 21 so we can take them into account. Thank you for helping us serve our customers faster.

    In the shift-schedule memo, what is the 30-minute overlap between shifts used for?

    1. A paid lunch break for all workers
    2. Training new night-shift staff
    3. Cleaning the warehouse floor
    4. Passing information to the next team

40. Choose the correct revision: "Yesterday the manager CALLS a meeting and explained the new schedule."

    1. called
    2. will call
    3. calls
    4. is calling

41. MARCUS: (holding up a letter) They accepted me. The welding program at the college. Starts in January. DENISE: (not looking up from the stove) January. That's the month the shop needs you most. MARCUS: Mr. Pereira said he'd keep my Saturdays. DENISE: Saturdays. And what do we do about rent with Saturdays? MARCUS: There's a grant, Mom. I applied. It covers tuition, and there's a little extra. DENISE: (turns off the burner, finally faces him) A little extra. You've been planning this. MARCUS: Since March. DENISE: Since March. (A pause.) Your father wanted to be a welder. Did you know that? MARCUS: (quietly) No. DENISE: He used to watch them build the bridge over the river. Said it was like watching people sew with fire. (She takes the letter, reads it slowly.) January. MARCUS: January. DENISE: (folding the letter carefully and putting it on the fridge under a magnet) Then you'll need proper boots.

    In the drama scene about Marcus's acceptance letter, what program has Marcus been accepted to?

    1. A bridge-building apprenticeship
    2. A university engineering degree
    3. A college welding program
    4. A cooking course at the shop

42. To: All warehouse staff From: Priya Nandakumar, Operations Manager Subject: New shift schedule starting March 3 Starting Monday, March 3, we are moving from two shifts to three so that orders can ship within 24 hours. Day shift: 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Evening shift: 2:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Night shift: 10:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. The 30-minute overlap between shifts is for handover. Outgoing team leads will brief incoming leads on unfinished orders and any equipment problems. Night-shift staff will receive a premium of $2.00 per hour on top of their regular wage. Shift choices will be offered by seniority. Please submit your first and second choices on the form in the break room by Friday, February 21. If you have child-care or transportation needs that affect your availability, please speak with Human Resources before February 21 so we can take them into account. Thank you for helping us serve our customers faster.

    How is the shift-schedule memo mainly organized?

    1. A problem followed by several possible solutions
    2. A comparison of two companies' schedules
    3. A story told in time order from past to present
    4. Announcement, details of the change, then what staff must do

43. Which sentence uses the modifier correctly?

    1. Covered in mud, the door had the boots outside it.
    2. Covered in mud, I left the boots outside the door.
    3. Covered in mud, the boots were left outside the door.
    4. I left the boots outside covered in mud the door.

44. Ice Road Each February my grandfather drove the ice road across the lake to the far shore, the truck groaning, the whole white world holding its breath beneath the tires. He said the ice talks if you listen: a long crack like a door far off, a hum that settles in your teeth. Most people hear danger. He heard a map. I rode beside him once, nine years old, my mittens pressed against the dashboard, counting the orange flags that marked the safe path until the far trees grew from a pencil line into pines with snow on their shoulders. Now the winters come late and leave early. The road opens for weeks, not months. I still listen to ice. It says less every year.

    In "Ice Road," what does the image of the far trees changing "from a pencil line / into pines" show?

    1. The truck getting closer to the far shore
    2. The trees growing taller over many years
    3. A drawing the child made on the trip
    4. Snow falling heavily on the trees

45. Bay Road Bridge to Close for Repairs The Bay Road bridge over Mill Creek will close to all traffic from May 5 to August 29 while crews replace its deck, the county announced Tuesday. The bridge, built in 1964, carries about 6,000 vehicles a day. A county inspection last fall found that salt and freeze-thaw cycles had cracked the concrete deck. "The bridge is safe today, but it will not stay safe without this work," said county engineer Hana Sato. During the closure, drivers will be detoured along Route 9 and Pine Street, adding about seven minutes to a typical trip. A temporary footbridge will let pedestrians and cyclists continue to cross. Some business owners on Bay Road are worried. "Summer is our busiest season," said Luis Ortega, who runs a bakery near the bridge. "If people can't drive past, they won't stop." The county says it chose the summer because concrete cures best in warm weather. The $3.2-million project is funded jointly by the county and the province.

    Which sentence from the Bay Road bridge article best states its main idea?

    1. The bridge will close from May 5 to August 29 for deck replacement.
    2. Summer is the busiest season for at least one bakery on Bay Road.
    3. The detour adds about seven minutes to a typical driver's trip.
    4. The bridge was built in 1964 and carries traffic over Mill Creek.

46. Which revision best combines the sentences? "The bus was late. It snowed heavily. Many workers arrived after nine."

    1. The bus was late it snowed heavily and many workers arrived after nine.
    2. Snowing heavily, many workers were late, the bus arrived after nine.
    3. It snowed heavily, the bus was late, many workers arrived after nine.
    4. Because it snowed heavily, the bus was late and many workers arrived after nine.

47. MARCUS: (holding up a letter) They accepted me. The welding program at the college. Starts in January. DENISE: (not looking up from the stove) January. That's the month the shop needs you most. MARCUS: Mr. Pereira said he'd keep my Saturdays. DENISE: Saturdays. And what do we do about rent with Saturdays? MARCUS: There's a grant, Mom. I applied. It covers tuition, and there's a little extra. DENISE: (turns off the burner, finally faces him) A little extra. You've been planning this. MARCUS: Since March. DENISE: Since March. (A pause.) Your father wanted to be a welder. Did you know that? MARCUS: (quietly) No. DENISE: He used to watch them build the bridge over the river. Said it was like watching people sew with fire. (She takes the letter, reads it slowly.) January. MARCUS: January. DENISE: (folding the letter carefully and putting it on the fridge under a magnet) Then you'll need proper boots.

    In the scene about Marcus's acceptance letter, what do Denise's repeated words ("January," "Saturdays," "Since March") mainly show?

    1. She is taking in surprising news and thinking it over
    2. She does not understand what Marcus is saying
    3. She is hard of hearing and asks him to repeat
    4. She is making fun of her son's plans

48. Northgate Community Centre — Winter Programs Registration opens Monday, January 6, at 9 a.m. online or at the front desk. Residents of Northgate register first; non-residents may register starting January 13. Learn to Skate (ages 4–8) Saturdays, 10:00–10:45 a.m., 8 weeks. $64. Helmets are required; CSA-approved hockey helmets are accepted. Adult Conversational French Tuesdays, 7:00–8:30 p.m., 10 weeks. $90. Beginner level; no textbook needed. Seniors' Chair Yoga (ages 60+) Mondays and Thursdays, 1:00–2:00 p.m., 8 weeks. $48 for both days or $28 for one day per week. Fee assistance: Households with low incomes may apply for a 50% reduction on program fees. Apply at the front desk with proof of income before registering. Cancellations: Full refunds are given up to seven days before a program starts. After that, refunds are given only with a medical note.

    Why does the Northgate brochure use headings for each program?

    1. To show readers which program is the most popular one
    2. To list all of the programs in order from cheapest to dearest
    3. To separate the free programs from the ones that cost money
    4. To help readers quickly find the details of each program

49. The night before her first day at the warehouse, Rosa laid out her clothes the way she used to lay out her children's school clothes: jeans, a grey sweatshirt, the steel-toed boots that still smelled of the store. She was forty-six. She had not had a paycheque of her own in nineteen years. At six-thirty the next morning, the supervisor, a tall man named Okafor, handed her a scanner the size of a brick. "Every box has a story," he said. "This tells you where it's going." Rosa nodded as if she understood. The scanner beeped at her like an impatient bird. By ten o'clock her feet ached and she had sent two boxes to the wrong bay. A young worker named Dylan, who could not have been older than her son, showed her how to tilt the scanner so the red line caught the label. "Took me a week," he said. She doubted that, but she was grateful he said it. At lunch she sat alone in her car and ate the sandwich she had made at five. Through the windshield she watched the trucks back up to the loading doors, one after another, patient as cattle. She thought about driving home. Instead, she went back inside. In the afternoon the scanner stopped sounding like a bird and started sounding like a yes. When the whistle blew at three, Okafor checked her numbers and raised his eyebrows. "Not bad for day one," he said. Rosa drove home with the window down, even though it was October.

    In the warehouse story, what does the change from the scanner sounding "like an impatient bird" to "like a yes" show?

    1. The warehouse became quieter in the afternoon
    2. The scanner was repaired during lunch
    3. Rosa has grown more confident in her work
    4. Rosa has stopped paying attention to sounds

50. Let Our Libraries Lend More Than Books When the Riverside branch library began lending tools last spring, some councillors called it a gimmick. They were wrong. In its first six months, the library lent out drills, ladders and sewing machines more than 1,400 times, according to the library's own report. Think about what that means. A family that needs a ladder twice a year no longer has to buy one for $150 and store it in a crowded apartment. A student fixing a bike can borrow a wrench set instead of paying for a repair. Every tool lent is money that stays in a household budget. Critics say the city should not be in the hardware business. But libraries have always lent things people need and cannot easily afford. A century ago that meant books. Today it can also mean a stud finder. The program costs about $12,000 a year, less than one per cent of the library's budget. Council will vote on its future next month. I believe it should not only keep the program but expand it to every branch in the city. A library that lends a ladder is still doing what libraries do best: sharing.

    In the tool-lending editorial, what does the word "gimmick" most likely mean?

    1. A small tool used for repairing old furniture
    2. A new rule passed by a vote of city council
    3. A trick to get attention with little real value
    4. A carefully planned and well-funded public service