(1) The coast of the State of Maine is one of the most irregular in the world. A straight line running from the southern-most city in Maine, which is Kittery, to the northern-most coastal city, Eastport, would measure about 225 miles. If you followed the coastline between the same two cities, you would travel more than ten times as far. This irregularity is the result of what is called a drowned coastline. The term refers to the results of the glacial activity of the Ice Age. At that time, the whole area that is now Maine was part of a mountain range that towered above the sea. As the glacier descended, however, it expended enormous force on those mountains and they sank into the ocean.
     (2)
As the mountains sank, ocean water charged over the lowest parts of the remaining land, forming a series of twisting inlets and lagoons, of contorted grottos and nooks. Once the glacier receded, the highest parts of the former mountain range that were nearest the shore remained as islands. Although the mountain ranges were never to return, the land rose somewhat over the centuries. On one of the islands that the glacier left behind, marine fossils have been found at 225 feet above today's sea level, indicating that the island was once part of the shoreline.
     (3)
The 2500-mile-long rocky and jagged coastline of
Maine keeps watch over nearly two thousand islands. Many of these islands are tiny and uninhabited, but many are home to thriving communities. Mt. Desert Island is one of the largest—sixteen miles long and nearly twelve miles wide—and one of the most beautiful of Maine's coastal islands. Mt. Desert Island very nearly formed as two distinct islands. It is split almost in half by Somes Sound, a very deep and very narrow stretch of water seven miles long. On the east side of the island, Cadillac Mountain rises fifteen hundred and thirty-two feet, making it the highest mountain on the Atlantic seaboard. 
     (4)
For years,
Mt. Desert Island, particularly its major settlement, Bar Harbor, afforded summer homes for the wealthy. Recently, Bar Harbor has made a name for itself as a burgeoning arts community as well.  But there is much more to Mt. Desert Island than a sophisticated and wealthy playground. A majority of the island is unspoiled forestland, which makes up the greatest part of Acadia National ParkMt. Desert Island sits on the boundary line between the temperate and sub-Arctic zones. The island, therefore, supports the flora and fauna of both zones, as well as beach, inland, and alpine plants. In addition to its geological treasures, Mt. Desert Island lies in a major bird-migration lane; all kinds of migratory birds pass over the island. 
     (5)
The establishment of
Acadia National Park in 1916 means that this diversity of nature will be preserved and that it will be available to all people, not just the wealthy who once had exclusive access to the island's natural beauty. Today, visitors to Acadia may receive nature instruction from the park naturalists, in addition to enjoying the beauty of the island by camping, hiking, cycling, or boating. Or, visitors may choose to spend time at the archeological museum, learning about the Stone Age inhabitants of the island. The best view on Mt. Desert Island, though, is from the top of Cadillac Mountain. From the summit, you can gaze back toward the mainland or out over the Atlantic Ocean and contemplate the beauty created by a retreating glacier.

 

17. 

Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of paragraph 4?

 

A.

Mt. Desert Island selfishly kept it to themselves.

 

B.

National Park is one of the smallest of the national parks.

 

C.

Mt. Desert Island, there is great tension between the year-round residents and the summer tourists.

 

D.

Mt. Desert Island supports an incredibly diverse animal and plant life.

 

18. 

According to the selection, the large number of small islands along the coast of Maine are the result of

 

A.

 

B.

 

C.

 

D.

 

 

19. 

According to paragraph 2, one way to tell whether the top of a mountain was once at sea level is to look for

 

A.

 

B.

 

C.

 

D.

 

20. 

In the context of paragraph 4, which of the following words or phrases would most logically be substituted for the underlined word afforded?

 

A.

 

B.

 

C.

 

D.

 

21. 

Paragraph 5 suggests that the writer believes that

 

A.

 

B.

Mt. Desert Island is to limit the number of visitors

 

C.

 

D.

Desert Island is the most interesting tourist attraction in Maine

 

 

22. 

In the first paragraph, the author compares the straight-line distance (225 miles) from Kittery to Eastport with the driving distance (2,250 miles) to illustrate

 

A.

Maine coastline is

 

B.

Maine's coastline is very mountainous

 

C.

Maine can be dangerous

 

D.

 

23. 

This passage could best be described as

 

A.

 

B.

 

C.

 

D.

 

24. 

Paragraph 5 celebrates which of the following aspects of Maine?

 

A.

 

B.

 

C.

 

D.

 

 

ANSWER KEY

17. 

Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of paragraph 4?

 

 

 

A.

Mt. Desert Island selfishly kept it to themselves.

 

 

 

B.

National Park is one of the smallest of the national parks.

 

 

 

C.

Mt. Desert Island, there is great tension between the year-round residents and the summer tourists.

 

 

 

D.

Mt. Desert Island supports an incredibly diverse animal and plant life.

 

Explanation:

d. See the second to last sentence, which speaks of Mt. Desert Island as supporting the flora and fauna of both zones, as well as beach, inland, and alpine plants. The other choices are not mentioned in the passage.

 

Section:

CUNY Freshman Skills Assessment: Reading

Subsection:

Main Idea

18. 

According to the selection, the large number of small islands along the coast of Maine are the result of

 

 

 

A.

 

 

 

B.

 

 

 

C.

 

 

 

D.

 

Explanation:

a. See the final sentence of paragraph 1 and the second sentence of paragraph 2. There is no support for the other choices.

 

Section:

CUNY Freshman Skills Assessment: Reading

Subsection:

Specific Fact or Detail

19. 

According to paragraph 2, one way to tell whether the top of a mountain was once at sea level is to look for

 

 

 

A.

 

 

 

B.

 

 

 

C.

 

 

 

D.

 

Explanation:

c. Although all the choices are related to the glacial disturbance of the Maine shoreline, only marine fossils are spoken of as evidence that a mountain was once at shoreline level.

 

Section:

CUNY Freshman Skills Assessment: Reading

Subsection:

Specific Fact or Detail

20. 

In the context of paragraph 4, which of the following words or phrases would most logically be substituted for the underlined word afforded?

 

 

 

A.

 

 

 

B.

 

 

 

C.

 

 

 

D.

 

Explanation:

d. This is the choice that makes the most sense. Since the summer homes of the wealthy existed for years and apparently still exist at the time of the writing of the passage, it is illogical to say that they were either remembered (choice a) or discouraged from existing there (choice b). It is unreasonable to suppose that a town would pay for summer homes for wealthy people (choice c).

 

Section:

CUNY Freshman Skills Assessment: Reading

Subsection:

Inference

21. 

Paragraph 5 suggests that the writer believes that

 

 

 

A.

 

 

 

B.

Mt. Desert Island is to limit the number of visitors

 

 

 

C.

 

 

 

D.

Desert Island is the most interesting tourist attraction in Maine

 

Explanation:

c. Paragraph 5 (see the second sentence) discusses the visitors to Acadia National Park, and what they can learn from their visits. Choices a, b, and d are not mentioned in the passage.

 

Section:

CUNY Freshman Skills Assessment: Reading

Subsection:

Inference

22. 

In the first paragraph, the author compares the straight-line distance (225 miles) from Kittery to Eastport with the driving distance (2,250 miles) to illustrate

 

 

 

A.

Maine coastline is

 

 

 

B.

Maine's coastline is very mountainous

 

 

 

C.

Maine can be dangerous

 

 

 

D.

 

Explanation:

a. This answer is implied by the first three sentences of paragraph 1. Even though Maine was part of a mountain range, there is no evidence that it could now be described as very mountainous (choice b) because the original mountains sank into the sea. There is no support for choice c. Choice d is not mentioned in the passage.

 

Section:

CUNY Freshman Skills Assessment: Reading

Subsection:

Inference

 

23. 

This passage could best be described as

 

 

 

A.

 

 

 

B.

 

 

 

C.

 

 

 

D.

 

Explanation:

c. This passage is nonfiction and informative. Although it may persuade some people to visit Maine, it is not written primarily as a persuasive piece (choice a). A tourist brochure would try to sell the reader, which rules out choice b. Choice d is a poor choice because this passage is nonfiction.

 

Section:

CUNY Freshman Skills Assessment: Reading

Subsection:

Inference

24. 

Paragraph 5 celebrates which of the following aspects of Maine?

 

 

 

A.

 

 

 

B.

 

 

 

C.

 

 

 

D.

 

Explanation:

b. See the first sentence of paragraph 5. The general thrust of the paragraph suggests that the author would not care to celebrate the exclusive presence of the wealthy, even in former times (choice a). Earlier parts of the passage described the geological origins of the Maine coastline, but this is not the focus of the final paragraph (choice c). The paragraph does celebrate one single national part, Acadia, but does not speak of a system of national parks (choice d).

 

Section:

CUNY Freshman Skills Assessment: Reading

Subsection:

Inference