ISEE Upper Level Reading Comprehension Practice Test 26

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1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

  • A. compare the careers of Myra Bradwell and Belva Lockwood with the career of Belle Mansfield.
  • B. analyze the Supreme Court's opinion concerning Myra Bradwell's rejection by the state Bar.
  • C. provide a history of women's struggles for equal protection under the laws.
  • D. describe some of the struggles women lawyers have faced over the years.

2. It can be inferred from the third paragraph that Joseph Bradley was

  • A. married to Myra Bradwell.
  • B. Myra Bradwell's lawyer.
  • C. a Supreme Court Justice.
  • D. a well-regarded journalist.

3. Lines 1-7 imply that Sandra Day O'Connor did all of the following EXCEPT

  • A. succeeded as a student in law school.
  • B. worked as a secretary for a law firm.
  • C. applied to prestigious law firms for employment.
  • D. served on the U.S. Supreme Court.

4. The author quotes Joseph Bradley in order to show that

  • A. the "privileges and immunities" clause had no bearing on whether women should be admitted to practice law.
  • B. some men of the time often believed that the role of women was incompatible with a woman's pursuit of a career.
  • C. Belva Lockwood was foolish to ask the Supreme Court to force the State of Virginia to admit her to the Bar.
  • D. Myra Bradwell deserves praise for her courage and perseverance in trying to establish new legal rights for women.

5. Why does the author mention in lines 52-53 that Belva Lockwood was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court?

  • A. to emphasize the extent of the Supreme Court's unwillingness to override State laws concerning women's right to practice law
  • B. to praise the Supreme Court for its willingness to hear arguments from women at a time when most State courts would not
  • C. to express admiration that the Supreme Court admitted women to that Court before many State courts admitted women to practice law
  • D. to place women's struggle for the right to practice law in the larger context of the pursuit of equal rights for women

6. According to the last paragraph, the increased frequency with which women were admitted to state Bars in the late nineteenth century

  • A. was inevitable following Belle Mansfield's admission to the Iowa Bar.
  • B. came as a relief to Myra Bradwell, who finally realized her dream.
  • C. did not necessarily mean that women would be hired by law firms.
  • D. paved the way for the admission of black men to state Bars.




7. The primary purpose of the passage is to

  • A. disapprove of the Chinese government for its lack of political freedoms and its retaliation against those who criticize it.
  • B. celebrate the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo for his willingness to stand up for freedom and human rights.
  • C. provide information about the political views of a person and the consequences he has faced for expressing those view.
  • D. compare Liu Xiaobo's opinions about policies of China with his opinions about policies of the United States.

8. In line 50, the word "notoriety" most nearly means

  • A. admiration.
  • B. awards.
  • C. riches.
  • D. villainy.

9. The purpose of the third paragraph (lines 39-48) is to

  • A. briefly digress from the author's main focus.
  • B. provide evidence to support an earlier opinion.
  • C. point out an exception to a person's political views.
  • D. disagree with some of a person's political views.

10. The crimes that Liu Xiaobo has been accused of can best be described as

  • A. financial.
  • B. political.
  • C. vehicular.
  • D. violent.

11. According to the passage, Liu Xiaobo's view on American involvement in wars such as the United States' war in Iraq is one of

  • A. opposition, because he understood that no weapons of mass destruction would be found and he believed that America was interested only in Iraq's oil.
  • B. uncertainty, because he was in jail when American troops entered Iraq and he therefore lacked sufficient information to form an opinion.
  • C. indifference, because he is concerned with efforts to change China to a politically free country, not with the problems of other countries.
  • D. support, because he believes that one of America's roles is to bring freedom to people who suffer under tyrannical governments.

12. The passage suggests that during the early 1980s, Liu Xiaobo

  • A. engaged in frequent protests against the Chinese government.
  • B. supported the Chinese government until he was first arrested.
  • C. was not yet engaged in writing about politics and human rights.
  • D. was not yet interested in the problems of ordinary Chinese citizens.