ACT Reading Test 1 Passage 1

A good example of the wife’s manipulative behavior is found in the third
paragraph. She is crying, but when he asks her whats wrong, she responds.
"Nothing Only I have no dress, and therefore I can’t go to this ball. Give your
card to some colleague whose wife is better equipped than I." She is letting
him know that she cannot go to the party with her current dress. and therefore
she needs a new one. The other answer choices are not supported by the
passage,

The fourth paragraph explains that the wife knew she had to come up with a
“sum she could ask without drawing on herself an immediate refusal and a
frightened exclamation from the economical clerk." At this point, the reader is
made aware that the husband might be upset at the amount of money the wife
asks for. When she asks for four hundred francs, and he grows a little pale, it
is clear that he is concerned about the amount. The paragraph then goes on
to explain that he was trying to save that money for something for himself.

The fourth paragraph clearly states that "he was laying aside just that amount
to buy a gun and treat himself to a little shooting next summer on the plain of
Nanterre, with several friends who went to shoot Iarks down there..." The
other answer choices are not supported by details in the passage.

The statements made by the husband include "...here is something for you"
and "| thought you would be g|ad." He eventually gives in to her request for
money to buy a new dress. This information on best supports answer choice C

The tirst paragraph states the husband "retumed home with a triumphant air’
bearing the invitation. The second paragraph further explains his elation by
showing that he says. _ _"I had awful trouble to get it. Everyone wants to go; it
is very select, and they are not giving many invitations to clerks." This
information best supports answer choice B.

The passage is written from the third-person point of view. The husband and
wife are consistently referred to as "he" and “she." The reader is privy to the
thoughts of both the husband and wife. These traits are characteristic of
something written by a narrator. and not by one of the characters in the
passage.

3 The second paragraph shows that the wife is surprisingly upset about the
I invitation, thus setting the stage for an explanation of why she is upset. She
i asks “And what do you want me to put on my back'?” He responds that she
should wear the dress she wears to the theater. This shows that he knows
she is referring to the fact that she doesn't feel that she has a suitable dress
for the party. The other answer choices are not supported by the passage.

The passage begins by explaining that the wife “would so have liked to
please, to be envied, to be charming, to be sought after.” The rest of the
passage further illustrates her desire to get attention from others. The
passage ends by showing that the husband wants the money for his gun and
hunting trip, even though he ends up giving the money for his wife.

The passage is essentially a dialogue between two people, with occasional
interjections describing the couple or their inner thoughts. One of the first
things that happens in the passage is that the husband brings his wife an
invitation to a party. The passage goes on to show the wife's reactions to the
invitation by giving direct quotations of what she says, and then shows the
husband`s reactions to her by giving direct quotations of what he says. The
other answer choices are not supported by the structure of the passage.

The second paragraph specifically says that he stammered his response.
Stammering typically shows hesitation. He also says that "It looks very well __
to me." The ellipsis indicates a pause that shows that he is trying to convince
her that he thinks it looks good, but shows that he has some doubt himself.
The other answer choices are not supported by the passage.