hard · Enhanced ACT English
Every June, my cousins and I hike into the hollow behind my grandmother's farmhouse to watch the fireflies. For a few weeks each summer, thousands of them blink in near-perfect unison, the whole hillside flashing like a slow heartbeat. Scientists say the synchrony helps females pick out males of their own species, but standing in that pulsing dark, I rarely think about chemistry or courtship. I think about my grandfather, who first led us down that trail, and about how some rhythms outlast the people who taught them to us.
Suppose the writer's goal had been to write an essay explaining the biological mechanism by which fireflies produce light. Would this essay accomplish that goal?
- Yes, because it reports that scientists have explained why the fireflies flash in unison.
- Yes, because it describes the appearance of the fireflies' light in vivid sensory detail.
- No, because it is a personal reflection that touches on firefly science only in passing.
- No, because it centers on a firefly species that does not actually produce its own light.
Sign up free to see the explanation and track your rank →
More Enhanced ACT English practice
- The historian noted that the [past history] of the region was marked by frequent…
- Correct the following sentence to ensure logical modifier placement:
- DNA sequencing is the process of determining the precise… Should the writer add this…
- [Polished until it shone], the butler presented the silver… Identify the best version of…
- Identify the logical relationship to select the most appropriate transition:
- Yesterday, the talented young artist [draws] a stunning portrait of the mayor during the…
- Which choice provides the most effective conclusion by identifying the ultimate…
- Which choice provides the most logical conclusion by summarizing her legacy in science?
All English questions · Enhanced ACT study guide · Enhanced ACT glossary · Enhanced ACT flashcards