ACT READING PRACTICE TEST 1 221

READING TEST
35 Minutes—40 Questions

DIRECTIONS: This test includes four passages, each

followed by ten questions. Read each passage and
choose the best answer to each question. After you
have selected your answer, fill in the corresponding
bubble on your answer sheet. You should refer to the
passages as often as necessary when answering the
questions.

Passage I Jack coughed and continued, “He asked that you

LITERARY NARRATIVE: Painful Memories make the memorial arrangements.”
Fifteen years had passed since she’d seen her father Nina felt all of the blood rush from her head.
and five since she’d even heard from him. After what Gripping the kitchen table to steady herself, she asked,
he’d done to her mother, that suited Nina fine. Embar- 40 “Why?”
rassed to call him her father, she simply referred to him “I don’t know, Nina. He just—the cancer made him
5 as “Rick.” It helped her to ignore the biological ties she think a lot. He just said he wanted you to do the memorial
hated so much. After the death of her mother two years arrangements, and I promised him that I’d take care of it,”
ago, Nina thought she had abandoned her father’s Jack’s voice had become strong again.
memory altogether. That is, until the phone call came.
45 “Well, Jack, that’s your problem, not mine. I’m not
“I’m sorry to bother you, ma’am, but are you Nina doing anything for him.”
10 Sanders?” a barely audible voice whispered over the “Please, at least consider it. He was your father.”
phone.
“No, he wasn’t. At least, not for a long time.”
“What?” Nina asked. “I can’t hear you.”
“Nina, please. You were all he had. I mean, after
“I’m sorry.” He sounded contrite. “Are you Nina 50 you and your mother left ….”
Sanders?”
“Don’t you dare put blame on my mom and me! You
15 “Yes, I am. What can I do for you?” Nina turned to lean don’t even know us!” Nina could hear her voice rising in
against the kitchen table. Noticing a scuffmark on the anger.
floor, she began rubbing at it with her shoe.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to. I just ….” Jack paused
The voice grew louder. “I’m sorry to have to bother 55 a moment. “Nina, his life fell apart. You know that. But
you like this, Nina. My name is Jack VanSetten. I was a the man’s dead now. Can’t you give him a break? Please,
20 friend of your father’s, Rick Sanders.” Nina, do this one thing.” She could hear the pleading in
Nina looked up from the floor. “What does he want?” his quiet voice.
she asked, her voice becoming hard. “Why should I?” she asked.
“Well, it’s just … I know you two weren’t exactly 60  “There is no good reason, Nina, except that you have
close or. …” a chance to be the bigger person. Stop punishing him. I can
25  “That’s the understatement of the year,” Nina mut- help a little, but he asked for you.”
tered. She looked back down. The scuffmark had refused It was Jack’s turn to wait. Nina began chewing on
to budge. her thumbnail, a nervous habit she’d had for as long as
“What?” Jack asked. 65 she could remember. She didn’t want to do anything
for her father, even if he was dead, but for some reason
“Nothing.” Nina forced her voice back to neutral. she knew she had to. Maybe it was the grilled cheese, or
30 “So why are you calling me? I haven’t talked to the guy maybe it was the knotting in her stomach, but something
in five years, and frankly, I like it that way.” made her feel like she had no choice. She let the silence
“I understand, it’s just … Nina, he died yesterday.” 70 fill the line between them, then, finally, answered.
There was silence on the line. Nina’s stomach began
to turn. She felt the grilled cheese sandwich she’d had “Fine.”
35 for lunch begin to work its way up the back of her throat. “Fine?”

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 222 CHAPTER 15

“Yeah, fine.” 5. As depicted in the fifth paragraph, Nina’s fixation on the

“Thanks, Nina.” His relief was palpable. Nina hated scuffmark most strongly suggests that:
75 him for it. A. she was nervous about talking to Jack.
B. she was not focused on the phone call.
“Whatever,” she said, and then hung up the phone. C. she maintained a remarkably clean home.
Now, a week later, all Nina wanted to do was crawl D. she had been expecting this call for days.
into bed, pull the sheets over her head, and not come
out for days. Instead, she grabbed a spoon out of the
80 dishwasher and, plunging it into a carton of ice cream, 6. Which of the following statements about why Rick
let herself collapse on the living room couch. After fum- Sanders wanted Jack to call Nina is supported by the
bling around for the remote control, Nina flipped on passage?
the TV, not really watching it. Cradling the ice cream F. Rick’s illness led to a change of heart.
carton, she leaned her head against the couch and sighed G. Jack convinced Rick to reconcile with his daughter.
85 heavily. The funeral had been awful, but at least now H. Jack and Nina had lost touch over the past ten years.
it was over. Nina’s body became still as she sadly J. Nina recently had been trying to contact Rick.
muttered three short words, “My father’s dead.”

7. According to the passage, Nina responded to the news of

1. Which of the following best describes the structure of her father’s death with:
the passage? A. profound grief.
A. A dialogue between two people attempting to deal B. heartless indifference.
with an unsettling situation. C. shock and apprehension.
B. An account of the narrator’s relationship with her D. joy and relief.
father, revealed through their conversations.
C. A character sketch of two people as related by a
narrator who knows them both well. 8. Details in lines 41–44 most strongly suggest that Jack:
D. A detailed narration of the dynamics that exist F. does not care what Nina decides.
between the narrator and certain members of her G. thinks that Nina is being selfish.
family. H. believes that Rick and Nina were close.
J. wants to honor his promise to Rick.
2. It can be reasonably inferred from the beginning of the
passage that Nina views Rick as:
F. her loving father. 9. Which of the following statements most nearly captures
G. a close family friend. the sentiment behind the comment “Nina hated him for it”
H. just another individual. (lines 74–75)?
J. an acquaintance of her father. A. Nina was offended by what Jack had said about her
father.
3. The passage states that, prior to the phone call, Nina had B. Nina was relieved by Jack’s answer.
done which of the following with the memory of her C. Nina did not want the responsibility thrust upon her
father? by Jack.
A. Abandoned it altogether D. Nina felt as though she had been exploited by Jack.
B. Recalled it fondly
C. Escaped it completely
D. Cherished it dearly 10. It can be reasonably inferred from the last paragraph
(lines 77–87) that Nina:
4. In line 13, the passage states that the man on the phone F. ultimately wished that she had refused to make the
sounded “contrite,” which most nearly means that the memorial arrangements.
man was: G. ultimately felt grief in response to the death of her
F. patiently tolerant. father.
G. quietly difficult. H. does not deal well with death in general.
H. sincerely apologetic. J. had spent weeks pretending that her father was still
J. especially pensive. alive.

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 ACT READING PRACTICE TEST 1 223

Passage II to have influence as a subunit. In other words, as a

SOCIAL SCIENCE: Federalism: Protector of Freedom 60 subunit, even a small state can gain limited autonomy
by having a voice in the central government.
Federalism has evolved dramatically since its
roots in the writings of Calvinist philosopher Johannes Federalism can also protect minorities and individu-
Althusius (1557–1630). Nevertheless, proponents of fed- als against injustice from their local governing bodies
eralism continue to believe that governing authority is or from the central government itself. The center has
5 best when it is divided between a central governing body 65 the authority to check the power of its subunits and
and semi-autonomous subunits. In modern federal intervene when necessary. In theory, the center will
societies, the powers and authority granted to the sub- protect all of its citizens from any subunit injustice, as
units and central body vary greatly. In general, however, was the case with the American civil rights movement.
the center is responsible for defending its subunits and In turn, the subunits can band together to protest any
10 creating a national foreign policy. It also serves to cre- 70 injustice done by the central governing body. In the case
ate a cohesive, though not restrictive, domestic policy. that minorities are not powerful enough to influence
central government directly, they are likely to have
In practice, federal power is constitutionally influence through their subunit governments. Ideally,
divided between two or more territorial levels of gov- broad political participation keeps the system fair for
ernment, such as state and county. The different levels 75 all citizens.
15 of government have some absolute authority and can
act independently in certain areas of governing, though Federalism does more than protect freedoms and
they must cede power in other areas. A useful example democracy. It can also promote economic prosperity.
is the United States of America, which comprises fifty Normally, federal states have freer trade among them-
states and assorted territories, each with their own set of selves than they would have as completely independent
20 legal codes, united under one central government with 80 states. Small states can band together and create larger
an overarching set of laws. Americans must follow and more prosperous economies by sharing and trad-
the laws of both their state and federal governments, ing natural resources. Finally, federalist states can also
while the governments themselves have the responsibility use their unity to bargain with otherwise larger and
to avoid overt conflict within those laws. Sometimes, as more powerful nations. In theory, all of this promotes
25 is the case with euthanasia or medical marijuana, con- 85 economic competitiveness in an increasingly global
flicts still occur. Resolution is left to the courts of law. economy. In practice, one can see the need to be eco-
Federalism differs fundamentally from other types of nomically competitive as the underlying impetus for the
government, such as France’s essentially single level of creation of the European Union.
authority. While France has regional departments, the
30 country is heavily centralized in its daily governance
11. According to the passage, the conclusion made about the
and the departments cannot set their own regional laws.
limited autonomy gained by a small state was based on:
Federalism is not, therefore, a prerequisite for successful
A. Michigan’s desire to gain control over Ohio during
government; nevertheless, properly executed federalism
the Ohio-Michigan War.
can result in an improved quality of life for all citizens.
B. Ohio’s ability to influence federal policy to protect its
35 Proponents of federalism have promoted the idea own interests.
that federalism protects liberty and freedom. It is C. Michigan’s admission to the Union.
certainly true that states can avert foreign threats and D. Ohio’s economic competitiveness in an increasingly
prevent war by joining together and becoming powerful global economy.
enough to discourage enemies from attacking them. This
40 was a strong incentive for the original thirteen American
colonies. In addition, federalism can prevent conflict and 12. The main idea of the first paragraph is that the success of
aggression among the states themselves. A good example federalism stems from:
of this occurred in the early nineteenth century border F. the ability of the federal government to create a
dispute between the state of Ohio and the then-territory restrictive domestic policy.
45 of Michigan. The dispute, known as the Toledo War (or G. the absolute freedom of state governments on issues
Ohio-Michigan War), arose when the governments of within their borders.
Ohio and Michigan both claimed sovereignty over a thin H. the division of power between a central authority and
strip of land along their mutual border. When Michigan several smaller groups.
included the strip in its application for statehood, Ohio’s J. the concentration, at the state level, of foreign policy
50 Congressional delegation was able to halt Michigan’s decisions.
admission to the Union. Both sides then raised militia
and placed troops along the disputed border. The federal
government was able to broker a successful compromise 13. The author cites all of the following as positive aspects of
that avoided armed conflict and allowed Michigan to federalism EXCEPT:
55 join the United States peaceably. As Ohio was able to A. duplication of various legal codes.
effectively influence federal policy to protect its own B. reduction of conflict between the states.
interests, this example further shows how federalism C. promotion of economic prosperity.
allows formerly sovereign governments of small states D. defense of minority rights and freedoms.

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 224 CHAPTER 15

14. The author calls the interactions between a central 18. The author calls the American civil rights movement an
governing body and semi-autonomous subunits: example of:
F. economically unsound. F. the subunits protecting the citizens.
G. supportive of cohesive domestic policy. G. the subunits protecting each other.
H. disruptive of national foreign policy. H. the center protecting the citizens.
J. politically unjust. J. the center protecting the subunits.

15. Which of the following is NOT listed in the passage as

a development in the Toledo War?
A. Michigan and Ohio placed militia along the disputed
border.
B. Michigan claimed the land in its application for 19. The author claims that which of the following will keep
statehood. the system fair for all parties?
C. Ohio ceded the entire strip of land to Michigan. A. Economic isolation
D. Ohio’s congressional delegation halted Michigan’s B. Completely independent states
statehood. C. Retention of natural resources
D. Broad political participation
16. As it is used in line 26, the word resolution most nearly
means:
F. clarity.
G. opinion.
H. reduction.
J. decision.
20. The author uses the remark “one can see the need to be
economically competitive as the underlying impetus
17. By the statement in line 32, the author most nearly means for the creation of the European Union” (lines 86–88)
that France: primarily as an example of:
A. is an example of quality government without the F. the failure of other schools of thought to address the
separation of powers. problems presented by international trade.
B. should be emulated despite the lack of regional G. the ability of federalism to respond to a changing
autonomy. global economy.
C. will eventually adopt federalism as its primary form H. the potential weakness of federalism when faced with
of government. a unification of national subunits.
D. would gain greater international respect by switching J. the application of various principles of federalism so
to federalism. as to ensure mutual defense.

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 ACT READING PRACTICE TEST 1 225

Passage III discover what women most desire. The simple answer,
HUMANITIES: The Canterbury Tales: Opinions on gender and he learns, is maistrie, or authority, over their husbands.
marriage 60 But in Chaucer nothing is simple. When the knight is at
last convinced to give maistrie to his own wife, she
Geoffrey Chaucer was one of the most success- surprises him by promising to be obedient, faithful, and
ful poets of the fourteenth century and one of the few loving. The dichotomy of power, of male versus female,
medieval authors whose influence extends to the pop- is destroyed in the act of surrender.
ular culture of today. Chaucer’s most renowned work
65 Is this Chaucer’s recipe for social harmony, or is it
5 is unquestionably The Canterbury Tales, a collection
merely wish fulfillment on the part of the Wife herself?
of short stories linked together by a pilgrimage from
Literary scholars have desperately tried to discover
London to the holy site at Canterbury, England. The pil-
Chaucer’s own views of marriage and society through his
grimage was very popular in Chaucer’s day and allowed
characters. Their pursuit, often as tangled as Chaucer’s
the author to bring together a few dozen characters from
70 own narrative, allows us to consider yet again the
10 various social classes and walks of life. Some of the
questions Chaucer asks of us.
characters, like the Host, Harry Bailly, are based on
real people. Others, like the Parson, are little more than
archetypes. The poem itself is unfinished and contains 21. Which of the following statements best expresses the
several inconsistencies that reflect the need for further main idea of the passage?
15 revision. Still, The Canterbury Tales remains popular A. The mix of interesting characters and events in
because of its vivid characters and fascinating vignettes. the Canterbury Tales serves as a lasting legacy for
Among these stories, The Wife of Bath has stood out English poet Geoffrey Chaucer.
as the most controversial and interesting of them all. B. Analyzing the Wife of Bath’s prologue and tale has
Medieval scholars have tirelessly studied The Wife of allowed scholars to definitively understand Chau-
20 Bath in order to capture the main character’s meaning. cer’s opinions on marriage.
Upon first reading, the main character—Alyson, C.  The Wife of Bath is an incredibly interesting
the Wife—appears to embody the very fears of medieval character who continues to be a topic of scholarly
clerical misogyny, or, by the same acts, to be a true discussion.
representation of a stereotypic feminist. Alyson insists D. The prologue of the Wife of Bath’s tale was a shock-
25 on speaking her mind (loudly), rejecting the negative ing feminist critique of society, written centuries
opinions and sexual constraints traditionally placed upon ahead of its time.
women. She is lewd, and has the audacity to use The Bible 22. The passage suggests that Chaucer’s most important con-
to attack clerical arguments from The Bible dealing with tributions to literature were his:
chastity and virginity. In the Middle Ages, a preaching F. simple narratives revealing the inconsistencies of
30 woman could be considered heretical and burned at the human nature.
stake. With this in mind, the Wife may have a good reason G. innovative writing techniques, used to relate histori-
for keeping her sense of humor. cal fiction.
And she does have a sense of humor. Alyson is well H. easily reproduced theatrical manuscripts and creative
aware of her own failings, even as she defends those subject matter.
35 faults to the company. As for her verbosity, the Wife J. dynamic characters and memorable vignettes, used to
says she can’t help it: all women talk too much. For present social commentary.
proof, she later cites the famous story of King Midas, who 23. One of the main points of the last paragraph is that
was given ass’s ears as punishment by the god, Apollo. through his writing, Chaucer attempted to promote in his
Midas, she says, told his misfortune to his wife, who, readers a sense of:
40 afraid she would burst from keeping the secret, A. mystery.
whispered it to the banks of a river where it spread over B. nostalgia.
the country. The Wife tells her listeners they can read C. respect.
the rest in Ovid. But here is where the Wife’s account D. trust.
diverges. In Ovid, Midas trusts his secret to his barber,
24. The author states that the pilgrimage allowed Chaucer to
45 a man. It is a man who cannot keep the secret safe, who
bring together all of the following EXCEPT:
talks too much. Moreover, Midas has received the ass’s
F. caricatures of real people.
ears because he was unable to listen wisely. Chaucer
G. successful poets of the fourteenth century.
doesn’t tell us if we should believe that Alyson is an igno-
H. archetypal characterizations.
rant illiterate who doesn’t know her Ovid, or if she is subtly
J. characters of differing social classes.
50 tweaking the critics who think men are inherently supe-
rior to women. 25. The author most likely includes the information in lines
Dovetailing neatly with the themes of her pro- 47–51 to suggest:
logue is the story Alyson tells her fellow pilgrims. In A. the Wife’s ignorance and lack of proper education.
many ways, it is a traditional Arthurian romance. The B. the many interpretations of certain aspects of The
55 protagonist of the story, a young knight, commits an Canterbury Tales.
assault. In order to save himself from capital pun- C. Chaucer’s inability to retell mythological history.
ishment, he is allowed to go on a one-year quest to D. Chaucer’s exceptional skill in misdirection.

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 226 CHAPTER 15

26. According to the passage, the fact that The Canterbury 28. As it is used in line 35, the word verbosity most nearly
Tales had several inconsistencies reflected: means:
F. Chaucer’s inexperience at writing a collection of F. excessive speech.
stories. G. unnecessary volume.
G. an intentional attempt by the author to be vague and H. polite brevity.
mysterious. J. refined voice.
H. the unfinished state of the piece and a need for
revision.
J. a lack of depth, and characters who changed their 29. According to the passage, which of the following was the
stories frequently. wife of Midas afraid of?
A. Failing to spread the secret
B. Listening to the god Apollo
C. Lying to her husband
D. Telling the secret

30. Which of the following words best describes how the

27. The second paragraph (lines 21–32) establishes all of the knight referred to in the fourth paragraph (lines 52–64)
following about the Wife EXCEPT: most likely feels when his wife surrenders to him?
A. she is in favor of accepted clerical viewpoints. F. Optimistic
B. she is in favor of women’s sexual freedom. G. Frustrated
C. she is considerably vulgar. H. Virtuous
D. she is incredibly opinionated. J. Complete

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 ACT READING PRACTICE TEST 1 227

Passage IV Belt, which is a group of substantial comets at the edge

NATURAL SCIENCE: The following passages discuss different of the solar system. Kuiper belt, scattered disk, and Oort
points of view regarding Pluto’s status as a planet. cloud objects together comprise the large trans-Neptunian
50 objects, which are the least understood celestial bodies in
the solar system. As such, much care must be taken in the
Passage A
classification of phenomena in distant orbits of the sun.
Until recently, Pluto has been considered a planet. Most
Calling Pluto a planet—on par with the other eight planets
astronomers now argue that it is more accurately catego-
in our solar system—is an ideal example of jumping to
rized as an asteroid or comet. However, some evidence
55 unfounded conclusions because of erroneous or incom-
remains to suggest that Pluto was prematurely stripped
plete science.
5 of its planetary status.
First, Pluto is composed of icy material, as are the
The solar system’s asteroid belt is a remnant of the
comets in the Kuiper Belt, while the other planets of the
proplyd, or protoplanetary disk, that preceded the plan-
solar system are either rocky or gaseous. Mercury, Venus,
ets. Gravitational interference by Jupiter prevented some
60 Earth, and Mars are small, rocky, and near the sun. Jupiter,
material from consolidating in the process that created the
Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are larger, gaseous, and more
10 planets. Included in the leftover material are asteroids—
distant from the sun. As a small, solid body farthest from
solid objects much smaller than any planet—with masses
the sun, Pluto seems to violate the natural order obeyed by
that vary considerably. The largest of the known aster-
the eight true planets.
oids are found in the main asteroid belt between the orbits
65 Likewise, the discovery of trans-Neptunian object
of Mars and Jupiter, and not at the fringe of the inner
(TNO) 2003 UB313, which is similar in composition and
15 solar system where Pluto resides.
orbit to Pluto, shows Pluto is unlike the other planets. This
Another example of non-planetary objects, comets,
celestial body, which orbits the sun beyond Neptune, is
are thought to originate in the Oort cloud, a massive area
even more massive than Pluto. Contemporary observa-
of comet nuclei occupying the outer reaches of the solar
70 tions show that Pluto is much too small to be a planet. It
system. It is theorized to have formed following the col-
is less than half the diameter of the next smallest planet,
20 lapse of the original nebula that formed the sun five bil-
Mercury. Seven moons, including Earth’s, are larger than
lion years ago. According to the hypothesis, comet nuclei
Pluto. The body is so small, in fact, that all of its own
are stable at the outer reaches of the solar system until
moons have likely yet to be discovered. The latest two
interaction with planetary gravitation—usually Pluto’s—
75 were found in 2005, and only after reexamining Hubble
causes a comet to enter a highly elliptical orbit around
Space Telescope imagery from 2002 and 2003 in which
25 the sun. As a comet nears the sun, a tail becomes visible
the moons were overlooked.
as light reflects off the trail of ice particles and dust it
Finally, the eccentricity of Pluto’s orbit indicates that
leaves behind. Several passes through the solar system
it is not a planet. While commonly considered the ninth
destroy the comet, which is replaced by another of the
80 planet, for 20 years of its 249-year orbit, Pluto is actually
billions of comets orbiting in the Oort cloud. Pluto shows
closer to the sun than is Neptune, placing it in eighth posi-
30 no tail at any point in its circuit.
tion. More than 70 Kuiper Belt comets share this irregular
Additionally, with a diameter of more than 1,400
orbit, proving Pluto is more similar to them than to proper
miles, Pluto is almost 1,000 times larger than an average
planets.
comet and more than twice the size of 1 Ceres, the larg-
est of the asteroids, which comprises nearly a third of the
35 total mass of the asteroid belt. Questions 31–34 ask about Passage A.
A planet can be described as a non-moon, sun-
orbiting object that does not generate energy through 31. Lines 21–30 suggest that, for defenders of Pluto’s plan-
nuclear fusion and is large enough to be pulled into a etary status, “a highly elliptical orbit” and “a tail” are held
spherical shape by its own gravity. Pluto is not a moon, to be:
40 as it does not orbit another planet. Although Pluto’s A. mutually exclusive.
orbital path is irregular compared to the other planets of B. crucial comet features.
the solar system, it undisputedly orbits the sun. Even by C. unpredictably variable.
D. essential planet attributes.
strict definition alone, Pluto is a planet, and assuredly not
an asteroid or a comet.
32. In line 30, “circuit” most nearly means:
F. mass.
Passage B G. current.
45 In 2006, Pluto was demoted from a planet to a “dwarf H. ice particle.
planet.” It is now considered a member of the Kuiper J. cyclic motion.

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 228 CHAPTER 15

33. In Passage A, all of the following are referred to as evi- 37. Which research outcome would best illustrate the argument
dence of Pluto’s planetary status EXCEPT the: made in Passage B?
A. existence of moons orbiting Pluto. A. Detailed analysis of Pluto’s orbit reveals that it is
B. orbit of Pluto exclusively around the sun. gradually becoming round.
C. visible tail of dust and ice, which Pluto does not have. B. A moon that is much larger than Pluto is found orbit-
D. size of Pluto compared with that of comets and ing one of the eight proper planets.
asteroids. C. Pluto’s gravitation perturbs the orbit of comets more
significantly than previously believed.
D. Telescope surveys of the Oort cloud reveal that trans-
34. The author of Passage A considers Pluto’s size (lines 32–35) Neptunian objects do not reach the size of Pluto.
as evidence for it being a planet because:
F. planets vary greatly by mass.
G. it is significantly larger than any known asteroid. Questions 38–40 ask about both passages.
H. its gravitation destroys the orbit of Oort cloud comets.
J. very few large comets and asteroids have been
discovered. 38. Both authors agree that Pluto:
F. is not composed of icy material.
G. has an irregular orbit around the sun.
Questions 35–37 ask about Passage B. H. is too massive to be considered a comet.
J. fails to meet the criteria required to be considered a
planet.
35. In context, “substantial” (line 47) most nearly means:
A. large.
B. valid. 39. Passage A and Passage B share a general tone of:
C. durable. A. open hostility.
D. corporeal. B. analytical neutrality.
C. unflinching certitude.
D. affectionate nostalgia.
36. Which statement about Pluto, if true, would most directly
support the view described in lines 69–74?
F. Pluto shares many characteristics of the inner, rocky 40. The information in Passage B contradicts which assump-
planets of the solar system. tion about Pluto as described in Passage A?
G. Pluto’s size is much closer to that of the celestial bod- F. Its small size does not preclude it from being a planet.
ies found in the Kuiper Belt. G. Its icy composition reveals it is more like a comet
H. A planet discovered between Pluto and Neptune than a planet.
would be similar to Pluto but have a stable, circular H. The discovery of additional moons would support
orbit. Pluto’s planetary status.
J. An analysis of Pluto’s composition is unlikely to J. It has a highly elliptical orbit like that of comets pass-
make a distinction between ice and certain types of ing through the inner solar system.
rock.

END OF THE READING TEST

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