PARCC Practice Test: "The Sinews of Peace"

Question #12:  Part A
Which phrase best states Churchill's purpose in using personification to characterize Russia in paragraph 1?

• to emphasize the severity of the challenges confronting the nation
• to convey his attitude toward the recent actions of th enation
• to show his sympathy toward the nation and its interests
• to suggest the factors that led to the current state of the nation

Question #12: Part B
In which quote from elsewhere in the passage does Churchill use the same technique for a similar purpose?

• "Athens alone - Greece with its immortal glories - is free to decide its future at an election under British, America and French observation." (paragraph 2)
• "the Russian-dominated Polish Government has been encouraged to make enormous and wrongful inroads upon Germany, and mass expulsions of millions of Germans on a scale grievous and undreamed of are now taking place."
• "An attempt is beign made by the Russians in Berlin to build up a quasi-Communist party in their zone of Occupied Germany by showing special favours to groups of left-wing German leaders.
• "At the end of the fitghting last June, the American and British Armies withdrew westwards, in accordance with an earlier agreement, to a depth at some points of 150 miles upon a front of nearly four hundred miles, in order to allow our Ruassian allies to occupy this vast expanse of territory which the Western Democracies had conquered."  (paragraph 3)

Question #13:  Part A
What is the meaning of the word totalitarian as ti is used in paragraph 2 of the passage fro the speech?

• disciplined
• calculating
• extraordinary
• absolute

Question #13: Part B
Which phrase from paragraph 2 best clarifies the meaning of totalitarian?

• "...which were very small..."
• "...these Eastern States of Europe..."
• "...pre-eminence and power..."
• "...seeking everywhere..."

Question #14; Part A
How does Churchill use references to the United States of America in paragraph 5 to advance his argument?

• Using the United States as an example, Churchill provides a model for the behavior of the European nations.
• By listing American sacrifices, Churchill makes a plea for similar sacrifices from other governments.
• By highlighting American involvement in world wars, Churchill emphasizes to American that their nation is affected by the situation he describes.
• Describing the power of the United States, Churchill threatens other countries with military action.

Question #14: Part B
Which sentence form paragraph 5 supports the answer to Part A?

• "The safety of the world, ladies and gentlemen, requires a new unity in Europe, from which no nation should be permanently outcast".
• "It is from the quarrels of the strong parent races in Europe tha the world wars we have witnessed, or which occurred in former times, have sprung."
• "Twice the United States has had to send several millions of its young men across the Atlantic to find the war; but now war can dinf any nation, wherever it may dwell, between dusk and dawn."
• "That I feel is a - opens a course of policy of very great importance."

Question #15: Part A
What is Churchill's primary purpose in his speech?

• to express his admiration for those who sacrificed so much in recent world events
• to present an objective assessment of a problem and to convince his listeners that they have exaggerated its severity
• to convey his perception of a growing threat and to suggest a course of action
• to describe a widely held attitude and to demonstrate why he believes it is mistaken

Question #15: Part B
Which sentence from the passage from the speech provides the best support for the answer to Part A?

• "We understand the Russian need to be secure on her western frontiers by the removal of all possibility of German aggression."  (paragraph 1)
• "At the end of the fighting last June, the American and British Armies withdrew westwards, in accordance with an earlier agreement, to a depth at some point of 150 miles upon a front of nearly four hundred miles, in order to allow our russian allies to occupy this vast expanse of territory which the Western Democracies had conquered." (paragraph 3)
• "It is from the the quarrles of the strong parent races in Europe that the world wars we have witnessed, or which occurred in former times have sprung."  (paragraph 5)
• "Surely we should work wit conscious purpose for a grand pacification of Europe, within the structure of the Untied Nations and in accordance with our Charter."  (paragraph 5)

Question #16: Part A
How does Churchill build his claim that the countries of Europe should share a democratic ideology?

• by contrasting the actions of Russia as an ally during World War II wit the actions of Soviet Russia after the war
• by comparing the Russian Expansion to the tyranny of German during World War II
• by using figurative language to exaggerate the roles of the United States, European nations, and Soviet Russia
• by proposing an alliance with Russia that would help protect all nations from further aggression

Question #16: Part B
Which statement form the passage from the speech best supports the answer in Part A?

• "A shadow has fallen upon the scenes so lately lighted by the Allied victory." (paragraph 1)
• "Above all, we welcome, or should welcome, constant, frequent and growing contacts between the Russian people and our own peoples on both sides of the Atlantic." (paragraph 1)
• "Turkey and Persia are both profoundly alarmed and disturbed at the claims wihc are beign made uon them and at the pressure beign exerted by the Moscow Government."  (paragraph 3)
• "Whatever conclusions may be drawn form these facts - and facts they are - this is certainly nto the Liberated Europe we fought to build up." (paragraph 4)