6/14 Reading Comp Passage A

The phrase "with the unreasonable petulance of mankind" (line 4) emphasizes the narrator's

• frustration with himself for missing sleep

• irritation about not finding his breakfast ready

• concern regarding the pencil mark on the newspaper

• impatience with Sherlock Holmes' silence

How do the words "logician" (line 9), "deduction" (lines 12, 36, and 59), and "analysis" (line 12) advance the author's purpose?

• by indicating the relationship between science and art

• by suggesting the reasons why private inquiry agencies seek outside help

• by highlighting the complexity of the crimes encountered by Sherlock Holmes

• by emphasizing the systematic nature of Sherlock Holmes' approach to solving crimes

What is the effect of withholding the identity of Sherlock Holmes as the author of the article (lines 9 through 34)?

• It creates a somber mood.

• It foreshadows an unwelcome turn of events.

• It allows the reader to learn the narrator's true feelings.

• It leads the reader to misunderstand who the writer is.

In this passage, the conversation between Holmes and the narrator (lines 23 through 38) serves to

• reinforce the narrator's appreciation for deduction

• establish a friendship between the narrator and Holmes

• reveal how Holmes makes his living

• expose some of Holmes' misdeeds

As used in line 37, the word "chimerical" most nearly means

• unfair

• unrealistic

• aggravating

• contradictory

Which analysis is best supported by the details in lines 43 through 55 of the text?

• Private detectives base their analyses on an understanding of human nature.

• Sherlock Holmes' association with other well-known detectives improves his crime-solving abilities.

• Government detectives are mostly ineffective at solving complicated crimes.

• Sherlock Holmes' intuition relies on his ability to detect similarities among various crimes.

Which quotation best reflects a central theme in the text?

• "So all life is a great chain, the nature of which is known whenever we are shown a single link of it" (lines 10 & 11)

• "What ineffable twaddle...I never read such rubbish in my life" (lines 23 & 24)

• "They are all people who are in trouble about something, and want a little enlightening" (lines 50 & 51)

• "Now and again a case turns up which is a little more complex" (lines 56 & 57)

The narrator views the arrival of the messenger as "an opportunity of taking the conceit out of him" (line 87) because the narrator wishes to

• challenge Holmes' theories of deduction

• stress the importance of self-confidence

• reveal Holmes' true intentions

• practice his own deductive abilities

The author's description of the conversation between the narrator and the retired sergeant in lines 88 through 92 serves mostly to

• develop a character

• create a flashback

• establish a comparison

• resolve a conflict

The conversation with the retired sergeant (lines 89 through 91) leaves the narrator with a sense of

• astonishment

• confusion

• pleasure

• distrust