CSET English Subtest I practice test

Read the line: "Her smile was a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day." This line is an example of which figurative device?

Read the excerpt: "Though the soldiers won the battle, they returned home to empty houses and silent streets. Victory, they realized, had cost them everything they had fought to protect." Which theme is best supported by this excerpt?

Read the excerpt: "The autumn light fell gently over the quiet field. There was no hurry now, only the slow turning of the seasons and the soft rustle of leaves underfoot." Which word best describes the tone of this passage?

Read the excerpt: "I never expected the letter to arrive that morning. My hands trembled as I tore open the envelope, afraid of what I might read inside." From which point of view is this passage written?

Read the excerpt: "Daniel slipped the extra coins back into the cashier's tray without a word and quietly returned to his place in line." The author characterizes Daniel primarily through:

Read the line: "The silent slithering serpent slipped silently away." Which sound device is most prominent in this line?

Read the excerpt: "As the old clock on the mantle finally stopped ticking, the family sat in silence, sensing that an era had ended with it." In this passage, the stopped clock most likely symbolizes:

A fire station burns to the ground while all of its firefighters are away responding to another call. This situation is best described as an example of:

A writer chooses to describe a character as "thrifty" rather than "cheap." This choice of word reflects a difference in:

A 14-line poem written in iambic pentameter with a structured rhyme scheme and a final rhyming couplet is best identified as a:

Read the excerpt: "Thunder rolled in the distance as the abandoned house loomed against the darkening sky. A loose shutter banged against the wall, and the air grew cold." The mood created in this passage is best described as:

In a story, a character struggles to decide whether to tell the truth and face punishment or stay silent and protect herself. This struggle is best classified as which type of conflict?

Read the line: "The ripe peaches glowed gold in the basket, their sweet scent drifting through the warm kitchen." This line appeals primarily to which senses?

A modern short story describes a character's overwhelming pride leading to his downfall and refers to him as having flown "too close to the sun." This phrase is an allusion to:

Read the sentence from a speech: "We will not falter, we will not waver, and we will not surrender." Which rhetorical device is most clearly used?

Read the lines: "The sun also rises, / and the day breaks anew, / soft light over hills." Counting syllables, this three-line poem follows the form of a:

Read the excerpt from an essay: "Consider the bee. Without it, our orchards would fall silent and our tables would grow bare. We must act now to protect these vital pollinators." The author's primary purpose in this excerpt is to:

Read the line: "The classroom was a zoo during the last hour before vacation." This line uses which figurative device?

Read the excerpt: "Although Marcus claimed he was not nervous, his voice cracked, and he wiped his palms repeatedly on his jeans." Which conclusion is best supported by the textual evidence?