Since her older sister's _______ academic record had gained her admission to a highly respected college,
Martha became commensurately _______, hoping to secure admission a top-rated university.

• A. salutary . . diligent
• B. perfunctory . . hard-working
• C. impeccable . . studious
• D. exemplary . . optimistic
• E. laudable . . ambitious

One of the most intriguing stories of the Russian Revolution concerns the identity of Anastasia, the
youngest daughter of Czar Nicholas II. During his reign over Russia, the Czar had planned to revoke
many of the harsh laws established by previous czars. Some workers and peasants, however, clamored
for more rapid social reform. In 1918 a group of these people, known as Bolsheviks, overthrew the
government. On July 17 or 18, they murdered the Czar and what was thought to be his entire family.
Although witnesses vouched that all the members of the Czar's family had been executed, there were
rumors suggesting that Anastasia had survived. Over the years, a number of women claimed to be Grand
Duchess AnastasiA. Perhaps the best -known claimant was Anastasia Tschaikovsky, who was also
known as Anna Anderson. In 1920, eighteen months after the Czar's execution, this terrified young
woman was rescued from drowning in a Berlin river. She spent two years in a hospital, where she
attempted to reclaim her health and shattered mind. The doctors and nurses thought that she resembled
Anastasia and questioned heer about her background. She disclaimed any connection with the Czar's
family. Eight years later, though, she claimed that she was AnastasiA. She said that she had been
rescued by two Russian soldiers after the Czar and the rest of her family had been killed. Two brothers
named Tschaikovsky had carried her into RomaniA. She had married one of the brothers, who had taken
her to Berlin and left her there, penniless and without a vocation. Unable to invoke the aid of her mother's
family in Germany, she had tried to drown herself. During the next few years, scores of the Czar's
relatives, exservants, and acquaintances interviewed her. Many of these people said that her looks and
mannerisms were evocative of the Anastasia that they had known. Her grandmother and other relatives
denied that she was the real Anastasia, however. Tried of being accused of fraud, Anastasia immigrated
to the United States in 1928 and took the name Anna Anderson. She still wished to prove that she was
Anastasia, though, and returned to Germany in 1933 to bring suit against her mother's family. There she
declaimed to the court, asserting that she was indeed Anastasia and deserved her inheritance. In 1957,
the court decided that it could neither confirm nor deny Anastasia's identity. Although we will probably
never know whether this woman was the Grand Duchess Anastasia, her search to establish her identity
has been the subject of numerous books, plays, and movies.
Witnesses ___ that all members of the Czar's family had been executed.

• A. hoped
• B. answer not stated
• C. thought
• D. gave assurance
• E. convinced some

Human cells are programmed to selfdestruct at the same rate at which they are generated. However, the
programs can malfunction, resulting either in excessive cell growth, which can lead to cancer, or
excessive cell destruction, which can lead to degenerative diseases. As for the latter, using a tool called
RNA interference, researchers can turn off the functions of genes individually and, by observing the
results, determine which genes influence the process of cell death. Geneticists have isolated more than
one hundred different human genes that prevent cells from self-destructing. However, these genes
operate interdependently toward this end; moreover, most such genes serve other functions as well,
including cell differentiation and proliferation. Scientists are just beginning to identify the gene groups that
play key roles in the prevention of cell death and to understand the intricacies of how these groups
function, not just as units but also together, in what appears to be a vast network. Building on this
knowledge, researchers hope to learn how to precisely manipulate the process of cell death in humans-a
crucial step toward the development of diagnostics and treatments that target the specific diseases
associated with out-of-control cell destruction.
The author's primary concern in the passage is to

• A. provide hope that scientists will soon discover a cure for many degenerative diseases
• B. summarize the findings of recent scientific research on degenerative diseases
• C. describe the process of cell death and regeneration in the human body
• D. propose a theory to account for the increasing variety of degenerative diseases in humans
• E. explain the methodology by which researchers are learning how to control cell death

One of the most intriguing stories of the Russian Revolution concerns the identity of Anastasia, the
youngest daughter of Czar Nicholas II. During his reign over Russia, the Czar had planned to revoke
many of the harsh laws established by previous czars. Some workers and peasants, however, clamored
for more rapid social reform. In 1918 a group of these people, known as Bolsheviks, overthrew the
government. On July 17 or 18, they murdered the Czar and what was thought to be his entire family.
Although witnesses vouched that all the members of the Czar's family had been executed, there were
rumors suggesting that Anastasia had survived. Over the years, a number of women claimed to be Grand
Duchess AnastasiA. Perhaps the best -known claimant was Anastasia Tschaikovsky, who was also
known as Anna Anderson. In 1920, eighteen months after the Czar's execution, this terrified young
woman was rescued from drowning in a Berlin river. She spent two years in a hospital, where she
attempted to reclaim her health and shattered mind. The doctors and nurses thought that she resembled
Anastasia and questioned heer about her background. She disclaimed any connection with the Czar's
family. Eight years later, though, she claimed that she was AnastasiA. She said that she had been
rescued by two Russian soldiers after the Czar and the rest of her family had been killed. Two brothers
named Tschaikovsky had carried her into RomaniA. She had married one of the brothers, who had taken
her to Berlin and left her there, penniless and without a vocation. Unable to invoke the aid of her mother's
family in Germany, she had tried to drown herself. During the next few years, scores of the Czar's
relatives, exservants, and acquaintances interviewed her. Many of these people said that her looks and
mannerisms were evocative of the Anastasia that they had known. Her grandmother and other relatives
denied that she was the real Anastasia, however. Tried of being accused of fraud, Anastasia immigrated
to the United States in 1928 and took the name Anna Anderson. She still wished to prove that she was
Anastasia, though, and returned to Germany in 1933 to bring suit against her mother's family. There she
declaimed to the court, asserting that she was indeed Anastasia and deserved her inheritance. In 1957,
the court decided that it could neither confirm nor deny Anastasia's identity. Although we will probably
never know whether this woman was the Grand Duchess Anastasia, her search to establish her identity
has been the subject of numerous books, plays, and movies.
In court she ___ maintaining that she was Anastasia and deserved her inheritance.

• A. finally appeared
• B. answer not stated
• C. spoke forcefully
• D. gave evidence
• E. testified