DIRECTIONS: The passage in this test is followed by several questions. After reading the passage, choose the best answer to each question and fill in the corresponding oval on your answer document. You may refer to the passage as often as necessary.

This passage is adapted from the article “The Lost Art: Cursive” by Katie Zezima(©2013 by Reader’s Digest, Inc.).

  1. The main point of this passage is to:

A.illustrate the importance of cursive writing in our society.

B. illustrate the importance of preservinghigher education in our society.

C.indicate the great need for a 21st century skills.

D.compare the latest research on printing and cursive writing.

  1. As it is used in line7, the wordsinuous most nearly means:

F.lithe

G.legible

H.complicated

J.winding

  1. When the author refers to the loss of “a connection to archival material” (lines 20–23), she is most likely suggesting that not learning cursive causes Americanstudents to:

A.avoid going to the library to do research.

B.disconnect from a part of their history and culture.

C.misunderstandthe wording of political documents.

D.originateradical viewpoints of history.

  1. When she cites the example of Alex Heck in lines 24-27, the author is most nearly illustrating her point that:

A.printing in personal writing is preferred for communication.

B.journal writing is primarily done in cursive.

C.personal connections to our family may suffer for our lack of knowledge

D.even 22-year-old students cannot understand cursive.

  1. According to the passage, children who cannot write in cursive may have difficulty in

F.becoming better writers.

G. determining the instructions of their teachers.

H.developing their small motor skills.

J. restoring historical American documents.

  1. Which of the following would the author of the passage be LEAST likely to recommend as a way to strengthen the case for cursive writing in schools?

A.Proving that cursive is easier to learn than printing.

B.Demonstrating the need for signatures on college entrance exams.

C. Citing the loss of personal and national historical connections.

D. Encouraging schools to develop the students’ 21st century skills

  1. The title of the article and the last sentence of the article suggests that the loss of the cursive writing is

F.largely associated with artistic and creative development.

G. already happening without any effort to stop it.

H.possesses importance only to those who want to be creative.

J.overcomes challenges for less academically-minded students.