06 February 2024

Daily practice questions for CLAT - (06 February 2024)



When Andrea pulled into the dirt lot by the orchards that adjoined the blueberry fields, she saw she’d timed their arrival just right. Where the farm workers normally parked their beat-up sedans and rusting pickups, the Volvos and Mercedes and Audis were lined up, a faint scrim of dust from the dirt drive on their hoods. Usually Andrea was embarrassed by her mother’s old Chrysler with its missing wood panel, but today she parked it among the luxury vehicles with a sense of vindication. “Nice rides,” said Matty, nodding appreciatively. “I told you. They own everything.” She gestured at the trees and at the sky, too, as if the Lowells actually did own the whole wide world. “Like three hundred acres. Practically this entire side of the river. Apples and pears and blueberries, too.” For several years, the blueberry industry in California had been expanding, and the Lowells had been early adopters. In honor of their eighth annual blueberry party, the field workers a few of whom Andrea had known her whole life had been given this Saturday off paid. “Wouldn’t want the guests in their pearls to have to pick alongside Mexicans.” She snorted, picturing the Lowells’ friends in their Brooks Brother’s chinos and silk skirts and strappy heeled sandals making their way down the rows. Matty shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind a paid day off.” “You’d have to have a job first,” said Andrea, and then glanced at him, worried she’d offended him. Andrea wished he’d shaved that wormy black mustache or had at least put on a button-down. But whatever, she reminded herself; she didn’t actually care what the Lowells thought. Technically, Andrea had been invited to this party. Rather, her parents had been invited. Technically. But she was certain that the Lowells didn’t actually expect them to come. After all, they’d never been invited before. This invitation—letterpress-printed on thick, soft paper had been a gesture of goodwill, and not even that, Andrea was sure, but something the Lowells had felt they had to do, given that her father would be there anyway, with his taco truck. The truck was a highlight of this year’s party, according to the invitation: “Tacos provided by our own Salvador Romero and his El Primo taco truck!” And there, instead of blueberries on sage-colored sprigs, was the truck itself: a festive little line drawing debossed in red and yellow. The taco truck was a recent acquisition. Andrea’s father had saved for four years, plotting, cobbling together loans (including a pretty substantial one from William Lowell), driving the family crazy with his exuberance. The truck would pay for itself, he said, would give him something to do.

Question1:- What is the main purpose of the first paragraph?
  • A. Describe Andrea’s lifestyle.
  • B. Explain the source of Andrea’s embarrassment.
  • C. Characterize the farm workers’ vehicles.
  • D. Contrast Andrea’s status with that of the other guests.
Answer is D is correct. This question asks about the main purpose of the first paragraph. The first paragraph describes Andrea’s arrival at the farm. In this paragraph, the author states that luxury cars are lined up where the farm workers normally parked their beat-up sedans and rusting pickups. The passage goes on to say that usually Andrea was embarrassed by her mother’s old Chrysler with its wood panel, but on this day she wasn’t. The passage thereby sets up a contrast between the car Andrea’s family owns and the cars that the other party guests own. Look for an answer that matches this prediction. Choice (A) mentions Andrea’s lifestyle. The only thing the first paragraph states about Andrea is that her family drives an old car and that she is not embarrassed to park it alongside luxury vehicles. Andrea’s lifestyle is not described, so eliminate (A). Choice (B) reverses information from the passage. The first paragraph states that while usually Andrea was embarrassed by her mother’s old Chrysler with its wood panel…today she parked it among the luxury vehicles with a sense of vindication. In other words, on this day she was not embarrassed. Choice (C) may be tempting because the farm workers’ beat-up sedans and rusting pickups are described in the passage. However, those vehicles themselves are not the main focus of the paragraph. Eliminate (C). Choice (D) matches the prediction. In contrasting the luxury vehicles with the vehicle that Andrea is driving, the first paragraph contrasts Andrea’s status with that of the other guests. The correct answer is (D).
Question2:- In the context of the conversation between Andrea and Matty, Andrea’s comments in lines (“I told . . . too”) mainly serve to
  • A. Suggest that the source of the Lowells’ wealth should offend Matty.
  • B. Emphasize to Matty the size of the Lowells’ property.
  • C. Show Matty the quality of the Lowells’ produce.
  • D. Inform Matty that Andrea plans to work for the Lowells.
Answer is B is correct. This question asks about the function of Andrea’s comments in lines 12-16. In these lines, Andrea is speaking to Matty. She tells Matty that the Lowells own everything…Like three hundred acres. Practically this entire side of the river. Apples and pears and blueberries, too. The purpose of these lines is to emphasize the scope of the Lowells’ property. Find an answer that matches this prediction. There is nothing in these lines to show that Andrea thinks Matty should be offended by the Lowells’ wealth, so eliminate (A). Choice (B) is a clear paraphrase of the prediction, so keep it. Andrea does mention the apples, pears, and blueberries in the lines, but she does not comment on the quality of the fruit. Eliminate (C). Choice (D) can be eliminated because it has nothing to do with the prediction. The correct answer is (B).
Question3:- As used in line from the third paragraph, “adopters” most nearly means
  • A. Embracers
  • B. Parents
  • C. Devices
  • D. Admirers
Answer is A is correct. This question asks what the word adopters most nearly means, as used in the third paragraph. Read the window, cross out the word adopters and replace it with another word or phrase that makes sense based on the context of the passage. Then, eliminate anything that does not match the prediction. In the paragraph prior to where the word adopters appear, Andrea states that the Lowells grow blueberries. In the paragraph in which the word adopters appears, the passage states that the blueberry industry in California had been expanding. The Lowells were part of this expanding blueberry industry. Look for an answer that means something like “people who join in.” The only choice that matches this prediction is (A), embracers. Choice (B), parents, may seem tempting, but this is a different definition of adopters from the one used in the context of this passage. Choice (C), devices, could match the word adapters, but not the word adopters. Choice (D), admirers, has nothing to do with joining an expanding blueberry industry. The correct answer is (A).
Question4:- The author uses the image of silk skirts and sandals (third paragraph) most likely to
  • A. Argue that the guests were impractical in their choice of attire.
  • B. Reinforce the idea that the guests wore fancier clothing than most people.
  • C. Highlight the differences between the guests and the usual workers.
  • D. Prove that the guests thought they were of a higher class than the field workers.
Answer is C is correct. This question asks why the author uses the image of silk skirts and sandals in lines from the last part of the third paragraph. The paragraph states that Andrea snorts, picturing the Lowells’ friends in their Brooks Brothers chinos and silk skirts and strappy heeled sandals making their way down the rows. The image reinforces the notion that the guests’ attire would be impractical for the job that the workers do every day. Find an answer that matches this prediction. Choice (A) might initially look attractive because their attire is inappropriate for picking blueberries, but they were invited to a party, not a workday. Eliminate (A). Choice (B) may seem tempting since the guests are wearing fancier clothes than the field workers. However, the inclusion of the word most makes this answer choice too general. There is no indication that the guests’ clothes were fancier than the clothes worn by most people. Choice (C) is a good paraphrase of the prediction, so keep it. Choice (D) can be eliminated because there is no indication of what the guests actually think. Andrea says what she thinks the guests believe, but there is nothing in the window about their actual thoughts. Additionally, the word prove makes the wording of this answer stronger than the wording of the text. The correct answer is (C).
Question5:- The narrator uses the word “exuberance” (in last paragraph) mainly to emphasize Andrea’s father’s
  • A. Humility
  • B. Courage
  • C. Optimism
  • D. Poverty
Answer is C is correct. This question asks what quality of Andrea’s father the word exuberance emphasizes. In the passage the word exuberance is used to describe how Andrea’s father feels about the taco truck. According to her father, the truck would pay for itself and would give him something to do. In other words, Andrea’s father has a positive feeling about the truck and its possibilities. Look at the answer choices to find an answer that matches this prediction. Neither (A) nor (D) match the prediction, as both of these answers have a negative connotation. Choice (B), courage, doesn’t match the prediction. There is no indication in the passage that buying the truck made Andrea’s father feel courageous. Choice (C), optimism, is the best match for the prediction. The correct answer is (C).