ACT WorkKeys Sample Questions - Question List

26. The Coral Reefs of the Caribbean
Visualize being submerged in the most (1) absolute silence to contemplate the majestic coral reefs. In the Caribbean Sea there are more than 16 thousand square miles (26 thousand square kilometers) of reefs, also known as “tropical rainforests of the sea” because of their immense biodiversity. Their extravagant, intense colors provide the ideal ecosystem for the over four thousand species of fish and thousands of species of plants that are found there.
Our lives, too, depend on these (2) formations: the coral reefs of the Caribbean protect the coasts of Florida and the Caribbean nations from hurricanes. Their enormous structures weaken the force of the storms before they arrive to the coasts, acting as natural barriers. They also protect beaches from erosion and are a refuge for many species of (3) endangered animals.
In the far eastern periphery of Cuba, the María la Gorda reef stands out from the others. In this highly protected zone, there are more than 20 species of corals that form (4) subterranean “mountain ranges”, caves, and tunnels.
Unfortunately, the reefs in the Caribbean are in danger due to acts of destruction. Coastal construction and water pollution cause the water to cloud, which in turn takes away the light that the coral needs to survive. Other enemies to the coral are uncontrolled fishing, (5) excessive tourism, and the collecting of coral by scuba divers. Some experts say that 70% of the coral will disappear in some 40 years. If you are lucky enough to visit these coral reefs, please protect them. Their future depends on us.



The word “formations”, bolded after the (2) in the second paragraph, on the first line of the second paragraph refers to

27. A department store sells sweaters for $90. During a promotion, the sweaters are marked down 15%. What is the sale price of the sweaters?

28. What is 5/12?

29. Immigration Laws in the U.S.
The “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act” is a law that was introduced in the state of Arizona in 2010. This law is similar to the existing federal (1) legislation that requires all aliens, or U.S. non-citizens, over 14 years old, who stay in the U.S. for more than 30 days, to register with the U.S. government. An (2) alien must also carry his/her registration documents with him/her at all times. In addition to the existing federal law, Arizona made it a requirement that its state’s law enforcement officers make an attempt to identify an individual’s immigration status during detention, arrest, or a “lawful contact”. The term “lawful contact” refers to an officer’s obligation to approach someone that he or she believes is an illegal immigrant.
The “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act”, also known as Arizona Senate Bill (SB) 1070, has caused national and international (3) controversy on the topic of immigration, and especially illegal immigration from south of the U.S. border. Opponents believe that the law forces officers to racially profile people, or judge them based on whether or not they look Latino. Challengers of this law want to (4) ban it, because they believe it forces policemen and policewomen to racially discriminate against people who are not from a European or African background. However, advocates of the law deny that it allows the use of race as the exclusive basis for investigating immigration status.
The law has since been modified with the goal of addressing some of the concerns of the opponents. However, despite the protests in opposition to the law from around the country, polling has shown that there is an overall support for the law in Arizona and in other states. And passage of the modified version of the law has (5) provoked other states to consider implementing similar immigration laws.



The word “alien”, bolded after the (2) in paragraph 1, can best be described as

30. The Galician Language and Its Revitalization

Ever since the implementation of Galician as the primary language in the public school of Galicia in the early 1980’s, there has been an increase in number of speakers of this language. Observers have seen (1) “new speakers” use Galician, their (2) heritage language, during protests, theatrical skits, and other public events. However, more anthropological research needs to be done on how else the Galician language is being used by these so-called “new speakers”.
Galician-or galego(gah-lay-goh)-is the autochthonous, or native, language of the northwestern region of Spain known as Galicia. It is a language closely related to both Spanish and Portuguese-although it has closer linguistic ties to Portuguese when it is observed under the microscope of some linguists-and is spoken mainly by people who live in rural areas of the region. Although Galician is the co-official language of Galicia, Spanish is spoken by a higher number of (3) inhabitants since it is the language of the Spanish nation and the majority language in the (4) urban areas of Galicia, such as Vigo, Ourense, and A Coruña.
Although Spanish is the most commonly spoken language in Galicia (due to a larger urban rather than rural population), there is a new movement for urban youth toward adopting the language, and in some cases employing it in their every-day conversations (5) instead of Spanish. Because these urban youth typically have spoken mainly Spanish but have come to rely more and more on the use of Galician, they have been termed “new speakers”. It is thanks to these “new speakers” that Galician has recently enjoyed a growth in the number of people who choose to employ it in their daily lives rather than Spanish.



According to the passage, further research is needed on the other uses of the Galician language by newer speakers…