Admission Test Section One : Verbal Sample Questions:

1. DRIP : GUSH

A) cry : laugh
B) curl : roll
C) stream : tributary
D) bend : angle
E) dent : destroy

2. American history scholars generally attribute formation of the League of Indian Nations to Degandawida,
who convinced the warring and fiercely autonomous Iroquois nations to embrace his radical idea for a
league by tying it to familiar Iroquois customs and institutions. He associated the notion of peace and
partnership with the Iroquois custom by which the families of slain warriors adopted war prisoners into the
tribe. He invoked unquestioned social institutions as symbols, comparing the League to the traditional
Iroquois clan in which several families share a "Longhouse" and likening the Great Council, comprised of
representatives from each nation, to the Longhouse's ever-burning Council Fire. And he assigned to each
nation specific duties in order to assuage its fear of losing national identity. (For instance, he assigned to
the Onondagas, who were centrally positioned geographically, the role of perpetual hosts.) Perhaps most
persuasive, however, was how Degandawida's League replicated the power structure of the traditional
Iroquois clan. Each of the five Iroquois nations was comprised of matriarchal totemic clans in which the
chiefs were men, the clan heads were women, and the chief's children were considered members of his
wife's clan. Degandawida determined that the heads of each nation should select their League
representatives, thereby effectively precluding the possibility of League representatives passing their
power on to their sons, as well as decreasing the likelihood that a pro-war representative would be
appointed. Iroquois unification under the League lasted about two centuries, when disagreement as to
whether to become involved in the American Revolutionary war divided the Iroquois. The revolutionaries'
success and their subsequent encroachment upon Iroquois lands forced many Iroquois to resettle in
Canada, while those who remained behind lost respect from other Indian nations. The introduction of
distilled spirits led to widespread alcoholism and, in turn, to a rapid decline of the culture and population.
The Quakers' influence impeded, yet in another sense contributed, to this decline. By establishing schools
for the Iroquois and by introducing them to modern technology for agriculture and husbandry, the Quakers
instilled some hope for the future yet undermined their sense of national identity. Ironically, it was the
alcoholic halfbrother of Seneca, Cornplanter, the most outspoken proponent among the Iroquois for
assimilation of white customs and institutions, who revived the Iroquois culture. Around 1800, Handsome
Lake, a former member of the Great Council, established a new religion among the Iroquois that tied the
more useful aspects of Christianity to traditional Indian beliefs and customs. Lake's teachings quickly
became firmly entrenched among the Iroquois, sparking reunification and renewed confidence while also
curbing rampant alcoholism. Lake's influence is still evident today: many modern- day Iroquois belong
both to his religion and to one or another Christian sect.
The passage mentions all of the following developments as contributing factors in the decline of the
Iroquois culture EXCEPT for

A) new educational opportunities for the Iroquois people
B) divisive power struggles among the leaders of the Iroquois nations
C) introduction of new farming technologies
D) territorial threats against the Iroquois nations
E) discord among the nations regarding their role in the American Revolution

3. OCCLUDE:

A) proffer
B) spew
C) emerge
D) flower
E) exhume

4. "Old woman," grumbled the burly white man who had just heard Sojourner Truth speak, "do you think your
talk about slavery does any good? I don't care any more for your talk than I do for the bite of a flea." The
tall, imposing black woman turned her piercing eyes on him. "Perhaps not," she answered, "but I'll keep
you scratching." The little incident of the 1840s sums up all that Sojourner Truth was: utterly dedicated to
spreading her message, afraid of no one, forceful and witty in speech. Yet forty years earlier, who could
have suspected that a spindly slave girl growing up in a damp cellar in upstate New York would become
one of the most remarkable women in American history? Her name then was Isabella (many slaves had
no last names), and by the time she was fourteen she had seen both parents die of cold and hunger. She
herself had been sold several times. By 1827, when New York freed its slaves, she had married and
borne five children. The first hint of Isabella's fighting spirit came soon afterwards, when her youngest son
was illegally seized and sold. She marched to the courthouse and badgered officials until her son was
returned to her. In 1843, inspired by religion, she changed her name to Sojourner (meaning "one who
stays briefly") Truth, and, with only pennies in her purse, set out to preach against slavery. From New
England to Minnesota she trekked, gaining a reputation for her plain but powerful and moving words.
Incredibly, despite being black and female (only white males were expected to be public speakers), she
drew thousands to town halls, tents, and churches to hear her powerful, deep-voiced pleas on equality for
blacks-and for women. Often she had to face threatening hoodlums. Once she stood before armed bullies
and sang a hymn to them. Awed by her courage and her commanding presence, they sheepishly
retreated. During the Civil War she cared for homeless ex-slaves in Washington. President Lincoln invited
her to the White House to bestow praise on her. Later, she petitioned Congress to help former slaves get
land in the West. Even in her old age, she forced the city of Washington to integrate its trolley cars so that
black and white could ride together. Shortly before her death at eighty-six, she was asked what kept her
going. "I think of the great things," replied Sojourner.
Her change in name was inspired by-

A) friends
B) officials
C) religion
D) her freedom
E) a fighting spirit

5. "Old woman," grumbled the burly white man who had just heard Sojourner Truth speak, "do you think your
talk about slavery does any good? I don't care any more for your talk than I do for the bite of a flea." The
tall, imposing black woman turned her piercing eyes on him. "Perhaps not," she answered, "but I'll keep
you scratching." The little incident of the 1840s sums up all that Sojourner Truth was: utterly dedicated to
spreading her message, afraid of no one, forceful and witty in speech. Yet forty years earlier, who could
have suspected that a spindly slave girl growing up in a damp cellar in upstate New York would become
one of the most remarkable women in American history? Her name then was Isabella (many slaves had
no last names), and by the time she was fourteen she had seen both parents die of cold and hunger. She
herself had been sold several times. By 1827, when New York freed its slaves, she had married and
borne five children. The first hint of Isabella's fighting spirit came soon afterwards, when her youngest son
was illegally seized and sold. She marched to the courthouse and badgered officials until her son was
returned to her. In 1843, inspired by religion, she changed her name to Sojourner (meaning "one who
stays briefly") Truth, and, with only pennies in her purse, set out to preach against slavery. From New
England to Minnesota she trekked, gaining a reputation for her plain but powerful and moving words.
Incredibly, despite being black and female (only white males were expected to be public speakers), she
drew thousands to town halls, tents, and churches to hear her powerful, deep-voiced pleas on equality for
blacks-and for women. Often she had to face threatening hoodlums. Once she stood before armed bullies
and sang a hymn to them. Awed by her courage and her commanding presence, they sheepishly
retreated. During the Civil War she cared for homeless ex-slaves in Washington. President Lincoln invited
her to the White House to bestow praise on her. Later, she petitioned Congress to help former slaves get
land in the West. Even in her old age, she forced the city of Washington to integrate its trolley cars so that
black and white could ride together. Shortly before her death at eighty-six, she was asked what kept her
going. "I think of the great things," replied Sojourner.
This incident occurred in the-

A) 1920s
B) 1760s
C) 1900s
D) 1700s
E) 1840s

Solutions: