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Question 181.

Choose the option that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence:
The bouquet of roses on the table were delivered early this morning.

1. were delivered
   2. was delivered
   3. have delivered
   4. deliver

Correct Answer: 2

Explanation:

The subject of the sentence is bouquet, which is singular. The phrase “of roses on the table” provides additional information but does not change the grammatical number of the subject. Therefore, the correct verb phrase is was delivered. Choice 1 incorrectly agrees with the nearby plural noun “roses.” Choice 3 changes the structure and meaning of the sentence because the bouquet did not perform the action of delivering. Choice 4 also uses an incorrect verb form. ACT English frequently tests subject-verb agreement by placing a plural noun between the true subject and the verb. A useful strategy is to remove the modifying phrase: “The bouquet was delivered.” Once the sentence is simplified, the correct agreement becomes clear.

Question 182.

Which sentence is the clearest and most concise revision?
The manager gave advance warning beforehand that the office would close early.

1. The manager warned employees that the office would close early.
   2. The manager gave advance warning beforehand about the fact that the office would close early.
   3. The office would close early, and the manager provided advance warning beforehand.
   4. The manager gave a warning in advance beforehand that an early closing would take place.

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation:

Choice 1 expresses the idea directly without redundancy. “Advance warning” already means a warning given beforehand, so using both “advance” and “beforehand” repeats the same idea. Choice 2 preserves that repetition and adds the wordy phrase “about the fact that.” Choice 3 is grammatically acceptable but less direct and still includes redundant wording. Choice 4 is especially awkward and repetitive. ACT English often rewards concise writing when all essential meaning remains intact. The best revision should eliminate unnecessary phrases while preserving clarity. Here, the simple verb warned communicates the intended meaning more efficiently than the noun-heavy phrase “gave advance warning beforehand.”

Question 183.

Choose the best punctuation for the sentence:
The research team faced one major obstacle ___ the equipment could not operate reliably in extreme cold.

1. obstacle, the
   2. obstacle; the
   3. obstacle: the
   4. obstacle the

Correct Answer: 3

Explanation:

A colon is the best punctuation because the words before the blank form a complete sentence: “The research team faced one major obstacle.” The clause after the colon explains what that obstacle was. Choice 3 therefore creates the clearest relationship between the two ideas. Choice 1 creates a comma splice because it joins two complete clauses with only a comma. Choice 2 uses a semicolon, which could join independent clauses, but the colon is more precise because the second clause specifically explains the first. Choice 4 creates a run-on sentence. On ACT English, colons commonly introduce explanations, lists, examples, or elaborations. Always check that the material before the colon is a complete independent clause.

Question 184.

Choose the transition that best completes the paragraph:
The town converted an unused warehouse into a community arts center. Local groups began holding classes, exhibitions, and performances there. ___, the building now attracts hundreds of visitors each week.

1. Consequently
   2. On the other hand
   3. Nevertheless
   4. For example

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation:

The final sentence presents a result of the building’s new use. Because local organizations began offering activities there, the arts center now attracts many visitors. Consequently accurately expresses this cause-and-effect relationship. “On the other hand” would introduce contrast, which does not fit. “Nevertheless” would suggest an unexpected outcome despite prior information, but the increase in visitors logically follows the new programming. “For example” would introduce an illustration rather than a consequence. ACT transition questions test logical relationships more than vocabulary. Before choosing a transition, summarize the connection in your own words. Here, the building gained community activities, so visitor numbers increased.

Question 185.

Which sentence best supports the writer’s goal of emphasizing the rapid growth of a local business?

1. The company was founded by two college friends.
   2. Its office is located near the city’s central train station.
   3. The company expanded from 6 employees to more than 80 in just three years.
   4. Employees meet every Monday morning.

Correct Answer: 3

Explanation:

Choice 3 directly demonstrates rapid growth by comparing the number of employees over a short three-year period. Moving from 6 employees to more than 80 provides clear numerical evidence of substantial expansion. Choice 1 gives historical background, Choice 2 describes location, and Choice 4 discusses routine operations. None of those details directly proves rapid growth. ACT rhetorical-purpose questions ask which evidence best accomplishes a stated goal. When the goal involves growth, speed, size, or popularity, specific numbers are often especially effective because they allow the reader to measure the change rather than simply being told that growth occurred.

Question 186.

If 4x-7=29, what is the value of x?

1. 7
   2. 8
   3. 9
   4. 10

Correct Answer: 3

Explanation:

Start with 4x-7=29. Add 7 to both sides to get 4x=36. Then divide both sides by 4: x=9. Therefore, Choice 3 is correct. You can verify by substitution: 4(9)-7=36-7=29. Choice 1 gives 21, Choice 2 gives 25, and Choice 4 gives 33. ACT Math questions involving linear equations are often simple but can still produce mistakes if operations are performed too quickly. Work systematically and perform the same operation on both sides. If the numbers are manageable, substituting the answer back into the original equation provides a fast and reliable check.

Question 187.

A camera originally costs $850 and is discounted by 20%. What is the sale price?

1. $170
   2. $640
   3. $680
   4. $720

Correct Answer: 3

Explanation:

A 20% discount means the buyer pays 80% of the original price. Calculate 8500.80=680. Therefore, the sale price is $680, Choice 3. Another method is to calculate the discount first: 8500.20=170, then subtract 850-170=680. Choice 1 is the amount of the discount rather than the final price. Choice 2 represents a larger discount, while Choice 4 represents a smaller one. ACT percentage problems often use the discount amount as a distractor. Always determine whether the question asks for the amount saved or the final cost after the discount has been applied.

Question 188.

A square has an area of 196 square units. What is the length of one side?

1. 7 units
   2. 12 units
   3. 14 units
   4. 28 units

Correct Answer: 3

Explanation:

The area of a square is A=s2, where s is the side length. If the area is 196, then s2=196. Taking the positive square root gives s=14. Therefore, Choice 3 is correct. Choice 1 would give an area of 49, Choice 2 an area of 144, and Choice 4 an area of 784. Since a side length must be positive in this geometric context, only the positive square root is used. ACT geometry questions frequently require working backward from area to a missing dimension. Recognizing common perfect squares such as 144, 169, 196, and 225 can save time.

Question 189.

The mean of 7 numbers is 18. What is the sum of the 7 numbers?

1. 25
   2. 72
   3. 108
   4. 126

Correct Answer: 4

Explanation:

The mean equals the total sum divided by the number of values. If the mean is 18 and there are 7 numbers, then the total must be 187=126. Therefore, Choice 4 is correct. Choice 1 incorrectly adds 18 and 7. Choices 2 and 3 do not produce an average of 18 when divided by 7. ACT Math average questions often become easier when you rearrange the basic relationship: average = total ÷ number of values. Therefore, total = average × number of values. This approach is especially useful in problems that later ask you to find a missing member of a data set.

Question 190.

A line has slope 4 and passes through the point (3,14). Which equation represents the line?

1. y=4x+2
   2. y=4x-2
   3. y=3x+5
   4. y=5x-1

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation:

Use slope-intercept form y=mx+b. The slope is 4, so the equation must begin y=4x+b. Substitute the point (3,14): 14=4(3)+b. This gives 14=12+b, so b=2. Therefore, the equation is y=4x+2, Choice 1. Choice 2 has the correct slope but the wrong y-intercept. Choices 3 and 4 have incorrect slopes. ACT coordinate geometry questions often require combining slope information with a known point. Substitution into y=mx+b is a reliable way to determine the missing intercept.

Question 191.

Read the passage and answer the question.

Passage:
Leo had always thought of libraries as quiet places meant mainly for reading alone. When his neighborhood library announced a weekend technology workshop, he attended only because a friend persuaded him. During the session, participants worked in teams to build simple robots, test computer code, and solve design problems. Leo was surprised by how much conversation and experimentation filled the room. A month later, he signed up for another workshop and began using the library’s collaborative workspaces for school projects.

Which statement best describes Leo’s change in perspective?

1. He realizes that libraries can support collaborative and creative activities as well as quiet reading.
   2. He decides that libraries should stop lending books.
   3. He concludes that technology workshops are too difficult.
   4. He begins avoiding group activities altogether.

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation:

Leo initially sees libraries as places primarily for solitary reading. His experience at the technology workshop shows him that libraries can also be spaces for collaboration, experimentation, and creative problem-solving. His later decision to attend another workshop and use collaborative workspaces confirms that his perspective changed. Choice 1 accurately captures this development. Choice 2 is too extreme because nothing suggests that books should be removed. Choice 3 contradicts his continued participation, and Choice 4 is the opposite of his new behavior. ACT Reading questions about character development often ask you to compare an initial assumption with a later realization supported by actions at the end of the passage.

Question 192.

Based on the passage in Question 191, why does the author mention that Leo later used the library’s collaborative workspaces?

1. To show that his changed view of the library influenced his future behavior
   2. To prove that he stopped reading books
   3. To suggest that the workshop was unsuccessful
   4. To show that he disliked working with classmates

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation:

Leo’s later use of collaborative workspaces demonstrates that the workshop changed more than his opinion for a single afternoon. His new understanding of what the library could offer influenced how he used the space afterward. Choice 1 therefore best explains the function of this detail. Choice 2 is unsupported because he may still read books. Choice 3 contradicts his decision to attend another workshop, and Choice 4 conflicts with his use of collaborative space. ACT Reading questions about why an author includes a detail often focus on how that detail reinforces a larger theme or character change. Here, the final behavior confirms that Leo’s new perspective had a lasting effect.

Question 193.

Read the passage and answer the question.

Passage:
Some communities are restoring streams that were previously straightened and lined with concrete. By reintroducing curves, vegetation, and natural banks, planners hope to slow water flow and improve habitat for fish and insects. Restored streams may also provide more attractive public spaces. However, these projects require careful design because nearby roads, buildings, and flood risks can limit what changes are possible.

What is the main idea of the passage?

1. Stream restoration can provide environmental and community benefits but must account for local constraints.
   2. Concrete channels should be removed from every city.
   3. Restored streams completely eliminate flooding.
   4. Natural streams require no planning or maintenance.

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation:

The passage presents several benefits of stream restoration, including slower water flow, improved habitat, and more attractive public spaces. It also explains that restoration projects face practical limitations involving roads, buildings, and flood risks. Choice 1 accurately captures both the potential benefits and the need for careful planning. Choice 2 is too absolute because the passage discusses some projects, not every city. Choice 3 exaggerates the effect because flood risk remains a concern. Choice 4 directly contradicts the statement that careful design is required. ACT main-idea questions often include choices that emphasize only one side of a balanced passage. The best answer usually reflects both advantages and limitations when both are central to the text.

Question 194.

In the passage from Question 193, why does the author mention roads and buildings?

1. To illustrate practical constraints that can limit stream-restoration designs
   2. To argue that roads should be removed
   3. To show that buildings improve fish habitat
   4. To prove that restoration is impossible in cities

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation:

The author mentions roads and buildings as examples of existing features that planners must consider when restoring a stream. These features can limit how much the stream can be widened, curved, or otherwise changed. Choice 1 accurately explains the purpose of the detail. Choice 2 goes beyond the passage, Choice 3 is unrelated to the argument, and Choice 4 is too strong because the passage clearly describes restoration as possible in some communities. ACT Reading questions about specific details often ask what role that detail plays in the author’s reasoning. Here, roads and buildings illustrate why environmental restoration must be balanced with existing urban conditions.

Question 195.

Which inference is best supported by the passage in Question 193?

1. Stream-restoration plans may differ from one location to another.
   2. Every restored stream must follow exactly the same design.
   3. Restoring streams always reduces flood risk to zero.
   4. Fish cannot live in any concrete-lined channel.

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation:

Because roads, buildings, flood risks, and other local conditions can limit what changes are possible, it is reasonable to infer that stream-restoration designs will vary by location. Choice 1 is therefore well supported. Choice 2 contradicts the emphasis on local constraints. Choice 3 is an unsupported absolute claim because the passage says flood risks must still be considered. Choice 4 goes beyond the passage, which does not state that fish can never live in concrete channels. ACT inference questions reward conclusions that are logically supported but not exaggerated. Words such as “may” often signal a more appropriately cautious inference than universal words such as “every,” “always,” or “cannot.”

Question 196.

A student investigates how pH affects the activity of an enzyme. Four samples are tested at pH 4, 6, 8, and 10, while temperature and enzyme concentration are kept constant. What is the independent variable?

1. Enzyme activity
   2. pH
   3. Temperature
   4. Enzyme concentration

Correct Answer: 2

Explanation:

The independent variable is the factor deliberately changed by the researcher. In this experiment, the student varies the pH among four values, so pH is the independent variable. Enzyme activity is the dependent variable because it is the measured response. Temperature and enzyme concentration are controlled variables because they are kept constant. ACT Science often tests experimental design terminology. A simple rule is: the independent variable is what the researcher manipulates, the dependent variable is what is measured, and controlled variables are maintained as consistently as possible so the effect of the independent variable can be evaluated more clearly.

Question 197.

Why should temperature be kept constant in the experiment from Question 196?

1. To prevent temperature differences from influencing enzyme activity
   2. To make every sample have the same pH
   3. To create another independent variable
   4. To guarantee that all samples have identical activity

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation:

Temperature can affect enzyme activity, so it must be controlled if the experiment is intended to test the effect of pH. If one sample were warmer than another, differences in enzyme activity could be caused by temperature rather than pH. Keeping temperature constant reduces this alternative explanation. Choice 2 is incorrect because the pH values are intentionally different. Choice 3 would introduce a confounding variable, making the results harder to interpret. Choice 4 is also incorrect because different pH levels may produce different enzyme activities even under identical temperatures. ACT Science frequently tests why controls are used: they help isolate the effect of the independent variable.

Question 198.

The enzyme experiment produced the following relative activity values:
pH 4: 20 units
pH 6: 55 units
pH 8: 90 units
pH 10: 35 units
Which conclusion is best supported?

1. Enzyme activity increased through pH 8 and then decreased at pH 10.
   2. Enzyme activity decreased continuously as pH increased.
   3. The highest activity occurred at pH 4.
   4. pH had no relationship with enzyme activity.

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation:

The enzyme activity rises from 20 units at pH 4 to 55 at pH 6 and 90 at pH 8. At pH 10, activity drops to 35 units. Therefore, Choice 1 accurately describes the observed pattern. Choice 2 is incorrect because activity initially increases. Choice 3 contradicts the data because the highest value occurs at pH 8. Choice 4 ignores the clear variation among pH levels. ACT Science often includes data that show an optimum rather than a simple straight-line relationship. Read all values carefully and select the answer that describes the full trend instead of assuming that increasing the independent variable must always increase or decrease the response.

Question 199.

Scientist A argues that a decline in a lake’s aquatic plants is caused mainly by reduced sunlight reaching the water. Scientist B argues that the main cause is declining nutrient availability. Which evidence would most directly support Scientist B?

1. Plant growth declines where nutrient concentrations fall sharply even though underwater light levels remain stable.
   2. Water clarity decreases in several parts of the lake.
   3. Some aquatic plants grow near the shoreline.
   4. Fish populations vary from year to year.

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation:

Scientist B argues that reduced nutrient availability is primarily responsible for the decline. Choice 1 directly supports this explanation because plant growth falls where nutrient levels decrease while light remains stable. This strengthens the nutrient hypothesis while reducing sunlight as the competing explanation. Choice 2 might support Scientist A because lower water clarity could reduce light penetration. Choices 3 and 4 provide general observations but do not directly test either proposed cause. ACT conflicting-viewpoints questions are easiest when you identify the key variable in each scientist’s claim and then choose evidence that directly changes one variable while keeping the competing factor relatively constant.

Question 200.

A researcher tests whether a new nutrient mixture improves algae growth. Group A receives the mixture and is exposed to 12 hours of light per day. Group B receives no mixture and is exposed to 6 hours of light per day. Group A grows more. Why is it difficult to conclude that the nutrient mixture caused the increased growth?

1. The groups differed in both nutrient treatment and light exposure.
   2. Algae growth cannot be measured accurately.
   3. Nutrients never affect algae growth.
   4. Six hours of light always produces more growth than twelve hours.

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation:

The experiment changes two important factors at the same time: nutrient treatment and light exposure. Group A receives the nutrient mixture and twice as much light as Group B. Because light can strongly influence algae growth, the observed difference could result from the nutrient mixture, increased light, or a combination of both. This is a confounding-variable problem. A better experiment would keep light exposure the same for both groups and vary only the nutrient treatment. Choices 2, 3, and 4 are unsupported statements. ACT Science often tests whether a study design justifies a causal conclusion. Strong experiments isolate the independent variable while controlling other important factors.