ACT English Practice Test 29

Summer Creatures

The day was hot and sultry, but the cool of the evening approaches as the sun hides itself behind the horizon. Each of us has pulled a lawn chair onto Q1 the expansive wooden deck and have settled in Q2 for the show. No one says a word. A slight rustling in the thicket of maidenhair ferns off in the distance can resonate;Q3 something is either bedding down or emerging for an evening hunt. A similar sound is barely audible just in front of us, and we Q4

remain silent and attentive.

Suddenly, loud clucking penetrates the silence, followed by Q5 more feverish clucking and chirping, some of it loud and commanding, some more soothing and calming. These are the sounds of wild turkey hens coming in to roost, sounding off on Q6 safety issues and weather predictions. They cluck and rustle as they roam through the woods, final destination unknown. Here and there, a chickadee, finch, or red-headed woodpecker flies overhead toward a cozy nest. The sky Q7 darkens and the last diurnal winged creature takes to its bed, the evening air begins to welcome its nocturnal flyers, namely fruit bats and night owls. The frenetic bats dart back and forth, high and low, as they began Q8 filling their bellies with mosquitoes and other insects. Occasionally an owl will let out its soft “hoo-hoo.” This single call is enough to please the small crowd on the deck.

We begin to hear more rustling that seems much louder than before. As the evening light darkens, the field creatures become braver and bolder, their vision becoming more acute as ours fades with the disappearing light.

It is almost completely dark now, aside from the massive blanket of stars that lingers over our heads. Q9 It is dizzying to look up and focus on individual stars, and equally disabling to scan the entire sky and take it in all at once. We still say nothing, except for an occasional whisper of “Did you hear that?” or “Wow.” The reverence is clear, the quiet awe palpable.

[1] Suddenly, we hear a single coyote howl way off in the distance, low and slightly tentative, followed shortly by another coyote baying, this time louder and more insistent. Q10 [2] We had been told that coyotes live here, but now we knew for sure. [3] The darkness falls all around us and the baying and howling grow louder. [4] Are the coyotes coming closer, or does sound become clearer as the night enfolds us? [5] It is difficult to know for sure: but Q11 each subsequent “oowww–ooooh” brings us closer to moving inside the warm cabin. Q12

We are Q13 ready to give the night back to its rightful owners. Our skin has cooled Q14 from the day’s heat and we have had our bedtime story. Just as we sense that the time has come to slip inside, the unmistakable flash of a streaking meteor is catching our eyes Q15 and we jerk our heads upwards, just in time to see the shooting star fade into the blackness. It is time to say goodnight.