ACT English practice test 17

As my uncle and I finished our dinners, we were hardly saying a word₁₆ For the most part, it was a very ordinary birthday celebration₁₇ [2] After we had my favorite meal, lamb chops, my uncle made me his famous banana split sundae for dessert. [4] Banana splits are best with two scoops of chocolate ice cream, in my opinion. [5] Normally, my uncle would get very excited watching me eat dessert and have me make wishes for the coming year. [6] However, as our spoons clinked around mounds of ice cream and banana, his mood turned sad and soft-spoken. [7] I knew the source of our tension: today was my eighteenth birthday and next month I'd be at boot camp.

He said that joining the army₁₉ he had some strong reservations about me rather than going to college. I told him that I believed my father, who was killed serving in the Polish army, would have been proud of my decision. My uncle responded that my father would have felt even better about me staying out of harm's way. In fact, my uncle continued, the reason that we moved to the United States was so that I would be more protected than I was in Poland. I think my uncle also found it surprising that I would want to join the U.S. army. He often asked me₂₁ why I would risk my life for a country that was not my homeland. I told him that I considered America my new homeland. He was shocked.

[1] He began reminding me of my Polish upbringing. [2] My uncle has as many stories about my childhood than I do₂₂ [3] He would take me to the local carnival in July. [4] One₂₄ would buy ourselves hotcakes and ride the ferris wheel. [5] When the strawberries came into bloom, we would go hiking in the Tatras mountains. [6] He and I would row canoes and have swimming races from our dock out to a big rock formation and back. [7] At night, we would lie on the porch in the sleeping bags₂₅ my grandmother had bought, drink cocoa, and listen₂₆ to the chorus of crickets. [8] My uncle tells₂₇ me ghost stories under the starlit sky.

When my uncle finished reminiscing, I assured him that I still love Poland and will never lose sight of it's₂₉ influence on who I am today. However, America gave my uncle an opportunity when an engineering firm in Pittsburgh offered him a job seven years ago. After we immigrated to America₃₀ I became exposed to the cultural attitudes, social customs, and economic possibilities of growing up as an American child. My time in America has given me a deep love for it and loyalty to it. As we finished our dessert, I asked my uncle to make peace with my decision to defend Uncle Sam.

A Tale of Two Uncles

[1] As my uncle and I finished our dinners,¹⁶ we were hardly saying a word. [2] For the most part, it was a very ordinary birthday celebration.¹⁷ [3] After we had my favorite meal, lamb chops, my uncle made me his famous banana split sundae for dessert. [4] Banana splits are best with two scoops of chocolate ice cream, in my opinion. [5] Normally, my uncle would get very excited watching me eat dessert and have me make wishes for the coming year. [6] However, as our spoons clinked around mounds of ice cream and banana, his mood turned sad and soft-spoken. [7] I knew the source of our tension: today was my eighteenth birthday and next month I'd be at boot camp.

He said that joining the army¹⁹ he had some strong reservations about me rather than going to college. I told him that I believed my father, who was killed serving in the Polish army, would have been proud of my decision. My uncle responded that my father would have felt even better about me staying out of harm's way. In fact, my uncle continued, the reason that we moved to the United States was so that I would be more protected than I was in Poland. I think my uncle also found it surprising that I would want to join the U.S. army. He often asked meâ²¹why I would risk my life for a country that was not my homeland. I told him that I considered America my new homeland. He was shocked.

[1] He began reminding me of my Polish upbringing. [2] My uncle has as many stories about my childhood than I do.²²

[3] He would take me to the local carnival in July. [4] One²⁴?would buy ourselves hotcakes and ride the ferris wheel. [5] When the strawberries came into bloom, we would go hiking in the Tatras mountains. [6] He and I would row canoes and have swimming races from our dock out to a big rock formation and back. [7] At night, we would lie on the porch in the sleeping bags,²⁵ my grandmother had bought, drink cocoa, and listen²⁶ to the chorus of crickets. [8]?My uncle tells²⁷ me ghost stories under the starlit sky.

When my uncle finished reminiscing, I assured him that I still love Poland and will never lose sight of it's²⁹ influence on who I am today. However, America gave my uncle an opportunity when an engineering firm in Pittsburgh offered him a job seven years ago. After we immigrated to America,³⁰ I became exposed to the cultural attitudes, social customs, and economic possibilities of growing up as an American child. My time in America has given me a deep love for it and loyalty to it. As we finished our dessert, I asked my uncle to make peace with my decision to defend Uncle Sam.

English practice 17