36 exam-style questions on Rites of passage — topic T2.4 of Experiences in the IB English B syllabus — with answers and explanations. Samples below; the full set is free with an account.
Choose the grammatically correct sentence about a coming-of-age ritual.
Answer: When she turned eighteen, she celebrated with her whole family.
Two completed past actions require the past simple in both clauses; 'turned' and 'celebrated' agree in tense.
Tom said this three years ago: 'I will move out next year.' Which reported-speech sentence is correct?
Answer: Tom said that he would move out the following year.
In reported speech 'will' shifts to 'would' and 'next year' becomes 'the following year'.
Choose the best word to complete the sentence: 'Leaving home for university was a ______ moment that changed how I saw myself.'
Answer: pivotal
'Pivotal' means crucially important, matching the life-changing nature of a rite of passage; the other options carry the wrong meaning.
Select the correct conditional: 'If I ______ older, I would be allowed to travel alone.'
Answer: were
The second conditional (hypothetical present) uses the past subjunctive 'were' after 'if' with a 'would' main clause.
Which word best completes the sentence? 'Adolescence is a ______ period between childhood and adulthood.'
Answer: transitional
'Transitional' describes something in the process of changing from one state to another, fitting adolescence exactly.
Choose the correct article: 'Turning sixteen was ______ unforgettable experience for me.'
Answer: an
'An' is used before a vowel sound; 'unforgettable' begins with the vowel sound /ʌ/.
That was 6 of 36 Rites of passage questions.
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