Accuplacer Reading Mastery: Free Practice Tests & Expert Guides for 2025

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Passage:
(1) In the heart of a bustling city, nestled between towering skyscrapers, was a small, unassuming bakery called “La Petite Boulangerie.” (2) Despite its modest appearance, the bakery had become a beloved fixture in the neighborhood, known for its warm atmosphere and the irresistible aroma of freshly baked bread that wafted through the streets each morning.
(3) The bakery was owned by Margot, an elderly woman with a passion for baking that had been passed down through generations. (4) Margot had inherited the bakery from her mother, who had taught her the secrets of perfect pastry dough and the art of kneading bread by hand. (5) Every day before dawn, Margot would arrive at the bakery, her gnarled hands expertly crafting loaves of bread, croissants, and tarts, ensuring that each one met the exacting standards set by her family.
(6) One chilly autumn morning, as Margot was preparing the day’s first batch of baguettes, she was joined by her granddaughter, Sophie, a young woman with a love for culinary arts. (7) Sophie had recently graduated from a prestigious culinary school and had returned home to help her grandmother run the bakery.
(8) “Grand-mère, why don’t we modernize the bakery?” Sophie suggested as she mixed ingredients for the pain au chocolat. (9) “We could introduce new recipes, expand the menu, and even set up an online store.”
(10) Margot paused, wiping her flour-dusted hands on her apron. (11) “I appreciate your enthusiasm, Sophie, but this bakery is more than just a business. It’s a tradition—a way of life. The recipes we use are the same ones my mother and grandmother used. They connect us to our roots.”
(12) Sophie understood the importance of tradition, but she also saw the potential for growth and reaching new customers. (13) “But, Grand-mère, wouldn’t it be wonderful to share our family’s recipes with more people? We could keep the traditions alive, but also bring them into the modern world.”
(14) Margot smiled, her eyes softening. “Perhaps you’re right, my dear. There’s value in honoring the past, but there’s also value in adapting to the future.”
(15) Together, they decided to strike a balance, preserving the bakery’s traditional recipes while introducing new offerings and modern conveniences. (16) The changes were gradual, but they breathed new life into the bakery, attracting both loyal customers and new ones eager to taste the blend of tradition and innovation.