(5.7)
Despite the many categories of the historian, there are only two ages of man. The first age, the age from the beginnings of recorded time to the present, is the age of the cave man. It is the age of war. It is today. The second age, still only a prospect, is the age of civilized man. The test of civilized man will be represented by his ability to use his inventiveness for his own good by substituting world law for world anarchy. That second age is still within the reach of the individual in our time. It is not a part-time job, however. It calls for total awareness, total commitment.
The title below that best expresses the ideas of this passage is:
A) The historian at work
B) The dangers of all- out war
C) The power of world anarchy
D) Mankind on the threshold
E) The decline of civilization
(6.7)
Children are not very subtle in their behavior. If they do not like someone, they will let him or her know it. The unpopular child is described as one who "attacks vigorously, strikes frequently, or pushes and pulls."
A) Preschool children
B) Subtle children
C) The behavior of children
D) Unpopular children
(8.9)
Huge beasts such as the dinosaur have never really become extinct. Mothra, a giant caterpillar who later becomes a moth, destroys Tokyo, and stars in the 1962 Japanese film named for him. Mothra is born, dies, and reborn regularly on classic movie channels. In Japan Mothra is one of the most popular films ever made. Mothra has survived the creation of more current scary creatures such as giant apes, extraterrestrial beings and swamp creatures. More than 30 years after his creation, Mothra still lives.
A) The reasons that fads do not endure
B) The lasting appeal of Mothra
C) The difficulty of marketing good horror movies
D) Old models for creatures are still used because making new monsters is expensive.
(9.1)
Hail is at once the cruelest weapon in Nature’s armory, and the most incalculable. It can destroy one farmer’s prospects of a harvest in a matter of seconds; it can leave his neighbor’s unimpaired. It can slay a flock of sheep (it has killed children before now) in one field, while the sun continues to shine in the next. To the harassed meteorologist its behavior is even more Machiavellian than that of an ice storm. Difficult as it undoubtedly is for him to forecast the onset of an ice storm, he knows pretty well what its course and duration will be once it has started; just about all he can do with a hailstorm is to measure the size of the stones—and they have a habit of melting as soon as he gets his hands on them. He is not even too sure any more about the way in which hail forms—and until he knows this, of course, he isn’t likely to stumble upon any very satisfactory prognostic rules.
The title below that best expresses the ideas of this passage is:
A) Forecasting ice storms
B) The way that hail forms
C) The harassed meteorologist
D) The unpredictability of hailstorms
E) Hail—the killer
(9.1)
The man who reads well is the man who thinks well, who has a background for opinions and a touchstone for judgment. He may be a Lincoln who derives wisdom from a few books or a Roosevelt who ranges from Icelandic sagas to Penrod. But reading makes him a full man, and out of his fullness he draws that example and precept which stand him in good stead when confronted with problems which beset a chaotic universe. Mere reading, of course, is nothing. It is but the veneer of education. But wise reading is a help to action. American versatility is too frequently dilettantism, but reinforced by knowledge it becomes motive power. “Learning,” as James L. Mursell says, “cashes the blank check of native versatility.” And learning is a process not to be concluded with the formal teaching of schooldays or to be enriched only by the active experience of later years, but to be broadened and deepened by persistent and judicious reading. “The true University of these days is a Collection of Books,” said Carlyle. If that is not the whole of the truth it is enough of it for every young person to hug to this bosom.
The title that best expresses the ideas of this passage is:
A) The veneer of education
B) The wise reader
C) The reading habits of great men
D) The versatility of Americans
E) The motivation of readers
(9.3)
Although funeral customs in England and America are similar in many respects, they also differ significantly in other ways. In both countries, preparation of the body occurs at a funeral home, a funeral service is usually held in a church or chapel, and burial occurs in a cemetery. However, the custom of embalming is not the same. In the United States, treating a corpse with preservatives is routine. In England, though, that procedure is rare. Other pre-funeral customs differ, too. In America, it is customary for mourners to go to the funeral home a day or two before the actual burial for a "wake," a ritual during which people pay their respects to the deceased and to his or her family members. At the wake, the body is laid out in a coffin, and mourners go look at it. In England, however, there is no pre-funeral wake. The funeral director places the body in a chapel, and people can go see it if they like. But they usually don’t. Finally, the actual funeral service differs slightly. The services in both countries typically involve hymns and prayers, but those in England last only about fifteen minutes. American funeral services are usually much longer.
A) Funeral customs in England
B) Funeral customs in America
C) Differences between English and American funeral customs
(9.4)
The physical set-up of most school classrooms lends itself to a kind of communal existence. There is little room for personal privacy; one's free sphere of private operation shrinks remarkably. At home the middle-class child may have at least a private play area, if not a whole room, for his or her personal use. Personal property, while respected and defended by the teacher, is subject to use and intrusion by the group under the mandate of "share." Even one's inner thoughts and family life are subject to group scrutiny, during "show and tell" periods.
A) The physical set-up of a schoolroom
B) Personal property at school
C) Communal existence
D) The classroom environment
(9.7)
Windstorms have recently established a record which meteorologists hope will not be equaled for many years to come. Disastrous tornadoes along with devastating typhoons and hurricanes have cost thousands of lives and left property damage totaling far into the millions. The prominence these storms have held in the news has led many people to ask about the difference between the three. Is a typhoon the same as a hurricane? Is a tornado the same as a typhoon? Basically, there is no difference. All three consist of wind rotating counterclockwise (in the Northern Hemisphere) at a tremendous velocity around a low-pressure center. However, each type does have its own definite characteristics. Of the three the tornado is certainly the most treacherous. The Weather Bureau can, with some degree of accuracy, forecast the typhoon and the hurricane; however, it is impossible to determine where or when the tornado will strike. And out of the three, if one had a choice, perhaps it would be safer to choose to withstand the hurricane.
The title below that best expresses the ideas of this passage is:
A) Recent storms
B) Record-breaking storms
C) Predicting windstorms
D) Treacherous windstorms
E) Wind velocity and direction
(9.7)
In the South American rain forest abide the greatest acrobats on earth. The monkeys of the Old World, agile as they are, cannot hang by their tails. It is only the monkeys of America that possess this skill. They are called ceboids and their unique group includes marmosets, owl monkeys, sakis, spider monkeys, squirrel monkeys and howlers. Among these the star gymnast is the skinny, intelligent spider monkey. Hanging head down like a trapeze artist from the loop of a liana, he may suddenly give a short swing, launch himself into space and, soaring outward and downward across a 50- foot void of air, lightly catch a bough on which he spied a shining berry. No owl monkey can match his leap, for their arms are shorter, their tails untalented. The marmosets, smallest of the tribe, tough noisy hoodlums that travel in gangs, are also capable of leaps into space, but their landings are rough: smack against a tree trunk with arms and legs spread wide.
The title below that best expresses the ideas of this selection is:
A) The star gymnast
B) Monkeys and trees
C) Travelers in space
D) The uniqueness of monkeys
E) Ceboid acrobats
(10.2)
The elderly face many problems. Their changing physical appearance makes them less attractive in the eyes of the rest of society. They may begin to forget things quickly--even things told to them a few minutes earlier--and personality and self-concept changes become evident.
A) The elderly
B) Forgetting
C) Problems of people
D) Personality changes
(10.2)
America is in the middle of an epidemic of anger. In all areas of life, people are venting their hostility and aggression in public, often directing their rage toward complete strangers. Between 1990 and 1996, for example, violent traffic incidents increased by more than 50 percent and caused 13,000 deaths and injuries. More and more enraged, vengeful drivers are trying to run each other off the road or even shoot at each other. Anger is causing problems in airports and on airplanes, too. From 1995 to 2000, the number of assaults on airline employees rose from 146 to 266, although the actual number could be even higher due to unreported incidents. People who are angry and frustrated about delays and long waits are lashing out more and more at flight personnel and at their fellow passengers. Rage is also on the rise in the workplace. According to one survey, 10 percent of American employees say that physical violence has occurred at their place of employment. And we’ve all seen the news reports of many disgruntled employees who take weapons to their workplace to shoot and kill their co-workers.
A)Anger in the workplace
B) The anger epidemic in America
C) Road rage
(11.3)
Large numbers of Americans believe that some people possess psychic ability. As a result, they call the Psychic Friends Network. They have their palms and Tarot cards read for information about the future. They visit mediums who profess the ability to talk to deceased loved ones. And they usually believe what the psychics tell them because they want the information to be true. However, they may not be aware of the techniques psychics use to get their "insights." Most psychics have perfected the ability to read subtle signals, or clues, that people give them. They typically start a session by stating a few facts while carefully observing the client’s reactions, such as eye movements or changes in facial expression. Then, they probe for information by asking the client questions, and they veer quickly from any errors they make. For instance, if a psychic incorrectly guesses that the client is married, he or she would immediately shift focus to someone the client knows who is married. Psychics gather every bit of information they can from the client’s responses and tend to speak in a rambling style, throwing out impressions and watching the client for signs that they’ve hit the mark. They also count on people’s tendencies to forget the inaccuracies of a session and to focus on whatever the psychic got right.
A) The Psychic Friends Network
B) Tricks used by psychics
C) The increase in psychic phenomena
(11.8)
In contrast to the marvelous human memory, a computer memory can store only 16 million characters of information; many use enough energy to heat a home; and they many consume 10,000 cubic inches of inches of space. However, a computer memory does have a few advantages over the human brain. Signals are sent within the computer at approximately 654,700,000 feet per second. Computer memories can be repaired or replaced, and some of them can withstand temperature and pressure variations far in excess of what the human brain can tolerate.
A) Human memory
B) Advantages of human memory
C) Storage capacity of computer memory
D) Computer memory
(12.1)
Increasingly prevalent food allergies in children are beginning to create tension in schools. The number of allergies to foods such as peanuts, dairy products, soy, wheat, corn, fish, and shellfish have been increasing over the last decade. Up to about 3 percent of children are now experiencing life-threatening reactions to such foods; some must be rushed to the hospital if they so much as touch an allergen. As a result, their parents are doing everything they can to prevent exposure of these children to the problem foods. They carefully check labels on food packages, they pack special lunches for their kids to take to school, and they try to keep them away from places that serve foods that cause allergic reactions. But some parents want to go even further: they want their children’s classmates to be prohibited from exposing their allergic child to problem foods. They have consequently persuaded some schools to impose limitations on what kids can bring in their lunchboxes. Any food or snack that is not acceptable is confiscated. Many parents of non-allergic children, however, are objecting to what they believe are ridiculously unfair precautions.
A) Controversy over the handling of children’s food allergies
B) The increase in food allergies among elementary school children
C) Life-threatening reactions to food allergies
(12.2)
For thirty years, scientists have been researching the four mysterious moons in orbit around the planet Jupiter. The data they’ve collected suggests some fascinating possibilities about these bodies. Of the four moons, Io is the hottest, containing about eight active volcanoes that erupt constantly. Because its conditions resemble those on Earth before the continents formed, scientists hope that it can offer insights into the origin of our own planet. In comparison to Io, Europa, which is a little smaller than Earth’s Moon, is icy and drab. However, there is evidence that Europa may contain wet, watery slush, a condition that may support life. Ganymede, the third moon, seems to contain water, too, and it may even have a thin atmosphere of oxygen due to the breakdown of water vapor by sunlight. Therefore, it, too, may be capable of supporting life. One final moon, Callisto, is the least active of the four. It has been geologically dead since its birth, but, unlike other bodies where volcanoes, erosion and shifting land masses constantly change the surface, Callisto has not erased the craters caused by the impacts of space "junk." Because it has preserved an ancient record of bombardment by meteors, scientists believe it may reveal secrets of the solar system’s 4 billion-year history.
A) The possibility of life on Jupiter
B) The characteristics of Jupiter’s moons
C) The discovery of Jupiter’s moons
(12.3)
L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz has been praised as the best children’s storybook of the 20th century. However, many have argued that Baum’s book, along with the 1939 MGM film it inspired, is much more than just a fairy tale for kids. Author Jerome Charyn observed that the story symbolizes the change humans undergo as they grow inwardly and attain self-understanding. Dorothy, for example, matures from a little girl to a capable woman who comes to know and accept the joys of home, which she used to take for granted. Her friends, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion learn to recognize characteristics they already possess, and at the end, they are the better for their new self-knowledge. Similarly, author Michael Patrick Hearn asserts that The Wizard of Oz is one of the three great classic quests in American literature, ranking equally with Herman Melville’sMoby Dick and Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.Others have noted that Baum’s tale reflects the beliefs of American theosophy, a blending of religion and philosophy. Munchkinland, Kansas, and Oz reflect theosophy’s belief in many universes. Female witches—both good and bad—are the rulers, just as theosophy tends to be feminist. Everything is alive, including the trees, which reflect theosophy’s beliefs that God is Nature and that spirit inhabits all things. Other authors have offered still different interpretations. Salman Rushdie thinks that Baum’s book reflects the plight of migrant workers, and Gore Vidal believes the book protests the violence of the "American empire."
A) The three classics of American literature
B) L. Frank Baum’s Oz series
C) Interpreting The Wizard of Oz
(12.4)
What makes a person’s personality unique? According to Steven Reiss, author of Who Am I?: The 16 Basic Desires That Motivate Our Action and Define Our Personality, each individual’s desires determine who he is and what he does. Specifically, Reiss claims that humans experience sixteen distinct desires. They are power, independence, curiosity, acceptance, order, saving, honor, idealism, social contact, family, status, vengeance, romance, eating, physical exercise, and tranquility. The amounts of each desire in an individual determine what kind of person he or she will be. A workaholic, for example, is often a person whose desires for power and status outrank most of the other desires. Conversely, a bright child who performs poorly in school may possess little curiosity, the desire to learn new things.
A) Becoming a workaholic
B) The origins of personality
C) Personality and the lust for power
(12.4)
Although Benedict Arnold, an American Major General during the Revolutionary War, served his country heroically in several early battles, he is now known as a villain whose name is a synonym for "traitor." Why did an outstanding officer who fought bravely for independence turn his back on America in 1780 and plot to sell the fort at West Point to the British? Several factors led Arnold to commit treason. First of all, the ambitious Arnold became bitter about several setbacks to his career. He was passed over for important promotions, and he alienated several of his superiors with his jealous rivalry. He had a huge ego and craved recognition and public admiration, and he believed the Continental Congress had betrayed him by denying him the official honors he had earned. Arnold was also devoted to his own financial self-interest. He tried to increase his income through legal and illegal means, including inappropriate use of his position to engage in trade. Therefore, when the British promised him $20,000 along with rewards of rank and honor in exchange for West Point, which was under his command, he managed to convince himself that America would be better off under English rule and switched his loyalty in exchange for his own personal gain.
A) Benedict Arnold’s service in the Revolutionary Army
B) Benedict Arnold’s greed
C) Reasons behind Benedict Arnold’s treason
(13.4)
Listening is an active process. The effective listener must be alert, flexible, able to interpret, able to select, and able to organize. Ar erect body posture may help, although occasional slouching may be necessary for variety and a bit of stretching. Making a conscious effort to pay attention is often useful; this might be the mental counterpart of sitting erect. And while listening should involve critical evaluation, this does not include emotional overreaction.
A) Critical evaluation
B) Paying attention
C) Sitting erect
D) Listening
(13.8)
Polygamy, a marital state involving one man with several, simultaneous wives, has a long history in America. In the early 1840s, Mormon founder Joseph Smith encouraged the practice of polygamy because he believed that conceiving as many children as possible allowed one to achieve the highest levels of heaven. Many of his Mormon followers settled in the remote territory of Utah during the 1800s. Utah formally banned polygamy in order to gain entry into the United States in 1896. However, outlawing the practice did not end it; polygamy continued underground. Although Utah jailed polygamists until the 1950s, tolerance for the practice grew, and polygamists were left alone during the second half of the 20th century. Today, an estimated 20,000 to 100,000 people live in polygamous families, and conversions and a high birth rate continue to increase those numbers. Polygamy’s defenders argue not only that the practice is part of Utah’s history, but also that it represents just another lifestyle choice no different from other non-traditional households like same-sex marriages or single-parent homes.
A) Polygamy, past and present
B) Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism
C) The presence of polygamy in Utah
(15.1)
I finished breakfast, put the paper under my arm, and left the table with its used and useless paper napkin, paper placemat, paper salt and pepper packages, paper butter and marmalade wrappings, paper sugar envelope, and paper cream holder, and I walked out into the morning wondering how our national forests can ever survive our breakfasts.
A) Paper is an acceptable substitute for plastic.
B) Paper products create environmental problems.
C) The widespread use of paper products threatens forests.
(15.4)
The 1968 science-fiction file Planet of the Apes proposed that man, through his destructiveness, would reverse the present flow of evolution and revert to being a less intelligent being, whereas apes would develop into higher beings and eventually take over the planet. The prospect, although far-fetched, is not completely impossible. For the foreseeable future, however, no animal--not even the relatively intelligent ape or porpoise--is likely to approach a normal human in intelligence.
A) A science-fiction film
B) Human
C) Intelligence
D) Animals
(15.5)
Man, like any other living organism, is fundamentally biological; that is, he has certain processes common to all members of the biological realm. It is true that human beings in an affluent society maintain their life processes automatically; but, even under the most favorable circumstances, each of us must spend a fair proportion of his or her total energy doing things to keep alive; we breathe, we eat, we digest, we eliminate, either constantly or with cyclic regularity.
A) Biology
B) People
C) Life processes
D) Living organisms
(15.6)
Programs can be written in several languages. Four widely used languages today are BASIC (Beginners All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code), COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language), FORTRAN, (Formula Translator), and RPG (Report Program Generator). COBOL and RPG are used primarily by businesses, FORTRAN by scientists and engineers. Computer languages, like ordinary languages, have rules of grammar. Some languages even dialects, for example, FORTRAN-77 and COBOL-74.
A) Programs
B) Writing programs
C) Computer programs
D) Computers
(5.0)
Silence is easy to handle if you recognize it quickly for what it is: a ploy. The interviewer is testing you. The best way to survive it is to sit calmly and wait for him or her to continue the interview. Don't fidget. Don't look down or around. Just sit and look at the interviewer expectantly. The silence cannot last long because the interview is for a short period of time, and there are many things he or she wants to cover. If you're not ready for the silence, it may seem to last an eternity. If you are prepared and recognize it, it will be over in a few seconds and you may have conveyed more than you could have with thousands of words.
This paragraph is about silence during an interview. What about it?
A) It is done as a test.
B) It is only for a short time.
C) Handle it by sitting calmly.
D) It seems to last forever.
(5.6)
Dolphins are very smart animals. They even have their own language. They talk to each other with clicks, whistles, and grunts. Scientists have been studying this dolphin language. They hope that in the future, people and dolphins will be able to talk to each other.
The topic of this paragraph is dolphins. What does the paragraph say about the topic?
A) how dolphins talk to people.
B) how smart dolphins are.
C) how dolphins are different from fish.
D) which scientists are studying languages.
(6.6)
Coyotes are very smart animals. Many ranchers don’t like coyotes because they think the animals kill lambs and calves. But coyotes always manage to avoid the ranchers’ traps. If a coyote sees a person, it just trots away. Their fur blends in with the ground and bushes.
The topic of this paragraph is coyotes. What does the paragraph say about the topic?
A) What coyotes eat
B) the problems ranchers have
C) where coyotes live
D) how smart coyotes are
(8.3)
A computer may do many different kinds of work. An individual may use a computer to accumulate income tax deductions or to play a game. An attorney may use a computer to print monthly statements for his or her clients. A government agency may use a computer to prepare employee payroll checks or direct an armed missile to a target.
This paragraph is about computers. What about them?
A) They print statements for clients.
B) Government agencies use them.
C) They are a valuable tool.
D) They do many different kinds of things.
(8.5)
In the words of Thomas DeQuincey, “It is notorious that the memory strengthens as you lay burdens upon it.” If, like most people, you have trouble recalling the names of those you have just met, try this: the next time you are introduced, plan to remember the names. Say to yourself, “I’ll listen carefully; I’ll repeat each person’s name to be sure I’ve got it, and I will remember.” You’ll discover how effective this technique is and probably recall those names for the rest of your life.
This paragraph is about memory. What about it?
A) It always operates at peak efficiency.
B) It breaks down under great strain.
C) It improves if it is used often.
D) It becomes unreliable if it tires.
(9.6)
In a typical middle-class family, the child's first step is usually an occasion for celebration. It means that the child is growing and developing normally, and it relates in an important way to middle-class attitudes about achievement and mobility. Mother and father encourage the child to walk, and are thrilled that he or she has begun. However, this initial joy is short-lived. The parents soon discover that the walking child causes more trouble than the crawling child: he is harder to keep track of, she is able to reach things that she could not before, he "gets into" more things. If walking is a problem for the parents, the next step in the process, running (accompanied by falling down), is a minor catastrophe. The running child becomes a kind of missile with with legs, a mobile engine of destruction: she crashes into things, people, and open space; he bowls over toys, visitors, and object of value.
The paragraph is about when a child learns to walk and run. What about it?
A) It is an occasion to celebrate.
B) He or she needs more watching and attending to.
C) His or her parents are thrilled.
D) He or she gets into a lot of trouble.
(10.9)
An individual can have faith in any one of many religious value systems or in some combination of several. One may have faith that God exists or that no God exists, that the soul goes to heaven or hell after death or that neither the soul nor heaven and hell are real, that prayers are answered or that prayers are a waste of time. One may place more faith in science and technology than in the traditional religious values. When you view the behavior of peoples throughout the world, you can see that some have more faith in an ideology, such as democracy or communism, or in money or power than in a personal God.
The paragraph is about people. What about them?
A) They have more faith in an ideology than in God.
B) They are very hard to please.
C) They believe that science and technology are more important than religion.
D) They differ in their belief in religion.
(11.2)
Even more than alcohol, some narcotics create an extreme craving that can be satisfied only by more narcotics. Drugs temporarily produce a wonderful feeling of well-being, but the same stressful world is there when the drug wears off. The world seems so much more pleasant to the person under the influence of drugs that the desire to escape the real world plus the habit-forming effect of the drug motivate continued use.
The paragraph is about drugs. What about them?
A) They make you feel good.
B) The effects of narcotics are like those of alcohol.
C) They are addictive.
D) They make the world a great place to live in.
(11.6)
A hit Broadway show consists of two and a half hours of entertainment, which is the culmination of endless weeks of rehearsal and hard work to prepare the finished performance. A ballerina started taking lessons at the age of six to accomplish that pirouette that seems so effortless when she's twenty-one. That basketball player started shooting baskets when he was nine to perfect that jumpshot he nets with seeming ease when he's twenty-five.
This paragraph is about becoming skilled at doing certain things. What about it?
A) It takes a lot of time compared to the time it takes to actually do it.
B) You must start practicing early in life in order to be successful.
C) It requires the right attitude.
D) It requires considerable effort.
(13.1)
Whatever the condition of the infant's memory system, it is very clear that language provides him or her with an immensely useful tool. The world, instead of consisting of vague, disorganized, and occasionally unrecognizable objects, takes on form and organization. The ability to name things appears very early in the infant's life and is evidence of the growing comprehension the child has of what transpires around him or her.
The paragraph is about the development of language in an infant. What about it?
A) It is a very important skill.
B) It depends on the infant's memory system.
C) It helps the infant to become organized.
D) It is learned early in life.
(2.8)
At the store we use coupons to save money. Coupons may come in the mail. Sometimes they are in the newspaper. You can get them in the ad for the store, too. Usually you need to cut the coupon out.
A) Coupons save money.
B) Coupons can be found in different places.
C) Cut coupons out of the ad.
D) You may find a coupon at the store.
(3.0)
The tree hyrax is small and furry. Its fur is dark brown or black, with some gray or yellow mixed in. It looks like a rabbit, except that it has small, rounded ears. And it has only a stump for a tail. The tree hyrax has four toes on its front feet but only three on its hind feet.
This paragraph tells mostly
A) where a tree hyrax lives.
B) what a tree hyrax looks like.
C) how big a tree hyrax is.
D) how the tree hyrax got its name.
(3.0)
The tree hyrax begins making noises when the sun sets. First it squeaks and whistles. Then it squeals. It ends up by screaming. One scientist said that it sounds like an angry child.
This paragraph tells mostly
A) why the tree hyrax makes noise.
B) what kinds of noises the tree hyrax makes.
C) where the tree hyrax lives.
D) when the tree hyrax makes noise.
(3.5)
One kind of catfish is called the glass catfish. Its body is like a thin piece of glass. You can look through its skin and see its insides. Another kind of catfish is called the upside-down catfish. This strange fish often swims on its back. But the strangest catfish of all is the walking catfish. The walking catfish can ‘‘walk’’ on land by using its tail and fins to push itself along the ground.
Which of the following sentences best states the main idea of this paragraph?
A) One kind of catfish swims upside down.
B) There are some mighty strange creatures in the catfish family.
C) The walking catfish is the strangest catfish of all.
D) One catfish has a body that is like a thin piece of glass.
(3.8)
Corn was first grown by Native Americans. They showed the pilgrims how to grow corn as food. At one time corn was used as money by pioneers. Corn is used as feed for farm animals. People also eat it as a vegetable. Oil, starch, and sugar can be made from corn. Corn is also important in industry. Medicine, paper, fertilizer, and glue can be made from corn and corn products.
Choose an appropriate topic sentence for this paragraph:
A) Native Americans were the first to grow corn.
B) Corn was used as money.
C) Many kinds of animals eat corn.
D) Do you know how important corn is?
(3.8)
We’ve had Ginger since I was two years old. Every morning, she wakes me up by licking my cheek. That’s her way of telling me she’s hungry. When she wants attention, she’ll weave in and out of my legs and meow until I pick her up and hold her. And I can always tell when Ginger wants to play. She’ll bring me her toys and will keep dropping them (usually right on my homework!) until I stop what I’m doing and play with her for a while.
A good topic sentence for this paragraph would be:
A) I take excellent care of Ginger.
B) Ginger is a demanding pet.
C) Ginger and I have grown up together.
D) Ginger is good at telling me what she wants.
(3.8)
Is there a hairy monster in the Pacific Northwest? Some people think so. They say it lives in the mountains. They call it "Bigfoot." No one knows for sure if Bigfoot is real. Hundreds of people say they have seen the monster, and many more claim to have seen its huge footprints. Reports state that Bigfoot looks like an ape. It doesn't run, but it walks very fast. Bigfoot is said to be a fast swimmer as well. Reports of the strange Bigfoot make the monster an interesting puzzle.
What is the main idea?
A) The Pacific Northwest is a nice place to visit.
B) Bigfoot looks like an ape.
C) Bigfoot is still a mystery.
D) Bigfoot's physical features
(3.9)
Day after day, Johnny chooses to sit at his computer instead of going outside with his friends. A few months ago, he’d get half a dozen phone calls from his friends every night. Now, he might get one or two a week. Used to be his friends would come over two, three days a week after school. Now, he spends his afternoons alone with his computer.
The main idea is
A) Johnny and his friends are all spending time with their computers instead of one another.
B) Johnny’s friends aren’t very good friends.
C) Johnny has alienated his friends by spending so much time on the computer.
D) Johnny and his friends prefer to communicate by computer.
(4.0)
The mongoose is a champion fighter. It hunts and kills snakes, even poisonous ones. The mongoose is very fast. When a snake tries to strike the mongoose, the mongoose leaps out of its way and jumps on the back of the snake’s neck. Then it bites into the snake’s neck and kills it.
This paragraph is mostly about
A) a snake’s enemies.
B) how mongooses kill snakes.
C) where mongooses are found.
D) how fast mongooses are.
(4.1)
Like most other birds, the hornbill wakes up early. It flies over to where the mongoose is sleeping. It calls the mongoose. First, it calls softly. But then it calls louder. It keeps on calling until the mongoose wakes up. The hornbill is an alarm clock with wings.
This paragraph is mostly about
A) why birds wake up early.
B) what alarm clocks do.
C) why the mongoose sleeps later than the hornbill.
D) how the hornbill is like an alarm clock.
(4.4)
Some fish use their shapes and colors to hide themselves. They disguise themselves. The leaf fish is very flat and is brown with white spots. It looks just like a leaf floating on the water. But if a small fish swims nearby, it soon shows that it is not a dead leaf but a live predator. It quickly opens its very large mouth and eats the smaller fish. The flatfish can make its body very flat. As it lies on the bottom of the sea, it can make its body match the sea bottom. The stonefish also hides on the bottom of the sea. It looks like a rock. When a fish swims by, the stonefish quickly gobbles it up. To protect itself from sharks and other dangerous creatures, the stonefish has thirteen poisonous spines. Pipefish have long, thin bodies. With their tubelike bodies, they can easily hide in seaweed. They can also change color so they can match the color of the seaweed where they are hiding.
Which sentence best states the main idea of this paragraph?
A) The pipefish has the best disguise.
B) The stonefish is the most dangerous fish.
C) Some fish use disguises.
D) Fish often eat other fish.
(4.8)
Floods can cause tremendous damage. They can ruin houses, roads and buildings. Floods can take down trees and cause mudslides. They often leave mud, sand, and debris behind. It can take months to clean up after a flood
A) Floods can cause a lot of damage.
B) Floods cause mudslides.
C) Floods damage houses and roads.
D) Flood damage may take months to clean up
(4.8)
My “office” measures a whopping 5 feet by 7 feet. A large desk is squeezed into one corner, leaving just enough room for a rickety chair between the desk and the wall. Yellow paint is peeling off the walls in dirty chunks. The ceiling is barely six feet tall; it’s like a hat that I wear all day long. The window, a single two-foot by two-foot pane, looks out onto a solid brick wall just two feet away.
The main idea of this paragraph is that
A) the office is small but comfortable.
B) the office is in need of repair.
C) the office is old and claustrophobic.
D) the narrator deserves a better office.
(4.9)
Without really meaning to, monkeys help keep hornbills safe from danger. Hornbills are large birds. Many of them live in large rain forests. Hornbills are also very loud. But even though they are large and loud, hornbills have enemies. One of their most feared enemies is the crowned eagle. When it spreads its wings, the crowned eagle is six feet across. It has very sharp claws. The crowned eagle is big enough and tough enough to eat monkeys and hornbills. When they spot a crowned eagle, monkeys give out a cry that sounds ike the bark of a dog. This warns the other monkeys. They quickly go into hiding. Monkeys also call out a warning when leopards are around. Hornbills take action when they hear the warning call that crowned eagles are near, but they don’t do anything when they hear the warning call that leopards are in the area. Leopards eat monkeys, but they don’t eat hornbills.
This paragraph is mostly about
A) how monkeys warn hornbills of danger.
B) why hornbills are afraid of crowned eagles.
C) why hornbills aren’t afraid of leopards.
D) what hornbills are like
(5.1)
Did you know that there is a mouse that howls? Grasshopper mice don’t like other mice to come into their territory. If other mice do come into the place where the grasshopper mice live, the grasshopper mice bark and howl.
The first paragraph tells mostly
A) why the grasshopper mouse howls.
B) how the grasshopper mouse howls.
C) what other animals do when the grasshopper mouse howls.
D) how loud the grasshopper mouse howls.
(5.1)
Insects can’t speak, but they can be heard. Crickets make noises by beating their wings together. Some grasshoppers rub their back legs against their wings. They look like violin players. Termites beat on their wooden homes. They sound like tiny drummers.
Which sentence best states the main idea of this paragraph?
A) Insects make sounds in many different ways.
B) Most insects use their wings to make noise.
C) Termites have a strange way of making noise.
D) Some animals use their wings to make noise.
(5.3)
Box turtles can live more than 100 years. Some people say that turtles might be able to live for many hundreds of years if they did not have accidents. No one has been able to prove this, because turtles live longer than the people keeping records!
A) Certain types of land turtles weigh many hundreds of pounds.
B) Turtles live for a very long time.
C) Turtles have stumpy legs.
D) Turtles like to eat flies.
(5.5)
While traveling in far-off countries, Bonnie Bergin noticed that people who couldn’t walk used animals to aid them. They used donkeys and burros to help them get around. The animals carried clothing, pots and pans and food, and other things that could be sold. The donkeys and burros helped the disabled people earn a living. A light bulb went off in Bonnie Bergin’s head. She had an idea: ‘‘Why not get animals to aid disabled people in the United States?’’ Of course, there aren’t many donkeys or burros in the United States. But there are lots of dogs in the United States. Bonnie Bergin took her idea home with her. In 1975 she started training dogs that would help disabled people.
What is this paragraph mostly about?
A) How donkeys and burros help people
B) Why Bonnie Bergin was in a far-off country
C) How Bonnie Bergin got an idea for helping disabled people
D) What kind of a person Bonnie Bergin is
(6.2)
Some experts think that cats purr when they are happy, such as when you are petting them and they curl up in your lap. Their throat muscles relax, and their vocal cords loosen. As they breathe, the vocal cords vibrate; this makes a purring sound. However, some people say that cats also purr when they are afraid or in pain. Some people think the purr is not coming from the throat. Only cats really know why they purr.
What is the main idea of the passage?
A What a cat’s purr means
B how to play with cats
C how many lives a cat has
D cats in myth and magic
(6.2)
The novel Lord of the Flies begins with a group of schoolboys being left on an island by a plane crash. At first the group is cooperative, helping one another to find food and shelter. Then it divides into two camps. One is led by a peaceful boy named Ralph; the other by a violent one named Jack. Jack’s group becomes more and more powerful until Ralph is the only “civilized” person left on the island. He is nearly killed by the other boys before, finally, a rescue ship arrives.
A) Lord of the Flies is a fictional view of how young people interact with each other in various circumstances.
B) Lord of the Flies is a fictional view of what can happen when young people are alone and removed from civilization.
C) The author of Lord of the Flies feels that boys are basically more uncivilized than girls.
D) Lord of the Flies is a story about a rescue ship.
(6.3)
Mr. Miller’s a pretty carefree person. I’ve borrowed his car on several occasions, and a few times, I’ve found the doors unlocked when I arrived at the garage. He often forgets things, too, like exactly where he parked the car on a particular day or where he put his keys. One time, I found him wandering around the garage looking for his keys, which he thought he dropped on the way to the car, and it turned out the car door was unlocked anyway. Sometimes, I wonder how he remembers his address, let alone to take care of his car.
What is Mr. Miller’s neighbor suggesting?
A) Mr. Miller forgets everything.
B) Mr. Miller may have left his car door unlocked the day the radio was stolen.
C) Mr. Miller is too carefree for his own good.
(6.5)
If you’re a fitness walker, there is no need for a commute to a health club. Your neighborhood can be your health club. You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to get a good workout either. All you need is a well-designed pair of athletic shoes.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
A) fitness walking is a better form of exercise than weight lifting.
B) a membership in a health club is a poor investment.
C) walking outdoors provides a better workout than walking indoors.
D) fitness walking is a convenient and valuable form of exercise.
E) poorly designed athletic shoes can cause major foot injuries.
(6.7)
Juan loves to play games. His favorite game is chess because it requires a great deal of thought. Juan also likes to play less demanding board games that are based mostly on luck. He prefers Monopoly because it requires luck and skill. If he’s alone, Juan likes to play action video games as long as they aren’t too violent.
What is the main idea of this paragraph?
A) Juan dislikes violence.
B) Juan likes to think.
C) Juan enjoys Monopoly.
D) Juan enjoys playing games.
(6.7)
Today’s postal service is more efficient than ever. Mail that once took months to move by horse and foot now moves around the country in days or hours by truck, train, and plane. If your letter or package is urgent, the U.S. Postal Service offers Priority Mail and Express Mail services. Priority Mail is guaranteed to go anywhere in the United States in two days or less. Express Mail will get your package there overnight.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
A) more people use the post office for urgent deliveries than any other delivery service.
B) Express Mail is a good way to send urgent mail.
C) Priority Mail usually takes two days or less.
D) mail service today is more effective and dependable.
E) mail was once delivered by horse and foot.
(6.7)
When you reach a stop sign and no one is coming from the other direction, do you roll on through instead of stopping? A large majority of bad drivers say that they believe it is okay to go through stop signs as long as no one gets hurt. Do you talk on the cell phone while driving instead of pulling over to stop and talk? Seventy-seven percent of bad drivers frequently don't pull over. Do you hate driving behind large vehicles that obstruct your view? More than 60% of bad drivers report that they are frustrated when driving behind SUVs. Do you find yourself in confrontations on the road because of your own driving habits or the driving habits of others? At least half of all bad drivers do.
A) Bad driving habits include road rage and using cell phones while driving.
B) There are more bad drivers on the road than there are good drivers.
C) Drivers should be courteous to their fellow drivers.
D) There are several ways to tell if you have the habits of bad drivers.
(6.9)
High blood pressure is sometimes call the "silent killer" because there are no symptoms. Another disease that often goes unnoticed is heart disease. The first signs of a heart attack are not always obvious. Diabetes is yet another illness that many do not know they have. In fact, the MSN Web page says that 16 million people are "silently at risk" for diabetes.
A) What you don't know won't hurt you.
B) Heart disease is a common and serious health problem.
C) Some serious medical conditions often go unnoticed.
D) Heart disease and diabetes are two serious health problems that often go undetected.
E) Sixteen million people are at risk for diabetes.
(7.1)
Today’s postal service is more efficient and reliable than ever before. Mail that used to take months to move by horse and foot now moves around the country in days or hours by truck, train, and plane. First-class mail usually moves from New York City to Los Angeles in three days or less. If your letter or package is urgent, the U.S. Postal Service offers Priority Mail and Express Mail services. Priority Mail is guaranteed to go anywhere in the United States in two days or less. Express Mail will get your package there overnight.
Which of the following sentences best summarizes the main idea of the passage?
A) Express Mail is a good way to send urgent mail.
B) Mail service today is more effective and dependable.
C) First-class mail usually takes three days or less.
(7.3)
In Indonesia, farmers have taken much land once lived on by elephants. So in order to find food, the elephants have invaded farms. In addition, oil company blasts and helicopters have scared elephants into rioting. Homes, farms, and even lives have been lost. As it is illegal to kill elephants there, another solution had to be found. Thus a reform school for elephants was created. Wild elephants are captured and brought there. Then they are prepared for careers in either entertainment, logging, or farming.
A) Much former elephant territory in Indonesia is now farmland.
B) Elephants have become dangerous in Indonesia, so a school has been started to make them tame and useful.
C) Although elephants are dangerous in Indonesia, it is illegal to kill them.
D) A reform school for elephants has been started.
(7.3)
As we age, our chances of developing heart disease increase, for heart disease tends to develop gradually over the course of one's life. In fact, almost 85% of people who die from heart attacks are aged 65 or older. Another risk factor that cannot be changed is gender. Young men have a greater risk of heart disease than young women. Obviously, you have no say in choosing your biological parents. By the luck of birth, some people are born into families where heart disease is quite prevalent. In cases such as this, children are said to have a genetic predisposition to develop heart disease as they grow. Race is also a risk factor that cannot be controlled.
A) Age is the biggest factor in heart disease.
B) Many risk factors for heart disease can be changed.
C) Some risk factors for heart disease cannot be changed.
D) Heart disease is a serious health issue in the United States.
(7.4)
If people stop to think about the plots in children’s stories, they may be surprised. Hansel and Gretel, for example, were abandoned by their father and stepmother and left to wander in a dark forest. Cinderella was treated like a slave by her stepmother and stepsisters. Little Red Riding Hood was eaten by a wild animal, and the three blind mice had their tails cut off by the farmer’s wife.
A) Children’s stories are about stepfamilies.
B) Cinderella was treated like a slave.
C) Animals and children are important characters in children’s stories.
D) Children’s stories often deal with evil and violence.
(7.4)
Thomas H. Holmes, a psychiatrist, developed a scale to rate the amount of stress brought on by what he calls Life-Changing Units (LCUs). Some LCUs are obviously negative. They include the death of a spouse (rated at 100 points) or a jail term (63 points). Others may be positive: pregnancy (40 points) or an increase of responsibility at work (29 points). Holmes interviewed more than five thousand hospital patients as part of his study. He found that half the people who had scored between 150 and 300 LCUs in a year had become ill. About 70 percent of those scoring more than 300 LCUs in a year had gotten sick.
A) According to a psychiatrist's study, the stress of life-changing events tends to make people sick.
B) Life-changing events can be both positive and negative.
C) For his study, Holmes interviewed more than five thousand hospital patients.
D) According to psychiatrist Thomas H. Holmes, even positive life-changing units cause stress.
(7.4)
When you want to hang the American flag over the middle of a street, suspend it vertically with the blue field, called the union, to the north and east-west street. When the flag is displayed with another banner from crossed staffs, the American flag is on the right. Place the staff of the American flag in front of the other staff. Raise the flag quickly and lower it slowly and respectfully. When flying the flag at half-mast, hoist it to the top of the pole for a moment before lowering it to mid-pole. When flying the American flag with banners from states or cities, raise the nation's banner first and lower it last. Never allow the flag to touch the ground.
A) The American flag is the symbol of American freedom.
B) The American flag has fifty stars.
C) Placing the American flag inappropriately will draw government intervention.
D) American flag should be flown differently in certain situations
E) The flag should be lowered quickly and respectfully.
(7.6)
Managing job and family is not simple. Both commitments make strong demands on people and are sometimes in direct opposition to each other. Saying yes to one means saying no to the other, and stress can often result. Being realistic and creating a balance in life can help set priorities.
The main idea of the paragraph is that
A) most family responsibilities cause stress at home and at work.
B) because it pays the bills, a job must take priority over other commitments.
C) it is important to have a balance between job and family responsibilities.
D) because they are so important, family duties must take priority over the job.
(7.7)
Human technology developed from the first stone tools about two and a half million years ago. In the beginning, the rate of development was slow. Hundreds of thousands of years passed without much change. Today, new technologies are reported daily on television and in newspapers.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
A) stone tools were not really technology.
B) stone tools were in use for two and a half million years.
C) there is no way to know when stone tools first came into use.
D) In today’s world, new technologies are constantly being developed.
E) none of the latest technologies are as significant as the development of stone tools.
(7.8)
The people of ancient Egypt created an advanced civilization. More than 6,000 years ago, they developed a calendar with 360 days divided into 12 months. The people made paper and learned how to write. They also built huge monuments with machines they invented.
What is this story mainly about?
A) How people in Egypt made paper.
B) The accomplishments of the ancient Egyptians.
C) How the people in Egypt built huge monuments.
D) Where an ancient calendar was developed.
(7.8)
Kentucky Fried Chicken planned to open one hundred stores in Brazil. But it ignored the fact that most Brazilians prefer charcoal-broiled chicken, which is sold on almost every street comer there. Now there are only two Kentucky Fried Chicken stores in Brazil. Similarly, the Singer Company planned to use a certain bright blue in an ad to sell their sewing machines in Hong Kong. The company learned in time that this shade of blue is known there as the death color.
A) Kentucky Fried Chicken’s plans for Brazil failed.
B) If companies don’t understand other cultures, they may not succeed there.
C) Most Brazilians prefer charcoal-broiled chicken to fried chicken.
D) In Hong Kong, a certain bright blue is associated with death.
(7.9)
At Dalton State College, the registrant of a motor vehicle is held responsible for the safe and prudent operating and proper parking of his or her vehicle regardless of who may be the operator. Curbs painted in yellow are no parking areas. Parking against the flow of traffic is prohibited at all times. Vehicles parked on campus after school hours may be towed away. All faculty and staff reserved parking areas will be painted in red. Fines will be paid at the Business Office in the Wescott Building. Speed limits are as posted. There is no parking at anytime on College Drive. Decals are not transferable.
A) Registrants of motor vehicles are responsible for the safe and prudent operating and parking of their vehicles.
B) Dalton State College has several general rules involving parking and driving on campus.
C) Dalton State College has parking problems.
D) There are many rules related to parking at Dalton State College.
(7.9)
Financial genius James "Big Jim" Fisk (1834-1872) died of gunshot wound when he was only thirty-seven years old. During his brief lifetime, Fisk earned and lost huge sums of money, much of it through bribery and theft. During the Civil War, he smuggled cotton from the South to the North. He also printed and sold phony bonds to gain control of the wildly profitable Erie Railroad. Then he bankrupted the railroad while gaining a personal fortune for himself. In 1869, Fisk’s attempts to take over the gold market led to financial panic and the collapse of the stock market. Oddly enough, Fisk seemed rather proud of his wicked ways, saying "Some people are born to be good; other people to be bad. I was born to be bad." A lover of the ladies, Fisk was killed in a fight with a rival over the affections of actress Josie Mansfield. (Source of information: Armento et al., A More Perfect Union, p. 472)
A) Big Jim Fisk liked pretty women a little too much for his own good.
B) In his pursuit of wealth, James Fisk never let law or morality stand in his way.
C) James Fisk did not have a long life, but that did not stop him from making a great deal of money.
(8.1)
Some workers skip breakfast and try to make up for it by eating a big lunch. Studies show that workers who do this lose as much efficiency at work as people who’ve missed a whole night’s sleep. Workers who eat a high-protein breakfast and a light lunch, on the other hand, tend to be energetic and efficient throughout the day. A separate study proved that teens who eat breakfast do far better in school than their classmates who don’t.
A) Eating breakfast increases one’s efficiency throughout the day.
B) Skipping lunch probably does not make one less efficient.
C) Teens who want to do well in school should eat a good breakfast.
D) A glass of milk, whole wheat bread, and cheese make for a good breakfast.
(8.2)
A business uses as many accounts as it needs for keeping track of its operations. A small firm with few pieces of equipment, for instance, may have only one account for all its equipment. A larger business will probably need an account for each type of equipment or even, in some cases, for a single piece of equipment. A business with only one owner will need only one capital account; a partnership will need a capital account for each partner.
A) Large businesses need more accounts than small businesses.
B) One-owner businesses need fewer accounts than partnerships.
C) Businesses use as many accounts as they require in order to operate efficiently.
D) The number of accounts is a clue to the size of the business.
(8.3)
Acupressure is a form of ancient Chinese therapy. When you are feeling nervous, try pressing your thumb a hand’s width below your collarbone on the right side of your chest. Vibrate your thumb slowly as you press, then rotate your thumb clockwise. You’ll be pressing an acupressure point that is supposed to produce calmness. For an aching eye, press the acupressure point at the inside corner of the other eye. To relieve a headache, press your thumb deeply into the fleshy part of the hand beneath your other thumb.
A) Acupressure can calm you down.
B) The Chinese have developed various useful physical therapies.
C) Acupressure can help you relieve various discomforts.
D) Acupressure is the best ways to relieve various discomforts.
(8.4)
Many of the “witches” executed in Salem, Massachusetts, in the 1690s were actually mentally ill. Their odd behavior made people believe they were in league with the Devil. In other times and places, mentally ill people have been punished. Often they were beaten or chained up. It was thought that their illness was the result of an evil nature or lack of willpower. Only recently have people accepted the idea that mental illness can be a medical problem.
A) Mentally ill people were once thought to be witches and were thus executed for being in league with the Devil.
B) Mental illness has become more common since the 1690s.
C) The mentally ill have always been treated badly.
D)Throughout history, there have been different views about the nature of mental illness
(8.7)
A Washington, D.C., student was shot to death two weeks before Christmas. Police believe he was shot by teenagers who were stealing his radio. An eighth grader in Pasadena, Texas, held an assistant principal hostage with a pistol. The boy was upset over his parents’ recent separation. Two brothers who obtained guns through their gang terrorized members of their own family. And a survey of a Baltimore high school shows that well over half of the students polled knew someone who had carried a handgun within the last six months.
A) Violence is a growing problem among teenagers.
B) According to one survey, many high-school students have carried a handgun recently.
C) Teens having guns are a major problem.
D) Teens may use guns against educators.
(8.7)
Birds have long played a central role in superstitions. However, the role birds have played varies greatly. While crows were thought to be in league with the devil, blue birds were usually considered signs of good fortune. Blue jays, in contrast, were seldom assigned a positive role in superstition and legend. Most of the time, they were considered companions to the devil. According to one ancient superstition, blue jays were never seen on Fridays. Friday was their day to meet with the devil and pass on any useful gossip about souls who might be ready to go astray. Owls, in contrast, have played a number of different roles, some good, some bad. In several superstitions they are portrayed as wise counselors; in others they are a sign that death is near.
A) Despite having the same color, blue jays and blue birds have played very different roles in superstitions.
B) Birds turn up frequently in superstitions as signs of both good and evil.
C) Hardly a superstition exists that doesn’t have a bird in it.
(8.8)
Through the years, farmers around the world have used much land that once was wilderness. Logging, mining, and oil development in many countries have also used up wilderness lands. Huge blocks of wilderness have almost totally disappeared in Europe and the United States. Of U.S. land, only about 3 percent is wilderness, and almost all of that is in Alaska.
A) Wilderness lands have been lost to farming.
B) Wilderness lands have been lost to logging, mining, and oil development.
C) Changes have occurred in the world’s wilderness.
D) The wilderness in the U.S. has shrunk greatly.
(9.0)
French and American cookbooks obviously share the same subject: They both deal with the preparation of food. But that’s where the similarity ends. American recipes are very exact, while French recipes are open to personal variation. In American cookbooks, the teaspoon of sugar, for instance, is described as rounded or flat. French cookbooks are inclined to be less precise. The French cookbook writer thinks nothing of listing a "sprinkling of pepper" or a "pinch of salt." French cookbooks are also likely to tell the reader to "season according to taste." American cookbooks, in contrast, don’t seem to have as much faith in their readers’ ability to get the recipe right from taste. They tell readers exactly how much seasoning to use.
A) Despite a common topic, French and American cookbooks differ in the way they give directions.
B) Because they are better cooks, the French write cookbooks that trust their readers’ judgment.
C) American cookbooks don’t have much faith in the cook’s ability to determine the right taste.
(9.2)
Not surprisingly, the crime victims are often called upon to identify the person who robbed or attacked them. For a jury, the victim’s testimony is often proof positive that the accused is guilty. After all, who can better identify the wrongdoer than the person harmed. This is just common sense. Yet as is so often the case, common sense can be misleading. As it turns out, crime victims don’t necessarily make reliable witnesses. Overcome with fear, they often close their eyes or focus fixedly on the weapon being used to threaten them. As a result, they don’t get a good look at the thief or attacker. While it’s not true that crime victim testimony is always inaccurate, it’s also true that one can’t assume a victim’s identification is automatic proof of guilt.
A) Crime victims do not always correctly identify those who have harmed them.
B) Crime victim testimony is almost always inaccurate because during the crime, the victim was overcome with terror.
C) The testimony of crime victims has put far too many people in jail.
(9.3)
Before you begin to compose a business letter, sit down and think about your purpose in writing the letter. Do you want to request information, order a product, register a complaint, or apply for something? Do some brainstorming and gather information before you begin writing. Always keep your objective in mind.
The main idea of the passage is that
A) planning is an important part of writing a business letter.
B) business letters are frequently complaint letters.
C) brainstorming and writing take approximately equal amounts of time.
D) many people fail to plan ahead when they are writing a business letter.
(9.3)
A famous but unsuccessful television commercial for panty hose began by showing a pair of shapely legs. The camera then panned up the legs slowly. Finally the model’s entire body and face were revealed. It was Joe Namath, the famous football quarterback. Marketing research measured the percentage of people who remembered seeing the commercial. That percentage was extremely high. But few people could remember the brand of panty hose it advertised.
A) Joe Namath was once used as a model in a panty hose commercial.
B) A panty hose ad surprised viewers by revealing that a pair of shapely legs belonged to football player Joe Namath.
C) An ad can be famous and yet unsuccessful in making people remember the product.
D) It is difficult to design successful ads for certain products.
(9.5)
What troubled people especially was not just the tragedy--or even its needlessness--but the element of fate in it all. If the Titanic had heeded any of the six ice messages on Sunday … if ice conditions had been normal ... if the night had been rough or moonlit … if she had seen the berg 15 seconds sooner--or 15 seconds later ... if she had hit the ice any other way ... if her watertight bulkheads had been one deck higher ... if she had carried enough boats ... if the Californian had only come. Had anyone of these "ifs" turned out right, every life might have been saved. But they all went against her--a classic Greek tragedy.
A) There were so many ways that the sinking of the Titanic could have been avoided that it seemed almost fated to occur.
B) People were especially troubled by the Titanic disaster.
C) If only ice conditions had been normal, the tragedy would not have occurred.
D) One of the causes of the tragedy was the negligence of the captain in not heeding the six ice messages on Sunday.
(9.5)
Perhaps even more important than their role as transmitters of disease is the competition that insects give us for food. Every plant crop that man raises for his own use also feeds a multitude of insects. Some insects suck the juices of plants, stunting their growth and making them easy prey for disease organisms. Other insects actually chew and devour plant parts. A swarm of grasshoppers can consume every green leaf in a field of corn in a remarkably brief period. The larvae of many moths, butterflies, and beetles are also destructive crop pests. In those parts of the world where the human population barely has enough to eat, competition with the insects often results in serious famine. Even where there is enough food, we must depend on the untiring efforts of agricultural scientists and farmers in their war on insect enemies.
A) Insects cause famine.
B) Insects compete with us for food.
C) Insects are to be feared as enemies who eat our food and transmit diseases to us.
D) Our agricultural scientists are at war with our insect enemies.
(9.6)
Whether you can accomplish a specific goal or meet a specific deadline depends first on how much time you need to get the job done. What should you do when the demands of the job exceed the time you have available? The best approach is to divide the project into smaller pieces. Different goals will have to be divided in different ways, but one seemingly unrealistic goal can often be accomplished by working on several smaller, more reasonable goals.
The main idea of the passage is that
A) jobs often remain only partially completed because of lack of time.
B) the best way to complete projects is to make sure your goals are achievable.
C) the best way to tackle a large project is to separate it into smaller parts.
D) the best approach to a demanding job is to delegate responsibility.
(10.2)
Today’s shopping mall has as its antecedents historical marketplaces, such as Greek agoras, European piazzas, and Asian bazaars. The purpose of these sites, as with the shopping mall, is both economic and social. People not only go to buy and sell wares, but also to be seen, catch up on news, and be part of the human drama.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
A) modern Americans spend an average of 15 hours a month in shopping malls.
B) shopping malls serve an important purpose in our culture.
C) shopping malls have a social as well as commercial function.
D) there are historical antecedents for almost everything in contemporary society.
(10.4)
Health clubs have undergone a major transformation that can be described in three words:mind, body, and spirit. Loud, fast, heart-thumping aerobics has been replaced by the hushed tones of yoga and the controlled movements of Pilates. The clubs are responding to the needs of their customers who are increasingly looking for a retreat from their hectic lifestyles and a way to find a healthy balance in their lives by nurturing their whole selves.
The main idea of the paragraph is that
A) exercise is less important now than it once was.
B) health clubs are much less popular now than they were ten years ago.
C) many health clubs will go out of business because of the decline in traditional exercise.
D) people’s desire to nurture all aspects of themselves has contributed to big changes for health clubs.
(10.8)
People loved to come to the Grogrande Bakery. When one opened the door an exquisite fragrance of newly baked bread and cakes greeted the nostrils; and, if you were not hungry when you entered, you were sure to become so when you examined and smelled the delicious pies and doughnuts and gingerbread and buns with which the shelves and show-cases were stocked. There were trays of French candies, too; and because all the goods were fresh and wholesome the bakery was well patronized and did a thriving business.
A) People love to eat bread.
B) People loved to come to the Grogrande Bakery.
C) Gingerbread is delicious.
D) The Grogrande bakery made a ton of money.
(11.0)
Knitting has made a major comeback. People are knitting on college campuses, in coffee shops, and in small knitting groups throughout the United States. New knitting stores, many with cafes, are popping up all over, and there are more knitting books and magazines being published than ever before.And not all of these knitters are women: As knitting continues to surge in popularity, men are picking up knitting needles in record numbers.
The paragraph best supports the statement that
A) joining a knitting group is a great way to make new friends.
B) some people knit because it helps them relax and release stress.
C) today’s knitter is not the stereotypical grandmother in a rocking chair.
D) as is the case with all fads, this new obsession with knitting will fade quickly.
(11.1)
Critical reading is a demanding process. To read critically, you must slow down your reading and, with pencil in hand, perform specific operations on the text. Mark up the text with your reactions, conclusions, and questions. When you read, become an active participant.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
A) critical reading is a slow, dull, but essential process.
B) the best critical reading happens at critical times in a person’s life.
C) readers should get in the habit of questioning the truth of what they read.
D) critical reading requires thoughtful and careful attention.
E) critical reading should take place at the same time each day.
The main idea of the paragraph is that
A) variety and independence on the job increase employee motivation.
B) to avoid boredom,many people do more work than their jobs require of them.
C) today’s employees are demanding more independence than ever before.
D) office jobs in the past have carried less responsibility.
(11.2)
Keeping busy at important tasks is much more motivating than having too little to do. Today’s employees are not afraid of responsibility. Most people are willing to take on extra responsibility in order to have more variety in their positions. In addition, along with that responsibility should come more authority to independently carry out some important tasks.
The main idea of the paragraph is that
A) variety and independence on the job increase employee motivation.
B) to avoid boredom,many people do more work than their jobs require of them.
C) today’s employees are demanding more independence than ever before.
D) office jobs in the past have carried less responsibility.
(11.4)
Native American art often incorporates a language of abstract visual symbols. The artist gives a poetic message to the viewer, communicating the beauty of an idea, either by using religious symbols or a design from nature such as rain on leaves or sunshine on water. The idea communicated may even be purely whimsical, in which case the artist might start out with symbols developed from a bird’s tracks or a child’s toy.
The main idea of the passage is that Native American art
A) is purely poetic and dreamlike.
B) is usually abstract, although it can also be poetic and beautiful.
C) communicates the beauty of ideas through the use of symbols.
D) is sometimes purely whimsical.
(11.5)
The fact that electronic computers are now used for data processing has led the general public to believe that it is a mysterious, complicated science and that the computers are giant brains. Both notions are false. Basically, a computer is a high-speed adding machine which does what it is told to do. If the input data are varied even slightly, the computer cannot operate until it is programmed to accept the variations. The business operations it performs are impressive only because of the extremely high speed of manipulation, but most of these operations have been in use for decades. Unlike man, the computer performs repetitive calculations without getting tired or bored.
A) A computer is a high-speed adding machine that cannot think.
B) A computer is a mysterious giant brain.
C) A computer is impressive because of its high speed.
D) A computer is superior to man in many ways.
(11.6)
The reasons for migration are many. Demographers often speak of "push" and "pull" factors. People can be "pushed" out of an area because of unsatisfactory conditions there. Wars, unemployment, persecution, famine, blight, and pollution are but a few of the many reasons people may choose to pack up and leave the place where they are living. Correspondingly, people may be "pulled" to areas because of good economic opportunities, good climate, congenial political and social conditions, and a countless variety of other reasons. Very often, migration reflects both push and pull factors as in the migration of many people from Ireland to the United States in the 1840s. Ireland was suffering a devastating potato famine, while the United States was regarded as the land of golden opportunity.
A) People are "pulled" to areas because of good economic opportunities.
B) There are many reasons for the migration of people.
C) People moved from Ireland because of the potato famine.
D) Wars, unemployment, and persecution cause people to move.
(11.8)
Everyone is sensitive to extreme weather conditions. But with age, the body may become less able to respond to long exposure to very hot or very cold temperatures. Some older people might develop hypothermia when exposed to cold weather. Hypothermia is a drop in internal body
temperature, which can be fatal if not detected and treated.
The paragraph best supports the statement that
A) cold weather is more dangerous for older people than warm weather.
B) hypothermia is a condition that only affects older people.
C) older people who live in warm climates are healthier than older people who live in cold climates.
D) an older person is more susceptible to hypothermia than a younger person.
(11.9)
People usually refer to taxes in terms of their being much too high. In reality, they are probably even higher than you imagine, because in addition to the federal income tax we are studying here, there are many other federal, state, and local taxes, such as sales tax, inheritance tax, state and sometimes local income tax, personal property tax, real estate tax, taxes on furs and jewels, just to mention a few. These are the most obvious ones.
A) We pay too many taxes.
B) We pay more taxes than we realize.
C) We should not have to pay real estate tax or inheritance tax.
D) Some taxes are hidden.
(12.4)
Over the past 20 years, worldwide illiteracy rates have consistently declined. The main reason for this decline is the sharp increase in the literacy rates of young women, which is the result of campaigns to increase educational opportunities for girls. For example, between 1970 and 1990, the literacy rate among women in the United Arab Emirates increased from 7% to 76%.
This passage is mainly about
A) the cause of illiteracy among women.
B) the effects of illiteracy among women.
C) the cause of reduced illiteracy rates among women.
D) the effect of educational opportunities for girls.
(12.4)
For the ancient Romans, taking a bath was a very special occasion. Because they considered bathing a social opportunity, they constructed huge public baths that put our modern-day indoor pools and spas to shame. Not only were the baths themselves lavishly decorated, they were also surrounded by shops, libraries, and lounges so that a person could shop, read or chat after bathing. The famed Baths of Caracalla, for example, offered Roman citizens massages and saunas in addition to a gymnasium and gardens for after-bath walks in lovely surroundings. Art lovers that they were, the Romans also frequently built art galleries into their bathing facilities. There were also kitchens, where food was prepared to serve hungry bathers. Although initially men and women bathed separately, mixed baths became the fashion until 500 A.D., when the coming of Christianity brought the public baths to an end. (Source of information: Charles Panati, Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things, p. 200)
A) The ancient Romans were the first to lead a life of pure luxury.
B) If the Romans had spent more time governing and less time bathing, the Roman Empire would still exist today.
C) The ancient Romans made luxury and socializing a part of bathing.
(12.7)
It is well known that the world urgently needs adequate distribution of food, so that everyone gets enough. Adequate distribution of medicine is just as urgent. Medical expertise and medical supplies need to be redistributed throughout the world so that people in emerging nations will have proper medical care.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
A) the majority of the people in the world have no medical care.
B) medical resources in emerging nations have diminished in the past few years.
C) not enough doctors give time and money to those in need of medical care.
D) many people who live in emerging nations are not receiving proper medical care.
(12.8)
Did you know that a half-gallon milk container holds about $50.00 in pennies? While all investment counselors realize that we must accumulate money in order to save, most recommend different kinds of investments for people who are in different stages of life. Older investors, those with limited funds to invest, or people with greater financial and family commitments, should take fewer risks. Younger, wealthier, and unmarried investors can afford to venture into the unknown.
A) A penny saved is a penny earned
B) Old people have the most money.
C) Our ages and stage of life are part of what determines the investments that are best for us.
D) Young people should concentrate on collecting pennies.
(12.9)
The use of desktop computer equipment and software to create high-quality documents such as newsletters, business cards, letterhead, and brochures is called Desktop Publishing, or DTP. The most important part of any DTP project is planning. Before you begin, you should know your intended audience, the message you want to communicate, and what form your message will take.
The paragraph best supports the statement that
A) Desktop Publishing is one way to become acquainted with a new business audience.
B) computer software is continually being refined to produce high-quality printing.
C) the first stage of any proposed DTP project should be organization and design.
D) the planning stage of any DTP project should include talking with the intended audience.
(13.6)
Litigation is not always the only or best way to resolve conflicts. Mediation offers an alternative approach and it is one that can be quite efficient and successful. Mediation can be faster, less expensive, and can lead to creative solutions not always possible in a court of law. Additionally, mediation focuses on mutually acceptable solutions, rather than on winning or losing.
This paragraph best supports the idea that
A) there is too much reliance on litigation in our society.
B) litigation is expensive, slow, and limited by its reliance on following the letter of the law.
C) mediation is the best way to resolve a crisis.
D) mediation can be an effective way to resolve conflicts.
(13.7)
In criminal cases, the availability of readable fingerprints is often critical in establishing evidence of a major crime. It is necessary, therefore, to follow proper procedures when taking fingerprints. In major cases, prints should be obtained from all persons who may have touched areas associated with a crime scene, for elimination purposes.
The main idea of the paragraph is that
A) because fingerprints are so important in many cases, it is important to follow the correct course in taking them.
B) all fingerprints found at a crime scene should be taken and thoroughly investigated.
C) if the incorrect procedure is followed in gathering fingerprints, the ones taken may be useless.
D) the first step in investigating fingerprints is to eliminate those of non-suspects.
(14.3)
Traditionally, situation comedies had been lighthearted and avoided controversy. Then in 1971, producer Norman Lear introduced All in the Family. Archie Bunker exploded into prime time. Filled with fears and prejudices, Archie treated his simple-minded, sweet wife like a doormat. He struggled to understand his mildly rebellious daughter. He shouted endless insults at his Polish-American son-in-law. Minority groups, nonconformists, bosses, and liberals all offended him.
A) All in the Family is still the best American situation comedy.
B) Norman Lear is a major figure in American popular culture
C) Norman Lear has brought America several worthwhile series.
D) All in the Family differed from the traditional uncontroversial approach to situation comedy.
(14.3)
An ecosystem is a group of animals and plants living in a specific region and interacting with one another and with their physical environment. Ecosystems include physical and chemical components, such as soils, water, and nutrients that support the organisms living there. These organisms may range from large animals to microscopic bacteria. Ecosystems also can be thought of as the interactions among all organisms in a given habitat; for instance, one species may serve as food for another. People are part of the ecosystems where they live and work. Human activities can harm or destroy local ecosystems unless actions such as land development for housing or businesses are carefully planned to conserve and sustain the ecology of the area. An important part of ecosystem management involves finding ways to protect and enhance economic and social well-being while protecting local ecosystems.
What is the main idea of the passage?
A) An ecosystem is a community that includes animals, plants, and microscopic bacteria.
B) Human activities can do great damage to local ecosystems, so human communities should be cautiously planned.
C) In managing the ecology of an area, it is important to protect both human interests and the interests of other members of local ecosystems.
D) People should remember that they are a part of the ecosystems where they live and work.
(14.5)
For most judges, sentencing a person who has been convicted of a crime is a difficult decision. In the majority of jurisdictions throughout the country, judges have few sentencing options from which to choose. Generally, their options are confined to a fine, probation, or incarceration. Crimes, however, cover a wide spectrum of criminal behavior and motivation, and a wide variety of sanctions should be available.
The main idea of the paragraph is that
A) there should be laws that dictate which sentence a judge should hand down.
B) someone other than a judge should be allowed to sentence a criminal.
C) judges should be given more sentencing options from which to choose.
D) more money should be spent on the criminal justice system.
(14.9)
One New York publisher has estimated that 50,000 to 60,000 people in the United States want an anthology that includes the complete works of William Shakespeare. And what accounts for this renewed interest in Shakespeare? As scholars point out, the psychological insights he portrays in both male and female characters are amazing even today.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
A) Shakespeare’s characters are more interesting than fictional characters today.
B) people today are interested in Shakespeare’s work because of the characters.
C) academic scholars are putting together an anthology of Shakespeare’s work.
D) New Yorkers have a renewed interested in the work of Shakespeare.
E) Shakespeare was a psychiatrist as well as a playwright.
(15.0)
Whatever their disadvantage with respect to distributing education tax dollars equally among school districts, in one respect at least, local property taxes are superior to state taxes as a means of funding public schools. Because local property taxes provide public schools with a direct source of revenue, these public schools are relatively free from competition for tax dollars with other government services. School administrators do not have to compete for a share of the state tax dollars, which are already being spent on health, criminal justice, public safety, and transportation. They are not placed in the position of having to argue that school programs must have priority over other public services financed by state taxes.
Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the passage?
A) Education is more important than other government services, such as criminal justice or public safety.
B) The disadvantage of local property taxes is that they do not equally distribute tax dollars spent on education.
C) School administrators are not accustomed to arguing that their programs must have priority over other government services.
D) Financing education with local property taxes has the advantage of eliminating competition for funding between schools and other public services.
E) School administrators must be prepared to justify the funds they spend on education programs.
(16.0)
The entire low-carbohydrate versus low-fat diet argument is so prevalent that one would think that these are the only two options available for losing weight and staying healthy. Some experts even feel that the low-carb/low-fat debate distracts us from an even more important issue—our culture’s reliance on processed and manufactured foods.
The paragraph best supports the statement that
A) experts state that not all fats are equal, so we need not reduce our intake of all fats; just those that contain partially hydrogenated oils.
B) important health concerns get overlooked when we focus exclusively on the low-fat versus low-carb question.
C) low-carbohydrate diets lead to significant and sustained weight loss.
D) processed foods can lead to many adverse health problems including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity
(16.1)
The competitive civil-service system is designed to give candidates fair and equal treatment and to ensure that federal applicants are hired based on objective criteria. Hiring has to be based solely on a candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities (which you’ll sometimes see abbreviated as ksa), and not on external factors such as race, religion, sex, and so on. Whereas employers in the private sector can hire employees for subjective reasons, federal employers must be able to justify their decision with objective evidence that the candidate is qualified.
The paragraph best supports the statement that
A) hiring in the private sector is inherently unfair.
B) ksa is not as important as test scores to federal employers.
C) federal hiring practices are simpler than those employed by the private sector.
D) the civil service strives to hire on the basis of a candidate’s abilities.