Nokea
Health Care's Numbers Game: The game of health care is a risky one. Today emergency rooms are acting as primary care physicians for thousands of patients. This trend produces a vicious cycle of hospitals raising emergency room costs and passing that increase along to paying patients, who in turn pass it along to insurance companies, who in turn raise rates so even more people cannot afford the premium or the co-payment.
For years, indigent people have used emergency rooms for very minor illnesses rather than seeing an outside doctor, but now emergency rooms are seeing people with insurance, but who cannot afford the co-payment or the deductible for the office visit.
If we don't change the way the healthcare game is played, we're all going to lose.
According to the passage, why are insurance companies raising insurance rates?
- A. Hospitals are mismanaged and therefore are overspending their budgets.
- B. They need to make more money to stay competitive.
- C. Hospitals are passing down the costs of giving care to people without insurance.
- D. Doctors are demanding higher salaries.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Hospitals are passing down the costs of giving care to people without insurance. The passage clearly states that hospitals are raising emergency room costs due to acting as primary care physicians for thousands of patients, including those without insurance. This increase in costs is then passed along to paying patients, who further pass it on to insurance companies. This leads insurance companies to raise rates to compensate for the increased costs incurred due to providing care to individuals without insurance.
Incorrect choices:
A: Hospitals being mismanaged does not directly relate to insurance companies raising rates.
B: Insurance companies raising rates is not solely to make more money to stay competitive.
D: There is no mention of doctors demanding higher salaries as a reason for insurance companies raising rates.
You may also like to solve these questions
Have you ever wondered why the whistle of a traveling, distant locomotive predicts its approach several yards before anyone actually sees it? Or why an oncoming ambulance's screaming siren is heard momentarily several feet before the ambulance comes into full view, before it passes you, and why its siren is still heard faintly well after the ambulance is out of sight?
What you are witnessing is a scientific phenomenon known as the Doppler Effect. What takes place is truly remarkable. In both of these instances, when the train or ambulance moves toward the sound waves in front of it, the sound waves are pulled closer together and have a higher frequency. In either instance, the listener positioned in front of the moving object hears a higher pitch. The ambulance and locomotive are progressively moving away from the sound waves behind them, causing the waves to be farther apart and to have a lower frequency. These fast-approaching modes of transportation distance themselves past the listener, who hears a lower pitch.
What is the main idea of the passage?
- A. Trains and ambulances emit loud noises.
- B. Low-frequency waves produce high-pitched sounds.
- C. High-frequency waves result in low-pitched sounds.
- D. The Doppler Effect explains why sound is heard more strongly initially and then faintly after a moving object has passed.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The main idea of the passage is to explain the scientific phenomenon known as the Doppler Effect. The passage describes how when a train or ambulance moves towards a listener, sound waves are compressed, resulting in a higher frequency and pitch. Conversely, as the objects move away, the sound waves stretch, leading to a lower frequency and pitch. The Doppler Effect is the reason why sound is heard louder as the object approaches and then fades as it moves away. This explanation aligns with choice D, making it the correct answer.
Nurseries
If you thought nurseries were just for babies, well, think again! Being special kinds of farms, nurseries are used to raise plants in mass quantities. Plants, trees, and shrubs are typically grown in nurseries and then sold to farmers and gardeners to plant in homes, businesses and farms. Most nurseries are found in the more rural parts the country because much land is required to have a viable nursery. If a nursery sells plants to others, it must obtain a special permit from the local city or county, which keeps the competition fair and does not saturate the market with a large number of nurseries selling similar products.
Also on the grounds of nurseries are greenhouses which are made of glass or plastic panes that protect the plants from weather elements that may harm them and cause them not to grow and develop. The glass panels in greenhouses allow for sunlight to enter and moisture to be trapped inside. This creates a tropical environment which allows orchids and poinsettias to grow. It ensures that vegetables and fruits will grow large, which makes them valuable to farmers.
The author implied that:
- A. Nurseries are helpful for farmers.
- B. Nurseries are a waste of resources.
- C. Nurseries are only useful for large-scale commercial operations.
- D. Nurseries are unnecessary and rarely used.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: 'Nurseries are helpful for farmers.' The passage discusses nurseries being special farms used to raise plants in mass quantities, which are then sold to farmers and gardeners for planting in various settings. The author highlights the importance of nurseries in providing plants, trees, and shrubs to farmers, businesses, and individuals, indicating that nurseries play a crucial role in supporting agriculture and horticulture. This is further reinforced by the mention of greenhouses within nurseries that help protect plants and create optimal growing conditions, ensuring the success of various crops. Therefore, the implication is that nurseries are beneficial and essential for farmers and those involved in planting and cultivation.
Centuries ago, in the country of Siam, now known as Thailand, it was the custom of the rulers
that displeased them by giving the offender a white elephant. Because the animal was could not
be made to work as other elephants did, but still had to be fed hundreds of pounds of fruit and cared for in the most lavish style. The recipient could not give the elephant to anyone else, as it was the ruler, who would be greatly displeased should the recipient not receive the gift graciously or care for in a grand style. This monetary burden could be a major liability to the
recipient and in many cases they became impoverished.
This is the origin of the term "white elephant" as it is used today to denote an unwanted gift. The way of gift exchange played during the holiday season is an offshoot of this. In this game, everyone brings, and the gifts are exchanged by drawing numbers and picking a gift in turn. The
second person can choose or steal the first one. It is all in good fun, and people enjoy giving silly
gifts and "stealing" someone else.
What is implied by the article?
- A. Siam was renamed Thailand in the past.
- B. People enjoy giving and receiving gifts.
- C. The author dislikes parlor games.
- D. Elephants are easy to take care of and train.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'People enjoy giving and receiving gifts.' The passage discusses the custom of giving unwanted white elephants as gifts in ancient Siam, leading to financial burdens for the recipients. It then transitions to how the term 'white elephant' is used today to denote an unwanted gift and mentions a gift exchange game played during the holiday season. The passage emphasizes the enjoyment people have in giving and receiving gifts, as seen in the holiday gift exchange game described, rather than focusing on disliking parlor games or the ease of taking care of elephants.
A BIT ABOUT BICYCLES
Today, bicycles are so common that it's hard to believe they haven't always been around. But two hundred years ago, bicycles didn't even exist, and the first bicycle, invented in Germany in 1818, was nothing like our bicycles today. It was made of wood and didn't even have pedals. Since then, however, numerous innovations and improvements in design have made the bicycle one of the most popular means of recreation and transportation around the world. In 1839, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, a Scottish blacksmith, dramatically improved upon the original bicycle design. Macmillan's machine had tires with iron rims to keep them from getting worn down. He also used foot-operated cranks like pedals, so his bicycle could be ridden at a quick pace. It didn't look much like a modern bicycle, though, because its back wheel was substantially larger than its front wheel. In 1861, the French Michaux brothers took the evolution of the bicycle a step further by inventing an improved crank mechanism. Ten years later, James Starley, an English inventor, revolutionized bicycle design. He made the front wheel many times larger than the back wheel, put a gear on the pedals to make the bicycle more efficient, and lightened the wheels by using wire spokes. Although this bicycle was much lighter and less tiring to ride, it was still clumsy, extremely top heavy, and ridden mostly for entertainment. It wasn't until 1874 that the first truly modern bicycle appeared on the scene. (14) Invented by another Englishman, H.J. Lawson, the "safety bicycle" would look familiar to today's cyclists. This bicycle had equal-sized wheels, which made it less prone to toppling over. Lawson also attached a chain to the pedals to drive the rear wheel. With these improvements, the bicycle became extremely popular and useful for transportation. Today they are built, used, and enjoyed all over the world.
What was the author's intention in the passage about bicycles?
- A. Learn how to repair modern bicycles
- B. Understand a bit about the history of bicycles
- C. Compare different types of bicycles
- D. Discover the latest bicycle technologies
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'Understand a bit about the history of bicycles.' The passage provides a historical overview of the evolution of bicycles, starting from their early designs to the development of modern bicycles. It highlights key innovations and improvements in bicycle design over time. The focus is on informing readers about the origins and advancements in bicycle technology rather than teaching them how to repair bicycles, comparing different types, or discussing the latest technologies. Therefore, the main purpose of the passage is to provide insight into the history of bicycles.
One of the best ways to understand a group of people is to know what makes them laugh. Laughter encompasses the limits of the soul and serves social, psychological, and physiological functions. In humor, life is redefined and accepted. Irony and satire provide much keener insights into a group's collective psyche and values than do years of research. It has always been a great disappointment to Native Americans that the humorous side of their life has not been mentioned by experts on native American affairs. Rather, the image of the stern-faced redskin has been presented by the American Westerns.
What is implied by this paragraph?
- A. Native Americans really are as stern and serious as white men make them out to be.
- B. Humor is the same all over the world.
- C. Native American humor deserves more attention.
- D. The subject has a fear of heights.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The passage highlights the importance of understanding a group of people through their humor, emphasizing that Native American humor has been overlooked and deserves more recognition. It mentions the disappointment that Native Americans feel due to the stereotypical portrayal of them as stern-faced in American Westerns, indicating a need for a deeper exploration of their humorous side. Therefore, the correct implication is that Native American humor deserves more attention, making option C the correct answer.