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Beard Superiority

Unlike most others who follow along with popular trends, I am able to truly see that the beard is superior to the mustache. First, you have so much more hair and space to work with when styling a beard than you do with a mustache. You can trim and cut a beard into so many styles: the Muttonchop, the Goatee, the Stubble, the Chin Strap. You can even add things to your beard: braids, beads, glitter, and color-the possibilities of what you can add to a beard are endless! There are even professional competitions that surround the stylish nature of beards.

What is a counterclaim to the argument presented in the passage?

• A. Dyeing a beard pink is a common trend.
• B. Growing a beard offers a limited range of styles compared to a mustache.
• C. The beard is a passing trend that will eventually fade out.
• D. Beards may pose risks in certain professional occupations.

What is all this talk of cicadas lately in the United States? You may be wondering why the media has featured it, but in fact, the discussion about Cicadas has emerged about as predictably as the Cicadas themselves from their underground refuge. Let’s get oriented with some background on Cicadas.
What is a Cicada? A typical definition will at least tell you that a cicada is a large, loud insect with transparent wings, mostly found in warm countries. A more detailed response might also inform you that cicadas have short antennae and wide-set eyes that jut out, with delicate, translucent wings- and not only is the cicada loud, but few creatures make a louder sound. In fact, it is male cicadas that are the noisy ones, to the tune of 80 to 100 decibels, which is like the roar od a loud engine. This is because male cicadas make a strident high buzzing by vibrating two membranes on its abdomen called tymbals, effectively turning its body into a kind of echo chamber or drum. Female cicadas cannot replicate the buzzing, though they respond with a clicking sound when they are ready to mate.
Although there are several species of cicada, mating typically takes place in trees whereafter the female deposits the eggs into the bark. When the eggs hatch, the larval cicadas, called nymphs, drop to the ground and burrow. They then live as nymphs for the most of their lives over 6 feet underground, with both male and female cicadas dying within weeks of their emergence from the soil. This is particularly true for north American cicadas, especially the Magicicada, or periodical cicadas, which regularly emerge in intervals of 13 or 17 years, depending on the species and the location. This is why talk of cicadas in the media is as predictable as their emergence in the U.S.

Which of the following best describes the theme of this passage?

• A. Media attention to cicadas can also bring attention to climate change.
• B. Disinformation in the media is responsible for conflicting information about the cicada life cycle.
• C. Disinformation in the media falsely identifies climate change as the root cause of the cicada's near extinction.
• D. Media attention to cicadas is as predictable as cicada life cycles.

Grandma Harry 30 minutes Cookies/Desserts Makes 1 Dozen
1 egg white
3/4 sugar
1 cup peanut Vanilla
1/2 cup flour
Beat egg white until foamy. Stir in sugar, beat again until stiff peaks form.
gently fold in peanut butter and vanilla. Add flour in small increments
until dough forms. Chill dough for at least 2 hours. rolls into ball, Roll in sugar, press down with a fork, and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes. let cool on cookie sheet. these are very fragile.

Which conclusion can be drawn from the passage?

• A. The cookies made from this recipe would be good to serve at a large party.
• B. The cookies made with this recipe are especially good for midnight snacks.
• C. The cookies made with this recipe would be good to send to college students.
• D. The cookies made with this recipe may have been handed down in a family.

St. Francis Hospital
200 Hospital Drive, Mapleton, Vermont
duties include: Filling medication carts for each nursing station, filling TPNs, preparing surgical drips, and maintaining anesthesia trays for 6 ORs. Five years of Hospital Experience and certification required. FT/rotating schedule

Which of the following applicants best fits the advertised job position based on their qualifications?

• A. Carole has been an ER nurse in the St. Francis Hospital system for 7 years. She just passed her certification exam, but she has no pharmacy experience.
• B. Dash has been the only pharmacy tech at Johnson Hospital for 6 years. He recently took continuing education credits to update his certification. He prefers to work days but can work around a flexible schedule as needed.
• C. Jane has been an ER nurse in the St. Francis Hospital for a considerable time but she is not certified.
• D. She just passed her certification exam, but she has no pharmacy experience.

Hey there, Kitchen Utensil aficionados! It's Bob Thurman again, bringing you a brand-new piece of equipment for your home food station! Are you tired of your blocks of premium aged cheddar getting all crumbly when you try to slice them? Don't you hate leaving your fingerprints in that hard stick of butter? Well, worry no more! From the company that brought you the SmackDice comes the dairy McGrabs! You no longer have to worry about your film, sweaty grip destroying your cheeses or you butters. All you have to do is slip on our pated heat-deflecting mitten, complete with a plastic-grip palm pad, and slice you smooth dairy products with no threat of them melting or crumbling from your body heat!

Which of the following phrases from this infomercial contains instructions on how to use the advertised product?

• A. Slip on our patented heat-deflecting mitten
• B. No longer worry about your film, sweaty grip destroying your cheeses or your butter
• C. Bringing you a brand-new piece of equipment for your home food station
• D. Leaving your fingerprints in that hard stick of butter