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A Bit About Bicycles: Children begin to taste freedom on bicycles. Historians believe that bicycles began around 3500 B.C. in the Middle East although it took 53 centuries before bicycles were fashioned in the way we know them today.
With over 1500 moving parts, bicycles are complex yet simple machines and amazingly the basic design has not changed since the 1880s. A few tweaks have been added, such as gears and hand-operated brakes, but bicycles remain a steady source of exercise and entertainment for both children and adults. Some forms of bicycling are mountain biking and BMX biking which is similar to cross-country motorcycle racing.
In many countries around the world, bicycles are a necessary part of daily existence. Bicycling in China is imperative if you want to go places, due to the vast population in a relatively small area. Bicycles are coming back in high demand all over the world.
In this passage, the word 'taste' means
- A. Perceiving a sensation on the tongue.
- B. Liking.
- C. A sensation caused in the tongue.
- D. The ability to enjoy what is beautiful or harmonious.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Liking. In the context of the passage, the word 'taste' is used metaphorically to convey the idea of experiencing or enjoying freedom on bicycles. This interpretation aligns with the meaning of 'liking' or enjoying something.
Choice A is incorrect because 'taste' is not referring to the physical act of perceiving a sensation on the tongue. Choice C is incorrect as it focuses on a literal sensation caused in the tongue, which is not relevant in this context. Choice D is incorrect because 'taste' in this passage does not refer to the ability to enjoy what is beautiful or harmonious, but rather the experience of freedom and enjoyment while riding a bicycle.
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About 6% of the earth is covered by rainforests. The largest rainforest in the world is the
Amazon Basin, which stretches over 2.3 million square miles in nine different South American countries. This area is double the length of all the other remaining rainforests in the world. Brazil contains 60%of the Amazonian rainforest, since it lies at the mouth of the river Amazon. This river is the second largest in the world and contains more than one-fifth oftheworldĆ¢Ä‚¬Ä„¢sfresh water. The Amazon rainforest is a type of wet broadleaf forest. The weather there is very humid and warm as it rains quite a bit. Because of the high rainfall, the forest is very rich and green. The
tree leaves are pointed and narrow so that the raindrops can easily drop off wet plants. This
tropical rainforest has more living species than the entire European continent. There are over 400 types of insects living in one single rain forest tree for a total of 2.5 million species. One square kilometer of rainforest may contain over 75,000 types of trees and approximately 438,000
different kinds of plants, which comes to a total of 90,000 tons of greenery overall. The Amazon rainforest is home to 2,000 birds and mammals, with one in every five birds in the world living there. Local farmers have lived off this rich and diverse land for thousands of years. They have been able to find food and water here without destroying the land. The Kayapo people of Brazil
farm in an environmentally-friendly way. Instead of chemicals, they use burned wood to enrich the soil, and plant banana trees, which attract wasps. These wasps then feed on leafcutter ants and get rid of these harmful insects. The rainforest also offers a lot of tropical fruits, such as bananas and coconuts, as food.
Cinnamon is made from the bark of a rainforest tree. Amazonian Indians use the fruit and stem
of the Buruti plant as a drink, to make bread and to build houses. Many other plants are used as medicine. But the Amazon rainforest is in very big danger of disappearing. 9,169 square miles of
forest have been cut down in 2003 in Brazil alone. An area of the size of a football field is burned down basically every minute, which means that the rain forest may be gone by the year 2030.The dangers related to this type of activity are obvious. Trees take in poisonous carbon
dioxide from the air and give off oxygen. There is more oxygen and less carbon dioxide around a
rainforest. When trees are cut down, however, the amount of carbon dioxide increases, and the
air gets warmer. This leads to global warming, which is extremely harmful to the environment. It
is estimated that the burning of Brazilian rainforests alone produces 200 million metric tons of carbon dioxide ayear. Another danger connected with destroying the rainforest is the disappearance of plants and animals. When trees are cut down, plants and animals have no more
food left and slowly die out. Killing wild animals is illegal in Brazil, but there is plenty of stealing going on. 38 million animals are stolen and sold illegally each year. The most hunted
animals are birds, especially parrots, followed by snakes and the jaguar.
What does the author refer to when he says 'rich and diverse land' at the beginning of paragraph 3?
- A. 400 types of insects in the Amazon rainforest
- B. 2,000 birds and mammals in the Amazon rainforest
- C. The many kinds of plants growing in the Amazon rainforest
- D. The large variety of Amazonian plants and animals
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: When the author mentions 'rich and diverse land' at the beginning of paragraph 3, they are referring to the incredible biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest, specifically highlighting the presence of 2,000 birds and mammals. This biodiversity includes a wide range of species that contribute to the richness and diversity of the ecosystem, making the Amazon rainforest a unique and vital habitat for numerous animals and plants. The reference to 2,000 birds and mammals emphasizes the vast array of wildlife that thrives in this environment, showcasing the richness and diversity of life forms present in the Amazon rainforest.
Blood Pressure Regulators The body is composed of systems that have evolved and diversified in order to maintain the natural functions and processes they regulate. One such system that has these regulators is the body’s cardiovascular system. The body’s pump, which regulates the flow of vitally needed oxygen to all cells of the body, as well as the discard of carbon dioxide and other waste products, is the heart. Because blood pressure varies at different points within the body, differing components are needed to keep the body’s blood pressure regulated. Three of the basic components are baroreceptors, chemoreceptors, and the kidneys. Baroreceptors are stretch receptors composed of fine branching nerve endings and are contained along the walls of the arteries near the heart and in other areas of the body as well. Impulses are related to this stretching along the arterial walls, which causes these baroreceptors to send out even more impulses to the heart, arteries, and veins, causing the blood pressure to go either up or down. Chemoreceptors are located along the walls of the arteries and monitor changes in oxygen level, carbon dioxide, and pH. Just think! A fall in oxygen causes receptors to send impulses to raise the blood pressure. The kidneys play a role in regulating blood pressure by absorbing salts and water and removing wastes. Hormones secreted by the adrenal cortex cause the kidney to keep or let go of any salt and water. This has an influence on blood volume and consequently on blood pressure.
What is the primary purpose of this text?
- A. To inform the reader about the dangers of high blood pressure
- B. To inform the reader how high blood pressure leads to a higher risk of a heart attack
- C. To inform the reader how the cardiovascular system regulates blood pressure
- D. To persuade the reader that controlling one's blood pressure is important
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The primary purpose of this text is to provide information on how the cardiovascular system regulates blood pressure. The passage discusses the role of different components like baroreceptors, chemoreceptors, and the kidneys in maintaining blood pressure. It explains how these components work together to regulate blood pressure within the body. The text does not focus on dangers of high blood pressure, risks of heart attacks, or persuading the reader, making choice C the most appropriate answer.
The Water Cycle
Water is needed to sustain practically all life functions on planet Earth. A single drop of this compound is composed of an oxygen atom that shares its electrons with each of the two hydrogen atoms.
The cycle starts when precipitation, such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail, descends from the sky onto the ground. Water that is not absorbed immediately from the precipitation is known as runoff. The runoff flows across the land and collects in groundwater reservoirs, rivers, streams, and oceans.
Evaporation takes place when liquid water changes into water vapor, which is a gas. Water vapor returns to the air from surface water and plants.
Ultimately, condensation happens when this water vapor cools and changes back into droplets of liquid. In fact, the puffy, cotton clouds that we observe are formed by condensation. When the clouds become heavily laden with liquid droplets, precipitation ensues.
What was the author's primary purpose for writing this essay?
- A. To persuade the reader to conserve water
- B. To persuade the reader that runoff is not the best way to collect water
- C. To analyze different types of runoff
- D. To inform the reader about the stages of the water cycle
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D. The essay provides a detailed explanation of the stages of the water cycle, including precipitation, runoff, evaporation, and condensation. The author's primary purpose is to inform the reader about how water moves through the environment in a continuous cycle. This information helps readers understand the importance of water in sustaining life on Earth and how different processes contribute to the distribution and conservation of water resources.
Searching for medical information can be confusing, especially for first-timers. However, if you are patient and stick to it, you can find a wealth of information. Your community library is a good place to start your search for medical information. Before going to the library, you may find it helpful to make a list of topics you want information about and questions you have. Your list of topics and questions will make it easier for the librarian to direct you to the best resources. Many community libraries have a collection of basic medical references. These references may include medical dictionaries or encyclopedias, drug information handbooks, basic medical and nursing textbooks, and directories of physicians and medical specialists (listings of doctors). You may also find magazine articles on a certain topic. Look in the Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature for articles on health and medicine from consumer magazines. Infotrac, a CD-ROM computer database available at libraries or on the Web, indexes hundreds of popular magazines and newspapers, as well as medical journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Association and New England Journal of Medicine. Your library may also carry searchable computer databases of medical journal articles, including MEDLINE/PubMed or the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. Many of the databases or indexes have abstracts that provide a summary of each journal article. Although most community libraries don’t have a large collection of medical and nursing journals, your librarian may be able to get copies of the articles you want. Interlibrary loans allow your librarian to request a copy of an article from a library that carries that particular medical journal. Your library may charge a fee for this service. Articles published in medical journals can be technical, but they may be the most current source of information on medical topics.
What is the meaning of the word 'technical' as it is used in the fourth paragraph?
- A. requiring expert knowledge
- B. incomplete
- C. foreign
- D. plagiarized
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The word 'technical' in the fourth paragraph refers to information that is complex and requires expert knowledge to understand. Medical journal articles are often technical in nature, containing specialized terminology and detailed research findings that may be challenging for the general public to interpret. Therefore, choice A, 'requiring expert knowledge,' is the correct meaning of 'technical' in this context.
"Phobias — 'Don’t be afraid.' Sounds simple, but for some people it's not. Having the normal
reaction of being scared or frightened helps you to survive threats of all kinds, both physical
and verbal. Most mild fears are outgrown during childhood; however, severe fears, called
phobias, are extreme and unreasonable. Phobias cause out-of-control feelings such as
sickness, headaches, ulcers, and high blood pressure. Specific phobias center around things,
activities, or situations while people with social phobias feel anxiety over social settings
where they fear embarrassing situations. Another type of phobia called panic disorder causes
people to sweat, tremble, or even faint due to overwhelming panic which may occur at any
time. By talking, breathing deeply, and visualizing, a person can gain control over
debilitating phobias
The passage says that having fears is normal and good. According to the passage, why is having a phobia not normal and good? Because phobias
- A. always require medication.
- B. cause harm to other people.
- C. are terminal, meaning they never go away.
- D. are extreme and unreasonable.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The passage differentiates between normal fears, which can be helpful for survival, and phobias, which are described as extreme and unreasonable. Phobias can lead to debilitating feelings and physical symptoms, indicating that they disrupt normal functioning and well-being. Therefore, the correct answer is D, as it highlights that phobias are extreme and unreasonable, making them not normal or good.