Nokea
BEAUTY THE BEAST:
In recent years, there have been frightening headlines about harmful ingredients such as mercury and lead in ordinary cosmetics. However, these are hardly the first examples of people paying a heavy price to conform to cultural ideals of beauty. This tradition has been around for centuries.
Ancient Egyptians decorated their eyes with malachite (a green ore of copper), galena (a lead sulfide), and kohl (a paste made from soot, fat, and metals such as lead). While these cosmetics may have enhanced their appearance, they also led to health problems such as insomnia and mental confusion.
The ancient Greeks took these practices even further. They applied lead to their entire faces to clear their complexions and improve skin coloration. This practice resulted in health issues ranging from infertility to insanity. The lead ointment whitened their faces�a sign of beauty�while red lead was added to the cheeks for a rosy glow. To make matters worse, they also used hair dyes containing lead.
The Romans adopted these toxic beauty practices, and some historians suspect that lead poisoning contributed to the decline of the Roman Empire. As recently as 2007, lipsticks and mascaras were found to contain lead and mercury. Additionally, phthalates�industrial chemicals that can cause birth defects and infertility�are present in personal care products such as shampoos, lotions, perfumes, and deodorants.
An old saying states that beauty has a price, and sometimes that price may be much higher than consumers realize. It is important to be aware of what you are putting on your face.
The author describes cosmetics in each of the following cultures EXCEPT ___________.
- A. Greek
- B. Egyptian
- C. Roman
- D. Native American
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The author provides descriptions of cosmetic practices in Greek, Egyptian, and Roman cultures but does not mention Native American practices regarding cosmetics. This absence of information about Native American culture leads to the conclusion that option D is correct since it reflects a lack of discussion on that specific culture.
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Life Expectancy in the US:
Where would you expect the United States to rank in life expectancy, the average number of years a person is expected to live? Near the top in the world, right? Well, surprise—we rank number 31, after Costa Rica and right before Cuba. World Health Organization data from 2015 indicate that the average life expectancy worldwide is 71 years—slightly more for females and slightly less for males. In the United States, we beat that average by around eight years. Yet we are several years behind Japan, with a female life expectancy of 86.8 years, or Switzerland, with a male life expectancy of 81.3 years. Even relatively poor European countries, such as Slovenia, Cyprus, and Malta, do better than we do.
There are a number of indicators that lead to our low score among wealthy nations. Those include obesity and its accompanying heart disease and diabetes, car crash deaths, gun violence, and embarrassingly high infant mortality rates. We eat more, drive more, have more guns, and allow poor women to go through pregnancies unattended by regular physicians. There are many other health indicators that separate us from other developed nations, but most correspond to the extreme wealth inequities in the United States.
It is too soon to tell whether an increase in insured Americans will help to turn this distasteful data around. Certainly those nations with universal health care have better numbers than we do. Much of our problem has to do with lifestyles that will not be easy to alter. We continue to build living spaces that are not walkable, to work long hours and drive long distances, to overeat—and we love our Second Amendment right to bear arms. It is difficult to imagine how we will overcome these realities and improve our longevity status.
What is the overall tone of the essay?
- A. Apathetic
- B. Fascinated
- C. Discouraged
- D. Hopeful
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The tone of the essay is discouraged as it expresses concern about the U.S.'s lower life expectancy ranking and contributing factors.
Lifewings Partners:
What do pilots, astronauts, physicians, and risk managers have in common? In this case, they are all part of Lifewings Partners, an organization based in Memphis, Tennessee, dedicated to eliminating mistakes and accidents in medical settings across the United States.
Lifewings Partners highlights the need for vigilance in medical environments. According to the Institute of Health, approximately 98,000 patients die each year in U.S. healthcare settings due to medical errors. Examples of such errors include a man who had the wrong testicle removed in a Los Angeles hospital, a young boy who suffered brain damage from anesthesia during a routine hernia surgery, and a hospital in Rhode Island that performed brain surgery on the wrong side of the brain on three different patients in less than a year.
To combat these issues, Lifewings Partners not only advocates for internal changes in medical procedures and the establishment of checklists but also focuses on patient education. They recommend that consumers research a hospital�s safety record online, discuss safety standards with their doctors, and inquire about facilities with the best safety records.
Founder Steve Harden emphasizes, �Just because a hospital has a great reputation for cutting-edge medicine doesn�t necessarily mean the hospital is the safest place to go for routine procedures.� He warns that some mistakes are too significant and irreversible to risk, underscoring the importance of careful selection and preparation in healthcare settings.
Which of the following is not listed as a detail in the passage?
- A. Many patients die each year from medical error.
- B. Lifewings Partners educates patients on consumer safety.
- C. Steve Harden is the founder of Lifewings Partners.
- D. The most common medical error is overmedication.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The passage discusses the dangers of medical errors and provides specific examples of such errors but does not indicate that overmedication is the most common error. Therefore, since option D is not supported by the text, it is the correct choice for what is not mentioned.
MRSA:
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a form of the Staphylococcus aureus bacterium that is resistant to antibiotics and, as a result, is very difficult to treat. MRSA now kills more Americans every year than HIV/AIDS, and the rates of infection are rising. Methicillin, an antibiotic introduced in the 1960s, was intended to combat Staphylococcus aureus, which is ubiquitous in hospitals. However, within a year of its introduction, doctors began finding strains of bacteria that had already developed immunity to methicillin. By the 1990s, MRSA had become the leading hospital-acquired skin infection in the United States.
At the same time MRSA started appearing outside of hospitals, different strains of the bacteria emerged, spreading just as quickly and being just as dangerous. In the past 15 years, MRSA bacteria have become ubiquitous not only in hospitals but also in gyms, locker rooms, swimming pools, and other settings with frequent human contact.
Researchers in Ireland are developing technology that may significantly halt the spread of hospital-associated MRSA bacteria. They have created a textile made of nanomaterials 1,000 times smaller than a human hair. These textiles have been shown to halt the spread of infection and can be used for linens, drapes, and upholstery in hospitals. The potential for this technology to reduce instances of hospital-associated MRSA is staggering.
To reduce your risk of community-associated MRSA infection, regularly wash your hands, cover all open wounds with a clean bandage, and avoid sharing personal items like razors or towels.
Which of the following statements is an opinion related to MRSA?
- A. Hand-washing stations are one means of combating MRSA infection.
- B. Not all Staphylococcus bacteria are resistant to antibiotics.
- C. Hospitals in the United States should quickly adopt the use of new germ-fighting textiles.
- D. MRSA infection kills more people in the United States than does HIV/AIDS.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C because it is an opinion rather than a verifiable fact. The statement suggests a recommendation for hospitals to adopt new germ-fighting textiles swiftly, which is a subjective viewpoint and not objectively measurable. Choices A and B are factual statements regarding combating MRSA infection and antibiotic resistance, respectively. Choice D provides a comparison of MRSA infection with HIV/AIDS, which is a factual statement based on statistical data. Therefore, C is the only choice that presents an opinion rather than a fact.
Life Expectancy in the US:
Where would you expect the United States to rank in life expectancy, the average number of years a person is expected to live? Near the top in the world, right? Well, surprise—we rank number 31, after Costa Rica and right before Cuba. World Health Organization data from 2015 indicate that the average life expectancy worldwide is 71 years—slightly more for females and slightly less for males. In the United States, we beat that average by around eight years. Yet we are several years behind Japan, with a female life expectancy of 86.8 years, or Switzerland, with a male life expectancy of 81.3 years. Even relatively poor European countries, such as Slovenia, Cyprus, and Malta, do better than we do.
There are a number of indicators that lead to our low score among wealthy nations. Those include obesity and its accompanying heart disease and diabetes, car crash deaths, gun violence, and embarrassingly high infant mortality rates. We eat more, drive more, have more guns, and allow poor women to go through pregnancies unattended by regular physicians. There are many other health indicators that separate us from other developed nations, but most correspond to the extreme wealth inequities in the United States.
It is too soon to tell whether an increase in insured Americans will help to turn this distasteful data around. Certainly those nations with universal health care have better numbers than we do. Much of our problem has to do with lifestyles that will not be easy to alter. We continue to build living spaces that are not walkable, to work long hours and drive long distances, to overeat—and we love our Second Amendment right to bear arms. It is difficult to imagine how we will overcome these realities and improve our longevity status.
A reader might infer from this passage that ___________.
- A. Obesity can be detrimental to a long life
- B. Car crashes are most frequent in the United States
- C. The Second Amendment should be overturned
- D. People in Asia and Africa have the shortest life spans
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The passage suggests that obesity and its related health issues contribute to lower life expectancy, implying obesity is detrimental to a long life.
FAT IN A HEALTHY DIET:
After years of bad publicity, it may sound absurd, but many dietitians are now extolling the virtues of consuming fat. According to Laurie Tansman, a nutritionist at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York, fat "not only plays a vital role in the health of the membrane of every cell in our body, it also helps protect us from a number of key health threats." Fat is a critical part of your necessary food intake, with a general recommendation that 30 percent of your daily calories should come from fat. Without it, your body would not be able to absorb or transport vitamins A, D, E, and K. Additionally, body temperature, hair follicles, and skin cells all rely on the consumption of fats to function properly.
There is near-universal agreement that the healthiest fats are unsaturated fats. This category includes olive oil, sesame oil, walnut oil, avocado oil, and omega-3 fatty acids. When consumed in moderation, these fats can lower cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease. Saturated fats, while not as healthy as unsaturated fats, should still be consumed more sparingly. These fats are commonly found in animal products such as beef, pork, and chicken.
The least healthy of all fats are trans-fatty acids, or trans fats. Though trans fats can occur naturally in small amounts in animal products, they are more commonly found as artificially produced oils used for frying foods or softening prepackaged snacks. These fats increase the risk of heart disease, and the U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming as few trans fats as possible.
What conclusion can a reader draw from this passage?
- A. It is advisable to choose unsaturated fats over saturated fats.
- B. Saturated fats are more calorically dense than unsaturated fats.
- C. Trans fats are more calorically dense than saturated fats.
- D. Unsaturated fats are mostly found in animal products.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct conclusion that can be drawn from the passage is that it is advisable to choose unsaturated fats over saturated fats. The passage emphasizes the health benefits of unsaturated fats, such as lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of heart disease. It also mentions that saturated fats, although not as healthy as unsaturated fats, should still be consumed sparingly. Trans fats are highlighted as the least healthy fats, increasing the risk of heart disease. Choice B is incorrect because the passage does not explicitly compare the caloric density of saturated and unsaturated fats. Choice C is incorrect as the passage does not discuss the caloric density of trans fats in comparison to saturated fats. Choice D is incorrect as the passage states that unsaturated fats are found in sources like olive oil, walnut oil, and avocado oil, not mostly in animal products.