Nokea
Skin coloration and markings have an important role to play in the world of snakes. Those intricate diamonds, stripes, and swirls help the animals hide from predators, but perhaps most importantly (for us humans, anyway), the markings can also indicate whether the snake is venomous. While it might seem counterintuitive for a venomous snake to stand out in bright red or blue, that fancy costume tells any nearby predator that approaching him would be a bad idea.
If you see a flashy-looking snake in the woods, though, those markings don't necessarily mean it's venomous: some snakes have found a way to ward off predators without the actual venom. The scarlet kingsnake, for example, has very similar markings to the venomous coral snake with whom it frequently shares a habitat. However, the kingsnake is actually nonvenomous; it's merely pretending to be dangerous to eat. A predatory hawk or eagle, usually hunting from high in the sky, can't tell the difference between the two species, and so the kingsnake gets passed over and lives another day.
What can the reader conclude from the passage above?
- A. The kingsnake is dangerous to humans.
- B. The coral snake and the kingsnake are both hunted by the same predators.
- C. It's safe to handle snakes in the woods because you can easily tell whether they're poisonous.
- D. The kingsnake changes its markings when hawks or eagles are close by.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. The passage explains that the kingsnake mimics the venomous coral snake's markings to deter predators, particularly hawks and eagles, which cannot differentiate between the two species. This implies that both the coral snake and the kingsnake face similar threats from predators in their shared habitat. Choice A is incorrect because the passage clearly states that the kingsnake is nonvenomous, so it is not dangerous to humans. Choice C is incorrect as the passage highlights that not all snakes with flashy markings are venomous, emphasizing the need for caution. Choice D is incorrect as there is no mention of the kingsnake changing its markings in response to the presence of hawks or eagles in the passage.
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Skin coloration and markings have an important role to play in the world of snakes. Those intricate diamonds, stripes, and swirls help the animals hide from predators, but perhaps most importantly (for us humans, anyway), the markings can also indicate whether the snake is venomous. While it might seem counterintuitive for a venomous snake to stand out in bright red or blue, that fancy costume tells any nearby predator that approaching him would be a bad idea.
If you see a flashy-looking snake in the woods, though, those markings don't necessarily mean it's venomous: some snakes have found a way to ward off predators without the actual venom. The scarlet kingsnake, for example, has very similar markings to the venomous coral snake with whom it frequently shares a habitat. However, the kingsnake is actually nonvenomous; it's merely pretending to be dangerous to eat. A predatory hawk or eagle, usually hunting from high in the sky, can't tell the difference between the two species, and so the kingsnake gets passed over and lives another day.
What is the best summary of this passage?
- A. Humans can use coloration and markings on snakes to determine whether they're venomous.
- B. Animals use coloration to hide from predators.
- C. The scarlet kingsnake and the coral snake have nearly identical markings.
- D. Venomous snakes often have bright markings, although nonvenomous snakes can also mimic those colors.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The best summary of the passage is that humans can use coloration and markings on snakes to determine whether they're venomous. The passage discusses how snake markings serve the purpose of warning predators and helping humans identify venomous snakes by their bright coloration. Choice B is incorrect because the passage focuses on how coloration helps snakes evade predators rather than hide from them. Choice C is incorrect as it only mentions two specific snakes with similar markings, which is a minor detail compared to the main point of identifying venomous snakes. Choice D is incorrect because it only partially reflects the passage, focusing solely on the relationship between markings and venom in snakes, missing the crucial aspect of human ability to discern venomous snakes based on their coloration.
It had been a long morning for Julia. She'd been woken up early by the sound of lawn mowers outside her window, and despite her best efforts, had been unable to get back to sleep. So, she'd reluctantly got out of bed, showered, and prepared her morning cup of coffee. At least, she tried to anyway. In the kitchen she'd discovered she was out of regular coffee and had to settle for a decaffeinated cup instead.
Once on the road, her caffeine-free mug of coffee didn't help make traffic less annoying. In fact, it seemed to Julia like the other drivers were sluggish and surly as well—it took her an extra fifteen minutes to get to work. And when she arrived, all the parking spots were full.
By the time she'd finally found a spot in the overflow lot, she was thirty minutes late for work. She'd hoped her boss would be too busy to notice, but he'd already put a pile of paperwork on her desk with a note that simply said “Rewrite.†She wondered if she should point out to her boss that she hadn't been the one to write the reports in the first place, but decided against it.
When the fire alarm went off an hour later, Julia decided she'd had enough. She grabbed her purse and headed outside with her coworkers. While everyone else stood around waiting for the alarm to quiet, Julia determinedly walked to her car, fired up the engine, and set a course for home.
The final sentence of the passage states that Julia set a course for home. Which of the following is the most accurate interpretation of this sentence?
- A. Julia cannot go directly home.
- B. Julia is planning to go home.
- C. Julia wants to go home but will return to work.
- D. Julia is worried the fire at her office will spread to her home.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The final sentence of the passage mentioning that Julia set a course for home indicates that Julia is making a deliberate decision to head towards her residence. This implies that she is planning to go home, suggesting that option B is the most accurate interpretation. Options A, C, and D are incorrect as they do not align with the context provided. Option A is incorrect as there is no indication that Julia cannot go directly home. Option C is incorrect as there is no mention of Julia returning to work. Option D is incorrect as there is no evidence in the passage to suggest that Julia is worried about the fire at her office spreading to her home.
In Greek mythology, two gods, Epimetheus and Prometheus, were given the work of creating living things. Epimetheus gave good powers to the different animals. To the lion he gave strength; to the bird, swiftness; to the fox, sagacity; and so on. Eventually, all of the good gifts had been bestowed, and there was nothing left for humans. As a result, Prometheus returned to heaven and brought down fire, which he gave to humans. With fire, human beings could protect themselves by making weapons. Over time, humans developed civilization.
Which of the following is the meaning of the word bestowed as it is used in the passage?
- A. purchased
- B. forgotten
- C. accepted
- D. given
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The word 'bestowed' in this context means to be given or presented with something. In the passage, it is mentioned that good powers were bestowed upon different animals by Epimetheus. This implies that these powers were given or presented to the animals. Choice A, 'purchased,' does not align with the context of the passage as the animals did not buy or acquire these powers. Choice B, 'forgotten,' is incorrect as it does not relate to the act of giving. Choice C, 'accepted,' is also incorrect as it implies that the animals willingly received these powers, which is not the case in the passage. Therefore, the correct answer is 'D: given.'
It had been a long morning for Julia. She'd been woken up early by the sound of lawn mowers outside her window, and despite her best efforts, had been unable to get back to sleep. So, she'd reluctantly got out of bed, showered, and prepared her morning cup of coffee. At least, she tried to anyway. In the kitchen she'd discovered she was out of regular coffee and had to settle for a decaffeinated cup instead.
Once on the road, her caffeine-free mug of coffee didn't help make traffic less annoying. In fact, it seemed to Julia like the other drivers were sluggish and surly as well—it took her an extra fifteen minutes to get to work. And when she arrived, all the parking spots were full.
By the time she'd finally found a spot in the overflow lot, she was thirty minutes late for work. She'd hoped her boss would be too busy to notice, but he'd already put a pile of paperwork on her desk with a note that simply said “Rewrite.†She wondered if she should point out to her boss that she hadn't been the one to write the reports in the first place, but decided against it.
When the fire alarm went off an hour later, Julia decided she'd had enough. She grabbed her purse and headed outside with her coworkers. While everyone else stood around waiting for the alarm to quiet, Julia determinedly walked to her car, fired up the engine, and set a course for home.
Which of the following lists Julia's actions in the correct sequence?
- A. Julia woke up early and found she didn't have any regular coffee. When she got to work, her boss had a lot for her to do. When the fire alarm went off, she decided to go home.
- B. Julia got to work and decided she was too tired to do the work her boss asked for, so she went home to get a cup of coffee.
- C. Julia woke up when the fire alarm went off and couldn't get back to sleep. She then got stuck in traffic and arrived at work thirty minutes late.
- D. Julia was woken up early by a lawnmower and then got stuck in traffic on the way to her office. Once there, she found that the office was out of coffee and she had a lot of work to do. When the fire alarm went off, she decided to go home.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Option D provides a sequence of events that align with the extract provided. Julia was woken up early by a lawnmower, couldn't go back to sleep, discovered she was out of regular coffee, got stuck in traffic on the way to work, found the office was out of coffee, had a lot of work to do, and decided to go home when the fire alarm went off. This sequence accurately reflects the chronological order of Julia's actions throughout the day. Choices A, B, and C do not follow a logical sequence of events based on the extract, making them incorrect.
It had been a long morning for Julia. She'd been woken up early by the sound of lawn mowers outside her window, and despite her best efforts, had been unable to get back to sleep. So, she'd reluctantly got out of bed, showered, and prepared her morning cup of coffee. At least, she tried to anyway. In the kitchen she'd discovered she was out of regular coffee and had to settle for a decaffeinated cup instead.
Once on the road, her caffeine-free mug of coffee didn't help make traffic less annoying. In fact, it seemed to Julia like the other drivers were sluggish and surly as well—it took her an extra fifteen minutes to get to work. And when she arrived, all the parking spots were full.
By the time she'd finally found a spot in the overflow lot, she was thirty minutes late for work. She'd hoped her boss would be too busy to notice, but he'd already put a pile of paperwork on her desk with a note that simply said “Rewrite.†She wondered if she should point out to her boss that she hadn't been the one to write the reports in the first place, but decided against it.
When the fire alarm went off an hour later, Julia decided she'd had enough. She grabbed her purse and headed outside with her coworkers. While everyone else stood around waiting for the alarm to quiet, Julia determinedly walked to her car, fired up the engine, and set a course for home.
Which of the following conclusions is best supported by the passage?
- A. Julia will find a job closer to her home.
- B. Julia will lose her job.
- C. Julia will feel guilty and return to work.
- D. Julia will drive home and go to sleep.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Based on the passage provided, there is no indication that Julia will find a job closer to her home, lose her job, or feel guilty and return to work. The passage simply states that Julia is tired and ready to go home, indicating that she will likely drive home and go to sleep. Throughout the passage, Julia faces a series of frustrating events that culminate in her decision to leave work and head home. There is no mention of job hunting, job loss, or feelings of guilt, making these options unsupported by the text.