Reading Comprehension Practice Test HESI A2

Reading Comprehension Practice Test HESI A2 Related

Review Reading Comprehension Practice Test HESI A2 related questions and content

SLEEP:
Developing muscle growth is an effective way to stay healthy as we get older, but many people find it difficult to develop this muscle growth, even after modifying their exercise routine and food intake. What many people may not realize is that getting the proper amount of uninterrupted sleep plays a major role in the development of muscle. The hard work of developing muscle is done in the gym, on a track, or on the court, but the actual growth takes place during the rest periods that follow a workout. Your body immediately begins rebuilding the muscle fibers that were broken down during the course of your workout. Much of this process is carried out while you are sleeping, so without a full night of sleep, muscle fibers will not have the opportunity to rebuild.
Human growth hormone (HGH) is an amino acid that is central to regulating metabolism, building muscle, facilitating calcium retention, and stimulating the immune system. The amount of HGH in your body spikes significantly during deep sleep, which makes getting at least 7 to 10 hours of sleep every night imperative to anyone hoping to develop additional muscle growth. Recent studies have linked inadequate amounts of sleep to lowered levels of leptin, a hormone in the brain that controls appetite. Test subjects who received less sleep, or frequently interrupted sleep, would crave carbohydrates even after their caloric needs reached satiety. This can contribute to obesity and negatively affect any good habits people may have developed with regard to food intake.

What conclusion can the reader draw after reading the passage about The Sleep Workout?

  • A. Getting uninterrupted sleep is more important than getting enough sleep.
  • B. Insufficient sleep may result in an increased risk for obesity.
  • C. Human growth hormone is not essential for muscle development.
  • D. Leptin is essential for building muscle.
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B because the passage highlights that insufficient sleep could lead to an increased risk of obesity. The passage emphasizes the importance of uninterrupted sleep in muscle development and mentions that inadequate sleep is linked to lowered levels of leptin, a hormone that controls appetite. This imbalance in leptin due to lack of sleep can lead to increased cravings for carbohydrates, contributing to obesity. Choice A is incorrect as the passage stresses the significance of both uninterrupted sleep and getting enough sleep for muscle growth. Choice C is incorrect because the passage clearly states that human growth hormone (HGH) is essential for muscle development. Choice D is incorrect as leptin is not essential for building muscle but is mentioned in the passage as a hormone related to controlling appetite and its link to inadequate sleep and obesity.

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Sickle-Cell Anemia:
Healthy red blood cells are shaped like a disc. Each cell contains the protein hemoglobin, which carries oxygen throughout the body. In some people, a crescent-shaped cell forms instead of the normal disc-shaped cell. The crescent-shaped cells contain abnormal hemoglobin. These sickle-shaped cells are fragile and are unable to carry oxygen properly throughout the body.
Sickle-cell anemia is an inherited disease that affects about 72,000 people in the United States. It is more common among people of South American or African descent. The genes for sickle-cell anemia are inherited from both parents. When both parents carry a gene for the trait for sickle-cell, there is a one in four chance that they will pass the disease on to their children.
Symptoms of sickle-cell anemia can include sudden occurrences of extreme abdominal and back pain, bone pain, fever, fatigue, and a rapid heart rate. One patient compared the pain in his back to a jackhammer and said the pain could take over his entire body. Another patient, an eight-year-old girl, described fevers and the feeling of someone squeezing her arms and legs. Cycles of symptoms are often unpredictable and can occur infrequently or almost constantly. Some people who are affected report weekly occurrences of persistent pain, while others report occurrences once a month. Some report that relief comes only by using powerful painkillers. For others, relief comes with bed rest and a hot-water bottle. Most agree that while the challenges of managing sickle-cell anemia are great, with diligent care, it can be managed.

Which of the following is not mentioned as a detail in the passage about Sickle-Cell Anemia?

  • A. People of South American or African descent may be prone to sickle-cell anemia.
  • B. Symptoms of sickle-cell anemia may include sudden occurrences of extreme abdominal and back pain.
  • C. The red blood cells of sickle-cell patients are unusually shaped, forming crescent or sickle shapes.
  • D. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies may result in some anemia.
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because the passage does not mention anything about vitamin and mineral deficiencies in relation to sickle-cell anemia. Choice A is incorrect as the passage specifies that sickle-cell anemia is more common among people of South American or African descent. Choice B is correct as the passage states that symptoms of sickle-cell anemia can include sudden occurrences of extreme abdominal and back pain. Choice C is correct as the passage describes that the red blood cells of sickle-cell patients are unusually shaped, forming crescent or sickle shapes. The passage does not discuss any relationship between vitamin and mineral deficiencies and sickle-cell anemia, making choice D the correct option.

HYPERTENSION:
The term hypertension is used to describe the condition of chronically high blood pressure. People who are obese, experience a lot of stress, smoke tobacco products, have a diet with too much salt in it, or have diabetes are often at a higher risk for hypertension. As well, African Americans are more likely to have hypertension than other population groups.
Hypertension often develops over many years. Older people are most often diagnosed with hypertension. One reason for this is that blood vessels lose elasticity and stiffen as a person ages. This creates more resistance to the blood flowing through the body and elevates blood pressure.
Symptoms of hypertension can include blurred vision, headaches, a buzzing in the ears, fatigue, an irregular heartbeat, and nosebleeds. Hypertension that goes untreated over a period of time can lead to serious complications such as kidney disease, heart disease, loss of vision, heart attack, brain damage, and even early death.
Fortunately, treating hypertension reduces blood pressure and can lower the risk of complications. For many people, losing weight can result in a significant decrease in blood pressure. For others, physicians may prescribe one or more medications to help bring blood pressure down into a safe range.
One thing is certain: physicians believe that people over the age of 20 should monitor their blood pressure by having it checked at least once a year. Those with a history of hypertension in the immediate family should have it checked more frequently.

Which is the best title for the passage about Hypertension?

  • A. How to Manage Hypertension Successfully
  • B. Doctors Discover the Hidden Dangers of Hypertension
  • C. Doctors Work to Understand the Causes of Hypertension
  • D. Causes, Symptoms, Complications, and Management of Hypertension
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The best title for the passage about Hypertension is 'Causes, Symptoms, Complications, and Management of Hypertension.' This title accurately reflects the content of the passage, which provides information about the causes, symptoms, complications, and management of hypertension. It covers a broad spectrum of information presented in the passage, making it the most comprehensive and suitable title.

Choice A, 'How to Manage Hypertension Successfully,' is too narrow as it focuses solely on management without encompassing the other crucial aspects like causes and symptoms. Choice B, 'Doctors Discover the Hidden Dangers of Hypertension,' is misleading as the passage does not focus on any recent discoveries but rather provides general information about hypertension. Choice C, 'Doctors Work to Understand the Causes of Hypertension,' is also inaccurate as the passage mainly discusses causes, symptoms, complications, and management, rather than doctors' ongoing research efforts.

HYPERTENSION:
The term hypertension is used to describe the condition of chronically high blood pressure. People who are obese, experience a lot of stress, smoke tobacco products, have a diet with too much salt in it, or have diabetes are often at a higher risk for hypertension. As well, African Americans are more likely to have hypertension than other population groups.
Hypertension often develops over many years. Older people are most often diagnosed with hypertension. One reason for this is that blood vessels lose elasticity and stiffen as a person ages. This creates more resistance to the blood flowing through the body and elevates blood pressure.
Symptoms of hypertension can include blurred vision, headaches, a buzzing in the ears, fatigue, an irregular heartbeat, and nosebleeds. Hypertension that goes untreated over a period of time can lead to serious complications such as kidney disease, heart disease, loss of vision, heart attack, brain damage, and even early death.
Fortunately, treating hypertension reduces blood pressure and can lower the risk of complications. For many people, losing weight can result in a significant decrease in blood pressure. For others, physicians may prescribe one or more medications to help bring blood pressure down into a safe range.
One thing is certain: physicians believe that people over the age of 20 should monitor their blood pressure by having it checked at least once a year. Those with a history of hypertension in the immediate family should have it checked more frequently.

Which of the following statements is an opinion related to Hypertension?

  • A. Obese people are at risk for hypertension.
  • B. Losing weight can decrease blood pressure.
  • C. Older people must pay attention to their blood pressure.
  • D. Blurred vision or dizziness may be a sign of hypertension.
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: A statement of fact can be proved or checked. A statement of opinion is what someone thinks or believes. In this case, statements A, B, and D could be proved scientifically, but statement C is simply a suggestion. While it is advisable for older people to monitor their blood pressure due to the increased risk associated with aging, the statement itself is an opinion because it suggests what older people 'must' do, which is a subjective viewpoint rather than a verifiable fact. Statements A, B, and D provide factual information supported by scientific evidence, making them statements of fact rather than opinion.

Evolution of the CDC:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) started in 1946 as the Communicable Disease Center (CDC). Its original goal was to stop malaria in the United States. From a small office in Atlanta, health workers spread out over the South, spraying mosquitoes and using shovels to eliminate low spots of standing water. At that time, most of the CDC’s workers were not doctors; the need was for entomologists and engineers. The founder of the CDC, Dr. Joseph Mountin, enlarged the organization’s mission to fight communicable diseases of all kinds, and over the next 20 years, the CDC would focus on smallpox, measles, and polio.
In 1970, the name was changed to the Center for Disease Control, but the mission continued to expand. By 1980, the CDC was working not only on the eradication of existing diseases but also on disease prevention. By this point, it had hundreds of doctors and researchers looking into health problems such as depression and addiction. The name changed again, to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Today, the CDC has thousands of employees and coordinates research activities with public health agencies worldwide. It is especially known for its work to protect people from epidemics and unexpected health threats, but its everyday work in the areas of environmental health, injury prevention, birth defects, healthy schools and workplaces, and health education is just as important and beneficial to all Americans.

A reader might infer from this passage that the organization
___________.

  • A. succeeded in eradicating malaria
  • B. has always been led by a medical doctor
  • C. no longer studies communicable diseases
  • D. changed its name to match its mission
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The passage never says whether or not the CDC succeeded in its
original mission (choice A) or whether it continued to be led by doctors
(choice B). Inferring either of those things would be a leap unsupported
by the text. Choice C is countered by information in the final

HYPERTENSION:
The term hypertension is used to describe the condition of chronically high blood pressure. People who are obese, experience a lot of stress, smoke tobacco products, have a diet with too much salt in it, or have diabetes are often at a higher risk for hypertension. As well, African Americans are more likely to have hypertension than other population groups.
Hypertension often develops over many years. Older people are most often diagnosed with hypertension. One reason for this is that blood vessels lose elasticity and stiffen as a person ages. This creates more resistance to the blood flowing through the body and elevates blood pressure.
Symptoms of hypertension can include blurred vision, headaches, a buzzing in the ears, fatigue, an irregular heartbeat, and nosebleeds. Hypertension that goes untreated over a period of time can lead to serious complications such as kidney disease, heart disease, loss of vision, heart attack, brain damage, and even early death.
Fortunately, treating hypertension reduces blood pressure and can lower the risk of complications. For many people, losing weight can result in a significant decrease in blood pressure. For others, physicians may prescribe one or more medications to help bring blood pressure down into a safe range.
One thing is certain: physicians believe that people over the age of 20 should monitor their blood pressure by having it checked at least once a year. Those with a history of hypertension in the immediate family should have it checked more frequently.

Which statement would not be inferred by the reader in the passage about Hypertension?

  • A. Maintaining a healthy weight may help to prevent hypertension.
  • B. There is presently no reliable treatment for hypertension.
  • C. Your ethnicity may contribute to your risk for hypertension.
  • D. A 60-year-old is more likely to have hypertension than a teenager is.
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. The passage clearly states that there are treatments for hypertension, so the statement that there is presently no reliable treatment for hypertension cannot be inferred from the text. Choice A can be inferred from paragraph 3 where it mentions losing weight to decrease blood pressure. Choice C can be inferred from paragraph 1 where it states that African Americans are more likely to have hypertension. Choice D can be inferred from paragraph 2 where it explains that older people are most often diagnosed with hypertension due to changes in blood vessels as they age.

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