Reading Comprehension

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The regulation of dietary supplements falls under the jurisdiction of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which applies different standards compared to those governing prescription and over-the-counter medications. In general, the regulations for dietary supplements are less stringent. Manufacturers are not required to demonstrate the safety or effectiveness of a dietary supplement prior to its marketing. However, they are allowed to make claims about addressing nutrient deficiencies, supporting health, or being associated with specific bodily functions, provided that research backs these assertions. These claims must be accompanied by a disclaimer stating, “This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.” Additionally, manufacturers are expected to adhere to good manufacturing practices (GMPs) to ensure consistent processing and quality standards, with requirements that took effect in 2008 for larger manufacturers and are being phased in for smaller ones by 2010. Once a dietary supplement is available on the market, the FDA monitors its safety and product information, including label claims and package inserts. If a product is deemed unsafe, the FDA has the authority to take action against the manufacturer or distributor, which may include issuing warnings or requiring product removal. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) oversees advertising regulations, ensuring that all promotional materials are truthful and not misleading. Consequently, the federal government has pursued legal action against numerous dietary supplement promoters or websites that have made false claims or marketed unsafe products.

What does the phrase 'phased in' mean as it is used in the third paragraph?

  • A. stunned into silence
  • B. confused
  • C. implemented in stages
  • D. legalized
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The phrase 'phased in' means implemented in stages. In this context, it refers to the gradual introduction or implementation of requirements for good manufacturing practices (GMPs) for small manufacturers over a period of time. It does not signify being stunned into silence, confused, or legalized, but rather a methodical and gradual approach to enforcing regulations.

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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.

Which transitional expression best replaces 'ultimately' in the following sentence: 'Ultimately, condensation happens when water vapor cools'?

  • A. While
  • B. Furthermore
  • C. Since
  • D. Moreover
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The word 'ultimately' is used to indicate the final step in a process. 'While' can serve as a transition that suggests a time-based connection, which works well in the context of the water cycle's progression. The other options, such as 'furthermore' and 'moreover,' are used to add information, and 'since' indicates causality, none of which is appropriate in this context.

Electrocardiogram
Beep!Ć¢ā‚¬Ā¦Beep!Ć¢ā‚¬Ā¦Beep! is the audible rhythmic sound made as the strength of the heart muscle is measured. The signal cadence has a characteristic record that varies in every individual. This record is called an electrocardiogram, or ECG.
In the body, an array of systemic neural responses constantly occur, emitting electric currents. The electric currents can be detected on the surface of the body, and if a person is hooked to an amplifier, these impulses are recorded by an electrocardiograph.
Most of the information obtained is about the heart because the heart sends out electric currents in waves. This Ć¢ā‚¬Å“wave of excitationĆ¢ā‚¬Ā¯ spreads through the heart wall and is accompanied by electric changes. The wave takes place in three distinct steps.
Initially, the Ć¢ā‚¬Å“wave of excitationĆ¢ā‚¬Ā¯ accompanied by an electric change lasts for approximately 1 to 2 seconds after the contraction of the cardiac muscle. The electric impulses are discharged rhythmically from the sinoatrial (SA) node, the pacemaker of the heart. This spread of excitation over the muscle of the atrium indicates that the atrium has contracted.
Next, the peak of the ECG reading is due to the atrioventricular (AV) node, causing the ventricle to become excited.
Finally, the ventricles relax, and any changes in the wave indicate to trained medical staff any abnormalities within the heart.

What are the three steps of the 'wave of excitation' during an electrocardiogram?

  • A. The discharge from the SA node, the peak ECG, and the excitement of the ventricle.
  • B. The excitement of the ventricle, the relaxing of the ventricle, and the systemic neural response.
  • C. The contraction of the atrium, the relaxation of the atrium, and the contraction of the ventricle.
  • D. The excitation of the atrium, the excitement of the ventricle, and the relaxing of the ventricle.
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct sequence of the 'wave of excitation' during an electrocardiogram includes the excitation of the atrium (contraction), the excitement of the ventricle (peak ECG), and the relaxing of the ventricle. This process starts with the discharge from the SA node, followed by the peak ECG due to the AV node, and ends with the relaxation of the ventricles. Understanding this sequence is crucial for interpreting ECG readings accurately and identifying any abnormalities within the heart.

Blood Pressure Regulators
The body comprises systems that have evolved and diversified to maintain essential functions and processes. One such system is the cardiovascular system, which includes critical regulators of blood pressure. The heart serves as the body’s pump, ensuring a steady flow of vital oxygen to all cells while facilitating the removal of carbon dioxide and other waste products. Given that blood pressure varies at different points throughout the body, various components are necessary to regulate it effectively. Three primary components involved in blood pressure regulation are baroreceptors, chemoreceptors, and the kidneys. Baroreceptors, which are stretch receptors made up of fine branching nerve endings, are located along the walls of arteries near the heart and in other areas of the body. When these baroreceptors detect stretching in the arterial walls, they send impulses to the heart, arteries, and veins, leading to an increase or decrease in blood pressure. Chemoreceptors, found along the walls of the arteries, monitor changes in oxygen levels, carbon dioxide, and pH. For instance, a drop in oxygen levels triggers these receptors to send impulses that raise blood pressure. The kidneys also play a crucial role in blood pressure regulation by absorbing salts and water while eliminating waste. Hormones secreted by the adrenal cortex influence the kidneys to retain or excrete salt and water, thereby affecting blood volume and, consequently, blood pressure.

Which statement is not a detail from the passage?

  • A. Baroreceptors are stretch receptors composed of fine branching nerve endings that are contained along the walls of the arteries near the heart and in other areas of the body.
  • B. Chemoreceptors are located along the walls of the arteries and monitor changes in oxygen level, carbon dioxide, and pH.
  • C. The kidneys play a role in regulating blood pressure by absorbing salts and water and removing wastes.
  • D. The heart is the body’s pump, which regulates the flow of vitally needed oxygen to all cells of the body.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A because the statement inaccurately describes baroreceptors as 'rigid and static nerve endings,' whereas the passage describes baroreceptors as 'stretch receptors composed of fine branching nerve endings.' The passage clearly states that baroreceptors are located along the walls of the arteries near the heart and in other areas of the body, and they send out impulses related to stretching along the arterial walls. Choices B, C, and D are all details accurately reflecting information provided in the passage about chemoreceptors, the kidneys' role in regulating blood pressure, and the heart as the body's pump, respectively.

Blood Pressure
Lub-dub! Lub-dub! Lub-dub! This sound is made by the rapid contracting and extending of the chamber doors on the inside of the heart. This ventricular contracting injects roughly 70 mL of blood into a vascular system with a given volume at differing pressure. Blood pressure refers to the pressure in the arterial system; and it is typically taken in the brachial artery of the arm because the pressure at different places along the circulatory route is different. Blood pressure is simply the force that the blood exerts in all directions within any given area and is the basis for the movement of blood from the heart, through the body, and back to the heart. This pressure is commonly expressed as a ratio of the systolic pressure over the diastolic pressure. The systolic pressure or “high peak” pressure takes place within the arterial system as ventricles contract and force blood into the arteries. The diastolic pressure or “low peak” pressure takes place within this arterial system just before the next ventricular contraction. An increase in blood pressure can occur if the arterial walls lose some of their elasticity with age or disease.

Which is the best summary of this passage?

  • A. The heart pumps roughly 70 mL of blood by rapidly contracting and extending the chamber doors of the heart. Disease and age affect the pressure of blood on arterial walls.
  • B. The brachial artery of the arm is usually used to take blood pressure, although the pressure is different in different parts of the body.
  • C. The measurement of the ratio of systolic pressure over the diastolic pressure is known as blood pressure.
  • D. The force that blood exerts on arterial walls is known as blood pressure and is measured as a ratio of the systolic pressure or "high peak" over the diastolic pressure or "low peak"
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct summary of the passage is that blood pressure is the force exerted by blood on arterial walls, measured as a ratio of systolic pressure over diastolic pressure. This summary encapsulates the key points discussed in the passage, including the definition of blood pressure, its measurement, and the role of systolic and diastolic pressures. The other options either focus on specific details or do not encompass the main concept of blood pressure as explained in the passage.

The Moon has been worshipped by primitive peoples and has inspired humans to create everything from lunar calendars to love sonnets. But what do we really know about it? The most accepted theory about the Moon's origin is that it was formed from the debris of a massive collision with the young Earth about 4.6 billion years ago. A huge body, perhaps the size of Mars, struck the Earth, throwing out an immense amount of debris that coalesced and cooled in orbit around the Earth.The development of Earth is inextricably linked to the Moon; the Moon's gravitational influence upon the Earth is the primary cause of ocean tides. In fact, the Moon has more than twice the effect on the tides than the Sun. The Moon makes one rotation and completes a revolution around the Earth every 27 days, 7 hours, and 43 minutes. This synchronous rotation is caused by an uneven distribution of mass in the Moon (essentially, it is heavier on one side than the other) and has allowed the Earth's gravity to keep one side of the Moon permanently facing Earth.The average distance from Earth to the Moon is about 384,403 km. The Moon has no atmosphere; without it, the Moon has no protection from meteorite impacts, resulting in a surface covered with impact craters, both large and small. The Moon also has no active tectonic or volcanic activity, so the erosive effects of atmospheric weathering, tectonic shifts, and volcanic upheavals that tend to erase and reform the Earth’s surface features are not at work on the Moon. In fact, even tiny surface features, such as the footprint left by an astronaut in the lunar soil, are likely to last for millions of years unless obliterated by a chance meteorite strike. The surface gravity of the Moon is about one-sixth that of Earth's. Therefore, a person weighing 82 kilograms on Earth would only weigh 14 kilograms on the Moon. The geographical features of the Earth most similar to those of the Moon are places such as the Hawaiian volcanic craters and the huge meteor crater in Arizona. However, the climate of the Moon is very different from either Hawaii or Arizona; in fact, the temperature on the Moon ranges from 123 degrees Celsius to -233 degrees Celsius.

What is the passage primarily about?

  • A. What we know about the Moon and its differences from Earth
  • B. A comparison of the Moon and Earth
  • C. The Moon's effect on Earth
  • D. The origin of the Moon
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The passage primarily discusses various aspects of the Moon, what is known about it, and how it differs from Earth. It covers topics such as the Moon's formation, gravitational influence on Earth, lack of atmosphere, surface features, gravity, and climate. While it mentions the Moon's origin and its effect on Earth, the main focus is on providing information about the Moon and highlighting its distinctions from Earth.

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