Nokea
Photosynthesis is a process used by plants, algae, and certain bacteria to convert light energy into chemical energy stored in sugar molecules. This process is fundamental to life on Earth as it provides the primary source of energy for nearly all organisms. The energy is captured from sunlight by a pigment in the plants called chlorophyll, which gives plants their green color.
During photosynthesis, carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil react in the presence of light to form sugars and oxygen. The oxygen is released into the atmosphere, which is crucial for the survival of most life forms on Earth. The sugars produced are used by the plant for energy and growth, storing excess energy as starch.
The process occurs in two main stages: the light-dependent reactions and the Calvin cycle. In the light-dependent reactions, energy from sunlight is absorbed by chlorophyll and converted into stored chemical energy in the form of ATP and NADPH. The Calvin cycle uses the ATP and NADPH produced in the light-dependent reactions to convert carbon dioxide into glucose.
Photosynthesis not only sustains plant life but also maintains the atmospheric oxygen levels and is a key factor in the carbon cycle, helping to regulate Earth's climate.
What is produced in the Calvin cycle during photosynthesis?
- A. ATP
- B. Glucose
- C. Water
- D. Oxygen
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: During the Calvin cycle, which is the second stage of photosynthesis, the primary product produced is glucose. The Calvin cycle utilizes the ATP and NADPH generated in the light-dependent reactions to convert carbon dioxide into glucose, a simple sugar. Glucose serves as a vital energy source for the plant and is also essential for the growth and development of the organism. Therefore, the correct answer is option B, 'Glucose.' Options A, C, and D (ATP, Water, and Oxygen) are not the direct products of the Calvin cycle but play important roles in different stages of photosynthesis.
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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.
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.
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 sentence 'people of Brazil farm in an environmentally friendly way' mean in paragraph 3?
- A. They do not poison the soil when farming.
- B. They use natural chemicals to enrich the soil.
- C. They plant and preserve banana trees.
- D. They do not kill insects even if they are harmful.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: 'They do not poison the soil when farming.' The statement in the paragraph refers to the environmentally friendly farming practices of the Kayapo people in Brazil. Instead of using harmful chemicals, they opt for burned wood to enrich the soil. This sustainable approach helps maintain the fertility of the land without causing harm to the environment. It highlights their conscious effort to farm in a way that is beneficial and sustainable for the ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of preserving the environment while meeting their agricultural needs.
Nurseries: If you thought nurseries were just for babies, well, think again! Being special kinds of farms, nurseries are used to raise plants in mass quantities. Plants, trees, and shrubs are typically grown in nurseries and then sold to farmers and gardeners to plant in homes, businesses, and farms. Most nurseries are found in the more rural parts of the country because much land is required to have a viable nursery. If a nursery sells plants to others, it must obtain a special permit from the local city or county, which keeps the competition fair and does not saturate the market with a large number of nurseries selling similar products.
Also on the grounds of nurseries are greenhouses which are made of glass or plastic panes that protect the plants from weather elements that may harm them and cause them not to grow and develop. The glass panels in greenhouses allow for sunlight to enter and moisture to be trapped inside. This creates a tropical environment which allows orchids and poinsettias to grow. It ensures that vegetables and fruits will grow large, which makes them valuable to farmers.
Nurseries are
- A. Places to care for infants.
- B. Special kinds of farms used to raise plants.
- C. Found only in rural areas.
- D. Used to grow vegetables and fruits.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Special kinds of farms used to raise plants. The passage explicitly states that nurseries are farms used to raise plants in mass quantities such as plants, trees, and shrubs. This is reinforced by the description of nurseries being special kinds of farms and selling plants to farmers and gardeners.
Choice A is incorrect because nurseries are not places to care for infants, as mentioned in the passage. Choice C is incorrect as nurseries are found in rural parts but not exclusively. Choice D is incorrect as the passage mentions that vegetables and fruits are grown in greenhouses on the grounds of nurseries, but the primary purpose of nurseries is to raise plants in mass quantities.
ALL THE JAZZ
Jazz has been described as "the art of expression set to music" and "America's great contribution to music." It has served as popular art, enjoying periods of widespread public interest during the "jazz age" of the 1920s, the "swing era" of the late 1930s, and the peak popularity of modern jazz in the late 1950s. The standard narrative is that jazz originated around the end of the 19th century in New Orleans before moving up the Mississippi River to cities like Memphis, St. Louis, and finally Chicago. Jazz emerged by blending elements of ragtime, marching band music, and the blues. However, its roots trace back to tribal African drum beats and European musical structures. Buddy Bolden, a New Orleans barber and cornet player, is generally considered the first real jazz musician, emerging around 1891. What sets jazz apart from earlier musical forms is its emphasis on improvisation. Unlike traditional music, where composers write entire pieces on paper for musicians to follow exactly, jazz offers a starting point—a skeletal guide for musicians to improvise around. Many early jazz musicians were poor sight readers, with some unable to read music at all. Consequently, they often struggled to make a living, working menial jobs to survive. The second wave of New Orleans jazz musicians included notable figures like Joe Oliver, Kid Ory, and Jelly Roll Morton. These artists formed small bands, built upon earlier styles, and enhanced the music's complexity, achieving greater success. This energetic style became known as "hot jazz" due to its fast tempos and rhythmic drive. A young cornet player named Louis Armstrong was discovered by Joe Oliver in New Orleans. Armstrong went on to become one of the greatest and most successful musicians of all time, later emerging as a global star. The impact of Armstrong and other talented early jazz musicians transformed our perception of music.
Where and when did jazz originate?
- A. Southern US, 18th century
- B. Northern US, 19th century
- C. Western US, 20th century
- D. New Orleans, 20th century
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Jazz originated in New Orleans in the 20th century. The standard legend is that it originated around the end of the 19th century in New Orleans, making the 20th century the correct time period. New Orleans is specifically mentioned as the birthplace of Jazz in the question's extract, solidifying it as the correct location of origin.