Nokea
GETTING A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP:
Have you ever found yourself staring at the ceiling at 2:00 a.m.? Have you kicked the blankets off to the floor from burning? Many sufferers of insomnia know these situations all too well. As many as 17% of Americans find the restful break of sleep hard to achieve.
Lack of sleep affects intellectual abilities at work or school by causing a deficit in memory, attention, and concentration, which in turn creates a feeling of irritation or depression. Chronic insomnia can result from a medical illness, a psychiatric condition, or from sleep apnea, a condition where an individual actually stops breathing during sleep.
Sleep hygiene, developing good sleep habits, and non-pharmacological therapies such as herbs and spices are some solutions to insomnia. There is no need to live with insomnia, so contact a physician and get a good night's sleep!
What is stated in the passage about Sleep Apnea?
- A. Sleep apnea causes chronic illness.
- B. Sleep apnea affects intellectual abilities.
- C. Sleep apnea leads to early death.
- D. Sleep apnea causes breathing interruptions.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is 'D: Sleep apnea causes breathing interruptions.' The passage explicitly mentions sleep apnea as a condition where an individual stops breathing during sleep, indicating breathing interruptions. Choice A is incorrect because the passage does not directly state that sleep apnea causes chronic illness. Choice B is incorrect because the passage discusses how lack of sleep affects intellectual abilities but does not specifically attribute this to sleep apnea. Choice C is incorrect as the passage does not mention sleep apnea leading to early death. Therefore, the most accurate statement about sleep apnea based on the passage is that it causes breathing interruptions.
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ELECTORAL COLLEGE:
The Electoral College has nothing to do with college and contains no students. The Electoral College consists of votes that each state acquires based on the number of representatives it has in Congress.
Each state has two electoral votes because each state has two senators. The remaining electoral votes are determined by the number of Congressmen, the number of which is based on the population of the state established by the Census taken each decade.
During the presidential election, most states cast all their electoral votes for the candidate who wins the popular vote in that state. It's all very confusing, but the founding fathers know what they were doing. By having and using the Electoral College candidates' campaign in every state, but just because they win the popular vote across the country doesn't mean they will always win the election.
Case in point, in election 2000, Al Gore won the popular vote across the country, but George W. Bush won more electoral votes. Therefore, he became our 43rd president.
What is the main reason the author wrote the passage about the Electoral College?
- A. To criticize the complexity of the Electoral College.
- B. To explain how the Electoral College works.
- C. To advocate for abolishing the Electoral College.
- D. To promote the benefits of the Electoral College.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. The passage primarily aims to explain how the Electoral College functions in U.S. elections. It provides details on how the Electoral College operates, including the allocation of electoral votes based on states' representation in Congress, the role of senators and representatives, and how electoral votes are cast during presidential elections. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because the passage does not criticize, advocate for abolishing, or promote the benefits of the Electoral College. Instead, it focuses on clarifying its mechanism.
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.
What does the word 'composed' mean in the passage on the Water Cycle?
- A. To consist of.
- B. To create.
- C. To separate.
- D. To destroy.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In the context of the Water Cycle, 'composed' means 'to consist of' parts. For instance, water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Therefore, the correct meaning of 'composed' in this context is to consist of various components. Choice B, 'To create,' is incorrect as 'composed' refers to the makeup of something rather than the act of making or creating. Choices C and D, 'To separate' and 'To destroy,' are also incorrect as they do not align with the meaning of 'composed' in the passage.
ELECTORAL COLLEGE:
The Electoral College has nothing to do with college and contains no students. The Electoral College consists of votes that each state acquires based on the number of representatives it has in Congress.
Each state has two electoral votes because each state has two senators. The remaining electoral votes are determined by the number of Congressmen, the number of which is based on the population of the state established by the Census taken each decade.
During the presidential election, most states cast all their electoral votes for the candidate who wins the popular vote in that state. It's all very confusing, but the founding fathers know what they were doing. By having and using the Electoral College candidates' campaign in every state, but just because they win the popular vote across the country doesn't mean they will always win the election.
Case in point, in election 2000, Al Gore won the popular vote across the country, but George W. Bush won more electoral votes. Therefore, he became our 43rd president.
What does the author of the passage on the Electoral College seem to suggest?
- A. The Electoral College should be abolished.
- B. The Electoral College works as intended.
- C. The Electoral College needs reform.
- D. The Electoral College confuses voters.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. The author of the passage suggests that the Electoral College works as intended. Despite acknowledging its confusing nature and the possibility of results differing from the popular vote, the author highlights that the founding fathers had a purpose behind its design. Therefore, the Electoral College is viewed as functioning as intended. Choice A is incorrect because the author does not advocate for abolishing the Electoral College. Choice C is incorrect as there is no explicit mention of the need for reform. Choice D is incorrect as the author does not focus on the confusion caused to voters but rather on the system's original purpose.
DAY LIGHT SAVINGS TIME:
It is a well-known fact that it takes the Earth approximately 365 days to move around the sun. At the same time, the Earth revolves or spins around itself over the course of 24 hours, which explains why there is day and night. One half of the Earth is always facing the Sun and the other half is facing away from it. As a result, there are different time zones dividing the globe. Moving suddenly from one time zone into the other, as when flying for example from Asia to North America, causes jetlag. People feel tired, they wake up suddenly during the night and cannot go back to sleep. It takes time to get used to a new time zone.
Another thing to consider is the slight tilting of the Earth towards the sun. The Earth does not stand straight but leans a little to one side. Therefore, when it revolves around the Sun, the middle part of the Earth is always closer to the Sun and gets more heat. This part is called the equator, and above it lathes tropics. Countries at the tropics get the same amount of daylight all the time. The sun always rises at 6 am and sets at 6 pm. In contrast, the tips of the Earth or the Poles get hardly any light at all because they are so far away from the sun.
There are two main seasons at the Poles. There are 6 months of summer, when the sun is always shining, even at night, and there are 6 months of winter, when there is constant darkness.
In between the tropics and the Poles lies the temperate zone, where there are 4 seasons. The sun rises and sets at different times throughout the year. In the spring and summer, it gets light earlier; in the fall and winter it gets dark earlier. People who live in temperate zones take advantage of that fact to get more daylight. At the beginning of spring, countries in Europe and North America re-adjust their clocks. They change the time on their clocks and watches by moving them an hour ahead. As a result, the sun does not set around 7 or 8 pm as usual, but an hour later. This measure is called Daylight Savings Time (DST) and lasts until the beginning of fall, when people move their clocks back one hour to Standard or regular Time.
It is thought that Benjamin Franklin first suggested the introduction of Daylight Savings Time in the 18th century. But, the first serious proposal came in 1907 from William Willet. Yet his idea was shelved by the British government, who refused it because they thought it was unnecessary. Daylight Savings Time was first put into practice by the German government in 1916 in order to save energy during the First World War. Shortly after, the United Kingdom followed suit, with the United States doing the same in 1918.
The law was very unpopular since people had to wake up earlier and many experienced a feeling like jetlag. But the 1970s energy crisis forced the US to make Daylight Savings Time the law. Studies have shown that the introduction of Daylight Savings Time in the spring saved the US 10,000 barrels of oil per day between 1974-1975. It also prevented 2,000 traffic injuries and 50 traffic-related deaths, saving the country $28 million.
Currently, Americans switch to Daylight Savings Time on the first Sunday in April and move back to Standard Time on the last Sunday in October. But as of 2007, the time re-adjustment happened even earlier, in March and November.
What is implied about Benjamin Franklin in the passage on Daylight Savings Time?
- A. Benjamin Franklin opposed the idea of Daylight Savings Time.
- B. Benjamin Franklin was the first to implement Daylight Savings Time.
- C. Benjamin Franklin proposed the idea of Daylight Savings Time.
- D. Benjamin Franklin had no role in Daylight Savings Time.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C. The passage states that Benjamin Franklin first suggested the introduction of Daylight Savings Time in the 18th century. However, the first serious proposal came in 1907 from William Willet. Franklin's idea was not implemented during his lifetime, but he did propose the concept. Therefore, choices A, B, and D are incorrect. Choice A is incorrect because Franklin did not oppose the idea. Choice B is incorrect because he was not the first to implement it. Choice D is incorrect because he did have a role in proposing the idea.
THE WHITE ELEPHANT:
Centuries ago, in the country of Siam, now known as Thailand, it was the custom of the rulers to punish those who displeased them by giving the offender a white elephant. Because the animal was considered sacred, it could not be made to work as other elephants did, but still had to be fed hundreds of pounds of fruit and cared for in the most lavish style. The recipient could not give the elephant to anyone else, as it was a gift from the ruler, who would be greatly displeased should the recipient not receive the gift graciously or care for it in a grand style. This monetary burden could be a major liability to the recipient, and in many cases, they became impoverished.
This is the origin of the term "white elephant," as it is used today to denote an unwanted gift. The popular way of gift exchange played during the holiday season is an offshoot of this tradition. In this game, everyone brings a gift, and the gifts are exchanged by drawing numbers and picking a gift in turn. The second person can choose a new gift or steal the first one. It is all in good fun, and people enjoy giving silly gifts and "stealing" someone else's.
Why was receiving a white elephant considered a burden in ancient Siam?
- A. People tried to avoid receiving it, as it was a burden.
- B. It was a symbol of honor and wealth.
- C. It was used in ceremonial processes.
- D. The people greatly desired a white elephant as a gift.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Receiving a white elephant in ancient Siam was considered a burden because the animal, being sacred, couldn't be used for work like other elephants. The recipient had to bear the cost of feeding the elephant large amounts of fruit and maintaining it in a lavish manner. The ruler's displeasure if the gift was not accepted graciously added to the pressure. This financial strain often led recipients to financial ruin. Therefore, people tried to avoid receiving a white elephant to prevent these financial consequences. Choice B is incorrect because the white elephant was not considered a symbol of honor and wealth but rather a burden. Choice C is incorrect as the white elephant was not primarily used in ceremonial processes but was a gift that came with financial responsibilities. Choice D is incorrect as the passage does not mention that people greatly desired a white elephant as a gift, but rather the opposite.