Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension Related

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Doppler Effect
Have you ever wondered why the whistle of a traveling, distant locomotive predicts its approach several yards before anyone actually sees it? Or why an oncoming ambulance's screaming siren is heard momentarily several feet before the ambulance comes into full view, before it passes you, and why its siren is still heard faintly well after the ambulance is out of sight?
What you are witnessing is a scientific phenomenon known as the Doppler Effect. What takes place is truly remarkable. In both of these instances, when the train or ambulance moves toward the sound waves in front of it, the sound waves are pulled closer together and have a higher frequency. In either instance, the listener positioned in front of the moving object hears a higher pitch. The ambulance and locomotive are progressively moving away from the sound waves behind them, causing the waves to be farther apart and to have a lower frequency. These fast-approaching modes of transportation distance themselves past the listener, who hears a lower pitch.

What is the author's primary purpose in writing this essay?

  • A. To entertain the reader with information about trains and ambulances
  • B. To inform the reader about avoiding accidents involving trains and ambulances
  • C. To inform the reader about how movement affects sound
  • D. To analyze the difference between train and ambulance sounds
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The author's primary purpose in writing the essay is to inform the reader about how movement affects sound, specifically focusing on the Doppler Effect. The essay explains the scientific phenomenon of sound waves being affected by the movement of objects like trains and ambulances, resulting in changes in pitch as they approach or move away from a listener. Therefore, the correct answer is C because the main goal is to educate readers on the relationship between movement and sound.

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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. ItĆ¢ā‚¬ā„¢s all very confusing, but the founding fathers know what they were doing. By having and using the Electoral College candidatesĆ¢ā‚¬ā„¢ 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.

Which statement from the passage is a fact?

  • A. Each state casts their electoral votes during the Presidential election
  • B. The government randomly assigns electoral votes to states
  • C. Candidates only campaign in states where they think they can win
  • D. The Electoral College is a college in Washington D.C.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. The passage mentions that during the presidential election, most states cast all their electoral votes for the candidate who wins the popular vote in that state. This is a fact based on how the Electoral College operates. B is incorrect as the electoral votes are not randomly assigned but are based on the number of representatives each state has in Congress. C is not supported by the passage as it does not state candidates only campaign in states where they think they can win. D is incorrect as the passage explicitly states that the Electoral College has nothing to do with a college in Washington D.C.

Let's Go to the Circus
Everyone loves a circus! The bright lights, fanciful costumes, and fierce wild animals delight and entertain folks of all ages. The circus calls to the child in each one of us. Ernest Hemingway wrote that it "is the only ageless delight that you can buy for money..."
"Circus" is a magic word inspiring all sorts of exciting, colorful images. It's a theater of mind-boggling feats, elephants thundering around the rings, horses dancing, clowns cavorting and the sequins glittering under the lights.
There are historical references to animal displays and athletic competitions from the earliest days of civilization. The Romans were famous for their extravaganzas in the Coliseum. The shows we see today cannot compare to those great spectacles, but all who go to a circus enjoy the experience. It allows us all to be a child again and watch in awe as the athletes perform on the high wire or control the savage beasts in the center ring.

What information is given in the paragraph?

  • A. Ernest Hemingway did not like circuses.
  • B. The Romans staged extravaganzas.
  • C. "Circus" is an Italian word.
  • D. The costumes of the clowns are outrageous.
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The passage directly mentions the historical connection between the Romans and large-scale entertainment spectacles, stating: 'The Romans were famous for their extravaganzas in the Coliseum.' This sentence clearly refers to the Roman tradition of hosting grand and elaborate events, which aligns with the idea of 'staging extravaganzas.' The paragraph does not provide information about Ernest Hemingway's personal opinion on circuses, the linguistic origin of the word 'circus,' or the specific nature of clown costumes.

Which statement is a fact about greenhouses?

  • A. Greenhouses create tropical conditions at nurseries.
  • B. Greenhouses are only used for growing rare plants.
  • C. Greenhouses are a waste of resources and are never used in nurseries.
  • D. Greenhouses make all plants grow faster without any exceptions.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Greenhouses are structures designed to create specific environmental conditions suitable for plant growth, including mimicking tropical conditions in nurseries. This makes choice A a factual statement about greenhouses. Options B, C, and D are incorrect as they present inaccurate or overly generalized claims about the purpose and effectiveness of greenhouses.

The Rainforest

The Amazon River Basin is home to the largest rainforest on Earth. The basin -- roughly the size of the forty-eight contiguous United States -- covers some 40% of the South American continent, and portions of eight countries. The basin is drained by the Amazon River, the world's largest river in terms of discharge, and the second longest river in the world after the Nile.

Since 1970, over 600,000 square kilometers (232,000 square miles) of Amazon rainforest have been destroyed. This deforestation is mainly due to land clearing for pastureland by commercial and speculative interests, misguided government policies, and commercial exploitation of forest resources.

Deforestation of the rainforest has long-term implications. The loss of habitat for many creatures ensures their extinction. The loss of vegetation depletes the oxygen in the atmosphere, which some say causes global warming.

Which statement is a fact rather than an opinion?

  • A. Deforestation causes global warming.
  • B. The rainforest is essential to life on Earth.
  • C. South American countries must stop deforestation of the rainforest immediately.
  • D. Over 600,000 square kilometers (232,000 square miles) of Amazon rainforest have been destroyed since 1970.
    Correct Answer: D
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Option D states a measurable fact: 'A vast amount of square mileage of Amazon rainforest has been destroyed since 1970,' supported by the specific figure provided in the passage (over 600,000 square kilometers or 232,000 square miles). The other options express opinions or interpretations about the consequences of deforestation rather than stating factual information. It is crucial for students to differentiate between facts, which are objective and verifiable, and opinions, which are subjective beliefs or interpretations.

Linking San Francisco to Marin County in California, the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world. The bridge crosses over a narrow strait which connects the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco Bay. Prior to the bridge, people traveled by ferry boat across the strait.
Although most people thought a bridge was necessary to expedite travel, some residents of the
bay area felt the risk of building the bridge was too great. Joseph Strauss believed that nothing was impossible, and dreams would never come to fruition if risks weren't taken. So, he decided to gather the best and brightest builders, architects, and workers to embark on the challenge of
building a bridge across the Golden Gate Strait. With safety nets in place, the construction began in 1937. Building the anchorages first, the
builders then move on to the towers on each end, and then to the three-foot thick cables to support the suspension bridge. Lastly, workers labored to complete the roadway which became
the most dangerous and treacherous part of the entire task. The builders had to keep the bridge
balance, so it wouldn't fall into the bay.
Today, over sixty-five years later, the bridge remains a life-line for the people of the San Francisco Bay Area.

What body of water does the Golden Gate Bridge cross?

  • A. San Francisco Bay
  • B. Pacific Ocean
  • C. Marin Strait
  • D. Golden Gate Strait
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The Golden Gate Bridge crosses over the Golden Gate Strait, linking San Francisco to Marin County in California. The strait connects the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco Bay. It is essential to understand the specific geography of the area to correctly identify the body of water crossed by the bridge. Therefore, the correct answer is D, Golden Gate Strait.

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