Reading Comprehension

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The immune system is a network of cells, tissues, and organs that defends the body against attacks by foreign invaders. These invaders are primarily microbes—tiny organisms such as bacteria, parasites, and fungi—that can cause infections. Viruses also cause infections, but are too primitive to be classified as living organisms. The human body provides an ideal environment for many microbes. It is the immune system’s job to keep the microbes out or destroy them. The immune system is amazingly complex. It can recognize and remember millions of different enemies, and it can secrete fluids and cells to wipe out nearly all of them. The secret to its success is an elaborate and dynamic communications network. Millions of cells, organized into sets and subsets, gather and transfer information in response to an infection. Once immune cells receive the alarm, they produce powerful chemicals that help to regulate their own growth and behavior, enlist other immune cells, and direct the new recruits to trouble spots. Although scientists have learned much about the immune system, they continue to puzzle over how the body destroys invading microbes, infected cells, and tumors without harming healthy tissues. New technologies for identifying individual immune cells are now allowing scientists to determine quickly which targets are triggering an immune response. Improvements in microscopy are permitting the first-ever observations of living B cells, T cells, and other cells as they interact within lymph nodes and other body tissues. In addition, scientists are rapidly unraveling the genetic blueprints that direct the human immune response, as well as those that dictate the biology of bacteria, viruses, and parasites. The combination of new technology with expanded genetic information will no doubt reveal even more about how the body protects itself from disease.

What is the primary purpose of the author in writing the essay?

  • A. to persuade
  • B. to analyze
  • C. to inform
  • D. to entertain
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: 'to inform.' The essay provides a comprehensive overview of the immune system, detailing its functions, complexities, and advancements in research. The author's main goal is to educate the readers about the immune system, how it works, and the ongoing discoveries in the field. The essay presents factual information and scientific insights rather than aiming to persuade, analyze, or entertain the audience.

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Glass
I wonder who first discovered glass. This commodity has been a part of civilization from the very beginning. Imagine a world without glass! How dark and dismal it would be. No windows, corrective lenses, telescopes, microscopes, cameras, sparkly drinking containers or mirrors. Life would not be the same without this wonderful discovery. Thank you, whoever found glass!
Glass is not an element, but a combination of several elements. It is a hard, brittle, transparent solid material composed mainly of silica, with additives to change the character of the glass. Common additives are soda, lime, lead, and boron. Each additive changes the properties of the final product. Soda and lime are the most common additives, accounting for about 90% of glass production. Adding lead increases reflectivity, causing the glass to "sparkle." The addition of boron changes the thermal and electrical properties of glass, allowing cookware that can be used in the oven without shattering.

What conclusion can be drawn from the information included in the article?

  • A. New uses for glass are constantly being discovered.
  • B. Glass is no longer used in modern technology.
  • C. The production of glass is declining rapidly.
  • D. Glass is too brittle to be used in new applications.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The article discusses the various uses and properties of glass, highlighting its significance in everyday life. It mentions that glass is a versatile material with different additives that change its properties, allowing for diverse applications such as windows, lenses, telescopes, and cookware. The article does not suggest that glass usage is decreasing or that it is too brittle for new applications. Therefore, the most appropriate conclusion from the information provided is that new uses for glass are constantly being discovered, as its properties and versatility continue to be explored.

The most important factor in any highway safety program is the responsible citizen-driver: YOU. Since you are a consumer, drive a car, vote, and pay taxes, you are a power to be considered. Your voice can Influence legislation at the federal, state, and local government levels. You can insist on better roads and safer cars by being a consumer advocate.

Your attitude about driving affects your making safe driving decisions while on the road. Your immediate concern, however, should be to drive safely in a property Inspected car, wear a safety belt, and never mix liquor with driving.

What appears to be the author's motive for writing the paragraph?

  • A. Get people personally involved with traffic safety
  • B. Criticize car manufacturers
  • C. Advocate for stricter traffic laws
  • D. Emphasize the importance of new car technology
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The paragraph emphasizes personal responsibility and involvement in highway safety, urging the reader to be an active participant in advocating for better roads and safer cars. This aligns with choice A, as the primary focus is on engaging individuals to take action and make a difference in traffic safety through their consumer choices and civic engagement. Choices B, C, and D are not supported by the content of the paragraph, as it does not criticize car manufacturers, advocate for stricter laws, or emphasize new car technology, making them incorrect answers.

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 of the following is not a fact stated in the passage?

  • A. Ventricular contracting injects roughly 70 mL of blood into a vascular system.
  • B. Blood pressure is typically measured in the brachial artery of the arm.
  • C. Blood pressure is commonly expressed as a ratio of the systolic pressure over the diastolic pressure.
  • D. Loss of arterial wall elasticity is always caused by disease.
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D. The passage does not state that loss of arterial wall elasticity is always caused by disease. It mentions that an increase in blood pressure can occur if the arterial walls lose some elasticity with age or disease, implying that the loss of elasticity can also be age-related. The other statements are all directly supported by the passage: A discusses the volume of blood injected by ventricular contraction, B explains where blood pressure is typically measured, and C describes how blood pressure is commonly expressed as a ratio of systolic over diastolic pressure.

A BIT ABOUT BICYCLES
Today, bicycles are so common that it's hard to believe they haven't always been around. But two hundred years ago, bicycles didn't even exist, and the first bicycle, invented in Germany in 1818, was nothing like our bicycles today. It was made of wood and didn't even have pedals. Since then, however, numerous innovations and improvements in design have made the bicycle one of the most popular means of recreation and transportation around the world. In 1839, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, a Scottish blacksmith, dramatically improved upon the original bicycle design. Macmillan's machine had tires with iron rims to keep them from getting worn down. He also used foot-operated cranks like pedals, so his bicycle could be ridden at a quick pace. It didn't look much like a modern bicycle, though, because its back wheel was substantially larger than its front wheel. In 1861, the French Michaux brothers took the evolution of the bicycle a step further by inventing an improved crank mechanism. Ten years later, James Starley, an English inventor, revolutionized bicycle design. He made the front wheel many times larger than the back wheel, put a gear on the pedals to make the bicycle more efficient, and lightened the wheels by using wire spokes. Although this bicycle was much lighter and less tiring to ride, it was still clumsy, extremely top heavy, and ridden mostly for entertainment. It wasn't until 1874 that the first truly modern bicycle appeared on the scene. (14) Invented by another Englishman, H.J. Lawson, the "safety bicycle" would look familiar to today's cyclists. This bicycle had equal-sized wheels, which made it less prone to toppling over. Lawson also attached a chain to the pedals to drive the rear wheel. With these improvements, the bicycle became extremely popular and useful for transportation. Today they are built, used, and enjoyed all over the world.

What does 'taste' mean?

  • A. Perceiving a sensation on the tongue
  • B. A sensation in the tongue
  • C. A liking
  • D. Ability to enjoy what is beautiful and harmonious
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The term 'taste' in this context refers to the action of perceiving a sensation on the tongue. When discussing taste in the context of sensory perception, it is related to the sense of taste that allows us to discern flavors. Option A, 'Perceiving a sensation on the tongue,' accurately defines the term in the given context. Options B, C, and D are not relevant to the specific meaning of 'taste' being referred to in this question.

Electrocardiogram Beep!…Beep!…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. his “wave of excitation” spreads through the heart wall and is accompanied by electric changes. The wave takes place in three distinct steps. Initially, the “wave of excitation” 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'?

  • 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: In the 'wave of excitation,' the first step involves the excitation of the atrium, which is initiated by the discharge from the SA node. The second step is the excitement of the ventricle, which is represented by the peak ECG reading. Lastly, the third step involves the relaxing of the ventricle. These three steps are crucial in understanding the electrical activity of the heart and how it is reflected in an electrocardiogram (ECG). Therefore, choice D, 'The excitation of the atrium, the excitement of the ventricle, and the relaxing of the ventricle,' correctly identifies the three sequential steps in the 'wave of excitation' during a cardiac cycle.

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