Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension Related

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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.

Which of these statements about the text is a fact rather than an opinion?

  • A. Famers do not like to get their plants from nurseries.
  • B. The best and prettiest orchids and poinsettias are grown in greenhouses.
  • C. Nurseries are the best places to grow vegetables.
  • D. Greenhouses create tropical conditions at nurseries.
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Greenhouses create tropical conditions at nurseries.

Rationale:
1. Fact vs. Opinion: The statement that greenhouses create tropical conditions is a fact because it can be proven or observed based on the information provided in the text.
2. Text Evidence: The text mentions that greenhouses are made of glass or plastic panes that create a tropical environment, allowing orchids and poinsettias to grow.
3. Logic: Greenhouses are designed to simulate tropical conditions by allowing sunlight in and trapping moisture, which aids in the growth of specific plants.
4. Incorrect Choices:
A: This is an opinion as it generalizes the preference of farmers without factual evidence.
B: This is an opinion as "best and prettiest" are subjective terms based on personal preference.
C: This is an opinion as it states nurseries are the best places to grow vegetables without providing factual evidence.

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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.

Homophones
English is a vibrant, changing, dynamic language. It allows people to express their thoughts in diverse ways, as there are many synonyms and antonyms to choose from. The hardest part for the English speaker - or those learning English as a second language - is learning about homonyms. These are words that sound alike but are spelled different ways, with different meanings. One example is "One". This word, spelled "one" means the numeral 1, an amount. If spelled "won," it means to be victorious. No wonder spelling is a difficult skill to master! Other homonyms encountered by the beginning English speaker are "to, two, too," "four, for, fore," "there, their, they're" and "son, sun" to name just a few. This is one reason that "Spell check" programs on word processing computers cannot be completely accurate, because the way a word is spelled depends on the context of the sentence. Proofreaders will always be in demand.

Which statement accurately describes homonyms?

  • A. Words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings.
  • B. Words that sound the same, are spelled the same, but have different meanings.
  • C. Words that sound different, are spelled differently, but have the same meaning.
  • D. Words that sound different, are spelled the same, and have the same meaning.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Homonyms are words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Examples include 'two' and 'too,' 'there' and 'their,' and 'son' and 'sun.' Understanding homonyms is essential for mastering the English language, as they can lead to confusion in writing and communication. Spell check programs may not always catch errors related to homonyms because the correct spelling depends on the context of the sentence. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the distinctions between homonyms to effectively convey meaning in written and spoken language.

What effect does your voice have on others? Does it persuade or irritate, attract or repel? One of
the worst qualities is harshness. If you ever get the feeling that people are uncomfortable when you speak, it may be that your harsh tones are jarring their eardrums. Your voice will sound
unpleasant if it is shrill, grating, hard, piercing, brassy, to loud, or too nasal. Harsh voice qualities usually come from too much tension in the throat and jaw. Tension tightens muscles and blocks the relaxed voice tones essential to a pleasing impression. Because tension occurs in higher pitched voices, women tend to have shriller voices than men, which usually makes them
less desirable public speakers, newscasters, or political candidates.

The author seems to

  • A. prefer low-pitched tones.
  • B. have no particular reactions to different voices.
  • C. prefer shrill, grating, and brassy voices.
  • D. be an experienced public speaker.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The passage indicates that harsh qualities in voices, such as being shrill, grating, or brassy, are undesirable and that they can lead to discomfort for listeners. The author emphasizes that relaxed voice tones are essential for a pleasing impression, suggesting a preference for lower-pitched tones that are more pleasant to hear. Therefore, the most appropriate answer is A, indicating a preference for low-pitched tones.

Isaac Asimov: Isaac Asimov (1920 - 1992) was a very prolific writer, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Most of Asimov's popularized science books explain scientific concepts in a historical way, going as far back as possible to a time when the science in question was at its simplest stage.
Asimov is widely considered a master of the science-fiction genre and, along with Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, was considered one of the 'Big Three' science-fiction writers during his lifetime. He also wrote mysteries and fantasy, as well as a great amount of nonfiction. Asimov wrote the Lucky Starr series of juvenile science-fiction novels using the pen name Paul French.
Asimov was afraid of flying, so he seldom traveled great distances, partly because his aversion to flying complicated the logistics of long-distance travel. He did enjoy traveling on cruise ships, and on several occasions he became part of the cruise's entertainment, giving science-themed talks. Asimov was an able public speaker, and enjoyed speaking to groups, especially at science fiction conventions.

What was one of Mr. Asimov's greatest fears?

  • A. Flying.
  • B. Public Speaking.
  • C. Conventions.
  • D. Writer's Block.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Flying. The rationale is based on the information provided in the extract, stating that Asimov was afraid of flying. This fear of flying is explicitly mentioned, making it a direct and clear answer. The other choices, B: Public Speaking, C: Conventions, and D: Writer's Block, are not supported by the text. Asimov is described as an able public speaker who enjoyed speaking at science fiction conventions, indicating that public speaking and conventions were not fears for him. Additionally, there is no mention of writer's block being a fear for Asimov in the text. Therefore, choice A is the correct answer based on the information provided.

Homonyms: English is a vibrant, changing, dynamic language. It allows people to express their thoughts in diverse ways, as there are many synonyms and antonyms to choose from. The hardest part for the English speaker—or those learning English as a second language—

is learning about homonyms. These are words that sound alike but are spelled different ways, with different meanings.
One example is 'Our'. This word, spelled 'one' means the numeral 1, an amount. If spelled 'won,' it means to be victorious. Now words spelling is a difficult skill to master.
Other homonyms encountered by the beginning English speaker are 'To, two, too,' 'four, for, fore,' 'there, their, they're' and 'son, sun' to name just a few. This is one reason that 'spell check' programs on word processing computers cannot be completely accurate, because the way a word is spelled depends on the context of the sentence. Proofreaders will always be in demand.

How does the article define 'Homonyms'?

  • A. English words that have their etiology from Latin.
  • B. Words that have opposite meanings.
  • C. Words that mean the same, or nearly the same; interchangeable.
  • D. Words that sound alike but are spelled different ways with different meanings.
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Words that sound alike but are spelled different ways with different meanings. The rationale is that the article explicitly states that homonyms are words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings. This definition aligns perfectly with option D.

Choice A is incorrect because homonyms are not defined by their etymology or origin from Latin. Choice B is incorrect because homonyms are not words that have opposite meanings; words with opposite meanings are known as antonyms. Choice C is incorrect because homonyms are not words that mean the same or nearly the same; that would be synonyms.

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