Reading Related

Egg Replacements in Baking
Eggs are an important staple of many baking recipes. They serve several crucial functions, such as binding, leavening, and providing moisture to the final product. However, some people are unable to consume eggs for a variety of reasons. If you are one of these people, baking can seem daunting. Fortunately, there are several substitutions that will allow you to continue enjoying your delicious treats without using eggs.
Two popular egg replacements are applesauce and banana. These things work well enough to provide moisture to your dessert, but they are suboptimal replacements overall, because providing moisture is only one function of the egg. When using applesauce or banana in place of eggs, you may find that your baked goods crumble or do not rise properly. Luckily, here are other ways to achieve binding and leavening effects that are more similar to those of eggs.

Eggs help emulsify the disparate ingredients of your recipe into one homogenous batter or dough. To achieve this, it is most effective to use something with protein or fat that will bind to the starch. One option is a quarter cup of plain yogurt, sour cream, or buttermilk for each egg- either dairy or non-dairy will work just fine. Another option is ground flax or chia seeds. For each egg, combine 1 tablespoon of ground seeds with 3 tablespoons of warm water and leave the mixture to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before using.

Eggs help emulsify the disparate ingredients of your recipe into one homogenous batter or dough. To achieve this, it is most effective to use something with protein or fat that will bind to the starch. One option is a quarter cup of plain yogurt, sour cream, or buttermilk for each egg- either dairy or non-dairy will work just fine. Another option is ground flax or chia seeds. For each egg, combine 1 tablespoon of ground seeds with 3 tablespoons of warm water and leave the mixture to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before using.

Either of these options will effectively bind your ingredients. However, if you are baking something that needs to rise, like a cake, you may want to give your dessert a little additional help. In this case, mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of a neutral-flavored vinegar, such as white or apple cider, and add this mixture alongside the other wet ingredients.

Which one of the following statements identifies the author's point of view in the passage?

• A. Egg substitutes are no replacement for the real thing.
• B. There are a number of egg substitutes for recipes.
• C. Applesauce works better than most egg substitutes.
• D. Chia seeds and bananas are the egg substitutes that yield the best results.

Dear Aunt Suzanne,
I have a few minutes before I get on the bus to Galway back to Dublin and wanted to tell you how my trip to Ireland is going. We just spent two days in Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands, which are just off the central west coast of Ireland. We tool a ferry from Galway, a ride that takes about an hour and was quite gray and stormy.
For an Island that is only about 12 square miles, there is a lot to do and see on Inis Mor! After eating stew and vegetable soup and brown bread with butter, we went to the seater market, where all kinds of woolen products are sold. The Aran Islands are known for their wool because sheep thrive here and generations have used woolen sweaters and hats to survive long cold days of fishing on the open sea. In fact, I learnt that each family or clan has its own signature knitting pattern and some are able to tell which family someone belongs to by the pattern of their sweater! The Healy pattern is an interesting combination of twists and braids, and I found you a birthday souvenir with a beautiful example.
The next day, we rented bicycles and toured the island. We saw ancient ruins, a prehistoric hill fort, and a white sand beach. We also climbed down to a mysterious rock formation known as “The Worm Hole,” a rectangular hole in a stone shore that fills with thrashing waves and looks like it houses a terrible serpent (see attached photo). The Worm Hole was difficult to find, and when we stopped someone for directions, she only spoke Gaelic. Sometimes this island seems stuck in an earlier time.
I’m excited to see you when I get home. I have lots more pictures to share!

Love, Eva

Which of the following additional sources would have a comparable theme to the passage?

• A. A journal entry about Dublin's food and weather
• B. An essay about Irish agriculture
• C. A postcard sent from the Aran Islands
• D. An instructional book on knitting

Alice was not scared. Not at all. Maybe a little bit. But she was determined to confront the ghost in her house. Alice lived in a farmhouse built in 1921. All of the floors and doors were original; the doors even had skeleton key locks. But by far the most terrifying part of the house was the basement. She kept that door locked and ignored the thumps, crashes, and cries that came from below the house. What made Alice determined to confront the ghost today was the especially loud crashes the previous night. She'd gotten no sleep, convinced the ghost was going to break through the door and do something horrible. What, she wasn't sure, but the ghost would do something.
Alice hadn't seen the ghost, but what else could be making loud noises in an old house? The one time she had been down in the basement was after buying the house unseen. Once she saw the shelves with old glass jars, she was a little put off. But what made her keep the door shut and locked was the abrupt end of the concrete floor halfway across the room. Because nothing good ever happened in a basement with a dirt floor. Alice had seen enough horror movies to know that.
Alice stared at the basement door, trying to gather enough confidence to open it and march down the stairs like she owned the place. Because she did-or she would, once she finished paying her mortgage in 30 years. Alice took a deep breath and yanked the door open. She marched down the stairs, only to stop abruptly at the bottom. Because she was face to face with not a ghost at all. It was a calico cat, one who looked utterly unimpressed by her brave journey into the basement.

Which of the following phrases from the passage added humor to an otherwise fearful mood?

• A. Because she did—or she would, once she finished paying her mortgage in 30 years.
• B. She'd gotten no sleep, convinced the ghost was going to break through the door and do something horrible.
• C. But what made her keep the door shut and locked was the abrupt end of the concrete floor halfway across the room.
• D. All of the floors and doors were original; the doors even had skeleton key locks.

Beard Superiority

Unlike most others who follow along with popular trends, I am able to truly see that the beard is superior to the mustache. First, you have so much more hair and space to work with when styling a beard than you do with a mustache. You can trim and cut a beard into so many styles: the Muttonchop, the Goatee, the Stubble, the Chin Strap. You can even add things to your beard: braids, beads, glitter, and color-the possibilities of what you can add to a beard are endless! There are even professional competitions that surround the stylish nature of beards.

What is a counterclaim to the argument presented in the passage?

• A. Dyeing a beard pink is a common trend.
• B. Growing a beard offers a limited range of styles compared to a mustache.
• C. The beard is a passing trend that will eventually fade out.
• D. Beards may pose risks in certain professional occupations.

An Ode to Naps

The rain is tapping footsteps on the roof
It sounds a lovely dance inside my head
This peaceful aura only serves as proof
That I should dodge my work to lie in bed


The pillows pull me in with their behest
A trap that I do not want to escape
The blankets form a most enticing nest
They wrap me in a shroud that won't undrape

I'm tempted further by my furry friends
They've taken o'er the mattress in a pile
Oh, how I want to nestle in with them!
But first, I know that I must work awhile

I promise, bed, I will be back for you
I'll surely nap before the day is through

Which pair of words from the poem should be conveyed to an illustrator creating art for publication?

• A. Shroud, nest
• B. Aura, roof
• C. Dance, tempted
• D. Footsteps, enticing