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 moved 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 balanced, so it wouldn't fall into the bay. Today, over sixty-five years later, the bridge remains a lifeline for the people of the San Francisco Bay Area
Why did Strauss set up a net during the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge?
- A. For suspension
- B. For balance
- C. For aesthetics
- D. For safety
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Strauss set up a net to ensure the safety of the workers in case of falls during the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. Safety nets were essential to protect the workers from potential accidents or falls while working on the bridge. Choice A ('For suspension') is incorrect as safety nets were not used for suspension purposes but rather for worker safety. Choice B ('For balance') is incorrect as the balance of the bridge was maintained by other construction elements, not safety nets. Choice C ('For aesthetics') is incorrect as safety nets are not related to the visual appearance of the bridge but rather to the protection of the workers.
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VOICE:
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 information presented is
- A. Balanced in its view of public speaking.
- B. Favoring people with low-pitched voices.
- C. Slanted against people with piercing voices.
- D. Neutral toward both high- and low-pitched voices.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C. The paragraph is biased against people with piercing or harsh voices, suggesting they are less desirable as public speakers, newscasters, or political candidates. The text explicitly mentions that harsh voice qualities, like being shrill, grating, hard, piercing, brassy, loud, or nasal, are undesirable and may make people uncomfortable when speaking. It also highlights that tension leading to harsh voice qualities is more common in higher-pitched voices, which are typically associated with women, making them less preferred for public speaking roles. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because the text does not suggest a balanced view, favor low-pitched voices, or maintain neutrality towards both high- and low-pitched voices; instead, it emphasizes the negative impact of harsh and piercing voices.
The ability to see at a distance, in good light, does not diminish as a result of aging to the extent that other visual acuities do. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is more common to younger eyes, while presbyopia, or farsightedness, more commonly afflicts people as they age. The word presbyopia comes from Greek presbys, "old man," and opia, "eye," and names a condition in which, because the lens of the eye hardens slightly and loses elasticity as a person ages, one cannot as easily focus sharply on nearby objects. This condition leads to the familiar habit of lifting up one's glasses and bringing an object or reading material close to the face so that the eyes can more easily focus on it. The function of the lens is to accommodate different focal points so that sensory data can be correctly directed to the retina for interpretation into images by the brain. Corrective lenses, particularly bifocals or progressive lenses, adjust for the focal point aberration. In essence, they do the work that the eye can no longer do for itself
The author of the passage would probably agree with which of the following statements relating corrective lenses and aging eyes?
- A. A carpenter uses wood glue to fix a broken cabinet.
- B. A student buys a new notebook for upcoming classes.
- C. A chef sharpens knives before starting to cook.
- D. An athlete stretches before a game to avoid a potential injury.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct analogy for the role of corrective lenses in helping aging eyes can be compared to an athlete stretching before a game. Just as stretching prepares an athlete's body to perform optimally and avoid injury during a game, corrective lenses help aging eyes adjust and focus properly due to the hardening and loss of elasticity in the eye lens. Choices A, B, and C do not align with the concept of preparing or adjusting to address a specific issue, unlike the use of corrective lenses for aging eyes.
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 bicycle design a step further by introducing a metal frame, making bicycles stronger and lighter. They also used rubber tires, which provided better traction and allowed for a more comfortable ride.
Finally, in 1874, the first truly modern bicycle appeared on the scene, complete with solid rubber tires, ball bearings, and even a chain drive, which enabled the rider to pedal at a higher speed with less effort. Today bicycles are built, used, and enjoyed all over the world.
What is the main idea of the passage?
- A. Bicycles have become a common mode of transportation worldwide.
- B. The first modern bicycle was invented in 1818 in Germany.
- C. Innovations and improvements in bicycle design have made bicycles popular for recreation and transportation globally.
- D. Bicycles are now built, used, and enjoyed globally.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The main idea of the passage is that innovations and improvements in bicycle design have made bicycles one of the most popular means of recreation and transportation worldwide. The passage outlines the evolution of bicycles from their early designs to the modern versions, emphasizing how these changes have contributed to their popularity. Choice A is incorrect because it focuses only on the current status of bicycles, while the main idea encompasses the evolution and improvements in design. Choice B is incorrect as it mentions the invention of the first modern bicycle but does not address the overall impact of innovations on bicycle popularity. Choice D is incorrect as it simply states a fact without capturing the essence of the passage, which is about the impact of design improvements.
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 origin of the Moon is that it was formed of the debris from 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 upon the tides than does 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. It is an average distance from Earth of 384,403 km.The Moon has no atmosphere; without an atmosphere, the Moon has nothing to protect it from meteorite impacts, and thus the surface of the Moon is 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 the Earth's. Therefore, a man weighing 82 kilograms on Earth would only weigh 14 kilograms on the Moon.
Why does the author mention 'impact craters' in line 16?
- A. To explain the corrosive effects of atmospheric weathering
- B. To explain why the Moon has no plant life because of meteorites
- C. To show the result of the Moon not having an atmosphere
- D. To show the result of the Moon not having active tectonic or volcanic activity
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The mention of impact craters in the text is to highlight the consequence of the Moon lacking an atmosphere. The absence of an atmosphere on the Moon leaves it vulnerable to meteorite impacts, resulting in the multitude of impact craters on its surface. Choice A is incorrect because the mention of impact craters is not related to atmospheric weathering but rather to the lack of an atmosphere. Choice B is incorrect as it misinterprets the reason for the absence of plant life on the Moon. Choice D is incorrect as the text explicitly states that the Moon lacks tectonic or volcanic activity, which is not the focus of the mention of impact craters.
The ability to see at a distance, in good light, does not diminish as a result of aging to the extent that other visual acuities do. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is more common to younger eyes, while presbyopia, or farsightedness, more commonly afflicts people as they age. The word presbyopia comes from Greek presbys, "old man," and opia, "eye," and names a condition in which, because the lens of the eye hardens slightly and loses elasticity as a person ages, one cannot as easily focus sharply on nearby objects. This condition leads to the familiar habit of lifting up one's glasses and bringing an object or reading material close to the face so that the eyes can more easily focus on it. The function of the lens is to accommodate different focal points so that sensory data can be correctly directed to the retina for interpretation into images by the brain. Corrective lenses, particularly bifocals or progressive lenses, adjust for the focal point aberration. In essence, they do the work that the eye can no longer do for itself
In the context of the passage, 'accommodate' means to
- A. Arrange lodging for
- B. Contain
- C. Make allowances for
- D. Excuse
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In this context, 'accommodate' means to make allowances for different focal points of vision. The passage explains that the function of the lens is to adjust for different focal points so that sensory data can be correctly directed to the retina for interpretation into images by the brain. This aligns with the meaning of 'make allowances for' as it indicates adapting to or accommodating different needs or requirements. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because in the context of the passage, 'accommodate' specifically refers to adjusting for different focal points of vision rather than arranging lodging, containing, or excusing.
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