(EATING)

Consumption of food is a universal necessity. Different cultures have developed different methods to accomplish the task. It is interesting to discover these differences and learn new ways to do things. European cultures developed cutlery (knives, forks, and spoons) to enable people to efficiently eat their food. Correct use of this tools changes with the times-what was polite in 1800 may not be considered proper manners today. China developed the chopstick as an efficient tool for eating. Mastery of the use of chopsticks can be difficult for the person not raised in the culture. The attempts of a novice to use chopsticks can be very amusing to the watcher, but frustrating for the hungry diner. Space travel has created new challenges for consuming food. Squeeze bottles and other unique packaging have enabled space travelers to get their needed nutrition. Chopsticks and forks do not work well in space.

What conclusion can be drawn about the article?

What statement can be implied from the content of article?

A. Eating in space can be time-consuming.

B. Diversity is interesting to learn about 

C. The author thinks cutlery is the best tool to use to consume food.

D. The author enjoys trying new food.

(EATING)

Consumption of food is a universal necessity. Different cultures have developed different methods to accomplish the task. It is interesting to discover these differences and learn new ways to do things. European cultures developed cutlery (knives, forks, and spoons) to enable people to efficiently eat their food. Correct use of this tools changes with the times-what was polite in 1800 may not be considered proper manners today. China developed the chopstick as an efficient tool for eating. Mastery of the use of chopsticks can be difficult for the person not raised in the culture. The attempts of a novice to use chopsticks can be very amusing to the watcher, but frustrating for the hungry diner. Space travel has created new challenges for consuming food. Squeeze bottles and other unique packaging have enabled space travelers to get their needed nutrition. Chopsticks and forks do not work well in space.

What is the best definition of efficient as used in the third paragraph?

(EATING)

Consumption of food is a universal necessity. Different cultures have developed different methods to accomplish the task. It is interesting to discover these differences and learn new ways to do things. European cultures developed cutlery (knives, forks, and spoons) to enable people to efficiently eat their food. Correct use of this tools changes with the times-what was polite in 1800 may not be considered proper manners today. China developed the chopstick as an efficient tool for eating. Mastery of the use of chopsticks can be difficult for the person not raised in the culture. The attempts of a novice to use chopsticks can be very amusing to the watcher, but frustrating for the hungry diner. Space travel has created new challenges for consuming food. Squeeze bottles and other unique packaging have enabled space travelers to get their needed nutrition. Chopsticks and forks do not work well in space.

(EATING)

Consumption of food is a universal necessity. Different cultures have developed different methods to accomplish the task. It is interesting to discover these differences and learn new ways to do things. European cultures developed cutlery (knives, forks, and spoons) to enable people to efficiently eat their food. Correct use of this tools changes with the times-what was polite in 1800 may not be considered proper manners today. China developed the chopstick as an efficient tool for eating. Mastery of the use of chopsticks can be difficult for the person not raised in the culture. The attempts of a novice to use chopsticks can be very amusing to the watcher, but frustrating for the hungry diner. Space travel has created new challenges for consuming food. Squeeze bottles and other unique packaging have enabled space travelers to get their needed nutrition. Chopsticks and forks do not work well in space.

What statement from the article is correct?

(FOOD)

Food and drink are necessary and desirable, but their abuse can cause serious physical and metal problem. Many physicians believe that overeating is one of the country's main health problems, since it places a great strain on the heart, can lead to diabetes, and often shortens the individual's life span. To fill an emotional void. people often turn to food when they are bored or lonely. Another area of concern is alcohol consumption. The results of alcohol abuse are widely publicized. The social drinker who becomes alcoholic, the drunken driver's contribution to highway death, spousal and child abuse, are all concomitant problems associated with alcohol abuse.

As used in the last sentence of this paragraph, the term "concomitant" means?

(FOOD)

Food and drink are necessary and desirable, but their abuse can cause serious physical and metal problem. Many physicians believe that overeating is one of the country's main health problems, since it places a great strain on the heart, can lead to diabetes, and often shortens the individual's life span. To fill an emotional void. people often turn to food when they are bored or lonely. Another area of concern is alcohol consumption. The results of alcohol abuse are widely publicized. The social drinker who becomes alcoholic, the drunken driver's contribution to highway death, spousal and child abuse, are all concomitant problems associated with alcohol abuse.

The information presented in this article is?

(FOOD)

Food and drink are necessary and desirable, but their abuse can cause serious physical and metal problem. Many physicians believe that overeating is one of the country's main health problems, since it places a great strain on the heart, can lead to diabetes, and often shortens the individual's life span. To fill an emotional void. people often turn to food when they are bored or lonely. Another area of concern is alcohol consumption. The results of alcohol abuse are widely publicized. The social drinker who becomes alcoholic, the drunken driver's contribution to highway death, spousal and child abuse, are all concomitant problems associated with alcohol abuse.

The author’s motive for writing the paragraph seems to have been to?

(FOOD)

Food and drink are necessary and desirable, but their abuse can cause serious physical and metal problem. Many physicians believe that overeating is one of the country's main health problems, since it places a great strain on the heart, can lead to diabetes, and often shortens the individual's life span. To fill an emotional void. people often turn to food when they are bored or lonely. Another area of concern is alcohol consumption. The results of alcohol abuse are widely publicized. The social drinker who becomes alcoholic, the drunken driver's contribution to highway death, spousal and child abuse, are all concomitant problems associated with alcohol abuse.

What is implied by this paragraph?

(FOOD)

Food and drink are necessary and desirable, but their abuse can cause serious physical and metal problem. Many physicians believe that overeating is one of the country's main health problems, since it places a great strain on the heart, can lead to diabetes, and often shortens the individual's life span. To fill an emotional void. people often turn to food when they are bored or lonely. Another area of concern is alcohol consumption. The results of alcohol abuse are widely publicized. The social drinker who becomes alcoholic, the drunken driver's contribution to highway death, spousal and child abuse, are all concomitant problems associated with alcohol abuse.

The author seems to?

(THE GAME OF BRIDGE) 

The ebb and flow of laughter and silence fills the room as four old friends gather to engage in a round of Bridge playing. For the beginner, Bridge can be complicated, but with time, effort, and a good teacher, even the novice can become proficient. Composed of two main parts, bidding and playing, Bridge requires the player's undivided attention. The dealer deals the entire deck of playing cards evenly between the for players, with each person receiving thirteen cards. In the bidding portion of the game, the four suits of cards in the deck are ranked highest to lowest as follows: spades, hearts, diamonds, and finally clubs. However, during play all the suits of cards are considered equals, and they go from highest to lowest from the ace being high to the two card being low. The highest number of tricks wins. A trick is one card played by each player for a total of four. After the lead player lays down his/her card, the other players follow suit, if possible. The highest card within the four "same suit" cards played wins the trick and picks up all four cards. if a player cannot follow suit, he/she plays any card, but to make the game more interesting and challenging, one suit is named a trump suit which means that if a player plays a card from the trump suit, it always wins the trick. If two cards from the trump suit are played, the highest card within the trump suit wins the trick. obviously the team with the most tricks wins the hand.

The author wants the reader to feel:

(THE GAME OF BRIDGE) 

The ebb and flow of laughter and silence fills the room as four old friends gather to engage in a round of Bridge playing. For the beginner, Bridge can be complicated, but with time, effort, and a good teacher, even the novice can become proficient. Composed of two main parts, bidding and playing, Bridge requires the player's undivided attention. The dealer deals the entire deck of playing cards evenly between the for players, with each person receiving thirteen cards. In the bidding portion of the game, the four suits of cards in the deck are ranked highest to lowest as follows: spades, hearts, diamonds, and finally clubs. However, during play all the suits of cards are considered equals, and they go from highest to lowest from the ace being high to the two card being low. The highest number of tricks wins. A trick is one card played by each player for a total of four. After the lead player lays down his/her card, the other players follow suit, if possible. The highest card within the four "same suit" cards played wins the trick and picks up all four cards. if a player cannot follow suit, he/she plays any card, but to make the game more interesting and challenging, one suit is named a trump suit which means that if a player plays a card from the trump suit, it always wins the trick. If two cards from the trump suit are played, the highest card within the trump suit wins the trick. obviously the team with the most tricks wins the hand.

Throughout this passage the word suit means: 

(THE GAME OF BRIDGE) 

The ebb and flow of laughter and silence fills the room as four old friends gather to engage in a round of Bridge playing. For the beginner, Bridge can be complicated, but with time, effort, and a good teacher, even the novice can become proficient. Composed of two main parts, bidding and playing, Bridge requires the player's undivided attention. The dealer deals the entire deck of playing cards evenly between the for players, with each person receiving thirteen cards. In the bidding portion of the game, the four suits of cards in the deck are ranked highest to lowest as follows: spades, hearts, diamonds, and finally clubs. However, during play all the suits of cards are considered equals, and they go from highest to lowest from the ace being high to the two card being low. The highest number of tricks wins. A trick is one card played by each player for a total of four. After the lead player lays down his/her card, the other players follow suit, if possible. The highest card within the four "same suit" cards played wins the trick and picks up all four cards. if a player cannot follow suit, he/she plays any card, but to make the game more interesting and challenging, one suit is named a trump suit which means that if a player plays a card from the trump suit, it always wins the trick. If two cards from the trump suit are played, the highest card within the trump suit wins the trick. obviously the team with the most tricks wins the hand.

In the passage, a trick is described as:

(THE GAME OF BRIDGE) 

ebb and flow of laughter and silence fills the room as four old friends gather to engage in a round of Bridge playing. For the beginner, Bridge can be complicated, but with time, effort, and a good teacher, even the novice can become proficient. Composed of two main parts, bidding and playing, Bridge requires the player's undivided attention. The dealer deals the entire deck of playing cards evenly between the for players, with each person receiving thirteen cards. In the bidding portion of the game, the four suits of cards in the deck are ranked highest to lowest as follows: spades, hearts, diamonds, and finally clubs. However, during play all the suits of cards are considered equals, and they go from highest to lowest from the ace being high to the two card being low. The highest number of tricks wins. A trick is one card played by each player for a total of four. After the lead player lays down his/her card, the other players follow suit, if possible. The highest card within the four "same suit" cards played wins the trick and picks up all four cards. if a player cannot follow suit, he/she plays any card, but to make the game more interesting and challenging, one suit is named a trump suit which means that if a player plays a card from the trump suit, it always wins the trick. If two cards from the trump suit are played, the highest card within the trump suit wins the trick. obviously the team with the most tricks wins the hand.

The passage explicitly states

(THE GAME OF BRIDGE) 

the ebb and flow of laughter and silence fills the room as four old friends gather to engage in a round of Bridge playing. For the beginner, Bridge can be complicated, but with time, effort, and a good teacher, even the novice can become proficient. Composed of two main parts, bidding and playing, Bridge requires the player's undivided attention. The dealer deals the entire deck of playing cards evenly between the for players, with each person receiving thirteen cards. In the bidding portion of the game, the four suits of cards in the deck are ranked highest to lowest as follows: spades, hearts, diamonds, and finally clubs. However, during play all the suits of cards are considered equals, and they go from highest to lowest from the ace being high to the two card being low. The highest number of tricks wins. A trick is one card played by each player for a total of four. After the lead player lays down his/her card, the other players follow suit, if possible. The highest card within the four "same suit" cards played wins the trick and picks up all four cards. if a player cannot follow suit, he/she plays any card, but to make the game more interesting and challenging, one suit is named a trump suit which means that if a player plays a card from the trump suit, it always wins the trick. If two cards from the trump suit are played, the highest card within the trump suit wins the trick. obviously the team with the most tricks wins the hand.

The passage implies that

Golden Gate Bridge 

Linking San Francisco to Marin County in California, the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the mostfamous bridges in the world. The bridge crosses over a narrow strait which connects the PacificOcean 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 thebay area felt the risk of building the bridge was too great. Joseph Strauss believed that nothingwas impossible, and dreams would never come to fruition if risks weren't taken. So, he decidedto gather the best and brightest builders, architects, and workers to embark on the challenge ofbuilding 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 lifeline for the people of the SanFrancisco Bay Area.

The authors reason for writing this piece seems to be to:

Golden Gate Bridge 

Linking San Francisco to Marin County in California, the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the mostfamous bridges in the world. The bridge crosses over a narrow strait which connects the PacificOcean 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 thebay area felt the risk of building the bridge was too great. Joseph Strauss believed that nothingwas impossible, and dreams would never come to fruition if risks weren't taken. So, he decidedto gather the best and brightest builders, architects, and workers to embark on the challenge ofbuilding 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 lifeline for the people of the SanFrancisco Bay Area.

What body of water does The Golden Gate Bridge cross?

Golden Gate Bridge 

Linking San Francisco to Marin County in California, the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the mostfamous bridges in the world. The bridge crosses over a narrow strait which connects the PacificOcean 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 thebay area felt the risk of building the bridge was too great. Joseph Strauss believed that nothingwas impossible, and dreams would never come to fruition if risks weren't taken. So, he decidedto gather the best and brightest builders, architects, and workers to embark on the challenge ofbuilding 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 lifeline for the people of the SanFrancisco Bay Area.

Why was the roadway so dangerous to build?

Golden Gate Bridge 

Linking San Francisco to Marin County in California, the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the mostfamous bridges in the world. The bridge crosses over a narrow strait which connects the PacificOcean 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 thebay area felt the risk of building the bridge was too great. Joseph Strauss believed that nothingwas impossible, and dreams would never come to fruition if risks weren't taken. So, he decidedto gather the best and brightest builders, architects, and workers to embark on the challenge ofbuilding 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 lifeline for the people of the SanFrancisco Bay Area.

In the passage the word embark means to:

Golden Gate Bridge 

Linking San Francisco to Marin County in California, the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the mostfamous bridges in the world. The bridge crosses over a narrow strait which connects the PacificOcean 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 thebay area felt the risk of building the bridge was too great. Joseph Strauss believed that nothingwas impossible, and dreams would never come to fruition if risks weren't taken. So, he decidedto gather the best and brightest builders, architects, and workers to embark on the challenge ofbuilding 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 lifeline for the people of the SanFrancisco Bay Area.

Which part of the bridge was built first?

The Electoral College

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 particular state. It's all very confusing, but the founding fathers knew what they were doing. By having and using the Electoral College candidates 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?

The Electoral College

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 particular state. It's all very confusing, but the founding fathers knew what they were doing. By having and using the Electoral College candidates 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.

The author's reason for writing this piece seems to be to:

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.

Which statement from the selection presents a fact rather than an opinion?

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.

What is stated in this paragraph?

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:

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 author seems to:

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.

One of the worst voice qualities is

THE WHITE ELEPHANT

Centuries ago, in the country of Siam, now known as Thailand, it was the custom of the rulers that displeased them by giving the offender a white elephant. Because the animal was considered to be could not be made to work as other elephants did, but still had to be fed hundreds of pounds of fruit and cared for in the most lavish style. The recipient could not give the elephant to anyone else, as it was the ruler, who would be greatly displeased should the recipient not receive the gift graciously or care for in a grand style. This monetary burden could be a major liability to the recipient and in many cases they became impoverished.This is the origin of the term "white elephant" as it is used today to denote an unwanted gift. The way of gift exchange played during the holiday season is an offshoot of this. In this game, everyone brings and the gifts are exchanged by drawing numbers and picking a gift in turn. The second person can choose or steal the first one. It is all in good fun, and people enjoy giving silly gifts and "stealing" someone else.

How did the people regard a white elephant?

THE WHITE ELEPHANT

Centuries ago, in the country of Siam, now known as Thailand, it was the custom of the rulers that displeased them by giving the offender a white elephant. Because the animal was considered to be could not be made to work as other elephants did, but still had to be fed hundreds of pounds of fruit and cared for in the most lavish style. The recipient could not give the elephant to anyone else, as it was the ruler, who would be greatly displeased should the recipient not receive the gift graciously or care for in a grand style. This monetary burden could be a major liability to the recipient and in many cases they became impoverished.This is the origin of the term "white elephant" as it is used today to denote an unwanted gift. The way of gift exchange played during the holiday season is an offshoot of this. In this game, everyone brings and the gifts are exchanged by drawing numbers and picking a gift in turn. The second person can choose or steal the first one. It is all in good fun, and people enjoy giving silly gifts and "stealing" someone else.

Where is Thailand?

THE WHITE ELEPHANT

Centuries ago, in the country of Siam, now known as Thailand, it was the custom of the rulers that displeased them by giving the offender a white elephant. Because the animal was considered to be could not be made to work as other elephants did, but still had to be fed hundreds of pounds of fruit and cared for in the most lavish style. The recipient could not give the elephant to anyone else, as it was the ruler, who would be greatly displeased should the recipient not receive the gift graciously or care for in a grand style. This monetary burden could be a major liability to the recipient and in many cases they became impoverished.This is the origin of the term "white elephant" as it is used today to denote an unwanted gift. The way of gift exchange played during the holiday season is an offshoot of this. In this game, everyone brings and the gifts are exchanged by drawing numbers and picking a gift in turn. The second person can choose or steal the first one. It is all in good fun, and people enjoy giving silly gifts and "stealing" someone else.

What is implied by the article?

THE WHITE ELEPHANT

Centuries ago, in the country of Siam, now known as Thailand, it was the custom of the rulers that displeased them by giving the offender a white elephant. Because the animal was considered to be could not be made to work as other elephants did, but still had to be fed hundreds of pounds of fruit and cared for in the most lavish style. The recipient could not give the elephant to anyone else, as it was the ruler, who would be greatly displeased should the recipient not receive the gift graciously or care for in a grand style. This monetary burden could be a major liability to the recipient and in many cases they became impoverished.This is the origin of the term "white elephant" as it is used today to denote an unwanted gift. The way of gift exchange played during the holiday season is an offshoot of this. In this game, everyone brings and the gifts are exchanged by drawing numbers and picking a gift in turn. The second person can choose or steal the first one. It is all in good fun, and people enjoy giving silly gifts and "stealing" someone else.

What is the meaning of the word impoverished in the first paragraph?

THE WHITE ELEPHANT

Centuries ago, in the country of Siam, now known as Thailand, it was the custom of the rulers that displeased them by giving the offender a white elephant. Because the animal was considered to be could not be made to work as other elephants did, but still had to be fed hundreds of pounds of fruit and cared for in the most lavish style. The recipient could not give the elephant to anyone else, as it was the ruler, who would be greatly displeased should the recipient not receive the gift graciously or care for in a grand style. This monetary burden could be a major liability to the recipient and in many cases they became impoverished.This is the origin of the term "white elephant" as it is used today to denote an unwanted gift. The way of gift exchange played during the holiday season is an offshoot of this. In this game, everyone brings and the gifts are exchanged by drawing numbers and picking a gift in turn. The second person can choose or steal the first one. It is all in good fun, and people enjoy giving silly gifts and "stealing" someone else.

Why is an unwanted gift called "white elephant"?

TESLA

Croatian-born inventor Nikola Tesla is often called the "forgotten scientist". Although he invented the alternating current (AC) motor and developed an AC electricity generation system, he never received historical credit for many of his achievements, unlike one of his first employer and eventual nemesis, inventor Thomas Edison. Tesla made the first sketches of his idea for a brushless AC motor while he was a student at the University of Prague in 1882. His interest in electricity generation led him to Paris where he was employed by the Continental Edison Company later that year to repair Edison's direct current (DC) power plants. Two years later, Tesla immigrated to New York City and acquired a job as an engineer at Thomas Edison's headquarters in Manhattan. Edison was impressed with Tesla's work ethic and ingenuity. He challenged the young scientist to develop an improved design for his DC generators for $50,000. Tesla experimented for months, finally presenting Edison with the solution he needed. Edison reneged on the deal, telling Tesla that he didn't understand American humor. Tesla soon left Edison in order to begin his own electric light company Tesla filed and was granted more than 30 patents for his inventions in 1887 and 1888. He soon had financial backing for his ideas from one of Edison' main competitors, Westinghouse. In the 1890's Tesla experimented with x-rays, developed a high-voltage electrical transformer call the Tesla coil, and demonstrated the propagation of radio waves two years before the "Father of Radio" Guglielmo Marconi. He was also the first to harness the mammoth potential energy of Niagara Falls. he worked with General Electric to install AC generators with turbines driven by the falling waters of the Niagara River, creating the first modern power plant Although a brilliant scientist, Tesla was not an astute businessman. he created his own obscurity by relinquishing royalty rights for his inventions to major corporations for the purpose of raising funds for future projects.

What did Tesla accomplish while attending the University of Prague?

TESLA

Croatian-born inventor Nikola Tesla is often called the "forgotten scientist". Although he invented the alternating current (AC) motor and developed an AC electricity generation system, he never received historical credit for many of his achievements, unlike one of his first employer and eventual nemesis, inventor Thomas Edison. Tesla made the first sketches of his idea for a brushless AC motor while he was a student at the University of Prague in 1882. His interest in electricity generation led him to Paris where he was employed by the Continental Edison Company later that year to repair Edison's direct current (DC) power plants. Two years later, Tesla immigrated to New York City and acquired a job as an engineer at Thomas Edison's headquarters in Manhattan. Edison was impressed with Tesla's work ethic and ingenuity. He challenged the young scientist to develop an improved design for his DC generators for $50,000. Tesla experimented for months, finally presenting Edison with the solution he needed. Edison reneged on the deal, telling Tesla that he didn't understand American humor. Tesla soon left Edison in order to begin his own electric light company Tesla filed and was granted more than 30 patents for his inventions in 1887 and 1888. He soon had financial backing for his ideas from one of Edison' main competitors, Westinghouse. In the 1890's Tesla experimented with x-rays, developed a high-voltage electrical transformer call the Tesla coil, and demonstrated the propagation of radio waves two years before the "Father of Radio" Guglielmo Marconi. He was also the first to harness the mammoth potential energy of Niagara Falls. he worked with General Electric to install AC generators with turbines driven by the falling waters of the Niagara River, creating the first modern power plant Although a brilliant scientist, Tesla was not an astute businessman. he created his own obscurity by relinquishing royalty rights for his inventions to major corporations for the purpose of raising funds for future projects.

What is the meaning of the word "mammoth" as it is used in the fourth paragraph?

TESLA

Croatian-born inventor Nikola Tesla is often called the "forgotten scientist". Although he invented the alternating current (AC) motor and developed an AC electricity generation system, he never received historical credit for many of his achievements, unlike one of his first employer and eventual nemesis, inventor Thomas Edison. Tesla made the first sketches of his idea for a brushless AC motor while he was a student at the University of Prague in 1882. His interest in electricity generation led him to Paris where he was employed by the Continental Edison Company later that year to repair Edison's direct current (DC) power plants. Two years later, Tesla immigrated to New York City and acquired a job as an engineer at Thomas Edison's headquarters in Manhattan. Edison was impressed with Tesla's work ethic and ingenuity. He challenged the young scientist to develop an improved design for his DC generators for $50,000. Tesla experimented for months, finally presenting Edison with the solution he needed. Edison reneged on the deal, telling Tesla that he didn't understand American humor. Tesla soon left Edison in order to begin his own electric light company Tesla filed and was granted more than 30 patents for his inventions in 1887 and 1888. He soon had financial backing for his ideas from one of Edison' main competitors, Westinghouse. In the 1890's Tesla experimented with x-rays, developed a high-voltage electrical transformer call the Tesla coil, and demonstrated the propagation of radio waves two years before the "Father of Radio" Guglielmo Marconi. He was also the first to harness the mammoth potential energy of Niagara Falls. he worked with General Electric to install AC generators with turbines driven by the falling waters of the Niagara River, creating the first modern power plant Although a brilliant scientist, Tesla was not an astute businessman. he created his own obscurity by relinquishing royalty rights for his inventions to major corporations for the purpose of raising funds for future projects.

What is the meaning of the word "astute" in the last paragraph?

TESLA

Croatian-born inventor Nikola Tesla is often called the "forgotten scientist". Although he invented the alternating current (AC) motor and developed an AC electricity generation system, he never received historical credit for many of his achievements, unlike one of his first employer and eventual nemesis, inventor Thomas Edison. Tesla made the first sketches of his idea for a brushless AC motor while he was a student at the University of Prague in 1882. His interest in electricity generation led him to Paris where he was employed by the Continental Edison Company later that year to repair Edison's direct current (DC) power plants. Two years later, Tesla immigrated to New York City and acquired a job as an engineer at Thomas Edison's headquarters in Manhattan. Edison was impressed with Tesla's work ethic and ingenuity. He challenged the young scientist to develop an improved design for his DC generators for $50,000. Tesla experimented for months, finally presenting Edison with the solution he needed. Edison reneged on the deal, telling Tesla that he didn't understand American humor. Tesla soon left Edison in order to begin his own electric light company Tesla filed and was granted more than 30 patents for his inventions in 1887 and 1888. He soon had financial backing for his ideas from one of Edison' main competitors, Westinghouse. In the 1890's Tesla experimented with x-rays, developed a high-voltage electrical transformer call the Tesla coil, and demonstrated the propagation of radio waves two years before the "Father of Radio" Guglielmo Marconi. He was also the first to harness the mammoth potential energy of Niagara Falls. he worked with General Electric to install AC generators with turbines driven by the falling waters of the Niagara River, creating the first modern power plant Although a brilliant scientist, Tesla was not an astute businessman. he created his own obscurity by relinquishing royalty rights for his inventions to major corporations for the purpose of raising funds for future projects.

What is the meaning of the word obscurity as it is used in the last paragraph?

(TESLA) What word means the same as relinquishing as it is used in the last paragraph?

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 "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 is a fact rather than an opinion?

(HOMONYMS) What inference can be drawn from the article?

(HOMONYMS) What conclusion can be drawn from the article?

(HOMONYMS) How does the article define homonyms?

Getting a Good Night's Sleep  

Have you ever found yourself staring at the ceiling at 2:00 a.m.? Have you kicked the blankets off to the floor from tossing and turning? Many longtime suffers of Insomnia know these situations all too well. As many as 17% of Americans find the restful break of sleep hard to achieve.

Lack of sleep affects intellectual abilities at work or school by causing a deficit in memory, attention, and concentration which in turn creates a feeling of irritation or depression. Chronic insomnia can result from a medical illness, a psychiatric condition, or from sleep apnea, a condition where an individual actually stops breathing during sleep. Sleep hygiene, developing good sleep habits, and non- pharmacological therapies such as herbs and spices are some solutions to Insomnia.

(GETTING A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP) Which is a solution to Insomnia?

(GETTING A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP) Sleep Apnea causes?

(GETTING A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP) When the author wrote this passage, what does he/she intended?

GETTING A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP) Insomnia affects intellectual abilities because it?

(FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE) What is pivotal?

(FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE) What happened after completion of her studies?

(FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE) What she founded when she visited the hospital?

(FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE) Why she studied secretly?

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE) Why did she have an opportunity as a child?

LAST QUESTION 

(FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE) She was once a pivotal person in the area?

(FACTS ABOUT ONE DOLLAR BILL) What did the author intend?

FACTS ABOUT ONE DOLLAR BILL) Why is making counterfeit copies of the one-dollar bill difficult?

(FACTS ABOUT ONE DOLLAR BILL) What is implied by the message, The One Dollar Bill?

(FACTS ABOUT ONE DOLLAR BILL) In the third sentence of the passage, the word minute means?

FACTS ABOUT ONE DOLLAR BILL) We often accidentally wash dollar bills, why is this not a problem?

Phobias

"Don't be afraid." Sounds simple, but for some people it's not. Having the normal maction of being scared or frightened helps you to survive threats of all kinds, both physical and verbal. Most mild fears are outgrown during childhood; however, severe fears, called phoblas, are extreme and unreasonable. Phobias cause out-of-control feelings such as sickness, headaches, ulcers, and high blood pressure. Specific phoblas center around things, activities, or situations while people with social phoblas feel anxiety over social settings where they fear embarrassing situations.

Another type of phobia called panic disorder causes people to sweat, tremble, or even faint due to overwhelming panic which may occur at any time. By talking, breathing deeply, and visualizing, a person can gain control over debilitating phobias

The passage states that phobias can cause physical ailments. Which are examples of those physical ailments?

According to the passage, which of the following are types of phobias? (Put all that apply)

(PHOBIAS) What does the author want the reader to know about phobia?

PHOBIAS) The passage says that being afraid is normal and good, according to the passage why is having a phobia not normal and good because of phobia?

(VIOLENCE) Based on this reading, early research indicates that the relationship between violence in the television and violence on the street?

VIOLENCE) The author seems to support?

(VIOLENCE) The theme of this article seems to be?

(VIOLENCE) The paragraph described television executive as?

Safe Driving

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 is stated in this paragraph?

(SAFE DRIVING) What is implied by this paragraph?

SAFE DRIVING) The author seems to think that?

(SAFE DRIVING) The authors motive for writing the paragraph seems to have been to?

The Water Cycle

Water is needed to sustain practically all life functions on planet Earth. A single drop of this compound is composed of an oxygen atom that shares its electrons with each of the two hydrogen atoms.The cycle starts when precipitation, such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail, descends from the sky onto the ground. Water that is not absorbed immediately from the precipitation is known as runoff. The runoff flows across the land and collects in groundwater reservoirs, rivers, streams, and oceans.Evaporation takes place when liquid water changes into water vapor, which is a gas. Water vapor returns to the air from surface water and plants.Ultimately, condensation happens when this water vapor cools and changes back into droplets of liquid. In fact, the puffy, cotton clouds that we observe are formed by condensation. When the clouds become heavily laden with liquid droplets, precipitation ensues.

What is the meaning of the word composed in the first paragraph?

(THE WATER CYCLE) What is the main idea of this passage?

(THE WATER CYCLE) Which statement is not a detail from the passage?

THE WATER CYCLE) What was the author's primary purpose for writing this essay?

(THE WATER CYCLE) What can the reader conclude from this passage about ponds and lakes?

(THE WATER CYCLE) Knowing that the cooling of water vapor results in condensation, one could conclude that _______ is/are a factor in the evaporation process.

AMAZON RAINFOREST

About 6% of the earth is covered by rainforests. The largest rainforest in the world is the Amazon Basin, which stretches over 2.3 million square miles in nine different South American countries. This area is double the length of all the other remaining rainforests in the world. Brazil contains 60%of the Amazonian rainforest, since it lies at the mouth of the river Amazon. This river is the second largest in the world and contains more than one-fifth of the world's fresh water. The Amazon rainforest is a type of wet broadleaf forest. The weather there is very humid and warm as it rains quite a bit. Because of the high rainfall, the forest is very rich and green. The tree leaves are pointed and narrow so that the raindrops can easily drop off wet plants. This tropical rainforest has more living species than the entire European continent. There are over 400 types of insects living in one single rainforest tree for a total of 2.5 million species. One square kilometer of rainforest may contain over 75,000 types of trees and approximately 438,000 different kinds of plants, which comes to a total of 90,000 tons of greenery overall. The Amazon rainforest is home to 2,000 birds and mammals, with one in every five birds in the world living there. Local farmers have lived off this rich and diverse land for thousands of years. They have been able to find food and water here without destroying the land. The Kayapo people of Brazil farm in an 21 environmentally-friendly way. Instead of chemicals, they use burned wood to enrich the soil, and plant banana trees, which attract wasps. These wasps then feed on leafcutter ants and get rid of these harmful insects.

The rainforest also offers a lot of tropical fruits, such as bananas and coconuts, as food. Cinnamon is made from the bark of a rainforest tree. Amazonian Indians use the fruit and stem of the Buruti plant as a drink, to make bread and to build houses. Many other plants are used as medicine. But the Amazon rainforest is in very big danger of disappearing. 9,169 square miles of forest have been cut down in 2003 in Brazil alone. An area of the size of a football field is burned down basically every minute, which means that the rain forest may be gone by the year 2030.The dangers related to this type of activity are obvious. Trees take in poisonous carbon dioxide from the air and give off oxygen. There is more oxygen and less carbon dioxide around a rainforest. When trees are cut down, however, the amount of carbon dioxide increases, and the air gets warmer. This leads to global warming, which is extremely harmful to the environment. It is estimated that the burning of Brazilian rainforests alone produces 200 million metric tons of carbon dioxide a year. Another danger connected with destroying the rainforest is the disappearance of plants and animals. When trees are cut down, plants and animals have no more food left and slowly die out. Killing wild animals is illegal in Brazil, but there is plenty of stealing going on. 38 million animals are stolen and sold illegally each year. The most hunted animals are birds, especially parrots, followed by snakes and the jaguar

According to paragraph 1, which of the following is NOT mentioned about the Amazon Rainforest?

AMAZON RAINFOREST) How can you describe the Amazon rainforest? (Choose 2 answers)

(AMAZON RAINFOREST) Which of the following is true about the Amazon Basin?

(AMAZON RAINFOREST) Look at the end of paragraph 2. What does the author refer to when he says “rich and diverse land” at the beginning of paragraph 3?

AMAZON RAINFOREST) What does the sentence “people of Brazil farm in an environmentally friendly way” mean in paragraph 3?

(AMAZON RAINFOREST) Which rainforest plant has more than one use?

(AMAZON RAINFOREST) What is the biggest problem related to the disappearance of the rainforest?

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 rst 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 ef cient, 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 rst truly modern bicycle appeared on the scene. 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.

The main idea of this passage is best expressed in which sentence?

(THE BICYCLE) Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?.

(THE BICYCLE) Which sentence best expresses the main idea of paragraph 3?

(THE BICYCLE) An innovation, as it is used in Sentence (4), is

(THE BICYCLE) Revolutionized, as it is used in Sentence (10), most nearly means

THE BICYCLE) The word prone, as it is used in Sentence (15), means:

(THE BICYCLE) Which of the following sentences from the passage represents the writer’s opinion?

(THE BICYCLE) Sentence (8), “It didn’t look much like a modern bicycle, though, because its back wheel was substantially larger than its front wheel,” follows which pattern?

THE BICYCLE) Macmillan added iron rims to the tires of his bicycle to

(THE BICYCLE) The first person to use a gear system on bicycles was

(THE BICYCLE) Starley’s addition of wire spokes made the bicycle

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME

It is a well-known fact that it takes the Earth approximately 365 days to move around the sun. At the same time, the Earth revolves or spins around itself over the course of 24 hours, which explains why there is day and night. 26 One half of the Earth is always facing the Sun and the other half is facing away from it. As a result, there are different time zones dividing the globe. Moving suddenly from one time zone into the other, as when flying for example from Asia to North America, causes jet lag. People feel tired, they wake up suddenly during the night and cannot go back to sleep. It takes time to get used to a new time zone. Another thing to consider is the slight tilting of the Earth towards the sun. The Earth does not stand straight but leans a little to one side. Therefore, when it revolves around the Sun, the middle part of the Earth is always closer to the Sun and gets more heat. This part is called the equator, and above it lathes tropics. Countries at the tropics get the same amount of daylight all the time. The sun always rises at 6 am and sets at 6 pm. In contrast, the tips of the Earth or the Poles get hardly any light at all because they are so far away from the sun. There are two main seasons at the Poles. There are 6 months of summer, when the sun is always shining, even at night, and there are 6 months of winter, when there is constant darkness. In between the tropics and the Poles lies the temperate zone, where there are 4 seasons. The sun rises and sets at different times throughout the year. In the spring and summer, it gets light earlier; in the fall and winter it gets dark earlier. People who live in temperate zones take advantage of that fact to get more daylight. At the beginning of spring, countries in Europe and North America readjust their clocks. They change the time on their clocks and watches by moving them an hour ahead. As a result, the sun does not set around 7 or 8 pm as usual, but an hour later. This measure is called Daylight Savings Time (DST) and lasts until the beginning of fall, when people move their clocks back one hour to Standard or regular Time. It is thought that Benjamin Franklin first suggested the introduction of Daylight Savings Time in the 18th century. But, the first serious proposal came in 1907 from William Willet. Yet his idea was shelved by the British government, who refused it because they thought it was unnecessary. Daylight Savings Time was first put into practice by the German government in1916 in order to save energy during the First World War. Shortly after, the United Kingdom followed suit, with the United States doing the same in 1918. The law was very unpopular since people had to wake up earlier and many experienced a feeling like jet lag. But the 1970s energy crisis forced the US to make Daylight Savings Time the law. Studies have shown that the introduction of Daylight Savings Time in the spring saved the US 10,000 barrels of oil per day between 1974-1975. It also prevented 2,000 traffic injuries and 50 traffic-related deaths, saving the country $28 million. Currently, Americans switch to Daylight Savings Time on the first Sunday in April and move back to Standard Time on the last Sunday in October. But as of 2007, the time readjustment will happen even earlier, in March and November.

What is the main idea of this passage?

(DAYLIGHT SAVINGS) What does the sentence “It takes time to get used to a new time zone.” mean in paragraph 1?

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS) Which part of the Earth is the closest to the Sun?

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS) It is 7 p.m. Standard Time. What time is it for Daylight Savings Time?

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS) Was Daylight Savings Time popular in the beginning?

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS) What can be inferred about Daylight Savings Time?

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS) Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

(DAYLIGHT SAVINGS) As it is used in paragraph 3, the word obligatory most nearly means

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS) Who first established the idea of DST?

(DAYLIGHT SAVINGS) Who opposed the bill that was introduced in the House of Commons in the early 1900s?

(DAYLIGHT SAVINGS) Which of the following statements is true of the U.S. Department of Transportation?

(DAYLIGHT SAVINGS) Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS) The Daylight Savings Time Energy Act of 1973 was responsible for