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NEW QUESTION 80
American history scholars generally attribute formation of the League of Indian Nations to Degandawida,
who convinced the warring and fiercely autonomous Iroquois nations to embrace his radical idea for a
league by tying it to familiar Iroquois customs and institutions. He associated the notion of peace and
partnership with the Iroquois custom by which the families of slain warriors adopted war prisoners into the
tribe. He invoked unquestioned social institutions as symbols, comparing the League to the traditional
Iroquois clan in which several families share a "Longhouse" and likening the Great Council, comprised of
representatives from each nation, to the Longhouse's ever-burning Council Fire. And he assigned to each
nation specific duties in order to assuage its fear of losing national identity. (For instance, he assigned to
the Onondagas, who were centrally positioned geographically, the role of perpetual hosts.) Perhaps most
persuasive, however, was how Degandawida's League replicated the power structure of the traditional
Iroquois clan. Each of the five Iroquois nations was comprised of matriarchal totemic clans in which the
chiefs were men, the clan heads were women, and the chief's children were considered members of his
wife's clan. Degandawida determined that the heads of each nation should select their League
representatives, thereby effectively precluding the possibility of League representatives passing their
power on to their sons, as well as decreasing the likelihood that a pro-war representative would be
appointed. Iroquois unification under the League lasted about two centuries, when disagreement as to
whether to become involved in the American Revolutionary war divided the Iroquois. The revolutionaries'
success and their subsequent encroachment upon Iroquois lands forced many Iroquois to resettle in
Canada, while those who remained behind lost respect from other Indian nations. The introduction of
distilled spirits led to widespread alcoholism and, in turn, to a rapid decline of the culture and population.
The Quakers' influence impeded, yet in another sense contributed, to this decline. By establishing schools
for the Iroquois and by introducing them to modern technology for agriculture and husbandry, the Quakers
instilled some hope for the future yet undermined their sense of national identity. Ironically, it was the
alcoholic halfbrother of Seneca, Cornplanter, the most outspoken proponent among the Iroquois for
assimilation of white customs and institutions, who revived the Iroquois culture. Around 1800, Handsome
Lake, a former member of the Great Council, established a new religion among the Iroquois that tied the
more useful aspects of Christianity to traditional Indian beliefs and customs. Lake's teachings quickly
became firmly entrenched among the Iroquois, sparking reunification and renewed confidence while also
curbing rampant alcoholism. Lake's influence is still evident today: many modern- day Iroquois belong
both to his religion and to one or another Christian sect.
The passage mentions all of the following developments as contributing factors in the decline of the
Iroquois culture EXCEPT for
- A. introduction of new farming technologies
- B. divisive power struggles among the leaders of the Iroquois nations
- C. discord among the nations regarding their role in the American Revolution
- D. new educational opportunities for the Iroquois people
- E. territorial threats against the Iroquois nations
Answer: B
Explanation:
Nowhere in this passage does the author mention any power struggles among the leaders of the Iroquois
nations. Although the third paragraph does refer to a dispute among the Iroquois leaders, the dispute
involved the role that the Iroquois should play in the American Revolution (choice E).
NEW QUESTION 81
Conflict had existed between Spain and England since the 1570s. England wanted a share of the wealth
that Spain had been taking from the lands it had claimed in the Americas.
Elizabeth I, Queen of England, encouraged her staunch admiral of the navy, Sir Francis Drake, to raid
Spanish ships and towns. Though these raids were on a small scale, Drake achieved dramatic success,
adding gold and silver to England's treasury and diminishing Spain's omnipotence. Religious differences
also caused conflict between the two countries. Whereas Spain was Roman Catholic, most of England
had become Protestant.
King Philip II of Spain wanted to claim the throne and make England a Catholic country again. To satisfy
his ambition and also to retaliate against England's theft of his gold and silver, King Philip began to build
his fleet of warships, the Armada, in January 1586.
Philip intended his fleet to be indestructible. In addition to building new warships, he marshaled one
hundred and thirty sailing vessels of all types and recruited more than nineteen thousand robust soldiers
and eight thousand sailors. Although some of his ships lacked guns and others lacked ammunition, Philip
was convinced that his Armada could withstand any battle with England. The martial Armada set sail from
Lisbon, Portugal, on May 9,1588, but bad weather forced it back to port. The voyage resumed on July 22
after the weather became more stable. The Spanish fleet met the smaller, faster, and more maneuverable
English ships in battle off the coast of Plymouth, England, first on July 31 and again on August 2. The two
battles left Spain vulnerable, having lost several ships and with its ammunition depleted. On August 7,
while the Armada lay at anchor on the French side of the Strait of Dover, England sent eight burning ships
into the midst of the Spanish fleet to set it on fire. Blocked on one side, the Spanish ships could only drift
away, their crews in panic and disorder. Before the Armada could regroup, the English attacked again on
August 8. Although the Spaniards made a valiant effort to fight back, the fleet suffered extensive damage.
During the eight hours of battle, the Armada drifted perilously close to the rocky coastline. At the moment
when it seemed that the Spanish ships would be driven onto the English shore, the wind shifted, and the
Armada drifted out into the North Sea. The Spaniards recognized the superiority of the English fleet and
returned home, defeated
The Armada was ___ on one side.
- A. answer not available in this article
- B. damaged
- C. closed off
- D. circled
- E. alone
Answer: C
NEW QUESTION 82
The victory of the small Greek democracy of Athens over the mighty Persian empire in 490 B. C. is one of
the most famous events in history. Darius, king of the Persian empire, was furious because Athens had
interceded for the other Greek city-states in revolt against Persian domination. In anger the king sent an
enormous army to defeat Athens.
He thought it would take drastic steps to pacify the rebellious part of the empire. Persia was ruled by one
man. In Athens, however, all citizens helped to rule. Ennobled by this participation, Athenians were
prepared to die for their city-state. Perhaps this was the secret of the remarkable victory at Marathon,
which freed them from Persian rule. On their way to Marathon, the Persians tried to fool some Greek
city-states by claiming to have come in peace. The frightened citizens of Delos refused to believe this. Not
wanting to abet the conquest of Greece, they fled from their city and did not return until the
Persians had left. They were wise, for the Persians next conquered the city of Etria and captured its
people. Tiny Athens stood alone against Persia. The Athenian people went to their sanctuaries. There
they prayed for deliverance. They asked their gods to expedite their victory. The Athenians refurbished
their weapons and moved to the plain of Marathon, where their little band would meet the Persians. At the
last moment, soldiers from Plataea reinforced the Athenian troops. The Athenian army attacked, and
Greek citizens fought bravely. The power of the mighty Persians was offset by the love that the Athenians
had for their city. Athenians defeated the Persians in archery and hand combat.
Greek soldiers seized Persian ships and burned them, and the Persians fled in terror.
Herodotus, a famous historian, reports that 6400 Persians died, compared with only 192 Athenians.
Athens had ____the other Greek city-states against the Persians.
- A. wanted to fight
- B. given orders for all to fight
- C. intervened on behalf of
- D. defeated
- E. refused help to
Answer: C
NEW QUESTION 83
GIGANTIC : SIZE
- A. substantial: mass
- B. bankrupt: money
- C. heartrending:humor
- D. marginal: volume
- E. despondent: cheerfulness
Answer: A
NEW QUESTION 84
While there will always be a need for social programs geared toward alleviating the poverty of individuals,
the community is perhaps the more relevant level for public policy intervention, especially in rural areas. It
has been recognized that social isolation within urban ghettos is a structural characteristic of urban
poverty, but rural poverty is marked by physical isolation as well. This uniqueness makes rural community
poverty particularly intractable, requiring policies that account for the cost of isolation. It is possible to
provide vocational training for individuals anywhere, but if there are no jobs within the community for
those individuals, the training is largely wasted. The current transition to a service-based economy and
deregulation in transportation (resulting in disproportionately higher transportation costs for relatively
isolated areas) have only exacerbated the growing social and economic distress in rural America,
underscoring the need to redefine poverty and redirect the focus of our funding agencies and
policy-makers in accordance with the new definition. What's needed is a more holistic view on an
aggregate level, where poverty is properly seen as a condition of the local social structure, with income
only one of the salient parameters.
The author mentions "the current transition to a service-based economy and deregulation in
transportation" (lines 20-22) most likely to
- A. underscore the isolation of people in rural communities
- B. provide support for a more flexible poverty standard
- C. suggest that manufacturing jobs are disappearing
- D. emphasize the lack of job skills among rural residents
- E. contrast the old economy with the new economy
Answer: B
Explanation:
transition to a service-based economy and deregulation in transportation . . . underscor[e]
the need to redefine poverty." The refined definition that the author advocates is apparent from the
passage's opening and final sentences: Poverty should be measured not just at the individual level but
also at the community level (especially in rural areas). In other words, the standard for poverty should be
more flexible, as choiceE.indicates.
NEW QUESTION 85
MUNIFICENT : GENEROSITY ::
- A. domineering : timidity
- B. indisputable : confidence
- C. dolorous : sorrow
- D. fortunate : luck
- E. beguiled : judiciousness
Answer: C
Explanation:
This is a "defining characteristic" analogy. A MUNIFICENT person is characterized by great
GENEROSITY; similarly, a dolorous person is characterized by great sorrow. Since luck can be either bad
or good, choiceD.is not as strong an analogy as choice (A).
NEW QUESTION 86
RATIFY : YES
- A. veto: no
- B. eradicate: yes
- C. loom:no
- D. goad: no
- E. stifle: yes
Answer: A
NEW QUESTION 87
The village of Vestmannaeyjar, in the far northern country of Iceland, is as bright and clean and up-to-date
as any American or Canadian suburb. It is located on the island of Heimaey, just off the mainland. One
January night in 1973, however, householders were shocked from their sleep. In some backyards red-hot
liquid was spurting from the ground.
Flaming "skyrockets" shot up and over the houses. The island's volcano, Helgafell, silent for seven
thousand years, was violently erupting! Luckily, the island's fishing fleet was in port, and within twenty-four
hours almost everyone was ferried to the mainland. But then the agony of the island began in earnest. As
in a nightmare, fountains of burning lava spurted three hundred feet high. Black, baseball-size cinders
rained down. An evilsmelling, eye-burning, throat-searing cloud of smoke and gas erupted into the air,
and a river of lava flowed down the mountain. The constant shriek of escaping steam was punctuated by
ear-splitting explosions. As time went on, the once pleasant village of Vestmannaeyjar took on a weird
aspect. Its street lamps still burning against the long Arctic night, the town lay under a thick blanket of
cinders. All that could be seen above the ten-foot black drifts were the tips of street signs. Some houses
had collapsed under the weight of cinders; others had burst into flames as the heat ignited their oil storage
tanks. Lighting the whole lurid scene, fire continued to shoot from the mouth of the looming volcano. The
eruption continued for six months. Scientists and reporters arrived from around the world to observe the
awesome natural event. But the town did not die that easily. In July, when the eruption ceased, the people
of Heimaey Island returned to assess the chances of rebuilding their homes and lives. They found tons of
ash covering the ground. The Icelanders are a tough people, however, accustomed to the strange and
violent nature of their Arctic land. They dug out their homes. They even used the cinders to build new
roads and airport runways. Now the new homes of Heimaey are warmed from water pipes heated by
molten lava.
Despite the eruption-
- A. the radio kept broadcasting
- B. the television kept broadcasting
- C. the police kept working
- D. street lamps kept burning
- E. buses kept running
Answer: D
NEW QUESTION 88
"Old woman," grumbled the burly white man who had just heard Sojourner Truth speak, "do you think your
talk about slavery does any good? I don't care any more for your talk than I do for the bite of a flea." The
tall, imposing black woman turned her piercing eyes on him. "Perhaps not," she answered, "but I'll keep
you scratching." The little incident of the 1840s sums up all that Sojourner Truth was: utterly dedicated to
spreading her message, afraid of no one, forceful and witty in speech. Yet forty years earlier, who could
have suspected that a spindly slave girl growing up in a damp cellar in upstate New York would become
one of the most remarkable women in American history? Her name then was Isabella (many slaves had
no last names), and by the time she was fourteen she had seen both parents die of cold and hunger. She
herself had been sold several times. By 1827, when New York freed its slaves, she had married and
borne five children. The first hint of Isabella's fighting spirit came soon afterwards, when her youngest son
was illegally seized and sold. She marched to the courthouse and badgered officials until her son was
returned to her. In 1843, inspired by religion, she changed her name to Sojourner (meaning "one who
stays briefly") Truth, and, with only pennies in her purse, set out to preach against slavery. From New
England to Minnesota she trekked, gaining a reputation for her plain but powerful and moving words.
Incredibly, despite being black and female (only white males were expected to be public speakers), she
drew thousands to town halls, tents, and churches to hear her powerful, deep-voiced pleas on equality for
blacks-and for women. Often she had to face threatening hoodlums. Once she stood before armed bullies
and sang a hymn to them. Awed by her courage and her commanding presence, they sheepishly
retreated. During the Civil War she cared for homeless ex-slaves in Washington. President Lincoln invited
her to the White House to bestow praise on her. Later, she petitioned Congress to help former slaves get
land in the West. Even in her old age, she forced the city of Washington to integrate its trolley cars so that
black and white could ride together. Shortly before her death at eighty-six, she was asked what kept her
going. "I think of the great things," replied Sojourner.
This incident occurred in the-
- A. 1840s
- B. 1700s
- C. 1920s
- D. 1760s
- E. 1900s
Answer: A
NEW QUESTION 89
The Andean cordillera is made up of many interwoven mountain ranges, which include high intermontane
plateaus, basins, and valleys. The Northern Andes contain several broad ecosystems falling into four
altitudinal belts. Its northern subregion is distinguished by higher humidity and by greater climatic
symmetry between eastern and western flanks. The Central Andes are characterized by a succession of
agricultural zones with varied climatic conditions along the mountains' flanks and by large, highaltitude
plateaus, variously called puna or altiplano, which do not occur in the Northern Andes. The soil fertility of
the northern altiplano is generally good. The western Central Andean ranges are relatively arid with
desert-like soils, whereas the eastern ranges are more humid and have more diverse soils. The eastern
slopes of the Central Andes in many ways are similar to the wet forests of the Northern Andes. Unlike the
Northern Andes, however, these slopes have a dry season. In regions of gentle topography, such as the
Amazon basin, regional climatic variation can be determined from a few widely spaced measurements.
Regional projections in the Andean cordillera are quite difficult by comparison. For example, while air
temperature generally decreases with increasing altitude, variability of mountain topography can produce
much lower than expected air temperatures. Nevertheless, some general climatic patterns are discernible.
For example, with increasing distance south of the equator the seasonality of precipitation increases,
whereas the total annual amount generally decreases. Humidity commonly increases with increasing
altitude, but only to some intermediate altitude, above which it declines. The variability of mountain terrain
also affects precipitation, such that conditions of extreme wetness and aridity may exist in close proximity.
Related to this temperature gradient is a pattern of ater rainfall at the valley heads, and less rain at lower
altitudes, resulting in part from mountain rainshadow effect. The weather patterns of the Andean cordillera
and Amazon basin in general reflect movements of highand low-pressure cells associated with the
Intertropical Convergence Zone, a low-pressure trough that moves further north and south on a seasonal
basis. Precipitation is high throughout the year in the highlands and on the coast in the Northern Andes.
Coastal aridity increases south of central Ecuador, culminating in the Atacama desert of northern Chile. In
the Central Andes, highland precipitation is seasonal, and amounts are approximately half those
measured in the Northern Andes. The aridity of the Central Andean coastal zone is the result of the drying
effect of the cold Pacific Humboldt current and the southern Pacific high-pressure cell. Much of the
southern portion of the Central Andes in Bolivia is also arid. The dry season causes soil moisture deficits
and diminished stream flow part of each year.
According to the passage, the northern part of the high-altitude plateaus is characterized by which of the
following?
- A. An arid climate
- B. Fertile soil
- C. High relative humidity
- D. A succession of agricultural zones
- E. Extremes in air temperature
Answer: B
Explanation:
The high-altitude plateaus are called altiplano(line 16). The passage states explicitly that the soil fertility in
the northern altiplanois generally good
NEW QUESTION 90
SCIENTIAL:
- A. ignorant
- B. stupid
- C. gullible
- D. intuitive
- E. regressive
Answer: A
Explanation:
SCIENTIAL means "of or having knowledge," just the opposite of ignorant
NEW QUESTION 91
Marie Curie was one of the most accomplished scientists in history. Together with her husband, Pierre,
she discovered radium, an element widely used for treating cancer, and studied uranium and other
radioactive substances. Pierre and Marie's amicable collaboration later helped to unlock the secrets of the
atom. Marie was born in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, where her father was a professor of physics. At the
early age, she displayed a brilliant mind and a blithe personality. Her great exuberance for learning
prompted her to continue with her studies after high school. She became disgruntled, however, when she
learned that the university in Warsaw was closed to women.
Determined to receive a higher education, she defiantly left Poland and in 1891 entered the Sorbonne, a
French university, where she earned her master's degree and doctorate in physics. Marie was fortunate to
have studied at the Sorbonne with some of the greatest scientists of her day, one of whom was Pierre
Curie. Marie and Pierre were married in
1 895 and spent many productive years working together in the physics laboratory. A short time after they
discovered radium, Pierre was killed by a horse-drawn wagon in
1 906. Marie was stunned by this horrible misfortune and endured heartbreaking anguish. espondently she
recalled their close relationship and the joy that they had shared in scientific research. The fact that she
had two young daughters to raise by herself greatly increased her distress. Curie's feeling of desolation
finally began to fade when she was asked to succeed her husband as a physics professor at the
Sorbonne. She was the first woman to be given a professorship at the world-famous university. In 1911
she received the Nobel Prize in chemistry for isolating radium. Although Marie Curie eventually suffered a
fatal illness from her long exposure to radium, she never became disillusioned about her work.
Regardless of the consequences, she had dedicated herself to science and to revealing the mysteries of
the physical world.
Even though she became fatally ill from working with radium, Marie Curie was never ____.
- A. troubled
- B. worried
- C. disturbed
- D. sorrowful
- E. disappointed
Answer: E
NEW QUESTION 92
Marie Curie was one of the most accomplished scientists in history. Together with her husband, Pierre,
she discovered radium, an element widely used for treating cancer, and studied uranium and other
radioactive substances. Pierre and Marie's amicable collaboration later helped to unlock the secrets of the
atom. Marie was born in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, where her father was a professor of physics. At the
early age, she displayed a brilliant mind and a blithe personality. Her great exuberance for learning
prompted her to continue with her studies after high school. She became disgruntled, however, when she
learned that the university in Warsaw was closed to women.
Determined to receive a higher education, she defiantly left Poland and in 1891 entered the Sorbonne, a
French university, where she earned her master's degree and doctorate in physics. Marie was fortunate to
have studied at the Sorbonne with some of the greatest scientists of her day, one of whom was Pierre
Curie. Marie and Pierre were married in
1 895 and spent many productive years working together in the physics laboratory. A short time after they
discovered radium, Pierre was killed by a horse-drawn wagon in
1 906. Marie was stunned by this horrible misfortune and endured heartbreaking anguish. espondently she
recalled their close relationship and the joy that they had shared in scientific research. The fact that she
had two young daughters to raise by herself greatly increased her distress. Curie's feeling of desolation
finally began to fade when she was asked to succeed her husband as a physics professor at the
Sorbonne. She was the first woman to be given a professorship at the world-famous university. In 1911
she received the Nobel Prize in chemistry for isolating radium. Although Marie Curie eventually suffered a
fatal illness from her long exposure to radium, she never became disillusioned about her work.
Regardless of the consequences, she had dedicated herself to science and to revealing the mysteries of
the physical world.
Her ____ began to fade when she returned to the Sorbonne to succeed her husband.
- A. ambition
- B. anger
- C. misfortune
- D. disappointment
- E. wretchedness
Answer: E
NEW QUESTION 93
DUPLICITY:
- A. decency
- B. openness
- C. simplicity
- D. innocence
- E. honesty
Answer: E
Explanation:
DUPLICITY means "deception by pretending" and is therefore a form of dishonesty-the opposite of
honesty.
NEW QUESTION 94
QUELL : UPRISING ::
- A. quench : thirst
- B. strike : labor
- C. indulge : habit
- D. incite : hostility
- E. bite : hunger
Answer: A
Explanation:
This is one form of an "operates against" analogy. To QUELL is to suppress or put down, an act that
eliminates an UPRISING; similarly, to quench is to completely satisfy a thirst, an act that eliminates it.
NEW QUESTION 95
FUGITIVE : FLEE
- A. sage:stifle
- B. bystander:procure
- C. parasite:foster
- D. braggart:boast
- E. firebrand:quibble
Answer: D
NEW QUESTION 96
In 1976, Sichan Siv was crawling through the jungle, trying to escape from Cambodia.
By 1989, however, Siv was working in the White House, in Washington D. C., as an advisor to the
President of the United States. How did this strange journey come about?
Like millions of Cambodians, Siv was a victim of a bloody civil war. One of the sides in this war was the
Cambodian government. The other was a group called the Khmer Rouge. When the Khmer Rouge won
the war, the situation in Cambodia got worse. Many people were killed, while others were forced into hard
labor. Sometimes entire families were wiped out. Siv came from a large family that lived in the capital of
CambodiA. After finishing high school, Siv worked for a while with a Cambodian airline company. Later,
he taught English. After that, he took a job with CARE, an American group that was helping victims of the
war. Siv had hope to leave Cambodia before the Khmer Rouge took over the country. Unfortunately, he
was delayed. As a result, he and his family were taken from their homes and forced to labor in rice fields.
After a while, Siv managed to escape. He rode an old bicycle for miles, trying to reach Thailand where he
would be free and safe. For three weeks he slept on the ground and tried to hide from the soldiers who
were looking for him. Caught at last, he was afraid he would be killed. Instead, he was put into a labor
camp, where he worked eighteen hours each day without rest. After several months, he escaped again;
this time he made it. The journey, however, was a terrifying one. After three days of staggering on foot
through mile after mile of thick bamboo, Siv finally made his way to Thailand. Because he had worked for
an American charity group, Siv quickly found work in a refugee camp. Soon he was on his way to the
states. He arrived in June of 1976 and got a job-first picking apples and then cooking in a fast-food
restaurant. Siv, however, wanted more than this; he wanted to work with people who, like himself, had
suffered the hardship of leaving their own countries behind. Siv decided that the best way to prepare for
this kind of work was to go to college. He wrote letters to many colleges and universities. They were
impressed with his school records from Cambodia, and they were impressed with his bravery. Finally, in
1 980, he was able to study at Columbia University in New York City. After finishing his studies at
Columbia, Siv took a job with the United Nations. He married an American woman and became a citizen.
After several more years, he felt that he was very much a part of his new country. In 1988, Siv was offered
a job in the White House working for President Reagan's closest advisors. It was a difficult job, and he
often had to work long hours.
However the long hard work was worth it, because Siv got the opportunity to help refugees in his work.
What is the main idea of this passage?
- A. Siv covered a large area during his life.
- B. Persistence and courage are global ideas.
- C. Siv persevered to become an American citizen.
- D. Siv overcame numerous challenges to come to American and help others.
- E. Siv persevered to become an American citizen
Answer: D
NEW QUESTION 97
The fossil record reveals innumerable instances of environmental _______ by which one can draw an
analogy between the evolution of life and a tree's branches, a few of which _______ but most of which
branch again and again.
- A. safeguards . . wither and die
- B. changes . . produce leaves
- C. calamities . . end abruptly
- D. events . . intertwine
- E. adaptations . . progress linearly
Answer: E
Explanation:
The signpost phrase in this sentence is "by which." What precedes this key phrase must adequately
explain the analogy that follows it. ChoiceB.fits the bill. In the context of evolution, many organisms have
continually adapted to environmental changes, resulting in a large variety of species (in a continual
branching manner); in other words, for most organisms, evolution is not linear
NEW QUESTION 98
CORNUCOPIA:
- A. modicum
- B. solitude
- C. darkness
- D. serenity
- E. sparseness
Answer: E
Explanation:
CORNUCOPIA means "abundance"-the opposite of sparseness.
NEW QUESTION 99
RITE : CEREMONY
- A. pall: clarity
- B. agitation: calm
- C. clamor : silence
- D. magnitude: size
- E. affliction: blessing
Answer: D
NEW QUESTION 100
SHORE : PRECARIOUS ::
- A. stiffen : pliable
- B. plane : irregular
- C. boil : tepid
- D. douse : damp
- E. frequent : uninviting
Answer: B
Explanation:
This is an "operates against" analogy. To SHORE is to prop or support (especially, a ship, wall, or
building). The word PRECARIOUS means "insecure or uncertain." So you lessen precariousness (of a
wall, for example) by shoring it up. Similarly, one way to lessen irregularity(unevenness) of a surface is to
plane it.
NEW QUESTION 101
The amount of bone in the elderly skeleton-a key determinant in its susceptibility to fractures-is believed
to be a function of two major factors. The first is the peak amount of bone mass attained, determined to a
large extent by genetic inheritance. The marked effect of gender is obvious: Elderly men experience only
one-half as many hip fractures per capita as elderly women. But also, African- American women have a
lower incidence of osteoporotic fractures than Caucasian women. Other important variables include diet,
exposure to sunlight, and physical activity. The second major factor is the rate of bone loss after peak
bone mass has been attained. While many of the variables that affect peak bone mass also affect rates of
bone loss, additional factors influencing bone loss include physiological stresses such as pregnancy and
lactation. It is hormonal status, however, reflected primarily by estrogen and progesterone levels, that
may exert the greatest effect on rates of decline in skeletal mass.
The passage clearly identifies all of the following as factors in the rate of bone-mass loss EXCEPT for
- A. estrogen levels
- B. sunlight exposure
- C. progesterone levels
- D. lactation
- E. pregnancy
Answer: B
Explanation:
The passage mentions exposure to sunlight as one factor determining peak bone mass. Although the
passage states that "many of the factors that affect the attainment of peak bone mass also affect rates of
bone loss," the passage does not indicate that exposure to sunlight is one such factor.
NEW QUESTION 102
Many great inventions are greeted with ridicule and disbelief. The invention of the airplane was no
exception. Although many people who heard about the first powered flight on December 17,1903, were
excited and impressed, others reacted with peals of laughter. The idea of flying an aircraft was repulsive
to some people. Such people called Wilbur and Orville Wright, the inventors of the first flying machine,
impulsive fools.
Negative reactions, however, did not stop the Wrights. Impelled by their desire to succeed, they continued
their experiments in aviation. Orville and Wilbur Wright had always had a compelling interest in
aeronautics and mechanics. As young boys they earned money by making and selling kites and
mechanical toys. Later, they designed a newspaper-folding machine, built a printing press, and operated
a bicycle-repair shop. In 1896, when they read about the death of Otto Lilienthal, the brother's interest in
flight grew into a compulsion. Lilienthal, a pioneer in hang-gliding, had controlled his gliders by shifting his
body in the desired direction. This idea was repellent to the Wright brothers, however, and they searched
for more efficient methods to control the balance of airborne vehicles. In 1900 and 1901, the Wrights
tested numerous gliders and developed control techniques. The brothers' inability to obtain enough lift
power for the gliders almost led them to abandon their efforts. After further study, the Wright brothers
concluded that the published tables of air pressure on curved surfaces must be wrong.
They set up a wind tunnel and began a series of experiments with model wings. Because of their efforts,
the old tables were repealed in time and replaced by the first reliable figures for air pressure on curved
surfaces. This work, in turn, made it possible for them to design a machine that would fly. In 1903 the
Wrights built their first airplane, which cost less than one thousand dollars. They even designed and built
their own source of propulsion- a lightweight gasoline engine. When they started the engine on December
1 7, the airplane pulsated wildly before taking off. The plane managed to stay aloft for twelve seconds,
however, and it flew one hundred twenty feet. By 1905 the Wrights had perfected the first airplane that
could turn, circle, and remain airborne for half an hour at a time. Others had flown in balloons or in hang
gliders, but the Wright brothers were the first to build a full-size machine that could fly under its own power.
As the contributors of one of the most outstanding engineering achievements in history, the Wright
brothers are accurately called the fathers of aviation.
The Wrights designed and built their own source of ____.
- A. force to going backward
- B. none of the above
- C. force for moving forward
- D. turning
- E. force for turning around
Answer: C
NEW QUESTION 103
Americans have always been interested in their Presidents' wives. Many First Ladies have been
remembered because of the ways they have influenced their husbands. Other First Ladies have made the
history books on their own. At least two First Ladies, Bess Truman and Lady Bird Johnson, made it their
business to send signals during their husbands' speeches. When Lady Bird Johnson thought her husband
was talking too long, she wrote a note and sent it up to the platform. It read, "It's time to stop!" And he did.
Once Bess Truman didn't like what her husband was saying on television, so she phoned him and said," If
you can't talk more politely than that in public, you come right home." Abigail Fillmore and Eliza Johnson
actually taught their husbands, Millard Fillmore and Andrew Johnson, the thirteenth and seventeenth
Presidents. A schoolteacher, Abigail eventually married her pupil, Millard. When Eliza Johnson married
Andrew, he could not read or write, so she taught him herself. It was First Lady Helen Taft's idea to plant
the famous cherry trees in Washington, D. C. Each spring these blossoming trees attract thousands of
visitors to the nation's capital. Mrs. Taft also influenced the male members of her family and the White
House staff in a strange way: she convinced them to shave off their beards! Shortly after President Wilson
suffered a stroke, Edith Wilson unofficially took over most of the duties of the Presidency until the end of
her husband's term. Earlier, during World War I, Mrs. Wilson had had sheep brought onto the White
House lawn to eat the grass. The sheep not only kept the lawn mowed but provided wool for an auction
sponsored by the First Lady. Almost $100,000 was raised for the Red Cross. Dolly
Madison saw to it that a magnificent painting of George Washington was not destroyed during the War of
1 812. As the British marched toward Washington, D. C., she remained behind to rescue the painting,
even after the guards had left. The painting is the only object from the original White House that was not
burned. One of the most famous First Ladies was Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of President Franklin D.
Roosevelt. She was active in political and social causes throughout her husband's tenure in office. After
his death, she became famous for her humanitarian work in the United Nations. She made life better for
thousands of needy people around the world.
What is the main idea of this passage?
- A. The First Ladies are key supporters of the Presidents.
- B. The Humanitarian work of the First Ladies is critical in American government.
- C. The First Ladies are important in American culture.
- D. Eleanor Roosevelt transformed the First Lady image.
- E. Dolly Madison was the most influential president's wife.
Answer: C
NEW QUESTION 104
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