Reading Questions 1 36 DIRECTIONS: Read each passage below and answer the questions following it. Base your answers only on information contained in the passage. You may reread a passage if you need to. Mark the best answer for each question. 5 10 15 20 For most people, the thought of algae conjures up images of a smelly pond or a neglected fish tank. For others, it spells promise. They imagine our future living in cities where buildings are covered with photosynthetic membranes and vertical gardens, collecting the sun's energy and producing food and bioproducts for urban citizens. While we aren't erecting edible green skyscrapers yet, the tiny organisms called microalgae that would power them are about to have their heyday. Microalgae, a potential biofuel source, covers the most active field of algae research. It may be one of the most nutritious foods known to man, according to some researchers, perhaps making the green plant one of the world's most overlooked foods. The simple green organisms guided ancient cultures through famine and are now making their way into everything from animal feed to baby formula. 35 40 45 50 temperatures, UV conditions, salinity, or low nutrient levels. As a result, they developed into a hearty and efficient variety of organisms whose bodies the scientific community is hoping to harness. Microalgae don't require much water. They also pose no competition to agriculture since they don't need fertile land and can be grown in places like deserts. A type of algae called spirulina has gained traction as a popular health food supplement. Every bite of Spirulina contains more protein and more iron than 20% fat ground beef. For many, the incentive to consume microalgae is environmental. Replacing three grams of a resource intensive crop in our diet with three grams of the more productive algae could greatly lessen our environmental impact. Many institutions are even experimenting with algae as livestock feed for chickens, pigs, cattle, and fish. 25 30 Microalgae are tiny photosynthetic plants. They turn energy from the sun into sugars and proteins, absorbing and converting carbon dioxide in the process and expelling oxygen. In fact, marine microalgae, known as phytoplankton, are responsible for creating half the world's oxygen. Algae were the world's first photosynthetic organisms and millions of years of evolution have allowed them to exploit a diverse array of environments, some with extreme 55 60 Advances in technologies will be able to sustainably produce microalgae products on a large scale. The big issue that the algae companies are going to face is marketing, convincing consumers that algae is more than pond scum.
1. Which of the following best tells what this passage is about? A. Nutritional benefits of algae over traditional proteins B. The future potential of algae as a superfood C. Advantages and disadvantages of consuming algae D. Why companies are transitioning to algae manufacture 4. The passage suggests that algae consumes A. Sugars B. Oxygen C. Carbon dioxide D. Proteins 5. According to the passage, what is a problem faced by algae companies in producing algae extensively? 2. Which of the following is not mentioned as one of the agricultural advantages of microalgae? A. Microalgae is less expensive to produce than traditional food sources. B. Microalgae may be able to replace other types of livestock feeds. C. Microalgae does not compete with other plants for cultivation. D. Water is not required in large quantities to grow microalgae. 3. Which of the following best describes what is suggested by the statement that the algae companies will struggle in convincing consumers that algae is more than pond scum? A. Consumers can t be certain that the algae they are buying is from a reliable source. B. Regardless of processing, algae has an unpleasant smell. C. Consumers have rigid, negative preconceptions about algae. D. Algae doesn t taste as good as other protein sources. A. Insufficient development of technology B. Unclear nutritional benefits of algae C. Consumers are wary about trying algae D. Algae is unsafe in baby formula 6. According to the passage, algae adapted to inhospitable environments because A. It has a simple cellular make up. B. Ancient peoples used algae during times of famine. C. It only requires a few materials to live. D. It has undergone millions of years of evolution.
5 10 15 When something is cryopreserved, it is filled with chemicals called cryoprotectants essentially, antifreeze chemicals that allow the tissue to be cooled, without damage, to temperatures as low as -196 C. The process is called vitrification, and results in a tissue that is preserved in a glass-like state. Cryopreservation is recognized in the context of people having their entire bodies or just their brains frozen when they die, believing they will be able to be woken up at an as yet unknown point in the future when whatever disease they died of can be cured. Still, cryopreservation has real scientific applications right now, in the form of storing living cells and embryos. 45 50 current through the tubes, to create a magnetic field. A human kidney is about 200 to 300ml, roughly five times larger than samples this method has worked on so far. So while you re unlikely to see this new method being used on organs destined for people who need transplants any time soon, scientists hope in the future that they ll be able to use cryopreservation to store organs, or even limbs or faces, for transplants. 7. Which of the following best tells what the passage is about? A. Storage of human organs by nanowarming B. Scientific advances in cryopreservation C. Cryopreservation of human bodies D. Rewarming of cryopreserved tissue 20 25 30 For years scientists have been able to cool down organs and keep them stable they first did it with a rabbit kidney in the 1980s. However, in order to actually use a cooled down organ, scientists have to be able to heat it up again without doing any damage. They need to heat the tissue up quickly, but uniformly, so it doesn t crack, and so ice crystals that would damage it don t have a chance to form. Thus far, if the tissue sample is bigger than a few milliliters in volume and scientists try to warm it using the current standard method, crystals begin to form, damaging the tissue. 8. Why does the passage refer to the time when cryopreserved bodies will be thawed as an as yet unknown time? A. Each person selects a different date of when to reheated their body B. Reheating time can vary depending on the weight of the body. C. The scientists keep the process secret to prevent intellectual theft. D. Technology has not yet progressed enough to allow successful heating. 35 40 However, a team of scientists have found a way to heat up samples as big as 50 milliliters in volume without damage to the tissue. The new technique, which the scientists have dubbed nanowarming, involves adding nanoparticles to the antifreeze solution that s used to preserve the tissue, and then heating up those nanoparticles by surrounding the tissue with coils of copper tubing and putting an electric 9. Which of the following are stored by cryopreservation? A. Human kidneys B. Embryos C. Rabbit kidneys D. Human livers
10. Tissue cryopreserved before the implementation of nanowarming technique cannot be nanowarmed because A. Nanowarming only works on small tissue samples. B. Nanowarming does not work on diseased tissue. C. The tissues have not been cryopreserved with nanoparticles. D. It is illegal to experiment on preserved human tissue without prior consent. 11. Why can t a human kidney be cryopreserved and nanowarmed? A. It degrades before it can be cryofrozen. B. It is larger than 50 milliliters C. Human kidneys are too precious to waste on experiments. D. Human kidneys can be frozen conventionally. 12. During the nanowarming process, what is coiled around a tissue prior to subjecting it to a magnetic field? A. Electric current B. Magnet C. Copper D. Nanoparticles
5 10 Figs are technically not a fruit they are inverted flowers. Fig trees don t flower like apples and peaches. Their flowers bloom inside the pear-shaped pod, which later matures into the fruit we eat. Each flower then produces a single, one-seeded, hardshelled fruit called achene that s what gives the fig the crunch we know and the fig is made up of multiple achene. So when we eat a fig we are actually eating multiple fruits. 45 50 reproduce. And it cannot escape, because its wings and antennae have broken off. So the wasp dies inside, which is unfortunate but necessary because that s how it delivers the pollen giving us the fruit we love. This doesn t mean the crunch in the fig is a wasp carcass. The fig uses an enzyme known as ficin to break down the wasp into protein, though it doesn t always break down the entire exoskeleton. 15 20 25 30 35 But that s not the end of the uniqueness that sets the fig apart. Because fig flowers bloom internally, they need a special process for pollination. They cannot rely on the wind or bees to spread their pollen that s where the fig wasp comes in. The fig cannot survive without the fig wasp to spread its genetic material, and the fig wasp cannot live without the fig, because that s where it lays its larva this relationship is known as mutualism. The female fig wasp enters the male fig which isn t usually eaten by humans to lay its eggs. The male fig is shaped in a way to accommodate the laying of wasp eggs. The female wasp s wings and antennae break off when entering the small passage in the fig so once it enters the fig, there is no way out. It s up to the baby wasps to continue the life cycle. Male offspring are born without wings, because their sole purpose is to mate with the female offspring and dig a tunnel out of the fig. It s the female offspring that make the journey out, bringing pollen with them. 13. Which of the following best tells what the passage is about? A. The mutual relationship between figs and fig wasps B. The life cycle of the fig wasp C. The differences between male and female fig wasps D. The features of the fig plant that makes it unique from other plants 14. According to the passage, which of the following is the fruit of the fig tree? A. Fig B. Pod C. Flower D. Achene 15. Why can t fig flowers be pollinated by wind? A. Fig pollen is too large to be carried by wind. B. Fig flowers bloom inside the fig. C. Fig trees are found in environments with minimal wind. D. While wind has a role in pollinating figs, wasps have a bigger role. 40 If a fig wasp enters a female fig accidentally the ones we eat instead of a male one, there is no room in the interior for it to
16. Which relationship is most similar to the one between the fig wasp and the fig? A. Cold virus and human B. Employer and employee C. Architect and building D. The sun and a tree 17. Why are fig flowers only pollinated by female wasps and not by male wasps? A. Male wasps only visit male figs. B. Female wasps kill male wasps before the male wasp can enter the fig fruit. C. Male wasps live and die inside a male fig, without ever leaving it. D. Male wasps lose their wings and antennae before they can leave the male fig. 18. In which case would a human find a wasp skeleton while eating a fig? A. A male wasp climbs inside a female fig. B. A female wasp climbs inside a male fig. C. A male wasp climbs inside a male fig. D. A female wasp climbs inside a female fig
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Laughter, as they say, is contagious. While that adage presumably pertains to people, it is true for the kea as well. The kea, a large parrot species native to the mountains of New Zealand, is known to be particularly intelligent, curious and social. It's also nationally endangered. They perch on an ancient branch of the parrot family tree: Around 56 million years of evolution separate them from other parrots like macaws or budgies. In one study, a captive kea named Kermit successfully solved a logic puzzle in the most kea-like way possible by rambunctiously attacking the problem until he found a solution. And they re intensely curious, with a penchant for approaching tourists, stealing food, investigating bags, and wrecking cars. Unlike other birds, which shy away from new and unfamiliar objects, keas are drawn to novelty like moths to flame. Due to human conflict and predation by introduced mammals, the species is now vulnerable to extinction. In the wild, when kea parrots hear a call associated with play, they start playful tussling, aerial acrobatics, or throwing objects into the air. Scientists call it "positive emotional contagion" which they define as "outwardly emotional actions that spread from one individual to another." In humans, this is what happens when one person hears another laugh and also starts cracking up. However, unlike rats and primates that we have a direct ancestor with fairly recently, humans haven't had a common ancestor with birds since before the dinosaurs. 45 50 other types of non-play kea calls, a tweet from a local robin, and a bland tone. When the keas heard the laughter chirps, they went into play mode, much more than when they heard the other sounds. The fact that at least some of these birds started playing spontaneously when no other birds had been playing suggests that, similar to human laughter, it had an emotional effect on the birds that heard it, putting them in a playful state. 19. Which of the following best tells what this passage is about? A. Different types of sounds made by the kea B. Contagious laughter among kea birds C. Unique personality quirks of kea birds D. How kea birds play differently from other birds 20. Which of the following sounds elicited the most playful reaction from the kea? A. Laughter kea chirps B. Local robin tweet C. Bland bird tone D. Kea mating call 21. According to the passage, which of the following have the closest evolutionary relationship with humans? A. Ancient parrots B. Kea C. Rats D. Dinosaurs 40 To test the parrots taste for fun, researchers played recordings of chirps made by keas when they re playing. They also played two
22. Kermit s method of solving a logic puzzle was referred to as the most kea-like way possible because he A. had assistance from another kea. B. relentlessly worked on the puzzle until it was solved. C. pestered his trainer until the trainer helped him. D. was unable to solve the difficult puzzle. 23. Which of the following is responsible for pushing the kea to near extinction? A. Kea s investigative nature B. Hunting C. Alien species D. Illegal trade in the pet market 24. According to the passage, kea differ from macaws mainly because A. Their plumage has vastly different colors. B. The kea are more intelligent than macaws. C. The kea are found in New Zealand and the macaws are found in South America D. Their common parrot ancestor goes back millions of years.
5 10 15 In 1547 the Orthodox Church proclaimed Princess Olga of Kiev a saint and equal-tothe-apostles. She became one of only five women to be honored with this status in the history of Christianity. Not much is known about Princess Olga s origins but sometime before 912, she married Prince Igor, of the Rurik Dynasty of Russian tsars. In 912, the pair took to the throne of Kievan Rus. They had a son named Svyatoslav in 942. Three years after the birth of his son, Igor travelled to meet the Drevlians, a Slavic tribe who owed him tribute. When Igor demanded more than the Drevlians thought his rule was worth, instead of paying him, they simply killed him. 40 45 50 revenge, she besieged a Drevlian city that refused to pay their taxes. They asked to parlay and offered various goods such as honey and furs in exchange for their transgression. She instead asked for much less, simply wanting three sparrows and three pigeons from each household in the city. The Drevlians thought they came out on top with this deal, so they agreed. Then she tied burning papers to the legs of the doves and let them fly back to their homes. As a result, the entire town was destroyed by fire. 25. Which of the following best tells what the passage is about? 20 25 30 35 Her son was next in line to the throne, which meant that, as his mother, she became regent until he was old enough to rule. While having a woman in charge of the government wasn t exactly the norm, she had the full support of the Rus army to back her regency. The Drevlians weren t so keen on a female leader. They decided to send ambassadors to negotiate a marriage between Olga and Prince Mal, their top choice for king. Olga had not taken Igor s death well. She had all of the ambassadors buried alive. But that isn t where her revenge ended she insisted that the Drevlians send her better suitors, which they agreed to do. When the second batch came, she locked them in the bathhouse and set fire to it. She supposedly had 5000 men killed at a feast held in her honour when she visited the Drevlians to finish her husband s job of collecting their tithes. As a last act of A. The actions which led to Olga of Kiev becoming a saint B. The underhanded tactics of the Drevlian Empire C. Olga of Kiev s retaliation against her husband s killers D. The myriad of ways Olga of Kiev killed her enemies 26. Why does the passage claim Olga had not taken Igor s death well? A. She killed her potential suitors. B. She became psychotic and tried to kill her whole kingdom. C. She instituted a state of mourning for one year. D. She tried to commit suicide.
27. The Drevlians attempted to displace Olga from the throne by A. Assassinating her. B. Persuading her to become a nun. C. Having her marry one of their Princes. D. Kidnapping her. 28. Why did Olga ask for birds in place of taxes from a Drevlian town? A. She was a bird aficionado and collector. B. To use the birds to destroy the town. C. Birds were a dietary staple of the region. D. To have mercy on the town and excuse their taxes. 29. How many years after Svyatoslav s birth was Igor killed? A. Two years B. Three years C. Four years D. Five years 30. What honor was bestowed upon Olga of Kiev by the Orthodox Church? A. She was made an apostle. B. She was made the interim pope. C. She was named the first unmarried Queen of Kiev. D. She was made a saint.
5 10 15 Squanto was a member of the Patuxet band of the Wampanoag tribe, which dominated the area in which the colonists eventually settled. He first enters written history in 1614, as one of 20 Patuxet Indians kidnapped by English explorer Thomas Hunt. Hunt carried his captives to Spain, where he sold them into slavery. Squanto, however, was one of a number who were rescued by Spanish friars, and he eventually made his way to England, where he next surfaced in the employ of John Slaney, whose interests extended to exploration in the New World. He sent Squanto along on an expedition to Newfoundland in 1617; there the Indian met explorer Thomas Dermer, with whom he returned to England the following year. 45 50 55 former lands of the Patuxet in November of 1620. The English weakened from their journey, hungry, and ill kept their distance from the Indians during the first winter of their residence; half of the Pilgrims died before spring. The Wampanoag, who had had mixed experiences with Europeans, watched the newcomers with a wary eye. In March, Massasoit sent Squanto and a companion to reassure the English of the friendly intentions of the Indians. As a result, the Wampanoag and the English pledged mutual peace and friendship in a historic treaty. 20 25 30 35 40 Squanto's relation to Slaney and Dermer may have been in the nature of indentured servant; he may have hoped to earn his passage home. In any event, he traveled once again to the New World with Dermer in 1619, coming to rest in the Patuxet region of his birth. In 1617, during Squanto's absence, a great epidemic perhaps the plague swept the Indian populations in the Massachusetts Bay region, and the Patuxet band was particularly hard hit. Squanto returned to find the village of his youth abandoned. He left Captain Dermer to go in search of survivors, but returned to his aid when Dermer ran afoul of hostile Indians. Squanto remained with Dermer until Dermer was mortally wounded in a skirmish with the Pokanoket Wampanoag. Squanto was taken prisoner by the Massasoit, civil chief of the Wampanoag confederation in the wake of the epidemic. It was Massasoit who sent Squanto to the English at Plymouth, Massachusetts, where they had settled on the 31. Which of the following best tells what this passage is about? A. The life of Squanto B. The Indian perspective of the first Thanksgiving C. The role of Squanto in improving Indian-English relations D. The role of disease in harming the native population 32. Squanto travelled to England in 1618 with A. Thomas Hunt B. John Slaney C. Thomas Dermer D. Spanish friars
33. The passage speculates that Squanto may have maintained his relationship with Slaney and Dermer A. To earn his passage home. B. As a slave. C. As a spy for the Patuxet. D. To receive a cure for his diseases. 34. According to the passage, what happened to the Patuxet band? 36. Which best describes the condition of the English during their first spring at Plymouth? A. The English returned to England after finding the land uninhabitable. B. The English were significantly decreased in number. C. The majority of the English were attacked by Indians. D. The English had established a flourishing town during the winter. A. Killed by the Englishmen B. Killed by a disease C. Killed by a rival tribe D. Moved after a disease killed the crop 35. According to the passage, why did Squanto ultimately leave Dermer? A. Dermer returned to England and Squanto stayed in Massachusetts. B. Dermer was killed by the Pokanoket. C. Squanto wished to return to his tribe. D. Squanto was kidnapped by Englishmen.