Author: Anonymous

Modern, large-scale farming can do all of the following EXCEPT:

PASSAGE 2: Read this passage to answer questions 13-17. Sunscreen [A] From broad-brimmed hats to UV-blocking sunglasses, people are always looking for ways to protect themselves from too much sun. A little bit of sun exposure is necessary for our health, but too much can lead to deadly cancer. So how much is too much? A new product on the market, L’Oreal’s UV Sense, has been designed to help answer this question. [B] L’Oreal’s UV Sense is a skin sensor that detects UV rays. It is considered preventative “skintech” – a device worn on the skin to help prevent health risks, such as skin cancer. It does not block the sun physically, like sunscreen does, but it helps its wearer know how much UV light he or she is exposed to. [C] The sensor is housed in a small sticker that can fit on a person’s thumbnail. Style-conscious wearers can choose from over 50 sticker designs. They place the sticker on a pair of favorite sunglasses, a watch, or anywhere else that will receive direct sunlight. As the wearer walks to the mail box, lies out on the beach, or sits in rush-hour traffic, the device collects data on how much sun the wearer is being exposed to. The device delivers this data to the wearer’s smartphone, and alerts him or her when the level of UV rays is dangerously high. This information prompts the wearer to seek shade or apply more sunscreen. [D] This product differs from other wearable devices in that it is meant to be used for a short period of time until wearers learn which situations cause them to get the most UV rays. Wearers use the sticker for about two weeks and then disposes of it. The expectation is that wearers will become more aware of their sun exposure and change their habits or lifestyle accordingly. This means consumers can benefit from an inexpensive product, since longer-lasting ones cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. [E] So why would a cosmetic company like L’Oreal invest in technology that consumers will only use once or twice? The cosmetic giant understands that wearable devices are the latest trend on the market. They also understand how concerned consumers are about the rise of skin cancer. In response to their market research, L’Oreal wants to take the lead before other skincare companies develop similar products. The quest for developing preventative skintech has just begun and will most likely never end. QUESTION:  What does cosmetic giant in paragraph E refer to?

) Which of the following statements about Type 1 diabetes is correct?

PASSAGE 2: Read this passage to answer questions 7-12. Magic Mountain [A] It is fair to say that mountains have always played a special role in many societies. Before the discovery of antibiotics,1 Europeans used to seek the mountain air as a remedy for tuberculosis – a deadly lung disease. Furthermore, before the age of airplanes and space flight, the summits of the world’s great mountains were the highest places that humans could physically reach. High above the world of humans, the peaks of mountains were considered by many people to be the gateway between heaven and earth. In many places, the belief that mountains are sacred places fit for the gods still holds true. [B] One such place is Mount Kinabalu, located in the Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo. For locals and visitors alike, Mount Kinabalu is an impressive natural wonder, standing at 4,095 meters. This makes it the tallest mountain on Borneo as well as one of the tallest in the Southeast Asian region. [C] Estimated to be 15 million years old, the mountain plays a massive role in the daily lives of Sabah’s indigenous2 groups. This is especially true for one local tribe, the Kadazan-Dusun. The people of this tribe have lived and farmed at the base of the great mountain for several centuries. Due to the plentiful natural resources in the surrounding areas, Mount Kinabalu has been considered a provider, whose gifts have served as the foundation for the locals’ livelihoods. [D] Beyond these practical reasons, the mountain is also deeply respected for the fact that it is central to the religious beliefs of the Kadazan-Dusun. For locals, Mount Kinabalu stands as a monument created by two gods, Kinohiringan and Umusumundu, who erected the mountain once the job of creating the world was complete. Because Mount Kinabalu represents a connection between the sacred and human worlds, members of the Kadazan-Dusun community have traditionally been buried at the foot of the mountain after their death. According to local belief, after dying, the souls of the dead will engage in a long journey to the top of the mountain. This is aided by the funeral rituals performed by living relatives and friends. Upon reaching the peak, they will wait for the gods to make their decision about entrance into libabou – the Kadazan-Dusun equivalent of heaven. [E] Since the mountain is understood as part of the journey from human existence to the afterlife, appreciation for the mountain is directly connected to appreciation for the gods. For locals, any disrespect shown to the mountain could lead to trouble for members of the community. Indeed, after an earthquake violently shook the mountain and its surrounding areas, many locals blamed the natural disaster on a group of foreign tourists who had taken off their clothes on the top of the mountain. As a result of such deeply held beliefs, travel agencies and tour guides provide foreign mountain climbers with not only safety information, but also instructions on proper etiquette. Smoking, littering, shouting, and cursing3 are all prohibited on the mountain. When combined with the traditional practices of the locals, such care ensures that Mount Kinabalu remains one of the world’s most special mountains. 1 Antibiotics are medicines that fight bacterial infections. 2 Indigenous refers to people or things that are originally in a particular place. 3 Cursing means using bad language. QUESTION:  Why are people of the Kadazan-Dusun tribe buried at the base of Mount Kinabalu after death?

INFOGRAPHIC: Questions 23-26 DIRECTIONS: Look at the infographic and choose the best answer for each question. QUESTIONS: About how many international students chose to study engineering in the U.S. in 2014? 

Picture this: a herd of elephants flies past you at sixty miles per hour, followed by a streak of tigers, a pride of lions, and a bunch of clowns. What do you see? It must be a circus train! One of the first uses of the circus train is credited to W.C. Coup. He partnered with P.T. Barnum in 1871 to expand the reach of their newly combined shows using locomotives. That’s another word for train. You see, before trains, moving the circus was hard. They had to lug around all their animals, performers, and equipment with a team of more than 600 horses. Since there were no highways, these voyages were rough and took a long time. Circuses would stop at many small towns between the large venues. Performing at many of these small towns was not very profitable. Because of these limitations, circuses could not grow as large as the imaginations of the operators. After they began using circus trains, Barnum and Coup only brought their show to large cities. These performances were much more profitable and the profits went toward creating an even bigger and better circus. More stages or “rings” were added and the show went on. Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus relied on the train to transport their astounding show until they went defunct in 2017. Which BELONGS in a summary of the text? W.C. Coup partnered with P.T. Barnum in 1871. Some circuses used to have more than 600 horses. Trains made circuses more profitable. Elephants travel on a circus train too. Which DOES NOT BELONG in a summary of the text? Trains made it easier for circuses to travel. W.C. Coup is credited as one of the first to use a circus train. Circuses made more money using trains. Circuses grew larger by making more money. Which best describes that MAIN IDEA of the text? Small towns are not a great place to bring your circus. P.T. Barnum was a magnificent showman. Moving a circus to another town is fast and easy. Circuses grew larger because of trains.

DIRECTIONS: Match each underlined word with a word with the same meaning.  Write that word in the blank. a. associated with e. inevitable b. automatic f. summit c. detect g. grasp d. external h. signal . Recent data provide a clear sign that sea levels are rising. [1] The rumors of bankruptcy came from outside sources and not from within the company. [2] The car wash has a self-activating function and activate once you drive in. [3] He could not hold onto the branch and fell from the tree. [4] Geologists have gathered enough data to predict that a major earthquake in southern California is certain to happen. [5] The sensors can sense the slightest movement, and the lights will turn on by themselves. [6] It took four hours to get to the top of the mountain. [7] There is evidence that lung cancer is connected to smoking. [8]

PASSAGE 1: Read this passage to answer questions 2-11. The State of Sleep Deprivation in America [A] If you’re able to pause between sips of coffee and keep your eyes open long enough to read this message, please pay attention. You need to start regularly getting an adequate night’s sleep. Not enough rest is bad for your health, and may even lead to deadly consequences. [B] The Mayo Clinic, one of the U.S.’s most prestigious medical institutions, recommends that adults get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. However, a lot of Americans disregard that advice. A 2009 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 35 percent of Americans typically got less than seven hours of sleep a night. [C] Sleep is really important for maintaining our overall health. During deep sleep, growth hormones are released in children and young adults. Cells use the downtime to repair themselves from damage caused by stress and exposure to ultraviolet rays. The break seems especially crucial for the brain, whose nerve cells, or neurons, can become so energy-depleted and polluted with waste products from normal cellular activity that they may begin to malfunction if you stay awake. [D] While we don’t generally think of sleep deprivation as a massive public health problem, medical research suggests that inadequate sleep plays a factor in a surprising array of problems. Here are a few of the more serious ones: [E] Obesity: Studies show that the less you sleep, the greater the likelihood that you’ll pack on the pounds. In one study, subjects in their twenties who got less than six hours of sleep each night were 7.5 times likely to have a higher body mass index than people who got adequate sleep, even when family history, the amount of exercise, and other factors were accounted for. Studies suggest that not getting enough sleep can contribute to lower levels of leptin, a hormone that controls appetite, and higher levels of ghrelin, which tends to make you feel hungrier. [F] Diabetes: A 2005 study found that middle-aged and older adults who got six hours of sleep each night were 1.7 times more likely to develop diabetes, and those who got five hours or less were 2.5 times as likely. [G] Cardiovascular disease and hypertension: A 2011 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association reported that people who suffered from insomnia had between a 27 and 45 percent increased risk of having a heart attack in which a part of the heart muscle becomes blocked and can’t get oxygen. Another study, published in 2013 in the European Heart Journal, found that chronic insomniacs had three times the risk of heart failure in which the heart is so weakened that it can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. A study published in the journal Stroke in 2014 reported that people who suffered from insomnia also had a 54 percent higher chance of being hospitalized for a stroke over a four-year period. [H] Immune system: According to the Mayo Clinic, sleep deprivation can contribute to decreased production of proteins called cytokines, which your body needs when you have an infection or inflammation, and also hinders infection-fighting antibodies and cells. A study published in 2012 in the journal Sleep reported that subjects who got less than six hours of sleep were 11.5 percent less likely to get protection from a hepatitis B vaccination than others who slept seven or more hours. [I] These four conditions may result in a shortened life span. In a study published in 2010 in the journal Sleep, researchers reported that over a 14-year period, men who complained of chronic insomnia and routinely slept for less than six hours a night were four times more likely to die. [J] But the conclusion of all this is that you need to make a habit of getting a good night’s sleep to avoid potentially serious health problems. Or, to look at it in a more positive way, if you get adequate rest, your body and mind are going to work and feel better. QUESTION:  In paragraph E, what does pack on the pounds mean?

PASSAGE 2: Read this passage to answer questions 7-12. Magic Mountain [A] It is fair to say that mountains have always played a special role in many societies. Before the discovery of antibiotics,1 Europeans used to seek the mountain air as a remedy for tuberculosis – a deadly lung disease. Furthermore, before the age of airplanes and space flight, the summits of the world’s great mountains were the highest places that humans could physically reach. High above the world of humans, the peaks of mountains were considered by many people to be the gateway between heaven and earth. In many places, the belief that mountains are sacred places fit for the gods still holds true. [B] One such place is Mount Kinabalu, located in the Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo. For locals and visitors alike, Mount Kinabalu is an impressive natural wonder, standing at 4,095 meters. This makes it the tallest mountain on Borneo as well as one of the tallest in the Southeast Asian region. [C] Estimated to be 15 million years old, the mountain plays a massive role in the daily lives of Sabah’s indigenous2 groups. This is especially true for one local tribe, the Kadazan-Dusun. The people of this tribe have lived and farmed at the base of the great mountain for several centuries. Due to the plentiful natural resources in the surrounding areas, Mount Kinabalu has been considered a provider, whose gifts have served as the foundation for the locals’ livelihoods. [D] Beyond these practical reasons, the mountain is also deeply respected for the fact that it is central to the religious beliefs of the Kadazan-Dusun. For locals, Mount Kinabalu stands as a monument created by two gods, Kinohiringan and Umusumundu, who erected the mountain once the job of creating the world was complete. Because Mount Kinabalu represents a connection between the sacred and human worlds, members of the Kadazan-Dusun community have traditionally been buried at the foot of the mountain after their death. According to local belief, after dying, the souls of the dead will engage in a long journey to the top of the mountain. This is aided by the funeral rituals performed by living relatives and friends. Upon reaching the peak, they will wait for the gods to make their decision about entrance into libabou – the Kadazan-Dusun equivalent of heaven. [E] Since the mountain is understood as part of the journey from human existence to the afterlife, appreciation for the mountain is directly connected to appreciation for the gods. For locals, any disrespect shown to the mountain could lead to trouble for members of the community. Indeed, after an earthquake violently shook the mountain and its surrounding areas, many locals blamed the natural disaster on a group of foreign tourists who had taken off their clothes on the top of the mountain. As a result of such deeply held beliefs, travel agencies and tour guides provide foreign mountain climbers with not only safety information, but also instructions on proper etiquette. Smoking, littering, shouting, and cursing3 are all prohibited on the mountain. When combined with the traditional practices of the locals, such care ensures that Mount Kinabalu remains one of the world’s most special mountains. 1 Antibiotics are medicines that fight bacterial infections. 2 Indigenous refers to people or things that are originally in a particular place. 3 Cursing means using bad language. QUESTION:  What does the author imply in the last sentence of the passage?

PASSAGE 2: Read this passage to answer questions 7-12. Magic Mountain [A] It is fair to say that mountains have always played a special role in many societies. Before the discovery of antibiotics,1 Europeans used to seek the mountain air as a remedy for tuberculosis – a deadly lung disease. Furthermore, before the age of airplanes and space flight, the summits of the world’s great mountains were the highest places that humans could physically reach. High above the world of humans, the peaks of mountains were considered by many people to be the gateway between heaven and earth. In many places, the belief that mountains are sacred places fit for the gods still holds true. [B] One such place is Mount Kinabalu, located in the Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo. For locals and visitors alike, Mount Kinabalu is an impressive natural wonder, standing at 4,095 meters. This makes it the tallest mountain on Borneo as well as one of the tallest in the Southeast Asian region. [C] Estimated to be 15 million years old, the mountain plays a massive role in the daily lives of Sabah’s indigenous2 groups. This is especially true for one local tribe, the Kadazan-Dusun. The people of this tribe have lived and farmed at the base of the great mountain for several centuries. Due to the plentiful natural resources in the surrounding areas, Mount Kinabalu has been considered a provider, whose gifts have served as the foundation for the locals’ livelihoods. [D] Beyond these practical reasons, the mountain is also deeply respected for the fact that it is central to the religious beliefs of the Kadazan-Dusun. For locals, Mount Kinabalu stands as a monument created by two gods, Kinohiringan and Umusumundu, who erected the mountain once the job of creating the world was complete. Because Mount Kinabalu represents a connection between the sacred and human worlds, members of the Kadazan-Dusun community have traditionally been buried at the foot of the mountain after their death. According to local belief, after dying, the souls of the dead will engage in a long journey to the top of the mountain. This is aided by the funeral rituals performed by living relatives and friends. Upon reaching the peak, they will wait for the gods to make their decision about entrance into libabou – the Kadazan-Dusun equivalent of heaven. [E] Since the mountain is understood as part of the journey from human existence to the afterlife, appreciation for the mountain is directly connected to appreciation for the gods. For locals, any disrespect shown to the mountain could lead to trouble for members of the community. Indeed, after an earthquake violently shook the mountain and its surrounding areas, many locals blamed the natural disaster on a group of foreign tourists who had taken off their clothes on the top of the mountain. As a result of such deeply held beliefs, travel agencies and tour guides provide foreign mountain climbers with not only safety information, but also instructions on proper etiquette. Smoking, littering, shouting, and cursing3 are all prohibited on the mountain. When combined with the traditional practices of the locals, such care ensures that Mount Kinabalu remains one of the world’s most special mountains. 1 Antibiotics are medicines that fight bacterial infections. 2 Indigenous refers to people or things that are originally in a particular place. 3 Cursing means using bad language. QUESTION: What is this passage mainly about?