Which writer, who died of tuberculosis at age 29, also wrote…
Questions
Which writer, whо died оf tuberculоsis аt аge 29, аlso wrote the Naturalist classic Maggie: A Girl of the Streets in addition to the short story we read for class?
Reаding 4 Think yоu knоw hоw to study? Reseаrch suggests thаt much of the common wisdom about good study habits is wrong. For instance, most study skills courses insist that students find a specific place, a study room or a quiet corner of the library, to do their work. Yet in one classic experiment, psychologists found that college students who studied a list of 40 vocabulary words in two different rooms—one windowless and cluttered, the other modern, with a view of a courtyard—did far better on a test than students who studied the words twice, in the same room. Later studies have confirmed the finding, for a variety of topics. Another research finding that goes against accepted wisdom is that it is better to vary the type of material studied in a single sitting than to concentrate on just one skill at a time. For example, in one recent study, researchers taught a group of fourth-graders four equations, each to calculate a different dimension of a prism. Half of the children learned by studying repeated examples of one equation. Then they moved on to the next type of calculation, studying repeated examples of that. The other half studied mixed problem sets, which included examples of all four types of calculations grouped together. A day later, the researchers gave all of the students a test on the material, presenting new problems of the same type. The children who had studied mixed sets outscored the others, 77 percent to 38 percent. Researchers have found the same in experiments involving adults and younger children. These findings undermine the common belief that intensive immersion is the best way to really master a particular skill. Scientists do not deny that honest-to-goodness cramming can lead to a better grade on a given exam. But they liken hurriedly jam-packing a brain to speed-packing a cheap suitcase. As most students quickly learn—it holds its new load for a while; then most everything falls out. On the other hand, when the mental suitcase is packed carefully and gradually, it holds its content for far, far, longer. As dozens of studies have shown, an hour of study one night, an hour on the weekend, another session a week from now: such so-called spacing improves later recall, without requiring students to put in more overall study effort. No one knows for sure why. It may be that the brain has to relearn some of what it has absorbed before adding new stuff—and that that process aids recall. In other words, forgetting is the friend of learning. That’s one reason scientists see practice tests and quizzes as powerful tools of learning, rather than merely assessment. In one experiment, researchers had college students study science passages from a reading comprehension test, in short study periods. When students studied the same material twice, in back-to-back sessions, they did very well on a test given immediately afterward, then began to forget the material. But if they studied the passage just once and did a practice test in the second session, they did very well on one test two days later, and another given a week later. Of course, one reason the thought of testing tightens people’s stomachs is that tests are so often hard. Paradoxically, it is just this difficulty that makes them such effective study tools. None of these techniques—alternating study environments, mixing content, spacing study sessions, self-testing, or all of the above—is guaranteed to turn a grade-A slacker into a grade-A student. But at the very least, the techniques give parents and students a study plan based on evidence, not schoolyard folk wisdom. The author's main purpose is to
Reаding 2 Thоmаs Jeffersоn аnd Jоhn Adams—two signers of the Declaration of Independence who later became presidents of the United States—had an extraordinary, though unlikely, friendship. In many ways, the two men seemed to have little in common. Jefferson, an aristocrat from Virginia, owned slaves. Adams, a member of the middle class from Massachusetts, considered slavery an abomination. Jefferson—quiet and tactful—was generally well liked by his colleagues. Adams—passionate and outspoken—was often unpopular. The two men differed even in physical appearance. Jefferson was tall and slim; Adams was medium height and somewhat stout. Jefferson and Adams had one very important thing in common, however. Each wanted the best for the United States, putting the fledgling country’s well being ahead of his personal desires. The two men served together on some important committees, including the committee to draft the Declaration of Independence. Adams was the first and the strongest advocate of independence from Great Britain. However, he recognized that Jefferson—due to his superior writing ability and his popularity—was the best person to write this significant document. Adams heartily praised the document Jefferson drafted, and persuaded the Continental Congress to approve it with only minor changes. Both men served in President George Washington’s administration. Adams was vice president, and Jefferson was secretary of state. Even so, they often disagreed over political matters. Adams wanted a strong central government, an idea shared by others who eventually formed the Federalist Party. Jefferson supported individual liberty, as did others who formed the Democratic-Republican Party. Adams and Jefferson also disagreed about France, which had helped the United States win the Revolutionary War. Jefferson wanted to help the French in their own fight to govern themselves. Adams, however, was reluctant to involve the newly formed United States in a foreign war. The political rivalry between Jefferson and Adams intensified when they vied for the presidency in 1796. At that time, presidential and vice-presidential candidates did not run as a team. Instead, the candidate receiving the highest number of electoral votes became president; the second-place candidate became vice president. With 71 electoral votes, Adams was elected president. With only three fewer votes, Jefferson became vice president—even though the two men belonged to different political parties. The election of 1800 again pitted Jefferson and Adams against each other. This time, Jefferson defeated Adams by eight electoral votes, a defeat that Adams took bitterly. The two men did not communicate for eleven years. Then in 1812, after Jefferson, too, had retired from public life, Adams decided that he had missed his old friend long enough. He wrote Jefferson a letter, the first of 158 letters in a correspondence that would continue for the rest of their lives. These honest, intelligent men enjoyed sharing their ideas and considering viewpoints other than their own. Although Adams was seven years older than Jefferson, he often predicted that he would outlive his younger rival. When Adams died at ninety years of age, his last words were reported to have been “Thomas Jefferson survives.” In fact, Jefferson had died just a few hours earlier. Both men died on July 4,1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Which sentence best expresses the main idea of Paragraph 3?
Reаding 2 Thоmаs Jeffersоn аnd Jоhn Adams—two signers of the Declaration of Independence who later became presidents of the United States—had an extraordinary, though unlikely, friendship. In many ways, the two men seemed to have little in common. Jefferson, an aristocrat from Virginia, owned slaves. Adams, a member of the middle class from Massachusetts, considered slavery an abomination. Jefferson—quiet and tactful—was generally well liked by his colleagues. Adams—passionate and outspoken—was often unpopular. The two men differed even in physical appearance. Jefferson was tall and slim; Adams was medium height and somewhat stout. Jefferson and Adams had one very important thing in common, however. Each wanted the best for the United States, putting the fledgling country’s well being ahead of his personal desires. The two men served together on some important committees, including the committee to draft the Declaration of Independence. Adams was the first and the strongest advocate of independence from Great Britain. However, he recognized that Jefferson—due to his superior writing ability and his popularity—was the best person to write this significant document. Adams heartily praised the document Jefferson drafted, and persuaded the Continental Congress to approve it with only minor changes. Both men served in President George Washington’s administration. Adams was vice president, and Jefferson was secretary of state. Even so, they often disagreed over political matters. Adams wanted a strong central government, an idea shared by others who eventually formed the Federalist Party. Jefferson supported individual liberty, as did others who formed the Democratic-Republican Party. Adams and Jefferson also disagreed about France, which had helped the United States win the Revolutionary War. Jefferson wanted to help the French in their own fight to govern themselves. Adams, however, was reluctant to involve the newly formed United States in a foreign war. The political rivalry between Jefferson and Adams intensified when they vied for the presidency in 1796. At that time, presidential and vice-presidential candidates did not run as a team. Instead, the candidate receiving the highest number of electoral votes became president; the second-place candidate became vice president. With 71 electoral votes, Adams was elected president. With only three fewer votes, Jefferson became vice president—even though the two men belonged to different political parties. The election of 1800 again pitted Jefferson and Adams against each other. This time, Jefferson defeated Adams by eight electoral votes, a defeat that Adams took bitterly. The two men did not communicate for eleven years. Then in 1812, after Jefferson, too, had retired from public life, Adams decided that he had missed his old friend long enough. He wrote Jefferson a letter, the first of 158 letters in a correspondence that would continue for the rest of their lives. These honest, intelligent men enjoyed sharing their ideas and considering viewpoints other than their own. Although Adams was seven years older than Jefferson, he often predicted that he would outlive his younger rival. When Adams died at ninety years of age, his last words were reported to have been “Thomas Jefferson survives.” In fact, Jefferson had died just a few hours earlier. Both men died on July 4,1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Which sentence best expresses the main idea of this selection?
Reаding 4 Think yоu knоw hоw to study? Reseаrch suggests thаt much of the common wisdom about good study habits is wrong. For instance, most study skills courses insist that students find a specific place, a study room or a quiet corner of the library, to do their work. Yet in one classic experiment, psychologists found that college students who studied a list of 40 vocabulary words in two different rooms—one windowless and cluttered, the other modern, with a view of a courtyard—did far better on a test than students who studied the words twice, in the same room. Later studies have confirmed the finding, for a variety of topics. Another research finding that goes against accepted wisdom is that it is better to vary the type of material studied in a single sitting than to concentrate on just one skill at a time. For example, in one recent study, researchers taught a group of fourth-graders four equations, each to calculate a different dimension of a prism. Half of the children learned by studying repeated examples of one equation. Then they moved on to the next type of calculation, studying repeated examples of that. The other half studied mixed problem sets, which included examples of all four types of calculations grouped together. A day later, the researchers gave all of the students a test on the material, presenting new problems of the same type. The children who had studied mixed sets outscored the others, 77 percent to 38 percent. Researchers have found the same in experiments involving adults and younger children. These findings undermine the common belief that intensive immersion is the best way to really master a particular skill. Scientists do not deny that honest-to-goodness cramming can lead to a better grade on a given exam. But they liken hurriedly jam-packing a brain to speed-packing a cheap suitcase. As most students quickly learn—it holds its new load for a while; then most everything falls out. On the other hand, when the mental suitcase is packed carefully and gradually, it holds its content for far, far, longer. As dozens of studies have shown, an hour of study one night, an hour on the weekend, another session a week from now: such so-called spacing improves later recall, without requiring students to put in more overall study effort. No one knows for sure why. It may be that the brain has to relearn some of what it has absorbed before adding new stuff—and that that process aids recall. In other words, forgetting is the friend of learning. That’s one reason scientists see practice tests and quizzes as powerful tools of learning, rather than merely assessment. In one experiment, researchers had college students study science passages from a reading comprehension test, in short study periods. When students studied the same material twice, in back-to-back sessions, they did very well on a test given immediately afterward, then began to forget the material. But if they studied the passage just once and did a practice test in the second session, they did very well on one test two days later, and another given a week later. Of course, one reason the thought of testing tightens people’s stomachs is that tests are so often hard. Paradoxically, it is just this difficulty that makes them such effective study tools. None of these techniques—alternating study environments, mixing content, spacing study sessions, self-testing, or all of the above—is guaranteed to turn a grade-A slacker into a grade-A student. But at the very least, the techniques give parents and students a study plan based on evidence, not schoolyard folk wisdom. In the excerpt below, the word immersion means “The children who had studied mixed sets outscored the others . . . . These findings undermine the common belief that intensive immersion is the best way to really master a particular skill.”(Paragraph 2)