Positive Lightning (Reading)

Click the link below for the reading passage:

Positive Lightning

1) From paragraph 1, line 12, which of the following words is closest in meaning to "vicinity"?

A) weather
B) area
C) aircraft
D) sky


2) From prargraph 2, line 6, what does "them" refer to?

A) witnesses
B) parachutes
C) student and instructor
D) fragments


3) From paragraph 3, which of the following sentences best restates: "The vast vertical energy transfers involved in storm cell formation cause a strong negative charge to develop at the bottom of the cloud, which in turn attracts a positive charge on the ground underneath"?

A) The negative charge at the bottom of the cloud is the result of energy transfer with in the cloud and between the cloud and the positively charged earth below.
B) Because the ground is positively charged and the cloud base is negatively charged, there is a large transfer of energy in the storm cell.
C) The positively charged ground is attracted by the negatively charged cloud base because of the enormous energy transfers that occur when a storm develops.
D) The positive charge on the ground and the negative charge at the cloud base are a product of the large energy transfers that occur during storm development.


4) From paragraph 4, all of the following statements about negative lightning is true?

A) Negative lightning almost always strikes people and airplanes with detrimental results.
B) When negative lightning hits an airplane it is typically rerouted harmlessly to surfaces that cannot transfer electricity.
C) The low current of the lightning is what makes it less dangerous.
D) People are often struck by lightning more than once.


5) From paragraph 4, line 4, which of the following words is closest in meaning to "documented"?

A) recorded
B) filed
C) understood
D) referenced


6) Considering the material used in the construction of the Dunstable glider did not sufficiently demystify:

A) The hollow piece of metal forced into a solid bar.
B) The explosive delamination.
C) The extreme temperature experienced by a conducting bolt.
D) The shock waves that destroyed the glider.


7) Which of the following is NOT a difference between positive and negative lightning?

A) Negative lightning is more common but less powerful than positive lightning.
B) Negative lightning strikes the positively charged ground below the storm, while positive lightning strikes a negatively charged object away from the storm.
C) With positive lightning, the positive charge at the top of the cloud is balanced by a negative charge at the base, but with negative lightning, the negative charge at the top of the cloud is balanced by a positive charge below.
D) Negative lightning has been well-known to researchers for a number of years, while positive lighting is only just being studied in depth now.


8) From paragraph 6, line 5, which of the following words is closest in meaning to "immediately"?

A) presently
B) instantly
C) directly
D) precisely


9) Why does the author mention "sprites, jets and ELVES" in paragraph 9?

A) To give an example of something that astronauts discovered.
B) To illustrate phenomena that a study of positive lightning might shed light on.
C) To give an example of bizarre forms of high altitude lightning.
D) To summarize one of the main points of the passage.


10) From paragraph 9, what can be inferred about "high altitude lightning"?

A) It cannot be easily studied from the ground.
B) Astronauts were first sent to study it.
C) It's energy will likely be used as a power source one day.
D) It is a negative result of positive lightning.


11) Select three sentences that best summarize the passage.

A) The Dunstable glider drew attention to the phenomenon of positive lightning as a result of its crash.

B) Negative lightning is less powerful than positive lightning.

C) Positive lightning has the potential to help scientists learn more about the weather and may contribute to future advances.

D) Positive lightning is different to negative lightning in several significant ways.

E) Scientists had difficulty understanding how the metal rod from the glider got crushed.

F) Modern airplanes have never damaged by either type of lightning.