The Soldier Who Wouldn't Quit (Reading)

Click the link below for the reading passage:

The Soldier Who Wouldn't Quit

1) According to the first paragraph, which of the following is true?

A) Onoda was involved in open combat in the Philippines.
B) Onoda frequently disobeyed his commanding officer.
C) Onoda was permitted to surrender under certain circumstances.
D) Onoda's commanding officer made a promise that he couldn't keep.


2) All of the following are true EXCEPT:

A) The soldiers survived by carefully dividing their food.
B) A number attempts to convince the soldiers that the war was over failed.
C) The soldiers were involved in small battles and sometimes destroyed equipment in the area.
D) The villagers sometimes offered food to the soldiers but were still not trusted.

3) According to paragraphs 5, 6 and 7, which of the following is true:

A) One of the soldiers was killed by a fisherman.
B) One of the soldiers was killed by a farmer.
C) The soldiers believed that they would be able to take back the island for the Japanese army.
D) The soldiers burned some rice because they believed that it would disrupt the Allie's war infrastructure.

4) From paragraph 8, the sentence: "It was concluded that since Kozuka had survived all those years, then it was likely that Lt. Onoda was still alive, though he had been declared legally dead about thirteen years earlier," can be restated as:

A) Because Kozuka was still alive, Onoda was also probably alive even though officially, he was assumed dead.
B) In spite of being announced dead, Kozuka was likely still alive with Onoda on the island.
C) Because Kozuka had been declared dead, many people had reason to believe that Onoda was still alive.
D) It was concluded that Onoda was alive, despite being assumed dead some years earlier, because Kozuka had been able to survive.

5) In the last line of paragraph 11, the word "pardon" is closest in meaning to:

A) Excuse
B) Forgiveness
C) Sorry
D) Trial


6) In line 3 of paragraph 12, the word "memoir" is closest in meaning to:

A) History
B) Non-Fiction
C) Autobiography
D) Novel

Chronic Pain (Listening)

1) What is main topic of the lecture?

A) The issue of ongoing pain and how it can be managed.
B) What chronic pain feels like.
C) Effective ways of managing children's hospitals.
D) Different ways that people deal with pain.


2) Why does the speaker use a feather and a blowtorch as part of his lecture?

A) To introduce a problem that many patients have with feathers.
B) To help him illustrate a symptom of the problem he discusses in the lecture.
C) To explain that pain from injuries such as sprains can be managed with the gentle touch of something soft like a feather.
D) To explain two different types of injuries that he treats.


3) At 03:22, the speaker says, "How can the nervous system get this so wrong? How can the nervous system misinterpret an innocent sensation like the touch of a hand and turn it into the malevolent sensation of the touch of the flame?" Why does he say this?

A) He thinks that his patient's body has an unusual nervous system.
B) He is illustrating the fact that even doctors don't understand why these problems happen.
C) He wants the audience to speculate about the answers.
D) He intends to explain how a problem with the nervous system can occur.


4) Which of the following statements is true about way the body's nervous system deals with pain? (2 answers)

A) The nervous system is arranged in a similar way to wires in a house.
B) Nerves communicate to each other one by one from the source of pain all the way up to the brain.
C) Neurotransmitter chemicals interact with non-nerve cells.
D) A feedback loop in the nervous system creates chronic pain.


5) Which of the following is NOT an effective treatment for chronic pain?

A) Physical therapy
B) Local anesthetics
C) Painkillers
D) Psychotherapy


6) Why is the lecturer optimistic about the future?

A) Because he does not believe he will have to deal with chronic pain when he is older.
B) Because he expects even better treatments to deal with pain.
C) Because he believes that in the future people will not feel pain.
D) Because he successfully treated his patient.

Arab Spring (Listening)

1) At the beginning of the lecture, the speaker says, "My talk today is about something maybe a couple of you have already heard about. It's called the Arab Spring. Anyone heard of it?"

Why does she say, "Anyone heard of it"?

A) She thinks her audience will be unfamiliar with the topic.
B) She doesn't know if the audience can hear her well.
C) She is joking with the audience.
D) She thinks the audience will not understand the topic.


2) What is the lecture mainly about?

A) The reasons for and ramifications of Middle Eastern revolutions.
B) The goals of the Arab middle class and their influence on the economy.
C) Poverty's effect on politics in Muslim societies.
D) Data supporting theories of the causes of revolutions around the world.


3) The speaker believes that a key cause of the Egyptian revolution was:

A) the desperation of fruit vendors.
B) the disparity between the population's expectations and experience.
C) unemployment and poverty caused by years of economic mismanagement.
D) the unequal distribution of wealth in the country.


4) Which of the following can be inferred about the Egyptian government?

A) It has strict control over its population.
B) Until recently it was unconcerned about public opinion.
C) Its leaders are as optimistic about the future as its citizens.
D) It has not changed significantly in the last 5 years.


5) Which of the following is NOT a factor that influences men's support for women's rights in the Middle East?

A) Their country's Human Development Index
B) Their education levels
C) Their country's level of secularization
D) Their employment rate


6) The lecturer's opinion about the future of Egypt is most likely:

A) Somewhat pessimistic
B) Extremely apathetic
C) Mostly ambivalent
D) Cautiously optimistic

Communicating with the Future (Reading)

Click the link below for the reading passage:

Communicating with the Future

1) According to paragraph 1, the radiation warning symbol:

A) looks like a harmless object to most people.
B) may change in the future.
C) may one day not adequately explain the danger.
D) is an essential danger symbol for the future.


2) The author mention "early humans" in line 1 or paragraph 3 to:

A) explain the difference between modern humans and prehistoric ones.
B) illustrate how much we have developed as a species.
C) show that manmade objects can last for millennia.
D) explain the vast cultural changes that can occur in thousands of years.


3) The message on the waste facility must be comprehensible to anyone because future civilizations:

A) may have technology comparable to our own.
B) will likely have a different economic structure.
C) will be more advanced than we are.
D) could be quite different from us in several ways.


4) Which of the following words is closest in meaning to "comprised of" (paragraph 5, line 4)?

A) constituting
B) collected
C) developed
D) discussing


5) Which of the following is NOT a reason that the facility might be opened in the future?

A) a search for ancient artifacts
B) climate manipulation
C) mining operations
D) human burial


6) Which of the following words is closest in meaning to "sprang" (paragraph 7, line 1)?

A) escaped
B) materialized
C) distributed
D) jumped


7) From paragraph 7 line 9, what does the word "they" refer to?

A) humans
B) panel members
C) materials
D) discoverers


8) What can be inferred about future generations from paragraph 9?

A) Their language may not yet exist.
B) They will not be able to uncover the radioactive material at the site.
C) They will have difficulty understanding the basic information left behind.
D) They may try to change the message on the main wall.


9) The sentence "Still others advised against erecting any warning monuments at all, worrying that the markers themselves– if not properly interpreted– may rouse the curiosity of their discoverers enough that they might explore further, to disastrous ends," (paragraph 11) can best be restated as:

A) People are more likely to investigate the site if there are markers so they should make sure any monuments can be properly understood.
B) Some people believe it would be better to avoid constructing any monuments since humans may excavate the site to satisfy their curiosity.
C) It has been suggested that the markers may not be properly interpreted and therefore nothing should be placed above the site.
D) It seems likely that future civilizations will end in disaster if they explore the site due to misleading markings, so it would be better if the site was vacant.


10) Choose three sentences that best summarize the passage.

A) Researchers are developing a number of strategies to communicate with future generations.

B) The US Department of Energy is developing a nuclear waste storage facility that needs to remain closed for thousands of years.

C) It is inevitable that future generations will attempt to open the waste facility.

D) Future societies will likely have quite different technology to our own.

E) At the moment, researchers are considering a variety of ideas, including a massive landscape of thorns or perhaps an arrangement of black blocks.

F) It is essential the danger of the site is communicated clearly into the distant future.

Pre-conditions (Listening)

1) What does the lecturer mainly discuss?

A) What baseball statistics can tell us about our medical system.
B) The failures of the medical system that can be attributed to poor management.
C) The inaccuracy in predictions of people's medical futures.
D) Medicine in baseball and its applications to some current health care issues.


2) At 2:25, the speaker says, "I have a name for all of these conditions, and it's another precondition. I call them preposterous." Why does he say this?

A) He thinks that most of these conditions are unreasonably diagnosed.
B) He is not interested in studying these conditions.
C) He is emphasizing the need to study these conditions further.
D) He believes all of the conditions can be grouped together in one medical category.


3) What is the speakers opinion of many of the treatments available for preconditions?

A) They are somewhat effective.
B) They are extremely important.
C) They are somewhat ineffective.
D) They often do more harm than good.


4) According to the lecture, which of the following are examples of reason that the current healthcare system focuses on "preconditions"? (choose two options)?

A) Pharmaceutical companies want to keep their customers happy.
B) Patients want an easy solution to their medical problems.
C) Doctors are worried about legal action being taken against them.
D) Money can be saved by catching the illnesses early.


5) Why was the speaker happy with his doctor's advice?

A) The doctor told him he was healthy.
B) The doctor did not talk about his health in terms of preconditions.
C) The doctor took the time to explain the dangers of pre-obesity.
D) The doctor told him he was overweight.

Pig Parts (Listening)

1) What is the main topic of the lecture?

A) Agricultural exports around Europe.
B) The uses of an agricultural product.
C) The reasons many people don't eat pork.
D) Uses for pig parts in the Netherlands.


2) At 00:56, the speaker says, "historically, the whole pig would be used up until the last bit so nothing would be wasted -- and I was curious to find out if this was actually still the case."

Why does she say, "I was curious to find out if this was actually still the case."

A) She wanted to know if parts of the pig are wasted because it is part of a legal case.
B) She wanted to know more about the history of the pig in agriculture.
C) She wanted to know if people in the past also used the entire pig.
D) She wanted to know if there are any similarities between the past and present.


3) Why does the speaker discuss portion control steaks?

A) Because a large section of her book is devoted to meat.
B) Because she discovered that industrial beef producers were actually selling pork steaks instead of beef steaks.
C) Because she thinks that the portion control steaks are unusual.
D) Because they are one of the main uses of pork.


4) Why does the speaker believe her research is important?

A) She thinks that without knowing what is in products, we can't improve the production process.
B) She believes pigs should be treated better.
C) She thinks that people need to know what is in products so they can decide whether or not to purchase them.
D) She believes it will help the Dutch government make better economic decisions.


5) How does the speaker organize most of her lecture?

A) By moving chronologically through the life of a pig.
B) By discussing specific pig parts and their uses.
C) By discussing the average person's day in relation to pig products.
D) By explaining different theories developed in her research.

Revealing the Lost Codex of Archimedes (Listening)

1) The lecturer primarily speaks about

A) the content of Johannes Myronas's prayer book.
B) the decoding of a book written by Archimedes.
C) the process of reconstructing ancient manuscripts.
D) the destruction of three important books about Archimedes.


2) Why was the damaged book bought by a private collector?

A) He hoped to sell it in the future for more money.
B) He was a researcher who studied ancient Greek texts.
C) He wished to provide free access to the text.
D) He believed he could use it to promote the Greek language.


3) What problems did the book preservationists encounter? (Choose two options)

A) Some of the glue on the book was challenging to remove.
B) They were unable to use imaging technology to view the pages.
C) The researchers had to put fragments of pages back together.
D) Wax on the pages was damaging the text.


4) The lecturer mentions a particle accelerator in the lecture because

A) Archimedes developed some theories in physics that they wanted to test.
B) they needed the technology at the facility to see through the gold leaf.
C) the book had pages that could not be viewed using x-rays.
D) the accelerator showed too powerful and damaged to book further.


5) What is probably true of other books similarly old books?

A) They are often kept in libraries around the world rather than in private collections.
B) They are typically not as well preserved as the one discussed.
C) They don't commonly have religious significance.
D) They are usually not constructed from the pages multiple ancient Greek texts.


6) What is the professor's opinion data preservation?

A) He believes copyright protection is extremely important to the future.
B) He thinks that as much information as possible should be made freely available.
C) He distrusts large libraries with strict rules about their data.
D) He feel that to preserve data, you need to keep it carefully locked away.

The Torn Identity (Reading)

 Click on the link below for the reading passage:

The Torn Identity

1) From paragraph 1 line 4, which of the following words is closest in meaning to "aftermath"?

A) consequences
B) disaster
C) destitution
D) ambivalence

2) From paragraph 1, the sentence "In the aftermath of destroyed documents and burned paper trails, a long-running scheme of coordinated immigration fraud emerged that reunited families across the Pacific and opened doors to thousands of overseas laborers," can be best restated as:

A) Because Chinese families wanted to be reunited and laborers wanted to migrate to the USA, organized immigration fraud developed.
B) A system of immigration fraud developed in the wake of the disaster.
C) Without the earthquake, many Chinese families would never have been reunited and the immigration doors would have been closed to laborers.
D) After the earthquake's destruction, families were brought back together and laborers streamed into the country with the help of a system of immigration fraud.


3) What can be inferred about the Chinese Exclusion Act from paragraph 2?

A) It resulted in many more Chinese immigrants to the United States.
B) It was the result of racism from working class Americans.
C) It prevented Chinese-Americans from working in California.
D) It was criticized by labour unions in the United States.


4) From paragraph 3 line 8, what does the word "them" refer to?

A) records
B) immigration officials
C) laborers
D) ashes


5) Immigration officials trusted Chinese laborers' who claimed to be American because:

A) the laborers were respected by the government for helping to build the railroad.
B) there was no way to prove or disprove the claims.
C) with the government offices damaged, it was difficult for the officials to make good decisions.
D) they wanted the laborers to be able to import their families.


6) Which of the following is NOT true about "paper families"?

A) They were part of an illegal industry that helped Chinese people immigrate to the United States.
B) It was more common to sneak men into the country than women.
C) Because the documents were hastily made, sometimes the information was false.
D) Paper family members had to carefully memorize their life histories.


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

A) reorganization
B) subtlety
C) development
D) inconsistency


8) Choose three sentences that best summarize the passage.

A) There was an official ban on Chinese immigrants in the late 19th century with the exception of family members of US-born citizens.

B) Paper daughters were less common than paper sons or fathers.

C) The immigration officials questioned arriving Chinese people about the details of their identities for hours or even days.

D) For paper families, passing the immigration test was only the beginning of a series or trying ordeals.

E) Following the destruction left behind by the earthquake, a number of Chinese residents reported that their records were burnt and were granted citizenship.

F) After the earthquake in California, workers became worried about the influx of Chinese immigrants.

Experiments That Hint of Longer Lives (Listening)

1) What is the lecture mainly about?

A) The reason that different animals have different life-spans.
B) Researchers have found a way to make the C. elegans worm live longer.
C) Implications of her research for humans.
D) The genetics of life-spans.

2) At 03:15, the lecturer says, "But it's really more like this: let's say you're a 30 year-old guy -- or in your 30s -- and you're a bachelor and you're dating people. And you meet someone you really like, you get to know her. And you're in a restaurant, and you say, "Well how old are you?" She says, "I'm 60." That's what it's like. And you would never know. You would never know, until she told you."

Why does she say, "But it's really more like this"?

A) She is making a joke for the audience.
B) She is explaining what dating will be like in the future.
C) She is clarifying a common misconception.
D) She is explaining one of the steps in the experiment.


3) What can be inferred from the lecture?

A) Worms, flies, mice and people share a common gene.
B) Gene mutation in the studies harmed the animals.
C) The lecturer does not believe all animals can be affected by gene mutation.
D) She believes that quality of life may decrease when life-span increases.

4) Why is the speaker optimistic?

A) There is already a drug available for people that helps them live longer.
B) She believes that she will live longer because of her research.
C) She is excited about the ability to extend the lives of animals.
D) She believes that she can now help elderly people resist diseases better.

5) Mark True or False beside each of the following statements about the daf-2 gene:
- A daf-2 mutation can cause slower aging in people.
- Mutation of the daf-2 gene has quite different results in different animals.
- A mutated daf-2 gene causes defects in the cells of the animal.
- A daf-2 mutation can result in lower risk of age-related diseases.

Detectable Civilizations - The Drake Equation (Listening)

 1) What is the main goal of the lecture?

A) To explain ways to detect other civilizations.
B) To determine whether or not life exists elsewhere our galaxy.
C) To find out how many other civilizations have technology like ours.
D) To suggest a way to guess how many other civilizations there are in the galaxy.


2) According to the lecturer, what are some possible reasons that a civilization might NOT be detectable? (select 2 answers)

A) Because there is no life on their planet.
B) Because they aren't advanced enough to use technology like ours.
C) Because they have different ways to communicate.
D) Because their planet is too far away.


3) At 3:06 the lecturer says, "I like to start with the number of stars in our solar system. So, let's just start with, I will call it, N*, and this is the number of stars. . . number of stars not in our solar system, the number of stars in the galaxy."

Why does he say, "number of stars not in our solar system, the number of stars in the galaxy."

A) Because he thinks the solar system is too small to use with the Drake Equation.
B) Because he needs to correct a error he made.
C) Because he wants to emphasize the difference between the solar system and the galaxy.
D) Because he needs to correct a mistake made in the original Drake Equation.


4) Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an important factor to consider when thinking about whether a planet is life-sustaining?

A) Distance from the star.
B) Temperature.
C) Size of the star.
D) Presence of water.


5) In the context of the Drake Equation, why is it important to know whether a civilization could develop advanced communication technology?

A) Because we need to be able to find them.
B) Because we need to know if they are similar to us.
C) Because we need to find out about their culture.
D) Because we need to find out how many planets have life.


6) Which of the following are used in the Drake Equation? (Mark Yes or No for each.)

A) The number of stars in the Universe.
B) The frequency of planets around stars.
C) The average number of planets that could support life
D) The fraction of planets that have life.
E) The fraction of civilizations that develop beyond Earth's.

The Lost Continent of Atlantis (Reading)

Click the link below for the reading passage:

The Lost Continent of Atlantis

1) All of the following were thought by Plato to be features of Atlantean society and culture EXCEPT:

A) an extensive trade network.
B) an empire extending to multiple continents.
C) a lavish capital city.
D) a strictly secular population.


2) From paragraph 3, line 3, what does the word "it" refer to?

A) island
B) eruption
C) story
D) problem


3) Which of the following words is closest in meaning to "propagation" (paragraph 6, line 2)?

A) development
B) procurement
C) reproduction
D) disappearance


4) Ignatius Donnelly believe all of the following about Atlantis EXCEPT?

A) A group of islands in the Atlantic ocean today were once part of Atlantis.
B) Atlantis made a number of discoveries before most of the world developed the scripts.
C) The flood that is described in the Bible also destroyed Atlantis.
D) Because the banana is seedless, it would have been incapable of spreading to Africa without the help of Atlantis.


5) What does the author probably think about Steiner's theories?

A) They are scientifically meticulous.
B) They have little basis in fact.
C) They are profoundly important to the myth of Atlantis.
D) They are mostly science fiction but also have some truth.


6) Which of the following sentences best paraphrases, "Using a calendar system inspired by the ancient Mayans (who Muck believed were colonists from Atlantis), he claimed to have calculated the destruction of Atlantis down to the hour: about noon on June 6, 8498 B.C."?

A) Muck believed that the Mayans originated in Atlantis so he used their calendar for his calculations.
B) Muck fastidiously calculated the date on which Atlantis disappeared from a Mayan-like calendar.
C) Muck discovered the precise date and time that Atlantis was destroyed from the Mayan calendar.
D) The Atlantean calendar system inspired the Mayan one, which predicted the catastrophe which would occur. 


7) Which of the following words is closest in meaning to "fudged" (paragraph 11, line 5)?

A) obscured
B) sweetened
C) predicted
D) invented


8) Match the following beliefs about Atlantis to the correct theorists:

A) It is located near Bolivia.
B) Its technology was similar to that of the author's time.
C) It was destroyed by a volcanic eruption.
D) It had different physical laws than we have today.
E) It was not located in the Atlantic Ocean
F) Its technology was far more advanced than the rest of the world.
G) It had an enormous empire.
H) It can help explain the spread of fruit.
I) Its disappearance explains some strange marine migration patterns.
J) It was destroyed by the gods.


Plato
-
-
-


Donnelly
-
-


Muck
-
-

The Line Between Life and Not-Life (Listening)

1) What does the speaker mainly discuss?

A) The factors that determine if something is living.
B) A theory about the origin of life on Earth.
C) Experiments that demonstrate features of life.
D) The misconception that chemicals can be considered living.


2) Which of the following is true of protocells?

A) They function quite differently from normal cells.
B) They can be made in many different ways.
C) They do not possess a body.
D) They are more complex than normal cells.


3) At 7:15 in the lecture the speaker says, "Now, this doesn't have a brain, it doesn't have a neural system. This is just a sack of chemicals that is able to have this interesting and complex lifelike behavior."

Why does the speaker say, "Now, this doesn't have a brain"?

A) He wants to emphasize the simplicity of the experiment.
B) He believes that his audience might think his protocells are alive.
C) He thinks that protocells are unintelligent creatures.
D) He is illustrating that the protocells are a simple form of life.


4) Why does the speaker think his experiments are interesting? (Choose 2 Answers)

A) They may help us recognize unusual forms of life in the Universe.
B) They produced the first form of laboratory life.
C) They can help explain certain aspects of human behavior.
D) He believes that they can teach us about the origin of life.


5) Why did the speaker want to avoid sterile lab conditions for his final set of experiments?

A) He wanted a more realistic setting for his protocells.
B) The chemicals he used in his earlier work were too volatile.
C) Dirty environments are better at promoting cellular life.
D) He had limited success under sterile conditions.


6) According to the speaker, which of the following is likely true of all living things? (Mark Yes/No beside each choice)

A) An ability to utilize energy from the environment.
B) Possession of DNA.
C) Static chemical bonds.
D) Some form of mobility.
E) Primarily liquid.

The Natural Sleep Cycle (Listening)

 1) What is the lecture mainly about?

A) The chemically programmed human sleep cycle.
B) An important experiment on sleep.
C) Sleep cycles of different animals.
D) The variety of sleep patterns observed in humans.


2) Why does the speaker mention horseshoe crabs?

A) To point the ability of most animals to "sense" time.
B) To provide an example of a biological clock.
C) To illustrate the sleep differences between humans and animals.
D) To explain how tides affect animal behavior.


3) What can be inferred about the lecturer?

A) Her sleep patterns are unnatural.
B) She disagrees with the conclusions of the experiment.
C) She endeavors to sleep 12 hours per day.
D) She conducts unethical research.


4) What were the results of the experiment discussed in the lecture? (Choose 2 answers)

A) The natural sleep cycle of a human was determined to be two periods of 4 hours.
B) The participants in the experiment had trouble adjusting to the lack of daylight and spent a significant period of time feeling restless each night.
C) The subjects' lack of sleep affected their productivity during the experiment.
D) The participants claimed to feel truly rested for the first time.


5) At 3:29, the speaker says, "So, cut to the modern day. We're living in a culture of jet lag, global travel, 24-hour business, shift work. And you know, our modern ways of doing things have their advantages, but I believe we should understand the costs."

Why does the speaker say "So, cut to the modern day"?

A) She believes work hours need to be limited in modern society.
B) She thinks that the globalized society needs to eliminate unnatural sleep cycles.
C) She is emphasizing a preference for an older way of life.
D) She is making a transition between different points of her lecture.

The First Black Sea Captain (Reading)

Click the link below for the reading passage:

The First Black Sea Captain

1) From paragraph 2, all of the following are true about Robert Smalls' early life EXCEPT:

A) He had a remarkable memory for maritime features but was illiterate.
B) He was born near the sea and proved to be a naturally gifted sailor.
C) In his first job, he was paid to work in a shipyard.
D) His employment opportunities were limited by his social status.


2) What was the main reason that Smalls and his family were still slaves in 1861?

A) He wasn't earning enough money to procure their freedom.
B) He was such a gifted seaman that his owner delayed selling him.
C) Everyone in his life was holding him back from that decision.
D) The American Civil War prevented anyone from thinking about their future.


3) From paragraph 4 line 4, which of the following is closest in meaning to the word "ordnance"?

A) artillery
B) vessels
C) materials
D) drugs


4) From paragraph 6 line 11, the word "they" refers to:

A) The ship's crew.
B) The Confederate forts.
C) The 13 slaves.
D) Smalls' family.


5) From paragraphs 8 and 9, which of the following was NOT a result of the Smalls' escape:

A) Black soldiers began to enlist in the military.
B) Smalls' actions put President Lincoln in danger.
C) Smalls was given a reward for his heroism.
D) Newspapers congratulated his intelligence.


6) From paragraph 10 line 5, which of the following is closest in meaning to the word "maneuver"?

A) protect
B) encourage
C) employ
D) direct


7) From paragraph 11, the sentence "In combat, Captain Smalls fought in 17 naval engagements; off duty, he studied with tutors to learn to read and write, skills which has been forbidden him as a slave," could best be restated as:

A) As a successful commander, Smalls was able to get tutors to help him gain literacy skills even though it was forbidden.
B) In spite of the fact that as a slave, Smalls had never learned to read and write, he managed to lead many successful naval campaigns.
C) During his command, Smalls fought a number of naval battles while learning literacy skills in his spare time.
D) After Smalls' successful career as a commanding officer, he was able to study with tutors to become literate.


8) In the last paragraph, why does the passage mention "the USS Robert Smalls"?

A) To show that Smalls was still respected even after his death.
B) To illustrate the location of Smalls' grave.
C) To explain why Smalls' home was made a National Historic Landmark.
D) To show what happened to the ship that he captained.


9) Choose 3 sentences to summarize the main points of the passage.

A) After the Civil War, Smalls moved back to his hometown and worked in politics until his death in 1915.

B) Smalls escaped from slavery by stealing a ship, imitating his captain and joining the other side of the war.

C) Smalls passed away in his hometown of Beaufort, having never been fully recognized for his achievements.

D) At just 12 years old, Smalls got his first job in a shipyard in Beaufort.

E) After Smalls' escape, the Southern (Confederate) Army began allowing black soldiers into the military, which was a significant political and social change.

F) Smalls became a captain partly because of the cowardice of his predecessor but mostly because of his heroism and intelligence.

The Divided Brain (Listening)

1) What does the lecturer mainly discuss?

A) Structural differences between the two halves of the brain.
B) The development of a divided brain.
C) Functional similarities in different parts of the brain.
D) Features that distinguish one side of the brain from the other.


2) Do the following features apply to birds, humans or both? (Mark Bi, H or B beside each choice.)

A) Frontal lobes do not limit the rest of the brain.
B) Left hemisphere used for narrow focused attention.
C) Ability to empathize with others.
D) Divided brains.
E) Right hemisphere used for sustained alertness to the world.


3) Which of the following tasks would be done primarily by the right brain?

A) Interpretation of body language.
B) Tool manipulation.
C) Categorization.
D) Providing the definition of a word.


4) Which of the following misconceptions does the lecturer dispel?

A) The left hemisphere of the brain tends to isolate information.
B) Imagination and reason only require a single part of the brain.
C) The right side of the brain is less important to animals than the left side.
D) Both parts of the brain have different functions.


5) At 7:54 in the lecture, the speaker says, "And it's my suggestion to you that in the history of Western culture, things started, in the 6th century B.C. and the Augustan Era and in the 15th-16th century in Europe, with a wonderful balancing of these hemispheres. But in each case, it drifted further to the left hemisphere's point of view."

Why does he say, "And it's my suggestion to you"?

A) He is presenting a personal theory.
B) He is giving psychological advice.
C) He is guessing about the history of the human brain.
D) He is trying to help you understand history better.


6) What is the professors opinion of the left hemisphere of the brain?

A) It is less important than the right hemisphere.
B) It is more important than the right hemisphere.
C) It is becoming more dominant in today's society.
D) We need to be careful not to neglect.

The Tragic Birth of FM Radio (Reading)

Click the link below for the reading passage: 

The Tragic Birth of FM Radio

1) Each of the following is true EXCEPT:

A) The regenerative circuit was invented during the Great Depression.
B) Armstrong was granted a patent in 1914.
C) Armstrong sold his patent to AT&T.
D) Radio Broadcasters were extremely successful in 1934.


2) From paragraph 3, it can be inferred that

A) Armstrong lost his final case because the the court did not understand the science of his invention.
B) FM radio was created before AM radio.
C) A significant problem with FM radio was static.
D) Armstrong demonstrated the superiority of AM radio from the top of the Empire State Building.


3) The word "rich" in the third-last line in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to which of the following:

A) Affluent
B) Savory
C) Resonant
D) Surprising


4) According to paragraphs 4 and 5, which of the following is true?

A) Creating a broadcast spectrum for FM radio was the FCC's idea.
B) AM radio signals can reach the moon while FM signals cannot.
C) A group of people that loved FM radio started a publication.
D) Multiplexing was not possible with FM radio.


5) The sentence: "Seeking to kill FM radio before it could threaten his profits, Sarnoff’s company successfully lobbied the FCC to have the FM spectrum moved from Armstrong’s frequencies to the ones we use today: 88 to 108 MHz" from paragraph 7 can be restated as:

A) Concerned about financial issues, Sarnoff requested that the FM spectrum be changed to Armstrong's frequencies.
B) FM frequencies were changed from Armstrong's to the ones we have today because Sarnoff was worried about the profitability of his company.
C) Sarnoff changed the FM spectrum to 88-108MHz.
D) Armstrong's frequencies are no longer used for FM radio today because the FCC changed them.

6) The word "stake" in paragraph 7 is closest in meaning to:

A) Wager
B) Investment
C) Post
D) Lobby


7) All of the following are true EXCEPT:

A) Armstrong had another legal case to deal with because some companies were not paying to use the technology that he invented.
B) Armstrong committed suicide.
C) Armstrong's wife won the legal battle he started.
D) FM radio never fully reached it's potential in the 1950s and 1960s.

Mathusian Limits (Listening)

1) What is the main topic of the lecture?

A) Optimism about the future expressed a thinker in the 18th centuries.
B) Predictions about population growth by authors in the 17th century.
C) A comparison of Thomas Malthus's population growth theories and those of other thinkers at the time.
D) One man's dire predictions for the future of mankind.


2) Which of the following statements would Malthus most likely agree with?

A) Humanity will continue in uncontrolled growth until it is stopped by environmental factors.
B) Human population growth cannot be stopped by the limitations of the Earth.
C) Mankind is destined to exist in a utopian state in the distant future.
D) Humanity will likely destroy the Earth and be forced to relocate or perish.


3) According to Malthus, which of the following is NOT a limit to population growth?

A) Food production capability
B) Violence for control of limited resources
C) Water scarcity
D) Disease


4) Why does the lecturer show a graph of the population growth of modern developed nations?

A) To provide support for Malthus's theory.
B) To show that most countries with limited resources are now seeing declines in population.
C) To present an argument that undermines the idea of a Malthusian limit.
D) To explain why the Earth's population growth rate will decrease indefinitely.


5) At 6:39 in the lecture, the speaker says, "So, I just wanted to expose you to this idea. Time will tell if Thomas Malthus. . . if we can always keep this line, if we can always keep this line of food productivity growing faster than the population."

Why does he say, "Time will tell"?

A) He is getting ready to end the lecture because he doesn't have much time left.
B) He is making a statement about the future.
C) He is reexamining the population-time graph.
D) He is explaining that history repeats itself.


6) Why does the speaker mention Bangladesh at the end of the lecture?

A) He thinks it is a good example of a country that has escaped from the Malthusian limit.
B) He wants the audience to understand some important differences between Bangladesh and the United States.
C) He is illustrating the concept of population density.
D) He wants to show that Malthus was not completely wrong and some countries are near their support limits.

How Economic Inequality Harms Societies (Listening)

 The questions are based on the first 6 minutes of the lecture.

1) What is the lecture mainly about?

A) The effect of income divisions on the global economy.
B) The degradation of wealth distribution systems in several countries.
C) The underdevelopment of social services in the United States.
D) The social damage done by poor wealth distribution.


2) At 1:48 in the lecture, the professor says, "The explanation of that paradox is that, within our societies, we're looking at relative income or social position, social status -- where we are in relation to each other and the size of the gaps between us. And as soon as you've got that idea, you should immediately wonder: what happens if we widen the differences, or compress them, make the income differences bigger or smaller?  And that's what I'm going to show you"

Why does he say, "what happens if we widen the differences, or compress them, make the income differences bigger or smaller?"

A) He is making a suggestion to governments with developed economies.
B) He is introducing the main point of the lecture.
C) He is asking the audience to come up with an answer.
D) He is introducing plans developed by the British government.


3) Which of the following would you expect from increased income inequality in a society? (Mark Yes/No for each choice)

A) Decreased social mobility.
B) Increased drug and alcohol addiction.
C) Improved children's math and literacy scores.
D) Increased life expectancy.
E) Increased infant mortality.


4) Why does the professor mention the UNICEF index of child well-being?

A) He wanted to use an independent set of criteria to strengthen his argument.
B) He believes that child well-being is the best indicator of the health of a society.
C) He believes his study is more convincing than the UNICEF one.
D) He is attempting to present a counter-argument to his research.


5) What is the relationship between trust and income inequality in a society?

A) Increased income inequality leads to higher levels of trust.
B) Lower levels of trust lead to increased income inequality
C) Higher levels of trust lead to decreased income inequality.
D) Decreased income inequality leads to higher levels of trust.

The Birth of a Language (Reading)

Click the link below for the reading passage:

The Birth of a Language


1) According to paragraph 1, which of the following is true?

A) Children often develop complex languages with each other.
B) Most of the world's languages are complex and stable.
C) If a change occurs in a language, it usually spreads without the conscious effort of its speakers.
D) Speakers of a language have the capacity to create social, political and environmental changes through that language.


2) From paragraph 2, line 3, which of the following is closest to the meaning of "intricate"?

A) simplistic
B) perplexing
C) remarkable
D) elaborate


3) All of the following are true EXCEPT:

A) Relationships between deaf children and their parents and siblings were difficult because of their inability to communicate with one another.
B) Nicaragua did not have a local sign language at the time.
C) Post-revolution Nicaragua emphasized education on a national level.
D) Teachers at the deaf schools helped the students develop ISN. 


4) From paragraph 8, the sentence, "The idea holds that, in general, young children can rapidly absorb and master new languages until the age of six; the ability declines quickly until age twelve, and after that any acquisition of a new language requires substantially more effort," can be best restated as:

A) The critical period theory suggests that during adolescence an individual's ability to learn new languages has deteriorated but prior to that point, such a task is less challenging.
B) Evidence that young children learn languages faster than teenagers supports the critical period theory.
C) For a child over twelve years, learning a language requires a significant amount of effort.
D) Children under the age of six are at the peak stage of their language acquiring abilities and this skill gradually fades in the subsequent years.


5) From paragraph 7, line 2, which of the following is closest to the meaning of "baffled"?

A) surprised
B) confounded
C) amazed
D) undermined


6) From paragraph 7, line 4, which of the following is closest to the meaning of "fledgling"? 

A) overwhelming
B) developed
C) new
D) complex

7) Why were Noam Chomsky and Steven Pinker mentioned in paragraph 10?

A) They wanted to perform an experiment by isolating children to observe language development.
B) They both believed that a child who spoke ISN from birth would not grow up isolated.
C) The spontaneous development of ISN coincides with their ideas on language development.
D) The emergence ISN is supported by the research of both scholars.


8) Choose 3 sentences that best summarize the passage.

A) After a revolution in Nicaragua, the government tried to promote literacy in the country, which led to the founding of some schools for the deaf.

B) The deaf children used mimicas with their families.

C) Judy Shepard-Kegl had some difficulty understanding the teenagers of the school she studied.

D) The younger children's version of the ISN was more complex than the teenagers' due to differences in their brains.

E) The development of the language supported some theorists' views that humans have an inborn talent for learning complex language.

F) The deaf children began to speak their own language with no input from the teachers at the school.

Munch's 'The Storm' (Listening)

1) What is the lecture mainly about?

A) The design process for a painting like 'The Storm'.
B) The abstract features of 'The Storm'.
C) The feelings of the women depicted in the painting.
D) The reasons Munch made some of the choices he did.


2) At 0:22, the speaker says, "The one thing that really struck me about this painting is how dark it is."

What feeling is she expressing?

A) Curiosity
B) Surprise
C) Distaste
D) Admiration


3) The speakers mention the painting "The Scream" to (choose two answers).

A) illustrate similarities in composition.
B) contrast its use of light.
C) introduce an artist similar to Munch.
D) compare its symbolism.


4) Which of the following is NOT mentioned as evidence that the picture is depicting a storm?

A) The tree is bent in the wind.
B) The women are worried about their husbands.
C) Their dresses are swirling in the wind.
D) Their hair is fluttering behind them.


5) What can be inferred about the artist of the painting?

A) He painted organically without too much planning.
B) He worked with a number of other artists.
C) He carefully designed his pictures before painting.
D) He was more concerned with composition than emotion. 

The Swirling Vortex of Doom (Reading)

Click the link below for the reading passage:

The Swirling Vortex of Doom


1) What can be inferred from the paragraph 1?

A) It is unusual for a such a large lake to be so shallow.
B) It is uncommon to have difficulty loosening a stuck drill when the water is not deep.
C) The workers expected the rig to collapse after they heard the popping sounds.
D) Nature reserves are not protected from natural resource exploitation in the United States.


2) The word "precariously" (paragraph 1, line 10) is closest in meaning to:

A) Unexpectedly
B) Hazardously
C) Destructively
D) Remarkably


3) It was surprising that the drilling platform sunk into the lake because

A) the platform cost $5 million dollars.
B) the whole series of events happened with little warning.
C) there was an expansive whirlpool at its centre.
D) the lake was not deep enough to accommodate the structure.


4) The word "penetrated" (paragraph 4, line 1) is closest in meaning to:

A) pierced
B) disrupted
C) annihilated
D) overburdened


5) The word "it" (paragraph 6, line 3) refers to:

A) power
B) destruction
C) whirlpool
D) surface


6) All of the following is true of the miners' escape EXCEPT:

A) All of the miners got away without casualty.
B) They used motorized vehicles and an elevator to hasten their departure.
C) The flood of water spreading through the mine delayed the escape.
D) The evacuation warning consisted of an siren and flashing lights.


7) Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the sentence?

"The sucking force was so strong that it reversed the flow of a 12-mile-long canal which led out to the Gulf of Mexico, and dragged 11 barges from that canal into the swirling vortex, where they disappeared into the flooded mines below." (paragraph 6)

A) The barges redirected the water from the canal towards the vortex and into the mines.
B) Barges from a nearby canal were pulled towards the whirlpool and swallowed by the drill hole.
C) The barges were pulled into the lake along with the canal and together were absorbed by the mines.
D) The canal, barges and whirlpool were all sucked into the mines below the lake.


8) Each of the following is true of the aftermath of the disaster EXCEPT:

A) The ecosystem of the lake had been permanently altered.
B) The drilling rig was unrecoverable.
C) The mining company received a large enough legal settlement to restart their operation elsewhere.
D) No one took responsibility for the incident.

A Reality Check on Renewables (Listening)

1) What is the lecture mainly about?

A) How renewable energy made Britain a great empire.
B) The practicalities of using solely renewable energy.
C) The importance of coal to today's society.
D) The reasons that renewable energy is superior to coal.


2) According to the lecture, what are two motivations for extricating ourselves from fossil fuels? (Choose two answers)

A) Climate change
B) Cost
C) Limited supply
D) Health effects from pollution


3) At 01:27, the lecturer says, "And when people talk about life after fossil fuels and climate change action, I think there's a lot of fluff, a lot of greenwash, a lot of misleading advertising. . . And I feel a duty as a physicist to try to guide people around the claptrap and help people understand the actions that really make a difference and to focus on ideas that do add up."

What does he mean when he says, "I think there's a lot of fluff, a lot of greenwash, a lot of misleading advertising"?

A) He believes that not many of the promises made about renewable energy will be kept.
B) He believes that advertisers supporting climate change don't always tell the truth.
C) He believes that physicists often mislead people so that they can sell more products.
D) He believes that there is an abundance of essential information about fossil fuels and climate change that people too frequently ignore.


4) Which of the following is a fundamental problem with renewable energy as a replacement for fossil fuels?

A) There is not enough room beside roads to grow the crops.
B) Cars will not be able to drive faster than 60 miles per hour.
C) Most countries currently consume more energy than they produce.
D) The area of land required to match energy consumption is too large.


5) Arrange the following power sources in terms of energy produced per square meter from greatest to least: 

1) biofuels
2) solar panels
3) nuclear stations
4) wind farms

-
-
-
-


6) Which of the following is NOT a solution that can reduce energy consumption?

A) Insulating houses better.
B) Using more alternative sources of fuel.
C) Monitoring your energy use at home.
D) Using more efficient transportation.


7) How does the speaker probably feel about renewable energy?

A) It is not a viable option for the future.
B) We need to be realistic but it will be essential in the future.
C) Renewable energy can meet most of our needs today.
D) It will only work for Britain if other countries help.

Cure for Killer Infections (Listening)

 1) What is the lecture mainly about?

A) A method for killing drug-resistant bacteria.
B) Molecules that your body hates.
C) Transplant surgery.
D) The way your body's immune system works.


2) Why is the professor discussing pig heart valves?

A) He is explaining why he thinks certain research ideas are ridiculous.
B) He is explaining why heart transplant surgery can be difficult.
C) He is explaining how our immune systems work.
D) He is explaining the background of his research.

3) At 01:58, the professor says, "So you can take a bacteria that really doesn't make these things at all, and if you could clap these on it really well, you have it taken off the street."

What does the professor mean when he says, "You have it taken off the street"?

A) City workers will keep the streets clean of bacteria
B) Your immune system removes bacteria from your body.
C) Criminals will be removed by police.
D) Doctors will cure your bacterial infection with drugs.


4) Which of the following is true of the Staphylococcus? (Pick two answers)

A) His friend died from a Staphylococcus infection.
B) He couldn't attach a DNA aptamer to Staphylococcus.
C) Staphylococcus is resistant to antibiotics.
D) Staphylococcus was used in the mouse experiment.


5) What can be inferred about the professor's attitude:

A) He is very serious about his research.
B) He is pessimistic about our fight against bacteria.
C) He thinks his work is useful but not essential.
D) He believes humor can help people understand his work.

Pirate Democracy (Reading)

Click the link below for the reading passage:

Pirate Democracy

1) All of the following are true EXCEPT:

A) Without some form of government, pirate ships would not have worked well.
B) Pirates preferred not to allow one individual to have too much power.
C) Pirates had democratic societies before the Americans.
D) Pirates learned about democracy from working on plantations.


2) According to paragraph 3, why did pirates adopt the government that they did?

A) Pirates captains often wielded absolute authority and abused their men.
B) Slaves and indentured servants had experienced democracy first hand and wanted to spread it.
C) They preferred dictatorships to other forms of government.
D) Many of the pirates had been oppressed in the past and did not want that to happen to them again.

3) In paragraph 4, line 1, the word "evolved" is closest in meaning to:

A) powerful
B) revolutionary
C) advanced
D) uncertain

4) From paragraph 4, the sentence, "The captain, who only ruled absolutely in times of battle, was the executive branch; the quartermaster, who arbitrated disagreements and doled out punishments, was the judiciary; and the entire crew served as the legislature, voting on matters of importance, such as when to attack other vessels and when to elect a new captain," can be restated as:

A) Controlling the battles, the captain was the most powerful person on the ship, followed by the quartermaster, who dealt with punishment, and the crew, who voted.
B) The crew voted on certain issues and the quartermaster enforced the law, but the captain was in charge during fights.
C) The captain could be compared to the highest section of a democratic government, while the quartermaster and the crew represented the legal system and the source of the ships laws respectively.
D) Different members of a pirate ship represented the parts of a democratic government and the crew voted on important issues to prevent the quartermaster and captain from holding too much power.


5) In paragraph 5, line 3, the word "deposed" is closest in meaning to:

A) dethroned
B) unbiased
C) debilitated
D) destabilized


6) From paragraph 7, what can be inferred about the relationship between pirates and the American colonies?

A) Pirates directly influenced the American democratic structures.
B) Pirates spent a significant amount of time in American ports.
C) The Americans preferred to trade with pirates rather than Europeans.
D) Pirates helped the early American economy indirectly.


7) Choose three sentences that best summarize the passage:

A) Pirates developed governments based on American democracy.

B) Pirates had an egalitarian system for retiring injured pirates.

C) Captain Howell Davis respected his crew's decision to remove him from his position.

D) Pirates were likely helped the new American colonies survive.

E) Most pirates preferred democratic governments because they had had problems with authority in the past.

F) Without democracy, pirate ships would have been unmanageable and disorderly.

The Higgs Boson (Listening)

For anyone who read the news today, scientists have officially discovered the Higgs Boson particle! If you still aren't sure what this thing is, take a look at the video below and see if you can answer the questions.





1) What is the lecture mainly about?

A) A field that surrounds the Earth.
B) A subatomic particle that gives matter mass.
C) A theory about how particles move in water.
D) The reason that all particles attract each other.


2) According to the lecturer, why do some particles have mass?

A) They interact with an invisible field that exists throughout the Universe.
B) Some particles interact with water more strongly than others.
C) These particles have unique properties that don't exist elsewhere in the Universe.
D) These particles are not affected by Higgs boson particles.  


3) In the lecturer's analogy, what does the barracuda represent?

A) A particle that interacts strongly with the Higgs field.
B) A particle that interacts unpredictably with the Higgs field.
C) A particle that interacts weakly with the Higgs field.
D) A particle that does not interact with the Higgs field.


4) It can be inferred that, if the Higgs field didn't exist

A) top quarks would be heavier than electrons.
B) electrons would be heavier than top quarks.
C) top quarks would become the same size as electrons.
D) no matter in the Universe would have mass.


5) How is the Higgs field similar to water?

A) They are both made up of a large number of molecules.
B) They both interact strongly or weakly with particular atoms.
C) They both consist of a large number of smaller parts.
D) The both affect the mass of the substances that they interact with.



(If you want to read more about the particle, take a look at some of the best one page answers that attempt to explain what the particle is and why it is important.)

The Paradox of Choice (Listening)

1) What is the lecture mainly about?

A) The influence of free choice on the political development of human society.
B) The pitfalls of an overabundance of choice.
C) The lack of choice in modern society.
D) The benefits of freedom and choice in today's society.


2) At 1:11 in the lecture, the speaker says: "The more choice people have, the more freedom they have, and the more freedom they have, the more welfare they have.  This, I think, is so deeply embedded in the water supply that it wouldn't occur to anyone to question it."

What does he mean when he says, "This, I think, is so deeply embedded in the water supply that it wouldn't occur to anyone to question it"?

A) The argument is widely understood and discussed.
B) We accept the issue too easily.
C) Most people don't understand the issue well.
D) The argument has some serious flaws.


3) Which of the following is NOT given as an example of excessive choice:

A) Cell phones
B) Healthcare
C) Stereo systems
D) Children's clothing


4) Why does the professor say that he assigns less work than he used to?

A) His students are not as dedicated as they were before.
B) He doesn't have as much time as he used to.
C) His students have other issues that occupy their time.
D) He made the choice to be kinder to his students.


5) What are the negative effects of increased choice? (Choose two options)

A) People find it difficult to make decisions.
B) There is less room for error nowadays.
C) People often don't fully understand their decisions.
D) We are less happy with our ultimate decisions.


6) At 13:10 in the lecture, the speaker says, "I walked out of the store -- truth! -- with the best-fitting jeans I had ever had. I did better. All this choice made it possible for me to do better. But I felt worse. Why? I wrote a whole book to try to explain this to myself."

Why does he say, "I wrote a whole book to try to explain this to myself"?

A) He doesn't think he found a satisfying answer.
B) It took a long time for him to answer his question.
C) The answer to the question is complex.
D) He is unsatisfied with the jeans that he bought.


7) Why does the professor mention depression?

A) He believes that too few choices make people depressed.
B) He believes that lower expectations lead to depression.
C) He is arguing that developed countries have more problems with depression than underdeveloped ones.
D) He thinks that incidence of depression is connected to excessive choice.


8) What can be inferred about the professor?

A) He dislikes shopping nowadays.
B) He is lazier than he used to be.
C) He thinks his students are wasting their time.
D) He is grateful for the increased choice in the world.

Degas - The Bellelli Family (Listening)

1) What is the main topic of the discussion?

A) The early life of Edgar Degas.
B) Edgar Degas' most important works of art.
C) The construction and significance of a single painting.
D) Relationships between members of the Bellelli Family.


2) What is the most likely reason for the stiffness of the woman?

A) It shows how unhappy the woman is with her life.
B) Degas usually drew women that way.
C) It reflects the formality of family life at the time.
D) She is angry with her husband.


3) Listen to part of the lecture again (from 1:29 to 1:55). At 1:52 in the lecture, the man says, "There really is a way that geometry, in a sense, structures this family." Why does he say this?

A) He is summarizing his point.
B) He is providing evidence for his argument.
C) He is concluding a counter-argument against something the woman said.
D) He is introducing a new topic.


4) All of the following expressed by the painting EXCEPT:

A) Social structure in the family.
B) The psychology of the family members.
C) The class of the family.
D) The education level of the family.


5) What can be inferred about Degas?

A) He tended to paint spontaneously.
B) He was quite wealthy.
C) His paintings are often structured.
D) His paintings tend to be colourful.