LESSON 1

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-2)

Most of the ice on the Earth, close to 90 percent of it, is covering the surface of the continent
Antarctica. It does not snow very much in Antarctica, but whatever snow does fall remains and grows
deeper and deeper. In some areas of Antarctica, the ice has perhaps been around for as much as a
million years and now is more than two miles deep.
1. The main idea of the passage is that ….
(A) the Earth is a cold planet
(B) most of the Earth's ice is found in Antarctica
(C) it snows more in Antarctica than in any other place on Earth
(D) Antarctica is only two miles wide but is 90 percent ice.

2. The best title for the passage is ….

(A) Snowfall in Antarctica
(B) The Icy Earth
(C) The Cold, Cold Snow
(D) The Causes of Antarctica's Ice Pack
PASSAGE ONE (Questions 3-4)
The extremely hot and humid weather that occurs in the United States in July and August is
commonly called the “dog days” of summer. This name comes from the star Sirius, which is known as
the Dog Star. Sirius is the brightest visible star, and in the hot summer months it rises in the east at
approximately the same time as the Sun. As ancient people saw this star rising with the Sun when the
weather was at its hottest, they believed that Sirius was the cause of the additional heat; they believed
that this bright star added its heat to the heat of the Sun, and these two together made summer weather
so unbearably hot.
3. The topic of this passage is …
(A) how dogs like to play during the summer
(B) the causes of hot and humid weather
(C) why the hot summer days are known as the "dog days”
(D)the days that dogs prefer
4. The main idea of this passage is that ….
(A) the name for the summer days came from Sirius, the Dog Star
(B) dogs generally prefer hot summer days
(C) the hottest days occur in the summer because of the movements of the Sun and stars
(D) Sirius rises at almost the same time as the Sun during the summer month

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 5-6)

The term "primitive art” has been used in a variety of ways to describe works and styles of
art. One way that this term has been used is to describe the early period within the development of a
certain style of art. Another way that this term has been used is to Line describe artists who have
received little professional training and who demonstrate a nontraditional naivete in their work.
A wonderful example of this second type of primitive artist is Grandma Moses, who spent all
her life living on a farm and working at tasks normally associated with farm life. She did not begin
painting until she reached the age of seventy-six, when she switched to painting from embroidery
because the arthritis in her hands made embroidery too difficult. Totally without formal education in
art, she began creating panoramic images of everyday life on the farm that have achieved international
fame
5. The subject of this passage is …
(A) an example of one of the types of primitive art
(B) Grandma Moses’s life on the farm
(C) how primitive art differs from formal art
(D) Grandma Moses’s primitive lifestyle
6. Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the passage?
(A) Grandma Moses spent her life on a farm.
(B) Art critics cannot come to any agreement on a definition of primitive art.
(C) Grandma Moses is one type of primitive artist because of her lack of formal training.
(D) Many artists receive little professional training
PASSAGE ONE (Questions 7-8)
In the first half of the nineteenth century, a New York newspaper, the New York Sun,
successfully carried out a hoax on the American public. Because of this trick, readership of the paper
rose substantially.
On August 25, 1835, the Sun published reports that some wonderful new discoveries had
been made on the moon. The article described strange, never-beforeseen animals and temples covered
in shining jewels. Many members of the American public were fooled by the story, even some
prominent members of the scientific community.
The effect of the false story on sales of the paper was dramatic. Paper sales increased
considerably as people eagerly searched out details of the new discoveries. Later, the newspaper
company announced that it had not been trying to trick the public; instead, the company explained the
moon stories as a type of literary satire

7. Which of the following best states the topic of the passage?

(A) A nineteenth-century discovery on the moon
(B) The New York Sun
(C) A hoax and its effect
(D) The success of a newspaper
8. The main point of the passage is that ….
(A) the New York Sun was one of the earliest American newspapers
(B) the Sun increased sales when it tricked the public with a false story
(C) a newspaper achieved success by writing about the moon
(D)in 1835 some amazing new discoveries were made about the moon

LESSON 2
PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-2)
Many parts of the Southwestern United States would become deserts again without the waters of the
Colorado River. A system of thousands of miles of canals, hundreds of miles of tunnels and
aqueducts, and numerous dams and reservoirs bring Colorado Line River water to the area. The
Imperial Valley in Southern California is an example of such a place; it is a vast and productive
agricultural area that was once a desert. Today, 2,000 miles of canals irrigate the fertile land and keep
it productive.
1. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage as a way that Colorado River water gets to the
Southwest?
(A) By truck
(B) In bottles
(C) In wells
(D) Through canals
2. According to the passage, the Imperial Valley ….
(A) is a desert today
(B) is located in Colorado
(C) produces a lot of agricultural goods
(D) does not require irrigation
PASSAGE ONE (Questions 3-5)
The ancestors of humans had a lot more hair than the humans of today; in fact, they had thick
hair all over their bodies. This thick hair was necessary for protection against the cold of the Ice Ages.
As the Earth got warmer, the hair began to thin out, except for on the head. The head hair has
remained through the evolutionary process, both as a sort of pillow to cushion the sensitive head when
it gets banged around and as a sort of hat to keep the head warm and prevent so much heat from
escaping through the scalp.
3. Which of the following is true about the hair of the ancestors of humans?
(A) There was not much of it.
(B) It covered their entire bodies.
(C) It was thin.
(D)It was not useful.
4. According to the passage, what happened as the temperature on the Earth increased?
(A) The hair on the head began to thin out.
(B) The hair on the body remained the same.
(C) The hair on the body got thicker.
(D) The hair on the body began to thin out.
5. The author indicates that one of the purposes of hair on the head is to ….
(A) fill up pillows
(B) help heat escape through the scalp
(C) ensure that the head is warm
(D) make it easier to think
3. Which of the following is true about the hair of the ancestors of humans?
(A) There was not much of it.
(B) It covered their entire bodies.
(C) It was thin.
(D)It was not useful.
4. According to the passage, what happened as the temperature on the Earth increased?
(A) The hair on the head began to thin out.
(B) The hair on the body remained the same.
(C) The hair on the body got thicker.
(D) The hair on the body began to thin out.
5. The author indicates that one of the purposes of hair on the head is to ….
(A) fill up pillows
(B) help heat escape through the scalp
(C) ensure that the head is warm
(D) make it easier to think
PASSAGE ONE (Questions 6-10)
The plane with the largest wingspan ever built was nicknamed the Spruce Goose. The wingspan of the
Spruce Goose was 320 feet (almost 100 meters), and the plane weighed 200 tons. It was so big that it
needed eight engines to power it.
The plane was designed by Howard Hughes in response to a U.S. government request for a plane that
was able to carry a large cargo for the war effort. It was made of wood because wood is a less critical
material in wartime than metal.
The plane was so difficult to build that it never really got used. It was flown one time only, by Hughes
himself, on November 2, 1947; during that flight it traveled a distance of less than one mile over the
Los Angeles Harbor, but it did fly. Today, the Spruce Goose is on exhibit for the public to see in Long
Beach, California
6. Which of the following is true about the Spruce Goose ?
(A) Each of its wings measures 100 meters.
(B) It weighs 200 pounds.
(C) It has eight wings to help it to fly.
(D)It has a wingspan larger than the wingspan of any other plane
7. The passage indicates that the plane was designed
(A) as a cargo plane
(B) as a racing plane
(C) to carry wood
(D)for exhibition
8. According to the passage, the Spruce Goose is constructed from ….
(A) wood
(B) lightweight metal
(C) plastic
(D) steel
9. According to the passage, when the Spruce Goose flew,
(A) it went only a short distance
(B) it fell into the Los Angeles Harbor
(C) it flew 100 miles (D)it carried a large cargo
10. The passage indicates that the Spruce Goose today
(A) flies regularly for the U.S. government
(B) is in the Los Angeles Harbor
(C) is in storage
(D) can be seen by the public.

LESSON 3
PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-2)
Blood pressure measurement has two components: systolic and diastolic. Systolic pressure is
taken when the heart is contracting to pump blood; diastolic pressure is taken when the heart is resting
between beats. In the usual blood pressure reading, the systolic measurement is given first and is the
higher of the two.
Normal blood pressure is a systolic measurement of 120-140, and when the systolic pressure
is 160 or higher, then hypertension exists. Systolic pressure between 140 and 160 indicates borderline
hypertension.

1. Which of the following is NOT true about systolic blood pressure?

(A) It is taken during the contraction of the heart.
(B) It is usually given first in a blood pressure reading.
(C) A normal systolic measurement is 120-140.
(D)Hypertension exists when the systolic pressure is below 140.

2. Which of the following is NOT stated about diastolic pressure?

(A) It is one of the two components of blood pressure measurement.
(B) It is taken when the heart is resting.
(C) It is lower than systolic pressure.
(D) A diastolic measurement of 140 is normal.

PASSAGE TWO (Questions 3-4)

In the 1960s, as space travel was becoming a subject of much discussion, Pan American
Airlines began receiving some fairly unusual requests for flight information. People began making
requests to be on the first flight that Pan Am made to the Moon.
On a whim, Pan Am started a waiting list for the first flight to the Moon. Similar requests
have come to Pan Am over the years, and Pan Am has responded by adding the names of the
requesters to the list.
Unfortunately for Pan Am, the original company is no longer in business, and it never got to
the Moon. However, when it went out of business, it had a waiting list of more than 90,000 names for
its first lunar flight.

3. All of the following are mentioned about Pan American Airlines, EXCEPT that
(A) it started business in the 1960s
(B) it received requests for its first flight to the Moon
(C) it kept some people on a long waiting list
(D)it went out of business

4. Which of the following is NOT true about Pan Am’s Moon flights?
(A) People asked Pan Am about its flights to the Moon.
(B) Pan Am kept a waiting list for its Moon flights.
(C) Pan Am never really made any Moon flights.
(D) Pan Am’s waiting list had only a few names on it.

PASSAGE TWO (Questions 5-8)

The tunnel trees in Yosemite Valley are an amazing attraction to people who visit there. The
tunnel trees are huge trees, giant redwoods, which have had tunnels carved in them, and cars can
actually drive through some of the trees. The fact that the trees are large enough to have cars drive
through them should give you some indication of just how big the trees are.
There are currently two existing tunnel trees in Yosemite Valley. One of them is called the
“Dead Giant.” This is just the stump, or bottom part, of a much larger tree. The hole was cut through
the base of the tree in 1878, and stagecoaches used to drive through it. Today the Dead Giant still
exists, but the stagecoaches do not. Passenger cars can and do drive through the 10-foot-wide opening
in the tree stump.
The other existing tunnel tree is the 230-foot high California Tree, which had a hole carved
through it in 1895. This tree is no longer open to the public, so it is not possible to take a car through
it.
Unfortunately, a third tunnel tree no longer exists. The Wawona Tunnel Tree was a 2,100-
year-old tree which was carved in 1881. A terrible snowstorm in 1969 caused this ancient giant of a
tree to fall

5. Which of the following is NOT true about the tunnel trees in Yosemite Valley?
(A) They are trees with holes cut in them.
(B) They are giant redwoods.
(C) Three tunnel trees currently exist.
(D) Cars have driven through some of them.
6. All of the following are stated about the Dead Giant, EXCEPT that
(A) it is still a tunnel tree today
(B) it is just the stump of a tree
(C) it was cut less than a century ago
(D)it has a 10-foot opening
7. Which of the following is NOT true about the California Tree?
(A) Its tunnel still exists.
(B) Its tunnel is 230 feet high.
(C) Its tunnel was cut in 1895.
(D) Cars are not allowed to go through it.
8. All of the following are true about the Wawona Tunnel Tree, EXCEPT that
(A) it does not exist anymore
(B) the tree lived for more than 2,000 years
(C) the tunnel tree was destroyed in a snowstorm
(D)the tunnel was destroyed in 1881

LESSON 4
PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-3)
Until 1996 the Sears Tower was the tallest building in the world, with more than a hundred
stories. It is located in Chicago, whose nickname is the Windy City. The combination of a very tall
building in a city with such weather conditions leads to a lot of swaying in the breeze.
On a windy day, the top of the building can move back and forth as much as three feet every
few seconds. The inside doors at the top of the building open and close, and water in sinks sloshes
back and forth

1. The Sears Tower is probably

(A) as tall as the Empire State Building
(B) no longer the tallest building in the world
(C) taller than any other building
(D) still the highest building in the world
2. It can be inferred from the passage that Chicago
(A) has moderate weather
(B) is generally warm
(C) has humid weather
(D) usually has a lot of wind
3. It is implied in the passage that the upper-level doors in the Sears Tower open and close because
(A) the building was poorly constructed
(B) people go in and out so often
(C) the building moves in the wind
(D)there is water in the sinks

4. It can be inferred from the passage that family names

(A) were always taken from the area where a family lived
(B) were short names
(C) had little or no meaning
(D) could be taken from jobs
5. Which of the following is implied about the Smith family name?
(A) It is definitely not more than 700 years old.
(B) It existed 600 years ago.
(C) It did not exist 500 years ago.
(D)It definitely was not in use 1,000 years ago.

6. In England there are probably

(A) more Smiths than there are in the United States
(B) more than a million Smiths
(C) fewer than a million Smiths
(D) no families with the name of Smith

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 7-9) On the hardness scale, corundum immediately follows diamond,
which is the hardest mineral in the world. Corundum is perhaps better known by the names of its
gemstones, ruby and sapphire. Basically, gem corundum is divided into two groups: corundum that is
red in color is called ruby and corundum that is any other color is called sapphire. Pure corundum is
clear, but pure corundum is rarely found in nature. If small amounts of the chemical substance
chromic oxide (Cr2O3) got into the crystal structure when it formed millions of years ago, then the
corundum turned a deep, rich red and became ruby Red is not the only color that corundum can take
on. Other chemical substances enter into the crystal structure of corundum, and it can take on a variety
of other colors. Most people associate blue with sapphires, and certainly when corundum contains
impurities that turn it blue, it is called sapphire. However, corundum can have a variety of other colors
—e.g., green or purple—and still be called sapphire

7. It can be inferred from the passage that corundum is

(A) the hardest mineral in the world
(B) not as hard as sapphire
(C) the second hardest mineral
(D) a rather soft mineral
8. Chromic oxide is probably what color?
(A) Clear
(B) Blue
(C) Red
(D) Green
9. Yellow corundum is most likely called
(A) gold
(B) chromic oxide
(C) ruby
(D) sapphire

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 10-11)

Eskimos need efficient and adequate means to travel across water in that the areas where they
live are surrounded by oceans, bays, and inlets and dotted with lakes and seas. Two different types of
boats have been developed by the Eskimos, each constructed to meet specific needs.
The kayak is something like a canoe that has been covered by a deck. A kayak is generally
constructed with one opening in the deck for one rider; however, some kayaks are made for two.
Because the deck of a kayak is covered over except for the hole (or holes) for its rider (or riders), a
kayak can tip over in the water and roll back up without filling with water and sinking. One of the
primary uses of the kayak is for hunting.
 The umiak is not closed over, as is the kayak. Instead, it is an open boat that is built to hold
ten to twelve passengers. Eskimos have numerous uses for the umiak which reflect the size of the
boat; e.g. the umiak is used to haul belongings from campsite to campsite, and it is used for hunting
larger animals that are too big to be hunted in a kayak

10. It is implied in the passage that if a kayak has two holes, then
(A) it accommodates two riders
(B) it is less stable than a kayak with one hole
(C) it is as large as an umiak
(D)it cannot be used on the ocean
11. It can be inferred from the passage that an example of the animals mentioned might be
(A) a kangaroo
(B) a snake
(C) a whale
(D) a salmon

LESSON 5
PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-3)
A geyser occurs when rainwater seeps into the ground and volcanic magma beneath the
surface heats it. The rainwater then turns into steam. The pressurized steam rises to the surface and
bursts out as a geyser.
Yellowstone National Park has more geysers than all of the rest of the world together. The
most famous of these geysers is Old Faithful, which erupts in a high arc of steam about once an hour.
There have not been any volcanic eruptions in the Yellowstone area for 70,000 years.
However, the existence of the geysers is proof that the area is volcanically active

1. Where in the passage does the author mention what heats the water in a geyser?
(A) Lines 1-2
(B) Line 4
(C) Lines 5-6
(D) Line 7

2. The author indicates how often Old Faithful erupts in

(A) lines 1-2
(B) line 4
(C) lines 5-6
(D)line 7

3. Where in the passage does the author state how long it has been since a volcano erupted at
Yellowstone?
(A) Lines 2-3
(B) Lines 5-6
(C) Line 7
(D) Line 8

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 4-7)

 By 1963 the one-man space flights of Project Mercury had successfully taken place, and
NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) was ready for a new challenge. That new
challenge was to send two men into space at the same time, rather than one, so that it would be
possible to conduct a wide variety of new maneuvers and tests.
An appropriate name was found for that new project: the new project was called Project
Gemini. The name "Gemini” might seem appropriate because it is the name of one of the
constellations of stars in the sky, but that is not the real reason for the choice of the name. "Gemini”
comes from the Latin word geminus, which means “twin.” The constellation Gemini received its
name because it consists of two very bright stars with no other bright stars close by, and those stars
seem like twins. The NASA project received its name because of the number of men who would be
together in the space capsule orbiting the Earth

4. Where in the passage does the author state what the initials NASA represent?
(A) Lines 1-3 (B) Lines 6-7 (C) Line 9 (D) Lines 11-13

5. Where in the passage does the author describe NASA’s new challenge after Project Mercury?
(A) lines 3-5 (B) lines 6-7 (C) line 9 (D)line 11-13

6. The author explains the derivation of the word “Gemini” in

(A) Lines 1-3 (B) Lines 6-7 (C) Line 9 (D) Lines 11-13

7. Where in the passage does the author describe the composition of the Gemini constellation?
(A) Lines 3-5 (B) Lines 6-7 (C) Line 9 (D) Lines 10-11

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 8-12)

One of the best-known stories in American history—that Betsy Ross created the first flag of
the United States—is believed by a number of scholars to be somewhat questionable.
The official story goes as follows: In 1776, a group that included George Washington came to
the workshop in Philadelphia where Betsy Ross worked as a seamstress; they brought a drawing of a
flag with stars and stripes on it and asked if Betsy could make it.
The flag with the stars and stripes was definitely adopted by Congress on June 14, 1777. In
the minutes on that day there is a resolution accepting a flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes as the official
flag of the nation. However, there is no mention of Betsy Ross as the one who had made the flag.
The first time that there is a documented reference to Betsy Ross as the one who made the
flag came more than a century later, when her grandson gave a speech to the Philadelphia Historical
Society indicating that the family had passed down the story for a hundred years that grandmother
Betsy had made the first flag. Philadelphians enthusiastically supported the story. Betsy Ross’s house
was restored and renamed Flag House, and it was opened to the public as a memorial to Betsy Ross.
Many historians dispute this story and certainly no one has been able to come up with
indisputable proof that it was Betsy who made the first flag. This much is known about Betsy Ross:
She did exist, she was a seamstress, and she did sometimes make flags for the ships of the
Pennsylvania State Navy. If the story about the first flag is not completely true—and who is to know
at this point—at least it makes a good story

8. Where in the passage does the author mention a group that came to visit Betsy Ross?
(A) Lines 1-3 (B) Lines 4-6 (C) Lines 7-8 (D) Lines 9-10

9. Where in the passage does the author state when the flag was adopted by Congress?
(A) lines 1-3 (B) lines 4-6 (C) lines 8-9 (D)line 11-14

10. The author describes the first historical reference to Betsy Ross as the creator of the first U.S. flag
in
(A) Lines 4-6 (B) Lines 9-10 (C) Lines 12-15 (D) Lines 17-18

11. The author discusses how Philadelphians responded to the Betsy Ross story in
(A) Lines 9-10 (B) Lines 16-18 (C) Lines 19-20 (D) Lines 22-24

12. Where in the passage does the author discuss how historians have reacted to the Betsy Ross story?
(A) Lines 8-9 (B) Lines 11-14 (C) Lines 19-20 (D) Lines 21-22

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 13)

Chamber music received its name because it was originally intended to be performed in small
rooms in private homes rather than huge concert halls or theaters. Today it has evolved into small
ensemble music in which each performer in the ensemble plays an individual part.
The compositions written for this type of performance can easily be classified into three
distinct periods, each with its style of music and instrumentation. In the earliest period (1450-1650),
the viol and other instrumental families developed considerably, and instrumental music took its first
steps toward equal footing with vocal music. In the second period (1650-1750), trio sonatas
dominated. These ensemble compositions were often written for two violins and a cello; the
harpsichord was also featured in various compositions of this period. In the modern period (after
1750), the preponderance of chamber music was written for the string quartet, an ensemble composed
of two violins, a viola, and a cello.

13. Where in the passage does the author discuss the modern definition of chamber music?
(A) Lines 3-4 (B) Lines 5-6 (C) Lines 9-10 (D) Lines 11-13

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 14-15)

It is common practice to coat metals such as iron and steel with a protective layer of zinc or
an alloy made from zinc mixed with aluminum, cadmium, or tin in a process known as
“galvanization.” The purpose of galvanization is to prevent the corrosion of the iron or steel.
The most common method to galvanize metal is the hot-dip galvanizing process. In this
process, the iron or steel is dipped into a hot bath of a zinc alloy to form a protective coating
approximately .003 inches thick. Another method of galvanizing that is not as common is the process
known as electrogalvanizing; in this process the metal is placed in a solution composed of zinc
sulphate and water and is then charged electrically. This causes a thin layer of zinc to coat the metal.
Zinc is effective in galvanizing metals such as iron or steel in that zinc reacts more easily with
oxygen than iron does. If iron is unprotected, it reacts with the oxygen in the air to form iron oxide, or
rust, which leads to the corrosion of the iron. If, however, the iron is coated with zinc, as it is in the
galvanization process, then it is the zinc rather than the iron which interacts with the oxygen to form
zinc oxide, and the iron is not subject to corrosion.

14. Where in the passage does the author list the components of a zinc alloy?
(A) Lines 2-3 (B) Lines 5-7 (C) Lines 10-11 (D) Lines 12-13

15. Where in the passage does the author present the less routinely used process of galvanization?
(A) Lines 1-3 (B) Line 5 (C) Lines 7-9 (D) Lines 11-12