Piper's Pit BBS/FTP: ibm 0040 - 0049/ibm0040-0049/ibm0040.tar/ibm0040/SAT3.ZIP/READPASS.DAT

Text File | 1990-05-22 | 18.3 KB | 466 lines

Reading Passage Data
~ Read the passage quickly, looking for the main idea.

~ There are three kinds of questions: fact, main idea,
  and inference. Often the fact questions are the most
  approachable.

~ Go back to read the relevant sections of the passage
  to help you answer the questions.

~ Eliminate answers which are obviously wrong and select
  the best answer.

~ If you encounter a particularly difficult passage,
  you may want to save it until last.
[[1 reading passage on page 241
     When lung disease frustrates the intake of oxygen, the
bone marrow makes up for the shortage by increasing the
production of new red blood cells and releasing them into
the circulatory system to transport whatever oxygen is
available to the various areas of the body. Patients with
chronic bronchitis and emphysema, for example, often
have as many as eight million red blood cells per cubic
millimeter of blood, as opposed to the five million found
in normal blood.
     A shortage of atmospheric oxygen produces the same
biological effect. At high altitudes, respiration automati-
cally deepens in the attempt to compensate for the smaller
amount of oxygen contained in each normal breath. This
adaptation, however, is relatively inefficient: the extra
muscular effort consumes so much oxygen that it tends to
defeat its own purpose. The body, therefore, must under-
take a more rewarding form of acclimatization and, after
a few weeks, the blood begins to show a recognizable in-
crease in the number of circulating red blood cells. Thus,
it is not unusual to see a new arrival in the Andes who has
formerly lived at a low altitude prostrated by breathless-
ness, while local inhabitants are able to do heavy work
without any sign of respiratory distress. The high blood
count of the inhabitants is an expression of furiously
energetic activity on the part of the bone marrow.
[1 Question 1
According to the passage, the first response of an
individual to a shortage of atmospheric oxygen is

&(A) a surge of activity in the bone marrow.&
&(B) an increase in respiratory intake.&
&(C) an increase in the number of respiratory
     passages.&
&(D) an increase in the growth rate of muscle cells.&
&(E) an increase in the blood cell count.&
#0 Explanation for choice A
There is a surge of activity in the bone marrow in
response to a shortage of oxygen, but it is not the
first response.
#1 Explanation for choice B
When there is a shortage of oxygen in the air, the
first response of the body is deeper breathing, or
an increase in respiratory intake.
#0 Explanation for choice C
The reading passage makes no mention of an
increase in the number of respiratory passages.
#0 Explanation for choice D
The passage makes no mention of an increase in
the growth rate of muscle cells.
#0 Explanation for choice E
After a few weeks of oxygen shortage, the body
responds with an increase in the red blood cell
count. This is the ultimate response, not the
first response.
` hint for question 1
This is a fact question. Refer to lines 11-13
for information about the body's first response
to a shortage of atmospheric oxygen.
[2 Question 2
Which of the following statements about deeper-
than-normal breathing is supported by the passage?

&(A) It enables the lungs to acclimatize to high
     altitudes.&
&(B) It satisfactorily compensates for oxygen
     deficiency.&
&(C) It is a largely self-defeating response to oxygen
     deficiency.&
&(D) It is a characteristic of inhabitants of mountainous
     regions.&
&(E) It stimulates bone marrow activity.&
#0 Explanation for choice A
According to the passage, deeper-than-normal
breathing does not accomplish this effect.
#0 Explanation for choice B
According to the passage, deeper-than-normal
breathing is an inefficient response to oxygen
deficiency.
#1 Explanation for choice C
According to the passage, deeper-than-normal
breathing consumes so much oxygen that it
defeats its own purpose.
#0 Explanation for choice D
According to the passage, the mountain
dwellers do not show any signs of respiratory
distress like deeper-than-normal breathing.
#0 Explanation for choice E
According to the passage, bone marrow
activity is stimulated after several weeks,
but not as an immediate response to deeper-
than-normal breathing.
` Hint for question 2
Deeper-than-normal breathing is discussed in the
second paragraph. Look there for information.
[3 Question 3
It can be inferred from the passage that bronchitis
patients suffer from a lack of oxygen because

&(A) they cannot adapt their breathing to their
     environment.&
&(B) they have poor blood circulation.&
&(C) their blood cell count is below normal.&
&(D) their lungs do not function properly.&
&(E) their bone marrow is inactive.&
#0 Explanation for choice A
The passage does not suggest that bronchitis is
connected with lack of oxygen in the environment.
#0 Explanation for choice B
The passage suggests just the reverse - that the
circulatory system works very hard to transport
oxygen in a person with bronchitis.
#0 Explanation for choice C
The passage states just the reverse - that patients
with bronchitis have red blood cell counts which
are well above normal.
#1 Explanation for choice D
The passage suggests that bronchitis is a lung
disease which prevents patients from getting
enough oxygen.
#0 Explanation for choice E
The passage states just the reverse - that patients
with bronchitis have increased bone marrow activity.
` hint for question 3
Reread the first paragraph of the passage, which dis-
cusses patients with bronchitis.
[[1  Reading passage on page 216
   John Philip Sousa was no Beethoven. Never-
theless, he was Sousa. When you say "a Sousa
march," the phrase means something pretty
definite to almost anyone who hears you.
Nobody asks, "Which Sousa march?"  It does not
matter. Any one of them bears the imprint of a
vigorous, clear-cut, decidedly original musical
personality. They are not "festival" marches, or
any other concert variant of the original form.
They are intensely practical. Sousa started as a
navy bandmaster and did most of his work in the
open air and in motion. The marches he wrote,
first for the Marine Band and later for his own,
were intended to set the pace for marching men.
   They have a deceptive simplicity, those Sousa
marches. Their tunes are so uncomplicated, so
easy to catch, so essentially spontaneous and
melodic, that one can easily underrate them.
Simple as they may be, they are Sousa's tunes
and no one else's. It took only a minor grade of
inspiration to write them, perhaps. It was, none-
theless, genuine inspiration.
   We do rightly, of course, to judge people by
their reach as well as their grasp. It is only fitting
to admire Beethoven and Wagner for their pre-
tensions as well as for their achievements. They
dared more than others. If they won greater
glory, they also risked a more disastrous failure.
Yet I think it is not always necessary to be
technically "great" in order to be immortal.
The giants of art stir our hearts and souls and
imaginations. Sousa stirs only our feet. Never-
theless, he does stir them.
[4  Question 4
The primary purpose of the passage appears to be to

&(A) set forth a new definition of artistic greatness.&
&(B) defend the worth of the music of John Philip
    Sousa.&
&(C) emphasize the practical importance of music.&
&(D) explain the relationship between inspiration
    and immortality.&
&(E) compare the music of Sousa with that of
    Beethoven.&
#0  Explanation of choice A
The passage contains no definition of artistic
greatness.
#1  Explanation of choice B
The entire passage is devoted to describing
and praising the music of John Philip Sousa.
Possible criticisms of his work are deflected.
#0  Explanation of choice C
Lines 10-14 stress the fact that Sousa's marches
were very practical. This is not, however, the
main purpose of the passage.
#0  Explanation of choice D
The passage briefly mentions that !technical
greatness! may not be required for immortality.
It does not attempt to explain the relationship
between !inspiration! and immortality.
#0  Explanation of choice E
Sousa's music is compared briefly with Beethoven's
music at the beginning and end of the passage.
This comparison is not the main point of the
passage, however.
`  Hint for question 4
This is a main idea question. The correct
answer must be something which is discussed
throughout the entire passage, not something which
is mentioned only briefly.
[5  Question 5
The author would be most likely to use which of
the following terms in describing the music of
John Philip Sousa?

&(A) Memorable&   &(B) Intricate&   &(C) Overrated&
&(D) Soul-stirring&   &(E) Pretentious&
#1  Explanation of choice A
Lines 2-8 stress the fact the Sousa's marches are
intensely memorable to all who hear them.
#0  Explanation of choice B
Lines 15-19 stress the !simplicity! of Sousa's music.
It is definitely not intricate.
#0  Explanation of choice C
In line 18, the author states that Sousa's music is,
if anything, !underrated!.
#0  Explanation of choice D
In lines 31-33 of the passage, the author makes the
point that some art is soul-stirring, but that !Sousa
stirs only our feet!.
#0  Explanation of choice E
In lines 15-17 of the passage, the author describes
Sousa's music as !simple, uncomplicated! and
!spontaneous!. This is the opposite of being self-
important or !pretentious!.
`  Hint for question 5
This is an inference question. Look through the
passage for descriptions that support one of these
answers. The first paragraph is important in
answering this question.
[6  Question 6
Sousa's work is "practical" (line 10) in the sense
that it is

&(A) often imitated.&
&(B) easily remembered.&
&(C) readily learned.&
&(D) used for actual military marching.&
&(E) the high point of military concerts.&
#0  Explanation of choice A
In line 7, the author refers to Sousa's work as
being !decidedly original!. The passage makes
no reference to the music's being imitated.
#0  Explanation of choice B
The passage does speak of the music being memorable,
but this does not necessarily make it !practical!.
#0  Explanation of choice C
The passage says nothing about the Sousa marches
being !readily learned!.
#1  Explanation of choice D
Lines 13-15 of the passage refer to the Sousa marches
as being written to !set the pace for marching men!.
They were written to be immediately used by a
marching military band.
#0  Explanation of choice E
Lines 8 and 9 of the passage stress that the Sousa
marches were not written specifically for concert
performance.
`  Hint for question 6
You know what !practical! ordinarily means. Look
at the lines preceding and following the word to
see what it means in the context of this passage.
[7  Question 7
Which of the following is the best interpretation
of lines 23-24?
&(A) A person's past generally determines the success
     that the person will have in the future.&
&(B) A person who is sincere is as worthy as a
     person who is successful.&
&(C) It is wise to consider people's goals as well
     as their deeds.&
&(D) It is necessary to applaud the humble as well
     as the proud.&
&(E) It is better to praise talent than ambition.&
#0  Explanation of choice A
Lines 23 and 24 of the passage do not refer to the
past and the future.
#0  Explanation of choice B
Lines 23 and 24 of the passage do not contrast the
person who is sincere with the successful person.
#1  Explanation of choice C
Lines 23 and 24 of the passage urge us to consider
people's goals - their !reach! - as well as their
deeds - their !grasp!. Aiming high is to be
applauded.
#0  Explanation of choice D
Lines 23 and 24 of this passage do not contrast the
humble with the proud. There is no reference to
pride or humility.
#0  Explanation of choice E
Lines 23 and 24 of this passage mention !reach! or
ambition, but there is no reference to talent.
`  Hint for question 7
This is an inference question. Read lines 23 and
24 and then read the lines following. The comments
about Beethoven and Wagner give insight as to the
author's intent.
[[1  Reading passage on page 139
   As the manifestation of capitalism, the factory
system led to a rise in the standard of living, to rapidly
falling urban death rates and decreasing infant mortality,
and to an unprecedented population explosion. In
1749, only one in four London children survived to a
fifth birthday; by 1829, two out of three lived to a
fifth birthday. England's population doubled from
six million in 1750 to twelve million in 1820.
   One is both morally unjust and historically inaccurate
to blame capitalism for the condition of children during
the Industrial Revolution; in fact, capitalism brought
enormous improvement over their condition in the pre-
ceding age. The sources of the inaccurate perceptions of
capitalism were ill-informed, emotional novelists and
poets like Dickens and Mrs. Browning; fanciful medieval-
ists like Southey; political tract writers like Engels and
Marx, posturing as economic historians. All painted
vague, rosy pictures of a lost "golden age" of the working
classes, an age that they claimed was destroyed by the
Industrial Revolution. Historians have not supported
their assertions. Investigation and common sense have
deglamorized pre-factory domestic industry. In that
system, the worker made a costly initial investment in,
or paid heavy rentals for, a loom or frame; thus, the
worker had to bear the speculative risks involved. His
diet was drab and meager, and he was forced to enlist
the labor of his wife and children. There was nothing
romantic or enviable about a family living and working
together in a badly lighted, improperly ventilated, poorly
constructed cottage.
[8  Question 8
The author includes statistical information specifically to

&(A) dispute the cause-and-effect relationship
     between the development of the factory
     system and the growth in population.&
&(B) support the claim that life in preindustrial
     England was worse than life in the
     industrial age.&
&(C) emphasize the unfortunate plight of children
     in the 1800's.&
&(D) prove that Engels and Marx were not economic
     historians.&
&(E) demonstrate that the Industrial Revolution had
     ended in England by 1829.&
#0  Explanation of choice A
The statistics in the passage clearly support the
cause-and-effect relationship between the factory
system and the growth in population. The numbers do
not dispute this relationship; the numbers support it.
#1  Explanation of choice B
The statistics in the passage establish that the
industrial age brought !rapidly falling death rates!
and !decreasing infant mortality!. Life in the
preindustrial age was much harder and more uncertain.
#0  Explanation of choice C
The statistics in the passage emphasize that the
plight of the children was worse in the 1700's than
in the 1800's.
#0  Explanation of choice D
The writer of the passage does make the point that
Engels and Marx were only !posturing as economic
historians!, but the statistical information does
not support this conclusion.
#0  Explanation of choice E
The writer of the passage uses 1829 as a point of
comparison for infant mortality, but nowhere is it
suggested that the Industrial Revolution ended in
1829.
`  Hint for question 8
All of the statistical information is in the first
paragraph. Read this paragraph carefully to see
specifically what is being established by these
statistics. Understanding the main idea of the
passage will help you answer this question.
[9  Question 9
It can be inferred from the passage that the author's
attitude toward the factory system is one of
&(A) dismay at the way it separated workers from
    their families.&
&(B) fear of the rapid population growth it spawned.&
&(C) suspicion of the social and economic changes
    it initiated.&
&(D) enthusiasm about the way it inspired writers
    to produce great works.&
&(E) support of the improvement it brought to the
    lives of workers.&
#0  Explanation of choice A
The last sentence of the passage emphasizes that the
writer felt that the pre-factory system was worse for
the families than the factory system was.
#0  Explanation of choice B
The first paragraph strongly suggests that the author
considered the rapid population growth to be a good
thing, not something to be feared.
#0  Explanation of choice C
The second paragraph of the passage stresses that the
social and economic changes brought about by the
factory system were good.
#0  Explanation of choice D
The writer of the passage is critical of all the
writers mentioned. There is no enthusiasm for
the great works that any of them produced.
#1  Explanation of choice E
The author feels strongly that the factory system
improved the lives of the workers. The last part
of the passage is filled with examples of how bad
the previous system was.
`  Hint for question 9
This is an inference question, in which you are
asked to determine the author's attitude. Read the
second paragraph carefully. In it, the author
reveals his attitude by describing the factory
system as he sees it, and by criticizing other
authors and their perceptions.
[10  Question 10
Which of the following best describes the author's
apparent purpose in this passage?
&(A) To correct a distorted picture of capitalism's
     early effects&
&(B) To help workers understand the history of
     the labor movement&
&(C) To demonstrate the impact of modern
     statistics on historical research&
&(D) To explain how much capitalism has changed
     over the years&
&(E) To create a sense of outrage over the injustices
     of the early days of capitalism&
#1  Explanation of choice A
The author feels that writers such as Dickens, Browning,
Southey, Engels and Marx gave inaccurate, distorted
pictures of capitalism's early effects. The passage is
devoted to correcting these distorted pictures with
accurate facts and statistics.
#0  Explanation of choice B
This passage does not attempt to present a full history
of the labor movement.
#0  Explanation of choice C
Although there are some statistics presented early in
the passage, there is no suggestion that the point of
the whole passage is to demonstrate the impact of
statistics on research.
#0  Explanation of choice D
The passage does not give any information about how
capitalism has changed over the years.
#0  Explanation of choice E
The outrage expressed in the passage is against the
injustices of the days before capitalism. The
author feels that any outrage against capitalism is
misplaced and inaccurate.
` Hint for question 10
This is basically a main idea question in which you
are asked to judge the author's chief purpose. Read
the beginning of the second paragraph to get a strong
sense of the author's purpose.